“We’re going to get a couple of x-rays. I’ll have the tech come and take you back and we’ll get you checked out. Okay? Do you have any questions?”
“How soon can I get out of here?”
Dr. Stevens laughed. “Let’s make sure nothing’s broken first, then we’ll see whether you can leave or if you need to go to the hospital.”
After what seemed like an eternity, and a lot of shifting around and moving his aching body for the x-rays, he was back in the exam room with Dr. Stevens. He already knew nothing was broken, because the tech guy had been so excited about the bombing, he couldn’t stop talking.
“There aren’t any fractures or dislocations, which is the good news. The bad news is you’re going to hurt like a son of a gun for the next several days. Don’t be surprised if you turn black and blue within the next few hours. You’ve got some muscle trauma, so you’re gonna hurt. The cut on your forehead doesn’t need stitches, just a couple of butterfly bandages should do the trick.”
“That’s good. Not that I don’t enjoy your company, Doc, but can I get out of here?”
Dr. Stevens looked down at his watch. “As soon as your ride gets here.” He’d barely got the words out of his mouth when there was a sharp rap on the exam room door. “Bet’s that’s them now.”
He pulled open the door to Douglas and Ms. Patti standing in the hall. Before he could slide off the exam table, Ms. Patti burst through the doorway, and wrapped her arms around him, squeezing tight. He didn’t have the heart to tell her it hurt. Nope, he’d exchange a little pain for a lot of loving by this woman.
“He’s all yours, folks. If he’s in pain, he can take some Tylenol or ibuprofen. If it gets bad, I’ll call in a prescription. Mr. Vincent, you need to take things easy for the next few days. Rest and sleep are the best medicine at this point. Feel free to call or text me if you have any questions.”
“Don’t worry, Doc, we’ll make sure he follows orders.” When Nick started to talk, Douglas stared at him, and he closed his mouth.
“Gabe, why don’t you plan to come to lunch after church Sunday? It’s been a while since we’ve sat down and talked.” Ms. Patti shot the good doctor a look, and Nick wondered what Ms. Patti was up to, because she looked like she had more in mind than a simple dinner. Oh, well, might be good, because if she was focused on the doc, it kept her attention off him.
Ms. Patti kept her arm wrapped around his waist the entire time they checked him out from the front desk, got a return appointment scheduled, and walked to the car. She insisted he sit in the front seat, claiming he needed the extra room. Realizing it was faster and probably smarter not to argue with her, he slid into the car and buckled in.
“Rafe asked me to give you the choice of coming into the station to answer questions, or heading to the Big House with us, and he’d meet us there later. Oh, and by the way, I had Ms. Edna pack your stuff, and one of the boys will pick it up and bring it to the Big House. You’ll be staying with us until we find out who’s after you.”
“Douglas—”
“It’s a done deal. Whoever this is, they’ve ratcheted up their game, and you need to be someplace where you’ve got better security. Which means the ranch. Dane’s had Destiny check and double check to make sure we won’t have anybody coming onto our property without us knowing about it.”
A vice grip in the middle of his chest squeezed, and Nick knew he couldn’t blame it on the bombing. No, it came from knowing he was cared for by these two wonderful people and, by extension, their entire wonderful family.
“Thanks.”
“We’re going home. Douglas, I’ll call Rafe and let him know to come to the house.”
He leaned his head against the headrest, listening as she quietly spoke with her son and let the quiet sound of the tires on the asphalt lull him to sleep.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Gracie flung openthe pickup truck’s door and jumped down onto the Boudreau drive the second Nica pulled to a stop. Barely waiting long enough to swing the door closed, she raced toward the house, pulling up at the last second when she reached the bottom of the front porch steps.
“Go on in, I’ll be right behind you,” Nica yelled before heading toward the side of the house. “Tell Momma I’m home.”
Gracie stood frozen in place, so many thoughts racing through her head. She wasn’t even sure why she was here. When Nica had gotten the call about the explosion, that Nick had been hurt, every instinct made Gracie want to race to his side, assure herself he was okay. The need to take care of him rode her hard. She couldn’t explain it, even to herself, why she needed to be at his side, to touch him, convince her mind that he hadn’t been lost to her forever.
“Gracie, hon, don’t stand out there. Come on in.” Ms. Patti pushed open the front door and waited. Climbing the front steps, Gracie met her in the doorway, and Ms. Patti pulled her into a warm hug.
“I came with Nica. She got the call about Nick and I…” She let her words trail off because she didn’t know what to say. That she was concerned? That she felt an overwhelming desire to pull him close, the same way Ms. Patti had pulled her close, only she was afraid if she did that to Nick, she might never let him go.
“He’s fine. Bumped and bruised and surly, but a few days of rest and he’ll be right as rain. He’s upstairs now hopefully obeying doctor’s orders, though I doubt we’ll be able to keep him out of action for long.”
“What happened exactly? Nica said something about an explosion, but she didn’t have a lot of details.”
Ms. Patti directed her toward the kitchen, the heart of this marvelous home, and pointed to a chair at the table. Filling two glasses with ice and sweet tea, she joined her. Gracie wrapped her hands around the glass. She really didn’t want it, but it gave her an anchor, something to hold onto.
“Nick’s going to be fine, I promise. From what I’ve gotten from him and Rafe, somebody planted a car bomb on his rental car. If he hadn’t used the remote starter…” Ms. Patti took a deep breath, and Gracie could see she struggled to regain her composure. “The energy from the blast flung Nick backward, knocked the air out of him.”
“I don’t understand. Somebody planted a bomb in his car? Is somebody trying to kill him?”
