Follow a Wild Heart: A Christian Contemporary Western Romance Series by Natalie Bright (macos ebook reader .txt) 📕

over from Dixon as it was a little closer than the trauma center in Amarillo. Lola explained they could stabilize him here and take him on to the bigger facility if necessary. She, Carli, and Lank were the only ones in the lobby at this time of the afternoon on a Saturday. A few people walked through turning towards the hallway with patient rooms. Carli lost track of the time, and the doctor finally came out to speak with Lola. She stared into his tired face, grabbed onto Carli’s hand, and squeezed.

“Mrs. Wallace, your husband is going to be fine.”

Carli felt as though the entire building swayed in a collective exhale, a giant breath it had been holding.

“We think it was a case of angina where blood flow and oxygen are restricted to the heart, maybe a panic attack thrown in. Those can both be very debilitating and feel like a heart attack. Maybe a little acid reflux, which is intense heartburn. The good news is it wasn’t a stroke or heart attack.”

“Oh, my, thank you, Doctor. Thank God. When can I see him?”

“He’s resting now, and the nurse is changing his IV fluids. In a few minutes, I think. I might keep him overnight for observation and run some more tests in the morning. I’m a little concerned about his elevated blood pressure. Acid reflux can make you feel like you’re having a heart attack. We’ll need to talk about his diet.”

After the physician walked away, Carli quietly asked, “Acid reflux? What did he eat?”

“Well, you know, Buck likes his hot stuff. I made tamales like I normally do, but he adds jalapeños and hot chilis, and who knows what all when my back is turned. And he loves salt and onions. If he has acid reflux, coffee can be bothersome; it’s acidic. He may have to make some huge changes.”

“Wow, what’s left?" Lank chimed in. "I doubt Buck is gonna start eating salads. And a panic attack? He is the calmest, most laid-back man I know.”

“Well, he may just have to make a few changes!” Lola was stern. “I won’t have him scaring me like this. Or taking risks with his health. I want him around for years to come. Wait till he gets home. I’m gonna be watching him like a hawk. And you know what, Carli? One day soon it might be time to talk about Buck taking on fewer physical duties around the ranch. It may be Lank's turn to step up to the plate. Think about it. Buck and I are not getting any younger.”

Carli had never seen Lola like this—wound up and marching forward on a campaign for good health, all fueled by intense love for her husband.

“I want to stay here with Buck overnight. When they move him to a room, I could nap in a chair. You two go on back to the ranch.”

“You sure you want to do that, Lola? You don’t have anything with you—toothbrush, PJs,” Carli pointed out.

“We can come right back with anything you need,” Lank offered.

Lola nodded. “I’ll be fine. The nurses can probably find me a toothbrush. You go on home. I’m not leaving him.”

“I’ll bring my truck around.” Lank hugged Lola and left through the sliding glass doors.

“Someone can come pick us both up tomorrow as soon as they release him to go home. And, Carli, thanks for staying with me. You mean the world to us, me and Buck. You're like the daughter we never had.”

The two women hugged and then Carli headed outside to the parking lot, her eyes glistening as she thought of Buck and Lola and how much they meant to her.

Lank parked under the portico, and Carli climbed in.

“I'm worried about Buck and Lola. And you,” he muttered.

Things were crashing in on her—all her fears about losing Buck, and everything that had been on her mind about the ranch. She felt herself almost collapsing.

Leaning on Lank, he put his arm around her and held her close. Her face buried into his shoulder, tears dampened his shirt.

“Oh, Lank, I was so afraid we might lose him.”

He stroked her hair and held her head to his chest. “It’s okay now, Carli. I’ve got you. Don’t worry. He’ll be fine.”

“Thank you, Lank, for coming.” She looked up into his smoky-blue eyes that were filled with compassion.

Draping her arms around his neck, she didn’t want to let go. They sat there for several moments while she regained control of herself. She was always the tough one. No emotion. No girly tears. But this had shaken her to the core. She was learning more and more every day about what it meant to be part of a family.

Chapter Thirty-Four

The pillow was soft, squishy, and cool. Carli buried her face under the covers. Just one more minute. But a crick in her shoulder made it impossible to fall back asleep. Stretching her neck, she reached to flip her long hair around from under her. She savored the big mattress glad she had added a four-inch pillow top cushion to it when she had first set up the room.

Was that whining? Scratching at the side of the bed. Oh geez, the dog. What dog?

Rolling over to the side of the bed to peek through one eye, full on licking to her face commenced.

“What are you doing here? S’pose you have to go out now, huh? Can’t you let me sleep, dog? Please.”

The black and white furball wiggled from tail to nose tip, with a smile Carli couldn’t ignore.

“I guess my nap is over. All right, all right. Let's go, just for a minute.”

Carli flung her legs to the floor and stepped into fuzzy pink Ugg slippers. Earlier she had gotten comfy in her favorite green flowery/froggy PJ bottoms, a reminder of her Georgia days, on sale at Belk Department store. An extra-large, extra-long, gray sweatshirt served as a robe over her tank top. What an outfit. She didn’t care and didn’t think she’d run into