Special K lifts his chin toward the cockpit and goes to sit next to Declan.
I gesture for Phoebe to take off her headset, lean forward, and grab her hands.“What is it?”
“It’s more of awho.Rick’s with my family at the ranch.”
I lean back a bit.She’s talking about her ex.ThatRick.
“I’d invited him to visit over Christmas.When we broke up, I never specifically told him not to come…anyway, my mom says he rolled in right when the blizzard started, and he’s been hanging out with my family ever since.”
“Cozy.”
She shakes her head.“Rick will be meeting us at the hospital.”
“Great.”My entire body feels like it’s about to spontaneously combust.I don’t do jealousy.Jealousy has never been part of my nature.I’ve always believed that if a woman chooses someone else over me, then good for her.
“Evander, I didn’t know.”
“It’s cool.No worries.”
K comes back and gestures for us to put on our headsets, telling us that we’ll be landing soon.
The next few minutes are awkward.Phoebe and I stare out opposite sides of the helicopter.But I don’t get time to think about why I’m so bothered by Rick’s sudden entrance.Because for the first time, I’m getting a good look at what this storm has done to the land.
“Eight feet in seventy-two hours,” K says.
I suddenly have a horrible thought.“How many head of cattle did we lose?”
“No way to know yet.Definitely some of the young ones.”
From the cockpit, Declan says, “We were all out there doing our best to either get them back to barns or create windbreaks and shelters where we could, for as long as we could.”
Shit.
“This is going to be hard on a lot of ranchers,” Phoebe says, hugging herself.“And four of my brothers have decided to take snowmobiles to the hospital in this mess.They’re crazy.”
I don’t miss the look K gives me.
So it’ll be the Travassholesandthe ex-boyfriend, then.
That’s one hell of a welcome committee.
CHAPTER 50
Phoebe
We hover above the plowed helicopter pad on the medical center’s roof as steam rises from the brick building’s many chimneys.Immediately, I wonder what it’s been like over the last few days, here in my home-away-from-home.
How many staff members got stuck here when the blizzard hit?What kind of storm-related casualties have they been dealing with?Patient transport couldn’t have been operating in this much snow, which means that illnesses and injuries have gone untreated during the storm.
Evander and I aren’t the only people who’ve had a dramatic few days.But I suspect we're the only ones with our own private rescue service.
I look in his direction but find him looking out the window.I wish I had a chance to ask him what’s going on in his head.He’s bothered by Rick being here—I’mbothered by Rick being here!
Ugh!What the hell?
We touch down, and I see four people running out to greet us.One of them is Ginny, my nursing supervisor.She looks frantic.
The helicopter door opens, and Evander hops out, then reaches for me and guides me safely to my feet.He bends me over and runs with me until we’re clear of the rotors.He gives Declan the thumbs up.Special K waves to us and slams the door shut.
