“Remind me to wear jeans and tennis shoes next time we go out.”
“It could be worse. You could be wearing heels.”
Grace rolled her eyes. “Says the man bleeding to death.”
Chapter Fourteen
The creek was only halfa mile away and was the dividing line between the properties. Sam could feel his energy draining with each step. He could no longer hide the grimace from his face or prevent the groans from slipping free. He wasn’t going to make it to the neighbor’s house.
“I need to rest,” he said, sliding down the stone wall. His stuff was hidden around there somewhere, but he didn’t have the energy to look. He needed Grace to run, and keep running, until she was safe. “My stuff should be around here somewhere, but we don’t have time to look. You need to go.”
“Don’t you mean we,” she begged. “He could have already come back and realized you’re gone.”
“I can’t.” He lifted his hand and dropped it again. “You go.” He pointed. “His place is a half a mile through the field. Either the doctor or his daughter will probably spot you coming.”
“I can’t leave you,” Grace said, dropping to her knees. She rested her scratched-up palm on his face.
He covered her palm with his. “I bet this wasn’t exactly the vacation you had in mind.”
“Oh, I don’t know. I’d say this wedding is one I won’t soon forget, considering you probably knocked me up. I’m sure I’ll remember it for the rest of my life.” She smiled as a tear trickled over her cheek. She was trying to be strong for both of them.
A laugh bubbled free, and he regretted the small movement. His entire body was starting to go lax. The fight in him was dying as the need to close his eyes was close to winning.
“Grace, you need to go.” He turned his face and kissed her palm. “For our future baby’s sake.” He smiled, knowing he’d probably never get the chance to say those words again.
“Look who’s got a sense of humor in the face of death.” She rose. “I’m going tokill your ex. You won’t have to worry about her marrying your brother.” She glanced over her shoulder, back in the direction of the barn, and then toward the doctor’s house. She squatted in front of him. “Don’t die on me. You owe me a real date.”
“Go, Grace.”
She nodded and took off in a jog, going only a few steps before she stopped and ditched the boots on her feet. She glanced back and grinned before she took off at a faster pace toward the doctor’s house.
Sam strained to keep his eyes open until she made it out of sight. Only after knowing she was far enough out of harm’s way did he let his body succumb to the pain and blood loss. He closed his eyes in the silence and let himself slip further into the awaiting darkness.
Grace satin the chair across the room from where Sam was resting. Doctor Halloway had performed a miracle, and removed the bullet lodged in Sam’s chest, in his home clinic. Thank God for small miracles. Sam had an IV in his arm and a bandage across his bare chest. Color had started returning to his cheeks, but he still looked worse than her sisters after a night out on the town. The sound of the heart rate monitor was her only companyin the silence of the room. Sam had barely had a pulse by the time she’d gotten back to him.
“He’s going to be fine.” Rose, Doc Halloway’s daughter, said from the doorway. “He’ll recover. My dad got to him in time.”
“I know.”
Rose walked into the room and handed Grace a towel, a pile of clothes, and a pair of sneakers. “I thought you might like to take a shower and change.”
“Thank you.” Grace took them but didn’t walk out. “That guy, Steve, is going to come here looking for Sam. How long until he wakes up?”
Rose let out a long sigh. “I’m not sure, but don’t worry about Steve. We have ranch hands; my dad has guns, and we’ve called the law to have Steve arrested.”
Grace smiled. “Excellent. I have a wedding to stop.”
Grace tossedthe doors open to the private dining area where the rehearsal dinner was being held. All eyes turned in her direction at the noise. Grace scanned the occupants until she found the woman that was enjoying her last meal as a free woman.
“Thank goodness you made it,” Annalise said as she rose from the table and met Grace in the middle of the room. “Where’s Sam?”
“I’ll get to that,” Grace said, patting Annalise’s hand before moving inside the room.
The table was set up in a U-shape, the bride and groom in the center with the rest of the wedding party on both sides. Sam’s chair next to his brother was empty.
Grace walked over to the table and tossed a neon-colored condom packet onto the bride’s plate and smirked. “Sorry to disappoint your plans.”
Grace glanced at Richard, who looked like a little-lost boy. “She’s pregnant, and the baby isn’t yours. It belongs to your ranch manager, Steve.”
