Love All Out - Part 4 (A Stepbrother Romance) Read Free

his stubbly chin scratching against the side of my forehead. “I called Lucas while I was at the coffee machine. Dallas called a ranch meeting and told everyone what happened. Mary made dinner down at the bunkhouse, and everyone’s gathered there waiting for news. Lucas is going to spend the night with the foals, so you don’t have to worry about them.”
    “Are they still getting stronger?” I asked with a cringe. I needed to know how they were doing, but I wasn’t sure I could take any more bad news.
    Matt nodded again. “Blaze isn’t bouncing back quite as quickly as Buttercup, but Dr. Moon thinks that they’ll both be fine. He left some fluids with Lucas and promised to be by first thing tomorrow.”
    I breathed a sigh of relief and straightened up in my seat. “You have no idea how grateful I am I don’t have to worry about things at home right now,” I said. “The doctors said that Daddy will have to be here for at least a week. I’d like to stay with him as much as possible.”
    Matt let out a long yawn and I remembered that he’d had just as long of a weekend as I had. He and Lucas stayed behind in Baltimore to pack our things after Renee called to tell me about the barn break-in. As soon as they landed in Colorado, they sped to the ranch to see what was happening with the horses. When they arrived, Dallas told them about Daddy. Matt slowed down long enough to pack some of my clothes and essentials, and then hauled ass to Denver to hold my hand.
    “You’re a good friend,” I said again. I took the warm cardboard mug from between my knees and offered it to him. “You should have gotten a cup for yourself,” I said as he gulped it down.
    “I didn’t get tired until I stopped moving,” he said. “And speaking of tired, I know you have to be exhausted.”
    “I don’t know what I am,” I confessed. “A hot mess is probably the best description.” I threw another glance to the clock and twirled a strand of hair around my finger.
    “Watching the clock isn’t going to help anything,” Matt advised.
    “The doctor said it could take between two and five hours. I expected to at least have an update by now.”
    He squeezed my hand and held it in his lap. “It will take as long as it takes,” he said softly. “I know you want an update, but it’s more important for the doctors and nurses to focus on Cole right now. I promise this will all be over soon and everything will be fine.”
    That’s almost exactly what James said this morning. God, how many emotions can a person feel in one day?
    My cell phone chimed and I pulled it off of a charger I’d borrowed from the nurses’ station. I looked down and saw James’s face next to a text message.
    “Are you okay? It’s killing me that I can’t take care of you right now.”
    I looked across the room and gave him a sad smile. I loved him for reaching out, but I ached for more meaningful contact. When James held me in his arms I felt like nothing could hurt me, and I needed to feel that safety. I glanced at the clock again and typed out my reply.
    “I’m trying to be okay. I know you have to stay with your mom… are you mad at me too?”
    I hit send and then silenced my phone in the hopes that no one would realize we were texting from across the room. I looked up and watch James’s face soften as he read the message. He met my eyes and ever so slightly shook his head. He turned his attention back to his phone just as Dr. Gulley stepped into the waiting room.
    She was still in her operating scrubs, her curly red hair peeking out from the back of her cap. Renee, Matt, and I immediately jumped to our feet and James followed a few seconds behind. Renee and I bombarded the petite doctor with questions as we all moved to the center of the waiting room.
    “Is he okay?” I asked anxiously.
    “Did he… survive?” Renee gasped, her hand clenched to her mouth in worry.
    Dr. Gulley smiled, her green eyes lit with triumph. “Yes, he survived. The