Midnight Thunder(INCR) Read Free Page B

answered while looking for a place to pull over.
    â€œCade?” She sounded the same, and her musical voice hurt his heart in ways it hadn’t hurt in years. “Can you talk?”
    â€œIn a minute.” He sounded out of breath and hated that. But he
was
having trouble breathing.
Lexi. Dear God.
“I’m driving and hauling a horse behind me. Let me get off the road.”
    â€œOkay. I’ll wait.”
    He set the phone back in its holder and eased to the shoulder so he wouldn’t jostle Hematite. Then he grabbed the phone again. “I’m here. What’s up?”
    â€œIt’s Rosie. She... Herb took her to Sheridan Memorial.”
    He felt dizzy. “Why? What happened?”
    â€œWe won’t know until they do some tests, so we shouldn’t jump to conclusions, but—”
    â€œDamn it, Lexi! What’s wrong with her?”
    â€œShe might... She might have had a heart attack.”
    â€œNo. Oh, no.” Panic gripped him. “She can’t. She’s too young. She can’t have a heart attack. She—”
    â€œMaybe it’s not that. But Herb’s scared. He asked me to come and take care of things here.”
    â€œDid he ask you to call me?”
    â€œNo. I’m doing that on my own. I thought you should know.”
    â€œDamn right I should know! I’m a little north of Colorado Springs right now. I’ll get there as soon as I can.”
    â€œCan you do that? Where were you going before I called?”
    â€œIt doesn’t matter. I’m changing my plans.”
    â€œBut you’re hauling a horse.”
    â€œAnd the ranch has a barn.”
    â€œTrue.” She hesitated. “So you’re alone?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œOh.”
    He couldn’t help smiling. He knew that tone. She hadn’t liked his answer. “I have a cat.”
    â€œOh!”
    â€œYeah, he came along for the ride. Are there any barn cats at the ranch?”
    â€œNot right now.”
    â€œDogs?”
    â€œNo, no dogs, either.”
    â€œThat’s just as well, then. Did you call Damon and Finn?”
    â€œI don’t have their numbers.”
    So she only had his. She’d kept it in her phone for five years. He shouldn’t read too much into that, but he already was. “I’ll call them. And if you hear anything more about Mom, call me. I’ll see you in a few hours.”
    â€œGood. That’s good.” She hung up.
    He wondered how she’d meant that and if she’d be glad to see him. The thought of seeing her made him nervous, but now that he had no choice in the matter, he discovered that he wanted to. His mental picture was five years old, so she’d probably look different.
    Her hazel eyes would be the same, but guaranteed her hair would have changed. Women tended to do that, and she’d complained about her natural color. He liked the warm brown, but she might have dyed it or cut it.
    When he’d talked to his foster mother on Christmas Eve, she’d said Lexi had broken up with her latest boyfriend. And now Rosie was in the hospital. How could he be thinking of Lexi and their screwed-up relationship when the mother of his heart was lying in a hospital bed?
    First he called his buddy at the Bar Z to say he wouldn’t be arriving, after all. Then he used the conference-call function on his phone to contact Damon and Finn. He didn’t want to waste time repeating the news.
    Eventually he got them both on the line. “Listen, I don’t have time to talk, but Lexi called from the ranch and Mom’s in the hospital with a possible heart attack. I’m driving up there now. I want both of you to get there as soon as you can arrange it.”
    â€œAbsolutely,” Damon said. “I’ll text you once I have a plane ticket.”
    â€œMe, too.” Finn sounded scared. “Is she gonna be okay?”
    â€œYes.” Cade’s jaw firmed. “She has