Sheriff Daddy (Montana Daddies Book 10) by Laylah Roberts (good book club books txt) 📗

was basically unresponsive the entire drive to the hospital. Of course I’m upset.”

“Okay, just checking. It would have helped if you knew her better.”

“Why? Is something seriously wrong with her?”

Xavier hesitated. “You know I can’t go into details . . . “

Ed let out a blast of breath. “Xavier! Just tell me something.”

“She’s not great. Looks like she was running for a long time, and I don’t think she should have been running in the first place. We’ve taken blood and we’re monitoring her heartbeat. And I’m telling you all this as the sheriff. All right?”

“Shit. Fuck.” He ran his hand over his face.

“Do you know who her next-of-kin would be?”

“Next of kin? What the fuck are you saying?” He actually felt himself growing dizzy.

“Whoa, fuck, man. I thought you said you weren’t involved with her?”

“I’m not. I just . . . is she dying?”

“No. But I am worried about her and I’m not happy with discharging her until I know she has someone to take care of her. Do you think you can track down her family?”

“Ahh, yeah, sure. I can. What kind of care?” For her heart?

“Look, I’m not going to say more without her permission. Just find some family, okay?”

“Can I see her?”

Xavier gave him an assessing look. “I don’t want her upset if she wakes up.”

“Jesus, man, what do you take me for? Look, Georgina and I worked on a case a while ago. I do know her. I’m not sure about her family situation, but I don’t want her to wake up alone.”

“Right,” Xavier said doubtfully.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“You just sound like a man who is emotionally invested in a woman. That’s all.”

“Just show me where she is.”

“Oh no.” Xavier shook his head. “You don’t get to see her until you clear the waiting room.”

“They’re just concerned about Georgie.”

“And I am sure she will appreciate that support. In the morning. At a decent hour. You know that if Mary-Lee learns they’re all here that there will be hell to pay.”

Ed grimaced. Mary-Lee was the head nurse. Xavier was right. She wouldn’t appreciate a bunch of non-family members camping out in the waiting room all night.

“Fine. I’ll get rid of them. Then show me where she is.”

10

What was that noise?

It sounded like there was a train going past. But that wasn’t right. Her apartment wasn’t near train tracks.

“Stupid train, hush. I’m trying to sleep.”

It must have been the longest train ever. It just kept going. And sometimes it grew louder. Then quieter.

“Quiet, train.”

To her surprise, the train did quieten.

“Good train, you get a reward. Gold star for you.”

“What? Georgie? Are you awake?”

Huh, that sounded like Ed’s voice.

“That’s because it is Ed’s voice, honey,” he said gently.

“Honey? I like that. It’s cute.”

“You are cute,” he told her.

“Now I know you’re not Ed. Because Ed doesn’t think I’m cute. He thinks I’m a bitch.”

“He does not. I mean, I do not.”

“I must be dreaming. Because Ed only comes to me in my dreams.” She yawned. “Why is my bed so hard? And these sheets are scratchy. I don’t like them. Dream Ed, get me new sheets,” she ordered imperiously.

There was a huff of laughter. “Does dream Ed always do as you order?”

“Of course. It’s my dream, why wouldn’t he?”

“Well, seems to me that you might get a bit spoiled and bratty if he did everything you said.”

She huffed out a sigh. “It’s my dream. Just for once, I should get something my way. Where I don’t have to do what everyone else tells me to do.”

There was a beat of silence. Dream Ed was being weird tonight.

“Who’s everyone?” he asked.

“Huh?”

“Who is everyone? Who tells you what to do?”

“I already told you. Were you not listening? You’re starting to sound more like real Ed.”

More silence.

“And what did you want him to do that he didn’t do?”

“I thought he was with Kiesha, and I thought he was a dirty, nasty cheater. Then she asked me out and I thought I was going to have to tell her what I’d done. Because Ed was a pansy-assed, lying cheater. And then when I did tell her, she laughed. You know, because Ed is gross.”

“So he’s a dirty, nasty, lying, pansy-assed, gross cheater?”

“Are you coming down with a cold, dream Ed? Because that’s going to ruin my plans for later.”

“What plans did you have for later?” he asked.

“I’m getting tired again.”

“But you’re dreaming. How can you be tired if you’re in a dream?”

“Urgh, if I wanted logical Ed, I would go find real Ed.”

“Dirty, nasty, lying, pansy-assed, gross, cheater Ed?” he asked in a funny-sounding voice. What was his problem? He already knew all of this.

“Yeah, him.”

“But I’m . . . he’s not with Kiesha.”

“Yeah, I know. She told me. It seemed like he was.”

“Did you really come to Wishingbone just to see me . . . umm, him?”

She sniffled. “I’m so stupid.”

“You are not stupid,” he said firmly. “And that’s the last time I want to hear you call yourself that.”

“I am stupid.”

“Georgina,” he said in a warning voice.

“Now you’re being bossy Ed. I want dream Ed.”

“Well, dream Ed doesn’t like you saying bad things about yourself, either.”

“But it’s the truth. I was stupid to think that kiss meant anything to real Ed. He probably forgot about it as soon as it happened.”

“What are you talking about? You’re the one that left town. Who didn’t answer my, umm, real Ed’s messages.”

“I know, that’s because I’m a coward as well as stupid.”

“Georgina, you’re going to be in big trouble if you keep calling yourself names.”

“Ooh, what you gonna do, big daddy? You gonna spank me?”

More silence. Dream Ed really needed to stop being so domineering and bossy. Even if she did kind of like it. Just a bit.

“Just a bit, huh? And yeah, I might spank you if you keep disparaging yourself.”

“Real Ed has big hands. I wonder if that means he has a big dick?”

Dream Ed groaned.

“Yeah, I always thought that big hands—big dick thing was a