Follow a Wild Heart: A Christian Contemporary Western Romance Series by Natalie Bright (top reads .TXT) 📗

coffee shop based on parts of an overheard conversation and then the Dixon town gossip train ran full speed and out of control. Dependable form of news, but not always accurate. Listen to me! I have to talk to Lank.”

“How does Lank play into this? What has you so upset?”

“I think I love him.” Carli let out a breath. There. She’d blurted it out without even thinking. What a disaster this was going to be, no matter how things might work out. Vera’s eyes widened and then a slow grin covered her face.

“Come with me.” Crazy Vera grabbed her by the scruff of her shirt and half ran, half dragged her towards the parking lot. As they approached Vera's truck, Snot the bloodhound raised a droopy-eyed face up from the back and wagged his tail at Carli. Vera opened the back of the truck bed and Snot jumped out and walked around to the passenger door.

“Get in. You’ll have to ride in the middle because Snot always sits by the window.” Vera shouted as if Carli wasn’t just on the other side of the truck. “And hold my drink.”

Carli held Vera’s soda and with her other hand pushed the dog away to avoid a slobbery tongue on her cheek. They roared out of the parking lot, turning into a residential area, Vera weaving right and then left. “I’m taking a shortcut. Now they may have just taken him to the local hospital, but if they took him on to a larger medical center we’ll find out.”

What would she say to Lank when she saw him? Admitting your undying love to an employee is hardly appropriate, and what if he didn’t feel the same? They couldn’t ever work together once those three words escaped her lips. It would be torture seeing him and knowing he didn’t love her back. What a mess. She’d have to fire him. Again.

The notion that he might be seriously injured slammed into her brain and caused tears to bubble up in her eyes. Houses and yards and traffic passed by blurry in her vision. She absentmindedly laid an arm across the bloodhound in the seat next to her, pulling him closer. The thought of sobbing into his neck crossed her mind but she concentrated on breathing in and out to get a check on her emotions.

Vera practically jumped out of the truck before it stopped rolling under the portico, and Carli followed still holding Vera’s drink from the rodeo concession. "Emergency" blinked bright red next to the sliding glass doors.

“Was that cowboy brought here?” Vera asked, her voice booming in the sterile, orderly space. A nurse looked up from behind the counter. “Yes. Room 35, but are you family?”

“You’re dang right we are!” The nurse raised curious eyebrows but didn’t argue. Vera turned to Carli. “Go get your cowboy.”

“You bet I will.” She passed the drink to the big woman with frustration, not knowing why she was still carrying it around, and looked at the nurse who pointed a finger towards the hall behind her.

Walk, don’t run, she reminded herself, but she couldn’t stay calm. She busted around the corner, swerving to miss an orderly who pushed an empty wheelchair, and barreled through the door without even knocking.

Lank appeared to be asleep, but breathing, his chest rising and falling as the air made a wheezing noise. One arm was in a sling and one eye was swollen shut. His cheek and forehead marked with deep purple bruising. Peaceful. He looked so serene and Carli was filled with joy, giddy and sharp, at the sight of his face. She froze and stared, memorizing every line weathered by the outdoors. A black curl covered one side of his forehead and dark stubble shaded his handsome face. She stepped closer and couldn’t help but reach out and caress his jaw. She let her hand trail down his good arm and then clasped his hand in hers.

After a moment he slowly opened one eye, saw her face, and lifted his good eyebrow. She smiled at him.

“I need to tell you something, Lank Torres,” she murmured.

He turned his face into the pillow. “Go away.” He jerked his hand back.

Carli drew in a deep breath. This wasn’t going to be easy. He was so ornery he'd make it difficult. But she had to tell him how she felt, even if they could never be a couple. Even if he hated her.

“You just listen. I’ll talk.” She leaned over him so in case he did open that one good eye again, she’d be in his line of vision. “You left the Olsen’s before you heard my news.” She poked him on the shoulder. “There is no baby.”

He kept his eye shut. “So? What has this got to do with me?” he mumbled.

“I wanted you to know.” She eased onto the bed next to him.

“I’m sure you and Nathan will have many long years together. Don’t send me an invite to the wedding.”

“That would be an interesting marriage since he’s moving to Santa Fe and I’m staying here. There’s no wedding. There’s no baby. Can you drop the arrogant attitude for once and just listen?”

Lank turned his head and finally opened his good eye. She met his gaze, couldn’t think of what she needed to say so she leaned in to plant a gentle kiss on his lips. For once this smart-mouthed cowboy was speechless. She giggled.

“I know I said we needed to keep it professional, employer and employee and all that, but I've changed my mind. When I moved to Texas, I wasn’t looking for a new relationship. I just wanted to learn about cattle ranching and find out about a family I never knew. I didn’t expect to find love. But here you are. Whether you feel the same or not, I think we should be honest with each other.” A tear slid down her cheek. She’d laid bare her heart and soul. They were in his hands now.

His hand gently caressed