Authors: Sara York
Colorado Hitch
Colorado Hitch
The fifth book in the Colorado Heart Series
By Sara York
Colorado Hitch Copyright © 2016 Sara York
Cover Art by Sara York ©Copyright 2016
Electronic Edition
This book is a work of fiction. All characters, places and events are from the author’s imagination and should not be confused with fact. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, events or places is purely coincidental.
License Notes
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All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form, whether by printing, photocopying, scanning or otherwise without the written permission of Sara York.
I want to say thank you to all of my readers. I appreciate each and every one of you. You make all the difference in this world. Thank you for making the world a brighter place.
Colorado Hitch
Sara York
Grant stood in the kitchen, smiling to himself as he watched the guys gather around the table. Roger caught his gaze from across the room and nodded. It had been two weeks since they’d taken the plunge in Hawaii and tied the knot. They would have taken more time with a honeymoon but Duff wanted him back here since both Ryan and Davis were finishing their training.
It was Easter, not a holiday they normally celebrated, but both Davis and Ryan were back at the ranch, and Duff was excited to have them home. It had been a weird month, and he’d taken on a larger part of the operation at Duff’s insistence. Duff still played an essential role in the running of Wild Bluff, but the old man had him worried. Though he would never say that to Duff’s face.
Duff came into the kitchen and opened the cabinet, grabbing a glass and filling it with water. Grant turned to say something to him then noticed the gray cast to Duff’s skin and how his hands shook. Silently, he studied Duff, not liking what he saw. Duff took a sip of his water then moved to set the glass on the counter just as Ryan and Davis entered the room. Duff looked up, his face going white as he started to topple. Grant realized Duff was going down and reached for him. The glass in Duff’s hand tumbled, shattering as it hit the floor, halting all conversation.
Somehow, Grant caught Duff, pulling him close before easing him to the floor. Mike was there, sliding in beside Grant, assessing the situation. Grant moved out of the way as Mike worked to make sure the airway was clear. Zander skidded in with a medical bag in hand and dropped to the floor beside Mike.
“Airway?” Zander asked.
“Clear,” Mike replied without looking up.
Zander pulled out a stethoscope, listening to Duff’s chest before he turned to the bag, and grabbed their portable automated external defibrillator.
“He’s having a heart attack.” Zander’s words sent a chill through the room. Grant swore that even the horses outside grew quieter.
Grant glanced up and caught Davis’s gaze. “Oh shit,” Davis whispered as he paled.
Mike cut open Duff’s shirt and pulled the material clear before Zander affixed pads to his chest. Desperation filled Davis’s eyes as his gaze darted around the room. Grant stood, moving to Davis. He wrapped one arm around the man as everyone watched Mike and Zander work the AED device.
“Clear,” Zander said before he pressed the button that fired the AED.
They held a collective breath as they waited for Duff’s heart to catch a beat. Grant prayed Duff would survive, not just for him but for Davis too. There wasn’t enough time to call an ambulance, not that they would want to bring any strangers onto the ranch. Instead, they needed to load up and head to the hospital. Duff wouldn’t live without treatment. They could do a lot out here, but performing open-heart surgery wasn’t something any of them were capable of.
It seemed like forever before Duff’s heartbeat evened out. When it looked like Duff was in the clear, Davis sighed and slumped against Grant. Ryan was right there; the three of them huddled together, praying everything turned out okay.
“Bring the van around, Roger,” Grant barked out.
Roger raced out of the room, and Billy followed him. Grant held onto Davis, hoping for everyone’s sake Duff survived. Their leader was fading, and he didn’t want to think of life on the ranch without Duff.
Billy raced in with a stretcher. “Move over, Mike, let’s get him on this.”
They rolled Duff to his side and slid the stretcher underneath him, strapping him in before they lifted and carried him out to the van, which Roger had running outside. Grant dragged Davis along with him, shoving Davis into the back passenger seat before he hopped behind the wheel, replacing Roger who had slid over. He strapped in quickly and took off as soon as Billy and Zander had secured Duff in the back. Marshal was on the phone, already talking to someone at the hospital. The doctors and nurses would be ready for Duff. Another truck followed behind them with more of their crew, but Grant had no idea if anyone had stayed at home or if all of them were on their way into town.
He’d dealt with injuries on the battlefield, but this was worse because his emotions were deeper. He needed to calm, but losing Duff right then would destroy them. His chest tightened and his head throbbed. He wasn’t ready for Duff to die. The man had grown from being a boss and commander into something more like a father.
He glanced in the rearview mirror, watching Zander and Mike as they continued to work on Duff. Every man had mature since joining the ranch, and he was no exception. Their group was different, extraordinary in its own way, and they needed a strong leader to keep them in control. So much had changed for him, and with Marshal’s lingering injuries, Grant felt the pressure to take on more field operations. He needed Duff now more than ever.
Heck, they all needed more time with Duff, especially Davis. They worked well as a unit, mainly because Duff was in the lead. He set the tone, allowing them to function better than the best military unit. Plus, Duff stood up to their shit and bad attitudes, never wavering, giving them no option but to get along. Grant knew he wouldn’t be strong enough to replace Duff. What would happen if Duff passed away? Maybe Wild Bluff could survive, but what if the team fell apart? Sure, he and Marshal could handle most of the operational stuff, but they lacked Duff’s experience and his connections. There were some things Duff knew that he and Marshal would never understand.
Davis had become an integral part of their group now. What would he do if Duff died? It wasn’t fair for Davis to become a key member then have his father ripped away.
Twenty minutes after they left the ranch property, they were outside the hospital. By some miracle, or just dumb luck, Duff was still with them. Having the AED on property had saved Duff. There was no doubt in Grant’s mind that Duff would be dead if they hadn’t purchased the device last summer.
Once at the hospital, the nurses took over. Grant helped Davis with the paperwork, and then the wait came. Time moved slowly, seeping sluggishly past, dragging them all down. He looked around their group and wondered how odd they seemed. A few people in town had begun to notice them, but they usually kept to themselves. When Brody had left the fire station, there had been rumors about them, but those died quickly with a little help from their camp. Now, they were all together, not one man missing, as they crowded the hospital emergency room waiting area.
Though they were almost all coupled off, they sat by themselves, silent for the most part, only exchanging glances on the off chance they looked up at the same time. If they’d been in New York, or LA, or anywhere with a more progressive attitude, he knew he would be in Roger’s arms right then, holding on tight, asking his lover to reassure him that everything would be okay; but this wasn’t the type of town where gay men openly cuddled in public. Only Davis got hugs and pats on the back as they watched the door to the emergency room, praying it would open and reveal good news for Duff.
It seemed to take forever before those doors opened and someone came out to talk to them. The guy was young for a doctor in this area, maybe thirty-five at most.
His eyes assessed the group, taking in each one of them before his gaze moved to the next person. “Which one of you is Mr. Whitaker’s son?”
“I am,” Davis said.
The doctor moved to stand in front of Davis. Ryan had his arm around Davis and stepped closer. Marshal stood on the other side, his hand on Davis’s arm. They presented a formidable front.
“I’m Doctor Barlow and I was called in to assess your father. It looks like you have a huge crew with you, which your dad said you would.”
“You talked to him?” Davis asked.
“He did regain consciousness enough to chat for a few minutes. I have an idea. We have a room around the corner that is larger and will be more private for your group. Let’s head in there.”
The crew followed Dr. Barlow to the conference room, shutting the door once they were all inside. Roger moved close to Grant and placed a hand on his lower back. He met Roger’s gaze and smiled as warmth spread through him.
“Mr. Whitaker is stable for now,” Dr. Barlow said. “I’m going to have to do some work on him in the morning.”
“What’s going on with Duff? Do you have to open him up?” Marshal asked.
“I know it sounds scary, but Mr. Whitaker requires the least invasive type of graft to get more blood flowing to his heart. We’ll take the left internal mammary artery and graft it to the left anterior descending artery. There will be an incision that is about three inches long, and I’ll go in through that. Yes, he will require recovery, but this is one of the best situations he could be in with his symptoms. We’ll have instructions for home, and he’ll need some follow-up visits, but he won’t have his sternum cracked open. His recovery will be fast and Duff will feel better the day after the surgery. He should be able to leave the hospital in two to three days.”
“So he’s going to make it?” Davis asked.
Dr. Barlow smiled at Davis and nodded. “Yes, your father will live. He may be angry with the diet restrictions I’m placing him on, but the change in food is necessary.”
“Thank you, Doctor.” Davis hugged Ryan tightly, relief evident in his voice and his posture. Grant turned to Roger and pulled him close. They were all happy after hearing the good news. Dr. Barlow allowed them to stay in the conference room so they could talk more openly and hug without fearing any repercussion from the townies. At some point in the evening, Davis had dropped into a chair and Grant moved to sit beside him.
“What would you like us to do?” Grant asked.
“I don’t know.” Davis met his gaze, and he could see the worry plainly evident.
“Okay, how about I stay with you and Ryan for now and everyone else head home. I’ll stay with you two this evening, then another crew of men will come up here to keep you company during the night. Tomorrow, during the surgery, I’ll make sure you have support. We’ll also find a hotel room tomorrow morning, so you can go shower and sleep nearby while we sit with your dad for the next few days.” Grant waited for Davis’s reply, but the guy said nothing. Eventually, Davis nodded and Grant stood, directing their team, informing them of the plans.
Roger came over and hugged him. “Thank you for taking charge. I love you. I’ll take care of everything at home.”
Grant sniffed Roger’s hairline then kissed his cheek before brushing his lips over Roger’s. “That’s why I love you so much. Thank you for taking care of everything. I’ll be home at some point.”
“I know. Stay as long as you’re needed and don’t forget to eat something. I love you, bye.” Roger walked out the door, and Grant felt like a part of him left, too. Roger was his world. His life before Roger came to the ranch had been dark and dull.
This wasn’t how they’d expected to spend the day. At least Duff was still alive. Hell, he would have been devastated if Duff had died in his arms. After the old guy recuperated, he would make sure Duff understood exactly how much he meant not only to Grant but to the entire team.
Grant led Davis out to the ER waiting room, where an orderly met them and took them up to the room where Duff would be spending the night. Davis and Ryan clung to each other but said little.
Duff deserved to get to know Davis better. For far too long they’d been separated, and now it was time for a good family reunion, not the end of Duff’s life.