Free Wounded (An Aspen Series Novella) (Prequel to Relentless) by Cindy Stark Page B

happened.  I lost some good friends that day, but there’s nothing
I can do to bring them back.  I’d really like to try to move past it, live a
good life in their honor.  It’s what they’d want.”
    “I agree.”
    She nodded, and he started his engine just as her
phone rang.
    They exchanged glances as she pulled the phone
from her purse.  “It’s Noelle.”  She noted the time was well past midnight as
she pushed the answer button.  “Hello?”
    “Where the hell are you?”  The panic echoing from
her friend’s voice sent her into fight-or-flight mode.
    “With Jerry.  What’s wrong?”
    “It’s your dad.  He’s been shot.”
    *        *        *
    Lights in the emergency section of the Mt. Uintah
Medical Center glared down on Jerry and Kimber, stark and sterile.  They’d been
sitting in the waiting room for hours, learning bits and pieces of the domestic
dispute in town that had taken place after the fireworks and had ended with her
dad getting shot.
    Noelle had fallen asleep on the couch opposite
them about an hour after they’d arrived.  Since then, Jerry and Kimber had
spoken very little as they sat worrying and waiting to hear of her dad’s
condition.
    Her worst nightmare had come true, and he could
see the worry and stress etched into her features.  It killed him to know that
he might have caused her that kind of misery as well.
    “Miss Reynolds?”
    Both he and Kimber jumped to their feet as a
nurse addressed her.  “Yes.  I’m Kimber Reynolds.  How’s my dad?”
    “He’s doing well.  The bullet nicked an artery in
his leg, but his doctor was able to repair it with little trouble.  They’re
moving him to recovery right now.  If you’d like to go see him, you may.  He
should be waking up soon.”  She glanced at Jerry.  “One person is probably
best.”
    “I understand.”  He nodded to the nurse, and she
left.
    Kimber released a shaky breath.  “He’s okay.”
    It sickened him to see her so scared.  “Yeah. 
Sounds like he did well.”
    “I’m going to go see him.”
    “You definitely should.  I’ll tell Noelle when
she wakes.”
    She tried to give him a smile, but it barely
reached her lips and came nowhere near her eyes.  She squeezed his hand and
hurried off down the hall.
    He watched her go with a hollow ache in his
chest.  Maybe he was pushing things between them too fast.
    God knows, he wanted her, but was he being fair
to her?  There was no doubt there was a fireball of attraction between them,
but what about the times they had to be apart?  Was it fair to her to keep her
waiting and wondering?  What if he did get her pregnant and then died
overseas?  Could he put that on her?
    Fuck.  He scrubbed his hands over his hair and
sank back into his seat.  When he woke several hours later, Kimber still hadn’t
returned.  He checked with the nurse’s station.  When they let him know Sheriff
Reynolds was doing well and resting peacefully, he woke Noelle and offered her
a ride home.
    It was obvious Kimber needed time with her dad,
and she didn’t need to be worrying about him.  Maybe it was a sign that they
really weren’t meant to be together.  As much as he loved her, she needed a guy
who’d come home each night and hold her in his arms.
    *        *        *
    Kimber woke with a jerk.  Morning sun filtered
through the blinds in her dad’s hospital room.  She blinked a few times to get
her bearings before her gaze shot to her dad.
    “Morning, cupcake.”  Her dad’s pale cheeks bore
truth to the violence he’d survived, but he had a smile on his face.
    “Dad.”  She jumped to her feet and hurried
forward to hug him.  “I’m so glad you’re okay.”
    “Of course I’m okay.”  He had enough strength to
crush her to him, which reassured her beyond measure.  “You don’t think a
little bullet is going to do me in.  I’m too tough for that.”
    Tears filled her eyes.
    “Now, sweetheart.  No