Cowboy On Call. Leigh Riker

Olivia’s life, Nick was released from the hospital. To her vast relief, the edema in his brain had begun to resolve and his numbers had improved enough that he could be sent home—or rather to the Circle H.

      Olivia drew a chair up beside his bed in the spare room. She and Nick would stay here until Logan and Sawyer felt satisfied that it was indeed safe for him to go home. His primary care doctor, Cyrus Baxter, was scheduled to make a house call tomorrow.

      She tried to smile as Nick turned the Superman bear from Sawyer this way and that, examining its satin cape, then tracing a finger over its broad grin.

      “Yes,” she said, trying to suppress a fresh wave of anger. She hadn’t seen Sawyer since they’d reached the house—hadn’t talked to him since that day at the hospital. Apparently he was still making himself scarce, sending gifts through someone else as if to show he cared.

      “Why doesn’t he come to see me?”

      “I don’t know, Nick. Maybe he’s busy helping Grandpa Sam.”

      Sawyer wasn’t the only one among the missing. So was Clint. She’d enjoyed his company, but he hadn’t even called after Olivia first sent him the news of her son’s injury. Which said something about him, too.

      “But Daddy’s here,” Nick said. “Uncle Sawyer doesn’t need to help.”

      Olivia had no answer for that. She was surprised, to be honest, that Sawyer hadn’t already packed and left for—what had he called the place? Kebir? A few times, as she’d asked him to, Sawyer had talked to Nick’s doctors. He’d “translated” for Olivia. Then, after their talk about Jasmine, he’d relayed answers and she’d sent questions through Logan or Blossom. Even her father and Liza had delivered information to her. She hadn’t seen Sawyer again at Farrier General—not once.

      Now she would have to. Nick was at the Circle H. So was Sawyer.

      Olivia could feel thankful that her son was getting well. After hours of playing Minecraft with him, she was getting to be pretty good, but she felt exhausted. Her eyes had crossed from staring at the tablet screen all afternoon. “I’m glad you like your bear,” she said.

      Nick considered for a moment. “But I don’t know if I like Uncle Sawyer.”

      Neither do I, Olivia thought, which unfortunately didn’t seem to change the unwise attraction she still felt. She rose from her chair. “Why don’t you and your new friend take a nap? Grandpa Sam promised to come watch a movie with you after he feeds the horses. Your dad and Blossom are going to read a new book with you after dinner. Then maybe you can all watch a baseball game on TV tonight.”

      Nick yawned. “Where are you going?”

      “Downstairs,” she said, “to help Blossom with dinner.”

      He gave her a sleepy grin. “You just don’t want to play Minecraft. Do you?”

      “Tomorrow,” she said, then kissed the top of his head. “Rest, punkin.”

      Her heart full, Olivia paused in the bedroom doorway to take a last peek at Nick, who had already snuggled into his pillows, the bear in his arms. For now, their potential move seemed far from his mind, and she’d loved their closeness today. As she shut the door behind her, she could hear him tell the stuffed animal, “I’ll take you to meet Hero as soon as I get out of bed.”