Dean didn’t want to let go of Gwen’s hand. It had been so long since he’d touched her, and once she regained consciousness, she wouldn’t allow him that privilege. But she needed to get to the hospital. With a sigh, he released it and backed away from the gurney so the EMTs could get her inside.
“Okay, but I’m going in the ambulance with her.”
Joe glanced at the other paramedic, who shrugged in agreement. “Okay,” Joe said, “but move out of the way and let us get her loaded. Then you can climb in with her.”
Ben patted Dean on the back. “I need to check on the search my deputies are doing, but I’ll see you at the hospital later.”
He nodded and then motioned to Emmett, who hurried across the lot, a perplexed expression on his face. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost, boss. Is something wrong?”
Dean bit down on his lip and debated how much he should reveal to his foreman. After a moment he sighed. “Yeah.” He hitched in a breath. “I know the woman who was hurt, and I’m going to the hospital with her. Will you take my horse back to the ranch? I’ll call you when I’m ready to come home, so somebody can come get me.”
Emmett glanced toward the gurney, then back to Dean. “Okay. Anything else?”
“I won’t be there for the guest cookout tonight, so you’ll need to help my grandfather with it. Is that a problem for you?”
“No problem. We can handle it. But how long do you think you’ll be?”
Dean had no idea. He might not be at the hospital long. It all depended on what Gwen had to say when she regained consciousness, whenever that might be. “I’m not sure. I’ll phone and let you know.”
Before Emmett could say anything else, Joe’s voice rang out from the rear of the ambulance. “Dean, if you’re going with us, come on. We’re ready to leave.”
He nodded and climbed into the vehicle. The gurney took up more than half the space inside, and Dean squeezed in beside Gwen as Joe moved to close the ambulance door. When it was secured, he yelled to his partner, “We’re ready to go back here. Are you sure you wouldn’t rather I drive?”
“No, thanks. I’ve got this,” the man called back.
Joe shrugged and tried to control the smile that pulled at his mouth. “Wilson is new, and he’s not used to navigating these mountain roads yet, but he really wants to prove himself. Still, I’m a little concerned about him taking this one. You know how those steep curves can cause a driver to lose control, and there aren’t any guardrails.”
Dean nodded. “Yeah, I’ve heard some horror stories about this stretch. But if this guy is going to work around here, he’d better get used to it. No getting around the fact that we live in the mountains.”
Joe chuckled. “You’re right about that.” He picked up the blood-pressure cuff, leaned in and wrapped it around Gwen’s arm. When he’d finished the procedure, he nodded. “Looks good.”
Then he scooted out of the way, leaving Dean access to Gwen again. He took her hand in one of his and stroked his thumb across her knuckles as his other hand brushed her hair back behind her ear. For a few seconds all he did was stare down at her, quenching the longing he’d had to see her again. She hadn’t changed much in the past five years. Her hair wasn’t as long as it used to be, but still felt as silky as when he’d first met her.
Pert was the word he and her friends had used to describe her back then. He wondered if she was still that sassy girl he’d loved or if the years had jaded her as they had him.
Eight years ago she’d been an assistant to the news staff at WLMT radio in Oxford, a town near Nashville. He’d been a police officer then. He remembered so well the night he first saw her. He’d been working on a case involving a serial killer who had chosen Gwen and her friend C.J. as his next victims. Dean had found her at the radio station locked in a closet waiting for the killer who’d left her there as he attempted to dispose of her friend. When he’d opened that door and seen how terrified she was, she had become more than a victim to him.
But it was her strength afterward, her determination not to let her horrible experience wear her down, that had won him over. Her vibrant spirit refused to be dimmed, and it had dazzled him. She had stolen his heart.
They’d been married six months later. And over the next two years, even though it was the last thing he ever would have wanted, he’d succeeded where the killer had failed and crushed some of her bright optimism.
Dean should have known better than to have subjected her to the problems in his life. As much as he’d loved her, he hadn’t been able to keep the demons of his past from destroying the best thing that had ever happened to him. She’d tried to save their marriage, but at the time he couldn’t meet her halfway. Now, for some reason, he’d been given the chance to see her again, and he didn’t know if this was what he wanted or not.
Gwen stirred on the gurney, and Dean tightened his grip on her hand, silently willing her to wake up. The thought had no sooner entered his head than he questioned his decision to get in the ambulance. He had no idea if she would be happy to see him. Probably not. The day their divorce had been finalized, she’d told him in no uncertain terms that she didn’t want to ever hear from him again. She’d said she was leaving Oxford and that he should never try to find her.
He’d agreed and for the past five years had kept his promise. Now she’d suddenly reappeared, in the last place he would have expected.
As the ambulance sped along the mountain road, he said a prayer of thanks that she’d come through her ordeal alive. Dean wanted to pray that she would be happy to see him when she woke up, but that probably wasn’t going to happen.
Suddenly her eyes blinked open. “Wh-where am I?” she whispered.
Dean released her hand and scooted out of the way so Joe could lean over her.
“Miss Anderson,” he said, “you’re in an ambulance. We’re on our way to the hospital. A doctor has been alerted and is waiting for us. Just relax, and we should be there in a few minutes.”
She closed her eyes. “My head hurts,” she murmured.
“I know. The doc will take care of that when we get to the hospital. Now just lie still.”
She swallowed and looked up at him again. “Who are you?”
“My name’s Joe. I’m one of the EMTs taking care of you.”
Her eyes opened wide and she swallowed hard. Her body trembled as she tried to push herself up from the gurney. “Th-that man...”
Joe put his hands on her shoulders and eased her back down. “Don’t think about that right now. The sheriff will want to talk to you later about what happened. For now, just relax and don’t worry. You’re safe.”
She breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you. You’re very kind.”
Joe glanced over his shoulder at Dean, who’d been holding his breath in suspense. “There’s somebody here who wants to see you,” the EMT said.
A frown pulled at her forehead. “Who?”
Joe moved out of the way, and Dean eased in next to the gurney. “It’s me, Gwen.”
For a moment she didn’t move, and then a dazed look clouded her eyes. “No,” she gasped. “This can’t be real.”
Dean smiled and covered her hand with his as he leaned closer. “Yes, it’s real, Gwen. I’m here.”
At his touch, her fingers stiffened. Then she pulled her hand free and turned her face away. “No, no, this can’t be happening,” she moaned.
* * *
She had to be dreaming. Dean had been out of her life for five years. How could he be staring down at her in the back of an ambulance? She