continuous
rain and the valley starting to flood, they’d wanted to get a jump on
the trip. She understood, but it meant she was stuck on the ranch with
only Marilyn, Vin, and two women she barely knew for company.
Not the best set-up for avoiding someone.
Lori King
A strange sound drew her attention to the front of the truck, and
she noted Marilyn’s hand pressed to her chest.
“Marilyn? Are you okay?”
The older woman nodded, but didn’t speak.
“What’s wrong?” Vin asked, jerking his head and the steering
wheel to the right. Concern made his tone sound harsh, but he
quickly righted the truck and toned his next question down. “Do I
need to stop?”
Again, Marilyn shook her head, but stayed quiet. Her breathing
was labored, and her cheeks were a mottled gray. She was clearly not
okay.
“Marilyn, if you don’t say something, I’m going to drive straight
to the nearest hospital.” Vin demanded. Lauren met his eyes in the
rearview mirror and gave him a small nod of agreement. Something
was wrong, and the hospital was the obvious next step.
Reaching for her purse, Marilyn shook her head again, fumbling
to pull out a small bottle of pills. She managed to get one in her
mouth, and her head fell back against the seat, and her eyes were
closed. Lauren plucked the bottle from her loose grip and read the tag
on the side.
“Nitroglycerin. Marilyn, what is this for?”
Lauren glanced at Vin when the woman ignored her question. He
was paler than normal and looking even more concerned. “It’s for her
heart.”
The words were like a gut punch, and Lauren dropped the bottle.
Thankfully, the lid stayed on when it hit the floor, and she scrambled
to scoop it back up and pass it back to Marilyn. “I didn’t know you
had heart problems.”
Marilyn’s color was looking better when she finally spoke up.
“I’ve had angina for years. I’m okay now, I promise.”
“Maybe we should go see Mark,” Vin offered, still sending
nervous glances at the woman in his passenger seat.
“No, that’s not necessary. It will pass. It always does. I’ll call
him later and let him know it happened.” Marilyn insisted, patting
80
Claiming His Cowgirl
Lauren’s hand where it rested on her shoulder. “Don’t look so
worried, Lauren, dear. I’m feeling better now.”
“How often does that happen?” Lauren asked, still feeling shaky.
Marilyn had helped raise her. She was the last person alive who’d
had a specific impact in shaping her as an adult. The realization that
she was aging was mind-blowing.
“Not often,” Marilyn said, but her eyes skittered away from
Lauren’s to look out the front window again.
“Have you been to see a cardiac specialist?”
Marilyn nodded, but didn’t elaborate, and Lauren looked to Vin
for more information. He huffed with impatience, and frowned at the
older woman. “A couple years ago she went through a bunch of tests,
but they couldn’t do anything for her. She refuses to go back now,
even though I think the chest pains are coming more frequently.”
“I’m just fine.” Marilyn said stubbornly. “You kids just worry
too much. I’m an old woman, I’m supposed to have some minor
health issues.”
“Chest pains are serious, Marilyn. I think—” Lauren snapped her
jaws shut as they pulled into the driveway of Crawley Creek and got
a look at the grounds. “Holy shit.”
“Language,” Marilyn reminded her, but the words didn’t carry
any strength.
They all sat in the SUV staring at the east pasture in shock.
They’d had flooding in the low lying areas and the valley before, but
Lauren couldn’t remember the main pastures filling with water.
Looking out across what should have been at least forty acres of
uninterrupted grasses before the land dipped into a valley of trees and
a creek, there was nothing but water.
“I hope the hands got the herd in before the creek flooded. If that
pasture is flooded then there are
rain and the valley starting to flood, they’d wanted to get a jump on
the trip. She understood, but it meant she was stuck on the ranch with
only Marilyn, Vin, and two women she barely knew for company.
Not the best set-up for avoiding someone.
Lori King
A strange sound drew her attention to the front of the truck, and
she noted Marilyn’s hand pressed to her chest.
“Marilyn? Are you okay?”
The older woman nodded, but didn’t speak.
“What’s wrong?” Vin asked, jerking his head and the steering
wheel to the right. Concern made his tone sound harsh, but he
quickly righted the truck and toned his next question down. “Do I
need to stop?”
Again, Marilyn shook her head, but stayed quiet. Her breathing
was labored, and her cheeks were a mottled gray. She was clearly not
okay.
“Marilyn, if you don’t say something, I’m going to drive straight
to the nearest hospital.” Vin demanded. Lauren met his eyes in the
rearview mirror and gave him a small nod of agreement. Something
was wrong, and the hospital was the obvious next step.
Reaching for her purse, Marilyn shook her head again, fumbling
to pull out a small bottle of pills. She managed to get one in her
mouth, and her head fell back against the seat, and her eyes were
closed. Lauren plucked the bottle from her loose grip and read the tag
on the side.
“Nitroglycerin. Marilyn, what is this for?”
Lauren glanced at Vin when the woman ignored her question. He
was paler than normal and looking even more concerned. “It’s for her
heart.”
The words were like a gut punch, and Lauren dropped the bottle.
Thankfully, the lid stayed on when it hit the floor, and she scrambled
to scoop it back up and pass it back to Marilyn. “I didn’t know you
had heart problems.”
Marilyn’s color was looking better when she finally spoke up.
“I’ve had angina for years. I’m okay now, I promise.”
“Maybe we should go see Mark,” Vin offered, still sending
nervous glances at the woman in his passenger seat.
“No, that’s not necessary. It will pass. It always does. I’ll call
him later and let him know it happened.” Marilyn insisted, patting
80
Claiming His Cowgirl
Lauren’s hand where it rested on her shoulder. “Don’t look so
worried, Lauren, dear. I’m feeling better now.”
“How often does that happen?” Lauren asked, still feeling shaky.
Marilyn had helped raise her. She was the last person alive who’d
had a specific impact in shaping her as an adult. The realization that
she was aging was mind-blowing.
“Not often,” Marilyn said, but her eyes skittered away from
Lauren’s to look out the front window again.
“Have you been to see a cardiac specialist?”
Marilyn nodded, but didn’t elaborate, and Lauren looked to Vin
for more information. He huffed with impatience, and frowned at the
older woman. “A couple years ago she went through a bunch of tests,
but they couldn’t do anything for her. She refuses to go back now,
even though I think the chest pains are coming more frequently.”
“I’m just fine.” Marilyn said stubbornly. “You kids just worry
too much. I’m an old woman, I’m supposed to have some minor
health issues.”
“Chest pains are serious, Marilyn. I think—” Lauren snapped her
jaws shut as they pulled into the driveway of Crawley Creek and got
a look at the grounds. “Holy shit.”
“Language,” Marilyn reminded her, but the words didn’t carry
any strength.
They all sat in the SUV staring at the east pasture in shock.
They’d had flooding in the low lying areas and the valley before, but
Lauren couldn’t remember the main pastures filling with water.
Looking out across what should have been at least forty acres of
uninterrupted grasses before the land dipped into a valley of trees and
a creek, there was nothing but water.
“I hope the hands got the herd in before the creek flooded. If that
pasture is flooded then there are
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