Diana Palmer Christmas Collection: The Rancher / Christmas Cowboy / A Man of Means / True Blue / Carrera's Bride / Will of Steel / Winter Roses

As she drifted off, Cort was saying something about a rooster with feathers on his feet….

A week after the accident, Maddie began to feel her back again. It was agonizing pain. Dr. Brooks came in to examine her, his face impassive as he had her grip his fingers. He used a pin on the bottom of her feet, and actually grinned when she flinched.

“I’m not going to be paralyzed?” she asked, excited and hopeful.

“We can’t say that for sure,” Dr. Brooks said gently. “Once the swelling and edema are reduced, there may be additional injuries that become apparent. But I will say it’s a good sign.”

She let out a breath. “I’d have coped,” she assured him. “But I’m hoping I won’t have to.”

He smiled and patted her on the shoulder. “One step at a time, young lady. Recovery first, then rehabilitation with physiotherapy. Meanwhile I’m going to consult with your orthopedic surgeon and put in a call to a friend of mine, a neurologist. We want to cover all our bases.”

“You’re being very cautious,” she murmured.

“I have to be. The fact that you got excellent immediate care at the scene is greatly in your favor, however. Cort knew exactly what to do, and the paramedics followed up in textbook perfection. However,” he added with a smile, “my personal opinion is your condition comes from bad bruising and it is not a permanent injury. We saw nothing on the tests that indicated a tearing of the spinal cord or critical damage to any of your lumbar vertebrae.”

“You didn’t say,” she replied.

“Until the swelling goes down, we can’t be absolutely sure of anything, which is why I’m reluctant to go all bright-eyed over a cheery prognosis,” he explained. “But on the evidence of what I see, I think you’re going to make a complete recovery.”

She beamed. “Thank you!”

He held up a hand. “We’ll still wait and see.”

“When can I go home?” she asked.

“Ask me next week.”

She made a face. “I’m tired of colored gelatin,” she complained. “They’re force feeding me water and stuff with fiber in it.”

“To keep your kidney and bowel function within acceptable levels,” he said. “Don’t fuss. Do what they tell you.”

She sighed. “Okay. Thanks for letting Cort and Odalie stay with me at night. One of the nurses said you spoke to the administrator himself.”

He shrugged. “He and I were at med school together. I beat him at chess regularly.”

She laughed. “Can you thank him for me? You don’t know what it meant, that they wanted to stay.”

“Yes, I do,” he replied solemnly. “I’ve never seen anybody do a greater turnaround than your friend Odalie.” He was the doctor who’d treated Maddie after the boy tried to throw her out of the window at school. He’d given a statement to the attorneys who went to see Cole Everett, as well. He shook his head. “I’ve known your families since you were children. I know more about Odalie than most people do. I must say, she’s impressed me. And I’m hard to impress.”

Maddie smiled. “She’s impressed me, too. I never expected her to be so compassionate. Of course, it could be guilt,” she said hesitantly. She didn’t add that Odalie could be trying to win back Cort. She made a face. “I’m ashamed that I said that.”

“Don’t be. It’s natural to be suspicious of someone who’s been nothing short of an enemy. But this time, I believe her motives are quite sincere.”

“Thanks. That helps.”

He smiled. “You keep improving. I’ll be back to see you from time to time. But I’m pleased with the progress I see.”

“Thanks more for that.”

He chuckled. “I love my job,” he said at the door.

Late at night, Maddie was prey to her secret fears of losing the use of her legs. Despite Dr. Brooks’s assurances, she knew that the prognosis could change. The traumatic nature of her injury made it unpredictable.

“Hey,” Cort said softly, holding her hand when she moved restlessly in bed. “Don’t think about tomorrow. Just get through one day at a time.”

She rolled her head on the pillow and looked at him with tormented eyes. Odalie was sound asleep on the rollaway bed nearby, oblivious. But last night, it had been the other woman who’d been awake while Cort slept, to make sure Maddie had anything she needed.

“It’s hard not to think about it,” she said worriedly. “I’m letting everybody at the ranch down….”

“Baloney,” he mused, smiling. “I’ve got Ben and the others organized. We’re making progress on your breeding program.” He made a face. “John went over there today to oversee things while I was here with you.”

“John’s your best friend,” she reminded him.

He didn’t want to tell her that he was jealous of his friend. He’d wanted to thump John when he walked in and found him holding Maddie’s hand. But he was trying to be reasonable. He couldn’t be here and at the ranch. And John was talented with breeding livestock. He’d learned from Cole Everett, whose skills were at least equal with King Brannt’s and, some people said, just a tad more scientific.

“That’s nice of John,” she remarked.

He forced a smile. “Yeah. He’s a good guy.”

She searched his eyes.

“Oh, hell,” he muttered, “he’s got an honors degree in animal husbandry. I’ve got an associate’s.”

She brightened. “Doesn’t experience count for something?” she teased lightly.

He chuckled deep in his throat. “Nice of you, to make me feel better, when I’ve landed you in that hospital bed,” he added with guilt in his eyes.

She squeezed his hand. “My dad used to say,” she said softly, “that God sends people into our lives at various times, sometimes to help, sometimes as instruments to test us. He said that you should never blame people who cause things to happen to you, because that might be a test to teach you something you needed to know.” She glanced at Odalie. “I can’t be the only person who’s noticed how much she’s changed,” she added in a low tone. “She’s been my rock through all this. You have, too, but…”

“I understand.” He squeezed her hand back, turning it over to look at the neat, clean fingernails tipping her small, capable fingers. “I’ve been very proud of her.”

“Me, too,” Maddie confessed. “Honestly this whole experience has changed the way I look at the world, at people.”

“Your dad,” he replied, “was a very smart man. And not just with cattle.”

She smiled. “I always thought so. I do miss him.”

He nodded. “I know you do.”

He put her hand back on the bed. “You try to go back to sleep. Want me to call the nurse and see if she can give you something else for pain?”

She laughed softly and indicated the patch on her arm. “It’s automatic. Isn’t science incredible?”

“Gets more incredible every day,” he agreed. He got up. “I’m going for more coffee. I won’t be long.”

“Thanks. For all you’re doing,” she said seriously.

He stared down at her with quiet, guilty eyes. “It will never be enough to make up for what happened.”