Chapter 3: Chapter Two

“Someone get the EMT,” a man shouted.

Ella lay in shock, her back flat against the ground. Pain reverberated through her body as she tried to wrap her mind around what just happened.

Tightening her jaw, she tried to scramble to her feet, but her knee wasn’t responding like it should. Heat and pain tore through her as she tried to stand.

The silky clay dirt clung to her hands and pale jeans. The man who demanded the EMT slipped his hands under her arms and helped her to her feet. She shifted her weight onto both legs and then collapsed against the man’s chest as blinding pain screamed from her knee.

“I’ve got ya,” the guy muttered, catching her before she dropped back into the dirt. Tucking his shoulder under her arm, he helped her to the edge of the trailer just as two men with black vests identifying themselves as medical professionals hustled over.

The EMTs made quick work of assessing the situation, asking questions about what happened as they checked her for injures.

Minutes later, Ty showed up, leading her now-docile horse behind him, the mare’s head hanging low.

Of course Ty found her horse.

She couldn’t quite make eye contact with him as he unbridled her mare and slipped her halter back on. Running her eyes over her horse, she was relieved to see that the mare didn’t appear to be impacted by the accident.

“You may have torn a ligament in your knee,” the EMT said gently. “It’s swelling significantly. I’d recommend you go to the hospital as soon as possible for an MRI.”

She stared back at the EMT. “I’m sorry, what?”

“You need an MRI,” he repeated patiently. “Do you have someone who can drive you to the hospital?”

She opened her mouth. Closed it. Swallowed. Her tongue was incredibly dry and too large for her mouth. Jordan had already left, and there was no one else she trusted to take her to the hospital.

On top of that, she couldn’t afford an MRI. Not now. Not when she was just at the point of earning enough for a down payment for her dream ranch.

Her face felt hot and swollen, and if she didn’t do something soon, she’d probably cry.

She pressed the backs of her hands against her eyes.

“Do you have anyone who can take you to the hospital?” the EMT repeated. “We can take you in an ambulance.”

There was no way she was getting into an ambulance and racking up that medical bill.

She shook her head.

“My friend already left to head home.” To her horror, her voice caught on the last word.

“I can drive her.”

Her breath caught. She didn’t need to look up to know it was Ty who spoke.

“You know her?” the man in the black vest asked.

“We’re both from Garnet Valley.” Ty continued untacking Red, stashing the saddle and the bridle in her tack room and moving through the motions as though it were his own trailer. “I can take her to the hospital and drive her home.”

Forget the ambulance, there was no way on this living earth she was going to spend multiple hours with Ty on a drive back to Garnet Valley. Much less have him wait for her in the hospital.

“I’m fine, guys. I just need a minute to recover.” Except that her knee looked like a water balloon ready to burst.

Though every instinct in her body told her not to, she shifted her weight into her leg and tried to stand. One sharp, stabbing second later, she collapsed back on the edge of the trailer.

Shit.

She looked around the area for anyone else she knew. Literally anyone who wasn’t Ty Hartman.

No one showed up. She glanced at Ty, who was brushing her horse’s damp coat in quick circles with a curry comb.

“I can drive myself,” she said reluctantly.

Her pulsing knee disagreed. As did the look on the EMT’s face.

Ty paused his brushing. “I don’t think that’s wise. What if the hospital puts you on pain meds? You can’t drive a truck and trailer in that condition.”

“I’ll wait until I’m home to take the pain meds,” she huffed. If only her knee would cooperate.

“I’ll drive you,” he repeated firmly, as though his mind was made up, and she was supposed to just follow his lead.

“What about your truck? And Red?” She was now scrambling for excuses.

“I came here with my brother. We can take my rig. I’ll ask Colton if he can drive your truck and Red home.” Ty’s voice was gruff.

“No, Red—”

“Will be fine,” Ty insisted. “Colton is damn good with horses, and you know it.”

The complaint died on her lips. Colton was good with horses. Or at least he had been before he left Garnet Valley over a decade ago. She looked around, searching for a reason to insist on driving herself, when she noticed the small crowd formed around them.

“It’s Ella Sanders,” someone whispered.

“Shame,” someone else said softly. “Is she okay? I’d hate to see her out for the rest of the year.”

And that’s when it hit her. If she didn’t act now, this could impact the rest of her season and her chances of going to the NFR. If she didn’t have her rodeo earnings to save, her dream of owning a ranch, training horses, and proving she was a winner was at risk. There was no way she could live off her waitressing income alone and continue saving for her down payment.

She had to put aside her pride.

Even if that meant being stuck with Ty Hartman, the guy who she didn’t trust, yet for some crazy reason, couldn’t keep her eyes off of.

“Fine. I’ll go,” she relented.

Ty gave a breath of relief.

“Give me five minutes to make a few calls and get my truck over here.” Ty pulled his cell phone out of his back pocket.

Minutes later, Ty’s expensive blue truck appeared with Colton Hartman behind the wheel and his girlfriend Gus Jones in the passenger seat.

She tried to return Gus’s friendly smile but had a feeling that the attempt fell flat.

“Don’t worry about Red,” Colton assured her. “Do you want me to keep her at our place or drop her at yours?”

Her mind raced as she tried to figure out the best approach for her horse.

“Keep her at ours. I can drop Red off tomorrow,” Ty said gruffly. He pulled his brother aside. Whatever he was saying, it was too low for Ella to catch. Ty jerked his head toward her horse, and Colton nodded, running his hand over his jaw.

She closed her eyes and tried to ignore the fact that Ty had guaranteed she would see him tomorrow.

“And cool her down, please,” Ella groaned as Ty broke away from his brother and positioned his body next to her.

“I’m going to help you up.” Ty leaned down to wrap an arm around her ribs and slowly straightened, giving her time to scramble to her feet.

“You got it?” the EMTs asked Ty.

“I’ve got it.” He tucked his arm under her shoulders, pressing the full length of his body against hers, supporting her weight as she limped to Ty’s truck. “You doing okay, cowgirl?”

The position of his body had his voice right next to her ear. His breath tickled the sensitive shell, and something about the soothing way he asked, made her lips quiver.

She pressed her lips together, biting down on them to suppress any chance of crying.

The last thing she wanted was for Ty to see her at her weakest. She didn’t want to be vulnerable with Ty. Not now. Not ever.

He shifted his strong arms around her waist as he helped her into the cab of his truck.

Once inside, she settled into the leather seats. Dropping her head against the headrest, she closed her eyes, suddenly exhausted.

The inside of the truck smelled like Ty—leather, soap, and some sort of pine.

“Focus,” she muttered to herself as Ty shut her door and went around to the other side.

The muscles around her knee screamed as she twisted to pull the seat belt over her shoulder.

Ty opened the door and climbed in behind the wheel. Ella froze, belt in her hand.

The mere presence of the man somehow made the cab of his truck shrink to the size of a sugar cube.

“Everything okay?” Ty’s eyes were piercing, as though he were trying to read her mind.

“Dandy, Ty. My knee feels like it’s been ripped in half, my horse is going home with someone else, and I’m worried about my season. Everything is just peachy.” She yanked on the seat belt, but it caught, jerking to a stop. She tugged again, but the emergency latch refused to let go.

“Easy on the sarcasm, cowgirl.” Ty leaned over the center console, closer to her.

Her heart hammered in her chest, threatening to burst free. This was too much. She didn’t want a ride from Ty. She didn’t want Red to go home with Colton. She wanted to find out if she won, take her pot, and add it to the growing pile of savings she had. She didn’t want to worry if this was her last rodeo of the season. Or ever.

Opening her mouth, she pulled in a shaky breath. There was no way she was going to cry.

“Hey, hey, cowgirl. It’s okay.” Ty’s voice was soothing, like he was calming a spooked horse. He reached over, his shoulder brushing against hers as he peeled her fingers from around the seat belt, the rough calluses of his hands brushing against hers.

This close, she could see the hint of five-o’clock shadow along the sharp line of his jaw.

His scent seemed to envelop her, and for a second, she almost forgot how much pain she was in.

He smelled so good.

Some crazy part of her wanted to press her face against his shoulder, breath him in, and hear him tell her it was going to be okay over and over again.

The logical side of her knew not to show weakness. Ty wouldn’t want to deal with her tears, and she didn’t want to share them.

Slowly, Ty fed the seat belt back up, the action forcing his body even closer. So close she found herself staring at his firm, well-cut lips.

Heat bloomed through her, warming her to her core.

“Did I place?” she asked, the only words that seemed willing to come out.

“I’ll call when we get you to the hospital.”

Her lips parted as he pulled the seat belt out and over her body, buckling it into place at her hips.

Ty looked up, his hands still at the buckle. The air between them tightened, as though he was silently bidding her closer.

“On to the hospital,” Ty said, his voice gruff.

She nodded, unable to speak, her knee throbbing.

Breaking eye contact, Ty pulled the truck into gear and slowly eased away from the crowd and out of the rodeo grounds.

Ella smiled at the people who waved as she left. After all, even in pain, a cowgirl had to be tough.

Would these people even care about her if she were no longer a top contender?

Hopefully, she’d never have to find out.

“I owe you for this,” she said as Ty maneuvered the rig toward the hospital. Her father would kill her if he found out she was in debt to a Hartman. Heck, she wasn’t thrilled about it herself. “I hope I don’t get you in trouble with the rodeo board.”

“No worries,” Ty said. “I just want to make sure you’re okay.”

And being Ty, she had no doubt he would be able to smooth everything over. Everything always went his way.

“I’ll figure out a way to pay you back,” she insisted, adjusting her seat so that she could straighten her leg a bit more.

“Hmm,” Ty said. “How about I keep that in the back of my mind?”

“Sounds good,” she muttered.

“You could share with me what about me you don’t like,” he offered.

She looked at him from the corner of her eyes. How did he not know her issues with him?

“Maybe this is how I am around people,” she countered. It was much easier to fend off the comment than deal with it right now.

“No,” Ty insisted. “I’ve seen you around other people. This is how you treat me.”

“Maybe you’re just special.” She closed her eyes and turned her head toward the window, pressing her forehead against the cool glass.

Ty must have taken the hint because he didn’t press further. Exhausted, wiped, and emotionally drained, she didn’t have the energy to fight him. Closing her eyes, she tried to focus on something besides the pain radiating through her leg.

Unfortunately, the only thing that kept coming to mind was the impact to her career.

She’d been riding high all season. She just hadn’t expected to come crashing down so hard so fast.

Ty paced the length of the waiting room, ignoring the glares of the four people sitting in the plastic chairs against the walls. There was no way he could sit until he saw Ella again.

The second he’d seen Red weaving through the line of horse trailers, head held high, saddle skewed on her back, Ty had known something was wrong. As much as he swore that he was going to avoid Ella after checking on her this afternoon, he couldn’t let her horse run wild and not follow up with her.

Seeing Ella pale and crumpled on the edge of the horse trailer had been a shock. As a vet, he hated seeing animals injured. Turned out he hated seeing Ella injured just as much. She had always seemed so resilient, so strong for as long as he had known her. Seeing her injured made him realize just how vulnerable she was.

There was no way he could have left her there at the fairgrounds on her own and hurting. Even if it led to a long, awkward drive home.

He ran his hand over his face. Worse, he thought he had caught a slight limp in Red as he had led the horse back to the trailer. Not enough that he was concerned, but that tiny, almost impossible to perceive hitch in her step worried him. Good thing the mare was staying on the Rocking H so he could check on her in the morning.

Giving up on the pacing, he dropped down into a plastic chair. The last time he was in a hospital was after his dad’s auto accident, and his dad never walked out.

He let out a breath, trying to suppress the memory. During the hours he had spent there, he had pulled his phone out a zillion times to call his mom and to call Colton, and he couldn’t bring himself to do it. He hadn’t been ready to admit his dad was gone. It had taken him forty-five minutes to work up the courage to call Colton.

The soft sound of the double doors opening broke the silence and interrupted his thoughts.

“Ty?”

At the sound of Ella’s voice, he leapt to his feet. He took one look at her, and his stomach dropped.

A nurse wheeled her into the waiting room. A large black brace was wrapped around her knee, crutches lay on her lap, and her eyes were too wide for her pale face. Her chin stuck stubbornly out, like she was trying to be tough even though she also looked ready to crumble. It took everything he had to not wrap his arms around her and tell her it would be okay.

He wanted to. More than anything.

Without thinking, he took her hand and squeezed. Ella had to be in shock because her fingers curled into his, and his heart leapt against his ribs.

“You look terrible,” he said, opting for honesty.

Her lips were so pale, they looked white. Her dark hair was stark against her chalky skin.

She pulled her fingers away. “I’m filled to the brim with pain meds, I’m exhausted, and my knee ligament, or something like that, is torn. Of course I look terrible, you jerk,” she said, her words slightly slurred with the effects of the pain meds.

Alright maybe now wasn’t the time for honesty, but no one ever accused him of being smooth. This was why he was much better with animals than people. Animals never took offense to honesty.

“Will you need surgery?” he asked.

She shook her head. “Doctor doesn’t think so. He recommends my doctor reassess once the swelling goes down.”

He followed Ella and the nurse out of the hospital, pulling his jacket around him as they stepped out into the cool night air.

“Will it put you in a better mood to hear you won your event?” he tried again.

“It will if we can stop to buy a milkshake on our way home,” she grumbled. “I left my sandwich in my truck.”

Once outside the hospital entrance, he helped her up from the wheelchair.

“I’ve got it.” Her voice was small and uneven as she pushed away his hands.

He hated that defeat in her voice. The Ella he knew was strong and invincible. This timid one, the hurt one, roused his protective instincts. Only he knew she didn’t want his help.

He followed as she crutched her way to his truck parked two spots down. He moved ahead to open the door and help her in.

The night sky overhead revealed an oversized moon and billions of stars. The fall air had cooled to the point that the evening’s breeze was sharp at the open neck of his jacket. He looked at Ella’s thin plaid shirt.

“Do you need a coat?” he offered.

She shook her head, and he helped her into the truck.

A few minutes later, the heater was cranked on, Ella’s crutches were in the backseat, and he found a drive-thru to pick up a couple burgers and her requested milkshake. Ella insisted on paying.

Then they were on the road. There were at least a couple hours before they were back in Garnet Valley.

Except for the occasional wash of headlights from an oncoming truck, the late night made it seem like they were the only two people on the rural highway. The truck was silent, the sound of tires on the road the only noise for the first ten minutes until he turned on a country station.

His body seemed to be attuned to Ella, who did not seem remotely comfortable. She kept shifting, the fabric of her clothes rubbing against the seat. Her knee was rigid in the brace, and she crossed and uncrossed her arms. Finally, she slumped against the window, pressing her forehead against the glass.

“I’m sorry this happened,” he said.

“Me too.”

The subtle scent of her shampoo—coconut—filled the small space, and the memory of her body pressed along the side of his as he helped her to his truck flashed into his mind. They’d been in the middle of the busy fairgrounds, but the feel of her curves molded against him had imprinted on his body and burned in his brain.

He pressed the back of his head against his headrest, trying to figure out what to say when he heard soft sniffles coming from her side of the cab.

Damn it. He didn’t want her to cry.

“Ella…” He gentled his voice to the one he used with scared animals.

“It’s nothing.” Her voice was watery, and he could hear her body shift to twist farther away from him, closing him off.

“Let me know if there’s anything I can do,” he said, wondering why he was even bothering.

“I’m fine.”

Brush-off complete. It had to be her tears that made him keep trying. Or just straight insanity. “I could have Colton help with Red while you’re out.”

“No,” she said flatly. It was the same brook-no-arguments tone she always used on him.

“Why not?” he countered, unable to stop himself from pressing her.

“Because I can’t afford to have Colton workout Red, and, besides that, I think my family has had enough bad experiences dealing with the Hartmans.”

Ty ran his hand down his face. It didn’t surprise him that her father Jared was still pissed about that.

“Look, your father owed us the money. It wasn’t my fault that your dad had to sell the horses.” The year Beau had called in the debt had been a lean year, and it wasn’t just the Sanders. Beau had to call in all the loans to help the ranch survive.

“You took my rodeo horse and the only workhorse my dad had.” Her words were sharp. She was clearly still upset about the situation. “We nearly lost everything because my dad didn’t have a horse to ride when ranches needed help. It was a big loss of income for us.”

And Ella had to borrow a horse to continue high school rodeo.

“Ella—”

“I don’t want to hear your excuses,” she muttered, her face still directed at the window.

Fine. “What about all your earnings?”

Silence. And not that soft, quiet, crying silence. It was a tense, furious, he-had-crossed-a-line silence.

“Not everyone just gets to dump their rodeo winnings into the next horse or trailer or trainer or whatever.” Her voice was soft, but the irritation carried. “Some of us are still paying off student loan debts and trying to save for a ranch.”

He hadn’t known that. Then again, why would he? It wasn’t like they talked.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Ella shift her head against the window, trying to get comfortable.

He chewed his lip.

“Can we talk later?” Ella mumbled. Her voice soft and distant. “I need to sleep.”

“Go ahead,” he said, keeping his gaze on the road ahead.

The rest of the trip was silent. As they neared her place, Ty looked over at her sleeping form, her arms wrapped around herself, and her face turned away from him. She looked soft. Vulnerable.

He scrubbed his hand over his jaw. It was just past midnight, and he was ready to be in bed. “Ella, wake up. We’re almost there.”

She didn’t stir.

His fingers itched to touch her. Just to see if that spark when she was near was real.

He kept his hand firmly on the steering wheel.

“Ella.”

“Hmm?” She shifted as he turned onto her street and parked in front of her tiny home. The same place she grew up. She kept the place when her parents moved to Oregon.

“We’re here.”

This area of town looked different at night. It was hard to tell just how worn the little trailers and porches were.

“How do you feel?” he asked.

“Groggy. And hurting. I just need some decent sleep, and some time to mope,” she said with that familiar bluntness that made him smile. “Do you know if Colton and Red made it back okay?”

“Red is fine. Colton got home an hour ago. That mare is in the best hands possible.”

“I know,” Ella said. “Can you bring her over first thing tomorrow? I want my own eyes on her.”

He opened his mouth to voice his concern with Red but stopped himself. Ella had enough on her plate tonight, and Red may walk it off by tomorrow morning. It wasn’t even a limp at the fairgrounds. Just a tiny hitch in her step. He may have even imagined it during the stress of the situation. However, he did have Colton wrap her legs before taking her home. Better safe than sorry.

He eased out of the truck. The night air in Garnet Valley was cooler than in Dillon, and he wanted to get her inside as quickly as possible.

Ella pushed the passenger side door open, but she was struggling to get out. He eased her down, her waist warm against his hands.

There was a small pen to one side of her trailer with a tiny stack of hay. A lone horse nickered softly, and Ella veered toward the haystack.

“I’ve got it,” Ty said, reaching for the flakes of hay before she could argue. It must have been pure exhaustion, or she was in that much pain, because she stayed silent as he tossed the food into a tire feeder.

The wind pushed her hair across her face, as they continued to the front of her place.

“You didn’t need to walk me to the door.” Ella crutched up the three crooked steps before struggling to pull the keys out of her pocket. He let her curse silently to herself, knowing that unless she asked for help, he should let her sort herself out. Finally, she freed the ring from her pocket and unlocked the front door. The dead bolt clicked back, but she didn’t move to open it.

“It’ll be eight to ten weeks until I’m back in the saddle.” She spoke to the door, keeping her back to him.

“I know you’ll be back on a horse as soon as you are able,” he said, trying to find some way to comfort her.

She didn’t answer. The only sound were the crickets in the back fields.

“I’m sure you’re tired. Do you need any help before I leave?” he offered.

“I’m good.” Her voice was heavy with exhaustion.

“You’ll call if you need anything?” He didn’t mean to ask, but he couldn’t stop himself.

“Let me pay you for gas.” She pulled her wallet out of her back pocket and took the remaining bills from it. “I hope twenty is enough.”

He pushed her hand away. “No worries.”

“Seriously.” She shoved the cash in his hand before turning away and opening the front door.

“You can let me help you without paying me back.”

“No. I don’t want to owe you anything, Ty Hartman. I don’t want to be obligated to you, or anyone, in any way.”

“That’s not what’s going on,” he started to say but she was already inside, awkwardly maneuvering on her crutches to close the door.

“I’m only trying to help.” The familiar warmth he got whenever he was around her stirred through him.

Ella closed the door until all he could see was her face, pinched tight and exhausted. She bit her lip and didn’t quite look at him.

“Ty?” Her voice was soft and laced with fatigue.

“Yes?”

“Thank you for everything, but after you drop Red off tomorrow, I won’t need anything else.”

In other words, she was rejecting any help before he could even offer.

As he headed back to his truck, he told himself it was okay. Ella was setting boundaries, and he’d respect that.

But the fact that she was hurting and on her own bothered him.