Besides, best to put distance and time between him and Libby as soon as possible. It wasn’t going to end well, but it was certainly going to end.
For a brief moment it had seemed they’d reached a mutually satisfying understanding. She would stay on, live at his house, hopefully commuting to a new job in Denver. He’d hit the road and start on the circuit, trying to salvage his ranking. There would be several times he’d be able to make it home between events. For once in his life, he’d have had something to look forward to and someone to come home to.
But it seemed he was going to be denied even that little bit of happiness. And by the same man who had irretrievably altered his life once before. Only this time, it wasn’t Sam Brennan’s fault. It was no one’s fault. He couldn’t even blame Libby since he’d been the one insisting on a casual relationship.
So he didn’t get hurt.
Yeah, how had that worked out for him?
He watched as Libby wrangled with the officious nurse stationed at the entrance to the cardiac floor. She was in full-blown, freaked-out daughter mode. But at least he had gotten her here safely.
*
Panic rose up inside her like a tidal wave, ready to choke her.
“I’ve come all this way to see him. Why can’t I just look at him for a moment?”
The nurse, a stern-looking woman in her late fifties, had a weariness about her, like she’d been on the receiving end of emotional next of kin one too many times. She rose from her chair behind the half-moon desk cluttered with papers and computer monitors and forced a smile onto her lined face.
“He’s just had a serious operation. He is to rest with no disturbances at least until visiting hours. Come back then, and I’m sure you will be able to see him.”
“What if something happens to him before then?”
“We will call you. Are you listed on the contact list?”
“I don’t know.”
The nurse was scrolling through a computer screen. “Is this your number?” She recited a seven-digit number.
“That’s my home phone.” Of course, Doug would have given them that number.
“Then I suggest you wait there. If we don’t call, all went well, and we shall see you during regular visiting hours, which start at 10:00 a.m.”
Libby glanced at her watch. It was barely 4:30 in the morning.
“Can I see the doctor?”
The nurse frowned. “At this hour I am sure the doctor is catching up on some much-needed sleep.” She spoke slowly, articulating each word as if Libby might not understand her if she didn’t.
Libby turned around to face a grim-looking Chance. She felt drained, weary, and emotional. All she wanted was to see her father and reassure herself he’d still be there in the morning.
“They won’t let me see him.” Her voice sounded whiny in her ears.
“No doubt he needs his rest, Libby. I’ll take you to your house. You can talk to Doug, maybe even get some sleep before you come back here.”
“I’m not tired. I’m frustrated.”
“You’re worried. And stressed out. Come on.” Chance reached out his hand. She took it and held on like he was her anchor. She needed an anchor because she felt that one more minute, she’d be drifting away into some stormy, emotion-filled sea.
Thank goodness Chance was there.
*
Doug hadn’t been happy to be woken up in the early hours of dawn. He’d had a rough night and grumbled as much as Libby peppered him with questions. From what Chance could make out, the bypass surgery had gone as expected, and if all went as planned, her father would be able to go home in several days. Sounded to Chance like everything was under control, but the pale color of Libby’s complexion and the nervous shaking of her foot as she sat across from Doug in their enormous kitchen made it clear Libby hadn’t gotten over the shock of her father having a heart attack.
Chance waited on the couch in the great room that connected with the kitchen, Cowboy curled at his side as if the cat was offering what comfort he could, while brother caught sister up on the events preceding and following their father’s heart attack. Questions tumbled out of Libby’s mouth. Where was Doug when he heard the thump? How long did it take the ambulance to get to the house? Had he administered CPR? (The answer was yes.) Where was the blockage? What medicine had he been taking? How soon would he be up and running again? And, how were they to keep their father from doing too much?
“I’m taking over Casper like he wanted,” Libby said, lifting her hand up as a sign to her brother not try to talk her out of it. “I don’t want to hear anything more about it, Doug. If I had done as I originally promised, this might not have happened.”
Chance expected that, but hearing her say it was another thing.