Christmas Justice (Carder Texas Connections #7)(58)

“Hurts,” he rasped.

“Shut the blinds and turn off the lights. It’s too bright,” Laurel ordered, then suddenly laughed. “Oh, my God, Garrett. You’re waking up. I thought I’d lost you. I love you so very much.”

Laurel’s voice pulled him from the darkness. He needed to reach her. He had to reach her. He fought with everything inside to open his eyes.

A halo around beautiful brown hair slowly came into focus. He blinked again. She was beautiful. Like an angel.

“Laurel?” His voice sounded strange, hoarse, and when he tried to raise his hand, that blasted pain speared through his chest again.

“Don’t move and don’t try to talk, Garrett. They just took the breathing tube out.” She put the tiniest ice chip on his tongue to soothe his throat. “You’ve been in a coma. But you’re going to be okay.”

Visions came back to him. A little girl holding Laurel’s hand, so small and scared. Then outside, in the darkness, an AK-47 pointed at her. “Molly?”

“She’s safe. You saved her.”

“Fiona?”

Laurel’s face went cold. “Dead.”

“Good.” His eyes closed. “You’re all safe.” Everything went black and this time he didn’t fight it.

*

LAUREL SAGGED IN the chair when Garrett lost consciousness again.

The doctor strode in.

“The nurse said the patient moved.” The man’s voice was skeptical. “He looks pretty out of it now. What happened?”

Laurel stood. “He woke up. He spoke to me. He knew me. He remembered some of what happened the night he was shot.”

“I didn’t expect that much, so it’s a good sign. He’s been unconscious for two weeks, so don’t expect him to go dancing anytime soon.” The neurologist leaned over Garrett and checked his vital signs, then his bandages. “The bullet wounds to his chest are healing nicely. His latest MRI showed the swelling has gone down.”

“I knew he’d come back to me.”

The doctor smiled at her. “Family often knows best. The more you stayed and talked to him, the more you kept his brain stimulated. He may not have known what you were saying, but even in a coma, there is some level of communication happening, especially among loved ones. Your dedication has been important to his recovery. You’re going to make him a great wife.”

Laurel gulped. She’d never cleared up the misconception that Garrett was her fiancé. The hospital staff never would have let her stay as often or as long as she had.

Legally, she and Garrett weren’t family, but in every way that mattered, Garrett had become an integral part of her life. So much had happened. She prayed he’d still want her when he awoke and he could make different choices than the ones she hoped he would.

A short time after the doctor left, Laurel gripped Garrett’s hand. If what the doctor said was true, had Garrett heard all the times she’d told him she loved him? There hadn’t been time before. But she could no longer imagine life without this man.

“Laurel?” His eyes fluttered open again. With the lights off and window shades drawn, he was able to keep his eyelids somewhat open. “I thought I dreamed—”

His voice gave out and Laurel quickly gave him another ice chip. Several more, spread over the next five minutes, finally allowed him to speak without too bad a rasp to his voice.

“Did James make it?” he asked, watching her warily.

She smiled. “Yes, but he’s hurt badly. The burns were...” Laurel stopped, unable to speak further.

“Is he still in the hospital?”

“No. Not this one, anyway. The authorities took him away for a debriefing. I don’t know when I’ll see him. Your friends at CTC are working on it.”

“I’m sorry. You haven’t heard anything?”

“Nothing specific, other than that they’re angry that he lied about you under oath. It will take time for him to win back anyone’s trust. At least my sister’s evidence cleared you both of the treason charges. The story has been all over the papers. You’re a hero.”

“Yeah, right. I almost got you all killed.”

“No, Garrett,” Laurel insisted, “Fiona almost got us all killed. I’ve been afraid to take any chances ever since my mother died. My father drilled into Ivy and me that we were only to rely on ourselves. Not anyone else, and sure as hell not him.” Laurel hesitated. “Yet a few weeks ago I found myself relying on a man I didn’t even know, and every time you proved yourself worthy of trusting.”

“You mean when I wasn’t lying to you or sneaking out without telling you.”

“Yeah, well, we can work on that.”

“It was always for your own good,” Garrett said.

“Like I said, we’ll work on it. Don’t push your luck, Sheriff. I was giving you the benefit of the doubt, and you’re blowing it big-time.”

“Come here.” He pulled her gently toward him.

Laurel closed her eyes and leaned forward on the bed. Afraid to jar the wound on his chest, she rested her head gently on Garrett’s arm. She longed for those arms to surround her again; she longed for him to hold her close and just talk, just to hear his voice tell her again that he loved her. She wanted to hear him sing that silly ant song once more to Molly in his deep voice. The one that made her feel safe down to her soul.