Picnic in Someday Valley (Honey Creek #2)(81)

What happened then?” Colby asked the nurse.

“Leon hit himself in the head so hard he started crying again and cussing Piper. I reminded him that there were two Texas Rangers standing in the hallway named Mackenzie. Then he passed out.”

Colby frowned.

Piper smiled. “My brothers are here?”

The nurse nodded. “I told them I’d ask if you wanted them to come in. They flew in on a private plane.”

Colby swore. “Great. If I know your brothers, they’ll blame me for this.”

But Piper was all smiles as she hugged her two big brothers.

Colby moved to the window and stared out. He wanted to escape, but the brothers were between him and the door. Those two were great rangers, but they were about as cuddly as six-foot alligators.

Twenty minutes later, Piper had fallen asleep and no nurses were in the room. Colby braced for the battle.

Max left his sister’s bedside and walked over to stare at Colby. If looks could kill, somebody should order a coffin.

For a moment Colby thought the big guy might not say a word. He might just explode with anger. But now, that would be too little.

Max’s words came low and fast. “How in the hell did you let this happen to my sister? She could have been killed. That nut could have burned her to death. Where were you when this was going on? Don’t tell me. My cousin Jennifer said you were eating breakfast while Piper was being kidnapped.”

Max stepped back, apparently too upset to continue.

James took his place with pretty much the same song, but he included new names for Colby. Coward. Idiot. Fool. And a dozen more.

Colby made no effort to defend himself. He pretty much agreed with the two Mackenzies. He should have followed her back to town. He should have told her he loved her. Maybe she would have stayed with him.

The stitches in her head. The cut on her throat. Even the twisted ankle was all his fault.

Max pushed his brother out of the way. He must be ready for round two. “We sent you out here to watch over her. Some job you did. How are we going to explain to our grandmother that you didn’t do your job? Our grandfather, if he was still alive, would shoot you on sight.”

James leaned over Max’s shoulder and added a few more names for Colby.

Colby had seen them interrogate suspected murderers with less malice. Finally, he broke.

He stood so fast, Max almost tripped as he stepped back.

“I didn’t go with your sister because she’d just broken up with me. She walked out on me at the café.”

Colby turned to James. “I was in town to date her, not be her round-the-clock bodyguard.”

“Why’d you break up with her?” Max pushed his brother out of the way again. “What’s wrong with you? She’s perfect. Sweet. Kind.”

“I didn’t break up with her. I agree she’s perfect. She broke up with me.”

Piper’s brothers looked at each other and nodded. Evidently agreeing that she might break it off. He obviously wasn’t good enough for her.

Max glared at Colby and asked, “What did you do wrong? She told me she loved you. Three months ago she was happy. You must have screwed up bad.”

James looked like he was about to jump in with suggestions, so Colby shouted, “I didn’t tell her I loved her! She’s my world. I don’t want to come home every three months for a date, I want so much more.”

He’d already spilled his heart out, he might as well add, “I want Piper, boys, but I don’t want to marry her brothers. You two need to butt out of our lives.”

James looked a bit insulted. Max still looked mad.

“Colby.” Piper’s voice came from the other side of the room.

Colby pushed his way past the brothers and rushed to her side. “What’s wrong, honey?”

“Take me home. It’s too noisy here.”

“I can’t. The doc says you have to stay overnight. But I’ll stay right with you.” He turned back to her brothers. “Go away. I’ll call you if anything changes.”

Max frowned. “Oh, so you think you can order us around. Didn’t you two break up?”

Piper turned to James. “I want him back.” She glared at them. “Undamaged.”

James smiled at her. “I figured you’d like him, little sister. That’s why Max and me sent him here six months ago. He’s dumb as a rock but he was the best we could find.”

“Don’t tell her that,” Max interrupted. “Now she won’t like him if she thinks we picked him out.”

“Leave,” Colby ordered. To his surprise they both grabbed their hats and left.

He turned back to Piper. “So, Mayor, you want to keep me?”

“Only if you love me.”

“I do.” He leaned over and gently kissed her on the side of her face not bruised. “We’ll work it out, PJ. We’ll find a way. I love you too much to ever walk away.”

“Even if my brothers are part of the deal?”

He smiled. “I’m thinking if we get them married off, they won’t have time to bother us.”

“It won’t be easy.”

“Nothing about marrying you is going to come easy, except one thing.”

“What’s that?”

“Loving you.”