Strength of the Heart Read online

  Lester watched the vehicle until it disappeared from sight. He looked over at Roy, who was standing quietly by the horses with several other men. "You made good time, Roy. Thanks for all your help."

  The ranch foreman dusted his cowboy hat against his leg. "No problem, Lester. Do you think he's going to be okay? I've never seen a man fall from a horse like that."

  "What do you mean?"

  "Well," Roy went to where Lester and Travis were standing, lowering his voice so that the other men couldn'st hear him, "I was right behind him, and it looked as if he was out before he hit the ground." He locked eyes with the old cook. "He's pretty sick, isn'st he?"

  Travis's voice was barely above a whisper. "Yes, he is. But he didn'st want anyone else to hear about it. I'm afraid that Rawson doesn'st have much time left, Roy. He wanted to spend what he could at home, without people pampering him. You can understand that, can'st you?"

  "Yeah, I sure can." Pulling his hat back onto his head, Roy spoke in a loud voice. "You tell the Boss if she needs anything from us, to just let us know. We'll be around." He tipped his hat to Travis and walked back over to where the other men stood.

  "Good man," Travis acknowledged.

  "The best." Lester slapped his friend on the back. "Let's go on up to Martha's and see if she's heard where that granddaughter of yours is. Maybe we can get in touch with her from there."

  LEX PULLED IN at Sunflower Realty and parked next to the new Cadillac. "Looks like your grandmother is here."

  "Cool! You want to come in and say hello? I'm sure she'd love to see you." Amanda was unbuckled and had opened the door before the truck stopped rumbling. "Well?"

  "Hold on. Let me come around and help you out." Lex removed her seatbelt and hurried around to the other side of the truck. She put both hands on Amanda's waist and easily swung her down from the seat, looking down into her eyes without releasing her hold. Lex placed a kiss on waiting lips.

  Amanda's hands slowly slid up the strong arms until they were tangled in Lex's hair. She leaned into the kiss, allowing her lover to prolong the contact for several seconds. The honk from a passing car finally broke the spell, causing Amanda to pull back slightly. "Whoa."

  "Yeah," Lex agreed, blinking. "Um, what were we going to do?"

  "I have several things on my mind, and none of them can be done here. But I think we were going to go inside and see Gramma."

  "Right." Lex reluctantly released her hold and closed the truck door. "Shall we?" she asked, bowing with a flourish.

  "Why certainly." Amanda linked her arm through Lex's.

  They were both laughing as they stepped into the real estate office. Several heads turned to see who had entered, and waves accompanied by scattered "hellos" greeted them.

  Anna Leigh stood at the far end of the office. Her face bore a fond expression that brightened her features. "Good afternoon, girls." She opened her arms and welcomed each woman with a firm hug.

  "Hi, Gramma." Amanda stepped back and wrapped one arm around Lex. "What brings you down here?" Although her grandmother owned the agency, she allowed Amanda to run things without much intervention.

  "Can'st I come by just to visit my granddaughter? Or do I need a reason?"

  Amanda reached out with her free hand. "Of course not. I just meant--"

  Laughing, Anna Leigh took Amanda's extended hand. "Oh, dearest, you're so much fun to tease." She looked over at Lex, who seemed to be enjoying the exchange. "Actually, I was hoping to catch Lexington."

  "Me?" Lex put her hands on her hips. "What did I do?"

  "You haven'st done anything, yet. But there is something that I'd like for you to do, if you can spare the time."

  "Name it, and I'll do it."

  "You haven'st even heard what it is."

  "I don't care. If it's for you, then it's a done deal," Lex assured her.

  "You're such a dear, Lexington." Anna Leigh winked at Amanda. "Must be the reason my granddaughter loves you." At Lex's blush, she reached out and enveloped her in a firm embrace. "One of the many reasons, I'm sure," she whispered in her ear. She pulled both women into Amanda's office. Deciding she had embarrassed Lex enough, Anna Leigh broached the actual reason for her visit. "Have a seat, girls."

  "You'sve really piqued my curiosity," Amanda admitted as she sat in one of the visitor's chairs next to her lover. "Is there something wrong?"

  Anna Leigh perched on the edge of the large oak desk, gently swinging one foot back and forth. "No, nothing like that, Mandy. There's just a matter that I have to handle tomorrow, and I'd really appreciate Lexington's help."

  Lex was more than ready to assist her. "Sure. Just tell me when and where, and I'll be there. Although, if you'll give me some kind of hint, I'll have a better idea how to prepare myself."

  "Goodness, yes. That would help, wouldn'st it?" Anna Leigh shook her head, somewhat bemused with herself. "Some days I swear I don't know where my mind is." She leaned forward slightly, making eye contact with Lex. "As much as I hate to admit it, I need your, ah, muscle. Or, more truthfully, I need to make a show of force."

  "You want me to break someone's legs for you?" Lex asked, standing tall and crossing her arms over her chest. "Cool."

  Anna Leigh waved her hands in denial. "Oh my, no. Let me try to explain." She pulled at one earlobe nervously. "I have a meeting early tomorrow morning with Tanner Brumbaugh."

  "Tanner Brumbaugh? What would you be meeting with that big goon for?" Amanda asked, incredulous. "He's a--"

  "Unsavory fellow," her grandmother interjected. "But he promised the Historical Society a donation last year before Christmas. A rather sizable one, actually. We gave him the receipt for his taxes in good faith, and he was supposed to turn over the deed to a parcel of land just east of town."

  Lex bit her lip in thought. "Why are you meeting with him?"

  "Because I'm the acting president of the Society, dear. It's my duty, so to speak." Anna Leigh waved one hand in a dismissive gesture. "I'm sure he'll listen to reason, so you probably don't need to come, if you'd rather not."

  "No, that's not it at all. I said I'd be there, and I will," Lex insisted. "What's so important about this land, anyway?"

  "It's not the land, as much as the principle involved. He's already taken a tax deduction for the donation. I'm just trying to get what rightfully belongs to the Society."

  "All right. I'll pick you up in the morning after I drop Amanda off at work, if that's okay." Electronic strains of Bolero suddenly echoed in the large office. Lex grimaced as she reached for the cellular phone that was hooked to her belt loop. "Excuse me," she muttered as she opened the small device. "Yes?" She listened for a moment and jumped to her feet. "I'm on my way, Grandpa. Thanks." Lex turned to Amanda. "I've got to go."

  "What's wrong?" Amanda stood also. Seeing the distressed look on Lex's face, she reached out and placed one hand on her arm. "Honey?"

  "Dad fell off his horse, and they'sve rushed him to the hospital." Lex turned to Anna Leigh. "I'm sorry, but I've got to go."

  Anna Leigh quickly slid from the desk and onto her feet. "Don't you dare apologize, dearest. Is there anything I can do for you?"

  Lex shook her head. "No. But I'd better go." She started for the door, but was stopped by the hand hooked in her belt.

  "I'm going with you," Amanda declared quietly.

  "Thanks." Lex glanced over Amanda's head to Anna Leigh. "I'll call you when we find out something," she promised before turning and escorting her lover through the door.

  "Godspeed," Anna Leigh murmured. She knew of Rawson Walter's illness and feared that this news only meant the worst.

  Chapter Two

  LEX RACED THROUGH the hospital doors, then suddenly stopped, hurrying back to grab Amanda by the arm. "I'm sorry, sweetheart," Lex apologized quietly, slowing her pace so that her injured partner could keep up.

  "That's all right," Amanda told her quickly. "I'm sorry if I'm slowing you down." She limped as she tried to match her pace with Lex's. "Stupid cast."r />
  Lex mentally kicked herself for being so thoughtless. She stopped in the middle of the hallway and looked down into Amanda's eyes. "Forgive me?"

  "Lexie!" A slightly overweight, middle-aged woman scurried down the hallway, worry creasing her attractive features. "I'm so glad you're here." Three more steps, and Martha was enveloped in a bone-jarring hug.

  "Martha," Lex murmured, the gravity of the situation sinking in. She buried her face in the older woman's shoulder and struggled in vain to fight back her tears.

  Martha gently rocked her for a long moment, while rubbing the strong back comfortingly. "There, there. We'll get through this, you'll see." She gave Lex a few more moments then, seemingly out of nowhere, produced a handkerchief. "Here. We were just waiting for the doctor to come in and tell us how your daddy is."

  "Thanks." Lex wiped her eyes and quietly blew her nose. Slipping the used linen into her back pocket, she reached out for Amanda and was gratified when her hand was taken. "Is Grandpa here?"

  "He sure is. He's in the ICU waiting room upstairs. I was just coming down to wait for you when you came in." Martha led them down the hallway and to an elevator. "Lester's with him."

  Lex waited until Amanda followed Martha into the elevator and stepped inside. "Lester?"

  Martha nodded as the doors closed. "Yep. They were having coffee down at the bunkhouse when Roy radioed in. He's the one who called the ambulance."

  Lex, surprised by the news, stood quietly until the doors opened again. She silently followed Martha and Amanda out into the bustling corridor. Lester rarely left the ranch, and he sent either Roy or one of the hired hands to do most of the shopping. The old man claimed that he didn'st want to have anything to do with the "Dunderheads" in town, but she figured that he was just getting too old for the long drive and the hours of shopping. She decided it was about time to hire him an assistant.

  Her thoughts were interrupted by her grandfather's voice. "Lexie, Amanda. I'm glad you're both here." He hugged Amanda and then reached for his granddaughter. "The nurse was just in, and told us the doctor would be with us in just a few minutes." He felt the body in his embrace shudder as Lex continued to struggle with her emotions.

  A short, middle-aged Hispanic man in a white medical coat stepped into the waiting room. He pushed his wire-framed glasses back up on his nose and peered down at the clipboard in his hand. "Is anyone here a relative of Rawson Walters?"

  "I am," Lex said, pulling away from her grandfather and wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "He's my father."

  "Ah." The doctor reached out with his free hand. "I'm Dr. Martinez. And you are?"

  "Lexington Walters." Accepting his hand, Lex squeezed it firmly and released it. She turned and motioned to the others in the room. "This is the rest of my family."

  Dr. Martinez greeted the others with a nod of his head. "Very good. Ms. Walters, I'm not going to lie to you. You're father is gravely ill."

  "I'm aware of that, Doctor. How is he at the moment?" Lex hated the tremor in her voice. She clenched her fists at her sides until a hand grasped the left one, squeezing it gently. Lex gave her lover a thankful smile. She turned her attention back to the doctor standing in front of them.

  "He's stabilized for the moment," the physician reported, "but his prognosis is quite grim."

  Lex swallowed hard and bit her lip. "Grim? Are you saying--"

  "I'm saying that he's lucky to be alive at this moment, Ms. Walters. In fact, if he has any other family, I'd suggest that you contact them immediately."

  "How," the break in her voice caused Lex to stop and close her eyes for a moment to regain her composure. "How long do you think he has?"

  The doctor reached out and clasped her shoulder in a comforting manner. "A few days, maybe a week. We'll do everything we can to make his final days as comfortable as possible. I'm sorry." He squeezed her shoulder one more time, then nodded to Amanda and left the room.

  Tears filled her eyes as Lex watched the doctor walk away. "A week," she choked out before turning and taking comfort in the arms of her lover.

  THE SMELL OF antiseptic assailed her nose as Lex slowly entered the darkened room. She stood inside the doorway for a long moment until her eyes adjusted to the gloom. The only audible sounds were raspy breathing and the beep of the heart monitor attached to her father. A small light shone on his bed, painting a starkly frail picture of the man she'd once thought of as invincible. "Aw, Dad." Lex tried to fight back the tears of despair.

  The gaunt face turned toward the sound of her voice. "Lex? That you, girl?"

  "Yeah, I'm here." Lex stepped the rest of the way into the room until she was standing beside his bed. She reached down and brushed his hair away from his forehead. "How are you doing?"

  Fighting back a groan, he tried to swat her hand away. "Stop that. Been better, I imagine."

  "Ornery old man," she grumbled good-naturedly. What had threatened to become animosity between the two quickly softened into a playful banter as they reconnected. Lex pulled a chair close to the bed. She sat and leaned forward to touch his right arm, which was hidden by the bedcovers. "Is there anything I can get you?"

  "How bout a ride home?" Rawson tried to reach across the bed with his left hand, but was stopped by the intravenous drip that was attached to his arm. "Damned contraption." His arm fell listlessly to the bed, all his energy spent.

  "Doesn'st look like you're going anywhere for a while," Lex retorted, then realized the truth of the statement. "I mean--"

  Rawson closed his eyes as the exhaustion overtook him. "I know what you meant, girl. Why don't you let me get a little rest, and we'll talk in a while?" The last words were almost a whisper as the dying man fell back to sleep.

  Lex closed her eyes. "Yeah. You get some rest, and we'll talk later." She laid her head down on the bed and began to quietly weep.

  Some time later, Amanda opened the door cautiously and peeked inside the semi-dark room. She saw the dark head resting on the edge of the bed, and her heart ached for her lover's pain. Quietly she limped across the room until she was able to kneel awkwardly beside Lex's motionless form. "Honey?"

  "Huh?" Lex raised her head and looked at her father, who was resting peacefully. She turned her head and glanced into the concerned face so close to hers. "Amanda? What are you doing here?"

  "The nurse asked me to wake you. She came in earlier and saw you asleep." Amanda placed her hand gently against Lex's cheek. "How are you doing?"

  Lex leaned into the touch and closed her eyes for a long moment. When her eyes opened, she turned and kissed the soft palm next to her lips. "Better." Lex suddenly realized the position Amanda was in. She stood and helped her to her feet. "I think he's out for the night. Come on."

  Amanda allowed Lex to lead her into the hallway. "Where to?"

  "Let's go home. I need to call Hubert and tell him about Dad's condition." Lex started down the quiet corridor, mindful of her lover's limping. "And I want you to get that foot up. I'm sure it's killing you."

  Amanda linked her arm in Lex's as they slowly made their way to the elevators.

  THE DRIVE HOME was quiet as Lex tried to gather her jumbled thoughts. She wasn'st sure what she was going to tell her brother, but she knew he had to be notified of their father's condition. As they drove down the street, she noticed a light on in his office. Startling Amanda, Lex executed a U-turn and parked the large truck in front of the building where Hubert leased his accounting office.

  Amanda looked at her partner carefully. Lex had turned off the engine, and was silently staring at the smoky glass windows that covered the front of the building. "Do you want me to go in with you?"

  "No, that's all right. This shouldn'st take very long, and I can tell that your leg is bothering you." Lex stepped out of the truck, but stopped before closing the door. "If I'm not out in fifteen minutes, better call for help," she joked.

  "I love you," Amanda uttered softly.

  "I love you, too." She closed the door and hurried arou
nd the vehicle. With a slight wave to Amanda, Lex opened the door to the office and stepped inside.

  "I'm closed," a deep voice yelled from the back office. "Come back tomorrow."

  "Hubert, we need to talk." Lex followed the voice until she was standing in the doorway of her brother's office. She leaned against the doorframe and ran one hand through her hair.

  Eyes the same color as hers glared up from a stack of papers, an ugly scowl marring the handsome features of the man sitting at the desk. "You'sve already got a restraining order against me. What the hell do you want?"

  The wish to be an only child stuck in Lex's head. Ignoring his hateful remark, she sat in a visitor's chair. She leaned back, crossed one leg over the other and met his glare with one of her own. "There's no easy way to say this, but Dad's in the hospital."

  "So? You came all the way over here to tell me that?" He tossed his pen onto the desk and leaned back in his chair. "Am I supposed to send him flowers, or something?"

  Lex jumped to her feet and slammed her hands down on the desk. "Look, asshole. Can'st you forget about yourself for one damned minute? Our father is lying in a hospital bed, dying, for God's sake!"

  Hubert got up as well and pointed a finger at his sister. "That sonof-a-bitch has never been a father to us, and you damned well know it! Or have you conveniently forgotten how he deserted us?"

  "He's made some mistakes, that's true. But--"

  "But nothing!" Hubert stepped around the desk. Although not much taller than his sister, he easily outweighed her by thirty or more pounds. He rarely exercised, and his expanding midsection was proof that he enjoyed what the good life had to offer. He pulled ineffectually at his pants. "I don't owe that old bastard a damned thing. I hope he dies slowly and--urk!" Hubert never saw his sister's hands wrap around his throat as she slammed him back against the top of the desk.