He grabbed her hand, and it was so cold it scared him. He was tempted to break down and weep over her. He held it together and did his best to be strong. He had heard somewhere that people in comas could still hear the people around them. He didn’t want her to hear him crying like a baby.
“I am so sorry this happened to you, baby.” The endearment came out of his mouth naturally.
The last six months since their fight had been miserable. They both avoided being in the same place, and if by chance they were in the same place, Alana would glare at him and move on quickly. He felt guilty for what he had done to her and for not sitting down and talking things out with her like a man. His dad would have been so ashamed of Noah. He had taught all three Blake boys that honesty was always the best policy and to always treat people right. Noah had failed on both teachings.
He had made a huge mistake, and he had paid for it. Losing Alana made him realize how deep his feelings for her went, deeper than any fear. Yet even with that knowledge, he convinced himself the gulf between them was too wide, the hurt too deep.
“I’ll find this guy, and I will get him. I am going to make sure no one hurts you again. I am sorry I hurt you. You are so sweet and beautiful, and I should have held on to you tightly and never let go. I promise to do better if you give me one more chance. Our story can’t end like this, Alana. We’ve been blessed with one more chance to rewrite it, and I will do it right this time. I don’t want to be without you any longer. I think of you and dream of you, yet I spend every moment alone without you.”
He pulled the chair close to her bed and kept a hold of her hand. She never moved, but he didn’t care. Machines hummed and beeped, but he kept his eyes on her pale face. He realized how much she meant to him, and he was glad she was still around so he could prove it to her. It would not be an easy road, but when he was determined, he could be stubborn. The Garcias were not going to get in his way.
Chapter 3
The residents of Red Hook, Texas, were very busy preparing for the upcoming summer activities. White lights were being strung in the small trees that grew in the dirt squares lining the sidewalk. Colorful banners were being hung up on the light poles. Excitement lingered in the air.
“Hey, Sheriff.” Walter Logan walked up to him. He owned the hardware store across the street. He had been living here fifty-plus years. “Any luck on finding the thief that robbed the Garcias? People are worried.”
“There is nothing to worry about. We haven’t found him yet, but he has not robbed anyone else. That makes me think he wasn’t from around here and he is long gone,” Noah answered. He seemed to answer this question at least five times a day. He knew people were worried, but he was doing the best he could with little information. Walter nodded okay and walked away.
Noah Blake eyed the red brick building as if eyeing an enemy. A couple of people called out his name, and he waved to them. They probably wondered why he was standing in the middle of the sidewalk and not moving. He wasn’t sure about his decision to go in the restaurant. He could just call the Garcia family on the phone. That would be the smart thing to do. The yellow sign above the doorway read Garcias’ Hacienda. It was a place he was not welcome in, had not been welcome in since his fight with Alana.
Noah took a deep breath, straightened his shoulders, and opened the heavy glass door. He was the sheriff of this town. He had official business, and therefore he could go in there, he told himself firmly. The wonderful aroma of Mexican food assaulted him as soon as he stepped inside. Nowadays he had to drive twenty-five miles to the next town if he had a craving for Mexican. His stomach reminded him he had missed his lunch hour breaking up a fight over a fender bender.
Mexican music played over the speakers. Since it was lunchtime, the place was full. He walked up to the hostess standing behind a wooden pulpit. At first she didn’t recognize him. He knew the moment she did. Her brown eyes widened, and her lips thinned into a narrow line. There was so much hate in her eyes he should have wilted on the spot.
“We have no empty seats, Sheriff Blake,” she said coldly. “I’m sure the barbeque place down the street has many openings.”
Noah looked at Alicia Garcia, Alana’s younger sister by a few years. Her dislike for him clearly showed in her brown eyes. She put her hands on her hips and glared at him. She was dressed in a black skirt and white buttoned-up shirt, the standard restaurant uniform. He looked around and saw several empty tables. Noah sighed. How long would he have to pay for his mistake?
“I’m not here to eat, Alicia. I know Ray would probably poison my food,” he stated.
She didn’t correct him, so he assumed it was true.
“This is official business. I need to speak with Alana. I know she is not here, but I have been calling the house, and no one answered.”
Lucy Garcia, the girls’ mother, stepped up to them. Her silver and black hair was cut and layered in a short style that suited her thin face. She had a lighter shade of brown eyes than her daughters. She looked tired and a little sad to Noah. He couldn’t blame her.
“I’ll take care of this, Alicia,” she told her daughter softly.
“But, Mama, this is the man that hurt Alana,” Alicia stated with teary eyes. She looked at Noah wit
h anger. “She is having a long road to recovery. She doesn’t need you messing with her head again.”
“I know,” he whispered. Her words were like arrows piercing his heart, but he knew they were true. Didn’t they know he lived with that knowledge every day? That it ate away at his soul? He made a mistake. A huge mistake. He had been so caught up in protecting himself like the selfish bastard he was. Alana was getting under his skin, and it scared him. She was eight years his junior. Alana thought herself in love with him, but she was so young it was hard to trust in what she felt. He had been hurt before and vowed once was enough. So he hurt her instead.
Alicia made another face at him but walked away.
Lucy Garcia pulled him to the side, away from the front area. “I know Alana needs to speak with you about what happened to her. I was planning on making an appointment with you soon. She is still very weak and doesn’t move around well. I’m not sure what else she can remember that Ray hasn’t already told you. She has nightmares and gets very emotional, Sheriff. It has been less than a week since she was released.”
“I can go see her at your house if that will help. She might not feel up to going out.”
Noah felt his chest tighten with overwhelming emotions. Alana had stayed in the hospital for three days, and Drake had told him the Garcias didn’t want Noah talking to Alana. Drake had tried, but he said Alana had cried, and he stopped asking questions.
She got out of the hospital five days ago, but he had not seen her or heard from her. He had hoped to give her good news, but so far her attacker had disappeared into thin air.
Her family had picked her up from the hospital and taken her home. They had announced that she wanted no visitors. The family had been very private about the whole incident. If he hadn’t been the sheriff, he might not know what was going on. They had become his enemies when he hurt Alana, and he had left them alone. He knew he deserved their hate.
Lucy Garcia looked like she wanted to break down and cry. She swallowed a few times before speaking again. “That might be better. I’ll take some time off tomorrow. Is ten a.m. good?”