Country Girls Do It Better... Book 1 Of The Healing Through Horses Trilogy

Chapter 37

               "Ow! Watch it!"

               "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

               Hunter arranged me in the seat as I rubbed the tender spot on my head. Instead of just letting me get used to the crutches and walk out of the hospital on my own, he insisted on carrying me. Which resulted in me having to scrunch myself up to miss every doorpost we passed. It's the thought that counts- or at least, that's what I tried to convince myself as my head throbbed.

              He carefully placed my hospital-issued crutches in the bed of the truck and jogged around to the other side. He grinned at me as he started the engine. I stared at him as he let it idle, and we just sat there, eyes fixed on each other, daring the other to move. 

              Honestly though, I was just confused as to why he hadn't left the parking lot yet. Or at least the parking space. 

              "Hunter."

              "Yes, darlin'?" His smile grew. 

             Somehow, he had gotten even more cheesy since we had started dating. I had stayed in the hospital for about a week after I woke up, and the first day I had had to basically force him to go home and take a shower. Either he had taken the shortest shower on record, or he hadn't actually gone home, because he was back within two hours.  

             For the rest of the week he insisted on getting me food from some fast food place every day rather then making me eat the 'grossest, most disgustingest, worstest food on the planet'. 

            "I want to go home." 

            That snapped him out of his trance, because he immediately turned his attention back to the steering wheel, and pulled out. 

            I leaned forward and pushed the dial on the radio, but regretted the decision within seconds. 

Standing here

Watching you

Turning every head in this crowded room.

        "THE LIGHTS DOWN LOW! DANCING SLOW! OH, IF FALLING'S HOW YOU FEEL, AND PERFECT'S WHAT YOU SEE, THEN I'D BE WHAT YOU MEAN... TO ME!" Hunter was belting out the lyrics, off-pitch and out of tune. 

             Part of me wanted to punch him, but most of me thought it was unbearably cute. 

            My heart jumped a little when he reached across the cab and grabbed my hand in his, resting it lightly on my leg. "How ya' feeling?" He asked me, slight concern on his face.

            "Fine. But my head hurts again now. So thank you." I had been diagnosed with a pretty major concussion, and the doctors had needed me to stay the entire week for 'observation.' Hunter had tried convincing them that he could observe me just as well if I was home, but they weren't buying it. I had gotten so stir crazy, I had almost gone completely insane. And, as cheesy as it sounds, Hunter had been my sanity. 

             He had acted just as stir-crazy as me, and he had never let me go through any of the hardships alone. 

             The worst part about this whole situation was, I wouldn't be able to work with horses, or even ride them, for at least a month. 

             "I really am sorry." I was pulled out of my thinking by Hunter. His face was tinged pink, and his hand was gripping mine like it was the only thing he could hold onto.