Chapter 11
When they got back to the stable, Derek was there. So was Sadie, who ran up to her as soon as Brock helped her off Jett’s back. She threw her arms around Kyra.
“Oh my gosh, are you okay? We were so worried! And that Richard guy was so mean to you. Ooh, I hate him! But how are you? Oh! You’re all scratched up! We should take you to see the doctor.” She turned to Derek. “Can we?”
“I think Nurse Beverly will do; she doesn’t seem to be too badly injured. Brock? What do you think? Our staff nurse or should I call the doctor?”
“I’m pretty sure it’s just some cuts and scrapes, plus a sting from one of the yellowjackets we ran into.”
“How did that happen?”
“Looked to me like a nest had fallen from a tree and I think Starling probably ran over it.”
“She did,” Kyra broke in. “Is she okay? I think she got stung a lot worse than I did. Can someone check on her? Please? And please tell her I’m sorry. It was my fault she got hurt.”
“Of course we’ll see to the horses, darlin,” Derek answered. “Don’t worry about that.”
“But,” Brock broke in, “this could definitely have been avoided. You shouldn’t have taken one of the horses out on your own. There’s a reason why no one goes trail riding alone. I know you were upset, and we can talk about that later, but you risked Starling’s well-being, not just your own.”
She hung her head. “I know, and I’m sorry. I really am.” She looked up at Derek. “I’m so sorry. If Starling got hurt I’ll pay for the vet bill and whatever else she needs.”
“I don’t think that’ll be necessary, but I appreciate you taking responsibility for your actions,” Derek said. “Now why don’t you let Sadie take you to the nurse? Travis and Wren will care for the horses, and we’ll have our vet take a look at Starling, if they think she needs more than they can provide. Brock, do you feel like you need to go with the girls, or can you come to my office with me?”
Kyra saw the two men exchange glances, then Brock nodded.
“Yeah, I’ll come with you. Sadie, I know you’ll take good care of Kyra. I’ll be there shortly.”
“I sure will, Mr. Brock. I promise!”
Sadie took her hand and led her back to the lodge. Kyra was still shaken up, and she sort of hated to leave Brock, but her new friend was with her, which was almost as good.
An hour later Nurse Beverly had cleaned the scratches from the tree branches and the sting on her leg, and had put several Hello, Kitty Band-Aids on the worst of her scrapes, assuring her she’d be as good as new in no time. Then she and Sadie had gone back to her room and called downstairs to have some apple juice and cookies sent up.
“Kyra, do you need anything else?”
“I don’t think so, except maybe Brock. I think I need to talk to him. I have to apologize.”
“But you already did.”
Kyra shook her head. “No, there’s more I need to tell him I’m sorry for. And I don’t even know what happened at the front desk after I ran out. Do you?”
“It was pretty scary, but also sort of exciting! When I got there, Chief Lawson and Master Rhodes had Richard and they were taking him outside, then Mr. Brock showed up and boy, was he mad! Richard called him all kinds of names that I won’t repeat because I don’t want my mouth washed out with soap, and he broke away from the security guys, and all heck broke loose for a minute! He got right in Mr. Brock’s face, and he was yelling and being a total jerk, and right when Derek ran up to them that Richard guy tried to hit Mr. Brock, who swung at him and punched him right in the jaw! Derek and the security team grabbed him again and told him he had to leave the Ranch. Then things were a little crazy when everyone realized you were gone, and Mr. Brock ran out and went after you. I knew he would rescue you like your own white knight. He loves you so much.”
“He… what? No, he doesn’t. Does he? And ohmygosh, he punched Richard?” She would have loved to have seen that.
Sadie’s excited face fell. “I’m sorry! Did that upset you? Maybe I shouldn’t have told you.”
“Are you kidding? Richard deserved to be punched, and I think Brock has been saving that up for a while.”
Sadie smiled and quirked an eyebrow. “And what about Brock loving you?”
“Gosh, I really don’t know. I mean, I know he cares; that’s obvious. But love is a whole other thing. A really big thing.”
Room service arrived to deliver juice and cookies, and they sat down on one of the sofas with their snack.
“Do you really think he loves me?” Kyra asked.
She wasn’t sure she wanted to know the answer, because if he didn’t, she would be kind of crushed, she had to admit to herself. But if he did love her, then what? And why did everything have to be so complicated?