ran into McQueen in town. He offered to buy us
out--"
"We aren't selling," she interrupted him.
"That's what I told him." Jack was grim.
"Good. We'll figure something out. I'll go over the
books again and see if I can find some extra money somewhere." She'd been doing their book work for the last few
years. She'd known their funds were tight, but she'd never
dreamed the bank would call in their loan so unexpectedly.
Jack was glad Casey was confident. He just wished he
was as certain as she was about it. Unfortunately, the only
thing he was certain about was how bad he felt.
"Are you ready for dinner?"
"No, I'm tired. I think I'll go rest for a while and eat
later."
"I'll take care of your horse," Casey offered. She took
up the reins and led the horse off to the stable.
Jack watched her for a moment, then went inside. He'd
expected the pain he'd tolerated on the ride back to ease
once he'd gotten home, but it had only intensified.
He tried to make it to his bedroom to lie down.
The pain hit harder, tearing through him, ripping at his
left side arm chest.
Jack had never known such agony.
He gritted his teeth against the stabbing pain as sweat
beaded his brow. He fought for control, but swayed unsteadily on his feet and feared for the first time that he
truly might be dying.
Worry about Casey and who would take care of her
consumed him.
Without him, she would be all alone in the world.
" He tried to call her name, but it came out
only in a hoarse whisper.
Jack grabbed the back of the sofa to support himself.
He was too weak, though.
Blackness overwhelmed him.
He collapsed, unconscious, to the floor.
"You're lucky you're alive," Dr. Murray told Jack as he
stood over him where he lay in bed.
"It's that bad?"
"Yes. It's your heart."
Jack met the doctor's gaze unflinchingly. "I want the
truth, Doc. Tell me long have I got?"
"I'd be God if I could answer that question. The truth
is, Jack, with a condition like yours, there is no way of
knowing. It could be tomorrow or it could be six months
from now"
Jack's physical pain was gone for now, but a different
agony filled him. He'd never faced the truth of his own
mortality before.
"Don't tell Casey any of this. What happened today has
already been too much of a shock for her."
"She needs to know the truth."
"I'll tell her when the time is right," Jack insisted.
"You've got to promise me-"
"All right. I'll respect your wishes now. Just get
some rest. In a day or two, you can start moving around.
See how your strength holds up."
"When can I get back to work?"
"Jack, your condition is serious," Dr. Murray said worriedly.
"I have a ranch to run."
"You can't very well run it if you drop dead, now can
you? You have to give yourself time to regain some
strength."
"All right," Jack agreed, just to shut the doctor up. He
had some serious thinking to do, and he wanted him
gone.
"I'll check back in on you in a few days."
"Thanks."
Dr. Murray went to speak with Casey, leaving Jack by
himself.
Jack was deeply troubled. The doctor had made it plain
he could go at any time, and he was worried about what
would happen to Casey if he died. With the Bar T in such
a bad way financially, there would be no one to take care
of her.
Jack knew she'd be furious with him if she were aware
of his thoughts. Casey believed she was the equal of any
man. She believed she could take care of herself, and she
wasn't shy about letting everyone know it.
Still, Jack wished Casey had a man in her life-a husband who could take over for him at the ranch. Regret filled Jack that he hadn't encouraged her to be more feminine, but she'd shown no interest in those things while
growing up. She'd always preferred working with horses
and stock than attending the socials in town.
Jack grew desperate as he thought of Casey trying to
repay the bank on her own. His desperation turned to
determination. He had to find a way to make sure she
was
out--"
"We aren't selling," she interrupted him.
"That's what I told him." Jack was grim.
"Good. We'll figure something out. I'll go over the
books again and see if I can find some extra money somewhere." She'd been doing their book work for the last few
years. She'd known their funds were tight, but she'd never
dreamed the bank would call in their loan so unexpectedly.
Jack was glad Casey was confident. He just wished he
was as certain as she was about it. Unfortunately, the only
thing he was certain about was how bad he felt.
"Are you ready for dinner?"
"No, I'm tired. I think I'll go rest for a while and eat
later."
"I'll take care of your horse," Casey offered. She took
up the reins and led the horse off to the stable.
Jack watched her for a moment, then went inside. He'd
expected the pain he'd tolerated on the ride back to ease
once he'd gotten home, but it had only intensified.
He tried to make it to his bedroom to lie down.
The pain hit harder, tearing through him, ripping at his
left side arm chest.
Jack had never known such agony.
He gritted his teeth against the stabbing pain as sweat
beaded his brow. He fought for control, but swayed unsteadily on his feet and feared for the first time that he
truly might be dying.
Worry about Casey and who would take care of her
consumed him.
Without him, she would be all alone in the world.
" He tried to call her name, but it came out
only in a hoarse whisper.
Jack grabbed the back of the sofa to support himself.
He was too weak, though.
Blackness overwhelmed him.
He collapsed, unconscious, to the floor.
"You're lucky you're alive," Dr. Murray told Jack as he
stood over him where he lay in bed.
"It's that bad?"
"Yes. It's your heart."
Jack met the doctor's gaze unflinchingly. "I want the
truth, Doc. Tell me long have I got?"
"I'd be God if I could answer that question. The truth
is, Jack, with a condition like yours, there is no way of
knowing. It could be tomorrow or it could be six months
from now"
Jack's physical pain was gone for now, but a different
agony filled him. He'd never faced the truth of his own
mortality before.
"Don't tell Casey any of this. What happened today has
already been too much of a shock for her."
"She needs to know the truth."
"I'll tell her when the time is right," Jack insisted.
"You've got to promise me-"
"All right. I'll respect your wishes now. Just get
some rest. In a day or two, you can start moving around.
See how your strength holds up."
"When can I get back to work?"
"Jack, your condition is serious," Dr. Murray said worriedly.
"I have a ranch to run."
"You can't very well run it if you drop dead, now can
you? You have to give yourself time to regain some
strength."
"All right," Jack agreed, just to shut the doctor up. He
had some serious thinking to do, and he wanted him
gone.
"I'll check back in on you in a few days."
"Thanks."
Dr. Murray went to speak with Casey, leaving Jack by
himself.
Jack was deeply troubled. The doctor had made it plain
he could go at any time, and he was worried about what
would happen to Casey if he died. With the Bar T in such
a bad way financially, there would be no one to take care
of her.
Jack knew she'd be furious with him if she were aware
of his thoughts. Casey believed she was the equal of any
man. She believed she could take care of herself, and she
wasn't shy about letting everyone know it.
Still, Jack wished Casey had a man in her life-a husband who could take over for him at the ranch. Regret filled Jack that he hadn't encouraged her to be more feminine, but she'd shown no interest in those things while
growing up. She'd always preferred working with horses
and stock than attending the socials in town.
Jack grew desperate as he thought of Casey trying to
repay the bank on her own. His desperation turned to
determination. He had to find a way to make sure she
was
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