The Way to Texas Read Online Free Page B

been at a farm just outside Longview when he’d found out Nellie was en route to the hospital.
    â€œNo,” Dawn said, walking over to the stretcher. Shelooked down at the red-faced baby sleeping peacefully after her traumatic entry into the world. “She’s going to be the sun rising and setting for you, little brother.”
    Jack’s face emoted into pure love. “For once, I won’t argue with you.”
    Dawn gave her brother a good-natured punch on his arm and looked over to where Tyson stood by the emergency-room curtain. The man didn’t look comfortable, but he didn’t seem particularly uncomfortable, either. She wondered why she had wanted him to stay. She could have handled everything by herself. But something about Tyson seemed rock-steady and for a few moments, she’d needed his strength.
    â€œHey, Tyson, let me buy you a cup of coffee.” She at least owed him that. The man had gone above and beyond. Besides, the hospital staff was about to move Nellie to a private room and Dawn could really use a break.
    Tyson glanced at Nellie. “Sure. I could use a good cup of coffee. Jack?”
    But neither Jack nor Nellie paid the least attention to anything other than their baby, lost in the little world they had created.
    Dawn’s heart pinged.
    She glanced back at Tyson and his eyes met hers. He felt the poignancy of the moment, too. She jerked her head toward the exit.
    They slipped from the emergency room and headed toward the cafeteria. Her sandals clacked on the polished hospital floor, echoing down the corridor. The sound seemed to heighten the silence between them.
    She searched for something to say, but words wouldn’t come. The adrenaline that had surged through her body during the past few hours had deserted her, leaving herlimbs feeling shaky. She needed to sit down, have something to drink and force her body to relax.
    They reached the cafeteria and Tyson frowned at the door.
    â€œWhat?” Dawn said.
    â€œClosed five minutes ago.”
    Dawn sighed. “Well, maybe there’s a soda machine. I could use a shot of something.”
    â€œIf I remember correctly, we passed a Starbucks when we got off 259. Let’s grab a cup there.”
    Dawn wavered. She didn’t want to leave the hospital. Nellie and Jack might need her help as they got settled in a room. She hadn’t been able to complete any paperwork and wasn’t sure where she’d put Jack’s insurance card.
    â€œListen, they’re not going to even notice you’re gone. She’s got to be moved to a room, and in my experience that always takes a while. We’ll get coffee and pick up a few things for Nellie, like a toothbrush and something to change into.” Tyson took her elbow and guided her toward the entrance. Obviously, the man wasn’t going to wait for her to argue.
    And she had no real reason to fight against his suggestion, so she allowed herself to be pulled toward the double glass doors. His hand on her bare arm felt nice—warm on skin that had grown cold in the hospital’s overzealous air-conditioning. But what was even nicer was the thoughtfulness he displayed. Most men wouldn’t have bothered to think about Nellie’s needs. Still, that didn’t mean Tyson was even on her “guy” radar.
    He so wasn’t.
    They stepped into the glow of the evening as an ambulance came screeching around the corner, lights flashing and siren wailing. Tyson stiffened and droppedher arm. His eyes met hers and something dark flashed within.
    â€œYou okay?” she asked.
    â€œYeah, fine,” he said, stepping onto the flagstone path leading to the parking lot. “I served a tour in Iraq with the National Guard. The sound of an ambulance always does that to me. Police sirens, too.”
    â€œOh,” Dawn said, tracing his footsteps. She didn’t know whether his statement invited further questions or not. Many veterans of