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“You got one of theio Good teamwork, I’d say”

“Sorry, I really wanted to save you by

arons”

“You did save me” She took his hand and pressed it to her cheek “Without you, I wouldn’t be here”

“You should get soled hair

“There’ll be tio call the Rimrock and tell Bull and Jasper you’re awake I’ll call Joe, too He’ll want to know”

After she left the roo of uncertainty He could feel the pain under the dressings that bound his ribs, covering the entrance and exit wounds where the shot had gone through his chest and back Crazy He didn’t even knohich way the bullet been traveling when it hit him

He groaned as the worries flooded over hiain? What about his job? He didn’t even have a place to live, except the ranger post Worse, his injuries weren’t related to his work, so there’d be no compensation

And what about Rose? He knew that he wanted to h But what did he have to offer her? Nothing but aWyo ranch How could he provide the best future for Rose and peace of mind for hi to stay on her beloved land, or would he be better off joining Clint’s fa was certain—he couldn’t have it both ways, and neither could Rose

He had some hard decisions to make, and they needed to be made soon He could only hope those decisions wouldn’t cost him the woman he loved

By the ti off again She bent over the bed and kissed hi her way around monitor cords and an IV He opened his eyes “Joe sends his best,” she said “He talked to Clive Your job will be waiting when you’rehere He wants to talk to us Since he’ll have to drive froht as well get more rest”

“You too,” he murmured and closed his eyes

Rose curled up in the armchair next to the bed It wasn’t comfortable, but she hadn’t slept in nearly two days, and she was exhausted It seemed as if she’d barely drifted off when Jasper walked into the hospital roo her awake

“Thank God you’re both all right Don’t get up, Rose I can see you’re tuckered out” Jasper pulled a straight-backed chair up to the bed “And you—” He laid his hand on Tanner’s “We’ve got a lot to thank you for”

“All I did was get shot,” Tanner said