Page 78 of Leading the Blind
Jason snorted. He’d spent two weeks in a hotel in Dallas right after Balta had gotten out of the hospital, doing Balta’s therapy exercises with him until a spot opened up at a sports rehab place. That man could curse fluently in both Portuguese and English.
“We do what we got to.” He let out a long breath. “Do you think Ace guessed?”
“Nah, he’d pull you. They got all insurance and stuff.”
“Yeah.” Now he could inhale again. “Yeah, okay. I just need Doc to stay quiet.”
“As long as you’re winning, he will. He knows better than anyone what’s at stake here.” Bax reached over to hold his hand again.
“Eh, I ain’t getting any blinder.”
Bax snorted, because they both knew that wasn’t exactly true. His eyes worked fine. It was the connection between brain and eyeballs that didn’t work. It was one of the reasons he figured shit out so easy.
It could be a lot worse, he guessed. Some days that meant something. Others, not so much.
But he knew Bax worried. It wouldn’t take much. It never did. Sam Bell had proved that. Sammy had taken that horn for Beau, and—Sam was never going to be okay again.
Sam was home, Beau had him, but the Sammy they’d known was someone else now.
He guessed he was too. Maybe they all were.
Bulls left their mark.
Bax hummed along with the music, and they both jumped a mile when Bax’s phone rang, Garth’sRodeoblaring.
“Can you get that, babe?”
“Surely.” He tapped the bottom of the phone, sliding his finger. He got it, nine times out of ten. “‘Lo?”
“We’re heading to the hospital with Em. Her water broke.” Dillon chuckled softly, and the sound was pure evil. “All over Ace.”
“Oh fuck.”Talk about poetic goddamn justice. “Cotton with y’all?”
“He’s taking his truck. Coke just carried her. Total panic mode. Cotton was a little out of his league.”
“Oh. Do y’all need help?” Bax asked, and Jason tilted his head. What were they supposed to do, exactly? Helping pregnant ladies pop them out wasn’t in their repertoire.
“Well, y’all could call Cotton. He’s freaking out, and that way he can have some company on the drive.” Dillon was chuckling. They heard the GPS talking, then Coke. “I got this, babe. You just hold on.”
“Holding. Breathe, Emmy-girl, and cross your legs.” Coke’s voice was as dry as dust.
Jason barked out a sharp laugh. “Right on. Calling Cotton.”
“Good deal. We’ll keep you posted.”
“We’ll be at the hotel,” Bax said.
They hung up with Dillon, and he hit the button so Bax could tell his phone, “Call Cotton.”
“She squirted on Ace, y’all. On Ace!”
Wow, not even a hello. “Coke’s got her. She’s in good hands.”
“Bullshit. She should be in my hands. Those babies are mine.” Okay, little fierce Cotton was adorable.
“She will be. You know Gramps. He just does shit.” Jason grinned, but only because Cotton couldn’t see him.
“You just focus on getting to the hospital in one piece,” Bax added.
