The last twenty-four hours I had been trying to dream up some excuse to stay in Montana a few days longer, but never did I dream I would have broken my leg and ankle to accomplish that goal. The moment my mother mentioned staying in Montana, I felt the claustrophobia setting in. I loved my mother, but she babied me and I was a grown woman. Plus, this was the perfect excuse to spend more time with Ryder … alone. I closed my eyes and tried to adjust myself. The pain in my leg felt like it was getting worse, along with the headache I was getting. “Do you need the nurse, buttercup?” God. I. Love. Him. Ryder had to have seen the way I lit up when I was told I had to stay behind. Then how quickly that joy was sucked out of the room by my sweet mother offering to stay behind. Ugh. This is not going to be fun. I slowly nodded my head. “Reed, Courtney, I’ll leave you both to spend a few minutes alone with Ava while I search for the nurse.” Yep. This cowboy was a keeper. When the door shut, I felt my mother running the back of her hand down my cheek.
