She knew that Connor was right. Sam took care of people. Strangers. Family. Her. He would never change. And she didn’t want him to. She loved him just the way he was.

Slowly walking over to the nurses’ station, she finally started to notice how bruised and beaten her limbs felt.

Knowing she should be friendly and polite to the extremely helpful hospital staff, but not having an ounce of extra energy for a smile, she said, “I need to see April Kelley and Sam MacKenzie.”

“Of course, Ms. Kelley,” the woman said, obviously recognizing her despite her current au naturel look. “I’ll take you to your sister,” the petite woman said, standing up and coming out into the waiting room.

“I need to see Sam, too,” Dianna insisted. “I need to know how he’s doing, if he’s going to be all right.”

“I’m sorry, Ms. Kelley,” the nurse said, “but I’m afraid I can’t speak to you about his case.”

“I know I’m not his wife,” Dianna pleaded, putting her hand on the woman’s arm, “but I have to be with him. He needs me.”

The woman’s brown eyes were full of empathy. “I can’t guarantee anything, but after I take you to your sister I’ll contact his surgeon and see if we can set up a visit.”

“Surgeon?” The one word was hollow with fear.

She’d known he’d been hit by the bullet, but she’d hoped it had merely grazed the skin. Had his injuries been worse than any of them knew, especially given his terrible fall off the cliff?

Suddenly, she could hardly breathe.

The nurse took her arm. “I think you should rest, Ms. Kelley.”

Knowing she had to pull it together or she’d be sent off for more tests, Dianna said, “I’m fine” in a steady voice. “And I appreciate your help.”

The nurse pressed her lips together, clearly disagreeing with Dianna’s self-assessment, but she continued to lead the way to April’s room.

“You’ll be glad to hear that your sister is doing very well. She was extremely dehydrated and a bit bruised on her face, but it looks like she’ll be just fine.”

“Thank you,” Dianna told the woman once they arrived at April’s door. “I’ll wait here for news of Sam.”

Nodding, the nurse walked back to her station. Stepping inside April’s room, she saw her sister lying on the bed beneath a thick white blanket, her skin pale, her eyes closed. She looked so tiny in the hospital bed that Dianna’s throat clogged with tears as she looked at the little sister she loved so much.

Moving to her side, Dianna covered April’s hand with her own and was surprised when she opened her eyes.

“Hi,” April croaked.

Dianna picked up the cup of water beside the bed and put it to her sister’s lips. After she’d drained the cup, she had to ask, “Did he hurt you?”

“Only right here, with his gun,” April said, touching her cheekbone. “That was his big move, I guess,” she said, looking at Dianna’s matching bruises. “But I think he was waiting for you to really do something.”

“Thank God,” Dianna said, glad at least that the man hadn’t raped her sister. “Don’t ever scare me like that again, okay?”

“I hope I never do,” April replied, her lips curving up in a small smile.

Her baby sister was beautiful, Dianna thought. A gorgeous young woman with her whole life ahead of her. She could do anything. Be anything. If only she’d believe in herself the way Dianna believed in her.

April sucked on her lower lip, just like she used to as a toddler. “Thank you for coming for me.”

Dianna shook her head. “Are you kidding? Nothing could have kept me from coming to get you. Nothing.”

April closed her eyes, the dark smudges beneath them mirroring the ones Dianna had seen beneath her own eyes in the bathroom mirror. Still holding April’s hand, Dianna sat down on the chair beside the bed, planning to stay with her for as long as the nurses would let her.

“I never should have come to Colorado,” April said finally, her words soft and regretful. Opening her eyes, she said, “If you hadn’t come to meet me in Vail, you wouldn’t have gotten in that crash. And then that guy wouldn’t have …”

Her face twisted and her words fell away.

“Don’t you dare blame yourself,” Dianna said. “The crash could have happened anywhere. And I’m glad I went to the commune. I met your friends and heard about the work you’ve been doing. I was wrong to assume it was a bad place without checking it out first.”

“I didn’t exactly invite you up for tea,” April acknowledged.

A small laugh escaped Dianna. The short burst of happiness felt amazingly good—and very unexpected given the circumstances.

Opening her mouth to let her sister off the hook the rest of the way, a sudden flash of insight held her back. She couldn’t go on as she had before. Not if she wanted things to change. Besides, April didn’t need to be coddled anymore. She’d always been tough, and managing to escape not once, but twice, from her kidnapper only proved her strength yet again.

“I heard you’ve been cooking and helping with children. I want you to know that I’m proud of you, April, but I think it’s time you and I came clean with each other.”

April’s eyes grew big and Dianna was tempted to back off, but if there was one thing she’d learned during the past few days, it was to get everything out in the open.

“Why did you leave?”

The words were barely out of her mouth when she realized it was the exact same question Sam had asked her.

He’d been right when he said that she and her sister were more alike than she’d ever thought; they both ran away from people when they were scared.

Nodding, as if she’d expected the question, April rubbed her eyes before answering. Despite how thin she was, how fragile her body looked, Dianna couldn’t miss the new maturity in her sister’s pensive expression. The April she’d known in San Francisco would have immediately gone on the defensive.

“I overheard your PR staff telling you I was bad for your image.”

Shocked, Dianna sucked in a breath, but before she could say anything April held up a hand.

“Please, let me try and get it all out, okay?”

“Okay,” Dianna agreed, “I’ll try not to interrupt.”