His Holiday Family Read Free Page A

black eyelashes. Captivating. Powerful. Those thoughts sent warmth to her cheeks that she was sure rivaled the fire he’d fought.
    Kathleen looked away. “I didn’t mean to wake you up.”
    â€œYou didn’t,” Gideon said in a scratchy voice. “You were at the fire. In the E.R. Ruth’s daughter.”
    She nodded. “I’m so sorry you and Pete went into the building after my children.” She reconnected with him visually. “They were supposed to be there. I had come to pick them up. I didn’t know Sally had taken them to the park and was running late getting them back to her apartment.”
    He shifted, gritting his teeth. “I’m glad they’re safe.”
    â€œBut—”
    â€œSo why are you up here?”
    She wanted to say so much more to him, but a closed expression descended over his pain-filled features. “I wanted to make sure you were all right before I left.”
    â€œDefine all right.” One corner of his mouth lifted for a second then fell back into a neutral line. He tried to reach for the plastic cup of water on his nightstand and winced.
    â€œLet me get it for you.” Kathleen picked up the cup and held it to his lips so he could take a few sips. The scent of smoke clung to his dark hair. “Is your pain manageable?”
    â€œI’ve had worse.”
    â€œYou have?” She’d heard from other patients in the past how much broken or cracked ribs could hurt.
    â€œAfraid so.” Creases in his forehead deepened. Gideon gulped in a breath of air and started coughing. Agony contorted his features, his eyes shiny. “That hurt.”
    â€œLet me see if you can have more pain meds.” Anything to help make him feel better. Then maybe she wouldn’t feel so guilty.
    He coughed again. His pale face urged her to hurry. She left his room and hastened to the nurses’ station. “Mildred, can Gideon O’Brien have any more of his pain medication?”
    â€œI’ll check and take care of it. I was just coming to get you. Your mother called and said you need to get home right away. Something about Jared falling off the side of the house.”
    â€œIs he okay?”
    â€œShe didn’t say. But she sounded shook up.”
    Kathleen rushed to the elevator, punching the down button. Seconds ticked by so slowly she started for the stairs when the doors swished open. This day was quickly going from bad to worse.
    Two minutes later, after retrieving her purse in the E.R., she hastened out to the parking lot while digging for her cell. She slipped behind the steering wheel of her eight-year-old Dodge and punched in her mom’s number.
    â€œHow’s Jared?” In the background Kathleen heard her son crying, and her grip tightened on the phone.
    â€œI don’t know. He’s holding his arm. He might have broken it.”
    â€œI’ll be there soon.” She flipped her cell closed and pulled out of the parking space.
    Ten minutes later Kathleen turned onto Oceanview Drive. Her seven-year-old son was too adventurous forhis own good. She guessed he was going from climbing trees to houses now. Next he’d want to try flying off the roof. The thought sent panic through her as she drove into the driveway and parked.
    The front door banged open, and Kip came racing out of the two-story stone house. “Mom, Jared climbed up there.” He pointed toward the second floor. “You should have seen him. I can’t believe he did it.”
    â€œDid you dare him?” Kathleen charged up the steps to the porch. At the door Kip’s silence prompted her to glance back at him. “You did.”
    â€œAw, Mom. I didn’t think he would really do it.”
    â€œWe’ll talk later.” Kathleen entered her childhood home and headed toward the kitchen where the crying was coming from.
    Kathleen’s mother stood over her son, her face leached of color. “I’m