Hold Tight (The Embrace Series) Read Free Page B

as I realized I probably should have concentrated on one dish at a time, everything torpedoed itself toward me on its way to the closed cabinet next to the fridge. I screamed, covered my head with my arms, and ducked. A spoon skimmed my elbow, and with a deafening clamor, the whole lot crashed into the cabinet and tumbled to the floor. The casserole dish shattered. Two of the forks and a steak knife embedded themselves into the door.
    Chase came running into the kitchen, skidding to a stop next to the table. “What happened?”
    I jumped up and hastily positioned myself in front of the cutlery stuck in the cabinet door. “Nothing.”
    “Doesn’t look like nothing to me.”
    “I tried to carry too much at once,” I lied. “Are you done in the other room?”
    “Almost.” He spun and sprinted out of the kitchen.
    I grabbed a dishtowel and knelt down to survey the damage. The dishes were shatterproof, so only one had broken. It went into the garbage; the rest I put away the mortal way.

    I was giving Chase a bath when Dad finally got home.
    “I still can’t get used to the whole two-tone short thing you got going on with your hair,” he said from behind me.
    “Hi, Daddy!” Chase blew a mound of bubbles his way. Most landed on the floor next to me.
    I ran a hand over my head. “They’re called low-lights, and I like them.”
    “Yeah, well, they make you look too grown up.”
    I chuckled, knowing he would have loved it if I stayed his precious princess forever. “Don’t worry, Dad. I’ll always be your little girl.”
    “Uh huh.” He stepped over a pile of dirty towels and leaned on the doorframe. “I thought you were going to do some cleaning.”
    “Kitchen’s all shiny, and I put your T-shirts and socks in your drawer.” It had been the first and only load of laundry I’d gotten done.
    “I’ll take over here.” Dad motioned for me to move, so we traded places.
    “With winter here, shouldn’t things at work quiet down some?” I asked.
    Dad owned his own handyman business. Fall always brought a rush of exterior paint jobs, but by December things usually slowed dramatically, leaving only sporadic odd jobs.
    “I won the bid at Dr. Patel’s. I’m remodeling the reception area, and then there are my regular clients.” He used the bed of a plastic dump trunk to scoop up water and rinse the shampoo out of Chase’s hair. Satisfied Chase was no longer an oversized suds-monster, he pulled the plug on the drain.
    “You look exhausted, Dad.” I handed him a fluffy blue bath towel. “Why don’t you hire an assistant? Then you could get everything you need done in a normal workday.”
    “I promise things will get back to normal, Madison. A few more weeks.”
    The dark circles under his eyes gave the impression he wouldn’t last that long. I decided to lighten the mood. “Good, because apparently I don’t know how to make an epic bubble bath.”
    Dad covered Chase’s ears with his hands like he was about to share top-secret information with me. “Quantity,” he said. “I dump half the bottle of bubbles into the water.”
    “I should have known.” I shook my head. “I made you a plate.”
    “Thanks.” He scooped Chase up like a sack of wet towels, eliciting a squeal of delight from my brother. I’d turned to head to my room when he added, “Madison, I know it’s been hard. I just want you to know I really appreciate all your help.”
    “No problem.”
    I checked my phone for messages as I walked to my bedroom. There were none. I set it on the nightstand and changed into pajamas before grabbing my history book and plopping down on my bed. I was exhausted but knew I should at least glance over the chapter we’d been working on as there was a test the next day. It only took a few minutes for me to realize I needed music if I was going to stay awake.
    I leaned back, my hand feeling around on the top of the nightstand for my phone. When I didn’t find it, I turned my head. It wasn’t there.