Miss Kane's Christmas Read Free Page B

plans.”
    Ben found himself nodding, if only in relief that he could get to the office where he always thought more clearly than he did at home. It was a safe zone where he didn’t think about the mess he was making of trying to raise the children himself. But he could do this. He could find a way out of this, find a child care solution that would be adequate. “Okay, then, one day. And I do apologize for the inconvenience and change of plans.”
    “Not to worry,” Carol said. “I understand perfectly.”
    He believed her. She spoke with a calm, confident manner that left him with no doubt she handled children skillfully, adults too for that matter.
    He gathered his coat and brief case from the hall closet. Feeling slightly guilty that he was so relieved to be leaving the house, he kissed each of his children on the forehead and then patted them of the top of the head. He opened his mouth to remind Hillary that she shouldn’t be wearing a tutu over her clothes but he stopped himself. He could sort that out later.
    With a last wave, he shut the front door behind him. He inhaled the cold, fresh morning air. This whole mess would all work itself out, he didn’t have to worry. By this time tomorrow he’d have new child care plans in place. Ones that didn’t involve a beautiful young woman living in his home.
    He stepped off the first step, right onto an icy second step. His feet flew out from under him. He reached out for the wrought iron railing but missed and landed on his side. A sharp pain shot through his entire body right before he blacked out.

Chapter Three
    "A mild concussion and a sprained shoulder is all that ails your friend.” The emergency room physician shut her laptop and smiled reassuringly at Carol and the children. She handed a few slips of paper to Carol. “I recommend that Mr. Hanson take the remainder of the week off and rest at home with very limited activity. There are care instructions in your discharge papers, and you’re welcome to call the triage number if anything comes up.”
    “Thank you, Doctor.” Carol smiled her thanks before bundling Hillary and Patrick through the double swinging doors that led back into the waiting room. “See, you heard for yourselves straight from the doctor’s mouth that your father is going to be just fine,” she assured them.
    “Can we go home now?” Patrick asked as he shrugged into his jacket. “I’m tired.”
    Carol bent down to help him zip it up. Made with down feathers, it was toasty warm but it made Patrick’s arms stick straight out. His puffer jacket was black and his knit cap was white. He looked like a penguin. She ignored a stab of homesickness that shot through her.
    “Yes, we can go now. We just need to wait for your-” she broke off as a nurse brought Ben out in a wheelchair. His arm was in a sling and his face resembled a storm cloud. “There he is.” She waved cheerily, refusing to let her smile slip. Christmas was only days away and she had too much to do to get ready for it to waste time being unhappy.
    “I’ll just go bring the car around,” she said immediately after the nurse departed. She asked the children to wait with their father and then headed for the parking lot. A few moments later she swung the Hanson’s Toyota Highlander in front of the urgent care doors and jumped out to help Ben into the front seat.
    “Easy does it,” she said as she slipped her hand under his good arm. “Hillary and Patrick, you two hop into your seats and buckle yourselves in.”
    Ben took a few steps but then stopped abruptly. “What happened to my car?”
    Carol managed not to bump into him, but just barely. “What are you talking about?” she asked, although she already knew what had him staring at the SUV in horror.
    “Are those antlers on the front of my car?” His voice sounded an octave higher than she’d heard it before. But perhaps that was just the pain meds kicking in. “Is that a red ball strapped to the