thank goodness.” She tried to smile, but her lips seemed to be frozen in place. “Go on. I’ll be okay, but hurry.”
It took him less than five minutes to hotfoot it to the house and thumb in 911 while he grabbed some blankets off the guest room bed on the first floor.
Her purse was right where she said it would be. The whole time he talked to the 911 operator and gave her the particulars.
Snow pelted his face, dampened the blankets
with their wet lacy kisses. White arms of cold pulled at his legs as he trudged through the snow and back to the garage.
The big, calico mother cat curled up against his mother, purring and rubbing its head against her face. The litter of kittens played close by, one or two trying to nibble on the scattered cat food, while the others twisted and danced in a mock fight. His
fought the urge to drop kick them out of the way.
Dammit, this was their fault.
Instead, he crouched beside Mom and nudged
momma cat out of the way. The kittens scampered off when he threw one of the blankets over his
82
A Perfect Bride for Christmas
mother.
“The ambulance will be here as quickly as
possible. There’s a lot of accidents out on the road today.” He tucked the soft pink thermal blanket around her and put one of her brightly colored
handmade quilts on top. “There, is that any better?”
She continued to shiver in spite of the blankets.
“Some.”
Her eyes closed. The 911 operator had said to
make sure she didn’t fall asleep. Maybe she’d hit her head a lot harder than she’d admitted. There were times his mother could be stubborn about her
physical ailments. She refused to use a cane, in spite of her bad knee.
“Come on, Mom. They said you can’t go to sleep.
Open your eyes.”
“I don’t want to.” She squeezed them tighter,
refusing to obey. “The room spins when I open my eyes.”
“That doesn’t matter.”
“It does if I don’t want to throw up.”
“Now, I wish I’d taken up med school instead of the law.” He reached inside the blankets and took hold of her hand. It felt like a chunk of ice as he closed her small fingers under his.
“You can’t stand the sight of blood. Now, Clint and Heath, didn’t bother them a bit, but you always turned green.” Her eyes stayed closed, but she gave his a twitch of her lips. “Law was the better choice, for you and the rest of the world.”
“Are you saying I’m a wuss?”
She shifted, trying to get more comfortable on
the hard, cold concrete floor. Even though it might beunnecessary, Alex tucked the blankets around her again, wanting to touch her but still afraid to do more than hold her hand and make sure she was
warm.
“I’ve seen you in the courtroom. You’re ferocious, 83
Dyann Love Barr
even a little scary. I’d never call you a wuss. You never could stand getting a shot as a child either.
Practically had to hog-tie you.”
He didn’t like the way her face paled as she
groaned.
“I still don’t. Now look, you don’t need to talk so much. Just lay there, be quiet, but don’t go to sleep.”
He gave her fingers a slight squeeze. “Hey, I’ve got some news that might make you feel better …or
want to chuck a rock at me.”
She opened her eyes, the blue looked more faded then he ever remembered. “Why would I do that?”
“You know how you’ve always been after us boys
to supply you with grandchildren?” The words came out in a rush.
She blinked, opened her eyes and frowned.
“Grandchildren?”
“Yeah.” He rubbed the bump on his nose. “It
seems about five years ago I, well remember when I had that incident in Vegas? Well—”
“Tell me it’s Zoe. Her children, the girls—they’re yours.”
“Well, take the wind out my sails, why don’t you, Mom.” Her hand gripped his tighter. “How did you know? No wait, no talking, remember? I’m telling this story. “
“Last week, when I stopped by Zoe’s shop. I saw them but I didn’t dare ask.”
“They have
It took him less than five minutes to hotfoot it to the house and thumb in 911 while he grabbed some blankets off the guest room bed on the first floor.
Her purse was right where she said it would be. The whole time he talked to the 911 operator and gave her the particulars.
Snow pelted his face, dampened the blankets
with their wet lacy kisses. White arms of cold pulled at his legs as he trudged through the snow and back to the garage.
The big, calico mother cat curled up against his mother, purring and rubbing its head against her face. The litter of kittens played close by, one or two trying to nibble on the scattered cat food, while the others twisted and danced in a mock fight. His
fought the urge to drop kick them out of the way.
Dammit, this was their fault.
Instead, he crouched beside Mom and nudged
momma cat out of the way. The kittens scampered off when he threw one of the blankets over his
82
A Perfect Bride for Christmas
mother.
“The ambulance will be here as quickly as
possible. There’s a lot of accidents out on the road today.” He tucked the soft pink thermal blanket around her and put one of her brightly colored
handmade quilts on top. “There, is that any better?”
She continued to shiver in spite of the blankets.
“Some.”
Her eyes closed. The 911 operator had said to
make sure she didn’t fall asleep. Maybe she’d hit her head a lot harder than she’d admitted. There were times his mother could be stubborn about her
physical ailments. She refused to use a cane, in spite of her bad knee.
“Come on, Mom. They said you can’t go to sleep.
Open your eyes.”
“I don’t want to.” She squeezed them tighter,
refusing to obey. “The room spins when I open my eyes.”
“That doesn’t matter.”
“It does if I don’t want to throw up.”
“Now, I wish I’d taken up med school instead of the law.” He reached inside the blankets and took hold of her hand. It felt like a chunk of ice as he closed her small fingers under his.
“You can’t stand the sight of blood. Now, Clint and Heath, didn’t bother them a bit, but you always turned green.” Her eyes stayed closed, but she gave his a twitch of her lips. “Law was the better choice, for you and the rest of the world.”
“Are you saying I’m a wuss?”
She shifted, trying to get more comfortable on
the hard, cold concrete floor. Even though it might beunnecessary, Alex tucked the blankets around her again, wanting to touch her but still afraid to do more than hold her hand and make sure she was
warm.
“I’ve seen you in the courtroom. You’re ferocious, 83
Dyann Love Barr
even a little scary. I’d never call you a wuss. You never could stand getting a shot as a child either.
Practically had to hog-tie you.”
He didn’t like the way her face paled as she
groaned.
“I still don’t. Now look, you don’t need to talk so much. Just lay there, be quiet, but don’t go to sleep.”
He gave her fingers a slight squeeze. “Hey, I’ve got some news that might make you feel better …or
want to chuck a rock at me.”
She opened her eyes, the blue looked more faded then he ever remembered. “Why would I do that?”
“You know how you’ve always been after us boys
to supply you with grandchildren?” The words came out in a rush.
She blinked, opened her eyes and frowned.
“Grandchildren?”
“Yeah.” He rubbed the bump on his nose. “It
seems about five years ago I, well remember when I had that incident in Vegas? Well—”
“Tell me it’s Zoe. Her children, the girls—they’re yours.”
“Well, take the wind out my sails, why don’t you, Mom.” Her hand gripped his tighter. “How did you know? No wait, no talking, remember? I’m telling this story. “
“Last week, when I stopped by Zoe’s shop. I saw them but I didn’t dare ask.”
“They have
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