Learning to Breathe Again by Kelli Heneghan Page B

Bayleigh suggested as Jack managed to chip the ice away from
the passenger side door and open it.
    “ Nah, we’ll be fine. Let me
climb in and slide over so I can start the engine. That way the
defrosters can do most of the work.” He stepped up into the cab of
the truck and then reached a hand down to help her up. Sliding over
under the wheel, he got the engine started and waited for the air
coming out of the vents to warm up before he turned the windshield
defroster on.
    “ I’ll wait a few minutes,
let it get the ice melting, and then I’ll go out and chip it
off.”
    “ Do you want
help?”
    “ Nope, you stay in here
where it’s warm,” he grinned at her. He reached behind the seat and
found his ice scraper. “I’ll be back.”
    Bayleigh watched him from the warmth of the
truck as he scraped the ice off the windshields. Once the heat
kicked in and started the melting process, he only had to get a
small area cleared before he could get the edge of the scraper
under it and get huge chunks cleared out of the way. It took him a
few minutes to get the windows cleared off before he was back
inside the cab with her.
    “ Man, it’s cold out there!”
He pulled his gloves off, turning the heater on high and holding
his hands over the defroster. “Once I get feeling back in my hands
and feet, we can head home,” he looked over at her. “You doing
ok?”
    “ I’m fine,” she looked over
her shoulder at the hospital. “Thank you for agreeing to head back
to your place.”
    Jack reached over and gave her hand a quick
squeeze. “I told you before, I don’t like hospitals either. I’m
just as happy as you are to leave this place behind.” He dropped
her hand and placed his back on the steering wheel. “Ok, let’s go,
then.”
    Driving much slower than he had on the way to
the hospital the night before, Jack headed home. It took forever,
and more than once he felt his tires lose traction. He was the only
one stupid enough to be out on the roads right now though. If it
weren’t for the near-panic attack he’d seen Bayleigh have last
night, he would have tried to convince her to stay in the hospital
for a while. At least until the temperatures climbed to above the
freezing mark and this shit started to melt.
    Almost ninety minutes after leaving the
hospital, they both heaved sighs of relief as he parked the truck
near his porch steps. “Stay here until I come around for you. I
don’t want a repeat of the other day. I’m not sure I could carry
you inside this time,” he told her with a quick wink as he opened
his door and slid out.
    Giving him a mock glare, Bayleigh did as she
was told, waiting until he had her door open and offered his hand
to her to help her down. The ice wasn’t bad up near his porch, and
they made their way up the steps and inside without incidence.
    “ More coffee?” he asked as
they shed their coats, hanging them on the backs of kitchen
chairs.
    “ No, I think if I have any
more coffee this morning, my stomach will burn a hole in itself. I
think I’m just going to take a shower and then climb into bed.” She
narrowed her gaze as she looked at him. “Are you ok? You’re looking
pretty pale all of a sudden.”
    “ I’m fine. Now that we’re
home and I can relax, my head is pounding. I think I’m going to
take something for it, call Paul to let him know we made it home
without winding up in a ditch, and then I’m climbing into my bed.
My shower can wait until later,” Jack tried to give her a
reassuring smile, but could tell from the frown on her face he
wasn’t succeeding. “I promise, Bayleigh. I’m fine. But I am going
to be taking some of my heavy-duty pain killers and not just
ibuprofen. Don’t worry if I sleep for a long time.”
    Bayleigh nodded, but waited until he’d taken
his medicine and headed for his own room before she walked down the
hallway to hers. Walking into the bathroom, she groaned at her
reflection in the mirror. Most of her make-up had worn off