Countdown to First Night: Winter's Heart\Snowbound at New Year\A Kiss at Midnight by Jillian Hart

Author:Jillian Hart
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2012-08-28T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SIX

A CHILL FLASH-FROZE BRODY. The sound of one of his daughters crying out resonated through him, sending panic to every part of him. After a few seconds he leaped to his feet and raced for the stairs, taking the steps two at a time.

Abbey ran down the hallway, tears flowing from her eyes. Pointing back to her bedroom, she said, “Alexa hurt herself.”

Alexa’s sobs coming from the room spurred his pace. Behind him he heard Abbey mumbling, “I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” and Ellie consoling her.

When he saw Alexa, she was sitting on the floor, wet tracks streaking down her face. The overhead light was on. “Baby, what happened?”

“It hurts, Daddy. Make it stop.”

“What hurts?” He knelt down next to her.

She touched her left ankle. “I can’t walk.”

The area she indicated was already swelling. “How did you do this?”

“Couldn’t see in the dark. I tripped over that.” Alexa gestured toward a box that held a game the girls loved to play.

“The night-light went out?” He looked toward it and it wasn’t on.

“I guess.”

Ellie immediately came to Alexa on her other side while Abbey hung back. “I can get some ice for the ankle.”

“Thanks. That might help the swelling until we can get her to the hospital.”

“Hospital!” Alexa screamed as Ellie left to get an ice pack. “I don’t want to go there.”

“Daddy, you fix her. She’ll be okay,” Abbey said behind him, crying more than Alexa.

“I can’t fix this. Alexa, I’m going to call Harold to see when he can get the road plowed. The snow has slowed down somewhat so he might be able to start now as a favor to me.” If he had to beg the man, he would. He couldn’t stand to see his child in pain. “You need to have X-rays taken of your foot and leg. You might have broken a bone.”

“I’ll get a cast?”

“Maybe, depending on what’s wrong. It could be a sprain. Either way, a doctor needs to look at it.”

“I don’t like hospitals. I don’t want to go. I’m better now.” Alexa tried to stand.

Brody held her down. “No. I don’t want you making it worse.”

When Ellie returned with the ice, she placed it gently on the child’s ankle. “This will help, honey.”

Brody stood. “Will you stay with her while I call about the snowplow?”

Ellie nodded.

As he strode into the hallway, Abbey ran after him. “Daddy, I didn’t mean for Alexa to get hurt.”

He stopped and turned toward her. “I know. She’ll be all right. We’ll get her to the hospital and they’ll patch up her leg.”

Abbey dropped her head and mumbled, “I turned the night-light off. It was bothering me last night, and I couldn’t sleep.” The words rushed out as her shoulders hunched more and more.

“We’ll talk about this later. First, I need to see to your sister.”

She lifted her head. “I’m sorry.”

The pain in Abbey’s expression mirrored Alexa’s, but for a different reason. He knelt in front of her and clasped her arms. “I know you are.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.