by Paty Jager
She cringed when Brock jammed fisted hands on his hips and turned to Mr. Johnson.
“I’m only going to ask you once. Please leave. I have to check my daughter for injuries—”
“You haven’t checked her yet? Damn, boy you’re just as irresponsible as when your wife died.” The older man’s face reddened.
“If I didn’t have to deal with you, I’d be checking her!” Brock snapped.
“Brock.” Carina started to stand. He rushed to her side.
“Don’t move. You’re only making the break worse.” He gently swung her legs back on the couch.
“Mr. Johnson, I’m sure you are just as concerned about your granddaughter as Brock. But if you keep antagonizing him, he can’t do what needs done.” Carina grimaced at the pain shooting up her leg. On a whoosh of air, she added, “Please sit and be quiet if you truly care about your granddaughter.” The man glared at her and plopped on a chair, crossing his arms over his ample paunch. She waved a weak hand at Brock. “Go call Willie T.”
“I’ll be right back. And when I get Maddie checked and comfortable, we’ll set that leg.” The smile he gave her was forced. She’d had a first aid class in her day and knew setting her leg would be painful.
Leaning over, she grabbed the playpen and pulled it toward her. The old wood floors made it easier to pull than if it sat on carpet. She could have asked the man sitting in the chair glaring to help her, but she wasn’t sure he would sit back down once he helped “Come on, Tate. Let me take your boots and coat off.” She put her hands under his arms to lift him out and realized she couldn’t do it from her position on the couch. Shifting only made her leg hurt so bad she couldn’t concentrate. Carina glanced at Mr. Johnson. He’d tipped his head back, his eyes closed. The pain on his face wasn’t from a physical injury. Was he replaying the day his daughter was found?
“Guess we’ll just get the coat and hat off right now,” she said, unbundling the boy. Glancing at Maddie, she thought the girl’s eyelashes fluttered.
Brock returned with torn sheets and short lengths of wood. “Willie T’s on his way. I need to check Maddie for a concussion and bruising. Rushing out like she did with no coat and then falling in the snow, we need to keep her warm and watch for possible exposure.”
Mr. Johnson sat forward hanging on every word and looking as though he wanted to say something. Carina was surprised when he just pressed his lips tighter.
“Check Maddie first,” Carina said, pulling her injured leg away from Brock when he knelt in front of her.
He smiled. “You’re one stubborn woman when it comes to the kids.”
“Mine is only a minor injury. It’s Maddie I’m concerned about.” For all Brock’s smiles and flippancy, the creases in his forehead and pain in his eyes proved he worried just as much.
“Do as the woman says, and check my granddaughter.” Brock ignored the man, but Carina flashed him a warning look and returned her attention to Brock.
He tenderly untucked the blanket around his daughter and raised her shirt. Carina boosted her body higher with her hands to catch sight of the child’s body. No abnormal coloring appeared on her chest or stomach. He rolled her to her side and checked her back. Nothing there either.
“Check her head for lumps,” Carina suggested. The only reason she broke her leg from the fall was her shoe catching in the stirrup. Other than that, falling into the snow had actually been soft and cushy. However, if Maddie happened to find a rock with her head…Carina didn’t want to think about that. Positive thoughts. That’s what she had to send to Maddie.
Brock sent Carina what he hoped was an encouraging smile and ignored the man watching his every move as he gently ran his hands through Maddie’s hair feeling for bumps or cuts. He wrapped her back up in the blanket. All they could do was keep her warm and wait and see. And call the doc if she didn’t come around in an hour or so.
“Let’s take care of that leg.” He knelt in front of Carina.
“What about Maddie?” Johnson sprang out of the chair and headed across the room.
“There doesn’t appear to be any breaks or surface injuries. There wasn’t any swelling or discoloration revealing internal injuries. All we can do is wait for her to come around.” Brock dismissed the man, turning back to Carina.
“You think I believe what you have to say?” The man grabbed Brock’s shoulder, spinning him around. “You killed my daughter and you think I’ll stand here and watch you kill her daughter?”
Brock swatted the man’s hand off his shoulder. “I did not kill your daughter! I loved her and did everything I knew to try and keep her alive—just like I’m doing now.” Brock wanted to land a fist in the man’s protruding gut, but that wouldn’t help Carina or Maddie. “Sit down Maxwell or leave. Those are your only choices.” Brock turned back to Carina. Her pale face made him drop to his knees. She was in more pain that she let on.
“Do you know how to set a leg?” Even though Carina questioned him, she didn’t pull her leg away when Brock unlaced her athletic shoe.
“I was in the military, remember? I had extensive medical training there, and I keep up my Red Cross card. Living isolated like this—it’s a necessity.” He gently slid the shoe off. “It wasn’t very smart riding in these shoes.”
“I know. It’s the reason my leg broke. My foot didn’t slide out of the stirrup when the horse went down.” She grimaced as he sawed at the denim of her pants with his pocket knife. “You could go in the kitchen and get some scissors,” she offered between gritting her teeth.
Brock’s face heated with embarrassment. He usually worked on cows, they didn’t complain about his rough treatment. “Yeah, guess I should.” He threw a look toward Johnson as he exited the room. The man looked older, less threatening.
Brock found the scissors and headed back to the living room as Willie T stomped in through the back door. “Where’s my girl?” he asked, tossing his coat and scarf on the pile by the bench.
“In here. She still hasn’t come around, but her color is getting better.” Brock motioned to the couch and went back to exposing Carina’s injured leg.
“Hello Maxwell,” Willie T said. Brock looked up in time to see the two men’s gazes clash. He knew Willie T wouldn’t do anything, but with Johnson you never knew.
“Willie T.” Johnson remained seated, his mouth once again set in a disapproving straight line.
Brock shrugged the man off. He had to get Carina’s leg set. Once the fabric was removed, he could see the end of the bone bulging under her skin.
He ran a hand over the knot forming at the base of his skull. This was someone he loved. He didn’t want to cause her pain, but knew he had to set the bone and get it immobilized.
Willie T looked down at the leg and whistled. “I’ll get her some whiskey.”
Brock took Carina’s hand. “You’re lucky that end hasn’t popped out.” As soon as the words escaped, he realized he’d said too much. Her eyes rolled back, and her skin went white before she sunk back against the couch.
“How’d you knock her out?” Willie T asked, returning with a cup and flask of whiskey.
“I opened my big mouth.” Brock motioned to Willie T. “Might as well do this before she comes to. Help me put her on the floor.” When Carina was flat on the floor, he looked at her pale face.
“You have to do this,” Willie T said, putting a hand on his shoulder. The touch gave him a feeling of peace and knowledge he knew what to do.
“You hold her leg at the knee.” With Willie T’s help they managed to get the leg back in place. He wrapped the leg and had attached the sticks on either side when Carina stirred.
“I think it hurts worse,” she muttered, blinking back tears.
“There will be some swelling and trauma in the area of the break, from the bone tearing at everything.” Brock placed his hands under her arms and gently placed her back on the end of the couch. Willie T brought over a footrest and they propped her injured leg up with pillows.
; “Here, drink this,” Willie T said, holding out a glass of whiskey.
“No thanks. Bring me some ibuprofen. Alcohol and I don’t mix well. With a broken leg, I can’t be running for a place to vomit.” The tight grin she flashed Willie T had Brock hurrying to the medicine cabinet for the pills.
“I’ll take some,” Johnson said, reaching for the bottle.
When Carina was settled comfortably, Brock picked up Tate and motioned for Willie T to follow him into the kitchen.
“I’m worried about Maddie. She should have come around by now.” Brock kept his voice low, so it wouldn’t carry to Carina. He’d kept a nonchalant attitude about Maddie’s condition around Carina, but he didn’t like the fact Maddie hadn’t woke up yet. It was becoming too much like her mother. “I also don’t like Johnson watching me like a vulture.”
“I think he’s getting his eyes opened. Do not worry about the man.” Willie T placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed. “Maddie is young, she will be fine. Why was she riding in the storm without proper clothing?”
“I don’t know. Carina said she just looked out and saw Maddie taking off on Cookie without a coat. It worried her, so she put Tate in the playpen, left me a note and headed out after her.” Brock massaged the back of his neck. “It was a good thing she did. Her tracks were nearly filled in with snow when I started after them.” He looked at the man standing in front of him. “If I’d tried to find only Maddie’s prints, I may never have found her.”
“Carina is a smart woman. She did what was right.” Willie T moved to the stove and felt the coffee pot. He grunted and pulled it off the burner, heading for the sink.
“We should try and get some broth or something down both of them, don’t you think?” Brock dug in the cupboard for a can of soup.
“Yeah.” Willie T put the pot back on the stove and lit the fire under it. “I think I’ll go sit with them while you make that soup.”
Brock nodded his head. He needed some time alone to think about what he could have lost today. His daughter and the woman he loved.
Twenty-Two
Carina felt someone watching her. She slowly opened her eyes and saw Maddie’s eyelids squeeze shut. The child was faking. Of that Carina was certain. Did Mr. Johnson see Maddie’s eyes open? She glanced at the man. He had his head tipped back and his eyes closed.
Willie T came back into the room. “That was some scare you two gave Brock,” he said, sitting on the chair next to Carina.
Carina motioned Willie T to watch Maddie. “Yeah, I don’t know why Maddie took off like she did. She’s too smart to go riding off without a coat.” Carina pulled the quilt up under her chin. “I’m still froze.”
The shrill peal of the phone echoed through the house. Willie T. and Carina smiled when Maddie jumped at the sound.
Carina heard the deep tone of Brock’s voice as he talked. His steps thumped down the hall, and he grabbed the phone on a side table, stretching the cord to make it reach her.
“It’s your mom,” he said, putting Tate in the playpen and moving to touch Maddie’s face.
“Mom, thanks for calling,” Carina said, trying to decide how much to tell her about the day’s happenings.
“Dear, I had to call. I just got off the phone with Perry. He wants me to come down and sign something…”
“That sneaky, conniving… Mom, don’t sign anything. I’ll be there as soon as I can get a cast on this leg.” Carina shifted and pain shot up her leg.
“Cast! Leg! What on earth is going on there?” Her mother’s voice spiraled up an octave, meaning she was moving into panic mode.
“I’m fine. Brock and Willie T have it stabilized. We’re waiting for Maddie to wake up so we can go to the hospital and get my leg tended by a physician.”
“How did it happen? My word darling no wonder Perry was so worried about you.”
“Mom, he isn’t worried about me. He’s worried about getting my money so he can spend it on some scam.” Carina took a deep breath. “He must have found out I have your name as the second on it. Do not sign anything. I don’t want him losing that money. Part of it is the money from Dad’s trust.”
Her mother gasped on the other end of the phone. “Why does he want that? It’s yours. It wasn’t even part of the divorce.”
“Exactly, he’s trying to get his hands on it for some reason. He said to invest and make me rich, but I think he got himself in deep and is using it to bail him out. Don’t sign anything. I’m coming as soon as I can and will make sure he can never touch it.”
“Okay, Sweetheart. I’m glad I called you first.”
“I am too, Mom. Don’t worry. I’ll call you as soon as I know when I can get back.” Carina replaced the phone and looked up. Willie T and Brock watched her intently as well as a wide awake Maddie.
“Don’t leave us!” Maddie cried, sitting up and throwing her arms around Carina.
“Maddie!” Relief softened Johnson’s tone as he crossed the room with his arms outstretched.
“Why are you here?” Maddie’s fearful eyes glanced from her father’s surprised face to her grandfather as she clung to Carina.
“It was lucky I happened by when your father brought you home. Come on, I’ll take you to the hospital where you can get a real looking over from a doctor.” Johnson reached for the girl.
“No!” Maddie clung tighter to Carina. “I don’t want to go with you and I don’t want Carina to leave.”
“I’m not leaving you.” Carina smoothed the hair out of Maddie’s face. “I just have to go back to Chicago and make sure my ex-husband can’t get his hands on the trust my father left to me. It’s money I plan to use for my future.” She held the child close. Happiness hummed through her. They’d come so close to losing her.
She put space between them. “Why did you take off like you did?”
Maddie bit her lip and looked down.
Carina raised her chin, making the child look into her eyes. “Maddie, what made you take off on Cookie without proper clothing? And in the middle of a snow storm.”
“I heard you on the phone, saying you were going to leave.” Tears trickled down her cheeks. “I was mad you would just leave like that. Without even thinking about us being left alone.”
“Oh, Maddie! I’m coming back. I just have to take care of this money matter, and I’ll be back. I promise.”
Brock scooted across the couch, sandwiching Maddie in between himself and Carina. “How about we all come to Chicago with you, meet your mother, and have a small wedding?”
Mr. Johnson jammed his hands on his hips and glared at them. “I’ve never heard of anything so ludicrous.”
“Really! You and Carina are getting married!” Maddie put an arm around Brock’s neck and one about Carina’s neck.
“You can’t marry the nanny. She’s nothing—”
Brock silenced Mr. Johnson with a scowl. “She’s everything this family needs and more.”
Carina looked up into Brock’s eyes and saw he meant every word. Her heart thrummed in her chest.
“That way, you have to come back with us,” he said, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear.
“I-I don’t know what to say.” She knew he was serious, but she hadn’t heard the words to make her say yes. She looked down into Maddie’s pleading eyes and squeezed her eyes shut. This family needed her. And she needed this family… But she couldn’t afford to have her heart broken. She now realized she was never really in love with Perry. She’d been blinded by his façade and now saw the real man.
She looked at Brock. This man she loved. Completely. But she didn’t want a one-sided relationship. And she wasn’t willing to tell him, knowing he wasn’t bound to reciprocate those same feelings.
As if knowing her turmoil, Willie T snatched Maddie from between them. “Come on Maxwell, there’s coffee brewing in the kitchen.” The astute man headed down the hall to the kitchen carrying Maddie and followed by Mr. Johnson.
Carina wished he hadn’t taken the child. W
ith Maddie in between them, she could keep her mind focused on the question and not the attraction she felt for the man.
Brock wrapped his arms around her, being careful not to put any strain on her leg and drew her onto his lap.
“I’m not asking you to marry me for my kids.” He kissed her temple. The chaste kiss sent tendrils of desire whispering through her body. “I’m asking you to be my wife, because I’ve fallen in love with you.”
She put her arms around his neck. “Really? You love me?”
“Woman, I’ve loved you just about since you first set foot in the door. You’re kind, compassionate, love my children, and respect my way of life. What isn’t there to love about you?”
“My past.” She couldn’t look at him.
“What about your past?” he splayed his fingers through her hair and held her face in front of his.
“I-I may not be able to have any more children. And I know how good you are with Maddie and Tate.”
He drew her face up to his and kissed her, slow and deliberate. When he released her, she couldn’t think.
“Carina, if we have children together wonderful, if we don’t, I’ll not stop loving you.”
Tears of joy slipped from the corners of her eyes. “That’s all I need to hear. Yes, I’ll marry you. Any time and any place.”
Epilogue
“What do you think of your new sister?” Carina asked, holding three-day-old Beth for her big sister and brother to see.
“She’s adorable,” Maddie said, in breathless wonder, while Tate poked at her with his pudgy finger.
Carina looked up into the eyes of the proud father. She still couldn’t believe she made it all the way through the pregnancy and produced a beautiful, little girl.
“You did good, Mommy,” Brock said, placing a kiss on her forehead.
“Yeah, she’s just as sweet as her namesake,” Mr. Johnson chimed in. Carina smiled up at the man. After having witnessed Brock’s care of her and his granddaughter, the man had finally forgiven Brock for Beth’s death. His realization that Brock had nothing to do with the fate of his beloved daughter had brought the estranged family together—giving Maddie and Tate a grandfather.