Chapter Forty-Two
Fourth of Julydescended on the tiny town of Colson’s Corner, and Grady’s family also descended on the burn unit to celebrate the holiday with him andLinx.
Grady looked up from the waiting room couch as his twin sister, Jenna, and his brother-in-law Larry entered with a tray of food andcoffee.
The results of the paternity test had come back the day before, and Grady couldn’t wait to share the results withLinx.
“Oh, Grady.” Jenna gave him a tight, warm hug. “You need to come home and sleep in a realbed.”
“Hey, man, we didn’t mean to kick you out of our place,” Larry said. “You and Linx will always have a home withus.”
“Get out of here.” Grady pushed his sister back, winking. “I’m not a homeless bum. Don’t act like you had anything to do withthis.”
“Maybe not this immediate disaster,” Jenna said. “But we all should have been friendlier to Linx. How is shedoing?”
“She’s in a lot of pain, and she’s already had a few surgeries to repair the skin on her feet and legs.” That area had taken the brunt, since fire shelters were deployed so that the feet pointed toward the advancingflames.
“Can she come out of herroom?”
“Her back and buttocks are still painful, so she can’t sit in a wheelchair, but she can turn over on the air mattress for short periods of time,” Gradysaid.
“Great, then we can have a party.” Jenna jiggled his arm. “It’s Jessie’s birthday, and the Pattersons agreed to have it in the hospital if Linx is up for it. As for you, you need to get a proper shower and shave for your daughter’s sixthbirthday.”
Grady gulped down the eggs and toast, then washed it down with a cup of coffee. “First, let me speak to Linx. Then I’ll go with you, but I’m not going to the festivitiestonight.”
“What about the puppy auction?” Larry asked. “Ginger’s bid is up to seven thousanddollars.”
“I can’t afford that kind of money.” Grady shrugged, rubbing his couple day’s growth of beard. “As much as I know Jessie wants her, the price went even higher after all the news went out on how the puppy survived a fire. Jessie will get overit.”
“Hey, it’s okay.” Jenna hugged him. “She has more than a lot of kids, including two sets ofparents.”
“Right. Let me tell Linx the good news. Thanks for breakfast.” Grady looked Jenna in the eye. “Tell everyone not to worry about me and Linx, willyou?”
“Okay, sure. I have faith in you,” Jenna said. “And her. She may be fiery, but she has a goodheart.”
“A real good heart.” He placed his hand over hisheart.
“Yep, heart comes first,” Jenna said. “And Linx Colson has one of thebest.”
After Jenna and Larry took off, Grady washed his hands and combed his hair, then stepped into Linx’sroom.
She was lying on her side, but sat up when he entered. The bandages were still layered over her hands and feet, but she was smiling. Despite the burns on her face, and her lack of eyebrows and singed hair, she was still the most beautiful sight in hiseyes.
He kissed her over her bandages, being careful not to touch her injured skin. “How’d yousleep?”
“Okay, but are the dogssafe?”
“Yes, they’re back at the rescue center. Nessa’s helping Tami with the festival and auction. You don’t have a thing to worryabout.”
“That’s good. I sure do miss Cedar andGinger.”
“How about me?” He quirked a grin at her. “You don’t missme?”
“Jealous, much?” She winked and scrunched her nose. “You know I can’t get enough of you, but really, you need to go home and shower. Have you even left thehospital?”
“When you leave, I’llleave.”
“Great. I can leave tomorrow,” she said. “The doctor says I’m healingwell.”
