Page 10

Shit.

“I’ll check, okay?”

She nods and releases my hand so I can move to the back seat and peer around the car seat. A little head pops forward and a little girl who looks just like her mama flashes me a toothy grin. Smiling, I move back to the front seat and grab her hand again, something settling inside me from her touch.

“I think she’s okay.”

A tear slips down her cheek. It guts me. “Really?”

“Well, she’s grinnin’ at me, so yeah, I think she’s good,” I answer with a nod. I’d do just about anything to ease her worry right now. She lets out a sigh of relief and relaxes back into the seat, closing her eyes. When she doesn’t open them back up right away, my heart lurches in my chest and I give her hand a squeeze.

“Hey, darlin’. Stay with me.”

She tries to move again and lets out a hiss of pain.

“Just hang on. I think I hear sirens in the distance.”

“I need to get her,” she forces out through clenched teeth and I shake my head and reach into the car with my free hand to gently turn her face to mine. Our eyes meet and it punches me right in the gut again.

“You won’t do her any good if you’re hurt. Just wait for the ambulance. I’ll keep an eye on her.”

She studies me for a second before nodding. “Okay.”

“Okay,” I repeat with what I hope is a reassuring grin. “I’m Lucas, by the way. What’s your name?”

“Quinn.” A shy smile sends my heart racing and I shake my head, trying to clear my thoughts. “And that’s Brooklyn.”

I glance in the back seat again, smiling at the baby girl staring at me in the little mirror secured to the back seat headrest.

“Sorry to be meeting you both like this,” I answer and when Quinn doesn’t reply, my gaze flicks back to her. She has a faraway look in her eyes and my stomach clenches as fear races through my veins. I squeeze her hand and force her gaze back to mine. “Stay with me, okay?”

“It hurts,” she whispers and I nod.

“I know.” The sound of sirens fill the air and I let out a breath. “They’re almost here, though.”

She nods. “How’s Brooklyn?”

“Good. Pretty sure she’s trying to flirt with me,” I tell her, glancing back at the cooing baby again and she laughs before wincing. “Just a little bit longer, sweetheart.”

Her eyes close as she nods weakly. “Okay.”

“What were y’all up to today?” I ask, desperate to keep her talking so she doesn’t pass out on me. Her eyes open and she meets my gaze but I can tell that she’s struggling.

“Just got off work.”

I wrap both my hands around her hands and rub. Hopefully, that will give her something to focus on so she doesn’t lose consciousness. “Yeah? What do you do?”

“I’m an event planner.”

“Sounds like a whole lot more fun than my job.”

She snorts and lays her head back against the headrest. “And what do you do?”

“I’m a private investigator.”

“You’re right,” she replies, wrinkling her nose as she fights back a grin. Goddamn, she’s adorable. “That sounds terrible.”

My mouth pops open. “Oh, I see how it is. This is what I get for being a nice guy, huh?”