Page 86 of Her Summer Hope

The thought of being with her, of being the one she turned to, was a temptation that was becoming increasingly hard to resist.

He watched as she resumed her cooking, the movements of her hands slightly more hurried now. The air between them was charged with unspoken words and suppressed desires. Kyle knew he had to tread carefully, respecting her boundaries, but it was becoming increasingly difficult to ignore the growing connection between them.

As he pushed off from the counter, preparing to leave the kitchen, he cast one last glance at Madison. The sight of her, so focused and determined, yet vulnerable, only deepened his resolve to be there for her, no matter what she was going through. With a quiet sigh, he stepped out, leaving her to her thoughts and the comfort of her cooking.

Chapter Nineteen

Madison

Madison stirred the large pot, her mind wandering through the events of her day. The rhythmic motion of the wooden spoon through the thick, aromatic mixture was almost meditative, providing her a brief escape from the worries of her life.

As she added a sprinkle of salt, her thoughts drifted to Kyle. Working for him, being near him, had stirred feelings she hadn’t anticipated, feelings that were as intoxicating as they were forbidden.

He was digging himself into her secrets, chipping away at her walls.

The sound of footsteps approached, pulling her from her reverie. Kyle appeared at the kitchen doorway, his expression unusually serious. In his hand was the phone.

"Madison, it's for you," he said, handing her the phone. His brow was furrowed.

Something was wrong, and fear crept up her throat, almost choking her.

Madison wiped her hands on her apron and took the phone. "Hello?"

"Mom?" The voice on the other end was small, quivering.

It was Ellie.

Madison's heart plummeted and dread filled her stomach like acid. "Ellie, honey, what's wrong?"

Tears choked Ellie's voice. "It's Miss Helen, she's in the hospital. We're all here. The police are here too."

Panic surged through Madison's veins. The kids, are they alone? Is Emma okay? She struggled to maintain a calm voice. "What happened?! Are Emma and your brothers okay?"

"They're fine, we're all waiting. A policewoman is here with us," Ellie managed to say. “Miss Helen got sick.”

Madison's mind raced with a thousand questions. "Put the policewoman on, sweetheart."

As Ellie handed the phone to the officer, Madison turned slightly, catching Kyle's gaze. His eyes, usually so warm, now held a trace of confusion, a hint of realization dawning in them.

Madison spoke quickly with the policewoman, assuring her she would be there as soon as possible. She ended the call, her hands trembling.

"Madison, what’s going on?" Kyle’s voice was solemn, but his eyes searched hers for answers she wasn’t ready to give.

She looked away, unable to meet his gaze. "I have to go, there's been an emergency with my family." The words were out before she could stop them. “I have to go to the hospital.”

"Your family?" Kyle echoed, and she could see him trying to put it all together in his mind.

Madison's world felt as if it were crumbling around her.

She turned off the stove, her movements mechanical. She reached for her purse, her mind spinning with all the thoughts and uncertainties. “The food’s all ready. You’ll have to call everyone in. Dock the rest of the night from my pay.”

"I'll drive you," Kyle said, his voice firm. He reached out and gently took the car keys from her shaking hands. "You shouldn't drive like this."

Madison wanted to argue, to insist she was fine, but the truth was she felt anything but. Her secrets, her carefully constructed walls, were on the very brink of collapsing.

Everything was coming down around her.

Kyle shot off a message to someone, his fingers flying over his phone as he gathered his keys and wallet. He checked his pistol and then shoved it into a holster hidden on his lower back. She was too dazed to think twice about it.

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