Page 56 of That One Heartbreak

“When will she wake up? What if she doesn’t?” Addy’s words were peppered with sobs. Her chest was hitching as she spoke.

“She will.”

He leaned in close. She was breathing. At least he wasn’t lying to her kids. Her lips were parted. Soft.

Focus, man.

There was a pulse undulating in her neck. He debated asking James to help him move her to the floor, but he figured he’d try waking her first.

“Kate?” He kept his voice low because he didn’t want to alarm her kids. But there was no response.

This time he shook her arm. “Kate.” His voice was louder, commanding.

And by some stroke of luck from the Gods, her eyelids started to flutter.

“There, you’re done,” James told Ethan. “Now stop being an idiot and making Mom faint.”

“I didn’t make her faint.” Ethan looked mutinous.

“Yes, you did. You told her about the president and then she just went boom.”

Kate’s eyes fully opened. She still looked as pale as a marble statue. Marley helped her sit up, then ran his fingers over her face to check for any injuries from hitting her face on the table. There were none.

“You fainted. You were out for a minute, tops,” he told her quietly. “Everything’s okay.”

“Mommy. Are you sick?” Addy asked.

Kate ran the tip of her tongue over her lips, still looking woozy. “No sweetie, I’m fine.”

“When did you last eat?” Marley asked.

Her brows pinched. She still looked dazed. “I’m not sure. Breakfast, maybe?”

Marley restrained himself from rolling his eyes. No wonder she was so dizzy. “James, do you have any juice?”

“She can have mine!” Addy said excitedly. She ran to get a glass. It was covered in greasy fingerprints, but yes, there was juice there.

He took it from her and gently put it to Kate’s lips. She was still quiet. Still confused. “Drink,” he said softly. “We need to get some sugar into you.”

“How could you forget to eat?” James asked, looking appalled. “I get hangry if I don’t eat every two hours.”

“I was busy at work.” Kate took a breath. Her eyes were focused now. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“I thought you were dead,” Addy told her, her bottom lip wobbling. “And that we’d have to go live with Grandma.” She climbed onto Kate’s lap, putting her arms around her mom’s neck. “And she always makes me finish my dinner. Even when it’s carrots.”

James coughed out a laugh.

“It’s fine. I’m fine.” Kate cupped her face. “I just fainted, that’s all. It happens to some people.”

“Why?” Addy asked.

Kate’s eyes met his. And fuck if he didn’t want to kiss her. Surrounded by her kids in this kitchen.

He wanted to be the man who could kiss this woman anywhere. Not just in her office, hidden away.

“Your mom didn’t eat enough today,” Marley told her. “She probably has low blood sugar. Couple that with the blood and excitement, it made her blood pressure drop.”

“What’s blood pressure?” Addy asked. The hint of a smile pulled at Kate’s lips. As though she was curious to see if Marley could answer a six-year-old’s incessant questions without blinking.

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