Page 72 of Bleeding Hearts

“Hey.” I reach up and run my thumb across her cheek. “Talk to me.”

“I was so scared she was gonna die just like my mommy did.”

Leaning in, I press my head against her forehead and make a bubble for just us. “But she didn’t. Do you realize how brave you were?”

She does that little hiccup thing kids do when they are upset. “I didn’t feel brave.”

“Oh, sweet baby, but you were. So, brave.” I love this kid so damn much it hurts me to see her suffering. “Were you holding sissy’s hand the entire time?”

“Yes.”

“I bet that helped her stay calm.” I offer her the warmest smile I can muster, though my heart aches. “Would you like to call Daddy?”

“Can we?”

With a slight creak of the console, I reach forward and pluck my phone from the cup holder. Once I have it in my hand, I find Nolan’s number and press the green call button.

“I thought you were calling Daddy. That’s not Daddy’s name.”

I swear this kid is too smart for her own good. The name that flashes across my screen on the dash is Sex God. I’m gonna have to change that soon.

Nolan picks up after two rings. “I just got the call from dispatch. They said you?—”

“Nolan, Mollie needs to talk to you. She can hear you. You’re on speaker, so I can drive us to the hospital.” I cut him off, not sure what he was about to say, and didn’t want him to upset his daughter more than she already is.

“Hi, Daddy.”

“Hey, sweetie. You okay?”

“I was scared.” A loud gust of air escapes her mouth as she exhales. “That’s why I called Miss Beth. She saved Kellie. She had her special pen so she could breathe again.”

“I heard.” The crack in Nolan’s voice is followed by a nervous cough as he clears his throat. “I’m waiting on my replacement to get here, then I’ll head to the hospital. I’ll see you soon. Both of you.”

“I love you, Daddy.”

“Love you too, sweet pea.”

The line goes quiet, and I thought he hung up, but I was wrong. “Bethany?”

“Yes.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. I’m glad I was close when she called.”

“Me too.” The sound of traffic echoes over the line. “I’ll see you soon.”

This time I know he hangs up because the music I was listening to earlier starts playing. Mollie sings along, no longer upset about what happened. Her world has been turned upside down again, but she displays the quick recovery of a child, her laughter echoing a surprising resilience. I’m sure she’ll have another meltdown, and the fear of it happening again may linger for weeks to come. But she’ll bounce back faster than the rest of us will.

On the drive to the hospital, I angle my mirror to keep a closer watch on her. Today showed me exactly where I want to be, and it’s not across the street in my home with my two messy teenage boys. I mean, I love them and wouldn’t trade them for the world. But I don’t want it to be just the three of us anymore. I want us to become a family of six. It won’t be easy. There will be all kinds of crazy obstacles to dodge. One of them being the grumpy man I’ve hurt who may not want me back in his life after what I did.

That’s okay.

I’m ready to fight for what I want and not let anything stand in my way.

Even him.

Chapter 34

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