Forever Mine: Callaghan Brothers, Book 9 by Abbie Zanders Read Free Book Online

closed his eyes for a moment and could have sworn he caught a whiff of that light, floral scent that always clung to her hair and skin.
    “Five,” he answered.
    “Hmm,” she hummed, neither pleased nor displeased by his answer. Her latex-gloved finger tapped the screen. “We’ll see if we can increase the dosage a bit, make you more comfortable. Are you feeling up to a few visitors? We’ve got a standing room only crowd in the family waiting area.”
    No, he didn’t want visitors. What he wanted was to close his eyes and see Kathleen again. To apologize, to tell her he was an idiot, and to not waste one precious second doing anything besides loving her. Then he chastised himself for being a selfish bastard and nodded. His kids—– their kids—– were probably worried sick. Lord knew he’d spent enough time in hospital waiting rooms himself to know what that was like.
    “Aye,” he exhaled.
    “Two visitors at a time, maximum of five minutes to start.”
    He nodded again, glad it wouldn’t be more than that. He loved his family, but putting up a strong front was going to require more effort than he felt capable of maintaining for any extended period of time. No matter what, he was still the clan patriarch, and he was going to act accordingly.
    Unsurprisingly, it was Jake and Taryn who came in first. Jake was a good lad, a natural born leader. Most people thought his first-born, Kane, would have assumed that role, but Kane didn’t have the people skills that Jake had, relying on the brute force method to get things done. Jake was every bit as tough, but had a way of getting others to follow his lead without resorting to physical coercion (most of the time).
    Taryn was Jake’s croie , a strong, spirited delight. He couldn’t have asked for a better women for his serious, intense son. And God bless the lass, despite her glassy eyes, she didn’t show an ounce of pity.
    “How are you, Dad?” Jake asked as Taryn leaned over carefully to kiss his cheek.
    “Like someone sawed through my chest and started stitching my arteries,” he deadpanned.
    Taryn laughed. “Yeah, stupid question, huh. Better get used to it, though. I suspect you’ll be hearing that a lot.”
    Too true. “How is the lass?”
    “Riley was pretty shaken up, but she’s doing much better now that she knows you’re going to be okay. She has all the kids making you Get Well cards over at Maggie’s.”
    He began to chuckle, then thought better of it when the pain in his chest shot from a five to an eight and a half. One of the nurses had warned him about that. No laughing, no coughing. They’d even given him a special pillow to hold over his chest when he felt the need to clear his throat.
    “Who is watching the bar?” Jack asked, directing the question to Jake.
    “Brian McCain and his dad. They’re having a ball.”
    “They’re good men.” Brian McCain was the brother of Shane’s wife, Lacie. Brian had been captured and held prisoner for three years until Shane and the others mobilized and got him and the surviving remainder of his team out and brought them back home. Jack and Brian never talked about it, but he recognized the haunted look in the lad’s eyes sometimes. It was the same one he saw in the mirror sometimes. It was the kind of thing a man had to learn to live with, because it changed something inside of you.
    “Yeah, they are. They send their best, and asked me to tell you not to worry. They’ve got everything under control.”
    Jack felt better knowing that someone reliable was taking care of the bar. It bore Jake’s name now, but it was and always would be a special place to him.
    Jake and Taryn said their see-you-laters, and Kane and Rebecca were the next to come in. Jack gazed up at his firstborn, looking larger than ever from his prone position. The boy had definitely inherited his grandfather’s bear-like stature, but of all of his children, Kane reminded him most of himself:  serious, quiet, and