Never Say Never (Lakeview Contemporary Romance Book 3) by Melissa Hill Read Free Book Online Page B

poor Kirsty was feeling.
    “Robin, thanks for coming – again,” Sarah said when Robin entered the ward, and she noticed that she had lost an awful lot of weight since she’d last seen her.
    “You know it’s no problem,” she said, giving Sarah a warm hug before turning to Kirsty, who looked frail and even tinier in the hospital bed. Although thankfully, Robin noticed, she was now off the nebuliser. She held one hand behind her back. “Hi, darling, look who followed me here to see you!”
    Kirsty grinned and her eyes lit up when Robin produced a small alligator beanie-bag. She had picked it up in a toy store on her way, and while she knew the fearsome-looking alligator probably wasn’t the best choice for a four-year-old girl, she was loath to get something stuffed or furry, fearful that it would exacerbate Kirsty’s asthma.
    “She’s much improved now, thank goodness,” Sarah said, motioning Robin towards a chair alongside Kirsty’s bed. “But on the way here in the car…” She trailed off, shaking her head.
    “It’s been so humid today,” Robin said softly, fearful that Sarah was blaming herself. Sarah always blamed herself, feeling somehow responsible for failing to teach Kirsty the dangers of forgetting to use her inhaler. “I’ve had trouble taking breaths myself, so I can only imagine what it’s been like for her.”
    “It’s just been getting worse and worse since she started school,” Sarah said quietly, “and I think she’s too embarrassed to use her inhaler. But on days like today, when the air is full of pollen … I don’t know …” She patted her daughter’s forehead using a damp cloth. “Honey, we spoke before about always using your inhaler when you start wheezing, didn’t we?”
    The little girl nodded, her breathing now steady but her eyes tired and fearful.
    “It’s hard for her to get used to having to do it in front of everyone, I suppose,” Robin said, reaching across and stroking Kirsty’s little hand. “She probably hates drawing attention to herself. I was the same when I was younger.” She smiled, remembering how her own mother had been equally as protective and worried about her peanut allergy. “And of course kids will be kids, and at school they can talk you into doing anything …” She smiled again, this time at Kirsty. “She’s a good girl though – she’ll remember next time, won’t you, pet?”
    Kirsty nodded, hugged her none-too-cute new alligator toy and grinned at Robin. She adored her and Ben, and Robin decided that they really should make a bit more of an effort to visit Brian and Sarah out in New Jersey. She felt guilty that lately the only time they saw Kirsty was when she was ill. But because they both worked long hours, Robin as a financial controller for a company in the financial district, and Ben for a graphic-design firm on Lexington Avenue, they tended to just chill out at weekends and go for dinner or a movie.
    Lately, Ben was taking on some additional freelance work at weekends, in the hope that they could move out of Manhattan and get a place in the suburbs.
    “It’s either that, or move back home,” he had said one evening over a pizza, and the wineglass Robin was holding had almost cracked in her hand.
    “Back home – to Dublin, you mean?” she had said, her heart in her mouth as she waited for him to clarify. She had no intention of moving back to Dublin – not now, not ever. She loved her life in New York. She fitted in here, she belonged here, and up until then she had thought Ben felt the same way.
    “It would be brilliant, wouldn’t it?” Ben said, his dark eyes shining. “A complete change of lifestyle, something slow and easier than all this mad rushing around.”
    Robin felt exasperated. What was it about the Irish abroad that made them see ‘the old country’ through rose-tinted glasses? It was as though Dublin had never moved into the twenty-first century and everyone was still working at a snail’s pace