When Hearts Collide by Kendra James Read Free Book Online Page B

call the grandmother, and get her here to take over childcare. She wanted her commitment to Pearce to be wrapped up as soon as possible, yet she didn’t want to risk a toddler temper tantrum.
    It was okay as a hospital nurse dealing with a few tears. You knew it was temporary and a parent would take the child home and deal with the behavior problems. This was different. This child was home, and Molly on her own. She had no idea how Gracie would react. In fact, she knew nothing about the child, except that she had a gorgeous, caring, but critically injured father. And once she handed the child over to Grandma, she would never see either one of them again.
    The stomping of a tiny foot brought her back to reality. Molly almost laughed when she looked down and saw Gracie glaring at her. She must be starving. Other than the Popsicle at the hospital, she’d had nothing else to eat. She had been sleeping so soundly last night, Molly just put her into bed, clothes and all. When was the last time she’d had eaten?
    I know where the kitchen is, but what am I going to feed her?
    “Come on.” Gracie pulled her toward the kitchen. The hand felt so small and delicate.
    “What do you want to eat?”
    “Peanut butter on toast.”
    “I think I can manage that.”
    She’d found the kitchen last night, but her own hunger had been no match for her exhaustion. Sleep had won over her growling stomach. With Gracie beside her, she started opening doors.
    She found a pantry brimming with groceries. There’s enough food to feed an army. Molly settled the child at the table with two pieces of toast slathered with peanut butter and a dollop of honey. She grabbed an apple, cut it up, and placed it beside the toast along with a glass of milk.
    “Gracie, I need to make a phone call. Are you all right for a few minutes?”
    Gracie nodded, a thin layer of peanut butter coating her face.
    Crossing to the den, Molly flipped through the address book. There were two people named Kathy in the book, but only one Katherine, a Katherine Nesbitt. Molly wished there was someone else to make the call. She took a deep breath and dialed the number.
    “Katherine Nesbitt, how may I help you?”
    “Mrs. Nesbitt, this is Molly Tanner. Are you Pearce Taylor’s mother?”
    “No. He is not my son.”
    Molly closed her eyes and tried again. “Is Pearce Taylor your son-in-law?”
    “What is this about? Who are you?”
    Molly clenched the receiver until her knuckles turned white. “My name is Molly Tanner. I’m a nurse. He was in an accident last night.”
    She heard the sharp intake of breath. “What type of accident?”
    “His car hit a tree. He’s at the Middlesex Hospital, in the intensive care unit.”
    There was silence on the other end, and Molly rushed on, “He’s doing okay. They had to take him to the operating room to stop the abdominal bleeding. He has a broken leg. That’s been fixed.”
    “Who are you?”
    “My name is Molly Tanner. I’m a nurse. I work at Saint Christopher’s. I was driving by and stopped to help.”
    “What is the doctor’s name?”
    Molly’s fingers shook as she dug a piece of paper out of her jeans. “Doctor Summerville.”
    There was a click, and the line went dead. Molly held the receiver in the air for several seconds.
    What now? My only contact for the child, and she’s hung up on me.

Chapter 4
    That went well. Now what?
    Molly flipped through the address book again. There were a lot of names, but nothing identifying whom they belonged to. Which one should she call? She could close her eyes and pick one at random. Surely Mrs. Nesbitt would call right back. She was in shock. She would think for a few minutes, then call back, wondering what had happened to her granddaughter. She would ask if the little girl had been involved in the accident, and then she would make all the necessary arrangements for Pearce and Gracie.
    But the phone didn’t ring. And the doorbell didn’t ring. The house was silent, save for