Caitlyn nodded and closed her eyes for a moment.
I think you should sleep now. The doctor wants you to stay in bed until you feel strong again. Jack brushed a kiss on her forehead.
Caitlyns eyes fluttered open again. I want to watch Cinderella.
Its at home, munchkin. Well see it later.
Daddy?
Jack yawned, his own fatigue catching up with him. Yeah, munchkin?
Can we give Sam an award?
Jacks chest clenched. Sam?
Miss Megans doggie.
Jack heard a gasp. Raising his head, he found Megan standing by the door, a small teddy bear in one hand and her other hand pressed to her mouth in surprise. Her pale face showed her strain and worry, and those emerald eyes flashed with apprehension. Megan, what are you?
I was worried about Caitlyn. I needed to know she was all right. Her tongue darted out to wet her lips, and his eyes locked on the moistness left on her full, bowed mouth. Desire kicked him in the gut.
She has a broken arm and a load of stitches. He gritted his teeth and felt his nostrils flare as he huffed his frustration with the whole situation. Shell probably have scars for the rest of her life.
Oh, Jack. Megan pressed a hand to her mouth, and tears welled in her eyes.
Jack turned away, a fresh dose of self-censure for his abrasiveness twisting in his stomach.
Im so sorry this happened. Sams usually protective and gentle with children. I just cant understand whatwhy Megan tugged nervously at the pearl earring in her lobe. Her brows knitted with concern. Can I do anythinganything at all for you or Caitlyn? I know I cant make this up to either of you, but
Megan?
Jacks and Megans gazes both flew to the bed where Caitlyn stirred.
Caitlyn rolled her head to the side and peered over at Megan. Sam She hiccuped a sob then swiped at her eyes with her good hand. Sams my h-hero.
Jack blinked. Held his breath. Wrinkled his brow. Whys that, Caity?
Megan hesitated only a moment before stepping to the other side of the bed. She placed a hand on Caitlyns knee and tucked the stuffed bear by Caitlyns shoulder. What happened with Sam, honey?
A fat tear spilled from Caitlyns eyelashes, and she turned her wide dark eyes toward Jack. I wanted to pat the big doggie. I thought hed be nice like Sam. But he wasnt.
Jack could feel his heartbeat slow. Another dog?
What big doggie, munchkin? Sam?
Not Sam. The other one. The white one. H-he bit me and growled and Caitlyns voice broke, and she sniffed as she cried. Sam saved me. He chased the other dog away.
Jack raised his gaze to meet Megans. A white dog? You know the neighbors better than I do. Can you think of a white dog in the area?
Megan drew her brows together as she frowned. No. It mustve been a stray.
Which means that dog could be anywhere now. He sighed his frustration. Great.
Despite her clear concern over the idea of a mean stray in the neighborhood, the tension surrounding Megan visibly eased. Her dog had been exonerated.
The hope, relief and dawning of understanding reflected in Megans eyes were the mirror opposite of the feelings spreading through his chest. Remorse for his false accusation, dread that another vicious dog was loose somewhere in the neighborhood and compunction for the grief hed caused Megan by jumping to conclusions about her dog gnawed at him.
Megans eyes filled with tears, and she drew her bottom lip between her teeth.
Jack expected to see gloating or accusation in his neighbors expression. But he didnt. As her gaze clung to his, something passed between them, something beyond apologies or vindication. Something a lot like expectation.
Now that Sams innocence had been established,
where did that leave them? The attraction he felt for Megan had to be as plain as the wrinkles in his shirt.
Megan, I He fumbled for a place to start. Im sorry for the way I
The harsh trill of the phone beside Caitlyns bed interrupted him, breaking the spell that had held her gaze on his for the past few electric moments.
He expelled a disappointed breath through pursed lips as he snatched up the receiver. Hello?
Jack? Its me. Caitlyns mother sounded distracted, hurried. Why is Caitlyn in the hospital?
Jack wanted to believe the inflection in his ex-wifes voice reflected concern for her daughter, but all he could honestly identify was surprise, inconvenience. He absorbed Laurens tepid reception of the news about Caitlyn like a prize fighters punch in the gut. He rubbed the back of his stiff neck and wondered how he could have so totally misjudged the woman hed once married.
Had he missed the signs of her fickleness? Had he ignored clues that she could selfishly cast her child and marriage aside, claiming she needed her freedom?
Jack? Jack, are you there?
He sighed and pushed his troubling thoughts out of his mind for another time. Yeah, Im here.
So what happened? Lauren asked in a tone that she might have used to discuss the weather.
What happened? Not how is she? Not can I come? But what happened? Jack squeezed the receiver tighter. He wanted to throw the question back. What happened, Lauren? What happened to us?