Keeping Gemma (Holiday Cove 2)

I shuddered at the thought that a fire could have been erupting around the plane with Talia and I still inside of it. I couldn’t imagine what would have happened if the rescue crew hadn’t arrived when they did. I’d seen burn victims before, and knew that in many cases, survival was almost worse than death. The sheer pain of treatment was enough to make it damn near impossible to get through it.

From the highway, I couldn’t see any blood, but I knew from my fleeting memories, that the inside must be coated in it. From both Talia and me.

“Do you want to go look?”

I shook my head. “Nope. I’m okay. I just want to get home.”

Boomer cleared his throat and pushed the gas a little harder as we started up the hill to the bluff overlooking Holiday Cove.

Jack and Holly helped me get inside my house and showed me how they’d rearranged the furniture in my living room to accommodate my bed. That way, I didn’t have to worry about going up the stairs. My stitches and incision were still painful and it didn’t take much to get me winded and exhausted. Going up and down the stairs multiple times a day wasn’t an option. At least not now.

“Thanks you guys. This looks great.”

“There’s a bunch of food in the fridge, too,” Jack said, crossing to the kitchen. He threw open the fridge to prove his point and I peeked over his shoulder at the stack of casserole dishes and full Tupperware containers. “Holly cooked up a bunch of stuff and then Carly sent some stuff too.”

“Thanks Holls,” I said, turning around to look at her. Jack had sure found a good woman. I wasn’t the type to settle down, but Jack was, and he’d found the perfect woman for him when he’d met Holly. Lucky bastard.

A flare of pain radiated through my side and I moved to sit on the edge of the bed in the living room. I grunted as I maneuvered to get comfortable and Holly rushed over to help, moving pillows and blankets out of my way until I stilled and exhaled deeply. “How long until you guys have to go back?” It was the question I’d dreaded asking for two days. I’d missed Boomer more than I’d been willing to admit and seeing him again had brought those feelings back up to the surface again. The idea of him flying back to Germany and not coming home again for another year was more than I could take. Especially with everything around me going to shit.

Jack cut a glance at Holly. “In a couple of days. I have to get back to work, and we need to get back to Princess and Hunter. They’re at a kennel right now, but we don’t want to leave them locked up for too much longer.”

I nodded. “I understand. I’m surprised you were able to leave in the first place. I mean, we’re not technically family.”

Jack laughed. “Well, you’d be surprised what you can get away with once you become a national hero.”

Holly rolled her eyes, but I could tell from the glow in her cheeks that she was proud of her man. I laughed along with him. “I’ll bet.”

“So, any requests before we go?” Jack asked, coming to take a seat on the couch they’d relocated to the far wall, wedged between the coffee table and love seat.

I shrugged. “I don’t know. I probably should get back over to the museum sooner or later.”

Jack and Holly exchanged a dark look.

“What?” I snapped. They both offered me blank looks. “What’s going on?”

Jack sighed. “There’s some issues over at the museum.”

“Issues?” My body stiffened. “What kind of issues?”

“There’s been a protest going on since the news story broke. One of the news outlets ran with some ridiculous story and it got a lot of people upset. Some of them organized a picket. Outside the museum. It’s been peaceful so far…but a nuisance for your staff.”

“I have to get over there and put a stop to this bullshit,” I said, a flush of anger surging through my veins. I braced my good fist under me and lifted. A blast of pain hit me like a lightning bolt and I fell back. All my strength sapped as I panted and winced through the radiating pain.

“Aaron!” Holly raced over to my side. “Remember what the doctor told you?”

I cringed and reached for my side, gingerly pressing to hold back the pain.

“I’m calling Gemma,” Holly declared, standing from the side of the bed where she’d been perched.

“Gemma?” My eyes flew open.

“Yeah, she gave me her personal number and told me to call if we needed help. I think this constitutes.”

I weakly protested, but Holly ignored me as she took her cell phone into the other room. Moments later, I heard her talking to Gemma, and from what I could hear, making plans for Gemma to come to the house.