“Ethan?”

“Debra?” Recognizing his sister’s voice, he tried to force himself awake. “Everything all right?”

“No.” Her voice sounded thickened. “There’s been an accident.”

“Who? Where?” He sat up, still in that state of disorientation that followed being woken from deep sleep.

“It’s Karen. She’s been hit by a car.”

“What?” Ethan stood up, fully awake now. He was used to delivering bad news. Less accustomed to receiving it. His niece, Karen, was in her first year of college in California and had been having a great time. He adored her, probably because he’d long since accepted that he was unlikely to have children of his own. His sister was ten years older and the birth of her daughter, Karen, when he was sixteen years old had been a highlight. In some ways he was more like an older brother to her than an uncle. “What’s her condition? Do you want me to call the hospital and talk to the medical team?”

“I’ve already spoken with them. They’re discharging soon but she won’t be able to put weight on her leg for a couple of weeks. Mark is still in the Far East. He’ll fly straight to San Fr

ancisco but it will take him a long time to get there. I need to leave today. I’ve booked a flight for this afternoon.”

Ethan glanced at the time. “I’ll come with you.”

“You can’t do that. You’ll be working.”

It was true. “Family is more important. I’m coming. I’ll make it work.” He tried not to think about the colleagues he’d be letting down or the research work that was waiting for him. If his sister needed him, she needed him. As far as he was concerned, that was the end of it.

“I can do this on my own, but you have no idea what it means to me that you offered.”

“Debra—”

“No. I mean it. I can do this.”

“If you don’t want me to come with you, what can I do? There has to be something.”

There was a pause. “Is that a genuine offer?”

“Of course.” Ethan checked the time and decided it wasn’t worth going back to sleep again. “What do you need?”

“I need you to take Madi for a few days. Maybe more than a few days. It could be a week or more before we’re home.”

“Madi?” It took Ethan a moment to work out who she was talking about. His sister only had one child. “You mean the dog?”

“I suppose Madi is a dog, although we think of her more as one of the family. She has remarkably human characteristics.”

“You want me to look after the dog?” Ethan jammed his fingers into his hair. “No. Just—no, Debs.”

“You said you’d help. You said ‘anything.’”

“Anything but that!”

“You were willing to fly to California, but you won’t take my dog?! This is so much easier.”

“Not for me. I’m out of this apartment twenty hours out of twenty-four.”

“All the more reason to have Madi for a week or two. She will give you something to come home to.”

Ethan had a strong suspicion she’d give him a few things to come home to, none of which would be welcome.

“There’s a reason I don’t own a dog, Deb. And that reason is that I’m not in a position to give an animal the care and attention it deserves.”

“This is an emergency. I wouldn’t be asking otherwise. I don’t know how long I’ll be on the West Coast. Karen needs me—” her voice wobbled “—please, Ethan. I promise Madi will be no trouble at all.”

It was the wobble in her voice that did it.

Tags: Sarah Morgan From Manhattan with Love Romance
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