Read Online 03 The Long Road Home by Geeta Kakade - Free Book Online
Authors: Geeta Kakade
Tags: Homespun Romance
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scary, but that's no reason to hit below the belt. There are a great many men whose jobs prevent them from being with their wives at important times. What about those in the armed forces?"
"Jack should have been here," repeated Margaret stubbornly. "He's not defending our country or human rights; he's just driving a stupid truck somewhere." It was all back...the old pain and bitterness. The time her parents hadn't been home when she'd fallen and had to have three stitches in her knee, the night she'd burned up with a high fever and wanted them to hold her.
The pressure on Margaret's shoulders increased slightly, forcing her mind back to the present. "Do you think Gina would rather have a husband beside her with no job and no money, or one who's able to provide for her and the baby, but who can't always be with her?"
He was right of course. As usual. Unable to say anything more, Margaret simply leaned against the wall. She was going to save her strength for what was yet to come. The back of her top was damp, and her knees felt as if someone had replaced them with cotton wool. Closing her eyes, she forced herself to take deep breaths, conjure up a calm scene. All she could see was Gina's face contracted with pain.
"So much fire," Matthew Magnum said. "I wonder if it's only in your hair."
Her eyes flew open to see him rubbing a lock of her hair between thumb and forefinger.
As their gazes meshed, Matt felt the electricity between them. The panic in Margaret's eyes told Matt she was aware of it too. She might not want it, but it was definitely there. He looked at her mouth, and Margaret's lips parted slightly.
"You try to appear as if you're always in control, don't you Margaret?" Matt asked. "But your eyes and hair give you away. The former tells me your sophisticated air is not even skin deep, and your hair hints at hidden fires within you."
He watched the confusion in her eyes deepen.
The door opened, and the nurse said, "You can go in now. She's doing fine."
Matt moved away, wondering about the attraction he felt towards Margaret Browning. She had shown very clearly that she wanted nothing to do with truckers and trucking. To let himself become involved with someone like her was as smart as touching a plugged in iron to see if it was hot.
"Mr. Magnum!"
Margaret turned to see a husky, young man hurry down the hospital corridor to them and cling to the strong hand outstretched toward him. "How is Gina?"
Margaret stared at the newcomer. This must be Gina's husband. Where had he come from?
"Fine...see for yourself." Matt pushed open the door of the room behind them.
Jack went through the door, as the nurse asked, "The husband?"
Matthew Magnum nodded. "Yes."
They heard Gina say, "Jack! Oh, Jack!"
"Baby, are you all right?" There was no mistaking the love in her husband's, hoarse voice.
Matthew Magnum shut the door gently, giving the couple the privacy they needed.
The nurse beamed at him, "Now, which fairy godmother managed that? We love happy endings here at Garrison Community."
As the woman walked away, Margaret asked, "How did he get here?"
She continued to prop herself up against the wall, unable to believe the suddenness with which she had been relieved of her task.
"I called the truck stop, and the men contacted him on the Citizen's Broadcast radio. I'm not sure yet but I guess another trucker must have offered to give him a ride back here. I hope you're not too disappointed that your help is no longer necessary?"
She glared at Magnum ignoring the teasing light in his eyes. "What about Jack's truck?"
"Parked somewhere safely till another driver can get to it."
"What about his driving schedule? Won't he get behind and lose money if he doesn't make his delivery on time?" In her father's time, a man had been fired for being too ill to go into work.
"Why the sudden change of heart?" His smile told Margaret that Matt wasn't
"Jack should have been here," repeated Margaret stubbornly. "He's not defending our country or human rights; he's just driving a stupid truck somewhere." It was all back...the old pain and bitterness. The time her parents hadn't been home when she'd fallen and had to have three stitches in her knee, the night she'd burned up with a high fever and wanted them to hold her.
The pressure on Margaret's shoulders increased slightly, forcing her mind back to the present. "Do you think Gina would rather have a husband beside her with no job and no money, or one who's able to provide for her and the baby, but who can't always be with her?"
He was right of course. As usual. Unable to say anything more, Margaret simply leaned against the wall. She was going to save her strength for what was yet to come. The back of her top was damp, and her knees felt as if someone had replaced them with cotton wool. Closing her eyes, she forced herself to take deep breaths, conjure up a calm scene. All she could see was Gina's face contracted with pain.
"So much fire," Matthew Magnum said. "I wonder if it's only in your hair."
Her eyes flew open to see him rubbing a lock of her hair between thumb and forefinger.
As their gazes meshed, Matt felt the electricity between them. The panic in Margaret's eyes told Matt she was aware of it too. She might not want it, but it was definitely there. He looked at her mouth, and Margaret's lips parted slightly.
"You try to appear as if you're always in control, don't you Margaret?" Matt asked. "But your eyes and hair give you away. The former tells me your sophisticated air is not even skin deep, and your hair hints at hidden fires within you."
He watched the confusion in her eyes deepen.
The door opened, and the nurse said, "You can go in now. She's doing fine."
Matt moved away, wondering about the attraction he felt towards Margaret Browning. She had shown very clearly that she wanted nothing to do with truckers and trucking. To let himself become involved with someone like her was as smart as touching a plugged in iron to see if it was hot.
"Mr. Magnum!"
Margaret turned to see a husky, young man hurry down the hospital corridor to them and cling to the strong hand outstretched toward him. "How is Gina?"
Margaret stared at the newcomer. This must be Gina's husband. Where had he come from?
"Fine...see for yourself." Matt pushed open the door of the room behind them.
Jack went through the door, as the nurse asked, "The husband?"
Matthew Magnum nodded. "Yes."
They heard Gina say, "Jack! Oh, Jack!"
"Baby, are you all right?" There was no mistaking the love in her husband's, hoarse voice.
Matthew Magnum shut the door gently, giving the couple the privacy they needed.
The nurse beamed at him, "Now, which fairy godmother managed that? We love happy endings here at Garrison Community."
As the woman walked away, Margaret asked, "How did he get here?"
She continued to prop herself up against the wall, unable to believe the suddenness with which she had been relieved of her task.
"I called the truck stop, and the men contacted him on the Citizen's Broadcast radio. I'm not sure yet but I guess another trucker must have offered to give him a ride back here. I hope you're not too disappointed that your help is no longer necessary?"
She glared at Magnum ignoring the teasing light in his eyes. "What about Jack's truck?"
"Parked somewhere safely till another driver can get to it."
"What about his driving schedule? Won't he get behind and lose money if he doesn't make his delivery on time?" In her father's time, a man had been fired for being too ill to go into work.
"Why the sudden change of heart?" His smile told Margaret that Matt wasn't
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