Read Online A Husband for the Holidays (Made For Matrimony 1) by Ami Weaver - Free Book Online Page A

The smell. The feeling. The urgency, the waiting, the memories of a stay here in this hospital, where she’d lost her baby and the seeds of destruction for her marriage had begun to bloom.
    Now it had Uncle Joe in its grasp.
    She took a deep breath, tried to calm the nerves. Marla needed her to be strong. But it all felt like yesterday.
    She laid a hand on her belly lightly, knowing no life beat there. That the last time it had beat there was seven years ago. By the time she’d gotten here after the accident, it had already been too late. And it was possible she’d never get pregnant again. And while she hadn’t been ready at the time to be a mother, she’d had the opportunity ripped from her forever.
    Of course, being a mother implied there was a man to get her pregnant. A marriage even. Someone who loved her and stood by her.
    She thought she’d had a chance at that once, but she’d been wrong, as had the timing. Now that she was older and wiser, she was ready.
    But she’d lost the only man she’d ever wanted to share the dream with. Now she was here and so was he and she needed to finally put it all behind her. And forget she was in a hospital and focus on her uncle, who’d need her help more than ever, since he’d be laid up for most of the Christmas season. Which meant what? She’d have to stay? She’d worry about that later.
    She was thinking positive. He’d be okay. He was too tough not to be.
    But it was so hard to beat back the fear.

Chapter Six
    M ack made it to the hospital in under fifteen minutes. Darcy hadn’t really said how Joe was, how Marla was. Equally important, how she was. He hurried in and up to the surgical waiting room. When he entered his gaze landed right on Darcy. She sat, arms folded over her middle, her face pinched and white, and stared at the TV, which ran a twenty-four-hour cable news show. Then he looked at Marla, whose expression was knowing despite the tension on her face.
    Darcy looked over and he forgot to worry about what they thought.
    She’d pulled her hair up in a clip, and pieces had slipped out and fallen all around her face. Memories of the last time they’d spent time in the hospital assaulted him, as they no doubt did her, as well. His gut twisted when she turned her pale face toward him and he saw etched on her face the pain and memories. Not to mention the fear for her uncle.
    He crossed the floor but stopped short of pulling her in his arms, though every cell screamed that he needed to get closer, hold her, let her break down and get it all out.
    She hadn’t let him comfort her when they were married. Why would now, when they were virtually strangers, be any different?
    “Mack. You came.” It was Marla’s voice. Not the one he wanted to hear, but he turned to her and hugged her instead. Darcy wouldn’t meet his eyes over Marla’s head. Marla hugged him fiercely.
    “She needs you,” she murmured in a low tone. “She’ll never admit it. Thank you for coming,” she added in a louder voice.
    “Of course,” he said, choosing to ignore Marla’s words about Darcy. “Any news?”
    Marla shook her head and he saw, with a pang, that she looked every one of her years. He’d always thought she was so strong, so youthful. Tonight, fear for her husband had aged her. “Not yet. They said hours, so—” She glanced at the clock.
    Darcy came over and rubbed her aunt’s back. “Time goes so slow, doesn’t it?” He didn’t know if Marla caught the undertone of deep sorrow, but he did. He remembered all too well.
    “Can you ladies use something from the cafeteria?” He could at least be useful.
    One of Marla’s friends perked up. “That’s a great idea, Mack. Why don’t you and Darcy make a run?”
    Mack turned to her. She wouldn’t like that suggestion, he knew. “Darcy?”
    She looked like the proverbial deer caught in headlights. Before she could say anything, Marla spoke up. “He’ll need the extra set of hands, dear.”
    Darcy inclined her