Read Online Down the Hidden Path by Heather Burch - Free Book Online

needed. She pulled him into her arms, wrapping herself around him as much as she possibly could. Gray held him so tightly it made her muscles ache, and there, standing on his front porch, Jeremiah cried.

CHAPTER 4
    Of everything he’d planned to do to convince Gray to take the job, his display on the front porch hadn’t been part of the equation. But when he’d seen her there, all of his emotions surged up from that place where he’d put them. This was Gray. She’d been with him when his mom died. She’d known everything there was to know about him and had loved him anyway. That’s what best friends did. And when she’d stepped out of her car and headed toward him, she was no longer the occupational therapist he needed to hire. She was his best friend, and the years had melted away. She was there for him, just like she’d always promised she would be.
    After giving her the folder on Caleb’s injury and the recovery plan, he brought her a cup of hot chocolate because she was a terrible chocoholic and no one made cocoa like he did. He’d purchased real whipped cream for the top. She cradled the mug in her hands and sat down on his couch. “Tell me about it.”
    He knew she wanted to know the information that wasn’t in Caleb’s chart. But not just that, she wanted to know Miah’s plans where his brother was concerned. He sat his own cup down on the coffee table and looked out over the mountains beyond the picture window. Gray’d made no mention of the lodge or the amazing view. None of that mattered to her. Gray was all about people. Not creature comforts.
    “He suffered the traumatic brain injury in a Humvee accident. They were traveling along a ridge and hit an IED. The Humvee went off an embankment. He was trapped. They got him out, but there was a lot of damage.”
    “Tampa has one of the best TBI facilities in the country.” She took a sip of the hot cocoa.
    “Good?” He nodded to the mug.
    Her silver eyes dropped to it. “Incredible. I’d forgotten you’re a hot-cocoa master.”
    He had become one. Because of her. In all the time they’d spent together, it seemed she was always the one helping him. He’d wanted to give back. Cocoa was her favorite. “I still remembered my recipe.”
    “You should patent it.”
    It was good to see her smile. Finally, she almost seemed relaxed.
    “So, with the extent of his injuries, he’ll need to relearn certain things.” She watched Miah over her mug. “How long has Caleb been in Tampa?”
    “Three months. They have a step-down program where he could stay another three, but he just wants to come home.”
    She placed the mug on the table in front of them. “Are you sure he’s ready? That last three months would help give him the skill set he needs for living life. I’ve read up on their program. It’s done amazing things for our soldiers returning home with traumatic brain injuries. You need to understand, certain parts of his brain aren’t functioning normally. Things could get very challenging for him as well as you.”
    Miah threaded his fingers together on his lap. “I know, I know. I tried to encourage him to stay, but . . .” He shrugged. “You know Caleb.”
    She rolled her eyes. “Yes. McKinley stubborn.”
    “He’s made great progress already.”
    “Will they even let you bring him home this soon?” Gray’s brow furrowed.
    “Yes. He’s completed the necessary rehabilitation. They’d like him to stay, of course, but—”
    She waved a hand through the air. “I know. McKinley stubbornness.”
    “I need a professional to sign off on the lodge. The paperwork states that it will be a safe environment for him. I’ve leveled all the floors down here, have got a bathroom working on this level, and made a ramp outside in case the few stairs to the front porch are an issue.”
    Gray smiled over at him. “You’re a good big brother.”
    There was a catch in his throat. No, if he’d been a good big brother, he’d have talked Caleb