Read Online PARADISE COVE (PARADISE SERIES Book 1) by Patrice Wilton - Free Book Online Page A

the toaster.
    "They’ve agreed for the moment." She drank her coffee quickly, then put the cup on the counter.
    "Okay. Thanks. I’ll do my best to keep you from being involved." He sipped his coffee, studying her. She'd showered and taken off that sports bra and her tight fitting Nike gym shorts. Shame really. He didn't get to feast his eyes on a body like that every day. She wore a pink Paradise Cottages tee, and jean shorts that came to mid-thigh.
    "What are you looking at?"
    "Sorry, if I was staring," he answered, lifting his gaze. "Just thinking."
    "Well think more, and stare less," she told him. She folded her arms under her breasts and leaned against the counter. "I still have some questions."
    "Go ahead. Ask away."
    She gnawed on her bottom lip. "I was just wondering how you managed to find them clinging to a hunk of wood in the dark, if the Coast Guard didn't? And how in the world did you get three people out of the water and onto your boat?"
    "I tossed a life preserver, but when they couldn't reach it I knew they were in trouble. I jumped in and managed to get Juanita safe. Raul and his dad still had the wood they were clinging to and paddled over to the ladder. When they climbed into the boat, Miguel was able to help me get his wife on board."
    "How long were they in the water?" she asked, imagining the terror and hardship they'd gone through. It made her shake, just thinking of it.
    "I don't know," he answered. "Hours, maybe."
    She swallowed, and tossed back the hair on her face. "Juanita's in bad shape. Thank God you're a doctor. If you weren't, she'd be in an ambulance right now. Which still seems like not a bad idea."
    "I understand." He glanced away. "If she hasn't delivered soon, I'll drive them to the hospital."
    Anna walked in after a quick knock on the cabin door and caught the last part of the conversation. "We will see about that. This is a difficult situation you've put us all in. We don't want to toss them out anymore than you do, but we have too much to lose." She marched toward the bedrooms. "I brought the vinegar and hot compresses to treat the jellyfish bites. Now where's the woman?"

CHAPTER SEVEN
    Kayla followed her mother down the hall, amazed at the transformation she was seeing. She'd never seen her mother take charge before. Well, not in recent history, anyway.
    "Second bedroom, Mom."
    Anna knocked on the door. "May I come in?"
    Sean moved past her, and opened the door. "This is your cottage. You can do anything you like, and that includes throwing all of us out." He paused for a second before moving out of the way. "But I hope you won't."
    "Now why would I do a thing like that? I'm here to help, not toss them back into the sea, or that country they came from." She clicked her tongue as if he were a boy in her schoolroom misbehaving. "Why don't you take the others to the kitchen and let me examine the woman?"
    "Juanita," he told her. "Miguel is the husband, and the boy's name is Raul."
    "Got it." She made shooing motions toward the door. “You might be a heart doctor, but sometimes a woman needs the company of other women.”
    Sean looked ready to argue, so Kayla spoke up. "Breakfast is a good idea. I'm sure they're starving." She smiled at the boy, noticing he’d stopped shivering beneath the blanket he wore like a cape. "Come Raul. Food." She indicated putting food in her mouth, and watched his eyes light up, but he didn't leave his spot next to his mother's feet.
    Anna sat gently on the side of the bed, touching Juanita’s hand as she said hello.
    Sean watched in silence, then decided to let the two of them have a minute alone. “Miguel, Raul, let’s eat. Ms. Anna is going to watch over Juanita and make her comfortable. Si ?”
    Miguel nodded. " Gracias ." He cupped his hands and lowered his head. " Mucho gusto, " he said with reverence, then backed out of the room.
    Once they were gone, Anna asked Kayla to open the curtains and turn on the lights. "I want to see how far along she