Read Online Second Chance for Love by Leona Jackson - Free Book Online Page A

whining at the door to be let in. I didn't have the strength to get up off the floor. Was Chase still alive? The message was from last night! Was it already too late?
    I hit the return call button and waited for the phone to ring. It rang three times before turning over to Henry's answering machine. I tried to leave a message, but couldn't manage more than a few sobs.
    “You gotta get up, Jetta,” I told myself. “You’ve got to pull yourself together and get to Chase.”
    I managed to sit up and take a few deep breaths before dissolving into tears again. Bosco whined again, sounding more desperate and I fell onto my back. I felt as if the air had been knocked out of me.
    What the hell was I going to do? I couldn't even quit crying long enough to let Bosco inside! Feeling defeated, I stayed on the floor and just let myself cry.
    A knock on the door startled me. Figuring that it was just the mail man delivering more supplies I ignored it. The banging grew louder and I wondered why Bosco wasn’t barking at the mailman.
    “Just leave it on the front porch!” I shouted angrily.
    “Jetta?” a female voice called out.
    I raised my head up trying to place the voice.
    “Destiny?”
    “Yes, it's me! Let me in.”
    I managed to get to my hands and knees and crawl to the front door. I unlocked it and collapsed again. Destiny opened the door slowly. I think she was trying to avoid hitting me with it.
    “Jetta?” she asked.
    “Behind the door,” I cried.
    “Oh, Jetta.”
    “Chase…” I managed to say.
    “I know, I know, baby,” she said, tugging me to my feet.
    “Is he still alive?”
    She pulled me into a hug. “Yes, he's still alive, but they can't get him to wake up. You need to come home to see him.”
    “He can't die.” I sobbed into her shoulder.
    “He's not going to die,” she reassured me.
    Her voice betrayed her, because I instantly knew that she didn't believe what she had said.
    “Why are you here?” I asked, pulling away.
    “I knew you wouldn't be in good enough shape to drive yourself back home.”
    “What about Bosco?”
    “He's coming with us too, honey,” Destiny assured me. “Get what you need together. I'll try to get him in the car. Does he bite?”
    I laughed at the absurdity of her question. Bosco hadn't bit anything except a flea the whole time I've had him and I told her so.
    “You're sure?” she asked hesitantly.
    “Yes, damn it to hell, I'm sure, Destiny!” I snapped.
    “Okay.” She backed out the door with Bosco willingly following behind her.
    I changed into my jeans and favorite t-shirt. Next I shoved a few outfits into my suitcase and grabbed my purse, along with Bosco’s food and toys. When I finally got outside, Destiny still hadn't managed to get Bosco into the backseat. He was leading her on a game of chase around the front yard.
    I whistled once. “Bosco.”
    He ran up to me and followed me to Destiny's car.
    “Wait,” I said. “What about my car?”
    “I promise I'll bring you back, whenever you want. Just say the word.”
    I opened the back door for Bosco. “You’d better, or I'm stealing your car.” He jumped into the backseat, thumping his tail against the leather.
    For the first hour of the drive we were quiet. My mind raced in circles and always landed back on Chase. I imagined him in a coma and had to fight back the tears. I wanted to get my hands around the neck of the person responsible for him being there.
    “Who hit him?” I asked.
    “A middle-aged woman whose brakes went out. It wasn’t her fault.”
    “So I can't strangle her?” I asked.
    “No, you can. Though I don't think you should.”
    “It might make me feel better,” I added.
    “For the moment.”
    “You’re right.”
    I reached into my back pocket for my phone.
    “Damn it!” I swore.
    It was still on the kitchen counter.
    “What's wrong?” Destiny asked.
    “I forgot my damn phone!”
    “Need to use mine?” She picked it up from the console and offered it to