Read Online True Love's Fire: A Red Hot Valentine Story (Hell Yeah!) by Sable Hunter - Free Book Online

Lia beamed at him. “It must be wonderful to have a talent like yours. My grandmother had a massive stroke. They told my mother it was an inoperable brain tumor.”
    Scott frowned. “What did they do for her?”
    “I was young, I don’t really know. We cared for her at home, she was bedridden, paralyzed and couldn’t speak.”
    “Tragic,” Scott said. “Now, we can do so much more if we get to the patient in time. How long did she live?”
    “She died when I was thirteen.”
    “No change at any time?” he asked.
    “Once she spoke, just once.” Lia told him about dropping the iron. “We were always amazed at that. But it never happened again.”
    Scott smiled sadly. “She was watching you. When she thought you were about to be hurt, the adrenaline rush affected the position of the tumor for a few seconds. Very interesting. I wish we could turn back the clock. I might have been able to help her.”
    “She was a kind woman, if she told me once, she told me a hundred times. Be a good person, Lia. That’s all you have.” The expression he was wearing on his face, made Lia’s heart melt. “Tell me more.”
    “The story of Jerry had a happy ending. Not all of my attempts at helping someone have been successful.” With a heavy heart he began telling her about Sammy. “His parents brought him to me when he was about eight months old. His head was enlarged, and I knew just by looking that he had a growth which needed to be removed or he would die. After examining him, I knew I had to try.”
    She clasped her hands together, realizing this was hard for him to tell. “Sometimes trying is all we can do.”
    “I operated, but it didn’t go well. I made a mistake.” He rubbed his hands on his knees, absently. “It happens sometimes, but I nicked a nerve and even though I got most of the tumor, I suspected Sammy would be paralyzed.” He let out a heavy breath, crossing his arms over his chest. “And I was right. We did everything we could, but it was evident the tumor would regrow and he would die. The parents were told the sad news and I prepared them for the fact Sammy would never leave the hospital. To my surprise, they accepted it, but I was wrong again. Sammy didn’t die, not right away. He lived, unable to move very much, but he lived long enough to become aware of people. And his parents only came once or twice. Over almost two years, they only came once or twice.” His voice broke. “So, I would go every day. I sat with him. I held him. When I would walk in that room, his eyes would brighten and he would smile that little lop-sided smile and try to lift his arms. Sammy was always glad to see me.”
    Lia was crying. “What happened?”
    “We did the best we could. We had a mobile for him. I bought him a little television. The nurses read to him and I came to see Sammy as often as I could. And one day, I held him as he died.”
    “Oh, Scott.” She got up and went to him, holding her arms up to hug him, kissing his face. “You are the sweetest, most perfect man.”
    He hugged her back. “No, it was my fault,” he whispered in agony.
    “Everyone makes mistakes and you never abandoned him.”
    “I left pediatric practice and I never went back again.”
    Reverently, she kissed his lips—softly, sweetly, offering comfort and total acceptance.
    Scott welcomed her, holding her tightly for long moments. Finally, he said. “Now, tell me about you. What do you do, Miss Houston?”
    Lia hesitated, but after listening to his confession, there was no way she could hold back. Sitting back down, she folded her hands in her lap, took a deep breath and confessed. “I write.”
    “You do?” The water was boiling. “You want a cup?”
    She said, “Yes.” Telling him how she drank it.
    He fixed it and brought hers around, settling on the couch beside her. “What do you write? Poetry? Romance novels?” He didn’t think he’d ever met a writer before.
    “No, songs. I write the music and lyrics for