Read Online When Dreams Collide by Brenda Sinclair - Free Book Online Page A

screeched to a halt at the scene, followed closely by an ambulance. Jeremy crossed the street and met the male Canadian Mountie alighting from the patrol car. “I’m sure glad to see you.”
    “Is everyone okay?” asked the RCMP constable.
    “My wife and I are okay, but the driver of the Caravan is injured. Her daughter seems frightened but otherwise okay. She’s with my wife over there.”
    By now the paramedics were removing the injured driver from the van and exchanging instructions with each other. One medic strode across the street to examine Amanda. “I see you’re pregnant. You should come to the hospital to be checked out.” The female paramedic observed her, took her pulse.
    “Okay, but the little girl comes, too. She’s frightened to death, shaking like a leaf.”
    “Fine, we’re taking her mother to the hospital.”
    “Is she okay?”
    The paramedic hesitated for a second and then whispered. “She may have suffered a heart attack which would account for the accident.”
    “Oh my God. She’s so young,” blurted Amanda.
    “It happens. What’s your name?”
    “Amanda Bail...Amanda Branigan. We’re from Montana, honeymooning here.”
    “Let’s get all of you to the hospital. Your husband can sort this out with the police and then catch up with you, okay?” The paramedic lifted the little girl into her arms. “What’s your name, honey?”
    “Suzanne,” she whispered, swiping at her tears with her sweater sleeve.
    “We’ll take real good care of you, and your mommy, and your new friend, Amanda, okay?”
    The little girl bobbed her head and wrapped her arm around the paramedic’s neck.
    Amanda watched the ambulance race down the street with Suzanne’s mother on board. A female police officer had taken over from the ambulance attendant, directing Amanda and Suzanne to her patrol car.
    They arrived at the hospital a few minutes later.
    Jeremy was nowhere in sight.
    Amanda burst into tears.
    ****
     
    Once they finished breakfast and resumed their trip, Dusty settled into the driver’s seat and glanced over at Amanda on the opposite side of the vehicle. “Why are you smiling? Got a secret that the rest of the world hasn’t a clue about?”
    “No secrets. Just enjoying being a passenger for a change. I’m always driving somewhere it seems. Visiting other bank branches, arranging visits to customers to discuss their investments, and that sort of thing.”
    “Well, settle in for a pleasant day of driving through this beautiful state. Man, I love living here. Blue skies, clean air, and good people.”
    “Have you always lived in Montana?” Susana turned slightly in her seat, an inquisitive expression on her face.
    “Half my life, but I was born and raised in Texas. There are too many bad memories back there that I’d just as soon forget.” Dusty shifted in the seat. Darn it. He hadn’t meant to blurt out the latter part. Now she’d ask questions and either he’d have to refuse to answer and pique her curiosity even further, or answer them and risk losing her friendship and respect.
    “Can you tell me something about your childhood?” Susan tilted her head and met his eyes.
    “I was adopted by a childless couple who owned a ranch that had been in his family for generations. Dad was the last living relative on his side of the family and they adopted me, I guess, in hopes of having a next generation to take over the ranch when they retired. For a number of reasons, that didn’t happen.” Dusty glanced away for a moment. Even after all these years, the memory of that dark time in his life haunted him. “I suppose I was better off being adopted than placed in the foster care system, but Dad only saw me as free ranch labor, ordered me around. Never once did he praise my work, tell me I’d done a good job. There was always something wrong, something lacking. But my mother loved me like her own flesh and blood. I think Dad resented how much affection she bestowed on me. I couldn’t