Born to Be Wild Read Online Free PDF Page B

in the doorway. “And the only fool I see is you. Why you making Miz Colbourne drive all the way out here when she’s so busy is none of my business, but if you ask me—”
    “Dara dragged me all the way home from Chile.” Zach tilted his chair back again, smiling at Beaudine’s scowl. “She can drive as far as Field’s Corner. Besides, she probably hasn’t been back to Madison County in ages.” Knowing he would never win the battle but loving the challenge nonetheless, he adopted a dead-on Cajun accent and added, “And someone who works as hard as Miz Colbourne deserves a nice quiet afternoon in the country, don’t you think,
ma pichouette
?”
    Beaudine’s mumbled, “Little girl, my—” degenerated into Cajun swearing that had him laughing again as she left.
    Zach propped his feet back on the desk and returned his attention to the legal pad in his hands.
    He sighed deeply, absently rubbing at a tight spot in his chest as he went over the notes he’d made on each of the four children scheduled for the trip.
    Teddy, age ten, paraplegic, wheelchair bound, had use of arms, hands, and neck. Brandon, age nine, advanced case of multiple sclerosis, also wheelchair bound, limited coordination of arms and hands. Jonas, age nine, muscular dystrophy, leg braces on both legs, but could walk with crutches and had full function of his arms and hands. Andie …
    Andie. Zach closed his eyes and rubbed his thumbs across his eyelids, not having to look at his notes to know what they said. Andie, age ten. Cancer. Wheelchair bound. Frail, but full use of her arms and hands. Probably wouldn’t see age twelve.
    “Damn,” he whispered, the grittiness behind his closed eyes not entirely from lack of sleep. He massaged the back of his neck, doing little to ease the tension that had knotted there. He’d read the case histories last night before turning in, and the details had haunted him since.
    Life’s inequities and the strength these kids had to have in order to face them day in and day out was sobering. Combined with the potent memory of those hazel-green eyes flashing at him, demanding that he let someone more qualified handle the job, had all but robbed him of any chance at sleep.
    At some point, in the quiet hours long past midnight, he’d made a solemn vow to himself. Two, actually. One: To plan the most incredible trip for those kids he had within his power to give. And two: To pursue whatever it was that he’d felt with Dara.
    Because, as Dara had observed and as those four kids understood on the most intimate level, life was just too damn short to waste wondering about what could have been.
    The sound of gravel beneath tires jerked him from his thoughts. Beaudine’s congenial greeting of “How y’all are,” at the front door echoed down the hallway to his office. He listened to Dara return the hello, then go on to politely assure Beaudine she was fine, really, and no she wasn’t thirsty or hungry and that she was sure shecould find the office all by herself and please not to go to any trouble on her account.
    Zach glanced at the clock on the wall. Less than twenty seconds. Not bad. A world record for first-timers.
    The clicking of heels grew louder as Dara approached. He was only vaguely surprised to feel his muscles, his entire body in fact, tighten in anticipation. The sensation was similar to the feeling the instant before jumping from a plane, or off a cliff.
    He leaned back deeper in the chair and savored it.
    Dara’s light rap on the door frame commanded and received his full attention. “Sorry I’m late.” She entered the room with a rustle of soft fabric and an even softer scent of perfume. She wore a muted red blazer over a jet-black skirt—a skirt that showed more leg than he thought someone as short as Dara could possibly have. And another pure white blouse, buttoned tightly at the neck and softened with a bow. Tasteful, understated, businesslike. He wondered if she realized it was still sexy as