Kilty Pleasure Read Online Free PDF Page B

were strangers.
    And maybe they were now. It was probably the best she could hope for. Still, it didn’t stop the stab of longing for the friendship they’d once had.
    And then there was another McLaughlin lingering in her mind. Colin. A Scottish-accented, handsome deputy in uniform, whom everyone loved. About whom no one spoke a mean word. She was clearly the anomaly by having the urge to junk punch him.
    Sure, he was probably all charm and sunshine when you were on his good side, but when you were on his bad, watch out.
    The fact that he slipped unwanted into her thoughts so frequently was just flat-out irritating. Which was souring her mood at the moment, now that he was once again making a cameo in her mind.
    Determined to distract herself, she picked up her Kindle and lay on the blanket. Reading was a good escape. It had never failed to be a diversion when she was a child. She only hoped it would work its magic now.
    Fortunately it did. The sounds of children playing and waves slapping became white noise. The world around her faded while she became engrossed in the latest thriller novel by her favorite author.
    Who knows how much time had passed when a sharp scream of pain pulled her from the book. Just like that, her mind switched into medical mode. She scanned the beach, looking for the victim.
    A few hundred feet away she found her, sitting at the edge of the small cliffs and clutching her arm as she wailed. The dad came sprinting over from a few feet away and scooped her up, looking left and right as if seeking help.
    Setting her ereader down, Hailey rose to her feet and approached, ready to offer any knowledge she might have. But a few steps in had her stumbling as the pair came into focus. Maybe on first glance she might have assumed the man was Ian holding his daughter, but now that she grew closer, she could see he lacked the scar on his cheek and a few other telltale signs that distinguished Colin from his twin.
    Colin’s gaze swept straight ahead just then and landed on her. Disbelief shone in his eyes and he shook his head, before his jaw hardened and he strode her way with purpose.
    “You. You’re a nurse, right?”
    Definitely no pleasantries with this one. She gave a terse nod and glanced at the little girl.
    “What happened?”
    Guilt flickered across the girl’s face and she ducked her head.
    “Emily decided it would be fun sport to try and climb that small cliff over there while I took a phone call.”
    Hailey ignored the disapproval in Colin’s glowering tone and kept her focus on Emily. Besides, clearly fabulous Uncle Colin should’ve been watching his niece a little closer.
    “Poor thing. Yes, those cliffs can be dangerous to climb,” she murmured gently and glanced down at her arm. “Can you tell me where it hurts?”
    The darling girl with the brilliant green McLaughlin eyes started crying again as she pointed to her right arm.
    “Can you straighten your arm at all, Emily?”
    “No. It hurts too much.” She choked on a sob. “I want my mom.”
    “I know you do, but your mom is in Seattle, lass. You’ll be all right. I’m here with you.”
    Her sobs grew.
    Keeping her voice steady and comforting, Hailey asked, “You will be fine, sweetie. Can you answer me a question, though? Did you hear anything pop or crunch when you fell?”
    Emily shook her head.
    “Okay, that’s good. I need you to be brave for a moment, okay? I’m going to just look at it real quick.”
    Emily had to be around ten, and was clearly between the age of wanting to cry hysterically and put on a brave face. But she bit her lip and gave a stiff nod.
    Not seeing any blood pooling or rapid bruising, she asked, “Does it feel numb? Or is it tingling at all?”
    “I think it feels tingly.”
    Reaching out, Hailey began a gentle exam of the wrist and forearm, knowing those were the most likely spots she would’ve fractured in the fall.
    Trying to distract her, she admitted, “I climbed that same cliff