Free Secrets of the Fall by Kailin Gow Page A

beat. “I still want Nat and your dad
safely home. When Nat’s back, we can deal with it together then.”
    A
look of disappointment flickered across Drew’s face for a very brief second, so
brief I thought I had imagined it. “The team is working on it,” he said. “Very
hard. But, there are no guarantees no matter how much effort we put into it, no
matter what we try. My dad and Nat knew the danger they were going to face
going there, so it was their choice to go…well, actually my father’s choice,
but Nat went after him.”
    “Can
we check in with the team at Donovan Dynamics to see how the search and rescue
mission is going?” I asked.
    “Yes,
we will. But after we visit with my mother. She will be happy to see you,
Summer.”
    “Of
course, Drew, we have to see your mother,” I agreed.
    “Speaking
of…” Drew stood up right when we heard the refrigerator door slammed. “I think
she’s back.”
    I
stood up and walked down the stairs following Drew to the kitchen.  As I turned
into the kitchen, I bumped into a pretty auburn hair young woman carrying a bag
of groceries into the kitchen.
    “Oh,
sorry,” I said immediately. “Let me help you with that.” I reached down to pick
up an apple that had fallen to the ground, but Drew had already snatched all of
them with his lightning fast football arms. He walked over to the girl, who was
wearing a tight nurse’s dress that hugged her curvaceous but fit body. He
looked down at the girl, who was clearly blushing as she took him in with her
blue eyes from head to toe. There was no denying she liked what she saw. This
was Drew of course, and his charm was working on her like it did with others. “Here,”
he said, handing her the fruits one by one. I saw his fingers brushed hers when
he handed her an orange, and she flinched, moving her hand back slightly. She
was clearly affected, and Drew…Drew knew it, too. He smiled and held out his
hand after the fruit was put away. “Hi,” he said, “I’m Drew.”
    “I’m
Amber,” the girl said, “Amber Head, your mother’s nurse.” She stood up straight
and said, “Nice to meet you. We talked on the phone before when you hired me,
but now I’m real glad we finally got to meet in person.”
    Drew
grinned, puffing out his chest. “Me, too!” He looked around and asked, “where
is she?”
    “Oh,
Mrs. Donovan?” Amber said. “She said she was tired after spending the day at
the country club playing tennis. She went upstairs to take a nap.”
    “How
was she?” Drew asked. “Did she act strange or upset?”
    “She
acted fine considering what your family is going through,” Amber said.
    “No
outbursts, no crying?”
    “No,
she seemed fine, and if she did feel upset, she took it out on the tennis game.
She won a few rounds today,” Amber smiled.
    “I’m
glad to hear that,” Drew said. “If that’s how she’s been these past couple of
days, then she’s improved a whole lot.”
    “I
think exercise and being able to meet some new friends at the club was good for
her,” Amber said happily.
    I
coughed suddenly, not on purpose, but because my throat was so dry. “Hi,” I
said walking up to Amber and extending my hand. “I’m Summer, family friend.
Close family friend,” I added.
    “Oh,
Summer,” Amber smiled. “Yes, Drew’s mentioned you a couple of times in our
phone calls.”
    My
eyebrows starting arching as I looked over at Drew. Phone calls…as in many
phone calls regularly? They talk about me too?
    I
went to the refrigerator, opened the door, and helped myself to a water bottle
inside. I grabbed another one for Drew and Amber and asked, “Want one?”
    “Sure,”
Drew said, walking over to me and taking it out of my hands. Then he took the
other one and handed it to Amber. His eyes never leaving hers.
    My
stomach started churning.  What was going on? Was Drew, flirting with the nurse
Amber, or was this something more?  They apparently talk on the phone a bit.
She took care of