Free A Match Made in Texas by Arlene James

was. She just hoped that she didn’t regret letting him foist this phone on her.
    Being in constant contact with Stephen Gallow was bound to turn her world upside down.
     
    The stack of books stood almost a foot tall. Some hard-backs, some paperbacks, Kaylie had chosen them with as much care as her patient’s incessant texting had allowed. Using his one good hand, Stephen went through the offerings skeptically. They included a baseball biography, a mystery, a couple of lawyer/suspense novels—he pointedly yawned at those—a nonfiction account of the historical exploits of afellow named Joseph Walker and four books from a fiction series about the Second Coming of Christ.
    “Those ought to keep you busy,” Kaylie said in a satisfied tone.
    “Or put me in a coma,” Stephen grumbled, dumping the last book on top of what was now a jumble on the bedside table. As soon as she’d entered the room, he’d announced that he’d already checked the hockey news via the Internet on his new phone and scoped out some interesting downloads. Apparently, several games were being installed on the amazing little contraption as they conversed. He checked the progress of the installation and sighed.
    “Oh, come on,” she cajoled, waving a hand at the heap of books, “something there has to interest you.”
    He glanced once more at the bedside table before determinedly turning his head away. “I’m too tired to read right now.”
    “Then sleep for an hour or two,” she suggested lightly.
    His pale gray eyes instantly turned to ice. “Why? So you can disappear on me?”
    Kaylie ignored that, making every effort to retain her patience. The man, after all, was in pain. As opposed to just being a pain. Glancing pointedly at her utilitarian wristwatch, she noted the time.
    “I’ll leave a few minutes before eleven to make Dad his lunch. Be back here just after noon to help with yours. You might want to clean up after that. Then I thought we might wrap your ribs, give you a little more stabilization in your torso so you can move more easily. The jacket sling helps, but it’s not the best thing for your ribs.” Aware of his deepening glower, she forged on. “By that time, you’ll probably be needing another rest. I have some errands to run later this afternoon, but I’ll return in time to give you dinner and meds. Can I bring you anything? Maybe some puzzles or a—”
    He rolled his eyes, but before either could say more on the subject, they were interrupted.
    “Yoo-hoo!”
    Recognizing the voice, Kaylie turned toward the door. “Aunt Odelia?”
    Footsteps clattered across the sitting room, then Odelia’s stark white head, topped with a big floppy yellow bow, appeared around the edge of the doorway. Wearing too much rouge and pale orange lipstick, she beamed a smile before hopping out from behind the door and fully showing herself with a happy “Ta-da!”
    The effect was…Well, it was daffodils. Odelia had dressed, head to toe, in daffodils, including heavy gold-and-enamel daffodil earrings that looked as if they weighed a ton and a white, daffodil-dotted dress worn over an equally voluminous orange shift. Backless yellow shoes with plastic daffodils standing two inches high on the toes completed the outrageous ensemble.
    It was all so breathtakingly Odelia.
    Refusing to be embarrassed for her dear aunt, Kaylie embraced Odelia and affectionately declared, “You look positively floral today, Auntie.”
    Odelia giggled as happily as any girl. “Thank you, dear. I love your penguins.” She waved a lacy handkerchief in Stephen’s direction, saying, “Looks like we both dressed in honor of our guest today.”
    Kaylie shot Stephen a desperate, pleading look. A moment passed, during which he gaped, before he realized what she wanted from him.
    Proving that he had manners enough to be nice, he said to Odelia, “Uh, thanks. Very…clever.”
    “That outfit certainly puts you in mind of Holland,”
    Kaylie supplied helpfully,