Free Skylar (The Love Family Series Book 1) by Kate Allenton Page A

He was moving back. Her lips formed into a smile, and she watched his eyes twinkle with light. “Okay.” She nodded. “I know it’s your choice. I just don’t want you regretting it.”
    “I won’t,” he was quick to assure her before laying a kiss on her lips. He turned her and smacked her on the ass. “Now, let’s get back to work. The sooner we’re done, the faster I can take you to bed.”
    With almost forty-eight hours of video to review, she got comfortable on the couch and hit the play button, trying to analyze every person that came and went. Four hours later, she rubbed her tired eyes and hit Pause, glancing over her shoulder to watch Luke washing dishes.
    “Sorry I didn’t help.”
    “You are helping.” He glanced back at her. “You’ve got the boring job of looking for a needle in a haystack. “I guess since you’re not screaming, you haven’t had any luck yet?”
    She rested her arms on the back of the couch. “No and all the colors are making my eyes cross.” 
    Luke turned off the spigot and dried his hands on a towel. “Maybe you should take a break. It looks like the storm is taking it’s time arriving. How about a walk?”
    She checked the time. “It’s almost eight.”
    Skylar’s cell phone rang and their gazes darted across the room.
    “Who would be calling you?”
    She shrugged and stood. “I don’t know. Olivia’s manning the store. Maybe she’s having a problem.”
    She answered, “Hello?”
    “Ms. Love?” She could barely hear the man through the distinct sound of sirens wailing in the background.
    “Yes?”
    “This is Fire Chief Buchannan. We need you to come down to your shop.”
    Her heart raced at his words. “Is everyone okay?”
    “There was a casualty, but not from the fire, ma’am. I’ll explain when you get here.”
    Oh god. “Yes, of course. I’ll be right there.”
    She shoved the phone into her pocket and manically searched the table for Luke’s keys.
    “What’s wrong?”
    She shook her head and he took her hands.
    “Sky, talk to me.”
    “There’s been a fire. Someone was hurt. I have to go.”
    He nodded. “Okay, let’s go.”
    “I need the keys.”
    He pulled them out of his pocket and dangled them in front of her. “I’m driving. You can call Declan and Olivia on the way.”
    Her feet tapped on the passenger floor mat as Olivia’s phone went to voice mail for the second time. “She’s still not answering.”
    “Maybe she’s talking to the fire guys.”
    She punched in Declan’s number. He answered on the first ring. “I just heard. Where are you?”
    “We’re five minutes away. Are you there? How bad is it?”
    “I’m just pulling up. Oh, Sky….”
    “What?”
    “Fire is shooting from the roof.”
    Skylar closed her eyes and lowered her head. Tears welled behind her eyes. “They said there was a casualty.”
    “I’m walking up to the ambulance now. Hang tight…”
    What seemed like an eternity passed while she waited for Declan to tell her who was hurt. “Sky.” His voice lowered, and anger seeped from the edges. “It’s Olivia. She’s got blunt force trauma to the back of the head, and they’re taking her to the hospital. I’m going with them, and when you’re done with the fire department, meet me there.”
    Her forming tears slipped free. “Don’t leave her, Declan. Do you hear me? I’ll be there as soon as I can, but you don’t leave her side. Promise me.”
    “Sky, I won’t leave her. I promise.”
    She hit End and rested the phone in her lap. Luke entwined his fingers through Sky’s. “What did he say?”
    “Olivia has blunt force trauma. He’s going with her to the hospital. We have to deal with the fire before I can get to her.”
    He squeezed her fingers. “He’ll keep us posted.” She tried to give him a reassuring smile and failed miserably.
    “If anything happens to her…”
    “Olivia is in good hands. Dec will protect her with his life. You and I both know that.”
    She took a deep