Mind of Her Own Read Online Free Page A

time. At least her faith remained.
    She needed to be strong and courageous. She didn’t know about her own strength, but she knew she could rely on Christ to get her through anything, even this. They’d been through tougher times together. Hadn’t they?
    Removing the covers, she sat and slid her feet onto the floor. For the first time, she realized she had on socks. Odd socks. They were white cotton with tiny red hearts across the toe line where they would be hidden by any kind of shoe. Kind of like wearing lacy underwear under plain clothes to keep the real person a secret. A chill went through her. What kind of bra did she have on? Fearful she might find a sheer, black, racy number, she dipped her head and with one finger slowly raised the neckline of the hospital gown away from her chest. Sports bra in white, nothing to fear.
    The cold from the tile soaked into her toes. Did they keep the room cold in case someone died? Too morbid, Sweet. Think of something else—like if you don’t have shoes and cash, what taxi is going to take you anywhere? A taxi to nowhere. Forget that, what hotel would let her stay without paying for the room?
    It didn’t matter. She was determined to find a way once she passed through the exit of the hospital. But first she had to locate the clothes she’d been wearing. Trotting through the exit door clad in a hospital gown wouldn’t work. She stood. Unprepared for the sudden slice of pain that ripped through her head, she yelped like a puppy. In defeat, she sank back onto the bed.
    The door opened, banging against the wall. Collin. She tried to still the odd feeling of happiness that leaped in her heart at the sight of him. “Did someone call a code?”
    “You yelled. I came.” He loomed over her like a large ape. All he needed to do was beat his chest to complete the image of a male on the loose.
    “How very manly of you.” She wouldn’t admit it to him or even to her best friend, but having him rush in to save her plumped her self-esteem to another level. Maybe he wouldn’t be so bad to have around.
    Collin scowled at her. She’d made him angry, or at least she thought she had. Maybe she’d embarrassed him. Her mother always said she’d never win a man with her quick tongue or her cooking. So far her mother had been right.
    “I can’t leave. It’s my duty to take care of you because you’re my wife. I can’t leave you here.”
    Duty? That was a loaded word, and she had a feeling he’d like to leave her here. “Your duty? You’re not a policeman, too, are you?”
    “That might have been a wrong choice in words. I meant I’m not leaving even if you don’t know who I am. Like the vows say, in sickness or in health. This qualifies.”
    “Still not going with you, sick or healthy—which I am, by the way. There’s nothing wrong with me except you.” That stung, and she knew it the minute the words charged from her lips like a dog after a squirrel. She realized she should be a little nicer. After all, he had been sweet ever since she woke up in this place.
    “I have proof.” He reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. “Look.” He flipped it open to a picture. “That’s you and me in front of our home.” He turned the plastic page. “Here’s a school picture of our daughter. Now do you believe me?”
    Jazz took the wallet from him and turned back to the picture of him and his wife. “You think I look like her? I don’t.”
    “There’s a mirror over there.” Collin grabbed her wrist and started to pull her from the bed.
    She resisted. “Stop it. I’m not getting out of this bed with you sitting there.”
    “Why not? It’s just a mirror.”
    Her face flushed. “Because there isn’t a back to this lovely gown, and I’m not married to you. You aren’t allowed to see my backside.”
    His lips twisted into a grin. “I’ve seen it before, but I get it. You don’t remember.” He slid his arms out of his suit coat and placed it over her