Miracles and Mischief Read Online Free Page A

scent of pine clung to his snug black T-shirt. “Are you sure you’re OK?”
    “I’m…I’m fine.” Shayna took a step back, smoothing the wrinkles from her cotton blouse. She’d slept in the bedside chair again last night and hadn’t wanted to leave Zac long enough to run home for clean clothes. So, the shirt had seen better days. “But I didn’t think you were going to come.”
    “I got your letter, Mrs. Grady—”
    “Shayna.”
    “I got your letter, and I just had to come see Zac.”
    “See, Mama…I told you.” Zac’s eager voice cut in. “He came for me, Mama.”
    “I see that.” Shayna smiled and nodded to her son before turning back to Nate. “But the counselor promised she’d warn us before you came.”
    “I’m so sorry, Shayna.” Laura Evans stepped forward, blushing. “Nate wanted this to be a surprise.”
    “But, I thought…” Shayna caught her lower lip between her teeth and tried not to scowl. This was Zac’s wish, and who was she to ruin it? “I suppose Mr. Saylor gets his way all the time, despite the effect on those around him.”
    “Not all the time.” Nate winked, and the room began to spin once again. Shayna wasn’t sure if the tilt was caused by his piercing blue eyes or the knot she felt forming on her forehead where his elbow had connected with her skull. She shook her head to clear it.
    “But, this time.” A beam of light caught Shayna’s eye, and she realized the camera was rolling. She retreated another giant step, running a hand through her mussed hair. “Don’t film me, please.”
    The camera panned left toward Zac, whose gap-toothed grin was contagious. “Wow, Mama.” He struggled to sit up in the bed. “Oh, wow!”
    “Hang on, buddy.” Nate rounded Shayna and stepped to the bedside to help her son as the IV line became tangled. “I think you’re caught.”
    “It does that a lot.” Zac waited while Nate carefully untangled the line. “That’s better. Hey, did you see my ball?”
    “Yes, I did.” Nate reached for the football. “That’s official license, isn’t it?”
    “Yeah, Mama got it for me for Christmas.”
    “Cool. That’s quite a gift.”
    “Will you sign it for me?”
    “Sure.” Nate pulled a Sharpie from his jeans pocket. “And I’ll take it to be signed by some of the guys on the team, too, if you’d like.”
    Nate’s golden eyes grew wide with wonder. “You’d do that for me?”
    “Sure.” Nate nodded, grinning. “Why not?”
    “Mama says you’re too busy for stuff like that.”
    “During the season, maybe. But that’s over, and I’m not too busy for you.”
    Shayna watched the interaction, mystified. For a moment, she almost believed Zac was perfectly healthy. His cheeks pinked, and his eyes glowed like a flash of gold. If she didn’t know better…
    “Excuse me.” The cameraman stepped around Shayna to draw closer to the bed as Nate finished signing the football. “This is great stuff. I need to get it.”
    “Wait.” Shayna rushed forward, blocking Nate as he made the handoff back to Zac. “That ball might not be clean now. Have you washed your hands?”
    “The nurse told each of us the procedure, and I took the proper steps. She cleared me.”
    “What about the rest of you?” Shayna narrowed her eyes as she crossed her arms tight over her chest. “Step back, please. It’s not good to have so many people in here. It could compromise Zac’s health.”
    “We don’t want that.” Nate turned to the crew. “Let’s just have the camera, then. The rest of you wait in the hall.”
    “But the lighting—”
    “Will be just fine.”
    “And the footage—”
    “Will either be good, or it won’t.” Nate took a step toward the group, ushering them back. “Either way, it’s not up for debate. Go grab a cup of coffee. I’ll text you when we’re finished.”
     
     
     
     

4
     
    Nate waited while Shayna slipped the sheet over Zac, carefully tucking it in around his shoulders. With the IV line