One Summer in Santa Fe Read Online Free

had little time to feel sorry for herself or grieve the loss. So she’d found strength that she hadn’t known she’d had. Anything else, compared to that, well, just didn’t compare.
    “Well, good. I’d like to pair you up with one of the nurses for the orientation you were supposed to have yesterday, and then we’ll go from there. After yesterday, I’m certain you won’t have any problems.”
    Emily introduced her to her preceptor, and she spent the rest of the morning familiarizing herself with the ER.
    At lunch, she entered the staff lounge to find a sullen-faced Alex sitting with a book on his lap.
    “Hey, kiddo. What’s wrong with you?” she asked, and took a seat beside him. He looked as if he was about to have a meltdown.
    “I’m s-o-o-o bored.” He snapped the book shut and held it out to her to see. By the look of Alex, it certainly was going to be a long, hot summer. “Reading isn’t part of my summer plans. Uncle T. gave me this. Said it was a good book, but I just don’t get it.”
    “I don’t think I got it when I was your age, either. Might have to be a little older to appreciate it. What grade are you going into?”
    “Sixth.” He folded his arms over his chest.
    “What do you want to do instead of reading? Anything?”
    “Yeah, I want to skydive, and climb mountains and ride a motorcycle really fast, just like Uncle T.” For thefirst time today excitement shone in his eyes, and he came alive right in front of her.
    “He does all that, does he?” She was beginning to see worship of Uncle Taylor, Super-Hero, in Alex’s eyes.
    “Yeah, and a whole lot more really cool stuff, like base jumping in Norway. He took videos and it was so awesome.” Alex flopped back against the couch. “But I never get to do anything. I’m gonna be stuck inside all summer.”
    Taylor opened the door to the lounge to check on Alex, but stopped when he heard Piper’s voice. It was soft and filled with compassion. Knowing he shouldn’t listen, he seemed powerless to stop himself.
    “Maybe there’s a day camp you could go to. My younger sister used to go to one when I worked back in San Francisco,” Piper said.
    “Did she like it?” Doubt was heavy in the boy’s voice.
    “Sure did. Had to drag her out of there every day.”
    There was a momentary pause. “What kind of stuff did she do?”
    “Biking, hiking, crafts, and maybe some sewing, I think.”
    “Those are girl things. I want to do guy stuff.” The sigh that followed said it all.
    “Why don’t you talk to your uncle when he comes for lunch?”
    Another pause. “I don’t think he’ll listen to me. He’s kinda like my dad that way. He doesn’t listen, either.”
    Taylor closed his eyes and allowed the door to shut silently. Caroline’s parting words had been not to disappoint Alex as his father had done. What had he done so far with Alex? Total disappointment.
    Determined to fix it right now, he coughed loudly and entered the staffroom.
    “Hey, Alex. How’s it going?” Taylor asked, and glanced between them.
    “I’m sick,” Alex said, and made a face, then clutched his abdomen.
    “Sick?” Taylor frowned and grew concerned. The kid hadn’t been feeling poorly that morning, just ornery because Taylor had dragged him out of bed at the crack of dawn. Maybe bringing him to the hospital had been a bad idea after all. Though he’d been here just a few hours, there were all sorts of bacteria in hospitals that he could easily pick up. “Sick how?”
    “Sick of being here. Can I go back to your house if I promise not to spill anything again? I won’t drink anything. Not even water, I promise,” Alex said, his dark brown eyes beseeching in a way that cut right through Taylor. He ran a hand through his hair. He wasn’t prepared for this. He couldn’t work sixty hours a week and care for a child. That camp thing Piper mentioned might have potential, though. Dammit. He just didn’t have it in him. The family he’d grown up in was