Touched by Death Read Online Free

ankle.
    "Hey, I was just kidding." He shifted out
of the way, sending her an injured look.
    The happy relief in his eyes made her realize just
how much he was hoping she'd come around to his way of thinking. "You'd
better be."
    "If I could give you a few more details,"
Tony interrupted. "You'd be leaving in one week. The plan is to
give it three months and reassess. We've been assured this is a decent
time frame for our needs. There could be some adjustment down the road,
depending on the progress." He glanced down at his notebook. "Of
course…as I said there is a budget in place. So..." He narrowed
his gaze at her. "We'll work out many of the details over there."
    "I have a job here, remember? I'd have to give
notice…not to mention I'd have the problem of no job when I come home."
She frowned. She couldn't walk out on her boss on short notice like
that. Neither could she afford to be jobless when she returned in three
months. Relief swept through her. There's no way she could go. She opened
her mouth to say just that when Duncan spoke first.
    "Now don't be getting mad, Jade, however, I've
spoken with Gerard already after Tony and I discussed the issue in greater
depth."
    " You what?" Her voice came out as an incredulous squeak.
"You called my boss? Are you nuts? I'm lucky he didn't fire me
yesterday."
    Duncan grinned. "On the contrary. And don't forget,
he and I go way back. He actually liked the idea. He thought this placement
might just do the trick for you."
    Now her astonishment turned to anger. Like a too old
rubber band, her emotions seemed to stretch thin and snap easily. "I
don't like you talking about me behind my back."
    "Then don't act in such a way that the people
who care about you feel they need to get involved secretly."
    "Whatever." She shot him a fulminating look.
Why did big brothers only come in arrogant, high-handed models? Her
anger flowed until he spoke again.
    "He cares and so do I. The bottom line is you
can leave for three months and your job will be here when you get back."
    Her protests died on her tongue. She was too weary
to continue the fight. A fight she knew he'd win. He loved her. It was
hard to argue with her self-proclaimed saviour. Besides, he was right.
She couldn't continue on the same self-destructive path. Someone had
to do something.
    That someone had been him.
    Now it was up to her.

***
    Dane walked toward the main house, tucking his t-shirt
into faded jeans, admiring the play of the sun on the bright trumpet-like
flowers bouncing in the breeze. Haiti had a lot to offer. At least this
area. The countryside was green and lush, the rolling hills and white
beaches some of the nicest he'd ever seen. The people were wholesome
and strong in faith even after the disasters they'd faced. He'd loved
his time here.
    It was coming to an end; he knew that. His future
didn't lie here. He knew he'd wake up one day and know it was time to
go home. He hoped it would be after the birth of his niece or nephew.
    "Aren't you up early today?" His brother's
voice came from the vicinity of the patio.
    "Look who's talking." Dane grinned at his
brother, unshaven and tousled, huddling over a large mug of coffee.
"Bad night?"
    "Tasha said the baby was playing soccer with
her bladder all night. She must have gotten out of bed a dozen times."
    Dane barely held in his laughter. "Ah the joys
of impending fatherhood." He walked toward the kitchen door. "Did
you leave any coffee in the pot?"
    "I left some. I don't know that Tasha did."
    Dane grimaced. Tasha was pretty reasonable most of
the time, but he'd been witness to a few of her 'I'm pregnant, don't
mess with me' moments. And they seemed to be more frequent now. He stuck
his head inside first, gauged the small room to be empty and strode
over to the coffee pot where he quickly grabbed a cupful and made a
fast exit.
    Back outside, his brother was chuckling. "Made
it I see. She's gone back to bed, anyway, so I