“She was just walking. A bunch of us were by the lake—you know how Tim and Sonny love fishing. We were all hanging out. So when she came into view, we watched her. Then she just dropped like a rock.”
“Damn!” Jackson saw the crowd of men. He began to run.
The men parted so Jackson could get to the center of the group. Tim knelt beside her, gently shaking her shoulder and calling her name.
There on the ground lay Jackson’s new secretary. Her blond hair spread around her like a nimbus, highlighting the rusty-brown color of the ground. Her legs were bent, her arms outstretched. Her eyes were closed and her chest rose and fell quickly.
Jackson swallowed hard and stooped down.
“Mandy?” He shook her gently. He glanced around. “Did she trip on something? Who saw her fall?”
“A lot of us, boss,” Tom Harmon said. “We were all watching her walk along, speculating if she’d speak to us on her way back, when she seemed to stumble, then just crumpled up. She didn’t hit hard. We didn’t see any rocks around.” The ground was strewn with a thick carpet of pine needles, which would have softened the hard-packed earth.
Jackson gently patted her cheek. “Mandy, wake up.”
Her breathing was rapid and her color pale. He didn’t know what was wrong, but whatever it was, it was worse because she was pregnant.
Slipping his arms beneath her shoulders and knees, he rose, holding her against her chest.
“Someone find Jeff and have him call for an ambulance,” Jackson said, heading toward the trailers. She didn’t weigh a thing. Was she too thin? Against one arm, he could feel the softness of the skin beneath her knees. Her head was nestled on his shoulder, her fragrance swirling around him.
Ignoring the tingling tendrils of awareness, Jackson pushed through the group and began the ascent to the trailers.
She stirred and opened her eyes, blinking a couple of times as she tried to get oriented.
“What happened?” She looked up into Jackson’s face.
“You took a tumble. Knocked yourself out, I think,” he replied.
She rubbed her forehead with one hand and struggled. “Put me down. I can walk.”
“We’ll wait for the paramedics to determine that.”
“I don’t need paramedics. I’m fine. Put me down.”
“Jeff’s calling an ambulance. You’ll be in Julian in no time.”
“I’m not going to Julian. I’m fine!” She pushed against his shoulder. “Really, Jackson, this is embarrassing. Please, put me down.”
He stopped. The group of men trailing behind him stopped. Slowly he set her on her feet, keeping his arm around her shoulders, watching for any sign of weakness.
Mandy drew a deep breath and clutched his free arm. “I do feel a bit wobbly, but that’s all. If I can just sit down, I’ll be fine. Really, no paramedics.”
He glanced at one of the men and nodded toward the office. “Catch Jeff, tell him to hold off on the ambulance for the time being.”
“Forever,” Mandy muttered, glancing around. Color rose in her face. “Good grief,” she murmured softly, “is the entire crew here?”
“I don’t know who’s here and who’s not. It doesn’t matter. Let’s get you to your trailer. Then I want some answers.”
They walked slowly, silently, to her trailer. She clung to his arm, but walked without other assistance. Behind them, the men began to disperse, until only Jackson and Mandy walked up to her steps. She dug her key from her pocket and inserted it. She opened the door, and he followed her in before she could protest.
Twice now she’d interrupted his evening routine. Did she plan to make a habit of it? He scowled. He knew she’d be trouble.
“I’m fine. Thanks for the rescue,” she said, sinking down on her sofa. She leaned back and closed her eyes, her hands resting protectively on her stomach. How was it he seemed to take all the air from the room? He towered over her and she kept her eyes closed to establish a modicum of control over the situation.
“What happened?” His voice was grim.
“I don’t know. I was taking a walk. Then the next thing I knew, you were carrying me up the hill.” She opened her eyes and looked at him. “No small feat these days.”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “You didn’t trip on anything?”
“No, but I have a piercing headache. I had it before I blacked out. I don’t think I hit my head on anything.”
“Altitude sickness, maybe?”
“Shouldn’t be. I walk all the time in Denver.”
“Which is several thousand feet lower in elevation. It takes a while to get acclimated to the high country.”
“Noted.”
“You’re a liability here, Mandy Parkerson. Not only to the job, but to yourself. What if you’d been injured? How long would it take an ambulance to get here?
You’re risking your own safety and that of your baby. You’ll have to leave. We’ll pay you for the week.”
She flew to her feet and glared at him, her hands clenching into fists on her hips. “Now just a minute here, Jackson Witt. You can’t fire me for falling on my own time. I’m not hurt. Thank you for your concern, but I was hired to work for your company, and if you fire me for some trumped-up, bogus reason I’ll sue you up one side and down the other!”
“A cheap price to pay—at least I’ll know you and your baby are safe. It’s too dangerous here for someone in your condition. I don’t want anyone hurt. If you won’t think about yourself, at least consider your child!” He glared at her for a long moment, then spun around and left.
Mandy slowly sank back onto the sofa, her knees weak as wet spaghetti. What had that been about? It almost sounded as if he cared about her safety. Or was it only to minimize any liability to his precious construction site?
“Jackson, what’s going on? Is she all right?” Jeff hurried over from the office, his face creased with worry.
Jackson nodded. “She fell. I think she fainted. It’s not uncommon in pregnant women. And we’re at a higher elevation from Denver. I think she overextended herself. She claims she’s fine, but she’s history. Get rid of her, Jeff. You hired her, you fire her. She’s a danger to herself and that baby.” He strode off, angry with the woman for taking risks. Angry that he even cared.
The ache that took hold wouldn’t let go. Sara had never taken risks. She’d been careful her entire life—especially so when pregnant with Sammy.
And in the end, it hadn’t mattered. It hadn’t been enough.
But to deliberately take a risk when a child was involved was unacceptable. He wouldn’t be a party to it!
Jeff knocked on the trailer door. Mandy answered immediately.
“Hi, Jeff, come in.” Stepping back, she smiled wryly. “I guess you heard.”
“I came to see if you’re all right.”
“Honestly, I don’t know what happened. One minute I’m walking along, the next…” The next she knew she’d been swept into the strongest pair of arms she’d ever felt. Jackson had carried her up the incline from the lake as if she’d weighed nothing.
She could still feel the strength of his arms, the muscles of his chest. She couldn’t ever remember anyone so strong, anyone who handled her so gently.
The