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  “If you love me, then I really am a lucky bastard,” he said gruffly, taking her into their bedroom to prove how much he loved her back.

  Chapter Four

  For the next week, Simon was true to his word, not bringing a single present home to put under the tree. He went into the office for a while almost every day, trying to help cover for Sam. Usually, Simon worked a lot at home in the computer lab, preferring to be out of the public eye. But with Sam and Maddie now having twins who were younger than Ginny, Simon picked up the slack at all of the divisions of Hudson Corporation, going into the office daily to give his brother a break.

  Blond and gorgeous, Sam was the public face of Hudson, the workaholic who was almost always in the office. Since he’d reconnected with Maddie, his priorities had changed, and he spent as much time at home as possible with his wife and children, trying to relieve Maddie of some of the stresses of having twins.

  Surprisingly, Simon stopped at the hospital every afternoon to visit Timmy, much to Kara’s relief. She didn’t want the little boy to be alone, but she didn’t want to take Ginny into the hospital and expose her to viruses and bacteria at such a vulnerable age. Maddie fretted about him too, but she had her hands full with the clinic and her babies. Luckily, the twins were getting easier for Sam and Maddie to handle as they approached their first birthday.

  Kara had been relieved when Simon told her that Timmy was out of the ICU and had been pronounced stable. Eager to see the little boy she adored, she let Helen and Michael babysit one afternoon so she could dash up and see him.

  She drove herself, completely aware of Simon’s agents following her. She smiled, thinking about all the times in the past where she’d hated being followed. Now, not so much. It was Simon’s way of making sure she was safe, and she’d learned to tolerate it because it put her husband’s mind at ease.

  Finding Timmy’s room once she reached the hospital, she froze when she walked through the door.

  “Holy shit,” she whispered to herself, taking in the multitude of items filling the private room. Colorful balloons floated on the ceiling, and every space was full of toys that most seven-year-old boys only dreamed about.

  And there, on the pristine hospital bed, was her husband, with Timmy watching him with focused fascination as he demonstrated something on the laptop resting on his thighs. Simon had his back propped up against the wall, his shoes next to the bed, as he handed the computer to the boy sitting comfortably next to him, who was giving Simon adoring looks as he accepted the electronic device and placed it on his lap.

  “You can do it, Tim,” Simon said gruffly, watching the boy carefully as his small brows narrowed in concentration, trying to do something on the laptop.

  Kara watched, her heart swelling as her husband continued to bark encouraging words at Timmy, trying to help him get through one of his computer games. Simon looked so comfortable, even though the bed was small. He’d shed the jacket of his suit and removed his tie. His white shirt sleeves were rolled up to his elbows and his legs were crossed, his tan socks poking out from beneath his pants.

  Now I know why he was content not to bring presents home. He bought them for Timmy instead.

  She smiled as she looked around the room. Her husband had gone overboard…as usual. As it was, the nurses couldn’t get to Timmy without skirting skateboards, a new bicycle, games, and even stuffed animals. Kara nearly burst out laughing as she saw the enormous teddy bear sitting in one of the chairs, its furry body bigger than its owner’s.

  Oh, Simon.

  He was being so patient with the child, gently correcting him when he made a wrong move on the computer. Their two dark heads were lowered to view the computer screen, looking so natural and sweet together that Kara wanted to weep.

  “Aw, I died,” Timmy squealed tragically, falling back on the bed.

  “You did good,” Simon argued. “You made it through two levels this time.”

  “I’ll keep trying,” the boy replied determinedly. “Do you think I’ll be able to take my stuff with me when I go to a home? They said I can go home soon, but I don’t have a home anymore.” Timmy looked at Simon and scrambled back into a sitting position, fear creeping into his dark eyes.

  Kara’s body slumped against the wall.

  Oh, God.

  She hoped they had found him a good foster home.

  “You’ll be taking it all,” Simon growled. “It’s your stuff.”

  Timmy clambered onto Simon’s lap, giving him an earnest look. “Do you think the people who take me will be nice?” His voice quivered with anxiety, his eyes apprehensive.

  “They’ll be good,” Simon reassured him.

  “I’m scared,” Timmy admitted, throwing his thin arms around Simon’s neck.

  Kara’s heart nearly broke as she watched Simon swallow hard before he wrapped his muscular, protective arms around Timmy’s small body.

  “I think it’s natural to be worried,” Simon told him. “But just think about getting well right now, Tim. I won’t let anything bad happen to you,” he told the boy roughly, protectively.

  “Promise?”

  “I promise,” Simon answered in a graveled, tormented voice.

  Kara blinked back her tears as she moved into the room, unable to bear watching Timmy’s fear and Simon’s anguish a moment longer. “Hey, little man,” she said loudly, cheerfully. “You look better.” Timmy untangled himself from Simon and threw himself into her arms.

  “Kara,” Timmy exclaimed breathlessly. “Look what Simon did.” He gestured around the room as he clung to her. “And he’s teaching me to play Myth World on my very own computer.”

  “Is he now?” Kara raised an eyebrow at her husband. “I see you got an awful lot of stuff in here, Timmy.”

  “I don’t like that name.” Timmy scowled. “It’s a baby name. I’m a guy,” he added, puffing out his tiny chest, sounding like he was parroting something that a certain someone she knew had told him.

  “She’s okay to use it,” Simon grumbled. “It’s just us men who have to use guy names.”

  The little boy nodded. “Okay then. I guess you can still call me Timmy. But Simon calls me Tim.”

  Kara hugged the child, smirking at Simon. “Thank you. I think I’d have a hard time changing names now.”

  Simon shrugged. “It’s a guy thing,” he mumbled somewhat sheepishly.

  She sat on the edge of the bed, watching man and child as they practiced more on the computer games, Timmy’s face lit up like she’d never seen before. He’d been so sick when she’d seen him in the clinic, so lethargic. He’d always been sweet, but so incredibly weak. The little boy needed a haircut; she’d try to remember to bring a comb and scissors tomorrow. Otherwise, he looked like a normal, happy child.

  The nurse came in with a snack and Timmy’s insulin, and Kara and Simon finally left. She found herself feeling depressed as she walked to the parking lot with her husband, even though Timmy was doing well.

  “What’s wrong?” Simon asked anxiously. “Don’t you think he’s doing okay? He looks so much better. And he has a lot of energy now.”

  “Nothing’s wrong really. And he’s doing fine,” she reassured him, threading her fingers through his as they entered the parking lot. “I’m just worried about where he’ll go from here. He has special needs. A diabetic child needs special care, and I’m not certain how easy he’ll be to place in foster care. He needs a good family, somebody patient. He’s such a good boy, and he’s had it so hard,” she answered tearfully.

  “A nurse would make a handy foster parent,” Simon said casually. “And somebody who didn’t care about money, somebody who maybe has…billions of dollars to make sure he has the best care?”

  Kara’s head jerked to the side to meet her husband’s gaze. Was he thinking...?

  “Us?” she asked excitedly. “But we’d have to get approval for foster care,” she warned him, not wanting to get his hopes up.

  “I found out a few days ago that they were
having a hard time placing him. He’ll probably have to go to a group home until they can find a permanent place for him.” Simon’s voice vibrated with frustration and concern. “Baby, I can get us approved. Sam knows the right people. But I think it would be too much for you—”

  “It wouldn’t. I swear. I know exactly what to do, and a team of professionals will be on Timmy’s case. He can get an insulin pump eventually to make things a little easier.” She hesitated, running out of breath. Kara stopped and turned to him as they reached his vehicle. “Please, Simon. I don’t want him to be alone or with strangers for Christmas. He’s had such a hard life. He deserves to be happy for a while.” The thought of Timmy going to a strange group home made her heart clench. She couldn’t stand the image of that happening.

  “Fuck. I can’t let it happen, either,” Simon rasped. “You should have seen his face whenever I brought him something. Every single time, he thought it was for someone else. I don’t think the kid thinks he deserves anything.”

  “So, we can do it?” Kara asked tremulously, holding her breath.

  “We’ll sign the papers, and they’ll come over to check out the penthouse. Then we can take him when he’s discharged,” Simon agreed. “Sam’s ready to push all the paperwork through. I had a feeling you’d want to take him when you found out what was happening. I just worried about putting anything else on your plate right now. Ginny keeps you busy.”

  Kara threw herself into Simon’s arms with a sob. “Thank you. Thank you.” She peppered tiny kisses all over his face.

  “I’ll help as much as I possibly can. Are you sure this won’t be too much?” His voice was concerned and gentle.

  She pulled back to look at him as his arms tightened around her waist. “It won’t. I’ll take a leave of absence from the clinic and stay home. Now that Sam is funding the clinic with donations, we have plenty of staff. Timmy will need constant monitoring for a while.”

  “I like the kid,” Simon admitted gruffly.

  Kara considered that Timmy might remind Simon a bit of himself at that age. They’d been raised in similar circumstances. Unfortunately, there had been no rescue for Simon. “I know,” she answered with a smile, knowing the child was more likely to follow Simon around with hero-worship on his face than spending a lot of time with her. It was obvious that man and boy adored each other. “Will you have time to spend with him? You’re pretty busy.”

  “I’ll make time,” Simon vowed.

  Simon gave his agents instructions to bring Kara’s car home and helped her into his own vehicle.

  They talked about Timmy and their upcoming Christmas all the way home

  Chapter Five

  “I feel like the most unattractive woman in the world. Please explain to me why Sam still pants after me like I’m some sexy goddess,” Maddie Hudson asked her sister-in-law wryly. “I’m constantly exhausted, and I’m carrying even more extra weight than before I had the twins. I haven’t used any makeup in over a year, and I barely have time to shower, so I’m pretty sure I smell like baby poop and formula most of the time.”

  Kara turned her head and smirked at Maddie as they walked slowly through the mall. The guys were at the penthouse watching the kids so the girls could do some Christmas shopping. Maddie did look tired, but she glowed, even without makeup, and she certainly didn’t stink. Her curly red hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and she was dressed in a pair of jeans, and a colorful Christmas sweater. She looked…happy. “Sam doesn’t see anything except you, no matter what your weight might be or how you look. Simon finally…um…convinced me of that a while ago. I think I had a very long case of the baby blues, and we weren’t communicating well,” Kara informed Maddie as they both stopped in front of Starbucks. She thought back for a moment, wishing she’d approached Simon with her feelings earlier. Her husband was insatiable now that he understood how she’d felt, and she loved it.

  “Shall we?” Maddie asked, nodding her head toward the coffee shop.

  “Absolutely,” Kara replied. “I’m addicted to their cookie crumble coffees. I could use a fix. I’ll try not to think about the calories.”

  Maddie snorted as she walked ahead of her. “Like you need to worry?”

  “I did worry,” Kara admitted, ordering her coffee at the counter before replying. “I’ve gained weight, Maddie, and I felt like a hag. I finally told Simon how I felt and he showed me rather convincingly that it didn’t matter.” She handed the cashier a twenty after Maddie ordered her coffee, dumping the change into the tip cup.

  “Sam’s the same damn way, and I know I need to lose weight. But then he kisses me like I’m the only woman in the world for him, and I forget all about it,” Maddie answered, sounding exasperated.

  They picked up their coffees and found a seat in a small booth.

  “Can you believe how different our lives are now from how they were a few years ago?” Kara said with a sigh after taking a long swig of her icy drink. “Sometimes I swear that I’m dreaming, and I’m afraid I’m going to wake up to find I’m still alone and homeless.”

  “And then?” Maddie asked in an amused voice, proceeding to answer the question herself. “And then Simon gets demanding, bossy, and stubborn, so you know it’s not a dream. Let’s face it, if we were going to make our men dreamy and perfect, we’d never get annoyed at them.” Maddie stirred her coffee around with a straw, mixing the whipped cream into her drink.

  Kara chortled. “Okay. But Simon’s almost perfect.”

  Maddie sighed. “So is Sam. He’s so good with the kids. I don’t know how I would have coped in those early days with the twins if not for him. Kade, Asha, Max and Mia were a big help, too.”

  Asha, Maddie’s half-sister, had married into the wealthy Harrison family, and their brother, Max, was a billionaire in his own right.

  “How’s Asha doing with her new little one?” Kara asked, remembering she’d recently given birth to an adorable baby boy.

  Maddie’s face softened. “She’s good. Kade is an incredible father.” She paused for moment before she asked, “How’s Simon coping with Timmy? God, I’m so relieved that you two fostered him. Sam and I considered it, and we probably would have done it had you two not decided to take him. After all he’s been through, he needs a little bit of happiness,” she said wistfully.

  Kara shook her head. “We’re in a better position to do it. The twins are a handful, and Ginny is getting easier as she gets older. Timmy adores her, and she babbles to him constantly. Simon’s great with Timmy, but I think he’s getting really attached. If they find him a family, I’m afraid Simon’s heart will be broken.” And so will mine. They’d only had Timmy with them for a week, but he was quickly becoming part of their family.

  “So, look into adopting him.”

  Oh, how Kara wanted to do that. “I think it’s too soon. They’re still searching to make sure that Timmy doesn’t have any blood family who wants him.”

  “I never had any record of anybody except his mother, and she’s dead,” Maddie said flatly. “I doubt anyone will pop up and want a diabetic child that they’ve never given a damn about before.” In a milder voice, she asked, “Is he stable?”

  Kara swallowed a sip of her drink, nodding her head. “He’s doing great. He even tests his own sugar with supervision. He’s amazing. Simon’s trying to help him catch up on his studies. He was behind in school because his mother stopped sending him after he was diagnosed. Timmy said she didn’t want to be bothered if he got sick at school,” she replied, annoyed with the dead woman who had expired from a lethal level of alcohol. Kara still didn’t know if she’d died before Timmy went into a coma, but she was glad the boy couldn’t really remember much.

  Maddie shot Kara a knowing look. “It sounds like Simon isn’t the only one getting attached.”

  “He’s not. Timmy’s hard not to love,” Kara admitted. “He’s so starved for attention and affection that he’s grateful for every bit of it that he can get. He’s happy, and we love having him with
us.”

  Both women finished their drinks at the same time.

  “I guess we should get shopping,” Maddie said, rising to her feet.

  “The only things I really have to buy are for Simon,” Kara answered, standing up, feeling tall—like she always did—next to the petite redhead beside her. “He was good for a week because he promised he would be, but then all promises were done. He’s been buying gifts for Timmy and Ginny like a maniac.”

  “Same here,” Maddie admitted as she walked out of the Starbucks next to Kara. “It’s crazy. The twins won’t even remember this Christmas, but they have an enormous pile of presents underneath the tree.”

  “You know this all stems from their childhood, Maddie,” Kara said thoughtfully. “They had nothing, so now that they can afford it, they want to give everything to the people they love.”

  “I know,” Maddie answered softly. “It breaks my heart to think of the Christmases they had as boys.”

  Kara stopped abruptly, grabbing Maddie’s arm so she didn’t lose her in the congested mass of holiday shoppers. “Do you have credit cards?”

  “Sure. Lots of them. I’m married to Sam Hudson, remember. They have limits so high it’s terrifying. Did you forget yours?” Maddie asked, perplexed.

  “Nope,” Kara answered with a devious look. “But I’m thinking about doing a lot of frivolous buying right now.”

  “You’re up to something.” Maddie’s expression was playful. “Spill it.”

  Kara explained her idea and her reasoning to Maddie before both women pulled out their credit cards with obscene credit limits and nearly shopped until they both dropped.

  *****

  A few nights later, Simon was doing a nighttime check on Timmy’s blood sugar when the boy asked him, “Do you think there’s really a Santa Clause, Simon? Kara says there is, but he’s never shown up for me before.”