Читать книгу A Christmas to Remember - Rebecca Moesta - Страница 13

Chapter 9

Light streamed through the window, waking her. She found herself on a soft mattress, propped up on pillows and cuddling a stuffed animal. A small dog lying on the bed by her legs barked twice at her. She glanced around, trying to place where she was, but the room was unfamiliar. From beside the bed, a blond-haired little girl holding a doll watched her.

“Hi. I’m Daisy. I’m four and a half.” The girl’s smile was bright and friendly as she rattled on. “This is my bedroom, but you can sleep in here if you want to. Sometimes my friends sleep over. That’s my dog, Biscuit. And this is my doll, Sally. Do you have a doll?”

What a sweet, bubbly little girl.

Jennifer opened her mouth to reply, but no answer came to mind. “I don’t think so.” Was she just feeling groggy from sleep? She sat up against the pillows, hoping the new posture would make her more alert. Strange. It hadn’t been a difficult question, so why didn’t she know the answer?

Daisy turned toward the door and yelled, “The pretty lady woke up.”

Seconds later, a man came into the room. He appeared to be in his forties and tall—over six feet—with short brown hair and intense blue eyes. Definitely handsome. The thought surprised her. It wasn’t normal for her. Or was it? Suddenly, she wasn’t sure. Anyway, the man was a total stranger. Should she be worried?

“Where am I?” she asked him.

He approached the bed and spoke in a calm voice, as if afraid he might startle her. “You’re okay. You’re in our home. I’m John Blake, and this is my daughter, Daisy. How are you feeling?”

Her muscles ached, and her head throbbed, so this answer came more easily. “Um, kind of beat-up.” She groaned, put her hands to her head, and rubbed her temples.

“Don’t worry. He’s a doctor,” Daisy said, hugging her doll as if unconsciously trying to comfort Jennifer.

“He is?” That sounded hopeful.

“A doctor for animals,” Daisy amended.