A Humble Heart (Hollywood Hearts #1)(42)

“You did a great job,” Rick said. He walked over and kissed her cheek. “They’re going to do the interview tomorrow at your house at three. Is that okay? Amy will be there to make sure things go smoothly. I have to say that was a good choice giving Amy the job,” Rick said, smiling.

Edward looked confused. She shrugged. “I fired her.”

His eyebrows shot up.

“Then I gave her a new position. She’s my representative, basically my agent.”

“Damn,” Edward gasped.

“She’s good,” she said honestly.

He nodded his agreement. “We can share her.”

Edward led her to his car, rushing her before she could pull her pants on so that she was stuck sitting damn near bare ass on his leather seat. She pulled the shirt down to cover her legs. He looked over and grinned.

He reached over and took her hand into his while he drove. She gently ran her fingers over his skin. He felt warm and safe. She couldn’t remember the last time she enjoyed holding a man’s hand. She hadn’t enjoyed anything with a man for a while and with Edward it was explosive.

*********

“Mommy!” Elizabeth yelled, running towards them through the living room. Dana bent to pick up her daughter.

“How was your day?” Dana asked.

“I missed you! How was the photo shoot? What did you wear?” She inquired as she looked to see her mother was wearing nothing but a long sleeve shirt.

“I wore a black bikini today, sweetie. It was…uh, interesting,” she said, kissing her daughter’s forehead.

“Really? Can I wear one like it?” Elizabeth asked excitedly.

“Over my dead body,” Edward growled, giving Elizabeth a kiss. Dana smiled and put her daughter down. Edward was a sweet man who honestly cared about her children. He was so different from Jeff.

“Cole?” Edward called loudly, walking through the house.

A high pitched scream froze all three of them in place.

Chapter 8

“Cole?” Edward took off running towards the scream that wouldn’t stop. He shoved open the kitchen door to find Cole on the ground, holding his arm against his body. All the color in his face was gone.

It only took a few seconds for Edward to figure out what happened. The burner was on and a turned over saucepan was on the floor. Water was all over the floor and Cole’s shirt and shorts.

“Oh god, baby boy!” He ran forward and shut the burner off. He picked up Cole and ran with him to the guest bathroom with Dana hot on his heels. He turned the shower on and set it to cool. He gently stripped Cole’s clothes off. Large blisters were forming all over the bright red skin that covered his arm, stomach and leg.

“Baby, call 911!” he yelled.

Dana dropped her clothes and pulled her cell phone out from her pants. As the phone rang she pulled on her pants and comforted Elizabeth, who was now hysterical. She watched as Edward placed Cole in the shower and held him down. Cole screamed as the water touched his skin.

“911, what’s your emergency?”

“I need an ambulance at 623 Long Point Road. My three year old son just burned himself with boiling water. He has second degree burns covering more than half his body,” Dana said, trying to remain calm and put all her old EMT training to use.

“Okay, an ambulance and fire are five minutes out. What are you doing for him now?”

“My boyfriend has him in the tub cooling his burns off,” Dana said, not realizing or caring at the moment what she called Edward. Cole was her only concern.

Cole’s screams got worse. Edward stepped into the tub and cradled Cole in his arms holding him under the water. He kissed Cole’s head repeatedly. “It’s okay, little man. I’m here, I’m here.”

“Ma’am, what happened?” the operator asked.

“I don’t know. I just came home. I left the kids with a babysitter from the White Sands agency.”

“Where is she?”

“That’s a damn good question. I’m going to find out right now.” She dropped to her knees in front of a sobbing Elizabeth. “Baby girl, where’s the baby sitter?”

“The green guest bedroom with her friend,” Elizabeth sobbed. Edward’s eyes shot up. There was pure fury in his eyes.

“Hold on,” Dana told the operator.

“Stay here with Uncle Edward, sweetheart, and help out.” She made her way out of the bathroom to the guest room. She opened the door to find a very na**d babysitter and man passed out on the bed. Liquor bottles littered the floor. She closed the door slowly, deciding to leave them to the police. “She’s passed out in one of the rooms with a man. There’s alcohol in the room!”

“Is she still there, ma’am?” the operator asked.

“Yes, I didn’t wake her. Please send the police, I’m filing charges,” Dana said.

“I’m way ahead of you, ma’am.” the dispatcher said.

She made her way back to Edward. Cole was still crying. “It hurts!”

“I know, buddy,” Edward said. He was completely drenched now. He looked up. “Where is she?”

“She’s in the bedroom passed out with a man, alcohol everywhere,” Dana said, trying to hold back her own anger. She'd never seen anyone look more furious that Edward at that moment.