Family Matters

Family Matters
Joan Kilby

From darkness to light…Marc Wilde once prided himself on living up to his last name. He was a respected foreign war correspondent and former champion snowboarder, but his life took a brutal twist when a bomb blast in the Middle East landed him in a wheelchair with only a tentative chance of recovery.Frustrated and back at home in Whistler, Marc finds himself turning to drink to obliterate his shattered reality. That is until Fiona Gordon–living with tragedy and responsibilities of her own–helps him understand his future is wide open, full of light…and even love.As hard as he tries, Marc finds it's impossible to remain cynical around Fiona. But as the reality of his life sinks in, Marc must decide to choose life–and overcome his greatest fear–or risk losing Fiona forever.

“You’re taking my plight awfully seriously. How about you help me?”

With a little laugh Fiona backed away. “I’m not qualified to do more than get you another coffee.”

“Have dinner with me,” Marc said.

“No. Thank you. I have other plans.”

Marc wheeled after her. “Tomorrow?”

“I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“I just can’t.”

“Won’t, you mean,” Marc said bitterly. “Because I’m in a wheelchair.” In his heart he couldn’t blame her. What woman wanted to go out with a cripple?

“It’s not because your legs don’t work. Your real handicap is your attitude.”

Her challenging gaze held his until Fearless Marc Wilde had to look away.

Dear Reader,

Writing Family Matters required me to “take a giant step outside my mind,” as the saying goes. Timid ol’ me had to delve into the psyche of Marc Wilde, whose greatest thrill is meeting physical danger head-on. When Marc ends up in a wheelchair not knowing if he’ll ever walk again, once more I found myself in foreign territory, navigating by empathy, imagination and a lot of help from people who’d been there.

When I began writing this book I worried that a story about a hero in a wheelchair might be depressing to readers. Through my research I learned not only the hardships and difficulties paraplegics face, but about their ability to achieve rich, full lives. These men and women are true heroes whose stories are a triumph of the human spirit and a tribute to the joy of simple things.

Marc’s recovery is assisted by Fiona Gordon, whose combination of tough love and compassion raises his spirits and helps him find meaning in his new life. Ultimately Marc must face his demons alone and find the courage to let Fiona go to live the life she’s always longed for.

For me, Family Matters, the second book in THE WILDE MEN trilogy, became an uplifting story of moral courage and the healing power of love. Does Marc walk again? You’ll have to read the book to find out—no peeking at the final pages, please! I hope you’ll agree that by the end of Marc and Fiona’s story (which is really just the beginning) whether he walks or not truly is irrelevant. One thing we can always count on in a romance is a happy ending, and Family Matters is no exception.

I love to hear from my readers. Please write to me at P.O. Box 234, Point Roberts, WA 98281-0234, or e-mail me at www.joankilby.com.

Sincerely,

Joan Kilby

Family Matters

Joan Kilby

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

I would like to thank physiotherapist Clifford Leckning and Dr. David Brumley for their invaluable advice and information regarding the nature of spinal injuries and their treatment and recovery. Any errors are mine.

My thanks and admiration go to a certain paraplegic young man—who prefers to remain nameless—for his humor, courage and insight.

My thanks, also, to Sheena Gibbs for introducing me to her beautiful alpacas and telling me all about these fascinating creatures.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER ONE

HE SOARED OFF THE JUMP on his snowboard, looping through the mountain air, the sky a brilliant blue against the diamond-white glacier. Legs braced, he landed with a satisfying crunch on the sparkling ice and, with a rush of adrenaline, whooshed at breakneck speed down Whistler Mountain….

“Another drink, buddy?” the barmaid asked.

Marc opened his eyes to find an empty glass clutched in his fingers and his dead legs draped uselessly over his wheelchair.

The Pemberton Hotel pub in midafternoon swam back into his consciousness—glasses clinking, pool balls clunking and football on the big-screen TV in the corner. Home after a month in a rehabilitation hospital in Israel, Marc spent most of his time either lying in bed staring at the ceiling or here at the pub. This vast room with its clientele of truckers, loggers and laid-off railway workers was preferable to the fancier drinking establishments in Whistler, frequented by skiers and mountain climbers who reminded him of everything he’d lost.