Babies and Badges. Laura Altom Marie

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      Great idea!

      While Cassie was still recovering, honor would never permit him to leave her of his own free will. But since Nurse Nasty was still giving him the evil eye, and Cassie had told him to leave, and not to mention the fact that she was about to bare her breasts, Noah made a final round of kisses, then high-tailed it out of the room.

      “THAT’S QUITE A MAN you’ve got there,” the nurse said to Cassie while making a note on her chart.

      “Thanks, but Noah’s not my man. He’s my guardian angel.”

      And speaking of angels…

      The sleeping angel Cassie held in her arms took her breath away. Had there ever been a more beautiful sight?

      Apple-blossom-pink cheeks and a tiny scrunched nose. And that shock of red curls! Guess those old wives’ tales about heartburn had been right!

      Emotion swelling, Cassie blinked back tears.

      For the miracle she now held in her arms, every bit of the anguish she’d been through over Tom had been worth it.

      Not only was she alive, but she was holding her very much alive baby in her arms, with another perfect baby waiting in line for her breakfast, as well.

      And just think, she had this double blessing and her own life all because of Noah. Though the actual delivery of her babies had become a blur, he was the one thing about her ordeal that she’d never forget. His soothing voice, and the way he’d held her hand, urging her not to give up.

      Starting at the still-warm spot on her forehead where Noah had planted his tender kiss, a quiet contentment crept through her.

      “Given any thought to names?” the nurse asked, reading the card on a pink carnation bouquet.

      Of course. Since Tom’s death, Cassie planned her days down to the minute, and since the end of her second trimester she’d known the girls would be named Rachel, after her mother, and Ruth, after her grandmother, but now…

      Now she wasn’t so sure.

      “Was this baby born first?” Cassie asked, gazing at the infant in her arms.

      The nurse nodded, reading the cards on lilac and then peach roses.

      “Then she’ll be Noelle.”

      The nosy nurse smiled and nodded approvingly. “And her sister?”

      “I don’t know.” Cassie grinned, skimming her finger along Noelle’s tiny strawberry-blond brows. “I think I’ll just dream up something when I meet her.”

      Noelle woke with a start, scrunching her mouth into a full-blown squall.

      “I take it that means she’s hungry?”

      The nurse nodded before talking Cassie through the breastfeeding procedure.

      Far from what the many books Cassie had read on nursing had told her, there was nothing simple about it! Still, after a few rough starts, by the time the nurse brought in Cassie’s second baby, then left mother and daughter on their own, Cassie felt like an old pro.

      Now that her latest diner had eaten her fill, then promptly fallen back to sleep, Cassie took her time memorizing her dear face—not hard since she looked exactly like her sister!

      “What should I name you?” she asked, smoothing her hand over her second daughter’s silken crown.

      A knock sounded on the door, and Cassie looked up. “Come in.”

      “Hey. How’s it going? Everyone decent?” Noah popped his head around the edge of the oversized door.

      “Hi,” Cassie said, unprepared for the rush of warmth flooding her system on hearing his voice—let alone meeting his warm, brown gaze and easy smile.

      “Hi.” The paper rustling of shopping bags bursting with gifts preceded him into the room.

      “What in the world?”

      He dumped his purchases on the room’s spare bed. “Thought you and the girls might need a few things.” Out came matching Malibu Barbies and tea sets and stuffed bunnies and ducks and rattles and teething key rings and pink, purple and yellow dresses with ruffled skirts bigger than both babies combined.

      “A few things?” Cassie laughed. “Noah, from the looks of it you’ve got the girls set up with enough gear to last them from infancy straight through to college.”

      Drawing the guest chair away from the window to the head of her bed, he shrugged. “I figure what can it hurt to plan ahead?”

      While he sat, she grinned. “Tea sets, Noah? They can’t even sit up.”

      “What can I say? They were on sale.”

      His easy smile stole any further protests she might have launched. And then his expression turned strangely serious. Leaning forward, he reached for her closest hand, enfolding it in his.

      She swallowed hard, willing her pulse to slow.

      “I’m so glad you and the girls are out of the woods,” he said. “I know all of these presents must seem like overkill, but I’m just so damned relieved.”

      “Me, too,” Cassie said, licking her lips. “I’m not sure how I’ll ever repay you.”

      “Your smile is all the thanks I need.”

      “Yes, well…” Suddenly shy, and unsure of the complex emotions that made the back of her throat ache, Cassie gave his hand a quick squeeze before releasing him. “That might be good enough for you,” she finally managed to say. “But I’m going to think of something more grand.”

      He cleared his throat. “Like naming Noelle for me wasn’t already a pretty grand gesture? They put her name on a card in front of her bassinet.”

      “Who said she was named for you?” Cassie teased with a sassy wink.

      “Ouch.” Noah clutched his chest. “Talk about zinging an arrow straight through my heart.”

      After they’d shared another laugh, he reverently feathered his fingers across her baby’s curls, reminding Cassie of how good that same touch had felt to her yesterday afternoon in the back of his SUV.

      Squeezing her eyes briefly shut, she returned to that moment. To the wonder of being cocooned in Noah’s strength. Even though today his comforting hand touched her baby, his kindness still managed to touch her soul.

      “So?” he asked. “You come up with a name for this one yet?”

      “Nope.”

      “Hmm…how about Joelle?”

      Nose wrinkled, Cassie said, “Thanks, but I don’t think so.”

      “No rhymes?”

      She СКАЧАТЬ