Grand Slam

by Tracie Delaney

  Tally wrinkled her nose. “Of course. I’d forgotten.”

  “Don’t worry about it for now. It’ll be a while before she’s ready to come home. We can see how it goes.”

  Tally handed the empty vial to Shelley and opened the incubator, touching Darcey’s warm little body with the back of her hand.

  “I never did thank you for agreeing to move to London. I know how much you miss home.”

  Cash shook his head. “No, you were right. Our place in Ireland is great, but it’s too remote. We can always go back for weekends, and when she’s older, maybe then we can think about moving back permanently.”

  His phone buzzed with an incoming call, earning him a sharp glance from Shelley. “It’s Mum,” he said, standing up. “I’ll take it outside.”

  He closed the door with a quiet click, and Tally watched as he sauntered down the corridor. He still had the best arse she’d ever seen.

  “Looking forward to her coming off the ventilator later?” Shelley said.

  Tally dragged her attention back into the room. “Can’t wait. Does that mean I’ll be able to hold her?”

  “It does.”

  A thrill of excitement ran through her, and goose bumps sprang up on her arms, making the hairs stand on end. “I can’t believe she’s well enough to come off it today.”

  “Yeah. She’s a tough one.”

  “Takes after her dad,” Tally said. “He’s made of strong stuff.”

  “He’s passed it on to his daughter, then.”

  “How long do you think she’ll have to stay?”

  Shelley shrugged. “Difficult to say. But if she carries on doing as well as she has the last twenty-four hours, I would say she’ll be ready to go home in a few weeks once she’s put some weight on.”

  “Mum’s here,” Cash said, sticking his head around the door. “I’ll go and get her.”

  “Great,” Tally said, smiling broadly. She couldn’t wait to show off her daughter.

  “Do you get on well with your mother-in-law then?” Shelley asked.

  “Extremely,” Tally said, even though the title of mother-in-law wasn’t quite accurate yet. “She’s like the mother I never had.”

  Shelley gave her a sympathetic look. “Oh, I’m sorry, sweetie.”

  Tally shook her head. “Don’t be. My mum walked out on me and my dad when I was four. And now I’ve got Darcey, I understand that decision even less. I can’t imagine ever being able to leave her.”

  “Yes, I’m sure,” Shelley murmured.

  A tap on the window alerted her, and she turned her head. Rachael couldn’t have been smiling any wider. Her smile was so wide that her cheeks had to be aching. Tally waved while Cash ushered his mother into the room.

  “Oh my goodness.” Rachael squeezed some hand gel into her palms and rubbed them together. “She’s so beautiful.”

  “Here,” Cash said, pulling up a chair so his mother could sit.

  Rachael hugged Tally warmly. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t here, darling. Are you okay?”

  “Don’t worry. It didn’t exactly go according to plan.”

  “But look at her,” Rachael said. “May I?”

  “Go ahead,” Tally said, unfastening one of the two round plastic coverings that allowed access inside the incubator.

  Rachael touched Darcey’s foot. “She looks so much like you, Cash.”

  “So everyone keeps saying. Poor kid.”

  Rachael gave him an admonishing look. “You were a beautiful baby, and you’re beautiful now.”

  “You got that right.” Tally looked up at him.

  Cash kissed the top of her head. “How about we leave Grandma with Darcey and I take you for some breakfast.”

  She felt a momentary stab of panic. Surely it was too soon to leave her?

  “Please,” Rachael said eagerly. “It would give me time to get to know my granddaughter.”

  Cash folded his fingers around Tally’s hand and tugged her to her feet. “Come on, babe.”

  “A coffee would be good,” Tally admitted, and as if the universe was plotting against her, her stomach rumbled. “And a bacon sandwich,” she added with a grin.

  She must have glanced over her shoulder five times between leaving the NICU and disappearing through the door at the end of the corridor. She didn’t miss Cash rolling his eyes. Maybe it was different for guys, but her anxiety levels increased every time she was away from her daughter.

  “Relax.” Cash squeezed her hand. “I know it’s difficult. It is for me too.”

  “Is it?” she said, a note of hysteria leaking into her tone.

  “Yes,” he said reassuringly. “But you have to calm down.”

  “Oh God,” she groaned. “I’m going to be one of those mothers, aren’t I? I’ll be acting all weird and neurotic every time my precious offspring is out of sight.”

  Cash laughed. “Give yourself a break. She’s only a day old, and we weren’t exactly expecting her yet.” He put his arm around her shoulder and kissed her temple. “I get it.”

  She leaned into him, hoping his strength would bolster her. “I don’t know what I would do without you.”

  “You’ll never have to find out.”

  By the time Cash had put a steaming cup of coffee and a bacon sandwich in front of her, Tally realised how right he’d been to make her take a break. With some food inside her stomach and a good slug of caffeine, her earlier panic subsided.

  “I hate it when you’re right,” she said, tearing off another chunk of sandwich. “This is really good.”

  “Life would be easier if you did exactly what I said, without argument,” Cash teased.

  “Dream on,” she said.

  He grinned. “Gotta have goals.”

  “Speaking of which,” Tally said, giving him a firm, no-nonsense stare, “when are you getting back on tour?” A dart of sadness swept through her as she realised they’d had this conversation several times over the course of their relationship.

  Cash teased his beard with his fingertips. “I don’t know. A while. With Darcey coming early, and Kinga… my head’s not in it.”

  Tally groaned. “I feel awful.”

  “Why?”

  “Because yet again, I’m keeping you from doing what you love.”

  Cash clasped her hand, a mischievous expression on his face. “Yes, you are. Six weeks, the doctor said when I asked him.”

  Tally frowned, and then she clapped a hand over her mouth. “You didn’t.”

  “Oh yes, I did,” he said, looking rather pleased with himself. “Still, I’m sure there’s other stuff we can try.” He winked.

  “I can’t believe you spoke to the doctor about when we could have sex.” She giggled. “You have no shame.”

  “Sweetness, I don’t think it’s a secret we have sex. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have Darcey, and besides, it’s going to be fucking difficult keeping my hands off you, so I wanted to know the boundaries.”

  “Even with my jiggly bits.” She wobbled her flabby post-pregnancy belly, which still looked as if she had a baby inside.

  Cash scowled, his light mood dissipating like a puff of air. “Don’t, Natalia. Just fucking don’t, or I am seriously going to lose my temper.”

  “Oh, come on, Cash. Not exactly attractive, is it?”

  His scowl deepened. “I am not having this fucking conversation,” he hissed. “But it’s good to know you think I’m so shallow that my absolute idolisation of you is purely skin-deep.”

  He launched himself to his feet, causing the chair he’d been sitting in to scrape loudly against the floor. Several heads turned their way as Cash stormed out of the hospital canteen, his back rigid, fists clenched by his side.

  Tally sighed. They’d been having such fun. Why did she have to go and ruin it with her hang-ups? She recalled a conversation she’d had with her dad when she was thirteen. She was way more developed than most of her friends at school, and she’d taken to wearing huge jumpers to cover her breasts, which had become
a fascination for boys and girls alike. When her dad tackled her about her radical change in clothing, she told him she was saving up to have them cut off. He’d laughed and ruffled her hair and told her not to worry about it, that her friends were jealous because she was growing up faster than they were. She’d always struggled with her desire to be stick thin. Unfortunately, she had a body frame that would never bend to that shape. She knew how much Cash hated it when she was hard on herself, but she couldn’t seem to stop picking the thread.

  She rose from the chair and followed him outside. He hadn’t gone far. He was resting his palms against a floor-to-ceiling window, his shoulders hunched as he stared down into the hospital gardens. He flinched when her hand landed on his back, and she did her best not to follow suit.

  “Sorry, ace.”

  He hesitated and then turned his gaze on hers. “I hate it when you do that.”

  “I know.”

  “Then why?”

  She chewed her lip. Simple question. Difficult to answer. “I don’t know. I’ve always been the same. I saw a photo of my mother once, in a shoebox in my dad’s wardrobe.” She grinned at the memory. “I was snooping for Christmas presents. She had exactly the body shape I would have loved. Tall, thin, great legs. I’ve always thought one of the reasons she left is that I must have been such a disappointment to her.”

  Cash’s eyes softened, and he held out his arms. She went to him willingly, tucking her head under his chin. He kissed the top of her head.

  “Baby, you were four when your mother left. Whatever the reason, I doubt it was because she looked into the future and saw you might not quite fit into size-eight jeans. If I can say anything to reassure you, it’s this: I love your curves. I adore every single thing about your body.” He withdrew slightly, allowing their eyes to meet. “And your ‘jiggly bits,’ as you so eloquently put it, are what allowed our daughter to be born. Are you saying you’d change that?”

  Tally shook her head vigorously. “Absolutely not.”

  “Then stop, okay? If you seriously want to get fitter, when your body has had time to recover, we’ll do it together. But know this. I. Don’t. Care.”

  She tilted her face up, and he took her cue, his mouth covering hers for too brief a moment. When he pulled back, she mourned the loss of contact.

  “I could kiss you all day,” Cash said. “But I figure it might be time to feed the baby.”

  “What makes you say that?” Tally said with a frown.

  Cash glanced down, a cheeky grin gracing his face. “Because, sweetness, you’re leaking on me.”

  34

  Cash watched through the window as Natalia lifted Darcey from her cot. His daughter was bawling, her little face screwed up as she railed at whatever outrage had irked her. Natalia cradled the baby over her shoulder, her mouth moving as she talked to Shelley. He tried to lip read but couldn’t make out what she was saying.

  How had he got so lucky? He was so in love, so obsessed, he could barely remember life before his daughter came along five weeks ago.

  As though sensing his adoring gaze through the window, Natalia turned. She smiled and waved him inside. As soon as he walked through the door, she held Darcey out in front. “Someone wants her daddy, I think. Maybe you’ll have better luck calming her.”

  He took Darcey from Natalia and settled her in the crook of his left arm. “It’s because she knows she’s leaving hospital today, and it’s probably scary going somewhere new,” he said, rocking her. “After all, this is all she knows.”

  Within a minute, he’d appeased her. She curled her hand tightly around his outstretched finger and gurgled.

  Natalia shook her head. “How do you do it?”

  Cash grinned. “Luck of the Irish, baby,” he said, kissing Darcey’s forehead before laying her gently back in her cot. He tucked her in, and she made a contented snuffling noise and promptly fell asleep.

  “Clearly,” Natalia said as she folded Darcey’s blanket. She added it to the suitcase full of things their daughter had collected since her birth and extended stay in hospital. “Jeez, babies need a lot of stuff.”

  “I can’t wait to get out of here.” Cash moved behind Natalia and curved his arms around her waist. “It’s been a long five weeks.”

  She leaned into him. “Are the press outside?”

  “Yes, but don’t worry—Isaac’s waiting for us. He’ll have the car ready to go. Just ignore them.”

  Natalia made a soft sigh. “You’d think, given the length of time you’ve been out of the public eye, they wouldn’t be interested.”

  “We’ll soon be home. A quick run of the gauntlet, and we’re free,” Cash said, turning her in his arms. He pressed a soft kiss to her lips.

  “Knowing my luck, I’ll trip over the hem of my skirt and go splat on the pavement. Think what an amazing photo opportunity that will be.”

  Cash grinned. “I won’t let you fall, baby.”

  “Is Rachael at home?”

  “Yep. And Emmalee, and Rupe. And Pete.”

  “Is anyone else coming?”

  He stroked his beard thoughtfully. “William said if Kinga’s feeling up to it, they may pop over.”

  “No Brad or Jamie?”

  “Oh yeah, them too.”

  Natalia chuckled. “So we’re having a massive welcome home party?”

  “You weren’t supposed to guess.”

  She narrowed her eyes. “Tell me you’re joking.”

  He painted on the most innocent face he could muster. “Sweetness, would I?”

  A soft sigh escaped her lips. “Okay, I’ll play ball on one condition.”

  “Name it.”

  “They get one hour to fawn over the baby, and then that’s it. I want them gone.” She rested her forehead on his shoulder. “I want it to be us. You and me and Darcey, relaxing in our own home, sharing a glass of wine and a bit of peace.”

  “Okay. One hour. Might need to make that wine nonalcoholic, though, baby.”

  Natalia twisted out of his arms and returned to Darcey’s suitcase. She reopened it, pulling out several bottles of expressed milk. She held them aloft while wearing a triumphant look. “I’ve thought of everything.”

  Cash laughed. “I’m so glad being a mother hasn’t dampened your spirit.”

  Natalia grinned. “I haven’t had a drink in over eight months. Eight very long months. Tonight, I want nothing more than to sit on the sofa with my seriously hot fiancé beside me and a very cold glass of Chablis nestling right here.” She held her hand up in a semicircle and tapped her palm. “With any luck, Darcey will be exhausted from being passed around and fall fast asleep.”

  “Hot fiancé?” Cash said with a raised eyebrow. He caught her hips and tugged her closer, whispering in her ear, “That makes me think of all sorts of possibilities.”

  Natalia pulled back a little and met his gaze. Laughter lines crinkled the edges of her stunning blue eyes, drawing him in as they always had. “Well, seeing as we have around a week to go, let’s see how creative you can be, ace.”

  “Oh, baby,” he said in a teasing tone. “That sounds awfully like a challenge.”

  Natalia picked up one of the bags and thrust it at him. “You always did love a challenge.”

  As they got set to leave, Shelley appeared and gave them both a hug.

  “You’ve been amazing,” Natalia said. “We couldn’t have got through this without you.”

  “It’s been my absolute pleasure, sweetie. Don’t take this the wrong way, but I’m delighted you’re going home.”

  Cash kissed her cheek. “So are we. Thanks for everything.”

  Shelley ducked her head to hide the flush that swept across her face. “Good luck, you guys. Not that you’ll need it.”

  Cash picked up the bags while Natalia cradled Darcey. As he ushered her out of the NICU, she glanced up at him, her eyes sparkling with laughter. “Still got it, ace,” she said, jerking her head back.

  Cash rolled his eyes. “She’s older tha
n my mother.”

  A few of the staff had gathered in the reception area to say goodbye, but a throng of photographers who were camped on the pavement outside the hospital caught Cash’s attention. The sliding doors at the entrance were tinted, making it difficult for the photographers to see inside, but Cash counted at least twenty. Isaac had the back door to the car open, his large frame dwarfing the people around him. As Cash’s eyes met Natalia’s, panic flitted across her face.

  “It’s okay,” he said. “Here, give Darcey to me.”

  He nestled the baby into his arms and pulled up her blanket so her face couldn’t be seen. The hospital security guard kindly picked up their bags and ventured outside. The minute the automatic doors opened, multiple flashes went off, almost blinding him.

  He cursed, tucked Natalia’s hand inside his, and made a beeline for the car. As soon as Isaac spotted them, he muscled a few overly keen paps out of the way, leaving the pathway clear. The noise was intense with photographers and reporters shouting demands and instructions.

  He urged Natalia into the car and climbed in beside her. Isaac slammed the door. Cash strapped Darcey into the car seat.

  “Go, Isaac,” he said as the camera flashes continued to intrude into the car.

  They moved away from the hospital, leaving the paparazzi behind, and Cash took a breath. As he blew it out, he released the enormous tension that had been riding him hard for the last five weeks.

  “You okay, babe?” he said, tucking a lock of hair behind Natalia’s ear.

  “I am now. I’ve been dreading that.”

  “I’d love to know where they get their information from.”

  Natalia wrapped her fingers around his. “Don’t sweat it, ace.”

  Cash almost growled, the noise rumbling low in his chest. “It was bad enough before, but now…” He pressed his finger to his daughter’s hand, and Darcey automatically grabbed on. A flush of intense love swept through him, taking his breath away.

  “I know,” Natalia said softly, correctly reading the rapt expression on his face. “Makes you look at things in a whole new way.”

  As the car turned into the narrow driveway that led up to the Victorian detached property he and Natalia now called home, their family and friends were camped outside. Cash began to regret agreeing to the welcoming committee, especially when a soft sigh escaped Natalia’s lips.