“Okay.”
Nathan didn’t know what else to say. She was right. Everything she said rang true and made sense. Especially the part about hiding. He’d been using science and work to dismiss the reality of the emotion and then to hide from it in case he was wrong. Like Annie had said, it was all crap.
“I have a feeling there’s more of me in you than your father.” Sympathy shadowed her eyes. “When you love, it’s deep and forever.”
He wasn’t going to confirm that he’d just figured out he took after her. “I’m sure my DNA contains characteristics from both of you.”
“It’s okay to talk to me about your feelings.”
“I appreciate that.” But he couldn’t go there. Not yet.
She tilted her head as she studied him. “Why didn’t you tell me the baby is a boy?”
There was only one way she could know that. “You talked to Cindy.”
She nodded. “Because you were not acting at all like yourself. I was worried and figured Cindy was the reason. As it happens, I was right. She told me you asked her to marry you. And that she turned you down flat.”
There was that fist-to-the-gut feeling again. “She had her reasons.”
“She doesn’t think you love her,” Shirley confirmed. “I think she’s wrong, but, along with your fractured childhood, you’re still struggling with your guilt that your feelings for Felicia weren’t enough.”
His gaze jumped to hers and he saw no recrimination there. Only sadness. “Cindy told you?”
“Everything. And for the record, there’s no reason to protect me. I’m always on your side. No matter what. What happened to your wife was incredibly tragic. But it’s not your fault.” She looked down for a moment. “Unlike what you’re doing with Cindy.”
“What does that mean?”
“All I want is for you to be happy. I’m pretty sure Cindy is the key to that. But you’re afraid to take a leap of faith and believe in love.”
Taking his breakfast order. Pouring coffee. Wearing the damn apron. It was all to show him that she cared. Food equals love. And then everything clicked. It might be an alternate universe, but he liked it here.
“So that’s why you made bacon.”
“Now you’re cookin’.” She grinned. “Your future happiness depends on righting the past. It’s my fault your impression of love is screwed up. I’m more sorry about that than you will ever know. Someday I hope you’ll be able to forgive me. But now that I’ve made you aware of the problem, you have to take control. If you mess things up with Cindy now, Nathan, that’s on you.”
Right again, he thought. The words were invasive therapy to his ailing soul.
He grinned at his mother. “I like my eggs over medium. Hash browns. And wheat toast.”
“Coming right up.”
She started to turn away, then stopped and met his gaze. “I do love you, son.” There was a sheen of moisture in her eyes. “The words sound rusty to me. Probably to you, too. But I promise to practice every chance I get. You’d better get used to hearing them.”
“Okay.”
“Now, about Cindy—”
He held up a hand to stop her. “I concur with your diagnosis. My resolve is renewed and I will take appropriate steps to get the desired result.”
“Then I’m glad we had this little chat and cleared the air.”
“Me, too.” More than he could possibly tell her.
“For what it’s worth, Nathan, I’ve done your astrological forecast.” She shrugged. “Don’t look like that. I needed the practice. The thing is, I saw nothing but good things. All the stars and planets are saying love is on the rise. Even the asteroids are—”
“Good to know,” he said.
Shirley nodded. “I’m probably the last person you want to hear advice from, but the appropriate steps with Cindy might get a better result if a romantic gesture was included. A really, really big one. That could be just what the doctor ordered.”
And it was exactly what Nathan had been thinking.
Cindy pushed her housecleaning cart down the empty hall toward the elevator, really starting to feel the extra baby baggage she was carrying. She planned to work right up until her due date because she couldn’t afford to lose the money. In fact, she was worried about how to make ends meet while she was on maternity leave. But then there would be child care expenses when she went back to work.
Marrying Nathan would have solved the problem. Unfortunately it would have created a bigger one. Living without love wasn’t really living at all. So, she’d be poor and if not deliriously happy, at least not miserable with a man who buried himself in work to avoid her.
But maybe he would consider a small loan to tide her over.
“Cindy. Wait up.”
She glanced over her shoulder and saw Harlow. When her friend caught up, she smiled. It was a relief to put her sadness away for a little while. “I heard about the haircut. Very cute.”
Harlow automatically touched the sleek, shiny brunette bob. “Yeah? Not too short?”
“No. It’s perfect for your heart-shaped face. Sophisticated. Flattering, yet with a hint of sexy.”
“You make me sound like a bottle of wine.”
“Mysterious, yet bold—”
“Stop.” Harlow held up a hand. “Where are you off to?”
“I’m on my way to the NICU.” And maybe one day soon she would figure out how to stop hoping to see Nathan there.
“Good. I’m glad I caught you then,” her friend said. “Have you heard the rumors?”
“Which one?”
“That you’re pregnant.”
“Not a rumor. I am pregnant. You know that,” she said, putting her hands protectively over her abdomen.
Harlow nodded, green eyes intense. “Well, people are starting to wonder. Is she putting on weight? Or is that a baby bump. Hospital talk about you has gone viral.”
In spite of the unease trickling through her, Cindy tried to look unconcerned. “Don’t people have better things to do?”
“Well, yeah.” Her friend shrugged. “But in between saving lives and getting sick patients well, we love to talk. And you’re the current hot topic of conversation.”
“Good to know.”
“The thing is, Cindy, you need to be ready if someone confronts you. And they will.” Harlow looked very anxious.
“Even though it isn’t their concern?”
“Yeah, well, people have a funny way of deciding what is and isn’t of concern to them. You can still put them off and keep them guessing, but not for much longer. Then the questions will really start flying.”
“Like who the father is,” Cindy guessed.
“Bingo.” The other woman nodded emphatically, but it didn’t shake the worry out of her expression.
“What should I say if they ask me if I’m pregnant?”
“In my opinion as your good friend, the truth would be best. But spilling the father’s identity is up to you. I just thought you should know. I really have to run. It’s time to start second-round treatments.” Harlow gave her tummy a quick, reassuring pat. “Keep the little guy safe. Forewarned is forearmed. Be prepared.”
“I appreciate the heads-up.”
Her friend started to walk away, then said, “Mary Frances is planning a baby shower. Have you registered yet?”
“No. I’ll do it soon.”
“Good. How about tonight? We’ll have dinner first. My treat.”
“In that case, you’re on.”
“Gotta run.”
Cindy watched her friend pick up the pace, then disappear around the corner. She stopped at the elevator and pushed the up button. As she waited, thoughts of her baby’s father raced through her mind. She missed him so much. The sudden loss left a hole in her life that could never be filled, not even by the baby. Not completely.
Nathan had so many wonderful qualities. Good-looking, smart and sexy, but so much more. He was kind. And a sense of humor lurked beneath that pretty face.
He was noble, dedicated to his work and the tiniest human beings that found their way into his capable hands.
And that’s when she knew what she would do if directly confronted about who had fathered her baby.
The elevator arrived and she wheeled her cart through the opening, then pushed the button for the second floor, where it quickly stopped. She got out and headed for the NICU. Stopping in the hall outside, she stepped into the suit and snapped the buttons over her tummy. Her friend’s warning had come none too soon. There was very little doubt about her condition.
Bracing herself as best she could, she went into the unit. Automatically looking for Nathan, she was disappointed that he wasn’t there. His partner was. Annie was chatting with one of the nurses when she noticed Cindy. She smiled and waved and Cindy returned the greeting before starting her work.
She focused on her job and pushed everything else out of her mind as she picked up discarded packaging from medical supplies. Then she gathered the full bags lining all the generic trash containers, avoiding the ones marked “biohazard” or “contaminated.”
She scooped up used linens, then dusted, nearly home free when Barbara Kelly cornered her. To anyone looking on, they were two employees having a casual conversation, but Cindy could feel the vibes. None of them good.
“Hi, Cindy.”
“Barbara.” Here we go.
“How have you been?”
“Really good. Thanks for asking. You?” Deflect, Cindy thought.
“Not bad.” The nurse pointedly lowered her gaze. “What’s new?”
And there it was. She was on the spot. To tell the truth or dodge the issue for a little longer. But maybe this was a good time to get it out there with Nathan not present. He was a doctor, a neonatal specialist who existed on a different plane of existence. If by chance the subject came up some other time in his presence, he could reveal as much or as little as he wanted.
Cindy met the other woman’s icy, blue-eyed stare. “I’m pregnant, Barbara.”
“Congratulations.” There was nothing positive in her tone. “Who’s the father? Anyone I know?”
Way to be subtle, Cindy thought. “This may come as a shock to you, but that’s none of your business. And it was a rude question.”
Barbara shrugged. “Everyone wants to know. But nobody had the nerve to ask.”
“How heartening that there are still some people with manners.”
Any pretense of civility disappeared and blatant hostility slithered into the other woman’s gaze. “Do you really believe you can—”
Just then Nathan walked in. His jeans and white cotton shirt were a clue that he wasn’t here for work. He scanned the unit, clearly looking for someone, and Cindy’s heart started hammering. The blood rushed to her head, drowning out every other sound.
Finally he glanced in her direction and looked like a predator who just spied his prey. Without hesitation, he walked over and said, “I need to talk to you.”
Barbara smiled warmly. “Dr. Steele, what can I do for you?”
“If you’ll excuse us, I’d like to speak with Cindy privately.”
“Really?” She sounded shocked and disapproving.
Nathan glared at her. “Yes, really.”
Cindy was pretty sure Nathan had just put his name at the top of the baby daddy list. Right now she couldn’t think about the consequences of that. It was too wonderful just to see him.
“Hello,” she said when they were alone.
“Cindy, I know communication isn’t one of my strengths. It’s unfamiliar to me and I’ve made mistakes. I’ll probably make more. So before I begin, you should be aware that my heart is in the right place.”
“I’ve never doubted that.”
“Actually, you have,” he pointed out.
“Okay. Maybe at first. Then I got to know you.” And love you. She looked at the earnest expression on his face and her heart went all soft and mushy and protective. “Here’s the thing. The pregnancy just went public. Pretend you’re chewing me out for something then run, do not walk, to the nearest exit. Then no one will know you’re the father of my baby.”
“I want the whole world to know you’re the mother of my child.” He stared at her as if she had two heads. “This is the last time I’m going to say this. I will be here for you. Always. Publicly. You’re the only one who matters to me. If you’ll give me another chance, I promise you won’t regret it.” Then he waited for her to respond. When she didn’t, he said, “I wish you’d tell me what you’re thinking.”
Who could think? “Oh, Nathan—I don’t know what to say.”
Intensity darkened in his eyes as he said, “Words are highly overrated anyway.”
Then he bent and scooped her easily into his arms. She sucked in a breath and threw her arms around his neck as he carried her through the silent NICU while everyone stared open-mouthed. Just before he walked out into the hall, she heard the sound of muffled clapping.
It was a moment.
More than that. It was the most romantic gesture ever.
He took her around the corner to the waiting area, which was empty. Then he set her on her feet and pulled her against him. Seconds later, he kissed her. His mouth was soft, warm, insistent, and her knees literally went weak. Her toes curled and trembles traveled everywhere until she tingled all over. He was so right. When he communicated like this, words were highly overrated.
She had no idea how much time had passed when he finally lifted his head and smiled down at her. She only knew that the emotion so clear in his eyes made her as breathless as his kiss.
“I love you, Cindy.”
She’d never expected to hear those words, and they rated really high in her heart. “You do?”
“Yes.”
“What changed your mind?”
“I had a talk with Shirley—”
“Your mom,” she said pointedly.
“Right.” He grinned and loosened his hold but didn’t let her go. “Long story short, I’ve been an ass. And I’ve been wrong. Love is real. I see it and touch it every time I look at you and hold you in my arms. I can’t see or touch my soul, but I know it’s there. As surely as I know it will wither and die without you in my life.”
“Oh, Nathan. I love you, too.”
“I’m counting on that. Because I’m really hoping that you’ll reconsider my marriage proposal what with me not being able to live without you and all.”
“Better wed than dead,” she whispered, quoting from the movie.
“Pretty much,” he agreed.
“Okay, I’ll marry you.” She smiled up at him. “But only because it’s the logical thing to do.”
Epilogue
“Is he as beautiful as I think he is?” Cindy stared in awe at the baby in her arms.
“He’s the most beautiful baby I’ve ever seen.” Nathan was sitting on the hospital bed beside her, his arm around her and their son, holding them both close. “But we have to find a manlier, more masculine way to say that.”
Alexander Elliott Steele.
Cindy hadn’t thought she could be any happier than the day she and Nathan were married here in the chapel at Mercy Medical Center, but she’d been wrong. Having their baby made them a family and it was just perfect. She watched him watch the baby, and the love in his eyes was tangible.
He met her gaze and smiled. “I didn’t think it was possible to love you more, but seeing what you went through to have our child was just…I don’t even have the words.”
“I know exactly what you mean.” She leaned her head on his shoulder and he pulled her closer, kissing her temple.
She was still sore from giving birth the day before, but the joy of holding her son made the discomfort disappear. The experience was painful and scary but the most awesome thing she’d ever been through. She was strong and would have made it alone, but having Nathan there, encouraging and supporting her was the most beautiful thing. She would never again doubt that he was in it for the long haul. The fa
ct that she knew how much he loved her was a gift beyond price.
She’d thought once that they did everything backward— sex, baby, attraction, love and marriage. But it had all happened in just the right order because they’d actually fallen in love at first sight.
“Hey—” It was a whisper from Shirley who stood in the doorway of the hospital room. “I was hoping Alex would be awake.”
“Not now, but it won’t be long,” Nathan said. “The time will come when we’ll treasure these quiet moments.”
“I treasure them all now,” Cindy said.
“Well, I have a surprise for you and you might want to wake the baby for this.”
“Hello, Steele family.”
Recognizing the familiar voice, Cindy dragged her gaze away from her son and saw her brother Harry. Her eyes filled with tears because she hadn’t known he was coming. “How did you get here?”
“Airplane. Nathan arranged it. Shirley picked me up at McCarran.” His dark-blond hair was a little longer than when she’d seen him at her wedding, and he was more muscular than a year ago when he’d gone off to college. He was nearly as tall as Nathan and so handsome. Their parents would be extraordinarily proud.
“Hi, bro.” Nathan grinned. “Thanks, Mom.”
“Happy to help,” she said.
“Hey.” Harry walked over to the bed and leaned down to kiss Cindy’s cheek. “Hi, sis.”
“I’d give you a big hug, but my arms are full.”
He grinned down at the baby. “My nephew is a good-lookin’ dude.”
“He’s not a dude,” she protested. “But he is beautiful. Would you like to hold him?”
Harry looked horrified. “I think I’ll wait until he’s a little bigger than a football.”
“Coward,” she teased. “You’ve got to man up.”
“Don’t pick on your brother. Some of us are late bloomers.” Nathan had taken naturally to the role of big brother.
Together they’d visited Harry at school in California and he’d come to Las Vegas for long weekends. Her two favorite men had hit it off really well. Now there was a third precious man in her life.
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