Page 62 of Tuxedos and Tinsel
In reality, her hair was a source of vanity for her. She had the Collier black hair, one of the few family traits—maybe the only family trait—from that side of the family that had been passed down to her.
“Good. Glad to hear it didn’t go unnoticed.”
Like the rest of her, she almost said. Instead, she whispered, “Thank you,” and, closing her eyes, rested her cheek a little more firmly against his woolen coat.
“Did you know your hair smells like sugar cookies?” Lewis whispered back.
Susan’s eyes flew open. Pulling back, she looked at him expecting a grin. He was dead serious though. If anything, his eyes were slightly hooded. “Your shampoo,” he said. “Reminds me of sugar cookies.”
He just said he preferred sugar cookies. Was he trying to say…
The sound of her phone interrupted her thoughts before they could become coherent. Pulling her phone from her bag, she saw her brother Linus’s face on the caller ID.
“Might want to head to the hospital,” he said when she answered. “Baby number two has arrived.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
“THEBABY’SHERE!The baby’s here!” Susan’s niece nearly lifted off the ground, propelling herself into her aunt’s arms. A wispy little live wire she was, bouncing up and down on her toes even as she hugged Susan’s midsection. “I’m a big sister,” she announced in a loud, proud voice.
“And everyone in the hospital knows,” Susan replied. “You need to keep your voice down though, so you won’t wake the babies in the nursery.”
Lewis watched the moment unfold from a few feet away. They stood outside one of the birthing suites in the maternity ward having hurried over as soon as Linus had called. He noticed Susan wore a giant smile as she admonished the girl, a clear indication she didn’t really mind the boisterous greeting. She pressed one hand to her niece’s back, while the other gently smoothed her bobbed brown hair. Even if she hadn’t told him how much she adored Maddie, he’d have known from the tender expression on her face.
She knelt down so she was eye level with the girl. “Do you have a brother or a sister?”
“Brother. His name is No-Well.”
“That would be Noel.” A man joined them. Judging from his lanky frame, Lewis assumed it was one of Susan’s brothers. Linus, the middle one, most likely. He looked too laid-back to be a new father. “She read the name card on the bassinet and thinks he’s named after the Christmas song,” he said. “Noel Christopher Collier.”
“Got a bit of a Christmas theme going there, don’t they?” The remark was out of his mouth before he could catch it.
Susan didn’t seem to mind. In fact, she laughed. “My brother and his wife have a thing about Christmas. They think some kind of Christmas magic brought them back together.”
Whatever floats their boat.Someone needed to believe in Christmas miracles.
He listened while Susan peppered her brother with questions about the baby’s weight and other pertinent details.
“When did she go into labor?” she asked.
“Middle of the night, from what Thomas said. I’m not too clear on the details. Maddie was with the housekeeper when I picked her up.”
“You weren’t home,” Maddie said. “We called you.”
“I’m sorry, sweetheart. I didn’t hear the phone. I was out Christmas shopping.”
“With a friend,” Linus noted. He’d finally acknowledged Lewis’s presence. A pair of extremely intelligent blue eyes looked him up and down. “Hello.”
There was definitely scrutiny in the greeting. As well as a good dose of protectiveness. Lewis’s eyes darted to Susan who blushed and looked away. Lewis couldn’t blame the man. If he had a sister and thought she was dating someone like him, he’d scrutinize the guy too.
“Lewis Matolo,” he said, extending his hand. “Pleased to meet you.”
“Linus Collier. Likewise.” If he was insincere, the man’s smile didn’t show it. “Sorry to interrupt your shopping date.”
“No problem. We can shop anytime. It’s not every day someone has a baby.”
“I’m Maddie.” The little girl had her hand out, mimicking her uncle. When Lewis accepted, she yanked his arm up and down with enthusiasm. Had she been an adult, he would have popped an elbow.
“Hello, Maddie,” he said. “Congratulations on your baby brother.”
