Page 91 of Holiday Romance
“I think he wants to be here in case something happens.”
“I see. Well, you can tell me all aboutthatwhen we’re home.”
“You’ll like him,” I say truthfully, and a warm smile breaks over her face as her phone chimes.
“Your sister wants me back,” she says, getting up with a groan. “I’ll try not to look her in the eye this time.”
Andrew returns when she goes, a teasing look in his eyes. “Hah hah,” he sings. “Your family loves you.”
“Everyone loves me,” I grumble, trying not to show how embarrassed I am. He can see right through me, of course, but thankfully knows not to push and merely settles back in his chair, both of us facing the swinging hospital doors as we wait for the latest miracle to occur.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
My nephew is born ninety minutes later, three weeks premature, in the early hours of Christmas morning.
“He slid right out,” Mam announces when she tells us the news. Andrew, to his credit, gives only the slightest wince. Because of course, Andrew is still here. Andrew who stayed with me, who just scoffed when I told him twice to get a taxi. Who held my hand without even asking, knowing I needed it. And I was glad of it. Selfishly so. I didn’t want him to go. I want him here. I want him with me.
Because the baby was a little early, the nurses whisked him off for some checks, so it’s a while before I’m able to see him. A while that soon has me pacing up and down the waiting room in frustration.
“If he’s fine then why do they need to do so many tests?” I say out loud for the millionth time. Andrew doesn’t bother to respond, only pats my knee when I collapse back into the chair beside him.
“Distract me,” I order.
“Sexy distraction or card trick distraction? Not that they’re mutually exclusive, of course.”
“Can you get me sugar?”
“Even better. I can get you the most processed, shouldn’t-even-be-allowed-in-a-hospital sugar known to man.” He squeezes my leg and makes the long, arduous trek across the waiting room while I try and catch the eye of the nurse manning the station, the nurse who has learned in the last twenty minutes to not even look in my direction.
As I do, another one appears through the main doors, a stack of paperwork in her hands. She’s pretty, with long dark hair scraped back into a thick braid. She does a double-take as she passes Andrew, which doesn’t exactly surprise me, but then she comes to a complete stop, her eyes going wide as she halts mid-step.
“Andrew?”
Andrew glances up, about to tap his card against the machine, when his face breaks into a smile.
“Ava?”
Ava? Who the hell is Ava?
I watch, bewildered, as the stranger leans in for a hug, thrown by the sharp spike of jealousy that runs through me.
Their voices lower as he draws her to the side and chats rapidly for a few minutes. Eventually, she hugs him again, smiling cheerfully as she disappears back around the corner. Andrew glances my way and my eyes immediately drop to my phone in the most obvious move ever.
“Making friends?” I ask when he returns, tossing a chocolate bar into my lap.
“I used to babysit her,” he says, and I glance up in surprise. “Am I old now?”
“They’re just getting younger,” I say, relieved. “So she’s working through Christmas?”
“Actually… no. Depending on her paperwork, she’s out of here in an hour. She’s driving back to her folks tonight.”
I start to nod before I realize what he’s telling me. “Oh.”
“Yeah. She’s going to give me a ride. I’ll be home for breakfast.”
“That’s… perfect.” I start to unwrap my snack even as my appetite shrinks. “Brilliant news.”
“It will save me the taxi fare at least. But if you need me to—”
