The Twin Birthright
Catherine Mann
They said good-bye months ago. So why can’t he walk away from her…or her twin babies?Delivering his ex-fiancée’s twins in a snowstorm is a brave new world for innovator Royce Miller. Despite the pain in their past, he’s driven to protect Naomi Steele and her babies. Will forgiveness lead to forever this time?
They said goodbye months ago.
So why can’t he walk away from her...or her twin babies?
Delivering his ex-fiancée’s twins in a snowstorm is a brave new world for innovator Royce Miller. Despite the pain in their past, he’s driven to protect Naomi Steele and her babies. That means facing the mistakes they both made—and resisting the heat they still can’t deny. Will forgiveness lead to forever this time?
An Alaskan Oil Barons Novel
USA TODAY bestselling author CATHERINE MANN has won numerous awards for her novels, including both a prestigious RITA® Award and an RT Book Reviews Reviewers’ Choice Award. After years of moving around the country bringing up four children, Catherine has settled in her home state of South Carolina, where she’s active in animal rescue. For more information, visit her website, www.catherinemann.com (http://www.catherinemann.com).
Also by Catherine Mann (#ua6bbe52d-5073-538a-97e9-76ed0f99f16b)
One Good Cowboy
Pursued by the Rich Rancher
Pregnant by the Cowboy CEO
The Baby Claim
The Double Deal
The Love Child
The Twin Birthright
Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
The Twin Birthright
Catherine Mann
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
ISBN: 978-1-474-07645-6
THE TWIN BIRTHRIGHT
© 2018 Catherine Mann
Published in Great Britain 2018
by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF
All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.
By payment of the required fees, you are granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right and licence to download and install this e-book on your personal computer, tablet computer, smart phone or other electronic reading device only (each a “Licensed Device”) and to access, display and read the text of this e-book on-screen on your Licensed Device. Except to the extent any of these acts shall be permitted pursuant to any mandatory provision of applicable law but no further, no part of this e-book or its text or images may be reproduced, transmitted, distributed, translated, converted or adapted for use on another file format, communicated to the public, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher.
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www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
“A daughter may outgrow your lap,
but she will never outgrow your heart.”
—Anonymous
To my daughters, Haley and Maggie.
It’s been a joy and honor having watched
you both grow into miraculous women.
I love you!
Contents
Cover (#u598f5f35-0457-5b9a-8f30-267702020e80)
Back Cover Text (#ucdc56abf-4906-5c46-b36c-cc3a4f13a5a2)
About the Author (#ueb492756-9bb2-550d-a96b-e73359a9f365)
Booklist (#uf839200d-0241-559f-9a35-28dd7bdbe048)
Title Page (#ue0649756-9600-565d-b03e-823d479d1446)
Copyright (#u4de796da-391a-54d7-a0b2-beafaae20687)
Dedication (#u6788321e-1d1b-5e60-991f-2816347ba89b)
One (#u85e425b5-e73c-5a8e-a60b-9576ee6fe96a)
Two (#u4a386453-a95b-5b2a-bc0e-cdf2883fb8c0)
Three (#u4fafba30-59be-5abc-b26e-6d85fc63744e)
Four (#litres_trial_promo)
Five (#litres_trial_promo)
Six (#litres_trial_promo)
Seven (#litres_trial_promo)
Eight (#litres_trial_promo)
Nine (#litres_trial_promo)
Ten (#litres_trial_promo)
Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)
Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)
Epilogue (#litres_trial_promo)
Extract (#litres_trial_promo)
About the Publisher (#litres_trial_promo)
One (#ua6bbe52d-5073-538a-97e9-76ed0f99f16b)
Some women dreamed of giving birth in a hospital, husband holding her hand.
Some visualized delivering at home, man of her dreams breathing alongside.
No one fantasized about bringing a new life into the world in an SUV, in a snowstorm, with her ex-fiancé playing “catch the baby.” Or in Naomi Steele’s case, babies. Plural. Two of them. The first of which was due to make an appearance with the next...
“Push! Push, Naomi, push,” Royce Miller’s soft, deep voice radiated confidence in the confines of his Suburban, heater blasting inside, snow pelting the vehicle outside.
“I am pushing, damn it. I’ve been pushing.” Because there wasn’t any need to wait. No help was on the way. Cell phone reception was almost nil on a deserted highway north of Anchorage, Alaska. Sporadic bursts of connectivity offered only minimal reassurance that anyone had heard their pleas for rescue when she’d gone into labor a month early.
Even if help could make it to them through this Alaska blizzard.
The seats of the SUV had been flattened, blankets under her, an emergency kit including first aid spread out beside her. Thank goodness he’d kept his vehicle well stocked in the event of being stranded in a storm. But then of course he had. He was always analytical, organized, the brilliant scientist and professor who planned for any—and every—contingency.
She had her own analytical side as an attorney, but was more known for her flair for the dramatic, which had served her well in the courtroom more than once.
Royce knelt on the floor, his muscular body wedged in, but he still managed to look comfortable. At ease. In control.
Pain ripped through her, her whole body locked in one big muscle spasm beyond anything she’d read about or heard about in child birthing classes. She understood intellectually that a couple of pushes wouldn’t get the job done, especially for a first-time mom, but she was so done. Ready to quit. Close to tears and burning to scream, but she didn’t want to put any additional burden on Royce when he had to be afraid, in spite of his calm demeanor.
Beads of sweat rolled down his face.
And she knew she wasn’t going to get any relief with this contraction. Disappointment stung even as the pain eased. She exhaled and sagged back. Taking the moment to store up every kernel of energy as best she could.
Light from outside grew dimmer with the ending day and thick storm. Their car lights provided minimal illumination. Royce had hung two flashlights with bungie cords. She didn’t want to think about what would happen if this took too long and they ran out of gasoline.
After months on bed rest for her blood pressure, Naomi had been released by the doctor today. Once they’d finished the appointment, all she’d wanted was a simple afternoon drive and to celebrate a less restricted final month of her pregnancy. She was sure about their due date, since hers had been an in vitro fertilization, with a donor sperm. When she’d made the decision, she’d been worried her chance to be a mother was passing her by; that was before she met eccentric research scientist Royce Miller. Their relationship had been doomed from the start. She’d been just over two months pregnant and it had been too easy for him to use her babies as a substitute for his unresolved past.
Royce patted her knee with his broad hand. “Are you warm enough?” The wind howled, nearly drowning out his words. “I’ve got my coat ready for the babies, but I can give you my shirt.”
She knew those beads of sweat on his forehead had nothing to do with the temperature in the vehicle.
“I’m fine, really.” Even if she had been cold—which she wasn’t because currently her body was on fire with pain—she couldn’t take anything more from Royce. He’d given up so much of his life for her, even after they’d ended their engagement. He’d seemed to feel obligated to stay by her side until the babies were born. Every day since the breakup had been bittersweet torture. Being with him filled her with regret, sadness but—ultimately—resolve.
And she’d needed that resolve to stand her ground—she’d made the right decision in ending things—and stand up to this silently stubborn man. He’d steadfastly continued to show up with his own agenda.
Like insisting on driving her to the doctor’s office today even though she had over a dozen family members who would have stepped in to help. After the smooth-as-silk OB visit, Royce hadn’t driven far and the weather report had been clear as a bell. They’d been doing everything right—
Another contraction hit her hard and fast, with minimal buildup to warn her. She held back the urge to shout, and forced even breaths in and out—well, as even as possible. The distant sound of Royce counting to ten grounded her until, finally, the contraction subsided and she could relax again.
He was always so careful and precise. Unlike her reckless self. They’d broken up twice, and the second time had stuck. Well, stuck in that they stopped sleeping together and any mention of the love they’d once shared was off-limits.
And like karma laughing in her face at supposed boundaries, here she was, stuck in a snowstorm with him, just like the day they’d met nearly six months ago. Theirs had been a whirlwind romance, with an engagement that had ended nearly as quickly as it had begun.
They were just too different. They wanted different things.
At first, they’d struggled with her need to prove her strength and independence, a by-product of her teenage battle with cancer. His overprotective ways had been stifling. But eventually they’d found a balance in that. Even so, in the end, there’d been another, larger problem lurking, one core to their personalities. Something they couldn’t change.
He was a brilliant, reclusive man who thrived on his work, but battled emotional insecurity, searching for a “replacement” family. She was an extrovert who flourished in the courtroom and in the company of her big, boisterous family. She’d nearly gone stir-crazy in their secluded cabin. And he’d been climbing the walls when they’d tried living in the city. She couldn’t bear to see him lose what made him so special in the first place. They’d had to admit they were just too different.
And he was an admirable man. That ripped at her most of all. Still, she’d tried to push him away, but no matter what she’d said and done, he wouldn’t go. His stubbornness only solidified her opinion that any emotion he’d invested in their time together was all about the babies.
He had insisted on staying in touch during her pregnancy, helping, even though the babies weren’t his biological children. Seeing him was beyond difficult. Her heart broke over and over again. But given that he consulted for her family’s oil business, there was no avoiding each other completely. They had to learn to coexist peacefully.
She just hadn’t expected that coexisting to include him parked between her bent knees delivering her twins—
Another pain gripped her, and as hard as she tried to force those breaths in and out, panic built. “I’m scared,” she gasped, fighting against the pain, which only made it worse. “What if something’s wrong? We’re out in the middle of nowhere—”
“Breathe, Naomi, breathe. Everything’s going to be okay.”
“Like you have—” she huffed a half-hearted breath “—any choice—” another gasp “—but to say that.”
“All was well at your last checkup...” He paused, then continued, his voice intense, “I see the baby’s head coming closer. You’re doing it. Come on, Naomi.”
“How do you know?” she groused, while pushing, gripping the door handle.
He rested a hand on her knee, catching her gaze with his deep brown eyes as the contraction subsided. He was steady. In control. “I’ve actually delivered a baby before.”
“Really?” She wanted to believe it. So much.
“I never told you that?” The smile on his handsome face lit hope inside her.
“No, you didn’t.” But then they hadn’t known each other even a year yet. So much passion—and then heartbreak—had been packed into a short time. They hadn’t been able to keep their hands off each other from the start. They’d let that sexual connection take precedence over getting to know each other.
“Let’s get these babies into the world and I’ll tell you all about it.”
The next contraction cut short anything she might have thought about saying, if she could even remember words. Pain gripped her. More powerful than any of the others. Pressure built, intensified until she lost track of counting. It surely had to be more than ten—
The pressure released and the vehicle filled with...cries. Her baby. Tears welled in Naomi’s eyes, blurring the vision of Royce holding her newborn child up for her to see.
“It’s a girl,” he said, emotion clogging his voice as he confirmed the gender ultrasounds had shown.
But hearing it now still carried such a momentous thrill.
“She’s okay?”
“A healthy set of lungs, ten fingers and ten toes.”
Once Royce tied off the cord and wrapped the infant in his parka, he passed the bundle to Naomi, who held out her arms. She cradled the precious weight against her, marveling in gazing at her child for the first time. Love swelled in her heart and she looked at Royce. Just as another contraction gripped her. He reached over her to settle the baby at her side.
Naomi gasped, “I guess...now...I know with absolute...certainty that you have...delivered a baby before.”
His low chuckle filled the SUV just before the pressure built again, until she felt the familiar release. Followed by another infant cry.
“Naomi, you have another healthy baby girl.” Royce’s joy was mixed with a hint of a tremble that relayed yes, he must have been more nervous than he let on.
How could he not have been?
But all that mattered now was that her twins were alive. Safe. She sagged back in relief, holding her first child against her side and reaching out her arm for the other.
Royce wrapped the second newborn in her pink parka and passed the baby over. Naomi stared into those wide curious eyes and thought of her sister, Breanna, who’d died over a decade before, along with their mother.
The connection between Naomi and her sister had been strong. They were fraternal twins. Although people had often thought Breanna was Marshall’s twin since she favored him so closely when they were young, and they were inseparable. Who knew how her sister would have looked as an adult since she’d died so young. Naomi swallowed back a lump of emotion and focused on the present. This joy.
Royce settled her legs and rested a blanket over her, before stretching up to lie beside her. “I’ve sent out texts for help. Let’s just enjoy the babies and stay warm while we wait.”
He climbed onto the reclined seats, curving his muscular body against her, somehow making room for himself in spite of the seat belts draped overhead and flashlights suspended from bungees. He was so familiar, and Lord, how she’d missed the feel of him, this closeness. She’d once dreamed of them like this, except spooned together in a hospital bed with the babies, all of them a family.
She looked over at him and found him studying the babies, which allowed her to stare at him longer. He was so much more than broodingly handsome good looks. The appeal was more than his leanly muscle-bound body on display in his chest-hugging T-shirt. And yeah, he got bonus points for the thick dark hair a hint too long, as if he’d forgotten to get a haircut, tousled like he’d just gotten out of bed.
All enticing. Sure.
But it was always his eyes that held her. Those windows to the soul. To the man. A man with laser-sharp intelligence in his deep brown gaze that pierced straight to the core of her and seemed to say, Bring it, woman. I can keep up.
And he had. He’d been willing to make every compromise to secure her—and her babies—in his life in a sad effort to recreate what he’d lost when his former fiancée had miscarried, then walked away.
Naomi couldn’t risk hoping for a future with him, now more than ever, with the stability and well-being of these two precious little lives counting on her. If only they could all four stay just like this forever, warm and secure together while the storm raged outside.
A crack echoed, interrupting her thoughts, and she glanced up sharply to see an ice-laden tree fall across the hood of Royce’s SUV.
* * *
Compartmentalizing was easier said than done.
Royce Miller wanted to be the cool scientist, detached. But this was Naomi. Her babies.
Not his.
His chest ached as if he’d sucked in a gulp of frozen air. He tucked his arm around her tighter as she catnapped, the babies sleeping against her chest.
Earlier, while she’d nursed the babies, he’d sent out a slew of additional texts, hoping one would make it through the storm. The SUV was still running, and he had extra fuel in the emergency kit. But once they needed that, he would have to try to move the tree off the hood. Hopefully, the SUV would be in shape to drive, although that was a last resort in this weather. Especially with two infants and no car seats.
He’d turned off all but one of the flashlights now to preserve batteries. His heart still slugged against his ribs in the aftermath. He could still barely wrap his brain around the fact that he’d delivered the babies. That Naomi was okay. Relief mixed with the reality that until he had them all in a hospital, he couldn’t breathe easy.
After scanning the babies, checking that their chests rose and fell evenly, he glanced at the pulse in Naomi’s neck. He grounded himself in the steady rhythm.
“Royce?” she whispered.
Her soft voice drew his gaze to her face. The look in her tired but beautiful eyes was...incredible. Shining brighter than the flashlight overhead.
He’d had her, and she’d slipped away from him.
It still grated deep in his gut how she’d pushed him away, given up on what they’d shared, what they could have had in the future. It was hard as hell to forgive how she’d just let go.
He brushed back her hair from her forehead, the softness of her skin soaking into him. “Here we are again, stuck together.”
“Your SUV is almost as big as that little cabin you were staying in.” She smiled at him wryly. “Somehow, we always manage the craziest scenarios. The way you chased that bear off my car when we first met.”
Memories of that day filled him. How she’d bluffed her way into his cabin retreat to convince him to sign on his research with her family’s oil business—Alaska Oil Barons, Incorporated. He’d been resistant, but man, how she’d won him over with her lawyer skills—and her smile.
And her bravado in the face of an unexpected grizzly climbing on the hood of her vehicle when she’d arrived at his cabin. “I suspect you could have handled that massive Pooh Bear yourself.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“It was intended as one.”
She was a gutsy woman with an indomitable spirit he admired. Pulling his gaze away from her intoxicating whiskey-brown eyes, he looked out the window. The snow had turned to sleet, pinging on the rooftop in the silence between them.
Naomi shifted and settled. “Now you’ve saved me again. And my girls. Maybe I could have handled that bear, but I couldn’t have delivered my own babies.”
“Happy to help. And even happier everyone’s okay.” Relief still burned through his veins. So much could have gone wrong. Still could, if help didn’t arrive soon. “As much as it seems we have these somewhat similar crazy turns in our lives, a lot is different.”
She chuckled hoarsely. “Like the fact that there’s not a chance we’ll be having sex this time.”
He tapped his temple. “I’m intuitive that way.”
Except he hadn’t been so intuitive at the start. He’d fallen for the deception that brought her into his life. She’d hidden her identity as a Steele, hoping to get an inside scoop on his research, and ultimately lure him into signing on with her family business. He’d seen only her, wanted her, was determined to have her. And he’d ignored all the warning signs. In fact, he could see now how they’d both used sex to avoid talking about the deeper issues that would later tear them apart.
Resting her head on his shoulder, she sighed. “Thank you, so much. You were amazing and calm. I can’t believe everything went okay. They’re healthy and alive and I’m still here.”
“Yes, you are.” He swallowed hard.
“They’re beautiful.” Her voice rang with awe and love.
“That they are.” Like their mama. “Have you settled on names yet?”
“Mary for my mother...” She pressed a kiss to the forehead of her firstborn, still wrapped in his jacket. “And I was thinking Breanna and call her Anna—” she kissed the clenched fist of her baby wrapped in her pink parka “—in honor of my sister.”
Both of whom had died in a plane crash.
He knew well what a mark her sister and mother’s deaths had left on her ability to believe happiness could last. Her teenage bout with cancer had piled onto that doubt, chipping away at what remained of her capacity for trust in happy endings.
“That’s a lovely tribute. What about middle names?”
“Mary Jaqueline, after both of my parents, Mary and Jack. And I hope you won’t mind if I name the other Breanna Royce.” Naomi’s eyes filled with emotion and a sheen of regret. “You’ve been here for me, but I understand if—”
“That’s perfect. Thank you. I’m honored.” Emotion, too much, threatened to steal his focus. He sealed it off and looked for tangible, logical facts. “I would guess they each weigh nearly six pounds. That’s remarkable for twins a month early.”
She studied him for an intense moment before blinking and glancing away. “No wonder I looked as big as a house.”
“You were—and are—beautiful.”
She rolled her eyes. “It’s nice not to be arguing with a woman who just gave birth in a car.”
“I don’t fight.”
“True.” She crinkled her nose, shadows chasing across her face. “But you seethe, holding it in either out of some reclusive habit, or fear of spiking the blood pressure of the pregnant woman.” She touched his arm lightly, her nails short and painted a pale pink. “I mean that nicely. You’ve been kind when you had every right to hate me.”
Her words stabbed him clean through. “I could never hate you.”
“We’re just wrong for each other.”
He couldn’t deny that, as much as it hurt to admit. Things had moved so fast with them. And then they were done.
“Life’s complicated.” He studied each baby’s face, their features imprinting themselves in his mind. In his heart. “But right now, it feels blessedly simple.”
Or at least he wanted it to be. Here in the dimly lit car, the whistle of the wind cutting through the Alaska night. A dream he’d entertained more than once in the past. Before. A whimsical thought that wasn’t like him.
She’d insisted he was trying to replace the fiancée who’d walked out on him after miscarrying their child years ago. That he’d been trying to replace that baby, as well. He couldn’t deny those losses had hurt like hell. But the breakup with Naomi had been exponentially worse.
Maybe she was right about his need to fill a hole in his life that had never healed after the baby he’d lost. But all he’d known after breaking up with Naomi was that no matter what had happened between them, he needed to usher the twins into the world before he could walk away.
Light sparked behind his eyes. Becoming stronger and stronger until he couldn’t blink it away. He frowned, sitting up, looking outside.
Car lights approached, twin beams streaking ahead, an emergency light strobing. Help had arrived. Thank God. Yet with that help came another realization.
As much as he’d thought he could cut ties once the babies were born, he still couldn’t walk away. Not tonight.
Two (#ua6bbe52d-5073-538a-97e9-76ed0f99f16b)
Naomi shivered under the blankets in the ambulance as she stretched out on the gurney. She had no reason to be cold. The heater was blasting and the emergency technicians had piled blankets on top of her.
Supposedly it was the aftermath of childbirth making her teeth clatter together. That and relief. Her two little girls—Mary and Anna—had been checked over thoroughly and both declared healthy miracles.
Twins, born in a car, in a snowstorm.
Amazing.
Both her babies were bundled up and being secured by the younger of the two techs in preparation for the ride to the hospital. A pediatrician would be waiting for them there.
Her teeth chattered faster and she searched beyond the open back door for Royce. He stood a few feet away, under a spotlight the techs had placed outside. The halogen beam shone down on his hair, made all the darker by the dampness from a fresh sprinkle of snowflakes collecting and melting. She heard the low, confident rumble of his voice. The tones grounded her with reassurance far more than the blankets. Holding strong to keep him at a distance proved hard right now, with her emotions so close to the surface.
“Thank you,” he said to the older of the two techs. “I appreciate your coming out on roads as messy as these.”
“That’s what we’re here for.” The medic tugged his knit cap more firmly over his head, wind whipping flurries sideways.
“And they’re all really okay.” Royce’s broad shoulders rose and fell with a sigh so heavy she couldn’t miss it.
“Mom’s blood pressure is a little higher than we would like, but we’re monitoring her and we’ll be on the road shortly.” He nodded. “You handled everything very well, especially considering the circumstances. The babies both have a ten Apgar score.”
“That’s good to know. When they were born, they both had blue hands, but they came out crying, actively kicking.”
“That’s excellent. You did a great job in a tough situation. There’s really nothing more anyone could have done in those circumstances.”
Royce scrubbed the back of his neck, a gesture she recognized as weariness. “Other than not go for an impromptu scenic ride with a pregnant woman.”
“You can beat yourself up later, Dad.” The older man clapped Royce on the shoulder.
Dad? Naomi’s throat closed and she bit her lip against a tremble.
Royce shrugged. “I’m not...their dad.”
The pain in his voice tore at her heart. For him, for herself and for her children. She and Royce had made such plans for the future. He was a good man who would have loved her children as much as if they were his own. If only she could have escaped the feeling he was filling a void left by the loss of his own child.
By the loss of his fiancée, a woman he’d known so much longer than his and Naomi’s few, intense months together.
Turning, he walked toward the ambulance, stepping up on the bumper and then inside, his eyes trained on Naomi, his broad shoulders nearly filling the opening.
The ambulance shifted again with the arrival of the other tech, angling past him. “My bad, man. I assumed you two were married.”
Royce shook his head. “Not married. Not a couple. Not the dad. Just a...friend.”
“Then I’m sorry, sir.” The man smiled apologetically. “You’ll have to step out of the rig. You can follow us in the tow truck.”
Royce’s face went tight for a moment before he shot her a forced smile. “Naomi, I’ll see you and the girls at the hospital. I promise.”
He stepped back out and the void where he’d been seemed to expand. Naomi’s stomach sank as the doors closed, sealing Royce out. He dropped out of sight.
She thought she’d gotten used to the idea of doing this on her own, but having him with her through the birth of the babies had felt so right, the connection between them fragile, but there.
The door to the rig slammed, and they pulled onto the road, taking with them the last hint of how things might have been.
* * *
Royce couldn’t will his feet to move, eyes fixed on the glass that separated him from the nurse’s station where the twins were being settled. He watched the staff cradle the girls, tugging a tiny T-shirt and cap on each newborn before swaddling them in a blanket. Try as he might, he couldn’t avert his gaze now that he’d finally made it to the hospital.
The trek here looped in his mind as he remembered the sinking feeling in his chest, being stuck in a damn tow truck with no rights to Naomi or the babies. He’d called to postpone his guest lecture series at the university. He’d also arranged for a car to pick him up in the morning, and sent an email to his administrative assistant at the oil company to start the paperwork for a replacement SUV. A new version of the one he’d had. He didn’t like change in his life. From a make and model of a vehicle to a brand of boots.
At least he hadn’t been stuck finding a ride tonight. The driver had taken pity on him and brought him all the way to the hospital before leaving with the demolished SUV.
Monitors beeped, briefly calling his attention away from the smells of disinfectant and stale coffee. Even late at night, the hospital hummed with activity here in the maternity ward. The low din of a family huddled together waiting to hear the news. A couple of grandparents at the window, tapping. A cart rattled by, pulled by a nurse. A mother walked slowly down the hall, pushing a wheeled hospital bassinet.
A rush of cold air pricked the hairs on the back of his neck as he registered the sound of doors opening. Barely enough time to digest the herd of people flooding in. Naomi’s family filled the room, rushing toward him and the glass window pane. Concern became a common, identifiable feature on everyone’s brow.
So. Many. Brows.
Her sister, Delaney; two of her brothers, Broderick and Aiden. Broderick’s wife, Glenna, and a slew of other Steeles and Mikkelsons, whose faces all started to become a blur after a while, there were so many of them.
So many people here to support Naomi and the girls. That was a good thing. He should be fine with leaving. She didn’t want him here. She’d pushed him away.
But he wasn’t anywhere near okay with turning his back on them. He needed to see her settled in with the girls after the tumultuous delivery. He could provide a buffer between her and her overprotective family. He’d already sent out messages to excuse himself from work for a few days, his research taking a back burner to this.
Delaney—a shier version of Naomi—tugged her dark ponytail tighter, her eyes welling with tears that glistened even brighter than her diamond stud earrings. “Ohmigod, Royce, what happened to my sister?”
“The babies?” Glenna’s gaze was direct.
Broderick stepped up behind his wife. “In a snowstorm?”
The Steeles and Mikkelsons were out in full, overwhelming force.
In days past, they would have been at each other’s throats. Now they were a unified wall of huge personalities.
Royce shifted toward them, while keeping his body angled enough toward the window that he could still see the infants out of the corner of his eye. “We had just left the doctor’s appointment. She got a clean bill of health, so we took a drive to get a bite to eat. The storm came out of nowhere right as she went into labor.” He gestured toward the side-by-side warmers, with pediatricians and nurses gathered on the other side of the partition glass. “Those are your nieces.”
Delaney stepped closer with a soft, “Oh, my.”
Glenna pulled her cell phone from its monogrammed leather case, smiling, her CFO, no-nonsense demeanor fading. “We need photos. Lots. Mom and Jack are already texting me like crazy for updates.”
The Steele patriarch and Mikkelson matriarch were on a belated honeymoon.
Broderick, the oldest of the Steele siblings—and a numbers person like his wife—gripped his Stetson. “Well, you certainly came through. I can’t thank you enough.”
Glenna stepped nearer to her husband, her phone in her hand and her eyes still fixed on the window. “It had to be scary for you.”
Teenager Aiden Steele didn’t even look up from the screen of his social media feed when he snorted, then said, “Like any guy’s going to admit that.”
Royce exhaled hard, muttering, “It was scary. As hell.”
Broderick’s stern face went taut. “Damn straight, it was.” He pinned his youngest brother with a quick stare. “Only young fools don’t know when to be afraid.” He looked back. “Being scared and pushing ahead, that’s bravery.”
Royce cleared his throat. “I’m just glad everyone’s all right,” he repeated, for what felt like the millionth time, but knew it could never be said enough to ease the chill inside him. The room started to close in on him with all these people.
Glenna wrapped her arms around herself, visibly trying to calm down as she rubbed her hands over the elbows of a cashmere cardigan. “Marshall—” the middle Steele son “—flew out to get Mom and Jack and bring them back here.”
“I’m sure Naomi wouldn’t want to interrupt their honeymoon.” Royce waved a hand. Despite the difficulties between them, he knew Naomi could do without the fanfare. She wanted to prove she was capable all on her own. And the last thing he wanted was for her stress level to rise right now and have her blood pressure spike as a result.
Jack and Jeannie had certainly waited long enough for a real honeymoon. They’d had to delay their wedding and their trip after Jack’s spinal injury in a horseback riding accident. Luckily, he’d made a miraculous recovery after the surgery. They’d gotten married shortly after he’d gotten the neck brace off, but their celebration trip had been further delayed.
Broderick shook his head. “Like Dad was going to take our word for it that his little girl’s okay?”
“Fair enough.” Royce scrubbed a hand over his bleary eyes. The magnitude of the night’s events threatened to overwhelm him until he rocked back a step. “I’m going to find the coffee machine. Text me if you hear any news.”
He wouldn’t have been able to sit idly by, twiddling his thumbs, until he’d seen Naomi and the babies. He still needed to clamp eyes on them again.
Then he could walk away.
* * *
Naomi’s shakes had waned, but reality was just as rattling now that she was tucked in her hospital bed.
The magnitude of all that could have gone wrong kept pounding through her head. She’d faced the possibility of death as a teenager with cancer, bringing memories too close to the surface anytime she visited a hospital. But the thought of something happening to her babies?
That scared her more than anything she’d ever experienced.
Hospital beds, even in the maternity ward, never did Naomi’s back any favors. The hospital decor spoke of an attempt at making the place seem more like a homey living room, but fell short of the mark. Doing her best to adjust her position, she sat straighter, determined to make a rapid recovery. The interminable bed rest of her pregnancy had made her stir-crazy. She blinked against the harsh lights of the room as her doctor and the pediatrician exited into the too white hallway.
Despite the roadside delivery, the pediatrician had given her a positive report that ought to have put her mind at ease. Instead, Naomi fidgeted, rubbing her fingers together as the redheaded nurse with freckled constellations on her cheeks adjusted the covers and set a glass of room-temperature water on the rolling bedside table.
The nurse closed the door behind her as she left, and the hushed sounds of hallway conversation dimmed.
But Naomi’s heart was with her babies. She felt like the exams had taken longer than if she’d delivered the babies here. In fact, her daughters would have to stay in the nursery for observation tonight, since they’d been born in such unusual, unmonitored circumstances. The doctor had told her that once her blood pressure came down, she could see them.
The wait was driving her crazy. At least she didn’t have a headache like she’d experienced during pregnancy with her preeclampsia.
Scanning the room, she steadied her gaze on the clock, watching the second hand move like molasses.
The creaking of the door cut through her thoughts, and for a sliver of a second, her heart screamed out for Royce. His calming presence.
Instead of the enigmatic man, Delaney lingered in the doorway, her hand balled into a tense fist as she held on to the sleeves of her green sweater.
Naomi didn’t want to think about feeling disappointed.
Had he left? She swallowed hard and focused on her sister with a smile. Extending her arms for a hug, she drew Delaney close, breathing through the physical and emotional pain that racked her body.
“Naomi, the babies are beautiful. Glenna took a million photos already and I’m sure we’ll take a million more. How are you?”
“Relieved. Eager to see my children. Grateful Royce was there to help.”
“I can’t believe you actually delivered in a car.” Delaney tugged a chair close to the bedside and sat. “You always did have to one-up me. Two babies and now giving birth in a snowstorm. I’ll never top that.”
“What can I say?” Naomi shrugged, adjusting her hospital gown. “I strive to overachieve.”
“I’m just glad you’re all three okay. And the girls, wow. I can’t wait to spoil them and buy tons of little pink outfits. I can’t believe how tiny they are. So precious. You’re so brave.”
“I didn’t have a choice.” Her mind flashed to the terror she’d felt when she realized she wouldn’t make it to the hospital. “They were coming out.”
“I mean, to be a single mom.”
Single.
Not engaged. Not married.
No future with Royce.
She didn’t even have her mother to turn to for advice. Naomi fought back tears, working to remind herself of all she had to be grateful for tonight. “It’s not like I don’t have a ton of support, an even larger family now that Dad’s remarried.”
But no Royce. No father for her children. It had all seemed clear when she’d opted for in vitro fertilization with eggs she’d frozen prior to her treatment for cancer. Now everything was...complicated.
In the wake of her relationship with Royce, she better understood all that was missing in her life.
All that might have been for her girls.
“We’re here for you.” Delaney covered Naomi’s hand with hers, careful of the IV. “What’s the deal with Royce and you being out there together?”
Naomi sighed. “I should just put a sign on the door explaining, so I don’t have to repeat myself. He’s been helpful during the pregnancy. He cares about the babies.”
“And about you. Be honest.” She touched Naomi’s forehead, pushing away loose strands of dark hair.
Naomi bit her lip and weighed her sister’s words. “We’ll always care for each other. But it was just...infatuation. Lust.”
“Lust. Whoa. Friendship and lust and caring. Sounds pretty cool to me.” She gave an exaggerated wink.
“Trust me,” Naomi chuckled softly, “lust is the last thing on my mind right now.”
“Understandable. You must be exhausted and I should let you rest.” Delaney kissed her forehead. “Is there anything I can get for you? Some water? A nurse?”
“Perhaps ask the nurse to take my blood pressure again to see if I can get up?”
“Absolutely. I’ll ask on my way out.” She nodded to the nurse backing through the door. “You’re in good hands. I’ll see you in the morning.”
The middle-aged nurse with silver strands in her jet-black hair barely made it five steps into the room before Naomi’s question burst from her lips. “So, do we get to check my blood pressure again?”
Bowed lips drew into a smile, and for a flash of a moment, Naomi saw a glimpse of her mother in the woman. A painful thought, an ache that never seemed to ease.
“Of course, dear. Let’s see what your number is now.”
Naomi took a deep, steadying breath as the nurse set up the blood pressure machine. Low. Low. Low. The wish looped in her mind like a mantra. Her body needed to respond to the command.
An eternity seemed to pass as she stared at the nurse’s equipment, waiting for the verdict.
“Well, there, Miss Naomi, I have some good news for you. Your blood pressure is back to normal.”
“I’m going to see my babies.” Flinging back the sheets, Naomi prepared to swing her legs off the bed.
A gentle hand met her wrist. “Hold on there, dear. I know your pressure’s back down, but doctor’s orders—you get a wheelchair until he says otherwise.”
“As long as I see my children.” Naomi took a deep breath, the kind she reserved for stepping into a trial, the type that filled her lungs and soul with determination, then she eased her feet to the floor. She was a little wobbly, but overall better than she expected.
“This is my favorite part of my job, dear.”
Naomi craned her head back to examine the nurse. Faint smile lines adorned her cheeks, and the nurse’s green eyes were alight.
“Wheeling people around?” Naomi asked, wringing her hands in anticipation. Doctors and nurses rushed past them, carrying charts and chatting hurriedly.
“No. Uniting mother and child. There is nothing as rewarding.”
Her pulse pounding like she’d ran a marathon, Naomi swallowed, a lump of nervous anticipation welling in her throat, rendering her unable to speak. As they turned the corner to the nursery, her heart did a cartwheel. Royce. He stood near the babies, decked out in borrowed green scrubs. Looking handsome as ever, as he spoke to the pediatric nurse in a tone so hushed and gentle Naomi couldn’t make out a single word he said.
He hadn’t left, after all.
Even though she knew he was here for the babies, she still couldn’t deny how glad she was to see him. He was a part of her past, but he’d also been a part of this miracle.
She couldn’t help but wonder if she was feeling too drawn to him, weakening in an emotional moment. If anything, the other nurse’s presence, with reminders of Naomi’s mother, made her think of how she should be turning to the relatives she still had. She shouldn’t rely on Royce. She wanted to be independent. Even leaning on family would need to be short term—just until she recovered physically—or they could all fall back into the overprotective ways she’d found so stifling as a teen with cancer. She walked a fine line with them in making sure her girls had the joy of the love of a big family.
She smiled her thanks at the nurse who’d helped her down the hall, then rolled the wheelchair toward Royce. “Where is the rest of my family?”
He looked up, lifted an eyebrow and smiled. “Hey, Mama. Good to see you up and about.”
The pediatric nurse at the bassinets grinned before turning away and busying herself with another newborn.
Naomi gestured to her wheelchair. “If you can call riding in this ‘up.’”
He knelt in front of her. “Your blood pressure’s down?”
“Yes. And now I want to see my babies.”
“Of course.” He reached for the first bundle, Mary, and settled her in the crook of Naomi’s arm. Then followed with Anna.
Naomi soaked in the sight of them, clean and sleeping. And beautiful.
She looked up at Royce, finding his eyes locked on hers. She resisted the urge to fidget nervously and reminded herself of who she should be depending on now. “Where’s my family? Delaney said they were all here.”
She’d especially wanted to see Isabeau who was expecting a baby with Trystan Mikkelson.
“They fawned over your babies and then headed home to give you rest.”
“Oh, they just left?” She frowned. That wasn’t like them.
“Your blood pressure was up. I sent them away.”
She sat up straighter, stunned...irritated. “You did what?”
“It’s late. I told them we’ve got this covered. And they said they’ll be back in the morning.”
She looked around at the busy staff and kept her voice low. “What gives you the right to decide who stays with me at the hospital?”
“There’s another weather warning out, so they left to get ahead of the storm,” he said, with such practical calm it set her teeth on edge.
But then she’d always been far quicker to lose her temper than he was.
“And if they’d wanted to stay?”
He stared back at her silently.
Reason trickled through her anger. Nothing could have made her family leave if they hadn’t wanted to—or unless they had an ulterior motive. “They’re all hoping we’ll get back together.”
“Maybe. Regardless, I want to help. Is that so bad?”
“I have help. Or rather, I did until you gave them all their marching orders.” She tamped down her anger. “Who’s watching your dog?”
His Saint Bernard, Tessie—named in honor of the scientist Tesla—was his big, lovable, constant companion.
“My neighbor’s got her. She fine. Don’t worry. Just rest.”
Sagging back, Naomi relented. She had been surprised at how much it hurt saying goodbye to Tessie when she’d packed up her things at Royce’s place. She’d cried more than a few tears into the soft fur.
So many tears. So much grief. She was weary with the hurt.
But it was for the best, because she couldn’t risk falling into a relationship with him again.
Naomi cradled her babies, upset, but not wanting to let anything spoil this first night with her girls. And Royce really had been there for her today. They had meant so much to each other once, even if for only a brief time. “I guess this was our plan, back before.”
“That it was. I spent a large part of your pregnancy expecting to be their father. It’s not so easy for me to just shut that off.”
Tears became heavy in her eyes, compromising her vision, as all the words she knew seemed wrong, inadequate. “I’m so sorry for any pain I caused you. I should have known sooner that—”
“Stop. This isn’t the time to rehash that.” He slid an arm around her, the strength and heat of him so familiar.
So missed.
She shrugged off his arm and the temptation it held for her to slide into their prior routine. “No offense. But touch me and I’ll cry. It’s the hormones. And I wish they were in my room with me and everything was...normal.”
“Understandable. How about we sit together, you put your feet up here—” he pushed a chair in front of her and lifted her legs to rest on it “—and we’ll hold the babies all night long.”
She looked up from her daughters into his deep brown eyes, finding his gaze full of emotion, of memories. Their memories. And this time there would be no escaping them or hiding from each other. Not now.
As they spent the night together, pretending to be the family they never could be.
* * *
Milla Jones pushed the flower cart down the quiet hospital corridor, careful not to wake the sleeping patients, the babies and their families.
One family in particular. Her reason for being here tonight. She’d been unable to stay away, even though she would have a legitimate reason to see them all in two weeks. Revenge required patience, and God, she’d waited for so long. Surely she could allow herself this small indulgence after all that had been taken from her. All the reasons she had not to trust anyone.
Milla wheeled past a janitor mopping up dried mud and stains from people tracking in wet snow, and stopped outside Naomi Steele’s door. The cart held four arrangements for the new mother of twins, and a cluster of pink balloons. Milla didn’t plan to make this a full-time job. It was a one-time gig with a purpose.
She hadn’t been able to resist the chance to scope out the Steeles and Mikkelsons. She’d heard about the twins’ birth and had conned a hospital volunteer into letting her deliver arrangements to the patients. Which technically wasn’t cool on so many levels, but Milla had long ago given up playing by the rules. Life had been too harsh. She’d fought hard to build a future for herself, independent of anyone.
So she refused to feel guilty for pushing the door open and peeking inside the room. The empty room. No one lay in the bed, though the sheets were rumpled. No sounds came from the bathroom and the recliner was unoccupied.
Sighing in disappointment, she unloaded the four arrangements, placing them around the room wherever there was space—two on the window ledge, one on the rolling cart and the last by the sink. Scanning the room once more, envisioning the family that should have been in here, she tied the balloons to the end of the bed.
Her time would come. She wasn’t backing down. She had two more weeks to scope out both families before she made her move.
For years, she’d hidden out in fear of her enemies. But when she’d almost died in a wildfire last summer, she’d decided the time had arrived. She had to look out for her own safety. She’d come here to uncover the truth. The reason she’d left Canada and moved to Anchorage. To find out who was responsible for the destruction of her life—the Mikkelsons or the Steeles.
Three (#ua6bbe52d-5073-538a-97e9-76ed0f99f16b)
Sprawled in the burgundy recliner, Royce reached overhead to stretch out his tense back. He kept his eyes trained in front of him, watching the steady rise and fall of Naomi’s chest as she slept. Somehow those breaths steadied his own after the adrenaline. The fragrance of flowers throughout the room covered the antiseptic scent and reminded him of her shampoo. Her dark hair pooled around her, halo-like. Peaceful.
But this peace between them was a temporary thing. He understood that all too well.
Hospital staff had told him he could sleep on the pull-out sofa, but he’d been too restless. Once he’d texted his neighbor for an update on Tessie, he’d reached for his tablet and got to work.
The room was still dark, even though morning crept closer. Alaska days were lengthening. Naomi was tough and independent, but he hadn’t thought about her handling two infant seats on an icy walkway.
Or what if she’d been trapped in that storm, alone, with the babies?
Those two tiny girls already had him wrapped around their little fingers. The breakup with Naomi had been hell, so much so he hadn’t given much thought to the twins. What it would feel like to lose them. He hadn’t realized how much he already cared about the two of them. That he was gutted at the thought of losing them.
Royce rubbed a crick at the back of his neck. He and Naomi had been up most of the night. The hours together reminded him of nights they’d spent in bed planning for the twins’ arrival, sharing dreams for the future.
None of their discussions bore any resemblance to the way things had turned out.
Neither of them was willing to leave Anna and Mary. The pediatrician wanted them observed for the night since they’d been born early and in such unusual circumstances.
Quite frankly, Royce hadn’t wanted to leave Naomi, either. Sure, her family could have stayed, but he’d seen her assert her independence with them mighty damn effectively, and hadn’t trusted she would ask for help. Or that they would see what she really needed.
So he’d stayed and kicked her family out.
And yes, he’d also chosen to stick around because the glow on her face mesmerized him. The soft, soothing sound of her voice as she spoke to her babies surpassed any song.
Finally, when Naomi couldn’t keep her head up any longer, a nurse had gently reminded her she would be no good to her children exhausted. She should rest while she could.
Royce had helped her back to her room and watched over her while she slept. The babies were in good hands. Someone needed to look out for Naomi. The best thing would be to walk away, but damn it all, he kept buying in to lame reasons to stick around.
He sure as hell wouldn’t be able to hold off her family for long. They would all be back here en masse soon enough. For now, before the sun rose, he could imagine things were different between them.
Her feet shifted under the sheet in that way he’d learned she did just before the rest of her awoke. Back in the days when they’d shared a bed, when he’d made love to her through the night. When he’d had the right to slide his arm around her and draw her to him. To bury his face in her hair and breathe in the scent of her shampoo.
Naomi stretched her arms overhead, then swept back her hair before gingerly sitting up in bed. “The girls?”
“Anna and Mary are fine. The nurse said they would be brought in after the shift change, which should be happening right now.”
“Did you sleep at all?”
“Catnaps. I’m fine.” He set his tablet aside and poured her a cup of ice water.
“Thank you.” She took it and sipped. “Catnap, huh? I bet you worked.”
He didn’t bother denying it. The chart he’d been calculating still glowed on the screen.
“Royce, you should rest.”
He could sleep later. She would be taking care of twins. “I will. How do you feel?”
“Like I gave birth to twins in a car.”
“I’ll get the nurse to bring your pain meds.” He started to stand.
“I was joking.” She gestured for him to sit again.
“Right. Guess my brain’s still on stun from everything that’s happened.”
“Understandable.” She picked at the sheets, glancing at him, then away, blinking fast. “I’m sorry if this brought back upsetting memories for you.”
Yes, the delivery had brought back the past, thoughts that would haunt his sleep. But he didn’t intend to worry her with that.
“My thoughts are fully on you and the babies. What about you?” He touched her hand, paused, his thumb caressing the inside of her wrist out of habit. “Is everything else, um, okay?”
“Are you referencing hormones?” She skimmed a knuckle under each eye. “Because that could be seriously dangerous to your health.”
He froze, then relaxed. “You were making a joke, right?”
“Teasing you.” She squinted, sizing him up with a playful grin. “Not a joke exactly.”
“Got it.” He tapped his temple, missing this ease between them, not knowing how to keep it beyond sunrise. “I’m working on developing a sense of humor.”
“You’ve always had one. You’re just more literal when you’re stressed.” She bit her lip. “I’m sorry you had to go through that.”
The pain in her words cut him to the quick. “There’s nothing for you to apologize for.”
“And yes, to answer your question, I’m thinking about my mom and my sister.” She shrugged, the green hospital gown sliding down one shoulder. “I wish they were here to see the girls, to offer advice. Just to hug.”
He covered her hand with his, stroking lightly.
Ah, there it was. An old familiar spark. The feeling of an electric current running between them, gaining voltage as her eyes caught his.
Memories catapulted through his mind, threatening to tear down the wall between them.
But the moment was short-lived, interrupted by a squeaky hospital door. Back to the present. To the babies being lifted out of the bassinets and into the arms of the nurse.
A cooing noise erupted from the pink lips of one of the girls as the nurse carefully cradled the tiny pink bundle.
“Are you ready, Momma?” the woman asked brightly, her ponytail swinging as she moved closer.
Naomi’s heart was in her eyes as she looked at the nurse and nodded emphatically, her dark hair tumbling forward.
Damn.
Naomi practically glowed with maternal love and happiness. The sight of her reaching for her babies, cradling one and then the other to her chest, nearly knocked him to his knees.
“Are you sure you have them?” the nurse inquired, propping pillows under Naomi’s arms to give her support.
Two babies, even at this young age, were a lot to juggle. Royce hovered. Wanting to help.
Needing to help.
“I’ll make sure,” he answered the nurse, easing past her to give Naomi a hand.
Seeing for himself how much she needed help meant only one thing. He had to be there for her these next six weeks as she recovered and settled into motherhood, or he would never be free of regrets.
* * *
Naomi wrapped baby Anna in her blanket, swaddling her the way the nurses had taught. Mary already slept, her sweet Cupid’s bow mouth moving silently as she dreamed. So far nursing the twins was going well. At least that’s what the staff said. Naomi found it more difficult than she’d expected, but she was determined to try.
It had taken all her skills as a lawyer to convince Royce to step out of the room long enough to visit the cafeteria. She’d convinced him she had to have a burger.
She carefully adjusted the pink cap on Anna and the purple cap on Mary before relaxing in the recliner by her bed. Sitting in a real chair made her feel more like a regular person after all the weeks on bed rest before she gave birth. And after the ordeal of doing so in the SUV. Usually, Naomi thrived on drama and high emotions. But was it too much to ask to have a second of peace without all these feelings crowding her? She’d given birth in a freaking car. She deserved—her babies deserved—a few minutes of calm.
The reactions stirred by Royce were anything but peaceful.
She knew the two of them were over. They had to be. They weren’t good for each other. It had just been infatuation. But he still sent her hormones into a tailspin whenever he walked in the room.
And when he walked out. Even to go get supper.
What would it feel like when he left forever?
As the lump in her throat swelled to an almost unmanageable size—so much for peace—the door cracked open.
Again, anticipation hummed in her veins, made her heart race—hope—to see the eccentric scientist appear.
And yes, there was a man in the entry. But it wasn’t Royce.
Her rugged father, an unwavering—albeit gruff—teddy bear of support through the years. He carried a vase of pink roses.
“Daddy? I can’t believe you’re here.” She pushed on the arms of the recliner to stand.
With a hand on her shoulder, he gently eased her back, then wedged the painted ceramic vase on the counter between a spider plant and a pair of rag dolls. “Of course I’m here to see my girl and her babies. Jeannie’s here, too. She’s just outside the door with the family. She said I should have some time alone with you first. She’s thoughtful that way. Always trying to be considerate when it comes to the blending of our families.”
Naomi shifted to face him as he pulled up another chair to sit beside her. She was happy for her father, truly, but right now, with an ache in her heart from wanting her mother to share this moment, it was difficult to think about her father’s remarriage. Selfish of her? Probably. But emotions weren’t easy and she’d always been the volatile one in the family.
Still, she tried her diplomatic best for her dad. “I didn’t mean to bring you back from your honeymoon.”
“We wouldn’t miss this for anything. I want to hold my granddaughters once they wake up.” He peered into each bassinet, touching the newborns’ tiny caps reverently. “Lordy, girl, they’re beautiful.”
“I won’t disagree with you there.” Love filled her heart for these two lives. The swell of emotion was so deep and wide she could barely contain it.
“I had to push my way to the front of the line. There’s quite a train of people out there waiting to see these little ones.” He paused, eyeing her. “I saw Royce on my way in. Are you two back togeth—”
Swiftly, she held up her hand, cutting him off. “No, Dad.” She didn’t have the strength to fight rumors or explain yet again why they’d broken up, especially not now when her emotions were turning somersaults inside her. She could repeat only so many times that they were just too different. Sharing anything more about their breakup felt too personal, even to tell her family. “He just happened to be there when the babies were born.”
“How so, exactly?” Jack narrowed his brows, his weathered face furrowing.
Hadn’t he heard? Of course he would have questioned the others. She searched her father’s face and decided this was another battle not worth fighting. He clearly wanted to hear her side, to see if she was weakening in reuniting with her ex-fiancé—who also happened to be her father’s new golden boy consultant in the company.
Fine. “Royce took me to my OB appointment, where I got a glowing report, so good I was let off bed rest. Then we drove around for a while to celebrate. We talked about heading to Kit’s Kodiak Café, because I had a craving for their Three Polar Bears special—”
“Like when you were a kid. I look forward to taking the girls there one day, along with Fleur.” Broderick and Glenna’s toddler. “This grandpa gig is a good thing. Now finish telling me how these nuggets entered the world in Royce’s car.”
“While we were out, it began snowing. Labor started...and the next thing I knew, I was giving birth on the side of the road in his Suburban.” She grimaced.
Her dad chuckled. “I was there when each of you were born, you know.” His eyes took on a nostalgic glint for a moment before he blinked it away.
“Please say you’re going to finish your trip, though.”
“Jeannie and I want to welcome you home first. Then we’ll fly back out and resume the rest of our belated honeymoon.”
Exhausted and emotional, Naomi inwardly winced at the thought of a big to-do. She loved her family and would need their support. Still, she yearned for bonding time with her daughters.
Even so, being a parent now gave her a new perspective on her father, and she didn’t want to hurt his feelings. So she simply smiled and said, “That sounds perfect. I’ll be sure to send you lots of photos of the babies.”
He fished his smartphone out of his jeans pocket, waved it in the air with a wide, bright smile. “Please do. I’ll be passing my phone around for everyone to see.”
“You’ll be back before you know it for your big wedding party.” Her father and Jeannie had been married in a small service with all their children present, but given their business connections, they’d planned for a large gala after they returned from their honeymoon. After which the pipeline modifications would kick into high gear, as would Royce’s workload.
“The twins will be six weeks old then.” His face took on a nostalgic air as he traced the edges of the pink cap. “Little Anna here looks like you.”
“Or like Breanna, you mean.”
He nodded, his throat bobbing, his gaze still locked on the newborn.
“Are you sure you’re all right with the names?” Naomi squeezed her father’s forearm. “I don’t want you to feel sad when you see them.”
“I’m happy. I mean it. Seeing these two little granddaughters reminds me of my twins in all the best ways.” He scrubbed his wrist across his eyes, a wide smile replacing any pain that had been on his face. “Thank you, Naomi.”
“I love you, Dad.” She leaned across the arm of the chair to hug him.
He folded her into a familiar embrace, patting her back rhythmically, like...a dad. “Love you, too.” Finally, he angled away, standing. “Now I’m going to get Jeannie before she goes crazy waiting.”
That brief sadness on her father’s face and in his voice made Naomi’s heart ache more than she could remember since she’d been a teenager. Scared. Unsure of the future.
Well, except for when she’d broken things off with Royce. She could still remember the shock on his face, the denial. She hadn’t been able to handle his smothering, his lack of understanding when it came to her need for independence, his unwillingness to acknowledge her strength. She realized he responded that way because of his former fiancée’s miscarriage, but still, Naomi had fought too hard to climb out of the cocoon her family had put her in during her bout with cancer.
Royce had accused her of being so stuck in the past she was afraid to embrace the future.
Likely they both had valid points, but bottom line, they’d jumped into the relationship too quickly.
That didn’t make the breakup hurt less.
He was a good man. Almost too good—if there could be such a thing. Even while she realized theirs had been an infatuation—a hefty dose of infatuation—she’d known without question he never would have broken things off with her once he’d committed to be there for her, for her children. That honorable nature had made it all the tougher for her to do the right thing and let him go.
She rubbed at the sore spot on her wrist where the IV had been, the lingering ache reminding her of so many other pains, losses.
* * *
Royce could sit and crunch numbers, work equations and create charts for hours without feeling the least bit drained. He liked to think he had grit and stamina by the bucketful. But a day spent with inquiring and nervous family members reminded him of another skill he had to work on—resilience. Tension in his jaw conveyed his overexposure. But it was worth it for Naomi and the babies.
She was washing her hair. The sound of the showering water through the door had soothed the girls to sleep. He had to admit to being moved when Naomi had trusted him with them after her family left for supper.
The Steele-Mikkelsons never ceased to surprise him. Such as how this family worth billions, who’d wined and dined with world leaders, still chose Kit’s Kodiak Café as one of their favorite watering holes. Sure, the food rocked, but he thought maybe it fit more with their pace, all of them having grown up near oil fields.
They were used to a big clan, but he was more comfortable in the solitude of his cabin with his dog Naomi had sensed that, no matter how hard he’d tried to hide it. And he had tried, because he’d wanted things to work between them.
He’d failed. And no amount of Mensa IQ points could help him figure out how to fix things so they worked together as a couple.
But that wasn’t the task at hand.
Instead he’d create a perfect system that would enable a smooth transition for her and the girls. Rather than second-guessing every waking moment, he’d enjoy his time with Naomi, help situate her for success in the future.
Goals and objectives. Now he had something to work for—to help Naomi—and even a deadline. He would be there for her until her father’s return from his honeymoon.
Royce made his way to the curious-eyed infants, who blinked up at him, stealing their way deeper into his heart.
“Hello, beautiful girls,” he said softly. Anna crinkled her nose at the sound of his voice. “Did you know that matter is never destroyed, only converted? We have to make sure you two are at the top of your class. Yeah-huh.”
A female doctor with a gray ballerina bun entered the room, cutting the science lesson short. He turned to face her, and the male nurse with a crew cut who followed, introducing themselves. Her regular OB, Dr. Odell, had gone on vacation, so his partner was making rounds.
“She’s in the shower,” Royce explained, just before the water stopped. “But as you can hear, she’s finishing up.”
“That’s fine. We’re about to undergo a shift change, but are also in the process of releasing patients that are able to be discharged this evening.”
“Oh. Well, uh, I’m not sure how she feels.”
“That’s quite all right. We can wait to ask her.” The doctor gestured to the darkening window. “Full moon tonight. And that means a lot of women in labor.”
Naomi emerged from the bathroom in a plush pink robe and nightgown, looking pretty with her hair gathered in a damp braid.
The doctor smiled, shifting her clipboard from one hand to the other. “Well, Momma, I am prepared to release you—if you feel comfortable, that is.”
Relief flooded her face. “Yes, please. I would like to go home.”
Home. Royce’s gut clenched. There’d been a time when they’d shared his house, talked of buying a larger place with space for the babies. That scenario had passed.
The doctor pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose, then passed the clipboard to the nurse. “I’ll have him start your discharge paperwork. You have infant car seats?”
Naomi pointed toward the corner. “My family brought them today.”
“Good, good.” The nurse penciled a check mark on the papers before tucking the clipboard under his arm.
The doctor touched each baby’s head lightly before squeezing Naomi’s shoulder. “We have plenty of guides and emergency numbers in your baby welcome packet. Don’t hesitate to call if you have any questions.”
The nurse pulled the papers off the clipboard and tucked them into a sack with the hospital logo on the side. “Congratulations. To both of you. All four of you, actually. I never grow jaded about the joy of releasing a family.”
A family. Royce didn’t bother correcting the nurse. He’d actually given up on correcting that assumption at all—and apparently so had Naomi—after the second shift change had brought in yet another wave of well-wishers who assumed he was the father.
“Wow, I can’t believe we’re leaving. It’s all happening so fast.” She opened the cabinet and pulled out the clothes her sister had brought. “Thank goodness Delaney brought a bag for the babies and me. And their car seats.”
“Lucky to have all that here. Makes things easier. Although you could wear your boots with the nightgown and coat. No need to tire yourself out.” He couldn’t miss the furrows creasing her forehead. “Naomi?”
She shook her head, pulling out the loose sweater dress. “It’s just a little overwhelming. Not the way I envisioned it. Although I will go home in this, like I planned.”
“Right. And I’ll get the girls in those little outfits you picked out for them.” At least he hoped he could. Figuring out how to build modifications for a safer, more efficient oil pipeline sounded easier at the moment than wrangling those spindly baby arms into miniscule matching clothes. “Take your time getting dressed. I’ll be sure to snap plenty of photos. Your girls are going home. You’re a mom.”
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