Because of the Baby(50)
“Sounds great.”
It took Keaton another forty-five minutes to make his way back to Lark’s side. By the time he reached her, he expected she’d be furious that he’d left her, but she simply took his arm and smiled up at him.
“You two doing okay?” he asked, peering at a sleeping Grace.
“Just fine.”
“Sorry I was gone so long.”
“It’s okay. You’d have been bored standing around while all the women oohed and aahed over Grace and asked dozens of questions about preemies.”
“I’m sure you had answers for each and every one of their questions.”
“Of course.” A smile flitted across her lips, catching his attention. “We’re experts now, aren’t we?”
“We’re getting there.” He’d known that inviting her to accompany him today had been a risk, but so far it seemed to be paying off.
“And Grace wasn’t the only thing they wanted to know about,” she said, a hint of slyness in her tone. “A few asked if you and I were together.”
“What did you tell them?”
“What we agreed on.” Basically the same thing he’d told Drew.
“And that satisfied them?”
“Of course not. Each and every one believes you and I are together.”
Her matter-of-factness confused him. Wasn’t this what she’d been most afraid of?
“Are you worried it will get back to your parents?”
“I knew it would when I agreed to come.”
“So why did you?”
“I’ve been really happy these last couple weeks, and that’s because of you.”
He didn’t push her for more. “You and I are good for each other.”
“And we’re not the only ones who think so.”
He doubted that would be enough to sustain her when her parents began pummeling her with their negative opinions. “Drew asked me if we were together too. He said since he and Beth have fallen in love he’s paying more attention to the relationships around him.”
“It’s funny that he would say that,” Lark said. “I’ve noticed myself being more interested in other people’s love lives. There’s a few people here who’ve started dating recently. And I can’t help wondering if something is going on between Paige Richardson and her brother-in-law.”
Keaton glanced over at their hosts. “Like what?”
“Not like they’re together,” Lark assured him, but frowned thoughtfully. “They’re really in sync. I suppose it could be shared grief over losing someone they both love. Except I think Paige is less sad than she used to be. Is that weird?”
Now that Lark had pointed it out, Keaton noticed the way Colby stayed close beside his brother’s widow but never touched her. Not even a casual brush of arms or hands. It was as if he took care to maintain space between them.
“Not weird. But maybe we’ve fallen prey to the same affliction that Drew has?”
“But Drew and Beth are in love,” Lark began, her voice trailing off as she caught Keaton’s gaze.
“Why don’t we say our goodbyes and get out of here?” Keaton suggested, letting her glimpse the flash of sexual intent in his eyes. Suddenly he was very impatient to get her home. “I think Grace has had enough excitement for one day, don’t you?”
“Sure.” But she sounded a little nervous as she agreed. She sucked her lower lip between her teeth as her color began to rise.
“I think everyone will understand that preemies are more delicate than the average newborn.”
“They are.” Her gaze clung to his. “It was good to bring her out, but I don’t want to push it.”
“Absolutely.” To anyone listening nearby, their conversation would seem mundane enough, but heat flared between them at their unspoken accord. “I’m glad we’re in agreement.”
Ten
Lark entered Royal Safe Haven in a distracted state. Even after a fifteen-minute drive, her body still hummed from Keaton’s goodbye kiss. At Paige Richardson’s party, Lark had met Megan McGuire, the shelter’s manager, and agreed to volunteer with the dogs for a couple hours. Basically, they needed some human contact, a little fussing over.
Keaton had encouraged her to go. For the last three and a half months, Lark’s entire world had been the hospital, her comatose sister and Baby Grace. He’d insisted that doing something outside her narrow world would clear her head. Lark felt guilty for leaving him alone with Grace again on the heels of four days of twelve-hour shifts at the hospital, but secretly she’d been excited to try something new.