“Pretty sure. We were having an argument about her, and he walked out. Where else could he have gone? And now I’m stuck here on my own in this hick town.” Imogen said, desperately[TM4].
“I just can’t believe it.” Daniel shook his head, “I mean, I did wonder if they’d met up in New York when he had work there, but she’s never said a word. Look, I think the best thing is if I call her and find out if she’s seen Kit, okay?”
He reached for his phone, but just as he did, there was yet another knock at the door.
“It’s like a circus here tonight,” he muttered, crossing to open it yet again.
He looked out into the night, not seeing anyone until a groan pulled his eyes downward. He found Jessica, on all fours, panting and shaking.
“Oh, thank goodness you’re here! I’m in labor. I tried to call but a contraction hit me and I dropped the phone straight into a glass of water. Stupid thing wouldn’t work and so I just thought I’d… ARRGH!” She broke off with a scream of pain.
Daniel quickly got an arm under hers and helped her up. “This way. Let’s get you comfortable, then I’ll see how far along you are, okay?”
“Not you.” She shook her head but allowed him to lead her.
“It’s fine, I promise. I’ve delivered several babies. I spent a year in obstetrics.”
“It’s not that… It’s just, I want a woman, and you’re too…” she broke off as pain racked through her again. “You’re too handsome,” she blurted.
Daniel grinned. “Okay, well, you don’t really have a choice. Your contractions are only a minute apart, so I’d say the chances are good you’re going to have a baby pretty much any moment now.”
“No, no way, they can’t be! They only started half an hour ago. I thought I’d be in labor for hours? I want to be in a hospital!”
She let Daniel take her through another door in a room that doubled as a downstairs guest bedroom and an office.
“Well, we might have time to get you to hospital, but it’s unlikely. Either way, I’m going to need to check.”
He lowered her on the bed, then raised his voice. “Imogen?”
Imogen had clearly been hovering nearby because she came straight in.
“I’m sorry to do this, Imogen, but I’m going to need you to stay for a little while. Here, take Jessica’s hand. I’m going to get some towels and my medical bag.”
Less than five minutes later, he told both the women to brace themselves as they were about to deliver a baby.
“Are you a nurse?” Jessica asked, looking at Imogen with fear.
“No, I’m a fashion model.” Imogen returned Jessica’s look with one of horror.
Chapter Fourteen
“What’s going on, Kit?” Dulcie asked, making him a coffee and an herbal tea for herself. “Have you had a fight with Imogen?”
“Yes, a real bruiser.”
“About what?”
“You.”
Dulcie turned and gave him a scrutinizing look. “I see. Are you going to tell me why?”
“It’s the picture in my apartment. She’s seen it, of course, but she didn’t realize it was you until you met. And then she went kind of mental about it. I didn’t think she was like that. I thought she was different, but she’s a nightmare, just like the rest of them.”
“She did seem kind of uptight,” Dulcie said, not wanting to outright admit that she’d disliked Imogen immediately. “But how is that just like the rest of them?”
“Models, they are so insecure. And jealous, constantly jealous of each other, constantly comparing everything, it’s so shallow. But Imogen seemed much more down to earth than the others. I joked, but actually she never did that. I don’t know. I thought I was in love with her, but I guess I had her all wrong.”
“Are you sure? It’s just that it’s quite a lot for any girl to handle, finding out that her boyfriend is still good friends with the woman whose picture dominates his wall. Did you make it clear to her that there was never anything between us?”
“Well, no. But why should I have to? I’m with her now, and everyone has a past. Why should I share all that?”
“You boys,” Dulcie said, raising her eyes upward, seeking guidance. “Why do none of you just talk it out? It would save so much fuss over nothing.”
“Why do you girls need to know every little thing?” he countered. “That’s just boring.”
Dulcie put the drinks down in front of them and pulled up a stool at the kitchen counter.
“Can I ask you a question, Kit? Why do you have a massive picture of me up in your apartment?”
Kit looked surprised, as though the answer were obvious. “Because I took it. Because it’s the photo that launched my career. It’s important to me. The fact that it’s you is irrelevant.”
Dulcie smiled widely. “That’s what I thought. So, just to be crystal about this, you don’t have any feelings for me whatsoever?”
“Not like that,” Kit said, looking revolted at the very idea.
Dulcie went off into a peal of laughter while Kit looked confused.
“And the chat you wanted to have with me?” she queried.
“I wanted your help with a surprise I was arranging for Imogen.”
“Kit, don’t take this the wrong way, but you can be pretty dense about the workings of the female mind. It’s pretty easy to see why Imogen got the wrong idea, and you should have just told her the honest truth. Get your butt back to the hotel and apologize.”
Kit looked out the window and shook his head. “No way. It’s snowing again, and it took me half an hour to walk here because all the roads are blocked. I’m not walking back in this, I’ll freeze. And Imogen will be out for the count by now anyway. She’s pretty religious about getting her eight hours a night of beauty sleep.”
“You can’t stay here,” Dulcie said firmly, “That will just make things even worse! The lights are still on next door, so that means Daniel is still up. He’s got special snow tires on his car. I’m sure he’ll give you a lift back to the hotel.”
“Or maybe he’ll be up for having a drink or two and complaining about you females and the way your minds work.”
“Good idea,” Dulcie said, practically shoving him out the door. She paused only long enough to wave cheerfully at the twitching curtains in the house across the road.
Chapter Fifteen
It took only half an hour for the tiny baby girl to be born. There were a few tense moments, but Daniel dealt with them, never letting Jessica see how bad it could be, and soon, she was holding her infant daughter and quietly smiling with relief that it was all safely over.
Knowing how overstretched the hospital was, Daniel settled them both down with clean bedding, and after a quick medical check, he left them to quietly start on the baby’s first feed.
He opened a bottle of champagne and poured a glass for Imogen and one for himself.
“That,” he said, “never gets old. Wasn’t it great?”
“Yes.” She smiled. “It’s messy but amazing.”
“And you were amazing, too,” he raised his glass to her, “I had you pegged completely wrong. I’d thought you’d be way too squeamish to help, but you were a natural in there. You must have done it before?”
Imogen grinned. “Not exactly. I don’t tell many people, but I grew up on a dairy farm. I’ve never delivered a human baby, but I’ve delivered plenty of calves. It wasn’t so different really.”
Daniel laughed. “Let’s not tell Jessica that!”
“She’s special to you, isn’t she?” Imogen asked.
“What, no. I’ve only just met her.”
“Oh, sorry. It was just the way you looked at her, I thought… Never mind.” Imogen gazed out the window at the falling snow. “I don’t want to go back out in this weather.”
“Of course not,” Daniel said, “and I’m sure you want to wash up after all that, too. You must spend the night in Kit’s bedroom.”
“While Kit spends the night
in Dulcie’s?” Imogen said, miserably[TM5].
“I’m fairly certain that’s not happening. I’ve been thinking about it, and it makes no sense. He wouldn’t have come here with you if he had feelings for Dulcie. He knew she was going to be here, and I’m pretty sure he’d have discussed it with me if he did.”
He walked her to the bottom of the stairs and pointed out Kit’s room. “Everything you need will be in there or in his bathroom. My mother is very particular about keeping it all well-stocked so we can come home any time.”
“Okay, thanks for listening to me moan. I hope you’re right about Dulcie. I wasn’t very taken with her, but wow that girl designs great underwear.”
“So I’ve heard. I really must try to get my eyes on some of it in the near future.” He winked at her.
Imogen reached under her sweater and whisked off her bra without revealing even an inch of skin. “That’s easy to fix, here you go.” She threw the bra down the stairs and sashayed into Kit’s bedroom.
Daniel smiled, but as soon as she was out of sight, he went to check on Jessica and the baby. They were both sleeping now, and he turned down the light and crept out from the room.
He turned off the kitchen lights and paused as he passed the bottom of the stairs, stopping to pick up the bra and examine it. It was dangling on the end of his fingers when Kit walked in.
Chapter Sixteen
“Oh,” Kit stopped, taking in the scene of Daniel and the bra. “Do you have company tonight?”
“No, it’s Imogen’s. I hear you’ve left her for Dulcie?”
Daniel was joking, but Kit didn’t take it well at all.
“You utter sleaze!” Kit hollered, “I knew you were charming, but that was fast work. You seduced her, didn’t you? Where is she?”
Daniel backed away as Kit advanced on him with his fists clenched.
“She’s upstairs, taking a shower, I think. Calm down, bro, you’ll wake everyone up.”
But Kit didn’t falter. “How could you? I was going to propose to her! But now you’ve taken her from me.”
He raised one fist but paused as Imogen flew down the stairs, and then into his arms, practically knocking him down. She peppered his face with kisses.
“You were going to propose?” she asked breathlessly.
“Why else do you think I brought you here?”
“Really? You don’t want Dulcie?”
“Of course not! But you and Dan?”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” She kissed him again.
“Ahem! This is a touching reunion, but do you think you could take it upstairs. There’s a new baby trying to sleep,” Daniel said.
It didn’t take long to persuade them both to disappear to Kit’s room, leaving Daniel behind them, shaking his head in exasperation.
He took one long look out the front door, wondering if anyone else was going to suddenly show up in the middle of the night.
“This is why large families and Christmas just don’t mix,” he muttered. “Mayhem, total mayhem.”
Then he firmly locked the door before anyone else could come through it.
Chapter Seventeen
Christmas Eve turned out to be a much bigger celebration than any of them had imagined.
Noelle was back in great form, feeling completely recovered. Daniel helped Jessica and her baby move back into their own house and spent most of the day going back and forth between the two, making sure she had everything she needed. Kit and Imogen spent most of the day in bed but emerged extremely happy later that afternoon. And Dulcie went into overdrive having realized she would now be feeding far more people than expected.
One after another, they all dropped in to Dulcie’s kitchen to chat.
First, Noelle came and helped with peeling vegetables before returning home to wrap presents. Then Daniel came to tell her all the events of the night before. And finally, Kit and Imogen dropped by to drink more fizz and offer to take them all to Silver Bells and save her the cooking.
Dulcie firmly shook her head. “No way, it’s Christmas, and we’re going to all sit down and spend the day together. We’ll just have to manage somehow.”
She and Kit carried an extra table into the dining room, and she began lay places. Imogen came in to help.
“Dulcie? I just wanted to say sorry that I was so unfriendly to you. I get it now. You’re family as far as Christopher is concerned.”
Dulcie gave Imogen a quick spontaneous hug. “I hear on the grapevine that you may actually be family soon, too, so don’t worry about it. Daniel told me what a trooper you were last night. You really impressed him.”
“Thanks.” Imogen actually looked embarrassed, and Dulcie warmed to her even more.
“Plus, I hear that you wear my darling range, which makes you an instant friend as far as I’m concerned.” Imogen beamed in response.
Dulcie threw open the window as she saw Daniel crossing her garden yet again, on his way back from Jessica’s house.
“Can you tell Jessica I’m laying a place for her, but they should only come if she feels up to it,” Dulcie called out to him.
“You’re a star!” Daniel shouted back, blowing her a kiss.
Dulcie put down the place setting and stepped back. “There it’s done. That’s all of us.” Her eyes roamed the table. Well, almost all of us, she amended silently to herself.
That evening, they all gathered at the Carlton house for drinks and Christmas music. Daniel was last to arrive, bringing with him a tired looking Jessica and holding the baby in his arms.
“I’d like to formally introduce you all to Miss Grace Arbor,” he said as proudly as any father.
“Grace Danielle Arbor,” Jessica corrected with a fond smile at them both.
“Wow, what have you done to Dan?” Kit whispered to Jessica as he watched his brother settle on the couch, still holding the baby. “I’ve never seen him go so gaga over a girl before, or for her baby,” he joked, and Jessica blushed madly.
“Isn’t he just the most amazingly considerate doctor ever?”
“Yes, and good looking, too,” Kit said, still teasing her. “Oh, and single.”
“Stop that.” Jessica flapped a hand at him. “I’m a wreck, and now a single mother, too. He’s just being nice.”
“Uh-uh.” Kit shook his head. “Daniel isn’t that nice.”
“Hmm, we’ll see.” Jessica clearly didn’t believe a word of it, but she still crossed the room and went to sit beside Daniel, the two of them both gazing adoringly at the tiny child in his arms.
“Well, he’s a goner, and so is Kit. I guess it’s just you and me now, Dulcie. We can be the odd-couple.” Noelle said, looking at her brothers with a pleased expression.
Dulcie tried to smile. These people were family to her, and life was great. Christmas sales had hit an all-time high at Sweet Bright Designs, and she’d spoken to her parents that morning, and they were having a wonderful time. So why do I feel so blue inside? she wondered.
Because Adam isn’t here, and he should be, she thought. But he’s with Lynette, the woman he’s engaged to marry. For some reason, that made her heart sink even lower.
Kit pushed some buttons on a remote, and the music changed from pop to carols. They all went quiet as the beautiful strains of Silent Night filled the room, and Dulcie moved to the windows, looking out onto the frozen backyard to hide a tear that slid down her face.
When suddenly, a cold wind whirled into the room, and Adam followed it, stamping snow off his boots.
Noelle gave a shriek of delight and jumped up to hug him, and both his brothers rose to heartily shake his hand. Dulcie hung back, allowing Daniel and Kit a chance to introduce Jessica and Imogen, and baby Grace, of course.
Adam kissed both women on the cheek and admired the baby, and Dulcie felt he was avoiding looking at her.
“Why are you here? Where’s Lynette?” Noelle asked the question they were all thinking.
“I wanted to be with my family,” Adam said, finally making
eye contact with Dulcie and holding her gaze for several long seconds.
“Did you ditch the witch?” Noelle said, her voice hopeful.
“Yes. No. Well, she ditched me, I suppose. I told her I’d rather we spent Christmas here than at the Mayor’s house, and she said I was putting my family above her career, and I agreed that I was. She didn’t take it well.” Adam smiled, clearly not bothered by the outcome.
“Hurrah!” Noelle cheered. “Let me get you a glass.” She went off to the kitchen singing, “Ding dong, the witch is dead.”
Adam rolled his eyes at his sister, but he was clearly pleased that she was happy. “Dulcie, can I have a word? In private?”
“Yes, of course.” Dulcie put down her glass and followed him out into the large entrance hall.
“It’s fine for you to join us for tomorrow,” she reassured him. “I made enough to feed an army once it became clear that we were going to have a house full. Though we’re definitely going to run out of Turkey.”
“Actually I brought another one with me, plus other stuff.”
“Fantastic, you’re like Scrooge before and after he’s been visited by the ghosts. Grumpy yet benevolent.” She teased him.
“Thank you, I think, but it’s not that. It’s about Lynette and our argument.”
“Ah. Was there more to it than you said?”
“Yes. I guess I knew things weren’t going well for a while, but I’d already asked her to marry me. I’d made a commitment.”
Dulcie nodded, understanding what he meant, but unsure as to why he was sharing it with her.
“But then this thing with Nell. Lynette said she got what she deserved.”
“Oh dear.” Dulcie grimaced.
“Exactly, and she kept repeating gossip from your neighbor about you, and well, I found I couldn’t not listen, even though it hurt me to hear it. What I’m trying to say is that, I don’t know what’s going on between you and Daniel or you and Kit, but I know that I became obsessed with hearing every scrap of information because it mattered to me. I had no idea why, but then I thought about how you were with Nell when she was sick, and how right you are as a part of our lives, and I worked it out.”
A Town Called Christmas Page 5