by Rhian Cahill
She frowned. “You’re right. This isn’t Shaye at all.”
As she moved on, he picked up the rejected man-and-woman figurine. “I’ll just get them to wrap the one for Cassie while you keep looking.”
“Okay.”
Too busy to look his way, Mad didn’t see him take both figurines to the sales counter.
He got the girl behind the counter to wrap the man and woman first then the mother and child. Spotting a beautiful blown-glass bowl he thought his mother would love, he asked the sales clerk to wrap that too before making his way back to Mad.
She’d moved over to the far shelves. For a moment he just observed her while she studied the items in front of her. Even deep in thought, she was beautiful. The sight of her thrummed through him and kicked up his heart rate, tightening his groin.
Would that soul-deep tug ever go away or would she always inspire this dark need inside him?
“I’ve found a couple of things that might work…”
Toby smiled. She was so serious about her search. He was sure she was enjoying herself but there was that thread of earnest concentration, as though the weight of the world rested on the outcome.
“Show me.”
The first ornament she handed him was a couple lying on a picnic blanket, a baby sleeping between them. Instantly he thought of Coop and Shaye. “This one.”
She grinned at him. “Yeah, that’s my pick too.”
“What else you got?”
“Oh, this baby in a crib.” She held it up, tipped her head to the side and considered it thoughtfully. “Mom and dad aren’t quite right.”
He studied the figurine. “Hmm… You’re right. Not Coop and Shaye.” Putting that one back on the shelf, he said, “I found a glass bowl for my mom, help me find something for Granny.”
“Oh. I know the perfect thing!” Mad darted around the end of the shelves into the next isle and Toby’s face broke out in a huge smile. She was having fun—almost childlike in her delight. Then again, from what he knew about her life, fun appeared to be a foreign concept.
He planned to make sure she enjoyed herself more often in the future. Following after her, they bumped into each other as she came rushing back his way.
“This.” She held up a figurine similar to the ones they’d picked for his sisters; they were probably by the same artist. This one had an old woman, knitting cradled in her lap, while she sat in a wooden rocking chair. “Perfect, right?” Mad asked.
While the others were all porcelain, this one was a combination of wood, porcelain and fabric. The blanket the woman knitted was soft against his fingertips and the spindles of the chair back were smooth, exactly like the ones his Gramps made.
It amazed him how much Mad ‘got’ his family after meeting them only once. Did she see him as clearly? Did he want her to?
“Is that it? Do you need to get anything else?”
“Nope. That’ll do for now. Do you want to keep looking around while I pay for everything?”
“I might slip next door and grab a drink. Do you want something?”
“Sure. A bottle of water would be good.”
“Okay. Meet you out front.”
Again Toby found himself standing still and watching her. Before, he’d been intrigued. He’d been attracted. Now he was in serious like. Each new facet of Madison he uncovered was more appealing than the last. He wanted to discover all the sides to her. Wanted to be with her when she experienced something new, found joy in the world around her.
It was like watching a flower bloom, and the more she opened, the more beautiful she became.
Toby slowly pulled in a breath. He was in deep. Far deeper than he thought possible, and he didn’t know what to do about it. Where did they go from here?
This morning he’d told her one moment at a time—one day at a time. He should take his own advice and appreciate the moments and stop worrying about the future.
***
Toby’s phone rang through the car speakers, breaking the comfortable silence they’d fallen into as they drove down the highway. The top was up because when they’d left the sleepy town they’d had lunch in, clouds had been rolling in from the south and he didn’t want to risk getting rained on or having to pull over. They’d made good time, and were only a few minutes for the turnoff.
Hitting a button on the steering wheel, he answered the call. “Hey, Dad.”
“Your sister’s in the hospital. According to your mother, things are moving fast. Get here as soon as you can.”
The line went dead. Toby chuckled. “Right. Well. Things are a little tense, I think.”
“It’s the first grandchild, right?”
“Yep.”
“I expect everyone’s a little nervous then.” Envy stabbed her. He had such a large, close family. “Are you?”
“What’s there to be nervous about? I get to be the favorite uncle. The one who sneaks the kid chocolate and teaches him to swear.”
She gasped. “You can’t do that!”
Toby laughed. “I’m joking.”
“Oh.”
He reached over and grabbed her hand. “Looks like today’s the day. Good thing we picked up a present.”
“Yes.” Glancing out the side window, Madison thought about all the things she’d never had that he took for granted. His brothers and his sister. His parents and grandparents. The large extended family she’d met only yesterday. People who loved him, who wanted to spend time with him, surrounded Toby. Cassie’s baby would have that too.
“Hey.” He squeezed her hand. “You okay?”
“I’m fine. Just thinking. If it’s out of the way to drop me home first, I’ll get a cab from the hospital so you can be with your family quicker.”
“Oh no, you’re not going home and leaving me to pace the halls on my own.”
“You won’t be alone. You’ll have your whole family around you.”
Toby pulled her hand to his mouth and pressed his lips to her knuckles. “But I want you there with me.”
“But I’m not family, and I’m sure Cassie would prefer not to have strangers hanging around.” She didn’t want a repeat of yesterday’s disconnected feeling.
“Pretty sure Cassie wouldn’t care if the Queen was waiting for her to give birth. At this point, it’s probably Luc she doesn’t want to lay eyes on.”
Madison smiled. “Poor Luc. I’ve read that a woman in labor can be especially nasty to their baby’s father.”
Toby chuckled. “Somehow I think Luc can handle anything Cassie dishes out. Lord knows she hasn’t managed to scare him off yet. And she’s tried.”
A part of her wanted to be there with his family, waiting for the birth of their newest member. But she couldn’t shake the feeling that she didn’t belong, shouldn’t be intruding on what ought to be a private moment for the Morelands.
Before she could decide either way, Toby turned into the parking station of one of Sydney’s largest hospitals. “That call came in at the right moment. Another five minutes and we’d have had to double back. With any luck, we’ll be one of the first ones here.”
Resigned to going in with him, Madison decided she’d give it ten minutes and if she felt like an intruder, she’d slip away and grab a taxi to take her home.
He found a parking space quickly and in minutes they were walking through the front doors of the hospital and looking for the information board. Toby held her hand and tugged her over to an elderly woman wearing what looked like a uniform. Her nametag informed them she was Renata, a patient get-well ambassador.
Madison wasn’t sure what a patient get-well ambassador was, or whether she’d be any help, but as there didn’t appear to be any place to ask questions or a display with the information they needed, they couldn’t be in worse shape after seeking her out.
“Hi. Can you point us in the direction of the labor department, please?” Toby asked.
“Last bank of lifts. Sixth floor.” Renata shuffled away before they could question her fur
ther.
“Well. I guess we’re on our own.” Toby smiled and squeezed her hand. “I’m going to hazard a guess that she means the elevators at the end of this hallway. C’mon. It can’t be too hard to find the right way.”
After two wrong turns and a dead end, they finally found not only the elevators, but an information board that told them to take the lift to the sixth floor.
“See. Not so hard.” He grinned as he pressed the up button.
The doors opened immediately and Toby ushered her in with a hand to her back. Madison leaned into the touch. In the past, she would have jumped away from such physical contact. After spending days with him caressing her in more intimate ways, she was unable to deny the yearning that grabbed her whenever he brushed against her, never mind when he laid a hand on her completely.
Hitting the number six button, Toby turned to face her. “Okay, what’s your bet? Boy or girl?”
“You don’t know? I thought you said ‘him’ in the car.”
“Oh, I did. I’m hoping for a boy just so we can continue to outnumber Cassie, but I’d also like to see Luc cope with a precious princess. I’ve heard stories about the time Cassie made him help her run a little girl’s birthday party, and legend says he looks good in a crown.”
“Ah…” Madison wasn’t sure what to make of Toby’s comments. Was he joking around? The smile on his lips said he was, but she wasn’t used to banter of this kind. It was one of the reasons she’d struggled at his family’s barbeque yesterday. She just didn’t know how to respond to this type of conversation.
“I suppose the important thing is that mom and bub are healthy,” he added as the lift rose.
“I would think that would be the best outcome.”
He glanced at her quizzically. “Hmm…”
A bell dinged, the car came to a stop and the doors swished open. Stepping out, Madison was immediately confronted with a corridor overflowing with people. “Oh my.”
Toby laughed. “And the Morelands have arrived.”
They’d arrived all right. It was standing-room only, and no way was anyone moving from where they stood. “Do you think they’ll throw everyone out? Surely you aren’t allowed to have this many visitors.”
He slung his arm around her shoulders and pulled her snug against him. “I’m sure Granny will put some order into this mess in a few minutes. She’s been marshaling the family since before I was born.”
“All these people aren’t blood related, are they?”
Toby stretched to his toes and peered over the crowd. “Yep. Looks like they are.”
“How many of you are there?” This was so different from her little family of three.
“Let’s see…” He took a moment to think. “With all the Moreland cousins, twenty-three, last time we counted.”
“Soon to be twenty-four.”
“Twenty-five, if we count Shaye and Coop’s coming bundle of joy, and really, we have to.” He smiled at her. “And that includes Zac’s fiancé too. Freddie’s not officially a Moreland yet but it’s a done deal.”
“Wow.” Twenty-five immediate family members? “That’s a lot of presents to buy at Christmas.” Madison couldn’t even fathom having to buy that many gifts.
The thought was thrilling and intimidating in equal measure. What must it be like to have that many relatives? That many people to love and be loved by? She hoped Toby never took that for granted.
Madison knew she wouldn’t, if she were lucky enough to have a big loving family like the Morelands.
Chapter Fifteen
Toby stared down at the sleeping bundle in his arms. Bennett Lucas Wilhelm was a strapping nine pound, eight ounces and twenty-five inches long. He was a monster. And while Cassie wasn’t small, Toby had no idea where she’d hidden this guy or how she’d managed to give birth to him.
“God, Cassie,” he whispered in awe. “You’re amazing.”
His sister laughed tiredly. “I’m pretty amazed myself. He’d perfect, isn’t he?”
“You have to ask?” Toby glanced up. “He looks like a mini Luc.”
“Yeah, well, there’s the downside right there,” mumbled the proud dad.
Toby smiled at them both. “You guys really did good.” He looked back at his nephew. “Hard to believe this is what we’ve all been waiting months for.”
“Is that a tear in your eye, big brother?” Cassie asked.
“Maybe one,” he conceded. “But only one.” Turning to Mad standing quietly at his side, he moved closer. “Here. Have a hold.”
“Oh no. I couldn’t.” She backed away a step.
“Of course you can.” He followed her.
“But—”
Toby placed Bennett against her chest, giving her no choice but to take him in her arms.
“Oh!” As he lowered his nephew’s weight into Mad’s arms, her face soften, her eyes took on a dreamy cast and her mouth tipped up in a beautiful smile as she gazed at the miracle in her arms. “He’s heavier than I thought he’d be.”
“He is on the large end of the scales,” Cassie explained. “Weight, length, head circumference. All above average.”
“Well, you chose to breed with a monster,” Toby said over his shoulder, his gaze on Luc, who at six feet five was not a small man. His brother-in-law grinned.
“I’ve never held a baby before.”
Mad’s whispered words had Toby swinging his gaze back to her. “Never?”
“No.” She shook her head. “I’ve never known anyone who had one.”
How could she have gone her entire life without knowing anyone with a baby? “That seems completely strange to me. I know you have no siblings but surely a cousin, friend, neighbor, someone you’ve worked with…”
“No. This is the first baby I’ve been this close to.”
“What?” How could she have lived such a sheltered life? “We should go down to the nursery to have a look at more.”
“Why?”
“New experiences, remember?” There were so many other amazing things he wanted to show her. But right now he was going to stand here and enjoy the wonder on her face as she held his nephew.
She met his gaze, hers swimming with so many emotions he couldn’t decipher them. “W-we should go. Let them rest.”
“Okay.” He took Bennett and walked him over to the new mom and dad. “We’re going to go and let everyone else come in for a peek.”
“Thanks for coming, Toby.” Luc held out his hand.
Toby shook with his brother-in-law. “No. Thank you for wrangling this one.” He tilted his chin towards Cassie.
“Ha ha.”
“Call if you need anything.” He placed a kiss on his sister’s forehead. “I love you.”
“Love you too.” Cassie pushed him away. “Now get out of here. Bennett has the rest of his loyal subjects to greet yet.”
Toby grinned. “You know Mom and Granny have everyone lined up in order of appearance, right?”
Cassie’s mouth dropped open. “They do not?”
“Oh, yes they do. Coop and Shaye are next in line.”
Luc chuckled. “In more ways than one.”
“I still can’t believe out of all of you, Cooper was the one to get a girl knocked up. I swear, we always thought it would be you.”
“Me?” What the fuck?
“Yeah, well, in your playing days, there was always a bevy of women hanging around. We were sure either you’d fuck up or one would trap you.”
His sister’s comment immediately brought to mind last night and the one time in his life he’d forgotten to use protection. He’d never lost control that completely before.
And while Mad assured him they were probably safe, after holding his nephew…Toby wasn’t so sure he wanted to be.
***
“Ever walked on the beach at sunset?”
Madison turned to look at Toby. “No.”
“Okay. New experience coming up.” He changed lanes then moved into the right-hand turn lane at the n
ext set of lights.
They’d been quiet since leaving the hospital. Both of them lost in their own thoughts after being witness to the miracle of life. Madison couldn’t get over the way she’d felt while holding little Bennett. She’d never thought about babies—in terms of her own or anyone else’s. But holding that little man in her arms had triggered something.
She’d felt a yearning to hold him forever, and when Toby had taken him back, her arms felt empty and sadness over his loss filled her. She finally understood the concept of a woman’s biological clock.
“You okay over there?”
“Just thinking about Bennett.” It wasn’t a complete lie.
“He’s a cutie, that’s for sure. And I can tell he’s going to be trouble already.”
“How?”
“Well, he’s got the Moreland brothers for uncles, which on its own is trouble, but add in Cassie and oh boy, that little guy is going to be into everything and spoiled rotten.”
Madison smiled. “I’m sure your parents and grandparents will have a lot to do with the spoiling. How long before Shaye’s baby is born?”
“Um… August, I think. Bennett gets to have center stage all to himself for a few months yet.”
The Moreland family was expanding rapidly.
Would her and Toby be adding to it?
She couldn’t believe how blasé she’d been with regard to them forgetting protection. Now, after seeing firsthand what the result could be, she couldn’t stop thinking about it.
“Here we are. Looks like we’ve got the place pretty much to ourselves.” Toby parked his car and switched it off. “Leave your shoes.”
She’d worn flip-flops so it wasn’t any trouble to slip them off and leave them behind.
“C’mon.” Toby opened his door and climbed out.
Doing the same, Madison joined him on the path that led to the beach and slid her hand in his. “It’s a beautiful night,” she murmured.