AT LAST

by Melissa Schroeder

  She shook her head. “It’s the same every day.”

  “You weren’t acting this way the day before yesterday.”

  She shrugged. “I hide it in front of Brando. He’s turned into a nervous Nelly.”

  “You two look so sweet together. I’m really happy for you.”

  From the first moment she saw Brando and Kaitlin together, Wendy had known they were meant for each other. It was corny, but it had been true. An unplanned pregnancy and a quick wedding had only seemed to solidify their relationship.

  “Thank you. Now, how are you doing? How did the interview go?”

  She opened her mouth, but Declan appeared. “You look tired. You should be in bed.”

  Kaitlin frowned and gave Declan a look that most men would run from. Her brothers were used to it, though.

  “You should mind your own business.”

  “Kitty Kat,” he started, but she shook her head.

  “I have less than six weeks before my whole life changes. I’m going to have lunch with Wendy, and that’s that.”

  Then, she made a noise that sounded like a cross between a scream and a moan. Wendy didn’t have to be told what that meant.

  “Are you okay?” Declan asked.

  “I’m fine,” Kaitlin said between taking breaths.

  “No, she isn’t. I mean she is,” Wendy said, getting up out of the chair. “She’s in labor.”

  “Oh.” Declan looked between them, and it took a second for the words to sink in. “Ohh. What do we do? Do we call an ambulance?”

  Kaitlin shook her head. “If I had to be around one of my brothers, did it have to be the one who doesn’t deal well with emergencies?”

  “Hey, give me a kitchen fire any day of the week, and I’m fine. I don’t birth babies.”

  “Gee, how very masculine of you,” Kaitlin spat back.

  “How far are they apart?” Wendy asked as she pulled out her phone. It was best to ignore the Fitzpatrick siblings when they squabbled. If not, they would pull you into it, and Kaitlin would end up having her baby in the restaurant.

  “Not bad. They were about seven minutes apart.”

  “You came out in public when you were in labor?” Declan shouted.

  “It’s not like it’s a virus. No one is going to catch it from me. I’m in labor.”

  Again, ignoring the siblings, Wendy asked, “You said they were. What are they now?”

  “About five.”

  “Kitty Kat, how did you—”

  She didn’t have time for Declan to browbeat his sister. “How long are they lasting?”

  “About a minute.”

  “Let’s go,” she said, helping her friend up out of the seat.

  “I wanted to have one last meal, and I have over two weeks until my due date.”

  Someone who didn’t know Kaitlin would fall for that sad look on her face. Wendy knew her best friend better than anyone. “First, no you didn’t want a last meal. You’re trying to pretend it isn’t happening. Second, that baby doesn’t care what you say. He’s coming today.”

  “Oh, God,” Kaitlin said.

  Wendy called Brando. He answered on the first ring.

  “Hey, there. I thought you were having lunch with my wife.”

  “I was, but she decided to go into labor.”

  “Wait, what? Is she okay?”

  “She’s fine. I’m going to take her to the hospital.”

  “I have my go bag in the car,” Kaitlin said.

  Wendy cut her friend a look.

  Kaitlin shrugged. “I go with it everywhere these days.”

  “Come meet us at the hospital.”

  “Okay. Okay.”

  The usually calm Marine sounded like he was panicking.

  “Santini, pull it together and get to the hospital. Everything’s going to be fine.”

  “Everything’s going to be fine,” he repeated.

  “Yeah. That. Now, get in the car and drive to the hospital. Or do you want me to send a Fitzpatrick over there to ya? Of course, they’ll never let you hear the end of it.”

  That seemed to snap him out of his trance. “I’m a Marine and a Santini. I don’t need their help.”

  She laughed. “See you in a few minutes, Papa.”

  She hung up, assured he would make it to the hospital in one piece. “Let’s get you to the hospital, chica. You,” she said looking at Declan, “can call the family and make sure they get there.”

  “Okay. Yeah.”

  “Declan,” Wendy said, adding the same tone that one doctor had described as her Nurse Ratchet voice, “get it together. Call your folks. I’ll make sure she gets to the hospital.”

  “Yes. I will. See you there.”

  She shook her head as she walked Kaitlin to the door.

  “Men,” Kaitlin said, stepping out of the door.

  “Yeah, they seem to freak out. Where are you parked?”

  “Just down the street.”

  The restaurant was downtown and parking was limited. So, Wendy had parked about a mile away and walked to mild temperatures that day.

  Now, though, she was regretting that decision.

  “How far?”

  “A block.”

  “We’ll take your car.”

  “How are you going to get back?”

  “Kaitlin, really? You’re about to have a baby.”

  Then she laughed. “Yeah, I am. Let’s get me to the hospital.”

  It was less than a block to get to the car. Kaitlin had another contraction, this one apparently much stronger than the last, just after sitting down in the passenger seat.

  “Holy cripes, that was worse.”

  “That’s the way it’s supposed to happen.”

  Kaitlin laughed. “Yeah.”

  “That was still about five minutes from the last one, though,” Wendy said as she pulled out into traffic.

  “Yeah, and much more intense.”

  “Come up with something to talk about. Something to get it off your mind.”

  “Okay. You want to tell me what is going on with my brother?”

  She glanced at her friend from the corner of her eye but then turned back to face traffic. Kaitlin looked sweet, but she was a Fitzpatrick. They could be sneaky.

  “What about Declan?”

  “Oh, you are a crafty one, but you and I both know I’m talking about Aeden. I’ll let it go for now. But just so you know, after this baby is born, I will be asking you a whole ton of questions.”

  Chapter 4

  Aeden’s heart was pounding in his chest as he stepped off the elevators. He glanced at the directory and followed the arrows to labor and delivery. All these months he’d thought he was prepared for this, but now that the day had arrived, he was terrified. And this wasn’t even his baby. But, the idea of his sister going through so much pain had him all twisted up. Add in that he had been present at some births, thanks to the job, and he knew everything that could go wrong. He reached the big doors that lead into the labor and delivery area, and was about to stride in to ask someone about his sister. Then he saw Wendy striding out from somewhere in the back.

  “Hey,” she said, a smile on her face. She was wearing a pair of scrubs, and her hair was pulled up in a sassy pony tail. He knew he probably shouldn’t be noticing things like that right now, but she looked cute. “Everything’s fine. Brando is already here.”

  “I want to see her.”

  “And I’m sure she wants to see you, big brother, but she’s being examined right now.”

  “So?”

  “It involves finding out how dilated she is.”

  “Never mind.”

  She chuckled. “I have a feeling Brando might need you for support. Her Marine looked a little green around the gills earlier.”

  “You look good. Did you get to eat?”

  She shook her head.

  “You need to eat.”

  “I’ll get something.”

  “Are you going to be assisting?”

&nb
sp; She shook her head again. “I’m floating around here because your sister wanted me here and, basically, they would have to use a bazooka to kick me out. But I’m not labor and delivery. They understand to a point because she’s like a sister to me, but I have to be careful not to step on any toes.”

  He opened his mouth to ask her what he could get her to eat, but was interrupted.

  “Wendy,” a rather smallish woman called out. She was dressed in scrubs and came up to Wendy’s shoulders.

  “Oh, hey, Penelope. How are you doing?”

  “I didn’t know you were back.”

  “Less than forty-eight hours.”

  “And you’re already back at work?” Penelope asked.

  “Oh, no. My best friend is having her baby.”

  “Good.” She glanced at Aeden as if just noticing he was there. “I’ll let you go.”

  “Bye, Penelope.”

  The woman scurried off.

  “What was that about?”

  “Penelope. She’s a little intense, but so good with expectant mothers.”

  “Ah.”

  Then, silence. It stretched out between them, even as people came and went from the area. Aeden wanted to kiss her. It was the one and only thought he had. He should be concentrating on the fact that his sister was having a baby, and not the urge to grab Wendy and kiss the breath out of her.

  “Don’t.”

  He blinked. “What?”

  “You had that look on your face.”

  “What look?”

  “The one that tells me you are up to something naughty.”

  “And would that be so bad?”

  She narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms beneath her breasts. “Kissing? No. I like kissing you. Kissing you in the hallway at work? Yes.”

  “Why is that?”

  She sighed. “You know why. Plus, I work here. I just don’t do those kinds of things here.”

  “Okay, fair enough. Doesn’t mean I can’t think about it.”

  She chuckled. “That’s true.”

  “Does that mean you’re thinking about it too?”

  She cocked her head to the side and studied him. “Are you flirting with me, Mr. Fitzpatrick?”

  The way her voice rolled over his name made his head spin. She’d never flirted with him. He had watched her through the years turn men to mush. Just a smile or a comment had them melting into a puddle at her feet.

  “I might be.”

  Her lips curved as she reached out for his arm. “Come on.”

  She led him down another hallway and then opened the door to a closet. She peeked in, then pulled him in with her. Shutting the door with the kick of her foot, she leaned closer and kissed him. The excitement of stealing away for a kiss wasn’t something that usually got him going…not for many years. But this was somehow thrilling. As she slid her hands up his arms to behind his neck, she opened her mouth, and he stole inside.

  It was sweet, wet…and everything else faded away. Aeden didn’t even pay attention to where they were, let alone the reason he was there in the hospital. All he cared about at this moment was this woman. She pressed closer, and he groaned, slanting his mouth over hers and diving deeper. He could feel her nipples through their layers of clothing.

  Yes, now. He wanted her now. Aeden slid his hands down her back to her ass and cupped it, wanting to pull her up against his erection. A loud clatter in the hallway outside the door broke the spell they had held them captive

  Regretfully, he pulled back, but not before he took one last taste.

  Wendy’s eyes fluttered open. Her lips were swollen, and there was no mistaking that she looked like she had just been kissed.

  “Wow, well, that escalated quickly,” she said.

  He couldn’t help but laugh. She was smiling at him, and he couldn’t stop himself from leaning forward and taking one last quick, hard kiss again. Then he pulled back.

  “I guess we should get back.”

  “Yeah,” she said. “I’m sure they’re done with the exam now.”

  He opened the door, and she stepped into the hallway and came to an abrupt stop. He ran into the back of her.

  “What?”

  In an instant, he realized why she had stopped. There, in the hallway, stood Declan and Seamus facing the closet.

  For a second, no one said a word, then Wendy said, “Hey, guys. I’m going to check and see if they are through with their examination, and I can take you back there.”

  “Cool,” Seamus said. They both watched her go, and then they turned to face Aeden.

  “And just what were you two looking for in there?” Declan asked. He had that same nasty smile curving his lips he always had when he was up to no good.

  “None of your business,” he said and started to walk off.

  “What was that?” Seamus said. He turned and faced his brothers—his younger brothers—and crossed his arms.

  “I don’t think I like your tone.”

  “I don’t think I like you messing around with Wendy,” Seamus said.

  “Excuse me?” he asked.

  “You shouldn’t be leading her on, or taking advantage of her.”

  He looked at Declan, then back at Seamus. “Can you explain to me why you think you have a say in this? Not that anything happened, but Wendy is an adult.”

  Seamus opened his mouth, but Declan stepped in. “Listen, Aeden, we just want you to be careful. We all suspected something went on, but Wendy doesn’t have any family to look out for her. We don’t want you to jeopardize her job here or her reputation.”

  “I wouldn’t do that.”

  “Yeah, well, I would have never thought that before we found you two making out in the closet. You need to be careful. Besides, it could have been Mom and Dad walking past here. If that had happened, Mom would have beat you about the head and shoulders.”

  He knew they were right. He knew Wendy, and he needed to be more careful, especially since Wendy had just said the day before that she wanted to keep it quiet. Unable to come up with an argument that would get rid of his brothers, he decided to quit, so his parents didn’t find out about the argument. If they walked in on it, his mother would demand answers.

  “Just drop it.”

  He turned to leave, but Declan stopped him. “Just be careful with her.”

  Aeden looked over his shoulder at his brother. “Be careful?”

  “She’s not as tough as she lets everyone think.”

  “And how do you know this?”

  “I bartended enough to pick up on things. Plus, you add in that her family isn’t around…I think she hides a lot from the world.”

  He thought about the conversation from the day before about her time in Africa and how she had cried again last night. He knew she was having nightmares too, but his brothers didn’t need to know.

  “I think she’s a lot tougher than either of you know.”

  “Just what the hell does that mean?” Seamus demanded. Declan studied him for a long time, and something shifted in his expression.

  “Let it go, Seamus. We said our piece.”

  Seamus wasn’t happy about it, but he nodded. Before they could discuss anything else, his parents came rushing down the hall.

  “Where is she?” his mother demanded. Connal and Emmet were right behind them.

  “Everything is fine from what Wendy said. Kaitlin was being examined, and Wendy said she would be back in a second to update us and take us back.” He looked around at the family. “I have a feeling that it won’t be all of us at once, though.”

  The moment he said it, Brando’s Aunt Joey came down the hall, her husband right behind her. She was talking on the phone.

  “Yeah, we are going to have to take turns.”

  * * *

  The labor lasted six long hours. To Aeden, it felt as if it lasted twice that long. Each time Wendy came out to give them an update, his nerves got worse. The few times he had been allowed back in the labor room, Kaitlin had called him all kind
s of names. The last time, he had lost his temper and gotten kicked out of the room. It wasn’t his fault she was pregnant.

  So, when he saw Wendy step out with a smile on her face, he didn’t think it was anything more than the regular update. And, of course, he was barely thinking of his sister as he watched Wendy approach them. She had that sassy grin on her face, her face was flushed, and, just then, he thought of the way she looked when they had been in bed together. He wanted to kiss her right then, but he felt Declan bump him with his shoulder.

  “Good lord, you’re embarrassing.”

  Aeden glanced at his brother, and realized that he was giving him a look of pity.

  “Get bent.”

  “Well, boys, Mr. and Mrs. Santini, and Mr. Mike, you’ve increased by one more boy. Michael Anthony Santini is a healthy seven pounds, eleven ounces.”

  “Everything is good?” his father asked.

  “Yes, very. The APGAR score was a nine, which is pretty damned near perfect. I’ve never seen this doctor give out a ten before, so that means a lot. He’s loud and cranky, so he’s going to fit right in with both sides of the family.”

  “When can we see him?” Emmet asked.

  “In just a minute,” she said, but the moment she did, his mother came out of the delivery room.

  “They are taking her to her post-partum room and then we can get in,” his mother said. As they started to pepper her with questions, Aeden noticed that a doctor had pulled Wendy aside to talk to her. Or, he thought he might be a doctor…from the lab coat he wore.

  The way the bastard leaned closer, they had a past, or the doctor had designs on Wendy.

  “Jesus, Aeden, keep it cool,” Declan said under his breath.

  “What?” he asked, not wavering his attention on the scum talking to Wendy.

  “You growled.”

  He glanced at his brother. “Did not.”

  “Yeah, you did. If you’re trying to keep it from people, maybe you shouldn’t look like you want to tear the guy’s arms off and beat him with them.”

  “Maybe he shouldn’t lean so close.”

  Declan’s eyes widened, then he started laughing.

  “What?”

  “The great Aeden Michael Fitzpatrick is jealous. I never thought I would see the day.”

  He opened his mouth to tell his brother to get bent, but his mother asked, “What are you two arguing about?”