He allowed his gaze to linger over Zoë until she glanced up from her breakfast and smiled. Yes, she was a beautiful woman, but she was so much more. Clever, funny, and resourceful, she challenged him and lifted his spirits when people or situations got him down. On top of that, she was well on her way to becoming a halfway decent cook—and his mom liked her. He didn’t know what the future might hold for them, but he couldn’t wait to find out.
When everyone had finished eating, Zoë cleared the table. Marian rose with her cup in her hand. “I know I can’t have more coffee, but I think I’d like a cup of lemon ginger herbal tea to settle my stomach.” She winced and rubbed her belly. “The omelet was delicious, but I’m not sure it agreed with me.”
Zoë took her cup. “I’ll get it for you. Frankly, I’m not surprised you don’t feel well. If subduing your armed ex-husband in the kitchen before breakfast doesn’t upset your stomach, I don’t know what would.”
Suddenly, Marian froze and dropped her gaze to a growing puddle of liquid around her feet. When she raised her face, her eyes were round with amazement.
Lyman regarded her with a furrowed brow. “Is it time? Are you sure?”
She smiled. “Very sure. The baby’s coming.”
Chapter Nineteen
The baby is coming.
Zoë dumped the dirty breakfast dishes in the sink. She would deal with them later. The baby was coming!
The next half hour passed in a blur. Within minutes of her water breaking, Marian’s contractions began in earnest. Since Lyman was fluttering around like a one-winged moth, Zoë helped Marian to the elevator and rode with her to the second floor so she could clean up and change clothes. She also retrieved the overnight bag Marian had packed a week earlier and the baby car seat she insisted on bringing, “so we don’t forget it.” Nick went outside to warm up the Black Beast. He had it ready and waiting at the bottom of the front steps by the time the women returned to the foyer.
When the elevator door opened, Lyman rushed forward and embraced Marian, leaving Zoë to wrangle both the suitcase and the car seat. His tall, gangly frame shook like a stork in a gale force wind. “It’s really happening? We’re going to be parents soon?”
Marian’s lips turned up in a rueful smile. “Yes, but I’m not sure how soon, so try to relax. According to the doctor, I’ll probably be in labor for hours.”
“I’m so excited I don’t know what to do!”
“You don’t have to do anything except hold my hand. The doctor and I will do the rest.” As she reached for his hand, her eyes widened then pinched shut, and she grimaced in pain. A few seconds later, her expression eased and she opened her eyes. “That was a strong one. Maybe we ought to get going. This might not take as long as I thought.”
Zoë followed them out the door and down the steps, pausing only to lock the door and set the alarm. In the back seat, Lyman and Marian were in a world of their own, murmuring softly with their heads together like a pair of lovebirds.
After a few minutes of awkward silence, she glanced at Nick’s tight-lipped profile. “How are the roads this morning?”
“Fine.” His white-knuckled grip on the wheel told a different story.
She tried to lighten the mood. “Never been on stork duty before?”
“No.”
O-kay.
After that, she kept quiet and watched the landscape roll by while Nick made the drive to the hospital in half the normal time, despite slowing several times to avoid bumps or sudden stops.
When they reached the main Admissions entrance, Zoë hopped out and ran in to find a wheelchair for Marian while Lyman took charge of his wife and her bag and Nick parked the car. Since Marian had already pre-registered, Lyman wheeled her off to Labor and Delivery.
This was Zoë’s first experience with childbirth, and ignorance only increased her anxiety. She had been overseas when her two oldest brothers’ children had been born, and Marian was the first of her friends to become a mother. As soon as the thought crossed her mind, she was surprised to realize that over the past few weeks, Marian had indeed become a friend, as well as a client.
After several minutes Nick came strolling toward her down the hall, carrying the baby seat as if he didn’t have a care in the world. The idiot. Didn’t he know what was happening upstairs? She raced to him and grabbed his arm. “Come one. We have to hurry. Marian’s already gone to Delivery.”
He laughed. “Relax. We’ve done our part. We got her here safe and sound. There’s nothing left to do but wait, and it will probably take hours.”
“But what if it doesn’t? She was having hard contractions when Lyman wheeled her away.” She started dragging him toward the hallway the Prescotts had taken.
“That doesn’t mean much. This is her first baby. Trust me—it could take hours.”
“Oh? And what makes you such an expert?” A sudden chilling thought stopped her short. “You don’t have any children, do you?”
Amusement sparked in his dark eyes, and his lips twitched. “Not yet, but when Angela had her first, I sat with Kenny and my mom for fourteen hours before the real action started.”
Fourteen hours? Her mother claimed Zoë was almost born on the kitchen floor. But then, she had been the sixth. “I guess we don’t have to run.”
After winding their way down several hallways and taking the elevator up two floors, they arrived at Labor and Delivery and were allowed to see Marian.
She greeted them with crossed arms and a moue of disgust. “The doctor said I’m just getting started, and the baby won’t arrive before tonight—or maybe even tomorrow. Can you believe it?”
Nick bit back a smile and shot Zoë an I-told-you-so glance.
“And it’s a good thing we had breakfast first,” Marian continued, “because they won’t let me eat until it’s all over.”
From his seat beside the head of the bed, Lyman leaned over and patted his wife’s blanket-covered knee then glanced at Zoë. “You might as well go home and relax.” He switched his gaze to Marian. “It’s possible Marian may get a little…um…fussy before this is all over, and I’m not sure she’d want you see her in that state.”
Marian’s brows shot up. “Fussy? You think I might get a little fussy?” She grabbed his hand and slapped it on her belly. “Feel that contraction? I’d like to see how fussy you’d get if that happened to you.”
“I’m sure I’d be screaming like a scalded cat, my dear.” He glanced back at Zoë with a see-what-I-mean expression. “I’ll call you as soon as the baby’s born, and you can come back.”
Nick slid his arm around her waist. “That sounds fine. We’ll wait to hear from you. I hope everything goes smoothly.”
Zoë gave Marian a sympathetic frown. “I’m sure you’re uncomfortable.”
Marian snorted and rolled her eyes.
“The baby will be here before you know it.” It was a stupid platitude, but she didn’t know what else to way.
“I hope you’re right.” Marian turned to Lyman. “I can’t believe this is about to happen. I’m going to be a mother…and you’re going to be a father.”
Before he could reply, a wave of pain washed over her face. She closed her eyes, gritted her teeth, and released a stream of the most colorful language Zoë had heard since leaving the army. She shot a glance at Nick, he nodded, and they quickly said their goodbyes before escaping to the relative peace of the corridor outside.
As soon as the door closed behind them, he shook his head. “Whew. Marian is always so sweet. Who would have guessed she knew words like that. I’m glad I stayed in the waiting room while Angela was in labor. I don’t know how Kenny held up for fourteen hours.”
Zoë blew out her breath in a scornful huff. “Weenie. If you think it’s tough to listen to, imagine what Marian’s going through.”
“I don’t even want to try.” He reached for her hand. “Let’s go home. It’s already been a hell of a day.”
He was right.
Thirty minutes later,
they pulled into the driveway. Nick parked in front and followed her up the steps.
When she stepped into the foyer, the big grandfather clock caught her eye. “It’s already one o’clock. I guess I should see what I can pull together for lunch.”
He unzipped his jacket. “I can think of something I need more than food.”
She turned and raised one brow. “Oh?”
“Yeah. A nap. Want to join me?”
“That doesn’t sound half-bad.”
In fact, it sounded like heaven. Her adrenaline high had crashed and burned an hour ago. Her back ached, and each foot weighed at least fifty pounds. She could hardly believe only four hours had passed since Jimmy first appeared in the kitchen, holding Lyman at gunpoint. The whole scene had taken on a surreal quality in her exhausted mind. Had she really brought down an escaped criminal with a skillet? A bubble of hysterical laugher rose in her throat, threatening to escape until she tamped it down.
A nap was definitely in order.
She remembered the elevator half-way up the second flight of stairs on the way to the attic and sighed. Too late now. Against all sense and the dictates of her body, she forced herself to keep climbing.
When they reached her room, Nick headed straight for the bed and stretched out, fully clothed. He patted the covers beside him. “Grab an extra blanket on your way, would you?”
She pulled an old quilt from the shelf in the miniscule closet and climbed onto the bed next to him. “I hope you don’t have any ulterior motives. I’m too tired to be much fun right now.”
“Plenty of time for fun later.” His words were low and indistinct.
He raised one arm, and she slid underneath, dragging the quilt over them. With her head pillowed on the solid warmth of his chest, the slow, steady beat of his heart lulled her to sleep in seconds.
Only a hint of moonlight lit the room when Zoë opened her eyes. She froze and concentrated on the darkness, listening for the smallest sound. Something had disturbed her, but what? Nick mumbled and shifted to his side, tightening his hold.
A faint buzz reverberated from the bedside table. Her phone. She untangled from Nick’s sleepy embrace and switched on the lamp before picking up the phone. It was Lyman.
“Hello.”
“He’s here. William Francis Prescott.” Lyman’s voice had risen a couple of tones in pitch and trembled with emotion.
“Hmph?” Nick mumbled louder.
Zoë cupped her hand over the bottom of the phone. “Shhh. It’s Lyman. Marian’s had the baby.” Then she removed her hand. “That’s wonderful! Are mother and baby doing well?”
“Marian’s tired and sore, but they’re perfect. They’re both perfect.” Reverence and relief mixed in his voice. Faint voices sounded in the background before he came back on the line. “Marian says she’s not up to seeing visitors this evening. She thinks it would be best if you waited until tomorrow to come over. The doctor told us he plans to discharge them around ten o’clock. You can pick us up then.”
“No problem. We’ll see you both a little before ten. Give my love to Marian, and give William a kiss from me.”
“I will. And Zoë, thanks for everything…from the bottom of my heart.”
His words softened the sharp edge of guilt that had been gnawing at her all day. If she’d investigated the noises in the basement the night before, she could have dealt with Jimmy then instead of giving him the opportunity to hold her employer at gunpoint. Only a seriously incompetent bodyguard allowed a thing like that to happen to a client. Happily, Lyman didn’t seem to blame her.
“You’re very welcome, but I just did the job you hired me to do.”
His gratitude came through in every word. “You did so much more, and you know it. But we can discuss that tomorrow.”
“Take care of your new family and try to get some rest. We’ll see you in the morning.”
Nick shoved up onto one elbow. “What time is it?”
Zoë glanced at the time on her phone. Six twenty-two. Had they really slept more than five hours? “After six. Marian and baby William are doing well, but she’s too tired for visitors tonight. They expect to be discharged in the morning, so we’ll see them then.”
He rubbed a hand over his stubbled jaw then tossed the quilt back. “It’s probably just as well. I’m sure I’d scare the baby.”
She leaned over and gave him a quick kiss. “You look fine. I don’t mind a little scruff now and then. It gives your face character.”
“Really?” He raised his brows suggestively, and his dimple appeared amid the short black bristles.
“Really.” She clambered out of bed. “But put that thought on hold. I’m starving.”
Nick slung his legs over the side of the bed and stood. “Me, too. How about we order a couple of pizzas? You deserve a night off.”
“You won’t get any argument here.”
When the pizzas arrived, Zoë poured herself a glass of wine, grabbed a beer from the fridge for Nick, and followed him into the living room. He set the boxes on the coffee table and lit a fire, and they sat side-by-side on the floor, leaning back against the sofa. The atmosphere was intimate and cozy and perfect.
After finishing her third slice, she downed the last of her wine and set her glass on the table. “Do you know what I think we should do now?”
Nick’s mouth stretched into a slow smile. “I know what I think we should do, but why don’t you go first?”
She shot him a sideways glance. “There’s plenty of time for that—the night is still young.” After untangling her legs, she pushed up from the floor and walked over to examine the big box in the corner. “Right now, I think we should set up this tree then go buy some ornaments and decorate it.”
He tipped his head and scratched his jaw. “Not where I was going, but I guess we could do that.”
Inspired by the brilliance of her plan, she began gathering up the remains of their dinner. “It’s the least we can do. Think of everything the Prescotts have gone though in the past few weeks. I know they’re clients, and this is supposed to be a business relationship, but wouldn’t you like to do something nice for them?”
Nick rose and picked up his bottle and her glass. “I would. If we’d stopped Mahoney the first time he showed up, none of the rest would have happened.”
“I feel bad about that, too. And yesterday Marian was so excited to decorate the house for the holidays. Now she’s lost all her ornaments in the fire. And once she gets home, she’ll be too tired and busy with baby William to decorate. I’d love for her to be able to come home to a beautiful Christmas tree.”
“There’s a big box store out by the interstate. They’ll be open, and you should be able to get everything you want.”
She slid the boxes with the leftover pizza into the fridge and closed the door “Great. Let’s go.”
An hour later, they were back with three huge bags of goodies.
“This is going to be so much fun.” She carried the smallest bag into the foyer and held the door for Nick, whose hands were full with the other two.
“You don’t think you might have gotten a little carried away?”
She carried her bag into the living room and set it on the sofa. “Don’t be a humbug. You can never have too much Christmas.”
It was ten o’clock by the time the tree was up and fully decorated. Zoë had assigned Nick the task of lightmaster and complimented him on a job well done when all six strands lit on the first try. Because she’d seen some of Marian’s ornaments while sorting boxes in the garage, she had decided against the sophisticated maroon and silver theme featured in the store and opted instead for a colorful mix she dubbed fancifully eclectic. The red and white glass mittens, embroidered felt birds, and resin gingerbread men added a whimsical touch she hoped would appeal to Marian. She’d also picked up a trio of adorable, fluffy polar bears for the mantle.
After hanging the last shiny red ball, she stepped back and presented the finished tree with a flourish. “A
ll done. What do you think?”
Nick wrapped both arms around her and snugged her back against the solid warmth of his chest. “Gorgeous.”
“I hope Marian likes it.”
“I’m sure she’ll be thrilled.” He turned her in his arms. “Now I think it’s time for bed.”
“But I slept all afternoon. I’m not sure I’m tired enough to sleep.”
“Neither am I.”
Ah. A flutter of nerves spread out from her stomach. She shouldn’t be nervous—they’d made love before—but for some reason, this felt more deliberate. Maybe it was the determination in Nick’s gaze. He looked like he’d made a decision of some kind, but she had no idea what it was. When he held out his hand, she slid hers into it and smiled at his reassuring squeeze.
The several minutes it took to walk the three flights to her room did nothing to banish her butterflies. When he tugged her sweater over her head then ran one finger lightly under the top edge of her bra, they began to beat their wings frantically. And when he unzipped her jeans and used the same blunt finger to draw a sexy little line from the top of her panties to her navel, the whole swarm took flight.
Moments later, they faced each other stark naked, and Zoë shivered.
Nick stroked her bare arm with one warm hand, sending another ripple through her body. “You’re cold.”
“No.” Weak at the knees, she backed up until her legs met the rough blanket on the edge of the bed.
He leaned over and whipped back the covers. “Get in. I’ll warm you up.”
Her skin tightened into fierce goosebumps the instant she touched the cold sheets, then his warmth surrounded and enfolded her, and she relaxed.
“Better?” he murmured against the tender skin of her neck.
“Um, hm.” She closed her eyes to concentrate on the feel of him.
He shifted position. “How about this?”
“Mmm. Even better.”
He moved lower. “And this?”
Boiling Point (Phoenix, Ltd. Book 2) Page 25