Lilly had barely finished her meal before she was asleep again. After one more burp, he placed her back into the carrier and tucked a blanket over her. Erin set the baby seat on the floor between their chairs.
About that time, Shelby walked over carrying two plates with oversize turkey sandwiches on crusty rolls and a side of warm potato salad. She went back and brought them two frosty glasses of iced tea. “This is my newest sandwich on the menu. I hope you don’t mind sampling it for me.”
“Not at all,” Austin said. “I’m so hungry.” He took a big bite of his sandwich, and the sweet cranberry sauce surprised his taste buds. “This is good.” He took another.
Erin joined in. “I like the cranberry sauce. Nice combination.”
Shelby beamed. “Good. I’m glad.” Another customer came in and she took off again. “Excuse me.”
Erin watched Austin to see if he was having any discomfort with his leg. He did look tired, but that was because of the new baby. She glanced down at the sleeping infant. She was so precious that she needed to come with a warning sign. Too late; Erin had already lost her heart.
“She’s perfect, isn’t she?”
Erin looked at Austin. “Yes, she is. And of course she’s sleeping right now.”
“Is this normal?”
Erin nodded. “Pediatrics isn’t my specialty, but yes. She’s only three and a half months old. That reminds me—you should make her an appointment for a checkup.”
He nodded. “I have Lilly’s medical records. Can you recommend a good doctor?”
“You might want to talk to Brooke and Trent about where they take Christopher.”
“I will. I want to make sure I’m doing everything right.”
“We can’t always, but as a parent, just trying and loving your child is the most important. So enjoy these naps while you can, because once Lilly is up more, she’ll want to be stimulated. That means you get to entertain her. That’s why I got the mobile for her crib and the hanging toys for her carrier. She’ll need something to focus on. Soon, you’ll be reading her stories.”
She paused, seeing the panic on Austin’s face. “It’s okay. You’re going to do fine.”
“How do you know all this stuff? What if I mess up?”
“Oh, you’ll do that for sure.”
He glared at her. “Thanks for the vote of confidence.”
She smiled at his panicked look. “Hey, you’re not perfect—no parent is. But you learn from your mistakes, and just let your child know how much you love them.” She couldn’t help but think about her own baby. Would it happen? Would she have the chance to be a parent?
She tried to concentrate on her sandwich, but soon gave up trying to finish the other half. “I’ll take this home and finish it later.”
Austin winked as he dropped a couple of twenties on the table. “Keep a close eye on it, because it might disappear.”
They stood up and Erin got Austin his walker. Then she got Lilly, and Shelby handed over a basket of food as she walked them out. “Here, this is for later. I’m so glad you’re getting around better, Austin.” She hugged him, then Erin. “If you two aren’t doing anything this weekend, come by for supper on Saturday night. Cullen is going to barbecue.”
“Sounds good,” Austin said as he got a nod from Erin. “Thanks for lunch.”
Erin strapped the baby in the backseat, then took Austin’s walker and followed it up. “Okay, let’s go home.”
“I have one more stop,” Austin told her. “There’s a car dealership at the edge of town.”
Erin frowned. “Why? You have a truck.”
“I need a more practical vehicle now that I have a child. A dependable car that you can drive, too.”
She went around and climbed into the driver’s seat. “My van is dependable.” Even she didn’t sound convincing to herself. She thought about all the times she’d used it to drive patients to the doctor, and her husband to therapy.
She put the key in the ignition and turned it. The engine cranked but didn’t start up. After several attempts, the engine finally turned over. “Okay, it might need a tune-up.”
He arched a knowing eyebrow at her. “Let’s see what an expert has to say.”
* * *
TWO HOURS LATER, Erin sat behind the wheel of a pretty blue SUV. She inhaled that wonderful new-car smell and melted into the plush leather seat as she turned off the highway that led to the ranch.
“So you like how it handles?” Austin asked from the passenger seat.
“Of course. It’s a great car. You’ll enjoy driving it, too.” She glanced at the baby in the back. “And it’s more practical for Lilly. But there was no reason for you to leave my van at the dealership. I have a mechanic.”
“But leaving your car at the dealership isn’t going to cost you anything, because I bought this new car.”
She was still leery of that deal, but her van did need a tune-up. She started to argue when she spotted a dark car in front of the house.
So had Austin. “Damn, I didn’t want to deal with him today.”
“Who?”
“Jay. I have a feeling he knew about Lilly and he didn’t tell me.”
“Then I’ll take care of her and let you talk to him in private.” She checked her watch. “The furniture should be here in an hour or so.” She parked by the porch, and the middle-aged man climbed out of the luxury sedan.
Erin got out, opened the back door and unfastened the safety seat. The baby was awake, and Erin began to talk to her. Lilly’s arms were moving up and down. “I bet you’re hungry again,” she crooned. “Well, let’s get you inside and fed.” She lifted the child out as Jay walked up to the car.
“Hello, Erin.”
“Hello, Mr. Bridges.”
He glanced down at the baby. “I see that Dan Lynch has been here.”
Erin didn’t say another word, but went to the door and unlocked it, and took the baby inside.
Austin made his way out of the car and reached in the back and took out his walker.
Jay raced over. “Here, let me help.”
“I’ve got it.” Once he had some support, he looked up at his manager. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
Jay didn’t even play dumb. “Because you were in the hospital having surgery.”
He glared at the man. “How long have you known?”
Jay stood there for a long time, then finally said, “The day you took the ride on Sidewinder.”
“Dammit, Jay! I could have seen Megan before she died.”
“How? You were laid up in traction.”
“I would have figured out a way. She’s the mother of my daughter. Did she ask to see me?”
Jay frowned. “Have you had a DNA test done?”
Austin gripped the metal walker to keep from swinging at the man. “Get the hell off my property and don’t come back.”
Jay was taken aback by his words. “I know you’re angry, Austin, but I only have your best interest at heart. That’s my job.”
“Don’t worry about that. You won’t have that job any longer. Goodbye, Jay.”
Chapter Nine
Later that night, Austin watched at the door as Erin laid Lilly down in her new crib, in her new bedroom. Once the baby was tucked neatly under the blanket, the infant let out a sigh, then gave in to slumber. Erin backed away from the bed as Austin turned his walker around and stepped into the hallway. After she shut the door, he wondered if the baby would be too far away.
Erin motioned him into the equipment room, now his bedroom. He walked in and sat down on the bench. They silently went to work with his exercises, until she finally had to stop him.
“Austin, you know if Lilly wakes up we’ll hear her through the baby monitor.”
He gla
nced at the white box across the room. “Are you sure it’s turned on?” His daughter hadn’t been this far away from him since she arrived.
Erin sat down in front of him on the carpeted floor. “After our busy day, Lilly’s probably exhausted. We’re all exhausted, especially you.” Her pretty face showed concern. “Your body is trying to heal, and taking care of an infant is a lot of work.”
He sighed. “She’s so little.”
Erin smiled. “And cute and precious...and if you don’t get some sleep, you aren’t going to be any good for her.”
She got up from the floor with ease and grace, then walked across and pulled out the massage table. “You need to relax.” After setting it up, she took towels from the stack on the dresser and spread them out on the surface.
As much as he tried, Austin’s body still reacted to the anticipation of her touch. Oh, yeah, having her hands on him was going to help him sleep. He stood and took two hops to the table, then lay facedown. It wasn’t long before he felt the warm oil on his back, then her hands.
He bit back a groan of pleasure. This woman had far too many talents. Her fingers began to work into his tense muscles. Oh, that hurts...so good.
After about ten minutes, his thoughts turned to their day together. How well she’d fit in with him, with adding a baby to his crazy life. Barely two weeks together, yet he hated to think about her moving on after he was back on his feet.
“Hey, cowboy, stop tensing up,” she said.
“Sorry. I guess I can’t turn off my mind.”
Her hands moved down to his lower back. “You’ve had an eventful week.”
“You could say that. Instant fatherhood.”
“That’s one of the best things,” she said.
“Yeah, I’d say I hit the jackpot in that department.” He made a mental note to call his lawyer. He didn’t want any problems about custody. He liked Dan Lynch, but he wasn’t going to give up his daughter.
She swatted at him. “Relax.”
“I’m trying.”
Her magic hands moved down his legs. No way could he settle down with her touching him. “That’s enough,” he said and sat up. “Thanks, but I think I’ll be fine now.”
“Okay.” She retrieved his leg brace and strapped it on. She stood back and studied him a moment. “Look, you had a lot thrown at you, and I’m not talking about your accident. Are you thinking about Jay?”
“Yeah. I believe he tried to pay off Dan. He wasn’t even going to tell me about Lilly.”
“I’m sorry. I know you trusted him. He never should have kept Lilly from you.”
“Yeah, you’re right. He’s had to do his share of crowd control over the years, but he should have known that Dan Lynch wouldn’t lie. I deserved to know about my daughter.”
She rested a hand on his shoulder. “You have Lilly now, and a chance to be her father.”
He looked into those mesmerizing green eyes. She’d been so giving and caring about everyone but herself. “What about you, Erin? Have you thought more about your dream?”
She backed away. “Sure.”
She didn’t sound so sure. “What I told you the other day, Erin, I meant. You can start your treatment right away. I’ll even advance you the money if that’s a problem.”
She couldn’t hide her surprise. “Oh, Austin, that is so...nice of you. Thank you. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate the offer. But there are so many risks, and while I’m on this job, I’m going to hold off for just a little while. A few weeks isn’t that long. Besides, I want you on your feet before I get all hormonal on you.”
“It can’t be that bad.”
Erin shot him an incredulous look. “I take it you haven’t read up on the procedure. I’ll need to have shots every day, and there’s no guarantee on my mood swings.”
He opened his mouth to speak, and she stopped him when she came closer. “Do you really think you can handle me high on hormones, cowboy?”
Erin caught that sexy smile of his, and it took her breath away. This man kept surprising her. But getting any more personally involved with Austin Brannigan wasn’t wise. Already she’d let herself go from a therapist to a stand-in mom. Sharing her pregnancy just might be too risky to her heart.
“You’re not so tough.” He reached for her hand, and she felt his warmth. “I just want you to have that baby you want. You’ll make a terrific mother.”
She couldn’t help as tears filled her eyes. “I will.” She didn’t want to think about if the procedure didn’t work out. “There’s no guarantee that I’ll get pregnant.”
He shrugged as he played with her hand. “You never know unless you try.”
This situation was suddenly getting too intimate. “Hey, you need some sleep, because I’m going to work you hard tomorrow. So don’t think about getting up with Lilly tonight. That’s what you pay me for.”
He saluted. “Yes, ma’am.” Then he stood, grabbed his walker and made a trip to the bathroom. She glanced over at the twin bed, hoping that he would be able to sleep. She hated taking his room, but he’d refused to compromise. She yawned. She needed to get some rest, too, so she could be alert for the baby.
Grabbing the monitor, she headed out the door just as the shower turned on. Visualizing the man standing naked under the spray of water caused her body to warm. Funny, she hadn’t had this much desire for sex since before her husband had returned home. Now she could barely be in the same room with Austin without getting stimulated.
She walked across the hall and opened Lilly’s bedroom door. A night-light illuminated the space as she made her way across the floor to the crib. She looked down at the precious baby, and her heart constricted in her chest. She was half in love with the child already. Who was she kidding? Both father and daughter had already stolen her heart. How was she supposed to walk away when her time here came to an end?
* * *
FRIDAY MORNING, ERIN drove the new SUV east along Interstate 70 to Denver and their eleven o’clock visit with orthopedic surgeon Dr. Michael Kentrell. She glanced in the back at Lilly. There wasn’t much to see with the infant’s safety seat turned toward the back of the car. Since there wasn’t any movement or crying, she figured the baby was still asleep.
“Is she due for a feeding?” Austin asked.
“Not yet, but you never know with infants.”
She looked across the car at Austin. He was dressed in a burgundy pullover sweater and a pair of black sweatpants, with one leg cut open to make room for his cast. “I’ll handle Lilly and her feedings. You only worry about you today.”
He sighed. “I’ll try.”
“You know Brooke and Trent offered to watch the baby for you.”
He shook his head. “No, she’s not used to all her aunts and uncles yet. And I didn’t want her to think I’d abandoned her.”
What had happened to the cocky, arrogant cowboy she met only weeks ago? “You can’t be with her all the time, Austin.”
“I want her to know that I’m her father, that I’m here for her.”
Erin was touched by his concern. “Right now, you need to get back on your feet.”
The car’s GPS interrupted their conversation to direct them off the interstate to the large medical building just outside Denver. She drove into an available handicapped spot, then hung the blue card on the rearview mirror. Before she could argue with Austin about waiting for her, he had climbed out, hopped to the back of the car and opened the tailgate to retrieve his walker. After she unfastened the carrier, together they went inside and up the elevator to the doctor’s office.
They didn’t have to wait long before a nurse led him back to take an X-ray, then into an examination room. “It’s good to see you doing so well, Mr. Brannigan.”
“Thank you. I hope to be doing much better once I talk to the d
octor.”
The pretty brunette glanced at the baby, then at Erin, then back to Austin. “Your daughter is adorable. You both must be over the moon.”
Before Erin could correct her, Austin spoke. “Thank you. We are. We also might be a little prejudiced about Lilly.” He sat up on the exam table, grinning.
The pretty nurse left, and Erin asked, “Why are you letting her think I’m the mother?” A pain circled in her chest because it wasn’t true.
“Because I’m not ready for my personal life to hit the tabloids. Sorry, I should have warned you.”
His argument did make sense. “What if they ask if I’m Mrs. Brannigan?”
He shook his head. “They won’t. Not here, because my medical information is private.”
Erin knew the medical profession. Information still got out. “Okay, but if you’d like, I can leave you alone with the doctor.”
He frowned. “Damn, woman. You’ve seen me naked. So there isn’t much more to hide.”
She’d caught a quick glance a few times, but would deny it. “I haven’t seen you naked.”
He grinned at her, causing her heart to skip several beats. “If you say so.” Austin loved to tease Erin. She usually gave as good as she got.
“In your dreams, cowboy.” She brushed her glorious auburn hair back from her face. “I’m not one of your buckle bunnies. Just remember, I’ve seen my share of naked men. You should be more wary that you’re being compared.”
He couldn’t help but laugh. “So how do I size up?”
She was fighting laughter. “Behave—your child’s in the room.”
There was a knock on the door, and then the middle-aged doctor walked in. Michael Kentrell was in his late forties, with just a little gray streaked in with his brown hair. He wore wire-rimmed glasses and a warm smile. “Hey, how come I wasn’t invited to the party?”
“You give me good news today, and I’ll throw an even bigger party,” Austin told him, and they shook hands. “Hello, Doc.”
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