Beau lifted the bedrail on one side, Hunter lifted the other, and in that moment she suddenly felt trapped. Her eyes sought Hunter’s.
“I’ll get started on the transfer of care,” Beau said.
“Thanks.” Hunter’s attention shifted to his partner, sending some silent message, and her heart started to pound.
Beau took a step away from the bedside. “Madison, it’s been an honor. You and this little girl closed out my year on a high note.” He gave her a smile that turned his handsome face downright breathtaking but didn’t quite reach his dark eyes. “Take care, and have a happy New Year.” He sent Hunter a meaningful look—something along the lines of a three-minute warning. Then he strode out the door.
“Wait”—she grabbed a fistful of Hunter’s shirt in case he tried to follow his partner—“where’s he going?”
“He’s going to talk to the people here and make sure they have all the information we can give them to provide you with the very best care. I’ll do the same before we head out.” He patted her hand and gave her the slow, easy, everything’s-going-to-be-okay smile. Except it wasn’t going to be okay. He was going to leave her. Alone. With a baby.
“Don’t leave! What if she cries again? What if I don’t know what to do?” Somewhere in the back of her mind she recognized she was acting like a crazy nut, and he probably had other calls to take, and other people to rescue, but it didn’t make any difference. She couldn’t release her hold on him. “Can’t you stay a little longer? Please?”
He slid his arm around her shoulders and lowered his voice. “You and this baby are going to be fine, Madison. You’re in good hands. This hospital has some of the best obstetrics and pediatrics staff in the city. They’re going to take excellent care of you both. Beyond that, there’s something else I want you to keep in mind.”
“W-what?”
“An hour ago you delivered this little girl in the back of a car with no epidural, no pain meds, nothing but strength, determination, and instincts. Any woman who can do that is a natural mom.”
“I had you—”
“You knew when to accept help,” he interjected. “That’s part of good instincts.”
Oh, God. Oh, God. He’s going to go. She blinked rapidly to fight back the tears threatening to spill, and locked her jaw until she could be sure she wouldn’t beg. Then she forced herself to let go of his shirt.
“Thank you.” The words weren’t much better than a whisper, but at least she got them out.
“You’re welcome.” He eased the drape down from around her shoulder and kissed the knit cap covering her baby’s head. Her sleeping baby’s head, she noticed, and her ragged nerves calmed slightly. “What’s her name?”
“Joy.” The immediacy of her response surprised her, because she hadn’t officially decided on the name in her own mind. She’d thought she still had three weeks to pin it down. But the rightness settled on her as soon as she said it out loud. “Joy,” she repeated, “after my grandma.”
Warm, careful lips brushed her forehead. She looked up into the confident blue eyes that had seen her through the scariest moment of her life.
“Beautiful name. It suits her. Have a happy New Year, Madison. You’ve earned it. I—” He broke off when his partner caught his eye from the hallwa
y. “I’ve got to go now. Everything’s going to be okay. You’ve got my word.”
Then he was gone.
Chapter Three
Hunter Knox, you are one fucked-up motherfucker, spending your first New Year’s Day off in God knows how long at a hospital.
No point talking back to the voice in his head. Arguing would only make him look even more fucked-up, in a clinical way—something best avoided in a place with a psych unit—even if coming to the hospital today probably qualified as crazy. Doubly so, considering he’d taken the same detour last night.
He continued along the corridor toward the maternity wing. Checking on the status of the Foley girls was becoming a habit. One he needed to break, dammit, because his role in their lives had ended yesterday afternoon. Paramedics didn’t provide follow-up care. They waded into a crisis, stabilized the patient, transported if necessary, and then they walked away. On the best days, walking away felt more like sailing off into the sunset on waves of gratitude. On the worst days, it felt more like limping out of a foxhole. And yet, here he was, back at the hospital, on his own time and of his own volition, just to…whatever the fuck he was doing…make sure everything turned out okay?
He grumbled to himself. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t help but picture her lying in the ER bed, looking small and overwhelmed. Stupid, because she was going to be fine, and so was the baby. This nagging worry had no basis. He’d told her they were going to be fine, and goddammit, they were. Even if he’d harbored doubts yesterday afternoon—which he hadn’t—his visit last night should have resolved them. Madison had been transferred to a room in the hospital’s maternity ward. He hadn’t gotten to talk to her because she’d been asleep when he’d peeked in. Joy had been in the nursery, getting changed and spending some quality time with the radiant heater while her mama rested.
He’d justified last night’s visit as a quick check-in on his way to a coworker’s party, to clear his conscience and kick off his New Year’s Eve in the right frame of mind. And his conscience was clear, dammit. So clear he’d enjoyed a few drinks, danced with a few girls, and shared a kiss at midnight with a sexy ginger studying law at Emory. Why he’d bowed out when she’d suggested they could also share breakfast at her place, he couldn’t fully explain. Much like he couldn’t fully explain why he’d come back to the hospital this afternoon, but after prowling around his house like a restless wolf most of the day, trying to talk sense into his thick skull, he’d finally grabbed his keys and headed over.
A middle-aged brunette in pink scrubs manned the desk to the maternity ward. He recognized her from around the hospital—Sherry? Sandy? One of those. She caught his approach and winked at him. “Hey, baby. You run all the way up here to wish us a Happy New Year?”
“You know it, sugar.”
Brown eyes gave him the once-over, taking in his long-sleeved T-shirt. “Is it casual day?”
“I’m off. I’m actually here as a visitor, to see a couple of your newest guests. Madison Foley and Joy.”