“Perhaps it is.”
* * *
Liam hovered over Maggie’s bassinet as the nurse took her temperature. “Her appetite was better this morning,” he said.
The nurse hadn’t missed his anxious tone and gave him a reassuring smile. “Her temperature is down a couple degrees. Looks like the antibiotics are doing what they’re supposed to.”
While it wasn’t a clean bill of health, at least Maggie’s situation was trending in the right direction. “That’s great news.” He wished he could share the update with Hadley, but she’d made it clear yesterday that she needed distance. It cut deep that he’d driven her away.
“She’s sleeping now,” the nurse said. “Why don’t you take the opportunity to get something to eat? From what I hear, you skipped dinner last night.”
“I wasn’t hungry.”
“Well, you’re not going to do your little girl any good if you get run-down and can’t take care of her once she’s ready to go home.” The nurse gave him a stern look.
“Sure, you’re right.” But he couldn’t bring himself to leave Maggie alone. “I’ll go down to the cafeteria in a little while.”
Once the nurse left, Liam brushed a hand through his hair, suddenly aware he was practically asleep on his feet. He hadn’t been able to do more than snatch a couple naps during the night and could really use a cup of coffee. It occurred
to him that he wasn’t going to be able to keep this pace up for long, but he would never be able to forgive himself if Maggie got worse while he was gone.
A soft female voice spoke from the doorway. “How’s she doing?”
Blinking back exhaustion, Liam glanced up and spied Hadley hovering in the hallway. From her apprehensive expression, she obviously expected him to throw her out.
“A little better.”
“That’s great. I hope it’s okay that I came by.”
“Sure.” After yesterday, he could barely believe she’d come back. “Of course.”
“I wasn’t sure...” She looked around the room as if in search of somewhere to hide. “You didn’t answer my text last night.”
He rubbed his face to clear some of the blurriness from his mind. “You sent a text? I didn’t get it.”
“Oh.” She held up a rectangular container and a silver thermos. “I brought you coffee and some of Candace’s caramel rolls. She was going to come herself, but I had to pick up my car and was heading back this way...” She trailed off as if unnerved by his silence. “I can just leave them and go. Or I can stay with Maggie while you go home and shower or sleep. You don’t look like you got any last night.”
She didn’t look all that refreshed, either. Of course she’d worried. He imagined her tossing and turning in her bed, plagued by concern for Maggie. It was in her nature to care even when it wasn’t in her best interest to do so.
“I’m so sorry,” he told her, his voice a dry rasp. “I should never have let you leave yesterday. We should have talked.”
“No.” She shook her head and took two steps toward him. “I should apologize. The way I acted yesterday was unforgivable. I should never have been thinking of myself when Maggie was so sick.”
Liam caught her upper arms and pulled her close. He barely noticed the container of rolls bump against his stomach as he bent his head and kissed her firmly on the lips, letting his emotions overwhelm him. The aching tightness in his chest released as she gave a little moan before yielding her lips to his demand.
He let go of her arms and stroked his palms up her shoulders and beneath her hair, cupping her head so he could feast on her mouth. Time stood still. The hospital room fell away as he showed her the emotions he’d been keeping hidden. His fear, his need, his joy. Everything she made him feel. He gave it all to her.
“Liam.” She breathed his name in wonder as he nuzzled his face into her neck.
“I love you.” The words came so easily to him now. Gone were his defenses, stripped away by an endless, lonely night and his elation that she’d returned. He wasn’t going to let her question his devotion ever again. “No, I adore you. And will do whatever it takes for as long as it takes for you to believe you are the only woman for me.”
A smile of happiness transformed her. He gazed down into her overly bright eyes and couldn’t believe how close he’d come to losing her.
“I love you, too,” she replied, lifting on tiptoe to kiss him lightly on the lips.
“I rushed you because I was afraid your career would take you away, and I couldn’t bear to lose you.” Suddenly it was easy to share his fears with her, and from the way she regarded him, she understood what he’d been going through. “This time we’ll take it slow,” he promised. “I’m determined that you won’t feel rushed into making up your mind about spending the rest of your life with me.”
She gave a light laugh. “I don’t need any time. I love you and I want to marry you. Together we are going to be a family. No matter what happens with Kyle, Maggie will always be like a daughter to us and a big sister to our future children.”