Sue made it through dinner mostly because her parents were happy just being with her. They didn’t require scintillating conversation. And because they were grieving together.

And after dinner three babies needed baths and feedings while her folks were there, which left little room for meaningful conversation.

As she washed and dried little limbs, Sue tried not to think about Rick Kraynick. He’d been up-front with her from the beginning about who he was and what he wanted from her. And she’d been rude.

That wasn’t her way.

If his adoption petition was considered, he could very well be back as a legitimate visitor. Someone she would watch. Sonia was going to want her opinions. She was going to have to be unbiased. Kind. Looking out strictly for Carrie’s best interests…

Her father was on a ladder in the kitchen, changing a bulb that had burned out just that morning, when she and her mother came out of the bedroom with three clean and kicking babies.

“I’d have gotten to that,” Sue told him while, with Carrie on her hip, she gathered three bottles to fill with formula.

“Now you don’t have to,” he said, climbing down. “You’ve got some condensation on the window in your family room,” he continued. “Which means a seal has come loose. It’ll need to be replaced at some point.”

“Is it a safety issue?”

“No, but eventually it’ll cause water damage to the drywall.”

Eventually, she’d replace the window.

“And I took care of the drip in the sink in your bathroom. It just needed to be tightened.”

“Thanks.” She handed a bottle to her mother. And one to her father, who took Michael and sat in the kitchen chair next to his wife’s. Sue grabbed Carrie’s bottle and joined them.

“I really don’t feel good about you being out here all by yourself,” Luke said. He and Jenny exchanged “the glance.” Sue prepared for another two-against-one onslaught of loving concern.

“Are you seeing anyone?” her mother asked.

“No.”

“It’s not healthy, Sue, a woman of your age spending every waking moment with other people’s babies.”

“They’re my babies while I have them. And it’s my job.” One of them.

“You know what your mother’s saying.” Luke adjusted the nipple in Michael’s mouth. “You should be getting out. Having some kind of social life.”

Thinking about getting married.

“I’m perfectly happy as things are.” She included both her parents in her glance. “Marriage worked great for you guys, but I’m just not interested. I don’t want a husband. I don’t miss not having a man around. And if I were to enter a relationship not really wanting it, it would never work.”

They’d been through this before. Every single time she saw them.

“This is the twenty-first century, guys,” she said softly. “I don’t have to have a man to be complete.”

“Don’t you get lonely, honey?” Jenny asked.

“With this brood? Are you kidding?” Setting down her bottle, she lifted Carrie to her shoulder, gently patting the litt

le girl’s back.

Her mother already had William up on her shoulder. Sue breathed a silent sigh of relief as Jenny and Luke exchanged another look. The one that said they’d let the issue of Sue’s lifestyle ride for now.

“We brought the necklace for you to see,” Luke said half an hour later as the threesome walked down the hall together after having laid the babies in their cribs.

“Dad, really, I’ve seen it a hundred times.”

As they entered the family room, Jenny went for her purse, pulling out the familiar black velvet box.

Tags: Tara Taylor Quinn Romance
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