The door to the room clicked open, effectively ending Claire’s idyll. She snatched her hand back as Sophie stepped hesitantly into the room. “Are you up for a visitor?”
“Absolutely,” Claire said with a smile. “But keep your voice down because I don’t want to wake Logan.”
Sophie raised a brow. “Gives perfect meaning to the phrase ‘let sleeping dogs lie’.”
Claire shot her sister a semi-reproachful glance. “He was up all night.”
“And you weren’t?” Sophie reached Claire’s bedside and dropped her sleek little designer bag on the table. “Anyway, let’s not argue about him. Fill me in on everything. I came as soon as I knew there were visiting hours.”
“They finally were able to stop the contractions and the baby’s heart rate returned to normal,” Claire murmured. “Thank God.”
“So what happens next?”
“Bed rest,” Claire said with disgust. “For the next two weeks, at least. They’re going to monitor me for the rest of the morning, and if everything goes well, I’ll be able to be home tonight.”
Sophie frowned. “Obviously not home. You’re going to have to stay with Trevor and me until you have the baby.”
If there was one thing Claire didn’t want, it was to be the third wheel. Or the fifth wheel, or however the phrase went. “No, Soph. You and Trevor just moved into your new place together. I don’t want to come barging in on you guys.”
Sophie smiled and gave her hand a sisterly pat. “You’ll be in bed, sweetie. You won’t be able to barge anywhere. Besides, Trevor and I want you to come move in with us. We were talking about it last night after I got home from the hospital.”
Claire rolled her eyes. “You know what I mean. I don’t want to be in your way. The two of you need privacy. I don’t want to spoil your newlywed bliss by playing invalid at your house.”
“You wouldn’t spoil anything. You’re my sister, for heaven’s sake.” Sophie gave her a meaningful look. “You were there for me when I needed you most. You made me realize how precious life is. You even set me up with Trevor. The least I can do is play nursemaid for the next little while. I’m home painting anyway. We’ve got a spare room with its own private bath. What more do you need?”
Hmm. Sophie was doing her darnedest to make Claire change her mind and she was half succeeding too. Still, she was determined not to interrupt Sophie and Trevor’s new time together. They both deserved every second of their mutual happiness. Even if Claire couldn’t help but feel a tiny twinge of jealousy every time she saw them together.
Okay, a big twinge.
Claire shook her head. “I can stay at Mom and Dad’s.” That gave her pause, not because she didn’t want to stay with her parents—which she didn’t—but because she realized she hadn’t spoken to either one of them since checking into the hospital last night.
A comical expression of horror broke on Sophie’s face. “Oh my God. Mom and Dad. I completely forgot to call them and tell them about this.”
“It’s okay.” Claire was actually relieved that Sophie hadn’t. The last thing she would have needed was an argument between Logan and her mother. “Besides, it’s not like Mom and I are currently on speaking terms. And Dad is just, well, Dad.”
“Kind of oblivious,” they both said at the same time.
“Stop saying the same thing as me,” Sophie said with a laugh, reverting to an old argument they’d shared as teenagers.
“I came first,” Claire reminded her just as she had done dozens of time before. Of course, that had been what felt like dozens of years ago now.
“It’s been ages since we had that fight.”
“I know.” Claire smiled a bit wistfully. Ages and a lifetime.
Sophie squeezed her hand. “I really want you to stay with me and Trevor.”
“I’ll consider it.”
Logan shifted against her, blinking and focusing immediately on her. He shot up in his seat, his eyes suddenly lucid, cleared of all sleep-induced cobwebs.
“What’s going on?” he demanded, his voice like gruff velvet from sleeping. “Why did you let me fall asleep, damn it?”
“Because you needed it,” Claire said simply. “And nothing’s going on, which is why I’m allowed to go home this afternoon.”
“On bed rest,” Sophie clarified, ever the helpful sister. Though her tone was polite, her eyes shone brightly with dislike. “The doctors are concerned that if she’s up and about too much, she’ll go into labor early.”
Logan kept his gaze trained on Claire. “So what does that mean?”
