My husband's warm hand came to the back of my neck and I gently pushed back into his palm. Any time he touched me, I felt more settled. Andloved.
Nurse Chloe flashed me a grin and headed off.
One by one, my friends peeked at Italia and hugged me, letting me know they were so happy I was okay and how worried sick they had been when I was gone. I didn’t want to think about it, but I let them say what they needed to.
Just before Ruby was about to wheel me out, someone caught my eye. I glanced at the lady who I had seen before and then my eyes scanned our group for Bronson. When my gaze found him, his face looked pale like he’d seen a ghost. He was looking at the beautiful woman.
“Lake,” I heard him mumble.
Ruby must have heard him too because she looked at Bronson and asked, “You know Lake?”
The tough as nails cop and one of the sweetest guys I knew was in a trance and speechless, his eyes glued to the blast from his past from what little I knew.
My head swiveled around to look at Ruby behind me. “How do you know Lake?”
“Since she’s an EMT, she brings people to the hospital all the time and our paths have crossed on numerous occasions.” Ruby looked over at Bronson who was still staring at Lake as she talked with a couple of other people, then she glanced back at Lake. “Lake is an amazing person and so sweet. Her little girl is absolutely adorable too.”
Someone sucked in a deep breath and I was pretty sure I knew exactly where it came from. When I turned to look at Bronson again the look on his face was one of shock, sadness, and maybe also regret.
Before I knew what was happening, he leaned down and kissed my cheek. “I’ll come by and see you guys soon.” Then he was gone, rushing out the door.
“What just happened?” Ruby asked.
“That’s what I want to know,” Alley said, coming up beside us.
“Wait,” Gemma called out. “Weallwant to hear.”
All the ladies were surrounding me again, their eyes glued to me, waiting for me to spill the beans. I heard a deep groan. I don’t know which of the guys it came from but I did hear Kace’s comment.
“They are back to their match-making, meddling ways.”
And more groans echoed around us.
I looked up at my husband and he winked. He knew I was already invested in helping my new friend Bronson find his happiness.
And something told me that could be with Lake.
After returning Pax’s wink, I looked up at my friends.
“So this is what I know…” I started.
* * *
I wassure my ovaries just exploded, even though I’d just had a baby.
As I slowly came awake, to the scent of my husband swirling around me and his sweet voice filling the room, my belly fluttered with love. The baby monitor was on and my guy was singing a lullaby to our daughter. He may not have been the singer that a few of the guys in our group were, but he was damn near perfect to me.
After getting home, settled, and showered, I must have fallen asleep holding Italia, but found myself waking up in our bed alone. I’d been so tired that I hadn’t even woken up when Pax moved me out of the rocking chair in our baby's nursery.
“Okay, my sweet angel, Daddy will just be across the hall.” I could hear him kiss our daughter and then some rustling of blankets. “I’m going to check on your beautiful mommy.”
I rolled to my side, my aching body bruised and sore, and hugged my husband's pillow to my chest as my heart beat rapidly.How did I get so lucky?I closed my eyes and breathed Pax’s manly scent once again. He was everything a girl could dream of and somehow it was me that snagged him.
Well maybe it was the other way around. He had snagged me. I let out a girlish giggle that was muffled by the pillowcase but could be heard since my head was lifting at the sexy voice that claimed my attention.
“What are you giggling at over there?”
Peeking over the pillow, my gaze took in my sexy husband with his panty-melting dimples and I wondered how I was going to wait so many weeks to make love to him again.
