"I haven't said yes yet."
"Why the hell not?"
Moving around the large airy room restlessly, picking up a giant stuffed elephant she had gifted her goddaughter with, she held it against her.
"He wants children."
"Well, of course he does." Rubbing her baby's back, she smiled in satisfaction when she burped. "Back to bed for you, sweetheart." Placing her inside the cot, Kiara rubbed a hand over her belly and smiled when the lashes drifted closed.
"She's such a sweet and uncomplicated child. Quite the opposite of her brother." Pulling the blanket over her, she turned to face her friend. Realizing she had spoken without thinking, Kiara closed her eyes in dismay.
"Oh, honey, I'm sorry." Taking her friend's hand, she led the way from the nursery and wove her way towards the neat as a pin sitting room where the fire was blazing cheerfully inside the hearth. March had stormed in, dumping several inches of snow and leaving the evidence clinging to trees.
"You haven't told him."
Irene had already brought in a tray of refreshment, the hot chocolate and an enticing scent that filled the room. Pouring the liquid into two cups, Kiara handed one to her friend.
"I never thought it would get serious this quickly." Blowing away the steam, Deborah took a tentative sip and then another. "I never thought I would fall in love again. Not after what Ben did to me."
"There are doctors that can do wonders. Why don't you let me call Jane and ask if she could suggest someone?"
"I don't want to get my hopes up." She protested, even though the nugget of hope was already curling inside her.
"Honey, what is life without hope?" Kiara chided. "If you'd asked me two years or so ago if I would be married and a mother of twins, I would have asked if you lost your fricking mind." She laughed softly.
"Now my life is complete. At least try. Explore your options before you close the door and tell Eric. He's a very understanding man and he loves you."
Kiara caught a glimpse of her mother as she hovered just inside the doorway of the nursery.
"I'm just putting Sean down for a nap." She whispered, rubbing her hand over the boy's sparse dark hair. "He's been fighting it for two hours." A gentle smile touched her lips. Pressing a kiss to the pulse beating at his delicate temple, she held him for a minute and just inhaled his scent.
"His father took him to the pub to show him off." Shaking her head, she laid him on his back on the blue cotton pillow with his initials. Sean Derek Padric. He had been named after his two grandfathers.
She had to honor her father and there was no way she could leave Padric out of it.
Siobhan Maeve was fast asleep, one hand curled into a tight fist at the side of her head. Long lashes made shadows on her creamy complexion.
"I never dreamed I could love so much. Or feel so protective." Pulling the sheets over them, she stepped back and just stood there staring at her babies. "I would kill for them." She laughed breathlessly.
"Oscar is pretty certain that no man will ever be good enough for his princess." She stood beside the silent woman and continued. "I feel the same way about Sean."
"Your father would have loved them to pieces."
Kiara glanced at her in surprise and felt the pain of his loss as keen as a sharp sword inside her heart.
"Yes, he would have. Oscar and I took them to his graveside."
This time it was Victoria who portrayed her surprise. "Wasn't that a little inappropriate?"
Kiara's eyes flashed a warning. Stepping out of the room, she half closed the door. Leading the way to the sitting room, she turned to face her mother.
"You never once go to visit his grave. Did you hate him that much?"
Her mother's mouth tightened. Clasping her hands in front of her, she stared into the hypnotic flames dancing in the hearth. It was humbling to realize that she had been wrong all her life and how much she had missed out on.
She had looked on with envy the way her daughter was with her in-laws. Maeve hugged her frequently and they got along very well. It was comfortable between them.
Now she found herself in the middle of a struggle. She loved for the first time. Her first sight of those beautiful babies had cracked the wall she put over her heart. She would do anything to be close to them.
