Cassidy made sure of that by calling ahead and letting them know they were bringing in a woman in labor and that they would be there any minute.
Missy whimpered. “Oh, God, it hurts.”
Her mother gripped her hand. “Do your breathing, honey. Remember how they taught you in class? Take deep, focused breaths, then pant through the contraction. In and out through your nose.” Josie started breathing, panting, then breathing. Missy closed her eyes and joined her mother.
By the time they got to the hospital, all of them were panting and breathing, including Beau. Cassidy could read the fear in his eyes, the worry lining his forehead.
“It’s going to be okay,” he kept saying to Missy. “Everything’s going to be all right.”
Cassidy felt a pinch in her chest at the concern in his voice. Clearly he was going to be a great older brother to Missy’s baby girl.
The doctors were waiting when the limo pulled up in front of the emergency entrance. The car doors flew open. Beau helped Missy out, then helped the nurses lift her up on the gurney. Her water had broken and his slacks were damp and wrinkled but he didn’t seem to care. Reaching down, he wrapped his fingers around Missy’s hand and walked beside the gurney till the nurses shooed him away and the gurney disappeared down the hall.
“Are you the father?” a tall, black-haired nurse asked.
Beau just shook his head. “I’m the baby’s brother.”
It took a moment for the nurse to figure that one out, then she smiled. “Women have babies every day. Missy’s going to be fine. Her mother’s going into the delivery room with her.”
“Good,” Beau said, nodding. “That’s good.”
“The baby’s coming a little early,” the nurse said. “I understand Missy was attending a funeral. If she was upset, it might have brought on the contractions.”
Beau looked up, color washing out of his face. “So the baby is premature? Is she going to be okay?”
“The doctor is in with them now. It’s only a week or so early. I’ll let you know how things are going. There’s a waiting room just down the hall.” The nurse smiled. “I have to warn you, this may take a while. First babies tend to take longer.”
“How long is longer?” he asked.
“I think the average is something like eight hours. As I said, I’ll keep you posted.” The nurse left them standing in the hallway.
Cassidy squeezed Beau’s hand, which felt icy cold. “Why don’t I have Andy drive me back to the house so I can get you some fresh clothes?”
He looked down, seemed to finally notice how completely disheveled he was. “All right. I keep a go-bag packed. It’sgot jeans and T-shirts, toiletries, everything I need. It’s in the closet in the guest room.”
“I’ll find it. I won’t be long.”
He looked down at her. “I keep having to say thank you.”
She smiled. “It’s all right. I’ll find a way for you to repay me.”
For the first time that day, Beau looked at her and his eyes gleamed. His mouth edged into a sexy smile. “I think I know exactly the way.”
* * *
Seven hours and forty minutes later, Beau had the sibling he’d always wanted. A baby sister, Evelyn, named after Missy’s grandmother. Evie, they planned to call her. Six pounds thirteen ounces, ten miniature fingers, ten miniature toes, perfect in every way.
After a long, exhausting day, the first time Beau saw the infant, nestled against her mother’s breast, a feeling moved over him unlike anything he had ever known. So tiny, so sweet, so completely dependent on the people who cared for her. A fierce surge of protectiveness rushed through him. He would protect this child with everything he had.
His thoughts must have shown on his face, for when he looked over at Cassidy, she smiled at him softly and wiped a tear from her cheek.
Though the birth had gone well, the doctors decided to keep Missy and Evie overnight for observation. He and Cassidy said their good-byes, left the hospital, and drove back to the house in Cassidy’s Honda, which she’d driven to the hospital when she’d brought him clean clothes.
He was tired clear to the bone. His emotions had run the gamut from deep sadness to wild elation. Now he felt utterly drained.
Go-bag in hand, he walked Cassidy to the door of the guest house before heading for his own bed in his father’sbig, empty residence across the lawn. She paused on the porch, turned and looked up at him.
“Rough day,” she said.
