Special Delivery. Laura Browning

enough to reassure her. “You’re doing fine. Doc says you should push with your contractions, but easy. As soon as the head’s out I’ll need to suction and check to make sure the cord’s good.”

      She nodded, feeling a mixture of awe and fright. The life inside her had taken control, and she had no say at all in what was going on. As another contraction began, Holly sobbed and began to push. It hurt, more than anything she could have imagined, but even the pain paled next to the anticipation.

      Jake told Tyler, “Prop that flashlight right there. Take the other one into the kitchen and bring me the bulb syringe I saw on the table. More towels, too.

      “You mean the thing with the squishy rubber end on it?”

      “Yeah. Then come sit next to your sister and tell her what a great job she’s doing.”

      Jake’s gaze reassured her that everything was okay. Her nerves settled. When the next contraction came, she concentrated on bearing down, the effort almost enough to overcome the pain. She was nearly done. Just a little more and her daughter would be here.

      Jake laughed. “That’s it. The head’s out, honey. Relax a minute.” He reached for the bulb syringe. She supposed he must be suctioning the baby’s nose and mouth, but she couldn’t see. Holly tried to catch her breath.

      “Jake…” Her body took over and the next contraction sent the baby out into Jake’s waiting hands. He cradled the infant for just a moment, and even with her blurring vision, she saw his eyes well over as well. As if he realized, his expression went blank and he blinked several times before he laid the infant on her stomach and began drying the baby. There was just the faintest tremor in his big hands as he touched the newborn, but he made no attempt to hide it. Jake was as overwhelmed as she was. The baby cried, angry mewling sounds, and her tiny face screwed up as she voiced her displeasure at this unwelcome change in her surroundings. The warm weight of her daughter now rested on her instead of inside her. Her miracle.

      Holly reached trembling fingers to stroke her child. Her baby. She swallowed against the thickness in her throat. “Is she okay? Is she perfect?”

      “The most perfect baby I’ve ever seen.”

      Holly smiled and let her head fall against the pillows. She was okay. “Thank you, Jake,” she managed to choke out.

      Tyler’s eyes were huge.

      “How you doing, Uncle Tyler?” Jake murmured.

      “I’m good. Wow!”

      * * * *

      Jake stared at the umbilical cord. “We’re not done yet. Call Doc, Tyler. Just hit Redial while I wash.”

      Tyler held the phone for him as he came out. Jenny ran down the directions to deal with the cord, then explained Holly should try to nurse the baby to help stimulate contractions to deliver the afterbirth. “Don’t worry, it’s nothing compared to the baby, just a little messy.”

      The afterbirth was a snap compared to delivery, but fatigue had worn them down. By the time Jake settled Holly on clean sheets so she could nurse, cleaned everything, and put it away, he was exhausted. He returned to her bedroom to find Tyler curled on one side of the bed watching as the baby slept. Jake sat in the chair next to Holly’s bed. When she smiled, the wariness she’d treated him with had disappeared. For right now, trust had replaced it. The change floored and scared him. He swallowed past the thickness in his throat.

      “You were amazing, Holly. I don’t know many women who would have been so calm in this situation.”

      “I didn’t feel very calm. I don’t know what we would have done without you. I was so scared, and then you got here…thank you.” Tears welled again, spilling down her cheeks.

      He touched the wetness, brushing it away. “I’m just glad I was here. I’ll bring you some Tylenol, then you need to rest.” He tapped his fingers against his thigh. “You…uh…you didn’t tear or anything.” Shit, he so didn’t want to go into this. “I just thought you should know. Doc will check you out and all.”

      Holly smiled. “I had a great delivery guy.”

      At Jake’s signal, Tyler scooted off the bed and blew out the candles. Jake waited for the boy to precede him out of the room, then said to Holly, “I’ll leave the door open. If you need anything, I’ll be in the living room. Just call me.”

      He checked in on her a couple of times and found both her and the baby sleeping. She looked exhausted, not even stirring when he brushed a stray lock of hair off her face. His gaze moved to the tiny bundle of the baby, as delicate as a porcelain doll. A fierce surge of protectiveness moved through him, and not just for the baby, he realized. His emotions had been riding a roller coaster since he walked in the door. Now looking at them both, he realized a connection was there. He’d been interested the first time he saw Holly, and that had only grown as she tried to juggle her pride with what she knew was best for her brother and her baby—and how what was best always won. He would get them both to the hospital just as soon as he could, and then? Then he would move them in with him—her, the baby, and Tyler.

      Now, all he had to do was convince her. He hadn’t told her his suspicions about someone looking for her. Eventually, he would have to. For a moment, Jake wondered if moving her in was for them or him. He’d wanted a family, and fate had put one right in front of him.

      Holly and Noelle. Tyler’d said Holly wanted to name the baby Noelle because her birthday was supposed to be around Christmas. Well, it was December. An early Christmas gift. He touched the infant’s head with his big palm and shifted his gaze to Holly’s pale face. He had helped her bring this baby into the world. He hadn’t counted on how that changed things. Emotional ties bound them together, and he wondered where it would lead.