The Doctor's Baby. Cindy Kirk

bad,” Mary Karen said, her optimistic nature shining above the gloom. “Sometimes it can be good. Unexpected doesn’t always mean unwanted.”

      David thought of the woman in the maternity wing and the baby boy who slumbered in the nursery. His baby? Or the child of another man?

      He hadn’t planned on being a father, but if that child was his, he wouldn’t walk away. Because like his sister had said … just because something was unexpected, didn’t mean it was unwanted.

       Chapter Three

      July pulled on her maternity jeans and slipped a dark green cotton shirt over her head. Although she’d gained only twenty pounds with this pregnancy—and had lost a good chunk of it yesterday—she wasn’t quite ready for skinny jeans and a fitted sweater. Thankfully most of the simple styles she’d purchased while pregnant didn’t have a “maternity” look.

      But dealing with clothes was the least of her concerns. Where to go once she and Adam returned to Chicago, now that had her worried. Before she’d started on her four-national-parks-in-four-months photo shoot, her home had been the basement of a friend from her newspaper days. A woman who’d made it clear she could live there only until the baby arrived. Apparently the husband had a strong aversion to crying infants.

      A.J. had told her she could room with him once his roommate moved out May 1. That date would have been perfect if the baby had come late as the doctor predicted.

       When a door slams shut it means God is pointing to an open door farther on down.

      The verse had been on a needlepoint pillow at the home where she’d stayed when her mom had been in rehab for the third time. The mother in that family had been a needlepoint fanatic who never met a saying she didn’t want to stitch.

      July took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Everything would work out. She’d made good money photographing wildlife in some of the most beautiful national parks in the United States. Yellowstone had been the final one on the list and she’d finished shooting less than forty-eight hours earlier.

      Nylah, the woman who was her liaison with Outdoor Life magazine, had gushed over the images.

      A sense of satisfaction rose inside July. When she’d lost her job at the newspaper due to cutbacks, she’d been devastated. But it had turned out to be an unexpected blessing.

      Photographing nature had always been her passion. Whether it was a single flower growing out of a crack in the concrete or an imposing Bighorn on a rocky ledge, she was happiest outdoors with a camera in her hand.

      The tension in her shoulders had begun to ease when the cell phone in her pocket buzzed. July pulled it out and glanced at the readout. Nylah. Her heart picked up speed. Hopefully the woman was calling to tell her the magazine had approved the Yellowstone shots.

      Moving slowly to the door, July closed it all the way before hitting the talk button. “Hello, Nylah.”

      “Ohmygod, I can’t believe it’s finally you. I was starting to think you’d been abducted by aliens.” The words ran together, tumbling out one after the other. “I’ve been calling the motel since last night. When I finally reached the guy at the front desk, I panicked when he told me he hadn’t seen you since yesterday morning. He told me to call your cell, but it kept going straight to voice mail.”

      “I forgot to charge it.” A sick feeling rolled around in the pit of July’s stomach. While Nylah had loved the photos, July knew final approval would come from someone at Outdoor Life magazine. “Is this about the photos? Is something wrong? If they want me to reshoot—”

      “No, this isn’t about them. The photos were marvelous. Love them. Love them. Love them.” Nylah paused. “Now that I think about it, the reason I’m calling does involve the pictures, but only in the very best of ways.”

      Now thoroughly confused, July took a seat on the edge of the bed. “So Outdoor Life approved the Yellowstone photos?”

      “Yes, yes, but that’s not why we need to talk. Are you ready?”

      July rolled her eyes and reclined against the pillow, the phone resting against her ear. “Ready.”

      “Were you aware that I had brought in several other photographers to Yellowstone to take pictures of the Bighorns?”

      “No.” July’s fingers tightened around the phone. The elderly guide had said something about bringing other “shutter-bugs” to several of the sites where she’d gone. At the time she’d assumed he was talking about tourists, not other photographers.

      “It was a competition of sorts.” Nylah’s voice rose. “You won.”

      July loosened her death grip on the phone. “I did?”

      “Absolutely. A well-known writer recently contacted me. He has a contract to do a series of books on wildlife in America. After checking out the Bighorn shots from everyone, he selected you to take the photos from this part of the country. If he likes what he sees even half as much as the Bighorn sheep, he may ask for more,” Nylah said. “He’s willing to pay—”

      The amount Nylah mentioned made July gasp. As the woman continued to talk, July realized this meant she’d have to remain in Jackson for at least another month. While that probably wasn’t the wisest thing to do—with David and his family living here—the money was too good to turn down.

      “Can you start today?” Nylah asked.

      “Uh, today’s not good.” July had heard stories of women who had babies in the field and continued to work. Call her a wimp but she needed some time to recharge before tackling mountain trails. “How about next week?”

      That would give her time to bring the baby home and get settled. And Dr. Fisher had said she could resume light activity in a week.

      “That will be okay, I suppose.” Nylah didn’t sound exactly thrilled about the delay but then with her, everything was business. “Is it the pregnancy? I know you’re due soon—”

      “I had the baby yesterday.” Though she tried to be matter-of-fact, July heard the lilt in her voice. That wasn’t surprising considering that every time she thought about her beautiful son she couldn’t help but smile.

      “Wonderful news,” Nylah said. “I was concerned this whole giving-birth thing might interfere but it sounds like you’ve got it under control.”

      “Thank you,” July said before she realized Nylah hadn’t congratulated her, not really.

      “Knowing what a resourceful young woman you are, I’m sure you have child care all arranged,” Nylah said.

      “Child care?” July said in a voice that seemed to come from far away.

      “Surely you didn’t plan on taking the baby with you.”

      “Um. No. Of course not,” July murmured even as her mind raced. Until this moment she hadn’t even considered that she’d have to find someone to care for her tiny baby. Still, if she wanted a roof over her head and food to eat, she had to keep working.

      “Good.” Though Nylah had projected complete confidence up to this point, July heard the relief in her voice. “And congrats again. I don’t need to tell you this is a great coup. The other photographers had more impressive portfolios, but the photos you took were clearly the best.”

      “Ms. Greer. Is this a bad time?”

      July glanced at the dark-haired young woman standing in the doorway with a hospital name tag. Her stylish linen dress in pale yellow was the perfect foil for her dark hair. Not only did she have beautiful features but her makeup had obviously been applied with a deft touch, making her amber eyes look large and luminous.

      “Nylah, I need to run. Call you later.” July clicked off the phone and placed it on the tray table.

      “You