Cherish Collection January 2014 (Books 1-12). Rebecca Winters

she said. “I haven’t been feeling great, and it took extra time to get Piper ready. The great news is she seems to be in a good mood.”

      “I’m all for Piper being in a good mood,” he said, and studied Stacey for a moment. “You look a little pale. Are you sure you want to go?”

      “I’m sure,” she said. “This will pass. I probably haven’t had enough water. I’ve been busy all day long.”

      “If you’re sure,” he said.

      “I’m sure,” she said and smiled. “Let’s go.”

      Colton helped Stacey and Piper into Stacey’s car, then got behind the wheel. He drove down the driveway of the Joneses’ ranch and turned onto the main road. Stacey’s silence bothered him. He drove a few miles down the road.

      “I need you to stop,” Stacey said. “I feel sick.”

      Colton immediately pulled to the side of the road. Stacey stumbled out of the car and got sick on the side of the road. He wasn’t sure if he should comfort her or leave her alone. After a few moments, she got back in the car.

      “I’m sorry, but I don’t think I should go to the wedding. I think I caught a stomach virus from the little boy I was tutoring. Please take me back home,” she said, and leaned her head against the headrest.

      “Right away,” he said, and made a gentle U-turn in the middle of the road. He took a quick glance at her and saw that she was taking deep breaths. He pushed the button to lower the passenger window.

      “Thank you,” she said.

      Colton pulled into the driveway and stopped in front of the house. Stacey flew out of the car. “I’m sorry. I’ll get Piper in a couple minutes,” she said, and raced through the front door of the house.

      Colton sat in the car, staring after her. Piper squirmed and cooed. It wasn’t an unhappy sound, just an acknowledgment that the car had stopped. He took a deep breath but didn’t glance back at the baby. He suspected that if he looked at her, she might start squawking.

      He waited two more minutes, but there was no sign of Stacey. Well, darn, he was going to have to take Princess Piper inside. Stepping out of the driver’s seat, he turned to the backseat and searched for the release of the safety seat. Piper squirmed, but she didn’t yell at him. He finally found it and pulled her into his arms. Slamming the door behind him, he trudged up the steps to the house and walked inside to complete silence in the house.

      Hearing the flush of a commode from the back of the house, he walked farther inside. “Stacey?” he called, once, twice, but there was no answer.

      Colton sighed and looked at Piper. “Looks like it’s me and you kid,” he said. He suddenly realized he’d left the magic bag in the car and returned to retrieve it. The second time Colton entered the house, he decided not to call out to Stacey. She was clearly ill. That left him with one task, taking care of Piper.

      “So, how’s your diaper? Can you give me a little warning if you’re going to do a complete blowout?” he said. “I’ll need a whole box of those wipe things.”

      Piper looked at him and lifted her finger to his mouth.

      “Is that your way of saying shut up? I thought women wanted men to talk more,” he said.

      Piper made garbled baby language, but it wasn’t fussy, so Colton had hope. “You know, this isn’t that much different than talking with most women. Most of the time I don’t understand what they’re saying.”

      Piper continued with her baby talk.

      “I wonder if you know what you’re saying,” he said. “I should probably check your diaper, even though I don’t want to.”

      Colton gave a peek and a touch. “Just wet,” he said, excited in a way that he could never explain to a bunch of guys at the bar. “No poo. I can do this,” he said, and put her down on the sofa and changed her diaper.

      “Time for a bottle?” he asked and pulled one out of the magic bag.

      Piper reached for it. He sank down on the couch while she sucked down the formula. When she was finished, she looked as if she were in a stupor. He propped her up on his leg. She let out a belch that would rival that of a trucker’s.

      “Whoa, that was impressive,” he said and patted her on the back.

      Piper let out another loud, extremely unfeminine belch.

      “Way to go,” he said.

      Piper looked up at him and gave him a milky smile. That smile melted his heart. She was a sweetheart. In some dark part of his mind, he couldn’t help wondering how Joe could have left her. How could he give up the opportunity to be a father to this sweet little girl?

      Chapter Ten

      Piper spit up a little on his suit’s pant leg. Colton bit his lip, remembering the blowout at the festival. Could be worse, he thought, and removed his coat and tie. If Piper ruined his shirt, he could wash it. The tie and coat were more problematic. He lifted her in his arms and walked around the kitchen.

      Colton wanted to check on Stacey, but he also wanted to give her some privacy. He’d had a couple stomach viruses in his life, and all he’d wanted to do was lie on the bathroom floor and pray for relief.

      Piper began to babble again. Colton was just thanking his lucky stars that the sounds she was making were happy ones. “So, who do you like better? Spurs or Mavericks?”

      Colton carried Piper around for a half an hour. It seemed the easiest way to keep her happy. She grew drowsy in his arms, though, and he didn’t know if he should put her down for the night. Plus, he was worried about Stacey. He meandered down the hallway to Stacey’s room.

      “Hey, Stacey,” he said and tapped at the door. “Are you okay?”

      “No,” she called. “My stomach has been inhabited by an alien, and it has turned itself inside out.”

      He swallowed a grin. It must be a good sign that she could joke. “Can I do anything for you?”

      “Just make sure Piper is taken care of if I croak,” she said.

      His heart squeezed tight. “Don’t joke about that,” he said.

      Silence stretched between them. “I’m not gonna croak,” she said. “I’m just gonna wish I could croak.”

      “Are you sure I can’t get anything for you? Water? Soda?” he asked.

      “Maybe some soda,” she said. “Clear soda,” she clarified.

      “Done,” he said and went to the kitchen. Juggling Piper from one arm to the other, he searched the refrigerator and found a can of seltzer. He poured it into a glass with ice and took it back to her bedroom.

      “Got the soda,” he said, knocking at the door.

      A moment later, the door opened, and Stacey looked up at him as she propped herself against the doorjamb. He could honestly say she looked like death warmed over. She was pale, and her eyes were red-rimmed. “I can only take a sip,” she said, and reached out to take a tiny drink.

      “Are you sure you don’t need to go to the hospital in Lubbock?” he asked. “You look pretty bad.”

      “I’m in the worst part of the virus,” she said. “I just need to stay hydrated. One sip at a time.” She closed her eyes. “I need to lie down. Can you watch Piper a little longer?”

      “Yes, I just need to know—”

      “Thanks,” she said and shut the door.

      Colton looked at the door for a long moment, then looked at Piper. Her eyes moved in a slow blink. “You look very sleepy,” he said. “But I don’t want you to wake up in the middle of the night. Maybe a late-night