The Midwife's Glass Slipper / Best For the Baby. Karen Rose Smith

do you feel about having a baby?”

      Francesca’s face broke into a lovely smile. “I’m beginning to like the idea a lot. A baby to love and hold—”

      “And diaper,” Tessa added with a grin.

      “And diaper,” Francesca repeated. “My problem is, I don’t know what to do about Grady. We have very different lives… We want very different lives. He’s all about family. I wanted to run away from mine. He loves his work making saddles but he’s a laid-back, no-pressure kind of guy. My career is everything to me…of course with a baby, that will have to change some. But my work with newborns will still be important. It will give me and my child a life.”

      “Your child?” Emily asked.

      Francesca frowned. “You know I have trust issues. You know I chose badly with Darren. I chose the kind of man I ran away from. How do I know Grady is what he seems? We had one night together.”

      She studied the front yard, then added, “I have to tell him, but I don’t know how and I don’t know when. And the truth is, I need time to figure out what’s best for this baby.”

      “Do you think he’s the kind of man who will want a say in that?” Tessa asked.

      “I have no idea. Just because he comes from a large family doesn’t mean he wants to be a dad. Maybe I don’t want him to be a dad. Maybe I’m hoping he’d rather walk away.”

      Emily admired Francesca’s honesty and the way she could analyze her life.

      “I never thought I’d find happily ever after, but I have with Vince,” Tessa reminded them.

      “You and Vince are different,” Emily proposed. “You fell in love in high school and, although you both denied it, that love never quit.”

      “We thought of our past as a burden, not something that connected us. So if Vince and I can be so happy, maybe the two of you need to take a few risks and find out if you can be happy, too.”

      Take a risk. Emily almost panicked at the thought. In the past, she’d definitely opted for safe rather than sorry. But what had that gotten her? Life with a man who’d spent their money on a huge house and expensive toys that were supposed to promote his career? She’d supported his dreams and tried to make them hers. But that hadn’t worked.

      Could she trust a man to stand by her no matter what? To actually believe in marriage vows? To promise a lifelong commitment?

      She knew Prince Charmings were in short supply. And she was no Cinderella! Tessa and Vince might be the exception rather than the rule.

      When Emily exchanged a look with Francesca, she knew Francesca believed that, too.

       Chapter Five

      Emily hadn’t seen Jared all day on Monday. That was a good thing, she told herself. If she didn’t see him, she couldn’t want to see him more.

      Her luck ran out when she headed into the hall. There he was, coming out of his office, his cell phone at his ear. When he saw her, he ended the call and frowned.

      “Is something wrong?” Maybe one of his patients went into unexpected labor. Maybe his mother had spiked an infection. Maybe his life was none of her business.

      As he hesitated, she felt the urge to step closer to him. But she didn’t have to. He took a step closer to her. “That was Chloie.”

      Although she felt current between them, although deep in his eyes she saw he felt it, too, she changed her focus to his twins. “Are Amy and Courtney all right?”

      “Oh, they’re fine. Except…they insist they want to see their grandmother.”

      “Does that surprise you?”

      He slipped his phone into the holster on his belt. “No. I was just hoping I could sidetrack them, at least until she got to the rehab facility. But they know she’s in the hospital and they want to see her. I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

      Emily thought about it. “You said they saw her fall.”

      “That’s right. And they saw the ambulance come and take her away.”

      She tried to put herself in the twins’ place. “They want to be reassured she’s coming home again.”

      “I have been reassuring them of that, but I don’t think they believe me.”

      Emily studied Jared. Already she suspected he was the type of man who liked to control his world. Once in a while, however, he had to settle for plan B. “What would be so terrible about taking them to the hospital for a short visit? They’re well-behaved.”

      The lines around his eyes cut deeper with concern as he shook his head. “I don’t want them to see anything that will scare them. Hospitals aren’t always the kindest places. There are unusual machines, IVs…”

      “I think you have to decide whether the benefits would outweigh everything else. What they conjure up in their thoughts could be worse than what they might actually see.”

      Now his green eyes assessed her, considering her suggestion. “You mean if they’re excited about seeing their grandmother, they won’t notice anything else?”

      She smiled. “I’m not that naive. Did you ever think about buying them one of those hospital play sets and explaining equipment they might see before they go?”

      “I knew there was a reason I hired you,” he said with a teasing smile that sent her heart into an upbeat rhythm.

      “The reason you hired me was to shift some of your patient load,” she teased back, feigning offense.

      “And that’s worked very well,” he said seriously. “Our mothers-to-be trust you. You’ve really added a lot to this practice.”

      The way he was looking at her with respect for her professional talent meant so much. “Thank you,” she murmured, wanting him to know her whole story, yet still afraid to confide in him.

      After they stood there gazing at each other for a few heartbeats, Emily felt that tempting tension rise between them again.

      “Why don’t you come with me to the toy store?” he suggested. “You can help me pick out the most appropriate play set.”

      She shouldn’t. She absolutely knew she shouldn’t. What about taking a few risks? her inner voice asked while Francesca’s admonition to be careful played, too.

      Jared took her silence as reluctance. His expression became serious. “You probably have other plans. The girls and I have taken up more than enough of your time.”

      “No, that’s not true! I don’t have any other plans. In fact, I had a message from Francesca that she’d be tied up at the hospital again tonight. So I’d like to help you pick out a play set.” Maybe her concept of her world had to change. Maybe she had to take a step forward to move forward!

      “Don’t feel you have to come, Emily. I don’t want you to feel any pressure.”

      “I don’t feel pressured, Jared. I’d tell you if I did. The problem is, I like being with you.”

      “You like being with me?” His voice held surprise.

      “Yes. You’re a good listener. You’re easy to talk to. And we seem to understand each other. All qualities I like in a friend.” If she kept this light, maybe being with Jared wouldn’t be a mistake. She knew she was falling for him, but if they could be friends, maybe the fall wouldn’t hurt her.

      “Friends, huh?”

      She nodded as if that’s all she expected or wanted. Being honest with herself, she knew she wanted a lot more.

      They’d been standing about a foot apart and now he moved closer.