Beth said with a giggle. Their parents had retired to Florida shortly after Beth’s wedding two years ago.
“When will you go home?” He figured since both babies were born the same day, Emma would go home then, too.
“Either tomorrow or Thursday. The doctor said it depends on how we’re doing. Ryan, you didn’t mind that I—we named him after you, did you?” Beth’s pretty face crinked with a frown, watching him.
He worked hard to look pleased. “No, honey, I was proud. Ryan Jackson is a fine name. Of course, old Jackson here probably wanted his name first, but I’m better than him, so…” As he’d expected, Jack protested, taking his sister’s attention away from him.
When they relaxed again, he said, “Uh, listen, I’ve got to go. Do you mind? Is there anything you need?”
“Oh, no, Jack is taking such good care of me.”
And Emma had no one.
She’d come to town almost a year ago, to be the new librarian. Because she was shy, it had taken her a little while to make friends, but everyone liked her. Ryan had discovered her by accident, while doing the shopping for Billy, his housekeeper, after he’d sprained his ankle.
The instant attraction surprised Ryan, even repulsed him, but Emma wasn’t a lady who expected attention. She offered her help when the food he’d piled up began to slip. Then she’d continued, pushing her almost-empty buggy away.
After having everyone trying to push him into some woman’s arms, any woman’s arms, Emma’s disinterest was…enticing. He found himself asking about her. Then he’d actually gone into the new library for the first-time on some ridiculous excuse.
Again she’d helped him, suggesting a book for Billy to read, when Ryan knew Billy would think he’d lost his mind. And then she’d walked away.
No interest at all.
No flirting, no pushiness, no war paint or suggestive clothes.
He’d stepped up to the counter to check the book out, and on impulse, he’d asked her to eat with him before he went home. He’d told her he hated to eat alone.
He’d struck a chord. She agreed eating alone was difficult and joined him. Her eyes, hazel, fringed with dark lashes, had brightened, her soft lips had stretched into a smile, and he’d wondered if she’d fooled him. She looked too good to be alone.
Had it been a carefully set trap?
But, over dinner, he’d realized her loneliness wasn’t a trick. She never acted like he wanted anything but a dining companion.
And that’s all he was, he’d assured himself. Just because he wanted to slide his fingers through her silky, dark hair. And touch her soft skin. No, all he wanted was a dining companion. Dropping by the library just at closing had become a habit, though. Dinner with Emma had become something he looked forward to. Then he’d gone home with her.
To talk.
And had spent the night.
He hadn’t gone back to the library for three weeks. He’d felt too guilty to show his face. She wasn’t a virgin, thank God. He felt enough guilt without that. But she hadn’t been experienced, either.
And when he went back to the library, she’d never said a word about his absence.
Just as she hadn’t said a word about the baby.
“Ryan? Are you all right?” Beth asked, bringing him back to the present.
“Yeah, I’m fine. I’ll go now. I have someone else to visit.”
“Who?” Jack asked, a frown on his face. “I hadn’t heard of any friends—”
“No one you know!” Ryan exclaimed, backing to the door. He wasn’t sure what he was going to do, but he wasn’t ready to tell his family what had happened. He waved and hurried out of the room.
Emma felt the tears seeping from her closed eyes, getting sopped up by her hair. She didn’t know why she was crying. It must be because she was so weak. And frightened about the future.
“You knew he would be upset,” she muttered to herself. Especially to find out from someone else. Maybe one of the nurses had told him. After all, she’d put his name on the birth certificate.
That had been a mistake.
But she’d intended to tell him about the baby. Only she’d been so tired, so sick, she hadn’t had the strength to deal with him.
And she’d been desperately afraid he’d insist on an abortion.
There was no way she’d agree to such a thing. She’d been left on a doorstep when she’d been born. At first, she’d been sick, so no one had wanted to adopt her. The years slipped away, and she moved from one foster home to another. She got healthier, but she’d never been the “cute” baby anyone wanted.
She’d vowed that her baby, if she ever had one, would be loved, wanted. And that was a vow she’d keep, no matter what. She had to be back at work next Monday, but she’d prepared a little space for her baby behind the counter. She’d take Andrea with her.
So far, however, she couldn’t even get out of bed without assistance. She hoped and prayed she got better fast. Because she couldn’t afford too much time in the hospital. And she couldn’t stay in bed at home. It was going to take her forever to pay the hospital bill as it was.
Her door opened again, and the man she loved, the man who hated her, came back into the room. At least he wasn’t yelling this time. But she reached for the call button anyway. She was too weak to deal with him now.
“Emma, are you all right?”
His softly worded question took her by surprise. But she knew better than to read anything into it. The nurse had probably warned him not to be so noisy.
“I’m fine. I’m sorry someone told you—”
“They didn’t. I was looking at—at the babies when they brought yours in. With the card listing me as the father.”
Yours. He couldn’t have chosen a better way to make it clear he had no interest in the baby. “I’m sorry,” she whispered and looked toward the small window.
The door opened again. “Ryan Nix, I told you not to come in here again.” Margie Long, the nurse who’d thrown him out last time, glared at him.
“Come on, Mrs. Long, I’m being civilized. I just wanted to ask a few questions,” he protested, glaring at Emma because he’d probably figured she’d summoned the nurse.
“Emma, dear, do you want visitors?”
Emma kept staring toward the window, knowing if she looked at Ryan, she wouldn’t be able to send him away. “No, I’m tired.”
“Emma!” Ryan protested, but she continued to stare at that tiny window, using it as a lifeline to get her through his visit.
“Sorry, Ryan, but new mothers
