office. “But Val and I already have money on it. Once you see that dump of a house Maya’s moving into, you’ll be over there with a hammer and a paintbrush all ready to remodel the Rainbow love shack. We all know you can’t resist riding to the rescue. Besides, from what Val says, your damsel in distress has grown up rather nicely.”
“She’s not mine,” he said, then, unable to stop himself, he added, “So she really is going to move back to that rattrap of her parents’?” She’d told him so the night of her accident, but he’d put it out of his mind, half hoping she’d change her mind before the hospital discharged her and her baby.
“Val says so. Man, I remember that party we went to at the love shack right before graduation. The incense was so thick, my throat hurt for days.”
Sawyer remembered he’d been glad to get out of the Rainbow residence before he caught something. He also remembered Maya, a thin girl with tousled hair, sitting against the railings of the upstairs loft, gazing down at the strange mix of revelers with a solemn look as her parents called and waved up to her, trying to get her to join the party.
“Her parents were something. They still are, from what I’ve seen,” Paul mused. “I guess it shouldn’t surprise anyone, Maya coming home the way she did.”
“And what’s that supposed to mean?” Sawyer said more sharply than he intended.
Paul held up his hands in mock surrender. “Hey, you’re pretty quick to defend someone you plan on never seeing again.” He grinned at Sawyer’s glare. “I didn’t mean to insult your flower child. It’s just her parents were never married and everyone knows they basically raised Maya in a commune. Val says half the time they’d take off on that banged up Harley of theirs and leave her with whomever happened to be staying at their house at the time.”
“She told me they’re gone again,” Sawyer said.
“Yeah, and Cat said Maya’s doctor plans to release her tomorrow. So, just in case you want to drop by the old love shack…”
“Why, so you’ll win the bet with Val? Wait a minute. If you two are so sure what my next move is, what’s there to bet on?”
“That’s for us to know and you to figure out.”
Sawyer began sorting through the pile of paperwork on his desk, ignoring Paul’s attempt to bait him. “Don’t count on my losing any sleep trying.”
“What, you sleep?” Cort, in his usual jeans and battered leather jacket, was standing in the doorway. He walked around Paul, greeting the other man before dropping down into the chair beside Sawyer’s desk. “That’s not what I hear.”
“Superheroes don’t need the rest we mere mortals do,” Paul said, laughing. “I’ll let you annoy him for a while. I’ve done my duty for the day. Oh—” he leaned back around the door before leaving “—don’t forget to ask him about his flower girl.”
“Now my morning’s complete,” Sawyer said. He rubbed at his temple, really wishing he had that espresso.
“Girl?” Cort looked expectantly at Sawyer. “Don’t tell me you’re actually seeing someone. Although I’ve probably already missed it, since your idea of a long-term relationship is two weeks. So who is she?”
“There is no she. We delivered a baby the other night and I went back to check on the boy and his mother. Now Paul and Val have decided I’m ready to propose. So what are you doing here?” Sawyer asked, wanting to shift the conversation away from Maya before Cort got wind of his temporary insanity with the wildflowers. “As if I didn’t know.”
“You won’t return my calls or come see me, so I came to you.”
“This isn’t the time or the place.”
“C’mon, Sawyer, it never is with you,” Cort said. “But we have business, like it or not.”
“Not,” Sawyer said flatly. “I need more coffee.” Pushing back from his desk, he strode out of the office, hoping this would be the morning Mrs. Garcia would decide she needed her pulse taken.
The next morning, fed and content, Joey lay nestled in Maya’s arms, sleeping peacefully. She rubbed her fingertip over his cheek, marveling at the softness of his skin, wondering how he could be so perfect.
“Looks like he’s finished.” Cat Ortiz walked over to where Maya sat in a padded rocking chair next to Joey’s incubator. Maya liked the petite nurse, with her ready smile and gentle touch, but she dreaded her arrival in the nursery—especially today, because it meant leaving Joey in the hospital while she went home to her parents’ house.
“I don’t want to leave him,” Maya said, holding her son a little closer.
“I know, but he needs to go back to the incubator now. It won’t be long,” Cat said as she rearranged the blankets in Joey’s incubator. “Then he’ll be able to go home with you.”
Maya bent and kissed her precious little boy before grudgingly transferring him to Cat’s arms. Joey sighed, wriggled a little, then let out a satisfied gurgle.
“’Bye for now, sweetie,” Maya said softly. “I’ll see you at feeding time.”
“You’ll probably want to give him a bottle for the next several feedings since you’re going home today,” Cat reminded her.
Maya bit her lip, watching as Cat settled Joey in the incubator. The last thing she wanted to do was leave her baby to the care of the nurses, no matter how competent and caring they were. But she didn’t have much choice. Her insurance wasn’t going to pay for her to stay any longer since her doctor had said she was fit to leave.
Cat had said she could visit Joey anytime, but it was a poor substitute for having her little boy with her.
“I know how you feel,” Cat said sympathetically. “But Dr. Kerrigan says he’s doing so well, he’ll be out of here real soon. You’ll see, the time will fly by.”
Maya doubted it but she forced herself to smile at Cat before carefully levering herself out of the rocker. Her insides still felt weak and tender and her back and neck tended to stiffen up when she sat for too long. “I guess I’d better find something to wear besides this hospital gown,” she said. Pausing by the incubator, she touched the glass, tears welling in her eyes as she watched her baby sleeping.
“Is someone picking you up?” Cat asked.
“No. Actually I hadn’t thought about it.” Val had come back yesterday afternoon and brought her some clothes from the suitcases packed in her Jeep, but the Jeep itself was still sitting in a local tow yard, useless. She doubted the doctor would release her knowing she was going to drive herself, anyway. That meant she’d have to impose on Val and Paul and hope they wouldn’t mind giving her a ride to her parents’ house. And first thing there, she’d have to arrange for a rental if she was going to spend as much time as possible at the hospital with Joey.
“Go ahead and call Val,” Cat suggested. “Paul’s off shift, he won’t mind—oh, there’s Sawyer.” She waved, drawing Maya’s eyes to the nursery window.
Sawyer stood on the other side of the glass, hands in the pockets of his faded jeans, watching her. In a leather jacket and boots and his hair
