she cupped his face in her hands and kissed him. "Go. But you drive
careful. Babies take their time coming. They'll wait for you."
"We're having a baby," he said slowly, as if testing each word. "Me and
Mollie."
"I know. And it's just wonderful. You tell her I'm going to come see
her, and the baby. Of course, if you just stand there like somebody
glued your feet to the floor, 1 guess she'll have to drive herself to
the hospital."
"God! I have to go." He knocked over a chair on his way to the door.
"Keys, where are the keys?"
"Your car keys are in your pocket. Bar keys are behind the bar. I'll
lock up, Daddy."
He stopped, tossed one huge, electrifying grin over his shoulder. "Wow!"
And was gone.
Grace was still chuckling as she picked up the chair and replaced it
upside down on the table.
She thought of the night when she had gone into labor with Aubrey. Oh,
she'd been so afraid, so excited. She had indeed driven herself to the
hospital. There'd been no husband there to panic with her. There'd been
no one to sit with her, to tell her to breathe, to hold her hand.
When the pain and aloneness had been at its worst, she weakened and let
the nurse call her mother. Of course her mother came, and stayed with
her, and saw Aubrey into the world. They cried together, and laughed
together, and it had made it all right again.
Her father hadn't come. Not then, not later. Her mother had made
excuses, tried to smooth it over, but Grace had understood she was not
to be forgiven. Others had come, Julie and her parents, friends and
neighbors.
Ethan and Professor Quinn.
They'd brought her flowers, pink and white daisies and rosebuds. She had
pressed one of each in Aubrey's baby book.
It made her smile to remember, so when the door behind her opened, she
turned with a chuckle. "Steve, if you don't get going, she'lla" Grace
trailed off, experiencing more annoyance than fear when she saw the man
step inside. "We're closed," she said firmly.
"I know, honey pie. I figured you'd find a way to hang back and wait for
me."
"I'm not waiting for you." Why the hell hadn't she locked the door
behind Steve? "I said we're closed. You'll have to leave."
"You want to play it that way, fine." He sauntered over, leaned on the
bar. He'd been working out regularly for months now and knew the stance
showed off his well-toned muscles. "Why don't you fix us both a drink?
And we'll talk about that tip."
Her patience dried up. "You already gave me a tip, now I'll give you
one. If you're not out that door in ten seconds, I'm calling the cops.
Instead of spending the night on your big hotel bed, you'll spend it in
a cell."
"I got something else in mind." He grabbed her, shoved her back against
the bar, and ground himself against her. "See? You had it in mind, too.
I saw the way you've been eyeing me. I've been waiting all night for