Chapter 23
He who loves, flies, runs, and rejoices;
he is free and nothing holds him back.
—Henri Matisse
Lincoln found his father-in-law right where he expected him to be on a Saturday morning—at the Green Mountain Diner with the Burlington Free Press spread out on the table and a cup of coffee in hand.
He slid into the booth across from Elmer and smiled at his daughter-in-law Megan when she approached with a pot of coffee and another mug.
“Welcome home,” he said. “How was the trip?”
“Amazing,” she said, blushing ever so slightly. “We had a great time. Back to reality today.”
“It’s good to have you home safely.”
“Thanks.”
“Where’s Hunter this morning?”
“At the hospital with Hannah. He went there first thing.” She poured his coffee. “Have you heard anything about how the baby is doing today?”
“Same,” Lincoln said. “Holding her own, but she’s going to be in the NICU until she gains some weight and her lungs get stronger.”
“But they think she’s going to make it, right?”
“The prognosis is good. Yes.”
“Thank God. We’ve been so worried. Hunter was climbing the walls wanting to get home. I suggested we cut the trip short, but he didn’t want to do that. It was hard for him to be away from Hannah when she was going through this.”
“I’m sure it was. The two of them are thicker than thieves.”
“Do you want breakfast?”
“Maybe in a little while.”
“I’ll be back to check on you guys.”
“That’s one happy gal,” Elmer said when Megan had moved on to the next table.
“It’s nice to see. She sure does make Hunter happy.” Lincoln took a sip of his coffee and then dove into the reason he’d sought out Elmer this morning. “I got a call from Mary earlier.”
“Mary from the office?”
“The one and only.”
“Everything okay?”
“Everything seems great with her, but she gave me her notice.”
“What? She’s worked for us for decades. Where’s she going?”
“Apparently, she’s relocating.”
“To where?”
“She didn’t say, but I suspect it has something to do with Patrick Murphy.
They danced together for hours at Will and Cameron’s wedding, and she drove him home afterward, even though he could’ve come with us.
She’s never mentioned him again, not to me anyway, but he asked to use the house in Burlington a couple of months ago, and she’s taken a few more days off than usual.
He was here for the wedding and Christmas, but he didn’t stay with Will and Cam. ”
“Is that right? Well, good for her—and for Patrick. He’d be a lucky man to have her in his life.”
“I agree, but I’m sad to lose her in the office. She’s the glue that holds us all together.”
“True. I’d sure like to know how that romance transpired.”
“You and me both. She hasn’t said a word about it to any of us, and we don’t know for sure that it has anything to do with Patrick. I’m only speculating.”
“But you’re going to find out?”
“Of course I am,” Linc said, sounding offended that he’d even ask. “Anyway, after Mary called, I had an idea I wanted to run by you.”
“What’s that?”
“Emma Mulvaney.”
“What about her?”
“Did you know she’s the office manager for dentists in the city?”
“I didn’t know that.”
“Well, she certainly has the skills we need. I’m thinking about offering her the job.”
Elmer stared at him, unblinking. “You’re serious?”
“Dead serious. Grayson doesn’t want to relocate to New York. He wants to be here, but now that he’s met Emma, he wants to be where she is. I thought this might simplify things for them.”
“Have you talked to him about this idea of yours?”
“Nope.”
“Are you planning to?”
“Nope. I’m planning to talk to her about it. All I can do is offer the job. The rest is up to her.”
“That’s kind of a big bomb you’d be dropping on her.”
“I prefer to see it as a nice opportunity, and there’s no obligation for her to take the job.”
“Hmm,” Elmer said, rubbing at the white whiskers on his chin.
“You don’t seem too excited about this brilliant idea of mine.”
“I’m actually thinking about Ray being all alone in New York if Emma moves here. I mean, Lucy gets down to the city, but she’s spending more time than ever here.”
“Maybe he’ll come, too.”
“You’re getting awfully full of your own self with this grand plan,” Elmer said.
“Right… Like you’re not full of your own self and fat with your own matchmaking success.”
“Who you calling fat?”
Lincoln snorted with laughter. “Admit it. This is a good idea. You’re just mad you didn’t have it first.”
“It’s not a bad idea—and how could I have had it first when I didn’t know Mary was leaving?”
“If this works, it counts in my column.”
“That’s fine. I’m still way ahead, and thinking about my next plan of attack.”
“Who’ve you got your eye on?”
“I’ll be keeping that to myself for the time being. I’ll let you know when the time is right.”
“Is that how it’s going to be now?”
Megan returned to refill their coffee cups. “Are you two fighting?”
“Nah, we’re bickering,” Elmer said. “Big difference.”
Lincoln laughed right along with Megan. “I’m going to skip breakfast today, sweetheart. I’ve got an important call to make.” He sent a meaningful look Elmer’s way before he got up to leave the diner. On the way out, he gave his new daughter-in-law a kiss on the cheek. “Good to have you home.”
“Good to be back.”
Hunter stared down at his new baby niece, who had an array of wires and monitors attached to her tiny body.
He could see her heart beating frantically in her chest and the outline of blue veins in paper-thin skin.
But her face, dear God, her face was so lovely and angelic, with her mother’s fine features.
“She’s absolutely stunning, Han,” he said to his sister, who stood at his side gazing down at her daughter.
The doctor had told Hannah that immediate family could visit one or two at a time, but everyone had to wear protective clothing.
“Isn’t she?”
“Never seen a prettier baby in my entire life. I’m sorry I wasn’t here when everything happened.”
“Don’t be sorry. You called, and it helped to hear your voice. You were where you needed to be, with your new wife.”
“It must’ve been scary to have her arrive so early.”
“It was terrifying. We’re just thankful that she’s going to be okay. It’ll take some time, but we’ve got all the time in the world to give her.”
“I absolutely love her name. What an amazing tribute to Caleb. He’d be so proud of you.”
“You really think so?”
Hunter slid his arm around his twin’s shoulders. “I know so. You’ve been so strong and courageous through everything, and now you have a new family with Nolan. No one would be happier for you than Caleb.”
“I hope so. Sometimes I wish I hadn’t been such a holdout on having kids with him. I said I was waiting for him to finish growing up. I didn’t know he’d never get the chance.”
“He wasn’t ready to be a dad yet. He was still sowing his wild oats. You were right to wait.”
“Still, it would be nice to have something of him left behind in a child or two.”
“Yeah, it would, but imagine what a handful his kids would’ve been.”
Hannah laughed at that. “I used to have nightmares about procreating with him.”
“He would’ve been a great dad.”
“Yeah, he would’ve.” She nudged him with her elbow. “So how was Bermuda?”
“Terrible,” he said with a dirty grin. “We hated everything about it.”
“Sure you did,” she said with a laugh. “I can see married life is agreeing with you.”
“Best thing I ever did. I can’t believe I get to keep her forever.”
She leaned her head on his shoulder. “Happy for you.”
He put his arm around her. “Happy for you, too.”
Nolan came into the NICU, his hair damp from a shower, his eyes red from exhaustion, and a joyful smile on his face. “Hey,” he said to Hunter. “Welcome back.”
“Thanks. You guys like to keep things interesting when I’m out of town.”
“Not on purpose, that’s for sure.” Nolan bent for a closer look at his daughter. “How’s she doing?”
“The doctor was here a little while ago,” Hannah told him, “and said she’s doing great.”
“Thank goodness.”
No kidding, Hunter thought. When he got the call from his mother that the baby had arrived eight weeks early, he’d nearly had a heart attack from the fear of something happening to the child Hannah had wanted so desperately.
He’d been frantic with worry about what would become of her if the baby didn’t make it.
Thank God little Callie was as strong as her mother.
“You’ll be her godfather, right?” Hannah asked him.
“Of course I will. I’d be honored.”
She glanced at Nolan. “We’d like to ask Megan to be her godmother. Do you think she’d be okay with that?”
“She’d be thrilled, Han. Thank you. That’s so sweet of you guys.”
“We picked the best people for the job.”
“She was so mad that she had to go to work while I got to come see baby Callie.”
“Bring her by tonight after work.”
“I will.”
A nurse came in to let then know that Amelia and Bob Guthrie were asking for them.
Hunter kissed Hannah’s forehead. “I’ll go so they can come in, but I’ll be back later.”
“Thanks for coming, and I’m so glad you’re home safe.”
“Good to be home, and I’m so happy to meet my niece. Great job, Mom and Dad.”
“It was all Mom,” Nolan said.
“Not all,” Hannah said with a saucy smile for her husband.
“And with that, I’m outta here.” Hunter hugged Amelia and Bob as he left, pulling off the special gown and shoe covers he’d been required to wear inside the NICU and heading for the exit, excited for Hannah to ask Megan to be the baby’s godmother. He knew how much that would mean to his wife.
Hannah hugged Bob and Amelia and stepped aside so they could take a closer look at baby Callie.
“Oh, Hannah, she’s simply gorgeous,” Amelia said, sniffling as she gazed down upon the baby.
“She sure is,” Bob agreed. “And we love the name Callie.”
Once again, Hannah looked to her husband, smiling with anticipation. She’d asked her mom to tell the Guthries only the baby’s nickname, so she could tell them the rest herself.
“Her actual name is Caleb Abbott Roberts,” Hannah said. “Callie is her nickname.”
“Oh,” Amelia said, seeming momentarily stunned. “Hannah… Oh my goodness.”
“It was Nolan’s idea.”
His arm came around her shoulders, always right there to support her no matter what.
“What a beautiful tribute that is,” Bob said gruffly, blinking back tears. “You honor us by honoring him. Both of you.”
“We hope you know,” Nolan said haltingly, “that even as we move forward together and start our family, we never forget him. Not for a minute.”
“We know that,” Amelia said. “We’ve always known that.”
“Callie is going to be so lucky to have you as her grandparents,” Hannah said.
“We couldn’t be more delighted to have her as our granddaughter,” Bob said. “And you, Hannah, as our daughter.”
She hugged them both and accepted a tissue from Nolan to wipe tears from her face. Unlike the grief-stricken tears of the past, these were tears of joy for the second chance she’d been given with her new husband and daughter.
Emma’s alarm going off at six in the morning was an unwelcome shock to her system.
She had absolutely no desire to leave the warmth of Grayson’s arms to go to work, but she’d already had a week off.
Besides, the office was open only until two, and the day would fly by because Saturdays were always extra busy.
She tried to slide free of Gray’s heavy arm, but he tightened his grip on her. “You’ve got to let me go.”
“Don’t wanna.”
“Just for a few hours.”
“All right. If I have to.”
Emma sat up and turned to look at him. “You’re absolutely sure you don’t mind having Simone today?”
“I’m a thousand percent sure. She knows where we need to be, right?”
Emma nodded. “And she can get you around on the subway, too.”
“Why am I not surprised?” He took her hand and gave it a squeeze. “Don’t worry about anything. I’ll take good care of her.”
“I’m not worried. Just don’t spoil her rotten and undo ten years of my hard work in one day, you got me?”
“I’ll do my best to resist the temptation to spoil her rotten.”
Emma leaned in and kissed him. “Thank you.”
While she was in the shower, he relocated to the sofa so Simone would find him there rather than in her mother’s bed when she woke up.
Wearing the scrubs that were her work uniform, Emma emerged from her bedroom to the smell of coffee percolating.
So this is what it would be like, she thought, to have a partner in life and parenthood.
They say you don’t miss what you’ve never had, and she’d made it all work somehow.
But having him here made everything so much better, especially when he got up at six o’clock on a Saturday morning to make her coffee.
“This earns you huge, huge points,” she said as she accepted a travel mug from him.
He put his hands on her hips and took a good long look at her. “I’m digging the scrubs, babe. Sexiest office manager I’ve ever met.”
“Right,” she said, laughing.
“I mean it.” He gathered her in close to him and held on tight for a long moment. “How do I go about redeeming these points I’ve earned with the coffee?”
“I’ll tell you later.”
“I’ll look forward to that all day.”
She looked up at him, studying his handsome face and wondering once again if it was possible for a life to change so completely in the span of one monumental week.
“What’re you thinking right now?”
“Still thinking I should pinch myself to make sure this is real.”
“I’d be happy to pinch you any time. Everything about this is real, especially the way I feel about you.”
“And how is that?”
“That’s a longer conversation than we have time for now.”
She whimpered. “So not fair to send me off to work with these questions.”
“I’ll make it up to you later.”
“I’ll hold you to it.” She kissed him. “I really have to go.”
“Okay.”
Emma stepped reluctantly out of his embrace and grabbed the lunch she’d made the night before from the fridge. Back to her same old boring routine, but with a twist. When she got home, Grayson Coleman would be waiting for her, and there was absolutely nothing boring or routine about him.