The Baby Connection by Dawn Atkins

Author:Dawn Atkins
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2011-11-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER NINE

“THANKS FOR HELPING out with Em,” Paul said Friday morning, joining Noah at the kitchen counter for coffee. Cindi had already left for an early appointment and Paul was on his way out, too.

“Happy to help. Emma’s my bud. Aren’t you, Em?”

“Scrambled eggs are yucky,” she said. Noah’s job was to supervise her breakfast, then drive her to Bright Blossoms.

“Do what you can,” Paul muttered to him, standing at the coffeepot. “Many have fallen before you.”

“We’ll work it out, no sweat.”

His friend looked him over, then sipped his coffee. “Think about what I said. The grant money’s sitting there.”

“I will.” Paul had offered Noah a stipend to mentor the advanced reporting students Noah had spoken with. They wanted to write more ambitious pieces for the university newspaper and needed advice. Noah was considering the offer.

“You’ve got that story rolling, which is great, but I think you’ll find working with students rewarding.” When Noah told Paul about his breakthrough, the guy had practically hugged him. He’d clearly been concerned. “I’m really glad for you,” he now said quietly, resting a hand on Noah’s shoulder.

“Yeah. Thanks.” Maybe Paul had gone soft as Cindi had charged, but Noah felt lucky to have a friend who cared so much. In fact, Paul and Cindi felt like family to him. Or how family was supposed to feel. His own mother’s guilt over how she thought she’d failed Noah as a child kept her distant. At least, he assumed that was why. Maybe she flat-out disliked him as a person. As unhappy as she’d been, she’d done her best, he believed. As had his father. He didn’t blame either of them for how things turned out.

Still, spending time with the Stocktons, feeling their affection and concern, he felt as though there was a place for him here. Almost a home. Hokey, but true. Friends were the family you chose, right?

After Paul left, Noah sat down to negotiate breakfast with Emma as swiftly as he could manage. The next few days would be hectic. This weekend, he not only had a yard sale at his grandmother’s place, he needed to sift through pages of public records on Sheriff Sam to prep for an interview with a former staffer from the Attorney General’s office who had crucial information. He wanted to reach out to Arizona News Day for background on their old stories, too.

Mel might be a help with that, but he’d promised to leave her alone.

When he dropped Emma off, he would get the photos of Daniel and maybe peek in on him in his day-care room. The thought of never seeing the boy again sank his spirits too low. This way, he could taper off….

Ten minutes later, Noah said, “This is my last bite, Em,” and finished off his scrambled eggs. The deal was if she ate her eggs bite-for-bite with him, she’d get a toaster pastry for the road. The girl had a future in labor negotiations.

Emma sighed, scrunched up her face as though she had to eat poison, then took her last bite.

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