The Christmas Baby Bundle: Novella (Windy City Romance 4) by Barbara Lohr

Author:Barbara Lohr [Lohr, Barbara]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Romantic Comedy, Contemporary, Romance, Fiction, Forever Love, Adult, Bachelor, Single Woman, Sensual, Hearts Desire, Windy City Romance, Series, Family Life, Novella, Short Story, Fertility Issues, Chicago Midwife, Natural Childbirth Classes, Vitro Technique, Dreams, Snow Storm, Winter Weather, Christmas, Heartwarming, Holiday
Publisher: Purple Egret Press
Published: 2014-11-24T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Five

Amanda teetered on the brink of disaster. Life without Connor? Unthinkable. Nothing else mattered anymore. Not the baby, the fertility treatments– what could be more important than Connor?

If she couldn’t see those warm brown eyes come through the door every night, what good was anything? If she couldn’t curl into Connor’s arms, cup his square chin in her hand, what would anything else matter?

“We’ll get the bottom of this, Amanda.” Her father broke the silence. “Don’t worry. I’m sure Connor will be fine. He’s a very capable young man.” Her father expelled a ragged breath that didn’t comfort her.

All around them, tidy brick homes were festooned with red and green lights, but Amanda’s mind flat-lined at gray. By the time they reached the neighborhood where the firehouse was located, Amanda had started to bargain.

Just give me back yesterday.

She would take it, no questions asked. Without children, without a big house, with students that often made her crazy. That’s what she wanted. Yesterday’s life. She wouldn’t ask for anything more. Yesterday, Connor had looked at her as if she were beautiful. Made her feel loved. She ached to be in his arms, taut muscles against her, stubbly chin grazing her cheek.

Biting down hard on her lower lip, she would not cry. But the road blurred in front of their headlights. Her dad had never been much for words. Now every jerk of the wheel, every clearing of his throat told her how nervous he was. When they reached the station, he squealed to a halt and put the car in park so fast her head snapped. “Sorry, honey. Not used to your shift.” He stared at the gearshift in his hand as if wondering how it got there.

“That’s okay, Daddy.” Amanda shoved her door open and it wedged into a mound of solid snow.

“Let me pull up,” her dad fumed, more to himself than to anyone. “Goddamn snow.”

The car was still rolling forward when Amanda hopped out.

Please, just give me Connor and yesterday.

I’ll never ask for a baby or anything else.

Her boots skidded on the icy walk. Finding her footing, she kept going, every icy breath searing her throat. The door of the fire station was up, and bright lights illuminated the interior. One of the trucks had returned, and the guys were hosing it down. Water pooled on the floor and damp mist clung to her skin. She marched in and grabbed the T-shirt of Will O’Malley, the first man she met.

“Will, where is Connor?”

Will stared at her from raccoon eyes left from the mask. “Connor? On the other truck, Amanda.”

Her grip tightened on his shirt. “Is he all right?”

“Ask him yourself.” He jutted an elbow in the direction of the street. Another truck was rumbling in, coughing as if it had inhaled too much smoke.

When Amanda saw Connor at the wheel, she swallowed a sob so big it hurt her throat. Wives of firefighters didn’t cry. Loosening her hold on poor Will, she dashed fingers under each eye. Coming up behind her, her dad clapped one hand on her shoulder.

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