As Needed by Thea Dawson

Author:Thea Dawson [Dawson, Thea]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-12-03T18:30:00+00:00

Temporarily baby-less and better rested than he had been in ages, Bryce found himself having a surprisingly good time. He wasn’t by nature an outgoing person, but he’d realized a long time ago that being able to socialize well would be monumentally helpful in his career, and he’d trained himself to make small talk and work a room. Now, he put those skills to work, chatting with Rachel’s family and their friends.

A woman put a gentle hand on his arm. “Are you Rachel’s boss, the one with the baby? I’m Deborah, Rachel’s sister.”

Deborah gave him a warm smile as he shook her hand. She was shorter and stouter than Rachel, and a few years older, with dark brown hair and equally dark brown eyes. If he remembered correctly, Deb too had been filled in on Nora’s history.

“I understand you’re a pediatrician,” he replied, hoping to head off any awkward questions.

She nodded. “Private practice. If there’s anything I can do for you, Rachel will put you in touch.”

“Thank you. I appreciate that.”

“I’ve already met your daughter. Nan’s really enjoying her.”

“Thanks.” Bryce gave an embarrassed glance over his shoulder toward the center of the living room. “I should probably go rescue her—”

“Don’t worry about Nan.” Deb gave him a reassuring smile. “She doesn’t walk all that well these days, so she’ll just be sitting on the couch anyway, and she loves children. Come on, let me introduce you to some people.”

From time to time, he’d catch a glimpse of Rachel, who was talking to a red-headed man on the far side of the spacious living room, and he diligently kept an eye on Nora. Despite Rachel and Babs’s assurances, he didn’t want to impose on the old woman, but when he checked in with her, Babs waved him off.

“Bring me a glass of wine, and I’ll keep her as long as you want. I’m the most popular person in the room. Everyone wants to come over and admire her.”

Obediently, he brought her a glass of pinot noir. Babs was engrossed in a conversation with one of Rachel’s uncles by that point, and he drifted off, hoping to find Rachel again.

The house was an elegant split level with a wrap-around deck that overlooked the bay. Wide sliding glass doors opened onto it from the living room, dining room, and kitchen. The red-haired man was standing in a group of twenty-somethings in the corner of the living room, but Rachel had vanished. When she didn’t immediately pop into his field of vision, he had a sudden urge to be outdoors in the fresh, cold air, and he took advantage of the empty kitchen to slip outside.

The sky was clear, and stars were flung across the black sky. Again, a sense of peace seemed to fill him with every breath of cold air that he took.

Behind him, one of the sliding doors opened and shut again. He turned to see Rachel walking toward him. Her arms were wrapped around herself, and her breath was misting in the cold night air.

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