Babies and Badges

Tom hadn’t even been in the right country. He’d told Cassie he was on a business trip to London. In reality, he’d been on a Caribbean cruise when he and his legal wife—a woman named Felicity—died in a freak diving accident.

The day Cassie had found out she was carrying twins, she’d been so happy—they’d been so happy. Tom had held her hand during the ultrasound, kissing the tips of her fingers, telling her she looked beautiful and was going to make the best mom in the world. His loving touch combined with the fierce love she already felt for the tiny miracles growing deep within her had made her teary with joy.

Even though the doctor warned Cassie that multiple births meant multiple risks, she hadn’t cared. The only thing that mattered was that she and her beloved husband would soon have not one baby to love, but two.

She’d been twelve weeks pregnant when her world crashed around her. Tom’s death had been hard enough to take, but hearing that their whole life together had been a lie—that was almost worse than knowing he was dead.

She’d been with Tom since college.

The night of her twenty-first birthday, when she’d taken legal possession of the millions her father left, Tom had proposed. She’d been so dewy-eyed with adoration for him, she’d taken his words of love at face value.

After all, why would he say he loved her if he didn’t?

Little did she know, he’d been living a double life.

With another wife.

Another house, car and cat.

How many times had she wished Tom were still alive? Not so she could hug him or kiss him or tell him how much she missed him, but so she could have the satisfaction of telling him how much she hated his guts!

Since the day she’d discovered the depth of Tom’s deceptions, Cassie had immersed herself in the everyday running of her interior design firm. Her best friend and co-worker, Chloe, was constantly telling her to slow down, reminding her that she didn’t have to work.

To which Cassie replied, no, she didn’t have to work. She needed to. For if she slowed for even one second to think about all the laughs Tom and this Felicity woman must’ve had at her expense, she’d surely go stark raving mad!

For five idyllic years, she’d played house, while all that time Tom had been playing her for a fool!

Looking back on the past months, and especially the past week, from the perspective one gained after an uncomfortably close brush with death, Cassie guessed she should’ve paid closer attention when her doctor told her not to go on a business trip so close to her due date.

But since Tom’s death, Cassie prided herself on controlling everything.

Guess in this case, Mother Nature got the last laugh.

Eyeing Noah again, she yawned. Not because anything about him was remotely boring, but because something about just having him here with her in the room filled her with an uncharacteristic feeling of peace. One she hadn’t felt since the last time she’d fallen asleep in his arms.

NOAH LOOKED UP when the door to Cassie’s room burst open and a nurse wheeled in a baby on a cart.

“How’s our mommy doing?” the heavyset woman asked.

“Still pretty out of it.”

“That’s to be expected,” she said, making a clucking sound that matched the baby ducks splashed all over her yellow surgical scrubs. “She had a rough delivery, but she’ll be fine now.” Leaving the clear plastic bassinet with the baby near the sink, the nurse washed her hands before bustling over to the bed. “Ms. Tremont, I know you’re still tired, but your babies need breakfast. We’ve been in touch with your OB/GYN in Little Rock and she said you’re planning on breastfeeding?”

Eyes closed, the weary patient nodded.

“Okay, then, I’m sorry to do this, but you have to wake up.” The nurse lightly shook Cassie’s shoulder.

“B-but…” Cass licked her dry lips, and Noah reached for the tube of Chapstick he’d bought her in the hospital gift shop, gliding some on. With the tip of her tongue, she traced his balmy line.

Noah swallowed hard.

How come Cassie merely licking her lips had resulted in immediate below-the-belt action?

Sleep. Had to be lack of sleep.

Only possible explanation.

“It’s okay, darlin’,” he finally found the air to say, holding her left hand while speaking into her thick hair. “Time to rise and shine.”

“Do I have to?”

The nurse laughed. “You can’t imagine how many of my new mommies say the same thing. Come on now, Ms. Tremont, time to wake up. Your adorable babies need their first meal.”

“Maybe Cass needs something to eat?” Noah suggested.

“She’ll be fine,” the nurse said with a sharp, authoritarian tone.

Well, excuse me for asking. Checking that his tiny princess hadn’t been frightened by the nurse’s bark, Noah eyed his baby girl. Lucky for Nurse Nasty she contentedly continued her nap.

“Most of our new mommies are a little out of it, but Ms. Tremont, here, had an extra tough time.”

“Tell me about it,” he said under his breath.

“You the father?”

“No, I—”

“Well, then, you’ll have to leave. Patient privacy and all.”

“I don’t think so.” With me gone, who’s gonna keep an eye on you, Nurse Nasty?

“Please, sir. Ms. Tremont really does need to get on with the business of mothering. While nursing is a natural, beautiful part of that process, the patient will undoubtedly want her privacy.” The nurse handed a pink bundle to Cass.

Nursing? Noah scratched his head. What was this woman talking about? Cassie couldn’t even get out of bed. How was she going to—oh.

That kind of nursing.

The kind with babies and breasts.

I’m outta here!

Noah leaned over the bed rail to kiss Cassie’s forehead, then the baby’s. “I’ll uh, be around,” he said, giving Cassie’s hand a final squeeze. “Just holler if you need me. Not that you will. I mean, I’m sure you can handle this on your own. But you know how—”

“I know,” she said, wide eyes glowing from the intensity of her adorable sleepy grin. “Go on. Get. I’ll be fine.”

Sure, she’d be fine, but what about him?

Those spur-of-the-moment kisses had been a mistake!

Cassie’s grin had him all hot and cold and maybe even dizzy. And all of that was before he’d made the mistake of kissing her baby! The kid smelled confusing. Like sweetness and innocence and baby lotion and shampoo. But then underlying that was Cass’s exotic oriental perfume—that spicy, musky, sexy, sultry storm of mixed signals designed for no good reason other than landing him in serious bachelor trouble.

Okay, deep breaths.

There’s nothing to be alarmed about.

He hadn’t slept in what? Like eighteen hours? Surely lack of sleep was bound to mess with a guy’s head?

“Noah?” Cassie asked, voice ripe with concern. “Are you okay? All of a sudden you don’t look so good.”

“Sure…I’m, ah, great.” He swallowed hard, ran his fingers around the already loose collar of the dress shirt he had yet to change out of. “Probably just need some shut-eye.”

“Of course, you do. Poor thing, you’ve been here all night. I’m fine. Why don’t you go home and get some sleep?”

Great idea!

While Cassie was still recovering, honor would never permit him to leave her of his own free will. But since Nurse Nasty was still giving him the evil eye, and Cassie had told him to leave, and not to mention the fact that she was about to bare her breasts, Noah made a final round of kisses, then high-tailed it out of the room.

“THAT’S QUITE A MAN you’ve got there,” the nurse said to Cassie while making a note on her chart.

“Thanks, but Noah’s not my man. He’s my guardian angel.”

And speaking of angels…

The sleeping angel Cassie held in her arms took her breath away. Had there ever been a more beautiful sight?

Apple-blossom-pink cheeks and a tiny scrunched nose. And that shock of red curls! Guess those old wives’ tales about heartburn had been right!

Emotion swelling, Cassie blinked back tears.

For the miracle she now held in her arms, every bit of the anguish she’d been through over Tom had been worth it.

Not only was she alive, but she was holding her very much alive baby in her arms, with another perfect baby waiting in line for her breakfast, as well.

And just think, she had this double blessing and her own life all because of Noah. Though the actual delivery of her babies had become a blur, he was the one thing about her ordeal that she’d never forget. His soothing voice, and the way he’d held her hand, urging her not to give up.

Starting at the still-warm spot on her forehead where Noah had planted his tender kiss, a quiet contentment crept through her.

“Given any thought to names?” the nurse asked, reading the card on a pink carnation bouquet.

Of course. Since Tom’s death, Cassie planned her days down to the minute, and since the end of her second trimester she’d known the girls would be named Rachel, after her mother, and Ruth, after her grandmother, but now…

Now she wasn’t so sure.

“Was this baby born first?” Cassie asked, gazing at the infant in her arms.

The nurse nodded, reading the cards on lilac and then peach roses.

“Then she’ll be Noelle.”

The nosy nurse smiled and nodded approvingly. “And her sister?”

“I don’t know.” Cassie grinned, skimming her finger along Noelle’s tiny strawberry-blond brows. “I think I’ll just dream up something when I meet her.”

Noelle woke with a start, scrunching her mouth into a full-blown squall.

“I take it that means she’s hungry?”

The nurse nodded before talking Cassie through the breastfeeding procedure.

Far from what the many books Cassie had read on nursing had told her, there was nothing simple about it! Still, after a few rough starts, by the time the nurse brought in Cassie’s second baby, then left mother and daughter on their own, Cassie felt like an old pro.

Now that her latest diner had eaten her fill, then promptly fallen back to sleep, Cassie took her time memorizing her dear face—not hard since she looked exactly like her sister!

“What should I name you?” she asked, smoothing her hand over her second daughter’s silken crown.

A knock sounded on the door, and Cassie looked up. “Come in.”

“Hey. How’s it going? Everyone decent?” Noah popped his head around the edge of the oversized door.

“Hi,” Cassie said, unprepared for the rush of warmth flooding her system on hearing his voice—let alone meeting his warm, brown gaze and easy smile.

“Hi.” The paper rustling of shopping bags bursting with gifts preceded him into the room.

“What in the world?”

He dumped his purchases on the room’s spare bed. “Thought you and the girls might need a few things.” Out came matching Malibu Barbies and tea sets and stuffed bunnies and ducks and rattles and teething key rings and pink, purple and yellow dresses with ruffled skirts bigger than both babies combined.

“A few things?” Cassie laughed. “Noah, from the looks of it you’ve got the girls set up with enough gear to last them from infancy straight through to college.”

Drawing the guest chair away from the window to the head of her bed, he shrugged. “I figure what can it hurt to plan ahead?”

While he sat, she grinned. “Tea sets, Noah? They can’t even sit up.”

“What can I say? They were on sale.”

His easy smile stole any further protests she might have launched. And then his expression turned strangely serious. Leaning forward, he reached for her closest hand, enfolding it in his.

She swallowed hard, willing her pulse to slow.

“I’m so glad you and the girls are out of the woods,” he said. “I know all of these presents must seem like overkill, but I’m just so damned relieved.”

“Me, too,” Cassie said, licking her lips. “I’m not sure how I’ll ever repay you.”

“Your smile is all the thanks I need.”

“Yes, well…” Suddenly shy, and unsure of the complex emotions that made the back of her throat ache, Cassie gave his hand a quick squeeze before releasing him. “That might be good enough for you,” she finally managed to say. “But I’m going to think of something more grand.”

He cleared his throat. “Like naming Noelle for me wasn’t already a pretty grand gesture? They put her name on a card in front of her bassinet.”

“Who said she was named for you?” Cassie teased with a sassy wink.

“Ouch.” Noah clutched his chest. “Talk about zinging an arrow straight through my heart.”

After they’d shared another laugh, he reverently feathered his fingers across her baby’s curls, reminding Cassie of how good that same touch had felt to her yesterday afternoon in the back of his SUV.

Squeezing her eyes briefly shut, she returned to that moment. To the wonder of being cocooned in Noah’s strength. Even though today his comforting hand touched her baby, his kindness still managed to touch her soul.

“So?” he asked. “You come up with a name for this one yet?”

“Nope.”

“Hmm…how about Joelle?”

Nose wrinkled, Cassie said, “Thanks, but I don’t think so.”

“No rhymes?”

She shrugged. “Rhymes are okay, but I thought keeping the N-theme might be nice.”

“Okay…N, N—Nicky, Nancy, Nathan—”

“Oh, now, Nathan. That’d be real cute embroidered on her ballerina costumes.”

He made a face. “Hey, at least I’m trying. I don’t hear any brilliant ideas coming from you.”

“True.” Drawing in her lower lip, she said, “Nobody told me having babies turns your mind to mush.”

“Give me that kid,” he said, reaching for the baby girl, then holding her close. She looked so tiny in his arms. So safe.

Noah was a big man.

Like Cassie’s father had been.

Growing up, Cassie had worshipped him. When her mother died of cancer before Cass had been barely old enough to talk, her father had meant the world to her. He’d been someone big and strong to protect her from the rough and tumble world. In Tom, she thought she’d found someone much like her own powerful dad. Even in school, her then future husband had possessed a magnetic presence. Just looking at him, she’d known he was destined for greatness. Sure enough, right out of law school, he’d landed a job with a top Little Rock firm. Everyone loved him—his partners, his clients, and his two wives.

One “wife” might still be alive—but Cassie’s love wasn’t. It had long since turned to hate, and even thinking Tom’s name turned her blood cold.

Having been raised by her overprotective Aunt Olivia, Cassie had always thought if only she’d had her mom and dad with her for a little while longer, her life would have turned out differently. Maybe then she wouldn’t have run straight into Tom’s scheming arms.

Trouble was, she had. And looking back on it, for all the wrong reasons. Fear over not being able to make her own way in the world. Reluctance to be alone. Being so eager to start her own family, that she’d never even considered the fact that the man she thought she loved had been a con artist extraordinaire.

All of those reasons combined had since taught her a valuable life lesson. That fairy tales were better left to the experts at Disney. For in real life, when it came to relationships with men, there was no such thing as happily ever after.

Now, relationships with babies on the other hand…

“She sure smells good,” Noah said, nuzzling the baby’s downy soft hair. “How ’bout giving her a flower name? Petunia or Hydrangea?”

Cassie made a face. “Still not quite right.”

He shifted the infant from where she’d rested her tiny head against his chest to cradle her in his arms. Putting the tip of his long index finger to her nose, he said, “You gave me one heck of a scare, young lady.”

“Me, too,” Cassie said, queasy at just the memory of how dicey her second child’s birth had been.

“Now, I look at you,” Noah said to the tiny infant, “and all I see is hope. Hope for a very bright future filled with giggles and sunshine and water balloon fights and puppies and—”

“Hope,” Cassie said. “That’s it.”

“What?”

“Her name. I’ll call her Hope.”

“Wait a minute, don’t I get a say in this? After all, I was the one who ushered her into this world.”

“True. So, if you don’t like that, then what do you suggest?”

“There’s always Joelle.”

“Noah!”

“Don’t get your diaper in a wad,” he said, his wide smile aimed straight for her heart. “I was just razzing you. Hope sounds perfect.”

Perfect… Cassie thought with a secret smile.

Just like my new friend, Noah, who not only gave both of my daughters their lives, but names.

“PSST. ARE YOU AWAKE?”

Cassie cracked open one eye to see a model-perfect, blue-eyed brunette staring at her—a very pregnant perfect brunette. When Cassie opened both eyes, the woman held out her hand for her to shake.

“Oh, good,” she said. “You are awake. I’m Tiffany. Number Three in Noah’s Lonely Hearts Support Group, formed way back in the early nineties. When Noah’s ex-wife, Darla, decided marriage bored her, Noah decided he felt the same. Since then, we’ve grown considerably. The woman we all thought he’d marry, Kelsey, is Number Seventeen. He’s dated casually after her—no one significant enough for a number, but you, my dear, show promise, and as such, we’ve already assigned you Number Eighteen. Since I’m on maternity leave from Olivetti’s—that’s River-dale’s best dress shop if you happen to need anything while you’re in town—I’ve been nominated by the group to welcome you.”

Cassie’s look must have been blank, because unfortunately the woman continued while her crisp, outdoorsy perfume filled the room.

“No need to look shocked,” she said, “like your babies have been bugged or anything. We have inside sources all over town. At the hospital, Noah dated Nurse Helen—she’s Number Eleven amongst his victims.”

“His victims?”

“Yeah, you know, his Victims in Love—or VILs as we affectionately call ’em. Here,” Tiffany said, reaching into a quilted blue toile purse to pull out a gold foil box. “The girls and I bought you a combination Congratulations on Your Babies/Welcome to the Group gift. I know this must seem a bit premature, offering you membership when you and Noah have only just met, but after what happened at Kelsey’s wedding, we figure Noah’s gotta be on the verge of a total meltdown. Now, the women around here are equipped to handle his many bad boy charms, but we figure you being a city girl, may need a few pointers to come out of this on the right side of sanity.”

“Um, thank you,” Cassie said, taking the box of Godiva chocolates. “I think.”

“Oh dear,” Tiffany said with a pretty frown.

“What?” The severity of her tone tempted Cassie to check herself for broken bones.

“Your expression—sour as a lemon drop. You’re not already hooked on Noah, are you?”

“I don’t think so. I barely know the man.”

Sagely nodding, Tiffany said, “That’s what we all said. Every last one of us believed we’d be the ones to finally hog-tie him, but he’s wily when it comes to commitment. Darla hurt him bad, and I’m warning you, you so much as breathe the word and he’ll bolt. It’s our belief that Kelsey had him so long because we’d precounseled her on this fact. Since she already had that heads-up, she knew better than to ever even ask about taking their relationship to that magical, mystical place we group members call marriage. But then she just had to go and give him that ultimatum, and bam—faster than that tornado we had back in 1998, he was gone.”

Interesting…

The supposedly heartbroken woman’s perfectly manicured red nails were attached to long, tanned fingers sporting an array of not-too-shabby rings. One in particular on her left hand was at least a two-carat square-cut diamond solitaire with matching bejeweled wedding band.

Mind you, Cassie was no expert, but those looked like some serious love baubles to her! This in mind, she blurted, “But you’re married now, aren’t you?”

“Mm-hmm…” A look of utter bliss drifted over Tiffany’s classically beautiful features as she patted her bulging tummy through her cornflower-blue linen dress. “Noah’s ‘It’s not you, it’s me’ speech really did a number on my self-esteem. I thought we’d been in love, when all along it turns out I was the only participant in the love part of our relationship—if you could even call it that. Anyway, Denton Harwood, school math club president and heir to the First National Bank of Riverdale, took pity on me and we’ve been together ever since.”

“Congratulations,” Cassie said, fighting back a smile. Was this woman and all seventeen of her friends nuts?

“Thank you. I’ve never been happier, which is why I’m giving you a friendly warning to be careful.”

“Oh, I will,” Cassie said, more to get this nutcase out of her room than because of any fears she had of Noah breaking her heart.

In the first place, after what Tom had done to her, she no longer had a heart when it came to men. And in the second, no matter how handsome he was, or kind and considerate, Noah was only her friend. Period.

“Good,” Tiffany said, patting Cassie’s leg through two layers of cotton blankets. “Deep down, Noah’s a great guy, but he has definite commitment issues. With you just having had twins and all, we would hate to see you caught off guard when you become his eighteenth VIL.”

When Tiffany and her perfume had safely left the room, Cassie rolled her eyes.

The woman might think she knew Noah, but obviously she didn’t. Because if there was one thing Cassie had learned during her brief stay in Riverdale, it was the fact that Sheriff Noah Wheeler was as committed as men come!

“DON’T YOU EVER go to work?”

Late that afternoon, Noah glanced up from the bass fishing magazine he’d been reading in Cassie’s guest chair—the one he’d once again had to move from its usual spot by the window to the head of her bed where he could keep a closer eye on her. “You’re awake.”

“And you’re still here.” Her sleepy grin took the sting out of her words.

“That a problem?” he asked, chest tight with pride—not to mention relief—over the fact that his patient looked healthier by the hour.

“No…” She looked down, pinch-pleating the white sheet. “It’s just that we hardly know each other, yet you’ve moved in. I’ve gotten used to being on my own.”

“That my cue to beat it?” Damn if that sleep-sexy grin of hers wasn’t already revving his engine.

She laughed. “Not at all. You’ve been a godsend in so many ways, but the nurse said we’ll probably be going home tomorrow, so I figure you’ll be glad to get back to your normal schedule.”

“I suppose. But it’s not like police work in these parts is all that exciting. I get more of a rush out of helping someone with a flat tire than writing tickets.”

“Sure. You would.”

“What’s that mean?”

“That you’re a nice guy.”

Noah frowned.

When it came to women, nice guys always finished last. His busted relationship with Kelsey proved it!

Still, since he wasn’t even remotely attracted to Cass, he supposed in her case friendship was a good thing. A safe thing. “So,” he said, “when do you think they’ll spring you? I’ll need to pick up car seats and fasten them into my truck.”

“Why?”

Leaning forward, he said, “Well, it’s a sure bet the four of us aren’t going to fit in your car—not to mention the fact that no matter how healthy you look, it’s a long trip to Little Rock. You’re still on the mend. No way you should be driving.”

“Um—” she drew in her lower lip “—not that I don’t appreciate your offer, but early this morning I contacted a limo service in Fayetteville. They’ll arrive tomorrow at noon. They’ll also handle the transport of my car.”

“Oh.” Like a deflated balloon, he sagged against the chair. So, she’d hired a limo? Big deal. What did he care? This was a good thing, right?

Ha!

Then how come he felt like he’d just gotten dumped?