Aria finished her bottle, falling asleep at the end. Haley put her in her incubator and went back to her room.

  Carson had fallen asleep sitting up in his chair. She smiled at him as she climbed into bed.

  He lifted his head and looked at her. Then he gave her a sheepish grin. “I fell asleep. Was I snoring?”

  She chuckled. “No but you sure look tired. Why don’t you make your chair into a bed and take a nap?”

  He shook his head. “You know how it is around here. Somebody’ll come in and wake me up.”

  “Boy, that’s the truth. There’s sure not much peace and quiet in a hospital.”

  He got up. “Do you want a drink of water? I can go get more ice.”

  “That sounds nice. Thanks.”

  When he came back in, he poured her a glass of ice water, but he didn’t sit back down. She glanced at him. “Something wrong?”

  “There’s something I want to try, but it’s up to you. I can take out the SIM card from your phone and put it in mine, assuming it fits. We should be able to see your contacts that way. What do you think?”

  Her pulse picked up. She hadn’t realized that was possible. “Do it. Maybe I can find my family.” The police had been by to interview her early on in her stay at St. David’s and had checked for missing persons reports. They hadn’t found any.

  He retrieved her purse from the bedside table and handed it to her. She quickly gave him her phone, and he took something from his pocket.

  “I asked for a paper clip at the nurses’ station while I was getting the ice.” He now used it to probe the pinhole on the side of her phone. In seconds, he had her SIM card out, and he quickly replaced his with it.

  She waited with bated breath for her information to come up.

  A moment later, he gave her a disappointed frown. “There’s nothing on it. No contacts. No sent calls. No received calls. You must have just bought this phone.”

  She frowned, making her head hurt. “Damn. Why did I do that?”

  Now she had no way to trace her family, if she even had one. She felt tears welling in her eyes and laid her head back on the pillow. She’d gotten her hopes up—and she shouldn’t have.

  Carson came over to her bedside and took her hand. “We’ll figure this out. Try not to worry. Just rest now.”

  A tear rolled down her cheek, and he gently brushed it away. “I’ll be right here. Sleep now.”

  She closed her eyes, comforted by his words, his gentle touch. It could be worse. She could be truly alone. At least she had Carson, and he wasn’t a stranger anymore.

  Haley looked down at Aria and sighed. She’d finally fallen asleep. Although the car seat dwarfed her, the wraparound head support that Carson had bought kept her head safely upright. Haley had held the pacifier firmly in Aria’s mouth, and she’d eventually started sucking on it, her cries calming. Haley closed her eyes. Was her baby doomed to be a bad traveler?

  She sat forward and whispered, “You said that the drive to your ranch would take a little over two hours?”

  Carson turned to her and nodded. “We’re about halfway there. I’m sorry this trip has been so stressful.” The corner of his mouth lifted. “I thought babies liked riding in cars.”

  She grimaced. “Apparently not mine.”

  “Well, when we get to the house, she’ll have plenty of people to hold her, and you can get some rest.”

  Haley heaved a deep sigh. Riding in the truck, with its heavy-duty suspension bouncing at every uneven spot in the road, was making her head hurt like hell. The headache never went away; it just got better and then worse again. Leaning back, she closed her eyes and tried to relax.

  “That’s it. Try to sleep. We’ve got at least another hour for you to rest,” Carson said.

  Yeah, but then Aria will be hungry again. She stifled a moan. Dealing with a newborn while her head was pounding was almost more than she could handle. And she knew that she should eat more than she had been, but the headache made her nauseated.

  Her doctor had released her from the hospital with strict instructions to eat three healthy meals a day. Thank goodness he’d also sent her home with pain medication. It made the headache better—for a while, at least.

  While they’d been in Austin, Carson had made a run to the store and had bought diapers, wipes, ointment, bottles, formula, and the car seat. She’d given him cash for everything.

  What she couldn’t figure out was why she hadn’t brought some of these things with her when she’d left home. According to the doctors, she’d still had almost four weeks before her due date when she’d delivered—but shouldn’t she have planned for the chance that the baby might come early if she was making a longer trip? It was all so confusing.

  She looked at Aria again and thought about the months she must have spent anticipating her birth. It was so unfair that she’d lost those special memories. She gently stroked the baby’s tufts of red hair. She’d been thinking hard for days, desperately trying to remember something about Aria’s father. She’d gone through her purse. There weren’t any pictures in her wallet, or on her unused phone. Shouldn’t she have photos of her family? Of friends? And especially of Aria’s father?

  Who was she? For all the information her purse had to offer, she could have been an orphan and Aria the product of a sperm bank. She bit her lip. Surely that last part wasn’t true? There had to be a better explanation.

  She rubbed her palm across her forehead, but that only made her headache worse. Glancing at her locked phone, she saw that she still had two hours before she could take more medication.

  “You okay?” Carson asked.

  “It’s just my head. Aria’s crying didn’t do it any good, and my thoughts are racing.”

  “I’m so sorry, Haley. Why don’t you close your eyes, and I’ll tell you about our ranch.”

  That actually sounded nice, and it would get her mind off her problems. “Thanks.”

  He began by describing the land—the grass, and the trees, and then the various pastures. Some of them had such whimsical names it made her smile. Then he described the old two-story ranch house, with its six bedrooms to accommodate a traditionally large ranching family. He talked about the horses and livestock too.

  “What’s it like being a cowboy on a cattle ranch?”

  He laughed. “It’s mostly doing the same few things every day, but then you add in stuff like doctoring a sick cow or delivering a calf when the momma’s having problems, and it gets interesting. There’s always something unexpected that comes up.”

  He spoke fondly of his work, and she realized that he truly loved what he did.

  She smiled, noticing that her head was feeling a little better. “I can’t wait to see your ranch. It sounds wonderful.”

  He looked back at her and grinned. “It is, and I’ll show you it all as soon as you’re up for it. Maybe Aria will like riding on pasture roads better than city streets.”

  Haley rolled her eyes. “Maybe. I’m hoping she was just upset that her routine had changed. She’s never been out of the hospital, and then there’s the sunlight and the traffic noise all around her. I hope the quiet at the ranch soothes her.”

  “I’ll bet it will. But never underestimate the power of a surrogate grandmother’s arms. My mom raised three strapping boys, and having a little girl around will be a dream come true for her. My brother has a young daughter, but Mom doesn’t get to see her that often. Aria’s going to scratch that itch.”

  Haley grinned. “Glad I can help, then. I’m looking forward to meeting your mom. She sounds amazing.”

  “She’s really sweet, and she wants to meet you too.” He glanced at the clock on the dash. “About fifteen more minutes now. We’re almost there.”

  Haley leaned back and closed her eyes. Thank God for Carson and his family.

  Haley’s heart pounded as Carson shut off the engine in front of the worn but well-cared-for ranch house he’d described to her earlier.

  A dark-haired woman came out of the screen door and waved from the porch.

  Carson waved back. “There’s Mom.”

  Haley waved, too, her stomach doing little flips. “She’s pretty.”

  Carson smiled. “Thanks. I think so too.”

  Haley unbuckled Aria, who had been awake for several minutes.

  She began to whimper and squirm.

  “Oh no, I hope she doesn’t get fussy again,” Haley said.

  “Don’t worry, Mom’s got the magic touch when it comes to babies.” Carson got out and called out, “Hi Mom. We’ll be there in a sec.”

  He opened the back door and grabbed the diaper bag. “Do you need help with Aria?” He picked up Haley’s purse, too. “Don’t worry about anything. I’ll unload the truck after we get you all settled in, okay?”

  She could only nod. Now that they were here, panic had set in. What if Carson’s parents didn’t like her? What if Aria fussed and got on their nerves? Her mind was filled with all the things that could go wrong.

  Carson walked around to her side of the truck and waited for her to get out.

  Haley lifted Aria out of the seat, and the baby scrunched herself up, drawing her knees to her chest.

  Haley cuddled her close and walked with Carson toward the porch. Forcing herself to look up, she saw Carson’s mom smiling hugely.

  “I’ve been waiting all day for you all. I’m so excited you’re finally here,” she said.

  As Haley reached the top step, his mom stepped forward and put her arm around Haley’s shoulders. “Haley, welcome to our home. We’re so pleased that you decided to come stay with us.”

  Haley’s chest expanded as she took a deep breath and let it out, relaxing a little as she did. Maybe everything would be okay after all.

  Carson said, “Mom, I’ve told you all about Haley already. Haley, this is my mom, Debra.”

  The screen door opened again and a tall, broad-shouldered man with graying hair stepped outside. He smiled and held out his hand. “Haley, I’m Ken. You’re a welcome sight. Like Debra said, we’ve been on pins and needles waiting for you all to get here.”

  Haley smiled at both of Carson’s parents. “It’s wonderful to meet you all. I can’t thank you enough for taking me in.” Then she lifted Aria up so that everyone could see her better. “This is Aria, and I hope she doesn’t cry too much while we’re your guests. She sure was fussy the first part of the drive.”

  Debra reached out her hands. “She’s adorable. Do you mind if I hold her?”

  Ken laughed. “Can’t you wait until we get inside, woman?”

  Carson grinned. “I told you, Haley. Mom goes crazy over babies.”

  Debra gave Haley a sheepish smile. “Honey, let’s get you settled, then I want to hold this precious little thing.”

  Haley smiled. “Whenever you want to hold her, you’re welcome to, Debra.”

  Ken led the way through a rustic living room and down a dark-paneled hallway to a bedroom. He opened the door and stood back. “We’ve set this room up just for you, Haley. We thought downstairs would be better, with the baby and all.”

  “Thank you. I appreciate that.” The room contained a double bed with a headboard and footboard, a tall dresser, and a matching nightstand with an old-fashioned lamp with a pink shade. On another wall was a second dresser that didn’t match the bedroom set. The room was definitely dated, but everything had been well cared for.

  “This is lovely,” she said. “I’ll be very comfortable in here.” She’d noticed something else too. By the bed was a smallish, old-fashioned wooden cradle. She turned to Debra. “That’s beautiful. Is it a family heirloom?”

  Debra smiled and went over to run her hand affectionately across the top. “It is. I used it for all my boys. It’s been in our family for generations.”

  Haley looked at Ken and then back at Debra. “I’m honored that you’re sharing it with me and Aria. I promise I’ll be very careful with it.”

  Debra smiled. “It was made to be used. I’m glad we have a baby for it again.” She added, “There’s a second dresser for Aria’s clothes. We moved it in yesterday so you’d have plenty of room to store everything.”

  “That was incredibly thoughtful. Thank you.” Her heart melted.

  Carson walked over to the bed and put the diaper bag and Haley’s purse on it. “I’ll go back out for the suitcases and other stuff now.”

  “I’ll help you, son,” Ken said.

  “Would you like to hold Aria?” Haley asked. “I’ll bet she’s going to be hungry in a few minutes, and I’ll need to feed her.”

  Debra eagerly took the baby into her arms.

  Haley smiled. Carson had been right; Debra definitely knew what she was doing around babies. Aria snuggled against Debra and gave a tiny sigh.

  Debra smiled down at the baby and said, “Come on. I’ll show you the kitchen.”

  Haley quickly made the warm bottle with the distilled water that Ken and Debra had laid in before their arrival.

  “When did she eat last?” Debra asked.

  “Just before we left the hospital, so she should be hungry any time now.”

  “Why don’t we go ahead and feed her before she gets fussy?”

  “That sounds like a good idea.” Haley felt her stomach relax. It was wonderful to have an experienced woman to learn from. She felt so out of her depth as a new mother. She handed the bottle to Debra and sat at the table next to her.

  Aria eagerly latched onto the nipple, and Debra smiled. “This little one sure knows how to eat.” She glanced at Haley. “I can tell you’re a good momma already, honey.”

  Warmth swept through her. “Thanks. I don’t feel like I know what I’m doing.”

  “Well, that won’t last long. It’ll take a little time, and then you’ll feel like a pro. And I’ll be right here with you. If you have any questions, just ask. We’ve seen it all here.”

  Haley reached out and touched her arm. “Thank you, Debra. I know I’ll need everything you can share with me.”

  Carson walked in a moment later. “The truck’s unloaded. How’s everything going in here?”

  Haley smiled. “Your mom’s amazing.”

  He grinned. “She sure is.” He walked over to Haley’s chair and put his hands on the back. “Do you feel like lying down? The doctor said that you need to take it easy, and it might make that headache of yours better.”

  “Do you have a headache, honey?” Debra asked.

  “Yes. It doesn’t really go away; it just gets somewhat better.”

  “Have you tried ice packs on the top of your head and the back of your neck?”

  Haley shook her head.

  “I’ve got soft gel packs that I use when I get headaches. They really work for me. Would you like to try them?” Debra asked.

  “I forgot that you sometimes get headaches, Mom,” Carson said.

  “They’re awful, honey,” she said.

  “I’ll try anything at this point. Your ice packs sound great,” Haley said.

  “Is it time for your medication yet?” Carson asked.

  “Almost.”

  “As in real close?”

  “Yes. About thirty minutes.”

  “By the time we get your ice packs ready, and you climb into bed, it’ll almost be time. Why don’t you take it a little bit early and then try to nap?” he said.

  She sighed. “That all sounds amazing.”

  Debra got up. “Let me give Aria to Ken. I’m sure he’d love to hold her.”

  Carson took two gel packs from the freezer.

  Debra returned and retrieved two soft, thin towels from a drawer. “I wrap the ice packs in these so they’re not too cold. Grab her a glass of water, please, Carson.”

  Debra led the way to the bedroom.

  Haley sat on the edge of the bed. She and Carson had filled her prescriptions in Austin before they’d left town, so she tore the bag open and quickly put a pill in her mouth.

  After she took it, Carson said, “Lie down now, and I’ll cover you with this quilt.”

  He drew the quilt from the bottom of the bed and quickly unfolded it, laying it over her.

  The weight of it was comforting, and she sighed and closed her eyes.

  “Let me put these ice packs on for you.” He slipped one under the back of her neck and then laid one on the top of her head. “Sleep now,” he said softly.

  “We’ll take care of Aria all evening, so you just relax and rest, honey,” Debra said.

  She was already sinking into darkness as the door clicked shut. As she drifted off to sleep, she thought I’m safe here.

  Carson brought several changes of clothes from his own house on the ranch and put them in the bedroom across from Haley’s. He wanted to be close at night so that he could take turns getting up with Aria. In his opinion, Haley was still too ill to take full responsibility for her daughter. With the constant headache, she needed all the rest she could manage. The protectiveness that he’d felt for her from the beginning hadn’t waned; it had only gotten stronger.

  After putting his toiletries in the bathroom, he went into the living room, where his mother sat holding the sleeping baby.

  She looked up. “You all settled in?”

  He nodded.

  “I think it’s nice that you’ll be right across the hall so you can help with Aria at night.” She smiled. “I’m proud of you, son, for the way you’ve handled Haley’s situation. You’re a good man.”

  He felt a slight blush rising up his neck. “Mom, I’m only doing what’s right. That’s how you and Dad raised me.”

  “Yes, honey, and I’m still proud of you.” She glanced down at Aria. “This precious little thing needs all the help she can get with a new momma who can’t remember anything and no other family.” She kissed the baby’s forehead. “We’ll be your family, honey. Don’t you worry.”

  Warmth swept through him. “Thanks for everything, Mom. I couldn’t have helped Haley without you.”

  “Of course, honey. Your dad and I are happy she’s here.”

 

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