Baby Experts 02 by The Midwife’s Glass Slipper Read Free Book Online Page A

know what to do if she has one when I’m there. It still spooks me a bit, though.”
    “I’m concerned about Amy as well as Courtney,” Emily said.
    Chloie nodded. “That makes sense. She’s connected to her sister in ways we’ll never imagine. That’s the way twins are.”
    “Did you and Jared grow up together?”
    “Yes, we did. I was two years younger but we were friends and watched out for each other.”
    “Are you friends now?” Emily knew she was prompting a bit, prying too much maybe, but she was curious about Jared’s life and his relatives.
    “After Valerie died, he became a totally different person.”
    “In what way?”
    “He put walls up where there shouldn’t have been walls. He didn’t try to reach former friends who lived here. He said all he cared about was doing a good job and helping his girls grow up strong.”
    “It’s not unusual to withdraw when you lose someone you love. Even though they were divorced, he must have still cared about his ex-wife.”
    “It was the way he lost her,” Chloie said.
    “The way?” Emily questioned.
    “I shouldn’t say any more. You’ll have to ask Jared about it if you want to know. Secrets have hurt Jared more than once in his life. That’s why he doesn’t trust easily and why he rarely lets anyone get close.”
    Rarely lets anyone get close. Emily wondered about her own secret and what effect that would have on Jared. Should she tell him now about what had happened in Corpus Christi?
    She remembered their second kiss and how it had madeher feel…how Jared made her feel. Yet he’d clearly told her he didn’t want to get involved.
    Did she? Hadn’t Richard shown her men walked away when marriage got hard? Hadn’t he abandoned her when she’d needed him most?
    If she was smart, she’d forget about getting involved with Jared at all. Finding another job wouldn’t be all that easy. She liked her life here.
    Yet something about Jared tugged at her.
    The question was—would she give in to the tugging?
    Maybe. But she’d also keep her secret to herself.
    For now.

Chapter Four
    E mily entered the surgical waiting room at the hospital and spotted Jared immediately.
    She watched him as he walked to the rack on the wall, took out a magazine, flipped through the pages and slid it back into its place without really looking at it. Then he crossed to the window, stared out into the dusky twilight and jammed his hands into his trouser pockets.
    She went to him, watching her reflection take form next to his, not knowing how he’d feel about her being here. “Jared?”
    When he turned, he looked surprised. Then he scolded her. “You should be at home having dinner.”
    Maybe she should be—for more than one reason. She didn’t belong here with him. Her heart would be safer at home. She wouldn’t feel as if she should reveal anything about her life to him.
    But after her last patient of the day, she’d thought about Jared sitting by himself, waiting for his mother to come out of surgery. No one should have to go through that kind of crisis alone.
    “I wanted to stop in and visit Leanne and her baby.” Jared had delivered their patient’s little girl last night. “How’s your mother?”
    “She’s in Recovery. I won’t be able to see her for about an hour.”
    “You don’t like waiting, do you?”
    His mouth curved up a bit. “I suppose that’s obvious. No, I don’t. I’m used to taking action, not sitting and waiting for another doctor to do his work.”
    She glanced at the cup of coffee sitting on the table. “How many cups have you had?”
    “I lost count. Maybe four. I shouldn’t have had any. I’m ready to pace the room until I wear out the soles of my shoes.”
    “Do you want to take a walk? The air might help the caffeine buzz.”
    Two nurses passed by the doorway as he thought about it. “Are you sure you have the time?”
    “My time’s my own. Francesca’s tied up with the Neonatal Unit.”
    “And you don’t like