Nursing in Northlake (At the Altar Book 9) by Kirsten Osbourne Read Free Book Online

Mom.”
    “Are you all right? I was hoping you’d call me this morning, and you didn’t!”
    “Mom, I have a thirty-six-hour honeymoon. I’m not planning on spending a lot of time on the phone!”
    “Well, you should take the time to reassure your mother! You married a total stranger yesterday!”
    “He’s not a total stranger anymore, Mom. I’m fine. He’s fine. No one has killed anyone else.”
    Her mother sighed. “Heidi, I had a right to be worried about you. You did something very foolhardy.”
    “I know, Mom. I’m sorry.” Heidi rolled her eyes at Slade. “He’s a good man, though.” She almost told her mother their wedding night had been great, but she was sure her mom really didn’t want to hear that, and she really didn’t want to say it to her either. “Pass the word around I’m still alive so no one else feels the need to call me, would you?”
    “Yes, I’ll let everyone know.”
    “Bye, Mom. Love you.” Heidi ended the call, looking at Slade. “Thanks for not killing me on our wedding night.”
    “Why would I break my new toy?”
    She laughed. “I have no idea, but my mother was sure you would.”
    “Not me! I’m not nearly done playing with it!”
    His phone rang ten minutes later. “Now it’s my mom.”
    Heidi laughed, shaking her head. How many well-meaning relatives could call them in an hour's time span?
    “Hi, Mom. Yes, I’m still alive. She’s not a serial killer. She’s a nurse! Like you!” He paused for a moment. “Yeah, sure.” Holding out the phone to Heidi, he said, “She wants to meet you long distance.”
    Heidi sat up straighter, though she wasn’t certain why. “Hello?”
    A warm female voice came over the line. “Hello, my daughter!”
    Heidi grinned. “I’m Heidi. You’re a nurse too?”
    “I am! I work in a hospital. Oncology. You?”
    “I’m an ADON in a nursing home.”
    “Tough work. Slade did the smart thing and worked with new life.”
    “He did.” Heidi couldn’t help but wonder what the woman wanted.
    “I know you won’t be able to visit right away like Seth and Michelle did, so I thought I’d let you know that I would appreciate some grandbabies sooner rather than later.”
    Heidi laughed. “I’ll tell Slade he needs to work on that!”
    “Please do! I appreciate how reasonable you’re being about this. Do you want children, Heidi?”
    “I do. That’s why I went to see a matchmaker. I want them a great deal.”
    “Oh good. I’ll let you go then. Drag my boy off to bed. Have a nice time!” The phone went dead, and Heidi stared at it laughing.
    “What did she say to you?” Slade asked.
    “She wanted to know if I wanted kids, so I told her I do. Then she said to drag you off to bed and have a nice time.”
    “Well?”
    “Well what?” Heidi asked, her brows drawn together.
    “She’s your new mother-in-law. You’d better obey her!”
    Heidi laughed, getting to her feet and walking toward the house.
    “Where are you going?” he asked, frowning.
    “I thought I’d get out of this wet swimsuit and wait in bed for you…something about your mother being ready for grandbabies.”
    Slade laughed, getting up and following her. “I’ll get out of mine too!”
    *****
    Heidi groaned when the alarm went off the next morning. She hated mornings with the hate of a thousand suns. On steroids.
    She rolled out of bed and stumbled into the kitchen, starting the coffeemaker. While the coffee was brewing, she showered in an attempt to force herself to wake up. She was in her scrubs with her long hair pulled back in a ponytail when she walked back to the kitchen for her first cup of coffee.
    By the time Slade joined her in the kitchen fresh from his own shower, she’d had her second cup of coffee and felt mostly human. “What time will you be home?”
    He shrugged. “If I have no emergencies or deliveries, I should make it by six. With? Hopefully by this time tomorrow.”
    She nodded. “Sounds like me. I’ll stop off at my