Randall Wedding

“Oh.”

He’d told Jon he didn’t think she was a runaway, but now he wondered. “Are you hiding from someone?”

“What if I am? I’m an adult.”

“I don’t think that’s an adult way to handle things.”

“Well, I think it is. I’m too weak right now to fight. When I’m strong again, I’ll handle everything.”

She was already tiring, and he wanted more information before she went back to sleep. “Who is Angel’s father?”

“Timothy Walker, my…my husband.”

“Where is he?”

“He’s dead.”

Russ knew the elation that filled him was wrong. And it didn’t mean he could keep Angel, but at least for now, he was the only man in her short life. “When did he die?”

“Six months ago.”

“Angel looks about a month old. So you went through the pregnancy by yourself?”

She nodded, but she didn’t meet his gaze. Not quite the truth, he guessed, but she closed her eyes.

“I’m too tired to talk anymore.”

“Okay. We’ll try again at lunchtime.”

She didn’t answer. He picked up the tray, but he stared down at her for a moment. The food was helping her. She was going to regain her strength quickly.

But the mystery wasn’t solved. And he intended to solve it before he let Isabella and Angel go away.

HE HANDLED Angel’s ten-o’clock feeding as usual, except that he talked to her and played with her for about half an hour before he let her go back to sleep.

“Like mother, like daughter, little Angel. I can’t keep either one of you awake.” With a grin, he tucked the baby into her carrier. Then he took a quick look out the window. The wind seemed to be abating a little. He decided he’d better straighten up the living room before his mother arrived. And Tori and Jon. In fact, there might be a crowd before supper.

He wished he knew who Isabella was planning on visiting. No one he knew had mentioned relatives in New York. Nor had they had any visits from relatives from there. Was she all alone in New York? He didn’t think so. The way she’d avoided his gaze when she said she’d had the baby alone made him think someone was around. And she was running from whoever that was.

He checked on Isabella. She was still sleeping, her face almost as innocent and young as Angel’s.

He fixed himself a sandwich and turned on the television. He had a satellite dish and got the latest in weather. His family had been right. The snow was supposed to taper off this afternoon. Come to think of it, he didn’t hear any wind now. He stepped to the window and opened the drapes.

It was a winter wonderland. There was the occasional little gust that stirred up snow crystals, but most of the snow had settled on the ground. He crossed to his front door, which looked down on Main Street, and saw several individuals outside, clearing off the sidewalks. He waved and went back inside.

Then he heard steps on the outside stairs. He opened the door just as Jon and Tori reached it.

“May we come in?” Tori asked, not waiting for an answer. She ducked under his arm and darted into the warmth.

“Hi, Jon.” Russ said. “I hope you didn’t have any trouble getting here. I think we’re doing all right.”

“No, no trouble. Except I tried to leave Tori at home with the baby. But Rosa will take care of him.” Rosa was their housekeeper.

“Oh, Jon, come look. She’s beautiful. Look at those curls!” Tori exclaimed.

Jon joined his wife at Angel’s carrier. “Is she all right? Do I need to check her?”

“I don’t think so. I think she’s about a month old and she’s eating every four hours. She has incredibly healthy lungs,” Russ said.

“I know. So does Jonny. If anything, they get louder. Jonny is almost nine months old,” Tori informed him. “I thought you might not know since you’ve avoided all the babies.”

“I know.”

Jon changed the subject. “Where’s her mother?”

“In my bed.”

Tori gasped.

Russ turned bright red. “I slept out here! On my air mattress, Tori. That’s the only bed I had available.”

“Oh. Of course. I’d break it to your mother in a different way, Russ. She’ll have you married before you know it.”

“Tori, behave yourself,” Jon ordered. “That’s none of our business.”

Russ said nothing.

“I’m serious, Jon! Janie wants Russ to remarry. She’ll use any excuse she can find!”

For a minute Russ didn’t even object. That meant he could keep Angel with him if he married Isabella. But marrying Isabella, even for Angel’s sake, was a lot more complicated. She was a warm, passionate woman. He had withdrawn from life. They couldn’t possibly live together unless one of them changed. And he couldn’t change, so he returned to sanity. “Don’t be ridiculous!”

Chapter Four

Isabella struggled up from a deep sleep to find three people staring at her. One she recognized.

“What?” she asked.

“Isabella, this is my cousin Tori and her husband, Dr. Jon Wilson. He’d like to examine you and ask a few questions. Tori thought you might feel more comfortable if she accompanied him.”

“What kind of doctor?” she demanded. She noticed her voice was a little stronger, which encouraged her.

“A general practitioner,” the doctor said. “I understand you’ve been running a fever.”

“Yes…I think so, but according to him, I’ve been here three days. I don’t remember them.”

“What’s the last thing you remember?” Jon asked as he moved to the bed and opened his black bag. Isabella let him check her temperature and pulse before she answered him. “I remember being in a hotel room in…in Chicago, I think.”

“You don’t remember driving to where Russ found you?” Tori asked, horror in her voice. “It’s a wonder you didn’t have an accident.”