Free Daddy's Double Duty by Stella Bagwell Page B

entire trip.”
    She straightened in her seat and as she gazed out the window, she realized she was nearly home. So much had happened since they’d left for Vegas that she felt asthough she’d been gone for weeks instead of two days. “That’s what newborns mostly do, sleep. Unless they have colic and I’m praying that doesn’t happen.”
    He glanced her way. “You know about babies and colic? I thought you were the youngest of the family.”
    â€œI am. But my mother used to reminisce to me about her babies. She said two of my brothers cried with the colic until they were six months old and she hardly got any sleep during that time.”
    â€œI don’t suppose she had anyone to help, either. I mean, your dad worked hard and probably needed his rest at night. And she didn’t have any older daughters to help out with a crying infant.”
    â€œNo. My mother didn’t have much help with anything. But she was a happy woman.” Wistful now, she glanced at him. “I wish Mama could’ve seen the twins. She would have been so thrilled for me and so proud to have been their grandmother.”
    To her surprise he reached over and touched her hand with his. “I figure somewhere she does see, Vanessa.”
    Many of her friends and acquaintances had expressed their sorrow to Vanessa when her mother had died unexpectedly and she’d appreciated all of them. Yet, these simple words from Conall were the most comforting anyone had given her and she was so touched that she was unable to form a reply. The best she could do was cast him a grateful little smile.
    He smiled back and she suddenly realized he didn’t need or expect her to say anything. He understood how she felt. The notion not only surprised her, but it also stunned her with uneasy fear. She couldn’t allow her feelings for this man to tumble out of control. She had to keep her head intact and her heart safely tucked away in the shadows.
    Minutes later Conall parked the truck near the short board fence that cordoned off the small yard from the graveled driveway. After he cut the motor, he said, “Give me the keys and I’ll open up before we carry the babies in.”
    Vanessa dug the house key from her purse and handed it to him. “I’ll be unstrapping the twins,” she told him.
    When he returned, he gathered up Rose from her car seat while Vanessa cradled Rick in the crook of her arm.
    Nudging the truck door shut with his broad shoulder, he said, “I’ll come back for your luggage and diaper bag later. Right now let’s get the babies inside and settled.”
    Vanessa started to the house with Conall following her onto the tiny porch and past the open door leading into a small living room.
    Pausing in the middle of the floor, she glanced around with faint confusion. “Someone has been inside and left the air conditioner on,” she said. “I told Maura where the key was but when I last talked to her she didn’t mention driving over here.”
    A sheepish expression stole over his lean face. “I confess. I sent Maura over here to…take care of a few things. I guess she had the forethought to turn on the air conditioner so it would be comfortable when you arrived.” He inclined his head toward an arched doorway. “Are the bedrooms through there?”
    Vanessa wanted to ask him what sort of things Maura would be doing here. She’d already arranged for a young neighbor boy to feed the goats and the chickens. But seeing he was already changing the subject, she let it pass. She’d be talking to Maura soon enough anyway, she thought.
    Nodding in response to his question, she walked past him and he followed her through the doorway and into a tiny hall. As she made a left-hand turn that would lead them to the bedrooms, she said, “My bed is queen-sized so I guess for now, until I get a crib, I’ll have to put the twins with me and