Free Mommy Midwife by Cassie Miles Page A

twinge of guilt about using her pregnancy to trick a law enforcement officer into escorting them. She didn’t like lying, especially not to a nice policeman who had offered to deliver her baby at curbside. Still, the end result was worth a fib. They’d gotten away from the bad guys.
    On their escorted ride into town, Troy had called his brother, who worked in the emergency room at St. Luke’s when he wasn’t at the clinic. Alex had met them at the E.R. with a wheelchair, pretending to be her doctor. After he dismissed the officer and pretended to handle the paperwork, the three of them sneaked out of the hospital. They stood on the sidewalk beside the Range Rover.
    Alex grumbled, “Every time you two get together, things get crazy.”
    “Crazy in a good way,” Troy said. “You’re happy about your nephew, right?”
    “Don’t change the subject. Tell me, what the hell is going on?”
    It was easy to see that these two men were brothers. They were both tall and lean. Both had brown eyes and black hair. Troy had a darker complexion, and his features were weathered and craggy. Alex wore his hair longer, and his face was thinner. Though she couldn’t say why, other than his blue scrubs, she thought Alex looked like a doctor. His expression seemed questioning, sincere and concerned. Troy radiated sheer masculine confidence.
    “Long story short,” Troy said. “Olivia is in danger, and I’m protecting her.”
    “From what?”
    “Don’t know for sure.”
    Alex scoffed. “That’s a cover. It’s what you always say.”
    “How about if I tell you that she might be the target of a Rwandan terrorist cell working for a master spy?”
    “Yeah, sure.” Alex turned his attention to her. “How are you feeling when you’re not faking labor?”
    “I’m great, ready to pop. My real labor could be starting any time now. Until then I’d like to stay active. Is it okay for me to stop by the clinic while I’m in town?”
    “That’s a great idea. Some of the women have been asking about you.” He cocked his head to one side. “And there’s somebody I want you to talk to.”
    “Who’s that?”
    “Carol Rainer.”
    Olivia cringed inside. Carol Rainer was a former client, not someone she wanted to see again but someone she couldn’t ignore. “How did you run into Carol?”
    “She’s working at the clinic as a receptionist.”
    Olivia never would have expected the very wealthy Mrs. Rainer to be involved with the homeless. “How did that happen?”
    “Because of you,” he said. “You mentioned the clinic, and she stopped by to check us out. At first, she was planning to make a donation and move on, but we were busy that day. She got swept up in the action and decided she liked it.”
    Of all the people in the world, Carol had the most reason to hate Olivia. They’d been through hell together. “Is she happy?”
    “Seems to be.”
    “And her husband?”
    “He’s not in the picture anymore.” Alex glanced back at his brother. “Are you staying at my house?”
    “Probably not. Olivia’s parents are in town, and I hope to stay with her sister.”
    “You should join us for dinner,” she said. “I can’t believe I haven’t introduced you to Bianca. She’s single. A lawyer.”
    As soon as she spoke, she regretted the invitation. Olivia knew better than to set up her sister on blind dates. Bianca hated being manipulated as much as she did.
    “We should go,” Troy said.
    “Hold on.” His brother exhaled a long-suffering sigh. “Call me if you need anything. You’re both nuts, but I want you to know that I’m here for you. And for my nephew. I have a feeling that the kid is going to need a sane, stable presence in his life.”
    Troy grinned. “Every boy needs a stodgy, boring uncle.”
    “Have you picked out a name?”
    The question made her nervous. There were so many decisions she’d been putting off. It had taken her a week to choose the shade of blue she used to paint the nursery, which she