Free Miracle Wolf for Christmas by Vanessa Devereaux Page B

heard over the speaker that sat by the couch. Ally went
cold. Since she’d lost her own child, she couldn’t stand to hear a baby crying.
She tried to keep her composure, but Kent must have read something on her face
because he squeezed her hand.
    “That’s
Nick and Ava’s baby,” he said.
    “Waking
from her nap. I’ll just go check on her,” said Ava.
    Her—the
baby was a girl.
    Ava
left and returned ten minutes later carrying the sweetest baby Ally had ever
seen. She’d just gotten the quickest glance at her own daughter just to satisfy
her curiosity that they’d told her the truth when they announced that the baby
she’d delivered was, in fact, stillborn.
    Ava
sat down and the baby seemed to key in on Ally as if she was taunting her.
    “Ally,
this is Brianne.”
    “Hi,
Brianne,” said Ally.
    “We
are going to be teaching a mother and baby yoga class starting next week. Well,
at least that’s what Maisey tells me. She’s Nick’s business partner and is very
persuasive when she wants to be,” said Ava.
    Nick
laughed. “That’s why I chose her as my partner. Have you been to Downward
Facing Wolf?” he asked Ally.
    “No,
but I guess I should.”
    “I’ll
leave you a complimentary pass for the week so you can give it a try, and if
you like it, we can give you a discount membership.”
    “Nick,
it’s a holiday and you’re talking business,” said Ava.
    “No,
I’m helping out a customer,” said Nick.
    “Sure,
I’ll give it a try,” said Ally. She knew it was close to where she turned off the
road for the Center, so it wouldn’t be hard to find or out of her way.
    Brianne
started to fuss. “She’s getting her first tooth and lets us know it,” said Ava.
“I’ll just go get one of the toys she likes to suck. Ally, why don’t you hold
her for me.”
    Ally
couldn’t say no. She took the baby and cradled her in her arms. The little girl
looked up at her. What would she and Andy’s child have looked like? A tear fell
from her eye and splashed onto the baby’s cheek, making the little girl cry
some more.
    “I’m
sorry, I have to go,” said Ally, handing the baby over to Nick.
    “Ally,
just wait a minute,” she heard Kent calling to her as she was halfway toward
the front door.
    Right
now, Ally felt the same way inside that she had when she’d opened the gift
Christmas morning. Her body shook as she sobbed onto Kent’s shoulder.
    “It’s
okay, really it is.”
    “I’m
sorry, I thought I’d be able to handle seeing and holding a baby, but I guess
I’m not ready. Not sure I ever will be.”
    “I
should have told you Nick and Ava had a baby. I forget all about it. It’s my
fault. I wasn’t thinking.” He stroked her hair.
    “Everything
okay?” It was Ava’s voice.
    “Sure,”
said Kent. “Ally lost her baby last year.”
    “Oh,
sweetie, I’m so sorry. If I’d known, I…”
    “It’s
okay, you didn’t know,” said Ally.
    Ava
took her hand and squeezed it.   “How
about I call Maisey to babysit Brianne and the four
of us can go catch a movie and then have something to eat.”
    “That
sound good to you?” Kent asked her.
    Ally
wiped her face with the back of her hand. “That sounds like a great plan.”
    ****
    Ally
began the holidays with the mindset that they were going to suck and she’d
welcome the New Year with sorrow and depression, but Kent had given her a
glimpse of hope. She still missed Andy, but it was almost as if he’d sent this
new man to help her fill a void. A holiday miracle in the way of a wolf.
    Now
she was back working on her dissertation. Emotions in wolves. How many Ph.D.
candidates could say they actually interviewed one of their test subjects? Kent
had filled her in on so much stuff she’d have this done in no time.
    She
looked at the clock on the wall. The board of directors would be here soon for
the first of this year’s meetings. The budget for the year would be set and
she’d know exactly how much they’d be getting and if hiring a