Free English Girl in New York by Scarlet Wilson

you’d ruled out Moonwind?’
    There was a sparkle in her eyes as she turned to him. ‘How about really traditional? How about something biblical?’
    â€˜Now you’re really testing me. I’ll need to think back to my Sunday school days.’
    â€˜Then you do that. How about Joseph? Or Isaac, or Jeremiah?’
    He grabbed the first names that sprang into his mind. ‘Noah, or David, or Goliath?’ he countered. He wanted to make her smile again. And it worked. She was sitting up a little straighter. Trying to beat him at this game.
    He could see her start to rack her brains. ‘Peter, Paul or Matthew?’
    â€˜Adam, Moses or Joshua?’
    There was silence for a few seconds as they both concentrated hard.
    â€˜Abraham.’
    â€˜Abraham.’
    Their voices intermingled. And a smile appeared across both their faces.
    Carrie stared down at the baby. ‘Abraham,’ she whispered. ‘Now there’s a proud name. What do you think of that one?’
    He sat down next to her. ‘Abraham, I like it. Also the name of one of our finest presidents. It’s perfect.’
    â€˜It does seem perfect.’ She was staring down at the little face as he sucked at the bottle. She nodded. ‘You’re right. We do need to give him a name—even if it’s temporary. What a pity his mum didn’t leave a note with what she’d called him.’ There was a wistfulness in her voice. The sympathy vote that grated on him.
    â€˜Might have been better if she’d actually left some clothes. Or some diapers. Or anything at all to show us she cared about her son.’
    Carrie gave the tiniest shake of her head as she eased the bottle out of Abraham’s mouth, then sat him upright, putting her hand under his chin to support his head while she rubbed his back. ‘Let’s see if we can get a burp out of you this time.’
    She turned to face him. ‘You’re really hard on people, Dan. And I find it really strange. You didn’t hesitate to try and help this baby. You weren’t even too upset when Shana told you that you’d need to keep him a while. We have no idea what’s happened here. Can you at least try to give his mother the benefit of the doubt?’
    â€˜No.’
    Just like that. Blunt and to the point.
    Abraham arched his back and let out a big burp. ‘Good boy.’ His head started to sag. ‘He’s tired. Maybe we should put him down to sleep.’
    Dan nodded and started folding up the towels he’d pulled from his cupboard, forming a makeshift kind of mattress in the crib. ‘What do you think?’
    â€˜Perfect.’ She had to put him down. She had to put him down now. She was starting to feel a little overwhelmed again. A baby cuddling into the nape of her neck and giving little sighs of comfort was making a whole host of emotions wash over her. None that she wanted to share.
    She adjusted Abraham and laid him down in the crib, covering him with the hand-knitted shawl, and held her breath, waiting to see if he would stir.
    It took her a few seconds to realise Dan was holding his breath right next to her.
    But Abraham was out cold. His first feed had been a success.
    â€˜Darn it. Do you think we should have changed his nappy again?’
    Dan raised his eyebrows. ‘I think if you touch Abraham right now and wake him up I will kill you.’
    She gave a little laugh. ‘It’s kind of strange, isn’t it? Standing here waiting to see if he’ll wake up again?’
    Dan straightened his back. ‘What time is it?’ He looked over at the kitchen clock. ‘Ten-thirty? Wow. No wonder I’m starved. I haven’t eaten dinner. What about you? Are you hungry, Carrie?’
    She shook her head. ‘Maybe I should go.’
    â€˜You are joking, right?’
    She shook her head firmly. All of a sudden there wasn’t a baby as a barrier between the two of them.
    All of