Free Nobody's Baby by Carol Burnside Page B

nurse for your friend. Stay here.”
    “I can’t do that to her. She’s having heart surgery and is understandably nervous about it. She’s all alone and needs a friend.” Her voice was firm and determined. There would be no persuading his mom to change her plans.
    He and Kate would soon be on their own.

Chapter Five
     
    N early a full weekend of life had passed at Hawthorne House, and Kate was about ready to blow a gasket. Never in her life had she been so sedentary or had people waiting on her. Neither had she ever felt so restless and bored.
    Since that first evening, Rio had maintained a polite distance without her having to say anything about boundaries. Though her feelings made no sense and she couldn’t find fault with his behavior, it made her irritable.
    It was imperative she make Dr. Krieger understand that strict bed rest wasn’t necessary, so she could go home. Other than the occasional lightheadedness and intermittent backache, she felt fine and perfectly able to fend for herself.
    She sat on the exam table, prepared for the additional ultrasound that James and Allie had requested some time ago. They’d loved viewing their baby and didn’t care if they had to pay extra for the privilege.
    “Will you make sure Mr. Hawthorne gets a picture of the baby today?” she asked the plump nurse taking her blood pressure.
    “Sure, but I understand Dr. Krieger is inviting him in to see for himself.”
    “Oh. I didn’t realize.” Kate digested the unexpected news as the nurse recorded her vitals, informed her that the doctor would be in shortly and left her alone.
    Rio was calling the shots now. His baby, his decision. He had every right to view the child he’d taken responsibility for, though it made her self-conscious to think of him seeing her bare belly looking like she’d swallowed a basketball.
    That thought had barely formed when Dr. Krieger swept through the door, her smile as perfect as the up-do she twisted her graying hair into each morning. Rio followed close behind.
    “All right. Let’s get this man a look at his bab—, er, his nephew.” Dr. Krieger shot Rio an apologetic smile as she helped Kate into a reclining position. “We don’t get too many uncles in here.”
    “No problem.” Rio looked everywhere but at Kate, obviously nervous about what must be his first visit to an obstetrics exam room.
    Dr. Krieger bent over Kate’s chart, reading the vital stats recorded by the nurse. Seizing the moment, Kate took pity on him and patted the exam table beside her. “Why don’t you stand over here where you have a clear view of the monitor?”
    She hadn’t thought about how tight the space would be for him or how close he’d be.
    He leaned in, his cool gray eyes guarded. “You okay with me being in here?”
    Kate smiled to reassure him. “It’s all part of being a surrogate. I’m used to it. Once she turns the monitor on, you’ll forget I’m even here.”
    He shot her an enigmatic look. “I don’t think so.”
    “Okay, you know the drill.” Dr. Krieger bunched Kate’s pale blue maternity tee under her breasts and helped tug her elastic-paneled jeans low on her hips. “This will be cold.”
    The warning never did anything to negate that first splat of gel hitting her warm skin. Kate closed her eyes and sucked in a breath, releasing it when Dr. Krieger touched the wand to her belly and the fast whir-whir of the baby’s heartbeat filled the room. She hadn’t looked at an ultrasound since the first one. Back then it had hardly seemed real, this child inside her, not until she’d seen the curve of his head, seen the movement she felt inside echoed on the screen.
    “There he is, Mr. Hawthorne. That’s your nephew in vitro.”
    Rio didn’t respond.
    Kate opened her eyes to check his reaction. His were round with surprise or maybe shock and focused on the screen. He sucked in a shaky breath, his expression changing to something between awe-struck and stunned dismay.
    “Whoa,