idea. She had a spare room just sitting there.
“Well, think of the imposition.”
“Oh, yeah, it would be terrible. I mean, I’d get to cuddle Ryane all I want and you’d be there to take over the messy diapers.” She grinned at her own humor.
Anne chuckled. “Do you ever take no for an answer?”
“No.” Allie grinned. “I don’t know if Ian told you, but I was raised by three older brothers. I learned early that it’s best to hear only what you want to hear. And I don’t want to hear no.”
“But, my place . . .”
“Ian and I could pack it up, move your furniture into storage, and you could have my spare room until you’re literally back on your feet.”
“I don’t understand you, Allie.”
Allie indulged herself and gave Anne’s hand a quick squeeze. “Seriously, you’d be doing me a favor. I’m new in town and used to having a lot of family around. My one friend in town is newly married so she’s pretty much occupied. It’s too quiet at my place. You and Ryane would actually be doing me a favor.”
Anne chuckled. “Yeah, some favor.”
“Is that a yes or a no?” Allie said with a grin, knowing she’d won.
“I might not understand you, but I like you, and not just for what you’re doing for us. I’m not a fool—the answer’s yes. And as long as you feel I’m doing you a favor”—Anne’s grin said she didn’t believe a word of it—“maybe you’d think about doing me one. Well, maybe two.”
“Shoot.”
“First, I was hoping you’d consider being Ryane’s godmother. You’ve stepped into our lives like some kind of fairy godmother, and I thought it might be nice to make it all official.”
“That’s not a favor, that’s an honor,” Allie assured her.
“Is that a yes?”
“Yes.” Both women laughed.
“And favor number two is I’d like you to consider me a friend. Ian only grunted when I mentioned you yesterday, and being a well-versed grunt interpreter, I figure there’s something going on. If you’d like to talk . . .” She left the offer hanging.
“When I’m ready to talk about Ian, or about anything, you’ll be one of the first people I come to. I like you too, Anne.”
“Good. Just know I’m here.” She looked at the bump under the cover that was her injured leg. “And I don’t think I’ll be going anywhere anytime soon.”
“Sooner than you think, you’ll be up and about.”
“Promise?” Anne asked.
“Promise.”
“What are we promising?” Ian asked as he walked into the room.
They hadn’t really talked since Monday. They’d handed off Ryane, only exchanging pertinent information and the most superficial pleasantries.
Before Anne could answer, Allie blurted out, “We just decided to become roommates.”
Ian’s smile faded. “Anne and I have truly appreciated all your help, but we’re more than capable of making arrangements.”
Allie knew a gauntlet when she saw one and was quick to pick it up. “I know all about the oh-so-self-sufficient Ian Thomas Ryan, and you’re not the one I’m asking to be my roommate. If my presence insults your sensibilities so much, then feel free to visit Anne and the baby when I’m at work. Or, better yet, let me know when your regal presence will be there and I’ll make sure mine isn’t.” She stormed toward the door. “And since you’re here, I’m off to work. When Anne’s done, you can take Ryane.”
Her parting line set the stage for her grand exit, and she opened the door, made it a couple feet down the hall, and ran into Nurse Mary Sunshine.
“Problems?” the woman asked, the smile on her face indicating she hoped there were.
Allie just glared at the woman.
“I hope there are,” Mary said. “With all the problems you caused Dr. Neighbors and his poor wife, well, you deserve everything you get and more.”
Ian walked down the hall and over to the unpleasant woman. “I’d like the name of your supervisor.”
“What on earth have I done?” Mary said, the
“Well, think of the imposition.”
“Oh, yeah, it would be terrible. I mean, I’d get to cuddle Ryane all I want and you’d be there to take over the messy diapers.” She grinned at her own humor.
Anne chuckled. “Do you ever take no for an answer?”
“No.” Allie grinned. “I don’t know if Ian told you, but I was raised by three older brothers. I learned early that it’s best to hear only what you want to hear. And I don’t want to hear no.”
“But, my place . . .”
“Ian and I could pack it up, move your furniture into storage, and you could have my spare room until you’re literally back on your feet.”
“I don’t understand you, Allie.”
Allie indulged herself and gave Anne’s hand a quick squeeze. “Seriously, you’d be doing me a favor. I’m new in town and used to having a lot of family around. My one friend in town is newly married so she’s pretty much occupied. It’s too quiet at my place. You and Ryane would actually be doing me a favor.”
Anne chuckled. “Yeah, some favor.”
“Is that a yes or a no?” Allie said with a grin, knowing she’d won.
“I might not understand you, but I like you, and not just for what you’re doing for us. I’m not a fool—the answer’s yes. And as long as you feel I’m doing you a favor”—Anne’s grin said she didn’t believe a word of it—“maybe you’d think about doing me one. Well, maybe two.”
“Shoot.”
“First, I was hoping you’d consider being Ryane’s godmother. You’ve stepped into our lives like some kind of fairy godmother, and I thought it might be nice to make it all official.”
“That’s not a favor, that’s an honor,” Allie assured her.
“Is that a yes?”
“Yes.” Both women laughed.
“And favor number two is I’d like you to consider me a friend. Ian only grunted when I mentioned you yesterday, and being a well-versed grunt interpreter, I figure there’s something going on. If you’d like to talk . . .” She left the offer hanging.
“When I’m ready to talk about Ian, or about anything, you’ll be one of the first people I come to. I like you too, Anne.”
“Good. Just know I’m here.” She looked at the bump under the cover that was her injured leg. “And I don’t think I’ll be going anywhere anytime soon.”
“Sooner than you think, you’ll be up and about.”
“Promise?” Anne asked.
“Promise.”
“What are we promising?” Ian asked as he walked into the room.
They hadn’t really talked since Monday. They’d handed off Ryane, only exchanging pertinent information and the most superficial pleasantries.
Before Anne could answer, Allie blurted out, “We just decided to become roommates.”
Ian’s smile faded. “Anne and I have truly appreciated all your help, but we’re more than capable of making arrangements.”
Allie knew a gauntlet when she saw one and was quick to pick it up. “I know all about the oh-so-self-sufficient Ian Thomas Ryan, and you’re not the one I’m asking to be my roommate. If my presence insults your sensibilities so much, then feel free to visit Anne and the baby when I’m at work. Or, better yet, let me know when your regal presence will be there and I’ll make sure mine isn’t.” She stormed toward the door. “And since you’re here, I’m off to work. When Anne’s done, you can take Ryane.”
Her parting line set the stage for her grand exit, and she opened the door, made it a couple feet down the hall, and ran into Nurse Mary Sunshine.
“Problems?” the woman asked, the smile on her face indicating she hoped there were.
Allie just glared at the woman.
“I hope there are,” Mary said. “With all the problems you caused Dr. Neighbors and his poor wife, well, you deserve everything you get and more.”
Ian walked down the hall and over to the unpleasant woman. “I’d like the name of your supervisor.”
“What on earth have I done?” Mary said, the
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