Read Online Love Inspired May 2015 #2 by Missy Tippens, Jean C. Gordon, Patricia Johns - Free Book Online

cough. She’d tried two rounds of the same antibiotic, so maybe she’d try a different class. She also needed to consider cough-variant asthma. And order a chest X-ray to make sure she wasn’t missing something.
    The sound of human voices joined in with the chorus of birds.
    Or rather, the sound of one human. A male voice pitched into a high register.
    She turned from her place at the table and spotted Jake in his backyard holding Abigail, cooing to her.
    The silly tone made her smile. And put a dent in her concentration. She might as well go check on Abigail, one thing she could mark off her to-do list for the day.
    As she walked across the dewy yard carrying her coffee mug, flip-flops snapping against her heels, she ran fingers through her hair. Hesitant, she slowed. She wore no makeup. Her hair was damp with perspiration. And her running clothes—shorts and a faded T-shirt—weren’t exactly ideal for visiting neighbors. Especially a handsome, single neighbor.
    With a huff, she tromped ahead. This wasn’t a neighborly visit. And it certainly didn’t matter that her neighbor was handsome or single. This was strictly a professional check on a patient.
    Yeah, and you’re looking real professional right now, Violet.
    Jake sat squeezed into a swing attached to an old rusty swing set that had probably been his and Remy’s when they were growing up. With Abigail in his lap, her head on his knees and her feet pressed into his belly, he leaned his face closer to her. “Come on, give ol’ Jake a smile,” he said in the silly singsong voice.
    â€œI’m afraid she won’t give you a social smile until she’s around six to eight weeks old.”
    His head jerked up. “Oh. Good morning. You’re out early again, I see.”
    â€œI’m always out at sunrise year-round. Watching the sun come up, preparing for my day.”
    â€œBy design or insomnia?”
    â€œBy my internal clock, I guess. I haven’t used an alarm clock since I was about eighteen.”
    â€œAbigail is now my alarm and seems to favor waking at about five, an hour before my norm.”
    She was pleased he didn’t act frustrated. Seemed to take what Abigail threw at him. “Was she fussing like yesterday?”
    â€œNo. Just bright-eyed and ready to eat. Which, by the way, is going better so far. No more drawing up her legs.”
    â€œThat’s good news.”
    â€œCare to join us?” he asked, nodding toward the other swing.
    â€œYou think the old set can hold both of us?”
    With a laugh, he quickly looked her over from head to toe, measuring her size. “I guess we’ll find out.”
    As she gently slid into the swing, she checked out the baby. “Abigail looks good this morning. Like you said, very alert and bright-eyed.”
    â€œYeah. She cried some last night, but not as long. I feel half human today.”
    He definitely didn’t look any worse for the wear. “You’ll be amazed at how good you’ll feel once she sleeps through the night. Of course, many parents panic when they wake and realize it’s morning.”
    â€œI can imagine.”
    Would Remy return before that point? If so, would Abigail be safe with her mother? “How is the Remy search going?”
    â€œSince the phone number on hospital records is disconnected, I’m going to check into the address this morning.” Jake tucked the blanket around the baby and lifted her to the crook of his arm. “I plan to call Grace Hunt, who rescued me during the service last Sunday, and ask if she’ll help with child care.”
    â€œSounds like a great idea. Abigail settled nicely with her.”
    â€œYeah, a huge relief after we caused a ruckus.”
    Violet bit back a grin and could relate to not wanting to make a scene—ever. “What if Grace can’t babysit?”
    â€œI’ll ask her for recommendations.”
    â€œI saw several