Read Online The Doctor's Baby by Cindy Kirk - Free Book Online

gives them a strong foundation in life.”
    July thought of her mother. Of the father she’d never known. Addict mother. Absent dad.
    “I’m sure it plays a part.” July rose and took the baby from Granny’s arms. Regardless of what happened between her and David, she’d give Adam that strong foundation. His legacy would begin with her. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to my room. It’s time for Adam’s feeding.”
    “Feed him here,” Granny urged. “Breast-feeding is natural. There’s no need to hide away in a bedroom.”
    It might be natural but July had no interest in baring her breast with David in the room.
    “I’m still getting the hang of it,” July said. “An audience would make me nervous.”
    David experienced a pang of regret when she left the room. They’d been having a good conversation…until Granny showed up. He pushed the uncharitable thought aside.
    “He’s a cute little boy,” Granny said. “Kind of scrawny but cute.”
    “Yes, he is.”
    “It’s still odd.”
    David lifted a brow. “What is?”
    “He really is the spitting image of you when you were a baby.”
     
    The words played over and over in David’s mind all week. While he didn’t put much stock in his grandmother’s observation, he kept wondering if there was something he’d missed. But he hadn’t seen July recently and hadn’t gotten a good look at the baby since that night.
    Though David knew it was probably pointless, his next day off he headed to Mary Karen’s hoping for a few quiet moments to study Adam’s face. But when he got there, quiet was nowhere to be found.
    The place was in an uproar. The baby was crying. The dog was barking. The boys were running through the house shrieking.
    David grabbed two of them as they ran by. “No running in the house.”
    Caleb skidded to a stop beside his brothers. “We were just playing ‘monster-catch-me.’”
    “I don’t care what you’re playing,” David said firmly. “Walk. Not run. Understand?”
    “Yes,” Caleb said, hanging his head.
    Connor nodded.
    “I sorry,” Logan said, though mischief danced in his eyes. The medicine clearly had done its work. The two-year-old appeared back to his high-energy self.
    David didn’t know how Mary Karen handled these boys alone. He firmly believed children needed a dad, as well as a mom. Of course, his ex-brother-in-law hadn’t gotten that message. He was too busy enjoying the single life back in Boston.
    He smiled at his nephews. “Why don’t you get out the Lincoln Logs and see what you can build me?”
    Caleb and Connor exchanged looks then nodded and ran toward the living room with Logan close behind.
    “Walk,” David called out.
    The boys immediately slowed their steps.
    “Thank you.”
    He turned to find Mary Karen in the hallway, Adam wailing loudly in her arms. Her face was as white as the blanket wrapped about the baby. David narrowed his gaze. “You don’t look so good.”
    Her lips lifted in a wan smile. “Migraine.”
    “Let me have him.” David took the crying baby, not surprised she didn’t protest. “All that screaming can’t be helping your headache. Where’s Granny?”
    “Downtown having coffee with some friends.”
    “July?”
    “Scouting locations,” Mary Karen said. “She left early this morning.”
    “Did you take your medicine?”
    “The drugs make me tired and light-headed.” Mary Karen had to raise her voice to be heard above the baby’s screams. “I couldn’t take the chance of falling with the baby.”
    “Take the pills and lie down,” David said. “I’ll watch the boys.”
    Hope filled her pain-filled eyes. “Are you sure?”
    “Get to bed, little sister,” he said. “In a few hours things will look totally different.”
    “I owe you.”
    “I’ll add it to your tab.”
    The response brought a smile to her lips. With a hand to her head, she turned toward her bedroom, leaving David with the screaming infant.
    “Granny thinks you look like me.” He