Read Online Twins for Christmas by Alison Roberts - Free Book Online
Authors: Alison Roberts
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tear-stained reflection. ‘You’re a strong, independent woman—remember? You have to be. You’re going to have two little lives dependent on you in the very near future.’
Her hands smoothed the round ness of her belly. Felt the delicious ripple of movement. And finally the tears ceased and Kate smiled. A secret smile. Nobody else could share this joy. This wonder of new life within her. She was going to protect and nurture these babies with everything she had.
She might be alone, but she was never going to be lonely.
‘You can do this,’ she said to the mirror.
And, with a nod, Kate turned away to dry her face with a paper towel.
She could do this.
Rory was probably relieved that she’d refused his impetuous proposal. He’d done the right thing in offering, she’d refused, and that was that. They could move on.
There was even relief to be found in the end of fantasy. Peace. The cloak of serenity that Kate pulled around herself as she left the female locker room behind her might be transparently thin, but it was far too busy in here tonight for anybody to be looking hard enough to see through it.
Even Judy, who was preoccupied by finally being able to head home.
‘I’ll be buying my final gifts at the all-night grocer’s,’ she lamented. ‘But everybody likes chocolate, don’t they?’
‘Of course they do.’ Kate hugged her friend. ‘Have a wonderful day tomorrow. Merry Christmas.’
‘You’re coming for dinner, don’t forget. Oh, help! I hope they’ve still got stuffing in the shop.’
‘I won’t forget.’
‘You should be going home now, too. Melanie’s here from Medical Records. She’s doing the paperwork.’
Except poor Melanie wasn’t coping. She was virtually in tears when Kate went to find her.
‘It’s a mess,’ she confessed. ‘I’m missing details on more than half the people in here, and I don’t know where to start trying to catch up.’
‘You go home,’ Kate told her. ‘I’ll fix it. Go home and get some sleep, and have a really happy Christmas Day tomorrow.’
‘Are you sure? Oh, thank you! You’re an angel!’
Kate would have laughed except that she’d spotted Rory approaching, and he was already close enough to have overheard Melanie’s effusive gratitude. She tried to smile and found it easier than she had anticipated. Maybe that was the way to move forward. Keeping things light.
‘Apparently I’m an angel,’ she quipped.
‘I’ve thought that myself,’ he said. ‘More than once.’
Good grief, he sounded as though he wasn’t joking! Kate dragged her gaze down wards. To the sea of half-completed forms that lay in a messy heap beside the computer. The screensaver was back on. Bells still jingled and the clock still ticked over. Two hours and eighteen minutes to go now.
Kate sighed as she began to pick up papers. ‘I’ve got my work cut out for me here.’
‘Kate.’ Rory was close enough to lower his voice. ‘We need to talk.’
He never called her Kate. It sounded wrong. Formal. As though he was about to start discussing legalities. His parental rights. She couldn’t do that right now.
‘There’ll be plenty of time for that later.’ She hoped she didn’t sound as desperate as she felt. ‘You said so yourself.’
‘I know.’ His hair was decidedly ruffled, and she could see why when he raked his fingers through it again. ‘Just think about what I suggested in the mean time. Please?’
Her headshake was unconscious. Protective. She wasn’t going to let herself think about it any more.
‘I didn’t mean it to sound quite like it did.’ Rory’s low voice was compelling. ‘As though it was just because of the babies. Look, Kate…I never thought I’d be even thinking of marriage, but—’
Kate’s headshake was de lib er ate this time. ‘You don’t have to now, Rory. There’s no obligation.’ She glanced up from the sheaf of papers in her hand. ‘This is a new century, you know. There’s no horrible stigma
Her hands smoothed the round ness of her belly. Felt the delicious ripple of movement. And finally the tears ceased and Kate smiled. A secret smile. Nobody else could share this joy. This wonder of new life within her. She was going to protect and nurture these babies with everything she had.
She might be alone, but she was never going to be lonely.
‘You can do this,’ she said to the mirror.
And, with a nod, Kate turned away to dry her face with a paper towel.
She could do this.
Rory was probably relieved that she’d refused his impetuous proposal. He’d done the right thing in offering, she’d refused, and that was that. They could move on.
There was even relief to be found in the end of fantasy. Peace. The cloak of serenity that Kate pulled around herself as she left the female locker room behind her might be transparently thin, but it was far too busy in here tonight for anybody to be looking hard enough to see through it.
Even Judy, who was preoccupied by finally being able to head home.
‘I’ll be buying my final gifts at the all-night grocer’s,’ she lamented. ‘But everybody likes chocolate, don’t they?’
‘Of course they do.’ Kate hugged her friend. ‘Have a wonderful day tomorrow. Merry Christmas.’
‘You’re coming for dinner, don’t forget. Oh, help! I hope they’ve still got stuffing in the shop.’
‘I won’t forget.’
‘You should be going home now, too. Melanie’s here from Medical Records. She’s doing the paperwork.’
Except poor Melanie wasn’t coping. She was virtually in tears when Kate went to find her.
‘It’s a mess,’ she confessed. ‘I’m missing details on more than half the people in here, and I don’t know where to start trying to catch up.’
‘You go home,’ Kate told her. ‘I’ll fix it. Go home and get some sleep, and have a really happy Christmas Day tomorrow.’
‘Are you sure? Oh, thank you! You’re an angel!’
Kate would have laughed except that she’d spotted Rory approaching, and he was already close enough to have overheard Melanie’s effusive gratitude. She tried to smile and found it easier than she had anticipated. Maybe that was the way to move forward. Keeping things light.
‘Apparently I’m an angel,’ she quipped.
‘I’ve thought that myself,’ he said. ‘More than once.’
Good grief, he sounded as though he wasn’t joking! Kate dragged her gaze down wards. To the sea of half-completed forms that lay in a messy heap beside the computer. The screensaver was back on. Bells still jingled and the clock still ticked over. Two hours and eighteen minutes to go now.
Kate sighed as she began to pick up papers. ‘I’ve got my work cut out for me here.’
‘Kate.’ Rory was close enough to lower his voice. ‘We need to talk.’
He never called her Kate. It sounded wrong. Formal. As though he was about to start discussing legalities. His parental rights. She couldn’t do that right now.
‘There’ll be plenty of time for that later.’ She hoped she didn’t sound as desperate as she felt. ‘You said so yourself.’
‘I know.’ His hair was decidedly ruffled, and she could see why when he raked his fingers through it again. ‘Just think about what I suggested in the mean time. Please?’
Her headshake was unconscious. Protective. She wasn’t going to let herself think about it any more.
‘I didn’t mean it to sound quite like it did.’ Rory’s low voice was compelling. ‘As though it was just because of the babies. Look, Kate…I never thought I’d be even thinking of marriage, but—’
Kate’s headshake was de lib er ate this time. ‘You don’t have to now, Rory. There’s no obligation.’ She glanced up from the sheaf of papers in her hand. ‘This is a new century, you know. There’s no horrible stigma
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