Page 42 of Sleigh My Heart

Michelle stood on the front step, his sleeping daughter in her arms.

His lungs tightened. Ava’s thick lashes fanning across her cheeks. Her little body cradled into Michelle’s chest. The sight sent emotion snaking through his body.

“She fell asleep in the car,” she whispered.

His baby girl was out cold. His focus shifted to the woman holding her. Strong, protective, loving—all radiated from her.

The thump in his chest grew louder. He cleared his throat.

“Here. I’ll take her upstairs.” His arm brushed Mickey’s as they transferred Ava. Awareness shot up his arm. He fought the urge to shake it off.

Nick slipped an arm under his daughter and hoisted her up to his chest, pulling her in close. Tenderness relaxed his limbs.

“I’ll get her bag.” Michelle slipped back out the door.

As he crested the upstairs landing, he heard the car’s locks engage. Nick clicked on the nightlight and pulled back the covers.

Ava slept like a log as he removed her shoes and coat. With a quick kiss to her forehead, he pulled the quilt up to her chin and slipped out of the room. Closing the door to her bedroom, he headed downstairs to find Michelle surveying his house.

Nick took it in from his position on the stairs. The walls were mostly bare, still builder gray. One wall divided the kitchen and living rooms. From his vantage point, he could see the main floor in one sweeping glance from his stainless-steel appliances to the stacked stone fireplace on the opposite wall. His furniture was more middle-class family than single guy. And his favorite feature of the house, the wide-plank hickory floors glowed with a soft shine.

What did she think? He watched her turn in a complete circle before moving to the photos on the fireplace. Honestly, he hadn’t thought to put them up there. His father gave him them as a housewarming present.

Right now, the only thing that drew his eye in the whole place was the woman standing in a green T-shirt and jeans. Her jacket was hanging from her arm. Her curves. Her eyes. Everything about her was bolder, better, than the girl he spent more than a few nights dreaming about. If she’d looked like this, back then, he would have gone AWOL to get to her.

She turned. “Is this you?” She pointed to one of the pictures.

He continued and stopped next to her. The photo she referred to was one taken during his first tour. He was in full camo, face paint and all. The guys in his squad flanked him.

“Yeah.”

“You look like a badass.” She moved on to the other photos, one of Nick and his brother taken the day his older brother had left for college.

“I remember this photo. Where is Nolan these days?”

“He’s in Washington state. He works for a tech company.” Nick had talked to him less than an hour ago about their father. Nolan was currently out of the country for work.

“Aw, Ava was adorable. How old was she here?”

“Two months.”

She didn’t comment on the next one. Molly holding Ava. He wasn’t sure why he even had it up there. For Ava, mostly. She needed to have photos of her mom around. The one behind it was of his own mom.

Michelle’s eyes moved from one to the other, then she stepped back.

He didn’t know what to say. So, he said nothing.

She moved her coat, and he saw the box in her hand. “Here.”

“Thanks. Irene Swenson’s cookies are the best.” He didn’t look at the box, but at her. She would think to bring him cookies.

“She is already planning to bring your father dinner when he gets out of the hospital. No doubt, she has one prepped and in the freezer for just such an occasion. Mom is always prepared like that. Plus, she always liked your parents.”

He nodded. Cop families stuck together. He was sure his father and Irene shared a lot of experiences as police spouses. Not everyone would understand.

“By the way, there are extra in the box. Enough for Ava to take to the bake sale this weekend.”

“She told you?”