Page 1 of His Daughter

ONE

THEA

"Baby, are you ready?"

Caleb's voice drifted in from the hallway, but I didn't move. I stood by the doorway, staring into my nursery. My cheeks ached from all the smiling I’d been doing since we got the confirmation from the agency.

I always believed that good things would come to those who wait. And oh, how I’d waited. At some point, I thought I wouldn’t make it. But Caleb gave me all the hope I needed.

As I entered the nursery, I heard Caleb's heavy footsteps behind me. He was wearing boots in the baby’s room. There was a rule against that. But today was a good day, so I decided to let it go. His chin settled on the top of my head — he always had to fold himself down to do it — and his palms pressed flat against my stomach. They were so wide they nearly spanned me.

"You're going to have to stop calling me that," I said.

His lips brushed the curve of my neck. "Calling you what?"

Giggling, I twisted in his arms, but he held me in place. I sighed, taking in the scent of citrus drifting from him. "Baby,” I said, “We're getting our baby. It's going to get confusing."

He laughed against my skin. "Not a chance. You were my first ‘baby’. She'll have to find her own name."

"She has a name." I nodded toward the wall where we’d spelled out L-E-N-A. I was the one that picked the name. Caleb only smiled and agreed with me. "It's right there."

"Then she's covered." He kissed the spot just below my ear. "But you're still my ‘baby.’"

I leaned back into him and closed my eyes. His arms tightened, and I pressed my hands over his and held on.

"Come on." He squeezed my hand. "Let's go get our girl."

He released me and led me out the door. Before we crossed the threshold, I turned back and glanced at the nursery. The next time we walked in here, it would be with our beautiful baby girl. My cheeks throbbed when I smiled again, but I didn't mind.

I grabbed my bag from the couch, Caleb helped me into my coat, and within seconds we were out of the house and settling into the car.

“Lord, I hate the cold,” Caleb said as he fixed his seatbelt.

I laughed. “I know, but it’ll be spring soon. You have all those dad outfits you’ve been dying to show off.”

“Yep!” He started the engine and pulled out of the driveway. “You better warn everyone. Daddy Caleb is coming to town!” He stopped at a red light and picked up my hand. He brought it to his lips, kissed the knuckle of my ring finger, and held it there.

"What?" I turned to look at him.

"Nothing." He was grinning. "I'm just really happy."

"You're going to make me cry before we even get there."

"Good." He kissed my hand again. "Cry all you want."

I laughed and pressed my forehead against his shoulder. The light soon turned green. I sat back up and bounced my knee. He placed his hand on the knee — his palm dark against the pale fabric of my trousers — and my leg went still.

"Do you think she'll like me?" I asked.

Smiling, he shook his head with a smile, but still kept his eyes on the road. "She's going to take one good look at you and never let go. Trust me."

I bit my lip and turned back to the window. I hoped she did. I’d done a lot of research on the bond between a mother and her child. One of the sites I visited called it a natural instinct, the feeling that blossoms the moment you feel the child in your belly. From the first kick right to the moment you hold their tiny, freshly-born body in your hands.

But I didn’t have that. I was starting from the after. Her mother had already felt that. She’d probably bonded with her mother already. Would she have any love left for me?

Still. The fact remained that I was going to be someone's mother. Anything else my wandering mind conjured up didn’t matter.

"Ready?" Caleb asked as we pulled into the parking lot, and he killed the engine. He turned to me.