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“Whatcha gonna do about it, Bennett?”
By way of answering, Max seals his lips over mine, kissing me thoroughly until we hear someone clear their throat behind us. We pull apart, and I avoid looking at the nurse who admonished us. She continues walking down the corridor, and when she’s out of sight, I turn to Max.
“If I’m too sassy, you’re too shameless today. What’s with all the public kissing?”
“It was one nurse, and I wouldn’t care if the entire hospital would be watching. You’re mine.” Can’t argue with that. Max pulls me into his arms, and I lay my head against his chest, breathing in his scent.
“Max, is it all right if I stay?”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s a family thing… I’m intruding.”
Max cups my face, kissing my forehead. “You’re not intruding. I want you here. I need you.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah. I want you to be part of my life. Every side of my life.”
His words reach a place deep inside me, and I’m too emotional to say anything more than, “Okay, I’ll stay.”
“Thank God, because I also need you here to keep me sane.”
I grin at this. “So you admit you were acting a little out of it on our way here?”
“A little? You’re being polite. I was like a damn maniac. The more I think about it, the more embarrassed I am.”
“You were so adorable, I was debating whether to kiss you or punch you to calm you down.”
“Interesting choices.” Tilting his head to me, he adds, “Lucky I had you with me. Wait. How come you can be here? What happened to your appointments?”
“I called the clinic and asked them to cancel everything for the afternoon.” That means a hefty loss of income, but I wouldn’t have missed the birth of the twins for the world. Max seems to be reading my thoughts.
“But you’re counting on the income….”
I shake my head. “I’ll find a way. I’m happy to be here with you and your family.”
Elena and Mia Bennett-Callahan are born at 6:14 and 6:26 p.m. on a beautiful May day, and they are the most adorable babies on the planet. I instantly want to cuddle them, but there is a long line of Bennetts in front of me waiting to do the same. The doctor in charge tells us that both the girls and Pippa are in perfect health.
“Look at them,” Max says a while later, tapping the window to the nursery where the newborns are. “They’re the most beautiful kids in the room.” He says this with such pride, as if they were his. He puts his arm around my shoulders, and we watch the sleeping babies for a long time. It’s warm and cozy here in his arms, and I don’t want to go. Turning my head to him, I observe him in silence. To my astonishment, I discover that his eyes are
a little glassy.
“Max,” I ask tentatively. “Are you crying?”
“No, I have something in my eye.”
“In both eyes? You big goof.”
“Shut up.” He pulls me into a bear hug from behind, flattening his chest against my back, resting his chin in the crook of my neck. I can’t quench the desire to make fun of him, even though I’m melting as I’m experiencing this sensitive side of him.
“I suppose I’m not allowed to say anything about this to anyone either.”
“No.”
“Fine, your secret is safe with me. After all, I never told anyone about that time you were bawling your eyes out when we saved the pups.”
“I was having an allergy to dog hair.”
