Page 124 of Juniper Hill (The Edens 2)

“I love you too.” I bent to kiss her, lingering long enough for Talia to clear her throat. “Okay. We’d better get home and relieve Mom.”

“I’ll walk you guys out,” Talia said. “You’re my last appointment for today.”

“Want to come over for dinner?” I asked.

“Sure. It’s not like I have anything or anyone waiting for me at home.” She sighed. “Let me duck into the locker room and grab my things. I’ll meet you at the front desk.”

I took Memphis’s hand and helped her off the table. Then once her coat was on, we wandered the hallways of the hospital. My phone vibrated in my pocket as we reached the waiting room on the first floor. A text from Mateo.

“Look at this.” I twisted the screen to Memphis.

Mateo was flying planes as a bush pilot in Alaska, shuttling people and supplies to remote areas of the state. Today’s photo was of rugged mountains draped in snow at sunset.

“It’s going to be weird not having him home for Christmas,” I said, sending him a quick text to fly safe.

“Your mom said the same thing earlier today.”

We all missed him, but he’d needed to get away and do something of his own. He’d been gone for nearly a year, having left not long after the holidays. Mateo hadn’t come out and said it, but I got the impression he’d felt like a shadow here. He needed space and time to find his passion. Maybe it was flying.

I only hoped that one day, his wings would lead him home.

The doors of the hospital’s entrance slid open and a man strode inside.

I glanced over, then did a double take. “Holy shit. That’s Foster Madden.”

“Who?” Memphis asked, tracking Foster’s path to the reception desk.

“Foster Madden. He’s the reigning middleweight champion.”

“Huh?”

“Remember that fight we watched this summer. The one where the guy knocked his opponent out in the first round.”

Memphis blinked.

“Honey, you’re killing me.”

She smirked and jabbed her elbow in my ribs. “Just kidding. I didn’t recognize him, but yes, I remember that fight.”

“That’s him.”

“I wonder why he’s in Quincy.”

I shrugged. “Have you seen him at the hotel?”

“No, but if he checked in today, I would have missed it.”

We’d both taken the day off to do some Christmas shopping with Drake. Then we’d met Mom at home so she could babysit while we’d come to the hospital for Memphis’s appointment.

“I like that name,” she said. “Foster. What do you think?”

“Meh.” From the moment we’d found out we were having a boy, she’d been tossing out name ideas constantly. And each of them, I’d nixed.

“I give up.” She tossed her hands in the air. “You’re impossible.”

“Hey, uh . . . sorry to interrupt.” Foster waved to get my attention, then hooked his thumb over his shoulder toward the desk. “Do you know if anyone’s working here today?”

“The nurse might have left already.” The clock showed it was five. “Are you looking for a room? We could point you in the right direction.”