Hannah's List (Blossom Street #7)(96)

He grinned and put out his hand. She held the notebook out of reach. "It's going to cost you."

A smile crinkled the corners of his eyes and then faded. "Our Sunday afternoon is ruined."

"There'll be other afternoons."

Pierre threw his arms around her. "Thank you."

"No, thank Alix's mother-in-law."

"Her mother-in-law?"

"Never mind," she said, touching her lips to his.

He left shortly afterward, and Winter settled back on the sofa. For the past six weeks, she and Pierre had been dating. This time, they hadn't made the mistake of moving ahead too quickly.

During the initial meeting after their three-month break, Pierre had been guarded and brusque. He seemed determined to end their relationship until Winter had coerced him into trying the exercise Alix had taught her. When Pierre saw how he reacted to things that bothered him about Winter, his eyes, too, had been opened. Now, a month later, their relationship wasn't without problems, and breaking old habits required constant effort, but it was working. Winter was happier than she'd been all year.

She fell asleep on the sofa and was awakened by Pierre's kiss an hour later. She wrapped her arms around his neck and savored everything about him--his strong, solid body, his warm clean scent, the steady beating of his heart. "Mmm. This is a lovely way to wake up."

Pierre chuckled.

Winter's phone pealed in the background.

"Not again," Pierre moaned. "Don't answer it."

"Pierre, I have to. It could be important." She didn't remind him that she hadn't asked him not to answer his phone earlier.

He released her with obvious reluctance, and she grabbed the phone just before it went to voice mail.

"Alix is having her baby!" Lydia from A Good Yarn said excitedly. "She called a few minutes ago and she's in labor."

"I thought Jordan was supposed to call."

"He didn't, but you know Jordan when it comes to this baby--he can't think straight. Alix sounded a lot calmer than he did." Lydia laughed. "I could hear him in the background insisting she get off the phone, that they had to get to the hospital."

"Their baby's going to be one spoiled infant." Winter intended to do a fair amount of that spoiling herself.

"Right now Jordan's a nervous wreck," Lydia said.

"Of course he is. He's a first-time father and with what happened before--well, it's understandable." They talked a while longer and then Winter ended the conversation. "Thanks for letting me know. Call me if you hear anything and I'll do the same."

Pierre and Winter made the avocado soup, and it was as delicious as Winter had known it would be. Pierre laughed at her "secret ingredient," which was ice cubes. She added ten to the recipe, using the ice to both cool and thin out the avocado and buttermilk blend. She also added an extra cup of milk and served the soup with crumbled blue cheese.

Pierre made chicken curry sandwiches to complement it. Halfway through lunch, Winter set down her spoon and lowered her half-eaten sandwich to her plate.

"What's wrong?" Pierre asked. "Too much curry in the chicken?"

"No, it's perfect." Pierre was a master at gauging spices.

"Then what is it?"

"I'm worried about Alix," Winter murmured.

"Women have babies every day. There's nothing to worry about."

Winter hoped that was true. "It's just...a feeling I have." She stood and walked aimlessly around the kitchen. A moment later, she'd made a decision. "I want to go to the hospital."

"Mais, ce temps--c'est pour la famille. A time like this is for family," he translated.

"I am Alix's family. She doesn't have anyone except us-- the people of Blossom Street who love her."

Pierre considered her words, then slowly nodded. "Would you like me to accompany you?"

She nodded with relief. "I was hoping you'd offer."

"For you, my love, anything."

Winter put their dirty dishes in the sink while Pierre dealt with the leftovers. She collected her purse and they headed out together.

For some reason she felt less worried when they arrived at the hospital. Perhaps that was simply because she was doing something now, even if that something was just waiting in a different place. To her surprise she discovered the waiting room was full. She recognized Larry and Susan Turner, who were sitting across from Lydia Goetz and Casey, her thirteen-year-old daughter.

"Hi, Winter." Lydia smiled when she saw her. She was a lovely woman, a two-time cancer survivor whose petite, delicate beauty belied her emotional strength. "I told Casey you wouldn't be able to stay away, either, and I was right."

"Mom's always right," Casey said teasingly.

"And don't you forget it."

Winter knew that Lydia and her husband, Brad, had adopted the girl the year before. She'd started off as a foster child and, over the summer, the family had grown to love her. The girl had become close to Alix and often stopped at the cafe to chat with her. Casey must be anxious for news of the baby's birth.

"You all know Pierre, don't you?" Winter asked, stepping over to where the Turners had gathered.

Larry stood, and Pierre shook hands with Jordan's father. "We met at the wedding," Larry said. "This is our first grandchild," he added nervously.