Starting Now (Blossom Street #9)(86)

The two couples went out for a glass of wine following the banquet. They chatted amicably for more than an hour, exchanging stories before Phillip struggled to hide a yawn.

“I’m not as young as I used to be,” he complained.

“Tell me about it,” Roy added.

“Is it past your bedtime?” Robin teased.

The two seemed to be getting along famously, Libby noted. For that matter, all was going well between her and Phillip, too. They parted ways in the hotel lobby and Phillip offered to drop Libby off at her condo rather than have the doorman call for a taxi.

She hesitated and then admitted, “Once I change clothes, I was thinking I’d stop by the hospital for a few minutes.”

“It’s late,” Phillip protested. “Can’t it wait till the morning?”

“I suppose, but I wanted to kiss Amy Jo good night and tell her what a wonderful evening I had with friends.”

“Friends?” Phillip asked, arching his brow. “Friends? Is that all I am to you?”

Libby grinned. “Oh, honestly, you make friend sound like a four-letter word.” The truth was, she feared suggesting anything more until Phillip claimed otherwise.

“I was hoping to be more than a friend,” he said.

“Actually, I was thinking earlier we could enhance our friendship,” she offered.

“Friends and lovers?” he asked. He cocked his eyebrows with the question, his gaze holding hers.

She smiled up at him. “Definitely. When the time is right.”

He looked disappointed and didn’t say anything for a moment. “Sounds fair. Let me see you up to your condo.”

“Okay.” She’d already told him she intended on visiting the hospital, but that could wait a few minutes, she decided. “Sure. Come on up.” She hoped she sounded casual.

He parked outside the building and helped her out of the car. He stood behind her, hands rubbing the curvature of her neck as they rode up the elevator to her condo. Neither spoke.

Once inside, Phillip didn’t wait for her to turn on the lights before he turned her in his arms and kissed her. This was hardly the first time they’d kissed, but she’d always felt restraint on Phillip’s part … until now. Libby’s knees nearly collapsed as his mouth devoured hers again and again.

She sucked in a deep, calming breath when she could and pressed her hand to her chest. “Wow.”

“Wow,” he repeated, pressing his forehead against hers as he stroked her arms.

“Okay, Phillip, I’m going to need a bit of direction here.”

“How’s that?”

“Exactly where are we in this relationship?”

She felt the cool touch of his lips against her cheek.

“I’m falling in love with you, Libby.”

She smiled and wrapped her arms around his trim waist. “Really? Just remember I come as a package deal.”

“I can handle that.”

She kissed the underside of his jaw. They each came with the wounds of old relationships, and while it was frightening to think of becoming vulnerable again, she was willing and he seemed to be, too. She accepted that medicine would always be important to him and he realized she loved the law. They would help each other maintain a healthy balance between work and home.

His hands continued to stroke her arms and then he kissed her again, and again, before reluctantly breaking it off. “When the time is right?” he repeated. “And that isn’t now?”

She pressed her forehead against his chest and sighed deeply. “Not tonight.”

He kissed the top of her head. “Okay. I should go.”

The temptation to keep him with her was strong. Libby forced herself to retreat a step.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Phillip whispered and bounced his lips against her brow.

“Okay.”

Phillip left. After changing into jeans and a sweater, Libby grabbed her car keys. She was headed to the hospital to visit her daughter. Even now, thinking those words took some mental adjustment.

Little Amy Jo had been doing well, and while keeping her at the hospital was a necessary precaution, Libby longed for the day she would be able to bring her daughter home.

Humming softly to herself, Libby walked into the nearly deserted hospital. Amy Jo had been moved out of NICU and into the regular nursery. As she walked into the lobby, Libby saw a tall, lanky young man pacing the waiting room, hands stuffed in his pockets, clearly agitated.

Peter Armstrong.

Libby recognized Ava’s neighbor right away. While in labor, Ava had confirmed Libby’s suspicions regarding the baby’s father. Libby had explained that the state would require his signature before they could proceed with the adoption. Ava had seemed surprised that Libby had guessed correctly.

“Hello, Peter,” she whispered.

He turned abruptly. “They won’t let me see her. I’d like to at least look at her.”

“She’s beautiful,” Libby whispered. “Let me see what I can do.”

Libby found a staff member she knew and explained the situation so that Peter would be allowed in the nursery area.

“I didn’t know Ava was pregnant,” he said as they rode the elevator up together.

That didn’t shock Libby, seeing as how Ava hadn’t known herself until she was eight months along.