was Logan.”
SIX
“Logan?” All the excitement rushed out of Victoria. If the midwife’s last name had been Logan, wouldn’t Joshua have known her? He was a Logan who grew up in the mountains. He seemed to know a great deal about the different families in the mountains, almost as if someone had taught him local history and folklore. He ought to have known a midwife named Logan, but Victoria couldn’t think of any reason Joshua would lie.
Knowing that the memories of eight-year-olds weren’t always reliable, Victoria asked, “Are you absolutely sure?”
“I think … so.” Naomi frowned as if afraid to guarantee her recollection now that she thought about it seriously. “I’m almost positive anyway. But I could ask Ma if you want. She’d remember for sure. She might even remember where the woman lived.”
Excited again, Victoria touched the other woman’s elbow. “Would you mind?”
Naomi shook her head. “No. I’ll call Ma tomorrow when we get back from Sunday meetin’. I’d be proud to help. I appreciate what you done for me.”
“I haven’t done anything yet,” Victoria disagreed.
“You’re helpin’ us get that insurance.”
“All I did was mention that your husband qualified for the COBRA insurance continuation when his company laid him off. His company should have told him about it to start with.”
“Don’t much matter how it happened, Victoria. All I know is that I can sleep at night ’cause I’m not fretted about my baby no more. Or how I’m going to get a doctor without having the money to pay for the birthin’ till the insurance gets straightened out.”
“You pay what you can. Everything else will work itself out.” Victoria smiled, thinking about the dance with Joshua a few minutes earlier. “It usually does whether you want it to or not.”
Naomi smiled back and said her good-byes with a promise to call as soon as she had more information about the granny-midwife. When Naomi turned away, Joshua appeared at her side, looking at the pregnant woman with a glimmer of recognition in his eyes.
“Wasn’t she your first house call?”
“Yeah. That was Naomi. She’s going to research that midwife I’m trying to find. Her mother knows—” Victoria broke off as he gave her a mock bow and held out her shoes.
“My prince,” Victoria teased, and took the pumps as he steered her toward the lobby.
“Let’s hope you still feel that way when you really get to know me.”
Or when you find out that your midwife is my grandmother, and that I won’t allow anyone to put her under a microscope the way I was.
She patted his arm and followed him off the dance floor. “I learned a long time ago that real princes exist only in fairy tales.” Standing in the foyer, Victoria braced a hand against his shoulder and lifted each foot to slip on her shoes. “The last time I looked, my life was not a fairy tale, so I promise not to be disappointed when you turn back into a frog.”
“And I promise not to turn into a frog too quickly.” Joshua pulled her out into the night, which had cooled enough for Victoria to rub her arms. As if he’d been doing it for years, Joshua slipped his arm around her and settled her next to his body. “I’ve got a light jacket in the seat of the bike. But until we get there, I guess you’ll have to rely on me.”
“What a concept,” she quipped. “Having someone to rely on. Do you suppose it’s possible?”
“You’ll never know unless you try,” he warned her.
Victoria’s hand slid around his waist of its own volition, and they walked entwined to the motorcycle. Verbal conversation ceased, but their bodies began to talk. Their hips bumped and rubbed lightly against each other as they made their way down the steps.
Victoria couldn’t recall feeling so safe and warm. His presence enveloped her, made her aware of the height and breadth of the man. Of the heat of hisbody. Of the possibility that the night would end in intimacy.
She
SIX
“Logan?” All the excitement rushed out of Victoria. If the midwife’s last name had been Logan, wouldn’t Joshua have known her? He was a Logan who grew up in the mountains. He seemed to know a great deal about the different families in the mountains, almost as if someone had taught him local history and folklore. He ought to have known a midwife named Logan, but Victoria couldn’t think of any reason Joshua would lie.
Knowing that the memories of eight-year-olds weren’t always reliable, Victoria asked, “Are you absolutely sure?”
“I think … so.” Naomi frowned as if afraid to guarantee her recollection now that she thought about it seriously. “I’m almost positive anyway. But I could ask Ma if you want. She’d remember for sure. She might even remember where the woman lived.”
Excited again, Victoria touched the other woman’s elbow. “Would you mind?”
Naomi shook her head. “No. I’ll call Ma tomorrow when we get back from Sunday meetin’. I’d be proud to help. I appreciate what you done for me.”
“I haven’t done anything yet,” Victoria disagreed.
“You’re helpin’ us get that insurance.”
“All I did was mention that your husband qualified for the COBRA insurance continuation when his company laid him off. His company should have told him about it to start with.”
“Don’t much matter how it happened, Victoria. All I know is that I can sleep at night ’cause I’m not fretted about my baby no more. Or how I’m going to get a doctor without having the money to pay for the birthin’ till the insurance gets straightened out.”
“You pay what you can. Everything else will work itself out.” Victoria smiled, thinking about the dance with Joshua a few minutes earlier. “It usually does whether you want it to or not.”
Naomi smiled back and said her good-byes with a promise to call as soon as she had more information about the granny-midwife. When Naomi turned away, Joshua appeared at her side, looking at the pregnant woman with a glimmer of recognition in his eyes.
“Wasn’t she your first house call?”
“Yeah. That was Naomi. She’s going to research that midwife I’m trying to find. Her mother knows—” Victoria broke off as he gave her a mock bow and held out her shoes.
“My prince,” Victoria teased, and took the pumps as he steered her toward the lobby.
“Let’s hope you still feel that way when you really get to know me.”
Or when you find out that your midwife is my grandmother, and that I won’t allow anyone to put her under a microscope the way I was.
She patted his arm and followed him off the dance floor. “I learned a long time ago that real princes exist only in fairy tales.” Standing in the foyer, Victoria braced a hand against his shoulder and lifted each foot to slip on her shoes. “The last time I looked, my life was not a fairy tale, so I promise not to be disappointed when you turn back into a frog.”
“And I promise not to turn into a frog too quickly.” Joshua pulled her out into the night, which had cooled enough for Victoria to rub her arms. As if he’d been doing it for years, Joshua slipped his arm around her and settled her next to his body. “I’ve got a light jacket in the seat of the bike. But until we get there, I guess you’ll have to rely on me.”
“What a concept,” she quipped. “Having someone to rely on. Do you suppose it’s possible?”
“You’ll never know unless you try,” he warned her.
Victoria’s hand slid around his waist of its own volition, and they walked entwined to the motorcycle. Verbal conversation ceased, but their bodies began to talk. Their hips bumped and rubbed lightly against each other as they made their way down the steps.
Victoria couldn’t recall feeling so safe and warm. His presence enveloped her, made her aware of the height and breadth of the man. Of the heat of hisbody. Of the possibility that the night would end in intimacy.
She
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