Seamus couldn’t think of another argument, anyway. He’d miss the kids, sure but… He wanted to go. “It’s too much.” Everyone groaned and he shook his head. “I didn’t say I wasn’t going. I’m clearly going. But it’s still too much.”
“You’re too much, brother.” Stephen pressed his wife’s shoulder to his head and caressed her temple when she closed her eyes. Seamus hoped she wasn’t too worn out from the last few days. “You give the actual shirt off your back to complete strangers, rescue damsels in distress… You have enough points in your ledger to officially apply for sainthood. But you suck at accepting gifts.”
“It’s Christmas.” Jen hopped up to sit on his lap, crushing the box while she kissed his cheek the way she used to as a child. The way Penny did now when she wanted something. “And it’s your turn to have an adventure. So just say thank you and start planning your trip.”
He laughed, but his throat was tight with suppressed emotion. He was a lucky man with a full life. Blessed with family. “Thank you. And Merry Christmas, Santa. I owe you one. Probably more than one. A vacation from all my cares sounds too good to be true.”
No cares at all? What the hell will I do with myself?
Chapter Seven
January 15th
“I’m cold.”
Stephen held her hand and blew on it. “I know baby.”
“And I’m sick of ice chips. Why can I have ice chips, but not water? Is science not a prerequisite for the medical profession?”
Her husband was smiling at her as proudly as if she’d just recited the entire Bill of Rights from memory. She wanted to hit him for being this nice and looking this good right now. His hair was slightly more mussed than usual and the Finn Club t-shirt Seamus made for him was wrinkled—a far cry from all the perfectly pressed suits in their closet. Unfortunately, it only made him look sexier. As if he’d just rolled out of bed after having great sex. Tasha had gotten a glimpse of herself in a hallway mirror when they wheeled her into her private room in the maternity ward, and she’d almost screamed. Her hair had taken on a life of its own, shaping itself to the cap she’d worn for the procedure. Birds could nest and she would never know.
“Is she up for company?” Jeremy’s voice came from behind the door where she could see a stuffed bear waving a white flag of surrender.
“No,” she snapped grumpily. “Not unless you’re my hairdresser or lasagna.” She took another look at the bear and gave in. “Or my Jeremy.”
Stephen nodded his greeting as Jeremy clapped him on the back. “The anesthesia’s worn off but they just put in a morphine drip. She’ll feel better soon.”
Tasha glared at her husband, but didn’t pull away. She liked what he was doing too much. “Will I? How do you know, Senator? Did you have your stomach split open and nearly twelve pounds of Finn scooped out today?”
Jeremy winced, but moved closer and took her other hand gently in his, carefully avoiding the tape and needles. “Stephen texted us right away but we couldn’t see you until you got into this private suite. Everyone’s in the waiting room.”
Dear Lord. “Everyone?”
“No reporters and the Baby Bump Brigade has that restraining order, so not everyone,” Jeremy teased. “But the family is here. We were too excited to wait for the news at home.”
Too worried. He didn’t say it but she knew it was true. She never wanted to put anyone through that again. It was a nightmare, having so little control of her life. Being helpless. Driving her new husband nuts with all her temper tantrums and not being able to help with most of her best friend’s wedding. “You’re still on your honeymoon.”
“Pre-honeymoon,” Jeremy corrected, a bemused smile curving his lips. “The real thing isn’t for another month and a half. Owen still has to get his passport.” He paused and bit his lip. “How are you feeling?”
Shit. She knew that look. She really did look bad. She forced herself to smile at Jeremy. “Sweetheart, I love you, you know that. But I need you to leave and get Little Finn. I think my overnight bag is still in the car. Give it to her and send her in. Stephen can you give him the keys?”
Her husband obeyed instantly, still not moving from his spot beside her as he reached for his jacket. But Jeremy hesitated. “No one cares how you look, Tasha. You just gave birth to two—”
“LF AT FOUR!” Tasha said, louder than she’d intended to. “Sorry, we don’t have a code for needing a touch up and I’m desperate. Go, Jeremy. If you love me, then make it fast.”
Call her vain, but there was no way in hell she was letting the entire Finn clan parade into her hospital room and gawk at the wildebeest she’d become. “I’m sorry, Stephen.”