A Baby in His Stocking by Laura marie Altom

see my folks.”
    â€œI told you I would’ve gone.” Daisy rounded the room picking up baby bibs and toys and blankets.
    â€œAnd I told you,” Luke said, “there was no use ingetting you riled up when you were having a nice day with your family.”
    â€œIs your mother ever going to forgive me?” Daisy dabbed a tissue at the corners of her eyes.
    Luke went to her, circling her with his strong arms. “Last I recall, you married me and not my mom.”
    â€œThank God,” she said into his chest.
    Struggling past a pang of jealousy for the deep connection Daisy and Luke shared, Natalie felt for Daisy. Yes, Daisy had done a terrible thing in keeping Kolt from his father for the first ten years of his life, but she’d had good reason. Luke had long since forgiven her. Why couldn’t his mom?
    When Natalie became a mother, she’d already picked up tips on what kind of parent she didn’t want to be, but what would she stand for? She had no clue how to handle day-to-day feeding and diapering logistics, let alone the kinds of problems looming ahead of her when her baby started talking and walking and going to school. How much easier would her pregnancy be knowing her parents stood firmly in her corner?
    â€œI’ve got a great idea.” Josie’s smile was supersized and suspicious. “How about we lighten the mood with a game? Trivial Pursuit? Pictionary? Charades?”
    All present save for Dallas moaned.
    â€œCount me out,” Wyatt said.
    â€œI should check the horses.” Cash was already on his feet.
    â€œIf we play charades, I’m in,” Daisy said, “but only if I’m paired with you, Josie. Dallas and Luke cheat.”
    Dallas waved off his sister’s concern. “You’re the cheater. Come on, Luke, let’s show your wife how it’s done.”
    â€œYay!” Josie clapped. “I’ll be right back with scratch paper, a basket and a couple of pens.”
    â€œWanna be on my team?” Wren asked Cash. In her third year of residency, to save precious time and effort, she’d cut her long dark hair into an adorable pixie style. Judging by the heated looks and stolen kisses her husband had given her all day, he approved.
    â€œGuess that leaves us.” Wyatt crammed alongside Natalie on the love seat. Every brush of their forearms or thighs flip-flopped her stomach. Had to be hormones causing such havoc, because it certainly wasn’t common sense. Not only was Wyatt soon to embark on a seriously long trek, even if he weren’t, he would never be the right sort of guy for her and her baby. If Natalie ever dated again—which was a very big if— she’d look for the most committed man around. The kind of salt-of-the-earth guy who was so emotionally invested in living the rest of his life with her and her baby that he’d never even consider time spent without them.
    â€œNat, pick,” Josie prodded, waving the basket with the movies they had to act out in front of her. They were playing by Buckhorn house rules, which meant the team who first guesses the film title they were acting out won the point.
    â€œSorry,” Natalie said with a shake of her foggy head. She removed a folded card and by necessity, leaned closer to Wyatt to let him see Raging Bull.
    â€œHere’s how I think we should do this,” he whispered in her ear. His breath was moist and hot and flavored with the sweet hint of pumpkin pie. Forearms covered in goose bumps, Natalie forced herself to focus. “I’m going to play a bull, charging at you. ButI’ll be angry. You act scared, like you’re trying to get out of the way. Make sense?”
    â€œUh-huh.” How was it possible for a man to smell so good? Especially one she no longer even especially liked!
    He stood first, offering her his hand to help her to her feet. As was starting to be the norm, electricity sizzled between them. A bad