Page 58 of Broken-Hearted

It’s probably the truth.

I hurt Nathan with one thoughtless comment, and I never want to do it again, but I’m not sure that’s enough of a reason to stay.

14

When Nathan doesn’t come back to my cabin, my curiosity leads me to the house.

Nathan isn’t hard to find.

The Blackshaws stick their heads out of the kitchen, den, and living room to say hi as I enter the house. For a place I haven’t been in long, it’s surprising how fast it’s starting to feel like home.

Following my nose upstairs, I push open a closed door and smile at Nathan sitting with his back to a wall between matching white cribs. Two toddlers are snoring. Angel is cuddling a stuffed white unicorn, and Patrick is flat on his back with his thumb in his mouth.

And Nathan?

He has an open book about farmyard animals resting on his belly, his head tilted back, eyes closed, and he’s snoring even louder than the kids are.

He is utterly adorable.

Still smiling, I turn to leave.

“Clara?”

I twist around. He’s blinking bleary eyes open as he sets the book aside and lifts his arm. “There’s space for two.”

“Nathan…”

“Just for a bit.”

I briefly hesitate before I cross over to join him on the floor. I couldn’t tell you why I do it until he wraps his arm around my shoulder and tucks me against his side. The second he does, I know exactly why I joined him on the floor. It’s starting to feel like the only place I want to be.

“I meant to come back.” His voice is husky with sleep. “Between all the driving to Dawley and mooing the toddlers to sleep, I must have been more tired than I thought.”

And me. I’m to blame for his tiredness as well. We’ve barely gotten much sleep lately.

“It’s okay.” I smile. “Savannah said you were the best at getting Angel down for her nap.”

Nathan looks from Angel to Patrick and drops a kiss on the top of my head. “Guess so.”

I relax as the soft snores of the sleeping toddlers lulls me into an unexpected nap. It’s only when I hear muffled voices from the door that I realize I fell asleep.

I blink my eyes open.

Nathan is talking quietly to Talis and Dayne, who are standing just inside the bedroom. I feel more tired than rested, so I can’t have been asleep for long.

“Sorry for waking you,” Talis apologizes when I lift my cheek from Nathan’s chest. “And sorry our little ones ruined your date.”

“My date?” I rub the sleep from my eyes as Dayne points his chin at Nathan.

“Nate was filling us in.” His smile is wry. “He said he had plans which I ruined. Sorry about that.”

My eyes widen in surprise. “You’resorry.”

He nods. “Nate works wonders at getting them to sleep. Angel in particular. We probably take advantage more than we should.”

“I like the kiddos.” Nathan gets to his feet and snags my hand, pulling me to mine. “Always happy to help. But now I gotta go.”

“Where?” I frown as he leads me from the room and out onto the back porch. Laughter and muffled conversation drift from the kitchen and the den as we leave. I must have slept for longer than I thought, because it’s fully dark now.

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