Page 77 of The Christmas Eve Delivery

“I’m saying I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my life. I’ve made a lot of mistakes about Brookdale, especially wanting to tear it downso I could build something new. But you were never a mistake. The mistake was letting other people’s bad situations get inside my head until I thought that had to be what was going to happen between us.”

“But I didn’t want anything from you, Miles. I just wanted you.” She sniffled as more tears ran down her cheeks.

Each one of her tears was a stab in my heart.

“I know that now, and I need you to know that I’ll be here for you if you let me. I want to take care of you and the baby.”

“I’d like that, but…” Her face split with a wide yawn. “I’m so tired. Maybe going to bed would be a good idea. Can we continue this conversation later? I like the direction it’s going in. I really do. I don’t understand why I’m so exhausted.”

“Give me the boy,” I said as I gently took my son into my arms. “This is why you were so exhausted. Lydia, darling, you have just birthed a baby.”

“That’s right.” She sounded like she was already half asleep.

“Come on, and let’s get you both into bed.”

I helped her to her feet as best I could. I held our son carefully tucked up into one arm. He was so tiny. I could probably hold him in one hand, not that I would. He was precious, and I had to protect him.

“You’ll let me know when Evie gets back, right?”

“Of course I will.”

“Maybe you should go out and look for her.” Lydia’s words were starting to slur. She was so tired.

“I’m not going to leave you alone. I’ve left you far too many times when it was important. This time, it is important that I stay here. I’ll make sure your friend is okay. Let’s get you into bed.”

She walked very slowly. Her room was comfortably warm, and I was going to have to let Evie know that she was a genius. Keeping the bedroom clean made getting Lydia tucked into bed easy.

I made sure Lydia was comfortable in the middle of the bed and created a barricade out of pillows before I nestled our son next to her.

There was a strange buzzing sound.

“What’s that?” I asked, looking around.

“The inn phone is ringing,” Lydia said, waving her arm around. Her voice had that sing-song, half asleep quality to it.

I brushed her hair back and kissed her brow and then placed a very gentle kiss on the forehead of our sleeping boy.

“Hello,” I said, as I picked up the receiver.

“Miles,” Evie said.

“The phones are working,” I announced as if that wasn’t blatantly obvious.

“Of course, they are. That’s why I’m calling you.”

“Yeah, but they weren’t working earlier when I came to get you,” I pointed out.

“Oh, that makes perfect sense, then,” she said. “I wanted to let you know I’m not going back out in that storm tonight. That’swhy I’m calling. I should have stayed. It’s miserable out there. Will you be all right without a bassinet for the night?”

“I already have Lydia and the baby in bed with all the pillows surrounding them so they’re blocked in.”

“Keep an eye on them for me,” she said. “And Miles, if you break my friend’s heart again, I’m gonna have to come after you with blunt instruments.”

I chuckled at her threat. I had seen this woman in action. I knew that she was capable of doing anything she claimed to be able to do. I took her at her word.

“I have no plans on doing that,” I confessed.

“What are your plans?” she asked.

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