Page 91 of Cold as Stone
She hesitates, glancing at Stone, then makes her way over. “Thanks. Hospitals aren’t exactly my favorite place.”
“Nobody’s favorite place,” Stone says, and there’s something gentle in his tone that makes me look at him more closely.
“True.” Josie settles into the chair next to mine, and I catch a whiff of her perfume—something expensive and sophisticated. “How long have you all been here?”
“Since about ten last night,” Bones answers, finally stopping his pacing long enough to join the conversation. “Axel called when Poppy’s water broke, and here we are.”
“It’s sweet,” Josie says. “The way you all show up for each other.”
“That’s what family does,” Duck says from his corner. “Show up.”
Something flickers across Josie’s face—longing, maybe, or wistfulness. I wonder about her story, about what brought her to Stoneheart and whether she has family of her own somewhere.
Hawk’s phone buzzes loudly. He answers it immediately, his expression intense as he listens.
“Yeah… okay… we’ll be right there.”
He hangs up, and the entire waiting room goes silent.
“Well?” Bones demands.
Hawk’s typically stoic expression cracks into a rare smile. “It’s a girl. Eight pounds, two ounces. Both mom and baby are healthy.”
The cheer that goes up is loud enough to wake half the hospital. Maggie starts crying happy tears, Duck actually cracks a smile, and Bones looks like he might pass out from relief.
“Can we see them?” Mercy asks.
“Give them a few minutes to get settled, then family can go in. Two at a time.”
“I should go,” Josie says, standing. “This is family time.”
“You’re family,” Stone says firmly, catching her wrist as she moves to leave. “Stay.”
The touch is brief—just his fingers around her wrist—but the effect is immediate. Josie goes completely still, her breath catching audibly. When Stone realizes what he’s done, he releases her quickly, but the damage is done. Whatever careful distance they’ve been maintaining just evaporated.
“I—” Josie starts.
“Please. Stay.”
She nods mutely and sits back down, but I notice she chooses a different chair—one that’s not quite so close to Stone.
The next hour passes in a blur of excitement. Axel emerges looking shell-shocked and blissful, showing off pictures on his phone of the tiniest, most perfect baby I’ve ever seen. When it’s finally Lee’s and my turn to meet the newest member of the Stoneheart family, I’m not prepared for the emotional sucker punch that hits me.
Poppy looks radiant despite her exhaustion, cradling a bundle of pink blankets like she’s holding the most precious thing in the world. Because she is.
“Meet Rose,” she says softly, angling the baby so we can see her face.
She’s perfect. Absolutely, completely perfect, with a tiny button nose and the softest wisps of dark hair. When she opens her eyes, they’re the same piercing blue as her father’s.
“She’s beautiful,” I whisper, afraid to speak too loudly and disturb her.
“Want to hold her?” Poppy asks.
My heart stops. “I—are you sure?”
“Of course.”
With infinite care, I take the baby from her mother’s arms. Rose is so small, so delicate, but she settles against me like she belongs there. When she wraps her tiny fingers around mine, something shifts inside my chest, a longing so sharp and unexpected it takes my breath away.
