Page 42 of In Colton's Custody (Coltons of Mustang Valley)

“But your personal

safety is only part of it. The business you’ve worked so hard to build could be jeopardized, as well. Don’t you want to protect that?”

When she didn’t respond immediately, he suspected he’d gotten through to her.

He opened the nursery door, flipped on the light and stepped inside. The two infants lay sleeping peacefully in side-by-side cribs, one high off the floor, the portable squeezed in next to it. He couldn’t help pausing to watch them, these sweet, innocent babies who knew nothing of how they’d either had their lives dramatically changed by someone’s mistake or they’d been used as pawns in a cruel game.

“It’s a shame to wake her,” Willow said from behind him.

“I can’t just leave her here.”

“Have you thought this through? Were you planning to take her to the hospital? Have you brought her there before?”

“Yes, I’ve thought about it.” Well, not technically. “And, no, I haven’t brought her before. I haven’t had to.”

All the other times he’d visited his dad in the past four months, there’d been someone at the house who could watch Harper. This time was different, since he’d been too worried to leave her on the ranch when he’d left.

“It should be fine, anyway. Kids are allowed to visit direct relatives.”

Willow shot a look his way, reminding him that they still weren’t sure whether Harper was related to any of the Coltons, but at least she didn’t say it out loud.

“You’re right about that, but Harper’s under a year old,” she said.

“What’s that mean?”

“A baby under twelve months old doesn’t have a fully developed immune system. Some patients there are very sick. Harper could pick up an infection from one of them, or, if she’s coming down with a cold, she could infect one of them.”

“Why do you have to know so much about babies?”

Willow leaned over the end of Luna’s crib since the room was too packed for her to slip in beside it and brushed back her daughter’s sweaty hair.

“Same reason you know about livestock and farm machinery. It’s my job. My degree is in early childhood development, too.”

“Well, what do you want me to do? I can’t take advantage of you by asking you to stay here with my daughter this late at night. I haven’t even brought her to the center one time, and I’m already breaking the rules.”

“You’re not asking for anything. And that’s not what I’m suggesting, either.” She held up her index finger. “Give me a second.”

Willow pulled her phone from her back pocket and typed out a text, her thumbs flicking over the keys as fast as any teenager he’d seen. She’d only returned it to her pocket when it buzzed, so she took it out again and glanced at the screen.

“Good. Candace said she can be here in two minutes.”

“Who’s Candace?”

“My best employee and dearest friend. She lives right down the street and is headed over to help out.”

“It takes both of you to watch two sleeping babies?”

She chuckled at that. “You need to get to the hospital, and we should discuss our daughters’ safety. Sooner rather than later.”

He drew his brows together. “What are you saying?”

“That I’m going with you.”

* * *

Why had she thought this would be a good idea? Willow stood outside the door as Asher pushed it open and stepped inside. Across the room, she caught sight of a woman sitting in a guest chair at the foot of a hospital bed.

Payne Colton’s bed.

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