Page 27 of Holiday Haven

“I understand.” He frowned and turned off the car. “I'll walk you up to the door.”

An awkward silence fell between them as he accompanied her to the door. She toyed with the idea of asking him in but felt certain he'd refuse as they both had to work the next day.

At the door, he leaned down and brushed his mouth against hers in a light, friendly kiss. She fought the urge to throw herself into his arms. “Goodnight, Krista.”

“Goodnight. Thanks for the lovely dinner.” Forcing herself to turn away, she unlocked the door and headed inside.

Sleep didn't come easily. She kept thinking that somehow, even though Adam had been kind enough to invite her to meet his family, they were right back on friendship only terms. As if that heated kiss they'd shared at the hospital had never happened.

Other than that brief moment when he'd seemed jealous of Austin’s harmless flirting, Adam had treated her as a lonely waif his family needed to adopt rather than a woman he was attracted to.

* * *

On Monday Kristareturned to work, dismayed to discover Joy had taken a turn for the worse. “She's been throwing up for the past couple of hours,” Sally informed her during report. “I'm afraid she's come down with the flu.”

“We've had more than a few flu patients admitted recently,” Krista agreed. “I guess we shouldn't be surprised.”

“Dr. Monroe entered an order to start an IV. Do you have time to put it in?” Sally shot a harried glance toward the nurses station.” I still need to give report to Helen, too. Jamie Raasch, my other patient, has also spiked a fever and we need to get blood cultures on her.”

“No problem.” Krista gathered the supplies she'd need and headed into Joy's room. The baby was staring up at the mobile Krista had strung up for her. Joy seemed listless, compared to how well she'd been doing the last time she'd worked.

“Oh, sweetheart,” she murmured, picking the baby up and cradling her against her shoulder. “You’ll feel better soon, I promise.”

She carried Joy to the procedure table and strapped her in. The baby's pathetic cries stabbed her heart and she did her best to ignore the sound as she looked for the best vein to use as a site for the IV.

When she found a decent scalp vein, she prepped the skin with antiseptic solution and then used topical lidocaine on the area so the needle poke wouldn’t hurt. She waited for the medication to kick in, then picked up the tiny catheter. Her stomach tightened painfully and her fingers shook as she held the bevel of the needle over the baby's translucent skin.

For a long moment she stared down at Joy, feeling sick to her stomach as a thin bead of sweat trickled down her back.

She couldn't do it.

Despite how she'd used the numbing medicine to prevent the needle stick from hurting too badly, she couldn't do it. Using one hand to slip the cap back over the needle to keep it sterile, she took a step back, watching Joy as she cried from her position on the procedure table. Dear Lord have mercy, what was wrong with her? She'd started numerous IVs in babies—why was this suddenly so different?

She took a deep breath and let it out in a whoosh. Joy needed IV fluids; she could already see the early signs of dehydration. Babies didn't have a lot of body weight, so they were prone to becoming dehydrated much faster than adults. Stealing her resolve, she stepped up to the procedure table again, trying to look at Joy as another patient rather than the baby girl she'd fallen in love with.

“Krista?” Adam's voice startled her. She swung around to find him standing in the doorway. His expression held concern. “Are you okay?”

How long had he been there? Guilt intermixed with embarrassment washed over her. “I just—can't seem to get this IV started.”

“Would you like me to do it?” He stepped further into the room.

“Yes.” She was being a complete coward, but it couldn't be helped. She waited until he donned a pair of gloves before carefully handing him the catheter. “I appreciate it.”

She could hardly watch, biting her lip as the needle pierced Joy’s skin. Once Adam had the needle secure, she held up the end of the IV tubing so he could connect it to the catheter, relieved the procedure was over.

“Thanks.”

“Sure.” He stepped back and allowed her to remove the baby from the procedure table. “You looked pale for a few minutes there. I hope you’re not coming down with the flu, too.”

“No, I don't feel sick.” At least not anymore, now that the IV was safely in. She held Joy against her chest, an overwhelming feeling of love and caring sweeping over her.

She needed to transfer Joy’s care to another nurse. There was no reason she shouldn't have been able to place the IV, other than her inability to see Joy as a patient. She glanced at Adam, hoping he hadn't noticed the truth about her hesitation. “From what Sally told me in report, she's thrown up twice.”

Adam nodded. “I stopped here to check on her and the rest of my patients here at the hospital before heading to the clinic. The IV fluids should help. If anything changes give me a call.”

“I will.” She waited until he had left, before sitting down in the rocker, stealing a few minutes to cuddle Joy close. The baby smelled sweet, and quickly relaxed against her. The thought of handing Joy to some stranger ripped a hole in her heart.

What if her application to become a foster parent was denied? She wanted the baby to be loved and cared for, especially with her hearing loss. What if some inexperienced foster mother didn’t understand how to take care of her?

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