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  “Eight,” he agreed with a slight smile.

  “Last one, Claudia, this is it, we’re going to bring her shoulders out now. Control it,” the paramedic said as Claudia prepared to push her daughter the rest of the way out of her body.

  Though he had figured she’d want to watch, Claudia instead turned to look at Chase, focusing on his face. Their stares locked, her eyes unblinking, swimming with emotion. “Thank you,” she whispered.

  “You’re welcome.”

  For the tiniest instant, he felt a surreal sense that this was right, that it had been fated for this woman to be giving birth to her child with only him—a complete stranger—by her side. As if fate had pushed him up to that cemetery in time to find her, and ensured that he would bring her here to his home where she would be safe and warm and cared for.

  “Here she is,” the paramedic chortled as she held up the blood-smeared newborn.

  Their attention turned to the baby, and he knew Claudia was holding her breath, waiting for a cry. It came a few seconds later, which was when Chase realized he’d been holding his breath, too.

  Claudia reached out her hands. “Please, let me have her.”

  “One more second,” the paramedic replied. “I have to cut the cord. I’m going to lie her right here on your belly, Mom. Dad, put your hand on baby’s back so she won’t slip.”

  Chase watched as the woman gently placed the baby on Claudia’s bare stomach. The infant's shrill cries quieted against the warmth of her mother's skin. As if in a dream he saw his own hand move slowly toward her. Chase brushed the tips of his fingers with infinite gentleness over the baby's still bloody shoulder, marveling at the soft, slightly waxy feel of her flesh and the tenderness he felt for this absolute stranger...and her mother.

  Claudia’s fingers moved next to his, and he watched her tremble as she stroked small circles on her daughter. Chase kept his hand by hers, telling himself it was to be sure the baby didn’t slip off. In reality, he knew he couldn’t have pulled away from the infant if his life depended on it. This new life was utterly miraculous, and he simply wanted to touch her, to experience the miracle.

  Where moments before there had been agony and suffering, there was now relief and overwhelming joy. He felt tears prick the corners of his eyes as he watched Claudia gently caress her baby’s back, and was suddenly overwhelmed with the power of what he had just witnessed.

  A new person had entered the world. And he’d helped her arrive.

  He somehow knew that his life was never going to be the same.

  CHAPTER THREE

  Nine Months Later

  “Claude, she’s gorgeous.”

  Claudia laughed at Melanie Shumacher’s exuberance. Handing over the squirming baby in her arms, she watched as her oldest, closest friend kissed Sarah's pudgy cheeks.

  “She’s a handful, that’s for sure,” Claudia replied as Melanie led her into the house. Following her friend into her living room, Claudia dropped the diaper bag onto the scarred old coffee table. She smiled as she glanced around, noting the ancient green leather sectional from the apartment they’d shared back in their college days. They’d flipped a coin for it after graduation, and the winner, Melanie, joked that she was really the loser because Claudia and Joe had bought a new sofa.

  Though her friend might complain about it, Claudia was glad Melanie and Ryan still had the old furniture from their apartment in Milltown. She’d almost felt out of place walking up the front steps to the door of this sweet little bungalow in the country.

  “I love the house. It’s just like you described. Hansel and Gretel meet the modern age.”

  “Thanks,” Melanie said as she extricated her hair from the soggy grip of the nine-month-old on her lap. “And remember, we’ve got three bedrooms...plenty of room for you and my little god-daughter to crash if things go right.”

  Claudia crossed her fingers and said, “Here’s hoping. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you letting me know about this job.”

  “What are friends for? You’d do the same for me in a minute.”

  Claudia blinked rapidly as she felt tears rise in her eyes. She couldn’t believe how much she’d missed Melanie and Ryan in the year and a half since she’d moved to Philadelphia. It seemed like such a simple thing, having friends. She never knew how much she needed them until she was alone in a big city where she knew no one.

  “So, what time’s your interview?” Melanie asked as she sat down and started bouncing the baby in her lap.

  “Two-thirty. They wanted to make it this morning, but I didn’t want to drive up last night after work. I don’t like driving after dark with the baby.”

  Melanie didn’t respond. Claudia saw the sympathy cloud her friend's eyes.

  “I’m all right,” she said, knowing what her friend was silently asking.

  “Has there been any word? Did they ever catch the driver?”

  Claudia shook her head once and glanced around the room searching for another topic of conversation. Just then, her eyes fell on the mantle where a framed picture stood proudly in the center.

  “I remember that day,” Claudia said with a smile. “Ryan and Joe were so proud of that puny string of fish they caught.”

  “And expected us to clean them,” Melanie replied with a little laugh.

  “And then you came out carrying a tray of frozen fish sticks...I thought Ryan was going to dump it on your head.”

  As the two dissolved into giggles, a comforting warmth settled deep inside Claudia. She glanced back toward the picture, waiting for the rush of sorrow to grip her as she looked into the smiling faces of Melanie and Ryan, and herself...and Joe. But it didn’t come. Instead there was just a tender glow while happy memories danced in her mind.

  “So, anything special I need to do for Miss Sarah here while Mommy’s off wowing them at her job interview?” Melanie asked as she bounced the baby on her knee.

  “Bottles are in the diaper bag, and her porta-crib is in the car. I’ll get it out before I leave,” Claudia said. “She should sleep for you, at least for an hour or so. She’s such an angel. Mrs. Nunez says she’s the best-tempered baby she’s ever seen.”

  “She seemed like a great babysitter. It’s lucky you found her.”

  "I know," Claudia said with a nod. "She'll be heartbroken if we leave Philadelphia."

  Melanie grinned, "But I'll be utterly thrilled."

  "Me too," Claudia admitted.

  “Well, you’d better get going. You have the directions to Paxton’s office?”

  Claudia nodded. “I have to thank you again....”

  “Save it,” Melanie interrupted. “If you get the job, you can thank Ryan. He’s the one who heard about it at work. He really likes working for this company, even though he’s only been there for two months. I don’t think he’d have told you about it otherwise. Though, of course, he wants you and Sarah to move back here as much as I do.”

  “Say a prayer for me,” Claudia said as she gave Melanie a quick hug.

  Melanie, carrying the baby, walked her to the door. Claudia gave Sarah a kiss on one pudgy cheek, and then gently squeezed her little hand.

  “You be a good girl for Aunt Melanie, okay, baby?”

  “We’ll be just fine,” Melanie assured her. “Now go...knock ‘em dead.”

  An hour and a half later, Claudia sat in the lobby area of a two story office building in downtown Shelbyville. Downtown...that was a generous word, she supposed. Shelbyville was a country village, with a Main Street and a Market Street and not much else. There was a general store with a post office counter, a fire house, a few small antique shops for those Sunday "drive in the country" visitors, and a town hall. This building was brand new, and Claudia was pleased to note it had been built in mellowed brick to blend with the quaintness of the little town. She’d been surprised to hear that any company would build its headquarters here, when Milltown was only twenty minutes away, but Ryan and Melanie had told her the company did work all over the state
, and the owner wanted the headquarters near his home.

  Claudia sat quietly, watching a receptionist answer phones and sort files. Casting another surreptitious look at her watch, she noted that it was already nearly three o’clock. She’d been kept waiting for a half-hour past her interview time. This did not bode well.

  “I’m really sorry, Mrs. Warren. Mr. Paxton is generally very prompt...it’s just that he’s meeting with one of the city architects. We’re having a major problem with the new Courts building we’re working on.”

  “It’s all right,” Claudia assured her.

  The receptionist smiled weakly then returned her attention to her pile of correspondence. Claudia glanced at her watch again, then saw the office door open and a flushed, harried-looking man rush out.

  “Ah, the meeting must have broken up,” the receptionist said.

  The man hurried toward the door of the building, not even glancing at the two women in the lobby. Claudia assumed he was not the owner of Paxton Construction. A few seconds later, an intercom on the receptionist’s desk buzzed.

  “That was Mr. Paxton. You can go right in,” she said to Claudia. “Good luck.”

  Claudia smiled back at her, thankful for the other woman’s typical small-town kindness. Standing, she smoothed the skirt of her cream colored suit, took a deep breath and picked up her leather attaché. She glanced at the receptionist, who gestured toward a rear office door, and then made her way toward it.

  Claudia pushed open the door to find a small, empty office with what appeared to be an administrative assistant’s desk. Next to the desk was a set of heavy double oak doors with a "private" sign. Claudia paused, unsure how to proceed. Should she wait here in the outer office until the assistant came back? Then again, the receptionist had told her to go right in. Still uncertain, Claudia walked to the heavy doors and knocked lightly.

  “Come in,” a voice called out from inside.

  Squaring her shoulders, Claudia entered the inner office. The only occupant of the room sat in a swivel chair behind a desk, his back to her. He was speaking on the telephone, looking out a large arched window that covered one wall. All she could see was his dark brown hair and broad shoulders, clad in a crisp white dress shirt, and the one arm holding up the receiver. His shirt sleeves were rolled to his elbow, exposing a tanned, muscled forearm. This was no pale, MBA business owner. This man had obviously worked on a few construction sites himself.

  Claudia took a moment to glance around the office. His massive cherry desk was immaculately clean with only a notepad, an expensive gold pen, a rolled up blueprint and an out-of-place, junky paperweight shaped like the Washington Monument. Large framed photographs hung on three walls, depicting various completed buildings which she imagined had been built by Paxton Construction. Claudia recognized two of the larger office buildings; she’d seen them in Milltown, and knew they were major projects that had boosted the city’s economy greatly.

  “I really don’t like that word, Kincaid. You know I hate to hear the word ‘can’t’. Now, until you can think of another word to describe what we can do about getting that shipment in on time, don’t bother to call me again.”

  Claudia watched as Mr. Paxton shook his head in irritation, wondering why she suddenly was struck with a strong feeling of recognition. His voice, strong, and abrupt, tickled her memory. She placed it just as he turned in his chair to face her.

  “Galahad…,” she said as she recognized the man she’d met in a cold and lonely graveyard nine months before. Her jaw unhinged and shock washed over her.

  “Clod,” he mumbled as he studied her from head to toe.

  Chase shook his head slowly. He could not believe Claudia was standing here, in his office. He had tried to find her, after that night when the howling ambulance had driven her out of his driveway, but hadn’t been able to track her down. He’d pretty much given up on finding out what ever happened to the woman whose baby he had helped deliver.

  “I can’t believe it’s you,” Claudia stammered. “I mean, I knew you lived near here. In fact, I was hoping that if I came back I’d be able to track you down...to thank you.”

  “What the hell happened to you?” Chase asked, his tone harsh.

  Claudia took a slight step back. “What do you mean?”

  “I mean, you disappeared off the face of the earth. I went to the hospital to check on you and they said you’d stayed one night and then left. And they wouldn’t tell me another damned thing. I began to think I imagined it all. Only the mess in my bedroom convinced me it was real.”

  “I’m sorry,” she mumbled, “I really wanted to contact you, but I never found out your last name. And I haven’t been back here since then.”

  Chase saw her pale hands shake a bit, and realized he was being abrasive. “I was just worried about you, that’s all,” Chase said, trying to gentle his tone. “It’s not every day you help deliver a stranger’s baby.”

  Claudia didn’t respond for a moment. Chase knew her thoughts had returned to those frantic hours last October. He could hardly believe this was the same woman he’d met that night.

  She was tall. In his memories, he had somehow lopped a few inches off her height, perhaps because she’d seemed so tiny to him, with her delicate features and slim hands and arms. Her hair was the same stunning blend of colors—brown, red, gold, all mixed together. There was no huge belly sticking out in front of her, and her light colored suit and peach blouse hugged her slim body. The eyes, though...there was no mistaking those deep green eyes. Chase didn’t even want to begin to remember how her pain-filled eyes had haunted him for so many months.

  “I live in Philadelphia,” Claudia explained softly. “The hospital in Milltown wasn’t on my insurance plan. So I checked out as soon as the doctor said it was all right, staying with friends for a few days. They helped me get home. I truly am sorry; I never wanted you to worry.”

  Chase nodded briefly, then glanced at the resume on his desk. “Claudia Warren,” he said with a short bark of laughter. “I should have known.”

  “I’ve been wanting to move back to this area for quite some time, so when my friends contacted me about the programmer position I jumped at the chance.”

  “You certainly have the qualifications. You know what I’m looking for?”

  “Ryan said you want an in-house programmer and networking expert,” Claudia replied.

  “Ryan...Ryan Schumacher? You know him?”

  “His wife was my college roommate,” Claudia explained. “She and Ryan are the friends who helped me get back to Philadelphia after Sarah was born.”

  Chase had never met Shumacher’s wife, but knew the man was a hard worker and an expert carpenter. He was the best foreman Paxton had right now, and Chase was glad he’d hired him. Funny that he should also be the one to bring Claudia Warren back into his life.

  “Right. Well, as to the job. I’m sick of canned software that louses up my sub-contractors 1099’s every year. I want a decent payroll system, I want to be able to track every detail of every project: the subcontractors, materials, everything. I want automated billing and better accounting. Everything customized to Paxton Construction. And I also want a network set up so I can access my work records from my home or various job sites."

  Chase frowned as he remembered the angry conversation he'd just had with the county architect over what was apparently a miscommunication. "We've had a lot of costly mistakes lately...bills overlooked, orders never submitted, overpayments. After several costly errors I recently had to replace my in-house accounting person. I can't afford any more human error."

  Chase saw Claudia sit forward in her chair, nodding with enthusiasm as she said, "I noticed your receptionist stuffing checks into envelopes. I can design a system that will pay all your bills electronically, cutting your mailing and paper costs. My degree is in programming, but when I started with the City of Philadelphia, I came in entry-level and did a lot of networking. I ran cable, configured P.C.’s, you name it. In additi
on, I’ve concentrated exclusively on programming for the last six months. So, I think I am who you’re looking for.”

  "Well, if you can create a system to be sure some unethical contractor doesn't get paid twice for the same invoice, then 'forget' to let us know about it even after he's cashed the additional $15,000 check, it'll be an improvement."

  "Oh, no. That is a costly error."

  "Only after we threatened legal action did we get the money back, and it still took nearly four months."

  Annoyed at himself for getting off-topic, he waved a dismissive hand and again glanced down at Claudia's resume. Her qualifications were just what he'd had in mind. She was educated, had the right background, but hadn't been in the workplace long enough to really build up to a high salary.

  "If you check my references, I'm sure you'll find I am a very independent worker."

  Chase studied Claudia’s eager form, noted how her face lit up and her eyes twinkled when she talked about the work she could do. That soul-wrenching sorrow he’d noticed when he first met her was nowhere to be seen. He hoped to never see it again.

  Don’t do it an inner voice said. He knew he should probably find some reason not to hire this woman. The mere fact that he’d been unable to get her out of his mind for months after their last encounter should have him erecting all kinds of barriers.

  But that was different. She’d been giving birth, they’d been in an incredibly unusual situation. This was business, plain and simple. He needed someone to do a specific job, and he suspected she could do it very well. That was all—nothing more, nothing personal.

  He’d make sure of that.

  So, before that inner voice of caution could remind him that this was a very bad idea, Chase found himself saying, “Well, Claudia Warren, it looks like you have yourself a job.”

  CHAPTER FOUR

  “Welcome home!”

  Claudia grinned as Melanie bounded down the two front steps of the small house and ran toward her, shouting the greeting. Sarah peered curiously around the side of her baby seat, obviously impatient to get out after their long drive. Remaining by the open car door, she murmured, “Just a second baby, I think I’m gonna get bowled over by Aunt Melanie.”