Читать книгу The Prince And The Midwife - Robin Gianna - Страница 10

CHAPTER TWO

“YOU’VE ALWAYS BEEN a workaholic, but your schedule seems insane to me,” Rafael said as he sat across from James, glad his friend had finally found time to stop by the cliffside home Rafael was renting. “I thought I might be moving on from L.A. before we had a chance to share another drink.”

“Hey, I do things other than work.”

“Like what? Are you taking up golf?” Rafael asked with a grin, since he knew the man had zero interest in spending that much time on a game.

That drew a return grin from James. “No, but I do have a date in about...one hour,” he said, glancing at his watch. “And what do you mean, you might be moving on from L.A. soon? Is rolling stone Rafael already thinking about leaving? I thought you’d come here to go into hiding for a while.”

“Doesn’t seem to have worked too well. One or the other of my parents calls me practically daily with disapproving updates on the photos and completely exaggerated stories still showing up in the gossip magazines about me.”

“If you didn’t date strippers, maybe you wouldn’t have that problem.”

“I didn’t even know she’d been a stripper until it was splashed across all the papers.” He shook his head, wondering why everyone had to make such a big deal out of it anyway. “But if I hear one more word from my family about having to find a ‘suitable’ girlfriend, I may just become a monk.”

“Like there’s any chance of that,” James said with a smirk. “One of the reasons I always liked hanging out with you was because women flock around a prince like ants to a piece of candy. A good way for me to meet the cast-offs.”

“Because you have such a problem with meeting women,” Rafael said dryly. “Didn’t you just tell me you have a date tonight?”

“Yeah.” James’s face instantly settled into an oddly serious expression, and it struck Rafael that his friend might be getting back into a relationship with Mila Brightman, his former fiancée.

“I heard you’re having to spend time with Mila now you’re working with her charity,” he said casually, hoping James would talk to him about it if he felt a need to. “Are you seeing her again?”

“No. That was over long ago.” James seemed to be studying the condensation droplets on his iced-tea glass very intently, and Rafael wondered if it was to avoid looking him in the eye. “But I do think dating someone new is a good idea to, you know, distract me from thinking about the past.”

Rafael frowned. He knew their breakup had been hard on both James and Mila, but it had been James’s idea, after all. How much was he still bothered by it? “Maybe you and Mila—”

“I don’t really want to talk about it.” James set his glass down and put on the cool, professional face Rafael had seen many times when James wanted to put distance between himself and others. “Tell me about how things went with Cameron Fontaine. And by the way, I don’t think I’ve told you how much I appreciate you seeing her.”

“I’m glad you asked me. It’s what I do. Not to mention that not working and having to lie low in L.A. has been getting a little tedious, so I’m happy to be at the clinic.” Oddly, the first thing James’s question instantly brought to mind wasn’t his patient but a certain gorgeous midwife who was an all-too-attractive combination of warmth and smarts and toughness.

Thinking back, he realized he’d deserved the one-two punch she’d given him in her office. He should have shown her immediate respect instead of making her earn it, but in some of the places he’d worked, it had been important to make sure everyone knew what they were doing before you trusted them to. In spite of the chaotic condition of the room, it had been obvious that she was an expert when it came to the medical care of the patients. And wasn’t afraid to point it out in no uncertain terms to anyone who doubted that.

“What’s with that smile on your face?” James asked, quirking his eyebrow. “Did you fall in lust with Cameron?”

“No.” That would be a snowy day in the desert, and he practically laughed at the question. Cameron Fontaine was the kind of self-absorbed woman he met all too often and had no interest in even for just sex.

He wouldn’t admit to James that the woman he’d felt a stirring of lust for had been the clinic’s head midwife. A woman with a fiery temper to match the golden fire of her hair. The last thing he needed was the complication of dating someone he had to work with. Not to mention that dating anyone at that particular moment was asking for more trouble from the press and anger and disapproval from his family.

After the tabloids had blown up again with the juicy story of his latest girlfriend, his parents had insisted he stop embarrassing them. It all seemed so ridiculous since he’d dated the woman barely a month before they’d stopped seeing each other, which was how he liked to keep it. Any longer than that and a woman had a tendency to start thinking long term, and he had no intention of doing forever after with anyone. His brother had taken care of marrying to provide heirs, and saddled himself with a woman who didn’t even like him much. And the picture-perfect partnership of his parents’ arranged marriage? It didn’t hint at the cool distance between them, or question why they were on different continents half the time.

No, Rafael was never going to get stuck in some passionless marriage. He liked his freedom and planned to keep it, thank you very much. Lying low to let his parents simmer down a little was the price he had to occasionally pay for that freedom. With any luck, they’d soon stop throwing “suitable” women his way, wanting to torture him with the kind of loveless marriage they had.

“I’m not sure we’re going to be able to stop Cameron’s labor,” he told James, “but I’m hoping to be able to get her at least a second steroid dose before it happens. I’m heading over there soon to see how she’s doing.”

“Good. You’re the best at what you do, and I hope she knows that. I’m guessing she doesn’t mind that her doctor is a prince either.”

Probably true, but his royal status was something Rafael found to be a far bigger burden than a benefit. “I’ll text you with an update after I see her.”

“I’d appreciate that.” James stood, so Rafael did too. “I’d better get cleaned up for my date.”

He had to wonder how Mila would react to seeing photos of James with a doubtless beautiful woman in the media that followed him around as much as they followed him, but it wasn’t any of his business.

No, his present business was to keep a low profile and his own face out of the tabloids for as long as possible.

* * *

Gabby poured herself another cup of coffee, desperate to somehow keep her heavy eyelids from closing. During the night, when Cameron had slept, she’d managed to grab an hour or two of rest, but had jumped to attention every time Cameron had woken up, both worried that her labor might be advancing. That, combined with her recent double shifts prior to Cameron’s arrival, had left her without much in the way of reserve energy.

Gulping at the dark, hot liquid, Gabby moved to Cameron’s bedside again. “Any changes in the way you’re feeling?”

“No.” Cameron folded her arms across her chest and pouted up at Gabby. “And I’m awfully tired of just lying here. The only thing that makes it bearable at all is the good care you’re taking of me.”

“That’s nice of you to say.” Her words managed to fractionally perk Gabby up since, inside, she’d become a little tired of catering to the woman’s every whim. At least she apparently appreciated it. “I’m doing everything I can to keep you comfortable, and hopefully help baby stay in there a little longer.”

“I know I should apologize for being a tad complaining. Even grumpy occasionally. It’s just so tiresome being in this bed, but I know you understand that.”

“I do understand. Would you like your pillows plumped again?”

At her nod, Gabby complied, thinking it was good the pillows were faux down to prevent any allergens from being in the room, as real down would have been plumped to death by now. Cameron’s word “tad” was an understatement, but Gabby was pretty sure the woman truly didn’t realize that “Diva” should be her middle name.

“It’s not easy getting comfortable, sitting in a bed all day, or to keep from getting bored. I’ll bring you another book to read, if you like.”

“Maybe later.” She leaned back against her pillows with a long-suffering sigh. Just as Gabby was about to creep away, Cameron opened her eyes and started talking again. “And of course the other thing making it bearable to be here is Rafael. He’s just the sweetest, dreamiest thing, don’t you think? And he’s obviously a wonderful doctor.”

Dreamy, maybe, when it came to his looks. But sweet? Definitely not. It was an effort, but Gabby managed to keep a smile on her face and sort of agree. “He has an excellent reputation. I’m glad you like him.”

“Like him? I just love him! Adore him!” Cameron gushed. “I feel so lucky that he happens to be in Los Angeles right now. It seems like fate, doesn’t it?”

Privately, she didn’t think it was fate, unless the universe had decided to challenge Gabby by making life at the clinic difficult, having to work with someone as full of himself as Rafael Moreno. But she was a professional and could handle it, no matter what. And, to look at the positive, at least Cameron was happy.

She glanced at her watch. “If you’re not going to sleep right now, I’d like to get another ultrasound of baby, then give your next steroid injection.”

“Should we wait for Rafael?” Anxious blue eyes met hers. “He said he’d be here this afternoon, and I’m sure he will be.”

Damn the man for insisting he be in charge of everything, and basically telling the patient not to trust her. “I believe Dr. Moreno was simply being cautious because he doesn’t personally know me. But midwives are highly trained in all aspects of pregnancy and delivery, including caring for high-risk patients. You can trust me completely.”

“Of course I trust you. In fact I’m— I— Oh, my God!” Cameron sat bolt upright in bed, her eyes suddenly wide and scared as she stared at Gabby.

Her heart picked up speed because the look on Cameron’s face didn’t seem like overdramatic acting this time. She reached for Cameron’s hand. “What? What is it?”

“I think...I think my waters just broke!”

Oh, no. Gabby immediately checked to be sure Cameron wasn’t experiencing some other sensation that made her think it was her membranes breaking, but there was no doubt about it.

Heart sinking, she prayed the steroids had gotten baby’s lungs developed enough for the premature infant to be all right. She perched on the side of the bed and reached for Cameron’s hands again. “You’re right. Your waters have broken, which means your amniotic sac is no longer intact. And that means baby has to be born, otherwise there’s risk of infection. I’ll call Dr. Moreno and get him here right away.”

“Oh, yes, you must!” Cameron’s manicured nails dug into Gabby’s skin. “Tell him it’s an emergency!”

“I’m sure he’ll get here as quickly as possible. Try not to worry, okay? With luck, you’ll have a smooth, uncomplicated delivery, and baby will be just fine. I’ll be right back.”

Gabby managed to extricate her hands from Cameron’s grip and made a quick note of the time her waters had broken and an estimation of the amount of fluid before she moved into the hallway to pull up Dr. Moreno’s number on her cell. Hopefully, he wasn’t at lunch with some bigwig, or with a woman after a date the night before and not answering the phone because of it. And why that thought would make her tummy tighten uncomfortably, she had no idea. Must just be concern for Cameron, because she knew the woman would worry about having a different doctor come to deliver the baby.

But he answered after only two rings, and Gabby let out a relieved breath. “Dr. Moreno, it’s Gabby Cain. Cameron’s waters broke a few minutes ago and—”

“I’ll be right there.”

She stared at the now dead phone. Now, there was a man of few words. And questions. Which was probably a good thing since the sooner he arrived, the sooner he’d wield his potent charm on Cameron to keep her calmer in a way Gabby wasn’t always able to accomplish.

Back in Cameron’s room, she plumped her pillows yet again and checked her vital signs once more. “Dr. Moreno’s on his way.”

“I knew he’d come right away. I’m just praying he gets here before my baby does!”

“It usually takes a while for contractions to get strong enough for baby to be born. Are you feeling any yet?”

“I...I can’t tell for sure. I feel very crampy, like there’s a fist inside my belly. It doesn’t feel good. And my back really aches. Is it going to get worse? I hate pain! I don’t do well with it at all!”

The famous blue eyes staring at her were so scared and anxious Gabby gave her hands another reassuring squeeze. “How contractions feel varies a lot from woman to woman. Some go from feeling cramps that become more intense as labor progresses, and others experience pretty intense contractions. But all that is helping your baby be born, so it’s nothing to be afraid of.”

“How long will it take?”

“That varies too.” Gabby wasn’t about to tell her it could be just a few hours or as long as twenty-four or more. If Cameron was stressing now, that would probably send her into a panic. “I’m going to check your cervix to see how much it’s thinning and dilating, which may give us a clue how far along you are.”

“Okay, but I want an epidural, because it already hurts a lot! So please call whoever does that right away. Unless Rafael will do that himself?”

“Epidurals are done by an anesthesiologist. We’ll let Dr. Moreno decide when that should happen.” Since he’d wanted to be in charge, Gabby was more than happy to pass the epidural discussion on to him.

It seemed Gabby had barely plumped Cameron’s pillows a third time and gotten ice for her to suck on when Rafael Moreno strode into the room as if he owned the place. All tall and powerful and regal, his mere presence seemed to electrify the air. His gaze trapped hers, and everything in the room seemed to fade away except for that intense connection. Suddenly she felt a little unsteady on her feet, but that was probably sheer exhaustion.

“Thank God you’re here, Rafael!”

Cameron’s voice snapped her back to reality. Focus on your job and patient, silly, not the handsome prince. Um, what had she been about to do just then? “Hello, Dr. Moreno. As I told you, Cameron’s had PPROM. I was about to check her cervical thinning and dilation.”

“What’s PPROM?” Cameron sounded alarmed, and Gabby gave her a pat.

“Sorry, I was talking to the doctor. It’s just an acronym for preterm premature rupture of membranes, which just means your waters broke before baby is full term.”

“Let’s check how far along you are, Cameron, okay?” he asked. Rafael donned gloves and began the internal exam, smiling at their patient and asking questions as he did. Somehow he managed to have her smiling back and laughing at a few of his remarks, and Gabby had to grudgingly admit he had a wonderful bedside manner, obviously used to dealing with even the most nervous and difficult kinds of patients.

When he finished the exam he snapped off his gloves and seemed to take a moment to think of how he wanted to present his findings. “Your special little one is, as we know, very anxious to arrive. You are already dilated to six centimeters, which is a bit surprising for a first baby, though of course your bebé has been impatient for some time, hasn’t she?”

Gabby stared at him in surprise and had to bite her tongue to keep from blurting out something like You’re kidding! Six centimeters was way further along than she’d expected, and she had to admit she was glad Rafael was already there, or she would have been concerned that he might not get to the clinic in time, which would have worried Cameron at a time she didn’t need more worries.

“Oh, my Lord, then I need to get an epidural right now, don’t I?” The blue eyes staring at Rafael quickly became panicky as she apparently experienced a contraction. Panting for a moment, she leaned forward to grab his hand. “I hate pain. You can make sure I don’t have any more pain, right? Fix that for me, please.”

So used to addressing laboring mother’s worries, Gabby opened her mouth before realizing Cameron had asked Rafael, not her. And much as it rankled a bit, since she was used to either delivering babies on her own or being part of a team with the obstetrician, she managed to let him answer instead.

“I have already spoken to the anesthesiologist, as I know you want to be as comfortable as possible,” he said in that soothing voice that was also, damn it, incredibly sexy. “Now that we know you’re dilated enough to receive the pain relief, we’ll get the anesthesiologist here pronto.”

He turned the power of his smile on Gabby, and she had to admit to a warmth filling her chest that he’d included her with the “we” word. Though why she should care if he did or didn’t give her that lip service, she had no clue.

“Gabriella, would you please ask Dr. Smith to come now?”

“Yes, Dr. Moreno.”

“Please, call me Rafael. You and Cameron and I are all friends trusting one another here to bring baby into the world, yes?”

“Um, yes.” No. Not friends. Colleagues. Co-workers. But that simple word—friends—made her chest feel warmer even as it contracted with pain as she went to phone the doctor. Her last relationship had taught her that counting on true friendship and closeness with a man was a mistake. That trust was a mirage. An elusive shimmer of light that could disintegrate and disappear in an instant when times got tough.

Briefly closing her eyes, she willed away the hurt, stuffing it down into the deep, dark corner where it usually resided, until unexpected moments like this dragged it to the surface. But this moment wasn’t about her past. This moment was about helping a mother who would soon hold a new life in her arms, a precious child she obviously wanted with all her heart.

Tears unexpectedly stung her eyes, and she angrily swiped them aside. She delivered babies for a living, and usually felt nothing but joy for the new parents, new families. So what was it about this moment, this delivery that was bringing memories to the surface that were better left behind?

The question made her wonder if, somehow, some way, for some bizarre reason, it was Rafael’s presence that was making her feel so strange. But, of course, that made no sense. She didn’t even know him. Didn’t want to.

She kept her life simple. Worked a lot of hours, taking on as many double shifts as possible. Went out with friends occasionally, but that was pretty much it. Could it be that after such a long time of keeping to herself, being around an exceptionally attractive man, annoying or not, had her neglected hormones all charged up or something?

Yes. That had to be it. And knowing that was all it was helped her get her equilibrium back. Time to quit thinking and remembering and start working. She quickly contacted the anesthesiologist, then headed back to Cameron’s room.

“You checked Cameron for her group B beta strep culture, yes?” Rafael asked from his position by Cameron’s bedside, holding her hand the way she would have, in a way she couldn’t remember ever seeing an OB interact with a patient.

“I did. Status was uncertain, so I gave her a second dose of antibiotics in case it’s an issue.”

“Good.” He nodded and stood, and Gabby found herself fixated on the way his broad shoulders and chest filled out his scrubs, how his tanned forearms looked more like they belonged to an athlete than a man who caught babies for a living. Thankfully, her inappropriate perusal was interrupted as Dr. Smith strode in. Face heating, she turned away, hoping to heck no one had noticed her staring.

The doctors shook hands before the anesthesiologist introduced himself to their patient. “Cameron, I promise I’m not going far, just giving Dr. Smith and Gabriella some room,” Rafael said. “I’m sure Dr. Smith will take good care of you, and of course you are in Gabriella’s excellent hands as well. See you shortly, okay?”

And Gabby sure as heck needed a little space and a breather from Rafael Moreno. She did her darnedest to focus on only Cameron, but as he walked by her she found it impossible to not be aware of the pull of his green eyes, the angular shape of his smooth, golden features, and the sheer masculine force of his presence.

To cover up her confusion over this odd discomfort, she nearly asked tartly if it was okay for her to do an internal exam now, but resisted the urge. She was pretty certain that antagonizing him would just ratchet up this peculiar sizzle between them, and whether it was animosity or something else, Gabby wasn’t sure anymore.

Rafael left her to monitor Cameron’s labor progress and take care of her, checking in only occasionally, which Gabby was glad about on more than one level. She couldn’t deny feeling pleased that he’d obviously come to trust she knew what she was doing, then inwardly scolded herself for that. He should have assumed she was competent at her job, not the other way around, especially knowing James Rothsberg and what he demanded of everyone who worked at the clinic he’d founded.

Rafael not hovering around the room, monitoring everything she did, was another good thing, though why she kept finding him so distracting she had no idea. The man was an expert at turning his charm on and off at will.

“How long is this going to take, for heaven’s sake? I thought she was coming soon.” Cameron’s voice had gotten steadily more frustrated as her contractions got closer together, and Gabby prayed for both their sakes she was close to being ready to push.

“Your baby has a mind of her own already, Cameron, doesn’t she?” she said, keeping her voice light. “First she’s in a hurry, then she takes her time.” A bit like her mother. “The good news is her heart rate looks perfect on the monitor. Let me check your dilation again. Looks like the epidural is keeping you comfortable, isn’t it?”

“I guess. If you can call starving to death comfortable.” Cameron sighed dramatically as she crunched another of the tiny round ice cubes Gabby had replaced in her cup three times now. “You’d think that with modern medicine, giving birth could be completely pain-free.”

“A few decades back, women were given morphine and scopolamine to put them into a twilight sleep. They’d hallucinate, then not remember the birth at all afterwards. I don’t know about you, but I’d want to remember forever the moment my baby arrived in this world.”

It wasn’t the kind of memory she’d wish on anyone, but it was still hers. To rail against, to shrink from, to cherish.

She could see him as clearly as if he were even now in her arms. Stillborn. One simple word that perfectly described a lifeless infant.

Motionless. Quiet. Angelic and beautiful.

Every detail of that day was burned into her very soul. And she prayed it wasn’t a memory Cameron would ever have to share.

“I suppose,” Cameron said grudgingly. “So, how many centimeters dilated am I?”

Grateful for the distraction, Gabby checked and was surprised and more than happy at what she found. “Guess what? You’re at ten centimeters and fully effaced. Time for baby to come into the world.”

“Oh, my gosh—really? Don’t you need to call Rafael? What if she comes out before he gets here?”

Gabby wanted to remind Cameron that she was a qualified midwife, fully capable of delivering a baby on her own, but managed to keep her mouth shut. Besides, she’d be lying if she didn’t admit she kind of wanted to see Rafael at work. “I’ll give him a call right now.”

“No need. I’m here,” a deep voice said, and Gabby glanced up to see Rafael looking relaxed yet wired, obviously ready to get to work. “I had a feeling your little bebé had finally made up her mind.”

“That’s because you and I are simpatico, don’t you think? How much longer?”

“Time to be the strong woman you are and get pushing with the next contraction, sí?”

Cameron nodded, and Gabby was surprised at how quickly her next contraction came. Rafael was calmly encouraging as long minutes passed, stretching into a half hour, with their patient becoming more frustrated and impatient with each push.

“My friend had her baby sucked out with something. Can’t you just do that?” she gasped.

“Ah, ‘sucked out.’ That’s a funny way to put it, though accurate, I suppose.” Across their patient, his amused eyes met Gabby’s and she felt her lips curving. “But it is not a good idea to use the vacuum on a premature infant, and you’re doing well. Isn’t she, Gabriella?”

“Wonderful. Just remember to breathe with the next push, okay?” She reached for Cameron’s hand, stroking it. “Puff, puff, puff. In and out. Tuck down your chin when you push to give it some extra oomph, okay?”

“Extra oomph.” Rafael’s laughing eyes met hers again. “You Americans use amusing words. I must take notes.”

“Well, do it some other time,” Cameron said tartly. “I’m more interested in getting this baby out than helping you write a thesaurus of American words.”

“Just trying to distract you from your hard work, Cameron. Another push now, please.”

He turned those green eyes back to their patient and Gabby realized she’d been briefly mesmerized—again—by that gaze. She glanced at the monitor wrapped around Cameron’s belly as she pushed again, and the reading jerked her mind back to work. “Fetal monitor is showing a decreased variability, Dr. Moreno.”

He glanced at it, too, and his expression turned serious. “Keep an eye on it during the next contractions.”

“What? What does that mean? Is something wrong?” Cameron nearly moaned the questions as she pushed again.

“Baby’s heartbeat is a little flat. But that may just mean she’s sleeping.”

“Sleeping? How could she possibly be sleeping when she’s about to be born?”

“She’s warm and cozy inside her mama, and also tiny because she is early. So sleeping is a possibility, though I agree it seems odd that babies sometimes are sleep before being born, doesn’t it?”

His eyes met Gabby’s, and she read the message in their serious depths. He wanted her to pay close attention to the monitor, and she gave him a small nod. She pressed the intercom around her neck as she watched the baby’s heartbeat. “I’ll give Neonatal a quick call to get them here and ready.”

As Gabby spoke soothingly and encouragingly, Rafael interrupted. “Baby’s head is crowning, Cameron! Not too much longer now. You are doing such a good job.”

“Yes, a few more good pushes and hopefully she’ll be here! Tuck that chin in again and give us another push, okay?” Gabby wiped Cameron’s forehead at the same time she glanced again at the monitor and froze for an instant. “Heart rate’s flat on the monitor, Dr. Moreno.”

“Stop pushing, Cameron,” he said in a sharp tone.

“Stop?” The woman looked at him, her tired eyes wide. “What do you mean? I thought you said her head was crowning!”

“The cord is around her neck. I need to get it off before she can arrive.”