Substitute Daddy Read Online Free PDF Page B

admit that it all made her feel so much better, and it was because of Matthew. He was so unlike Lance that it was like night and day.
    Lance wouldn’t have cared about any of this or the tiny details. Thanksgiving had been a nightmare because she wanted to cook a nice meal, but he never came home, and deep down she didn’t expect him to. She ended up eating a turkey dinner frozen meal. Her mother was a trip, but at least she did it up for the holidays.
    With the decorations complete, the hospital quieted down to a low hum, and Matthew set out Battleship for them to play. Outside the window, the sun was going down behind the horizon, and the Christmas lights twinkled merrily in the dimming room. Even when he put the lights, the holiday feeling did not diminish.
    “I don’t know how you’re hitting every one of my ships. They are strategically placed,” Matthew muttered from his side of the board. “A-9 to B-14.”
    “Miss,” said the game’s automated voice.
    Matthew looked up at her, and she grinned. “C-7 to A-9.”
    “Destroyer sunk.”
    Grace clapped her hands in delight, reveling in the fact that she was winning.
    Matthew threw his hands up in defeat. “How are you doing this? Do you have a photographic memory and can remember all the coordinates?”
    “I wish.” Grace snorted in glee and tapped her temple. “I have a strategic mind, sir. It’s your turn but be prepared. I know where your battleship is.”
    “Uh-huh, time for war,” Matthew said and rubbed his hands together. “D-5 to C-10.”
    “Oh, oh, shoot!” Grace felt a sudden gush of wetness between her legs and knew that the wait was over. Lilah was on her way.
    “Ah, finally, the tide has turned!” Matthew was oblivious to her problem and thought her comment meant he’d hit her game pieces. “I’ve got an offensive grid going on—”
    “Matthew, no, not the game. You need to get a nurse,” Grace said. “My water just broke.”
    He looked at her blankly. “What water? You’re not drinking any… Oh, shit, you mean that water, the baby…”
    Grace nodded. “Yes.”
    “But you’ve been here for only a little over a week, so it’s thirty-three weeks. It’s still too early.” Matthew stood and panic was written all over his face.
    “I know, Matthew, please go get the nurse, and she’ll get the doctor.” Grace asked gently.
    She was scared to death but surprisingly calm. She almost expected this to happen. Maybe her women’s intuition knew. But she was ready; she’d been reading up on premature babies. The first tightening of her stomach heralded Braxton Hicks contractions. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply through the initial pain. She could almost smile hearing Matthew frantically call a nurse and imagining him running up and down the hall. She swore she heard him knocking on doors, disturbing other patients to tell them she was in labor. You’d think he’s the daddy , Grace thought, and her heart ached. Lilah would have been blessed with a father like him. Instead, she’d be a single mother. She comforted herself in knowing that Matthew would make a great uncle and her daughter would have a strong male figure to look up to. The nurse came in with a gentle smile on her face. It was Nurse Sunny but right now she had on her serious face.
    “Mr. Ryder said your water broke?” she asked. “Not just leaking, but a full break?”
    Grace tried to smile but felt tears threatening. “Full sploosh. She’s an early girl.”
    Nurse Sunny smiled comfortingly. “She’s thirty-three weeks. She’ll be small, but they do so well at this stage. Sometimes they’re just here a few weeks before they go home.”
    “But her lungs and…” Grace took a slow breath and tried to force back the fear.
    “I won’t tell you she’ll be as perfect as if she was full term,” Nurse Sunny said firmly, “but premature babies are fighters, so she’ll be one too.”
    “Okay, okay.” Grace nodded and winced as another contraction