Jessie narrowed her eyes at her husband. “Careful, cowboy. You have to live with me for the rest of your life.”
The couple laughed as they walked away.
Katie toed off her heels and fell onto her couch.
“You Texans sure know how to throw a party.” Monica melted into the soft leather beside Katie.
“Big, loud, and never ending. But damn it was great.”
“I don’t think Jessie could be happier.”
“Jack either.”
“I think the two of them are going to be the rare ones that keep it going forever.”
Katie agreed. She and Monica both knew what it was like to come from a broken family. Katie’s mom had walked away from her husband and kids and never really looked back. She couldn’t even be bothered with showing up at her own son’s wedding. Same could be said for Monica and Jessie’s dad. They didn’t even know how to get hold of him.
“I’ll bet Jessie’s pregnant within the year.”
“Less if Danny has his way. He and my dad were already hinting about Danny needing a baby sister or brother.”
Monica tucked her feet under her bum. “You’d think he’d have waited for the wedding cake to digest before talking about babies.”
“My dad drove himself hard for a lot of years. I think he wants to make up for lost time now that he’s older. He loves Danny and can’t wait for more grandkids.” Grandkids he’d have to get from Jessie and Jack. The thought sobered her and brought a thick ball of emotion to the back of her throat. The whole night had been an emotional roller coaster. “I’m beat,” she said, pushing off the sofa.
“Me, too.”
As both women started down the hall of the high-rise hotel penthouse Katie lived in, the buzzer on the front door rang. Both of them jumped at the noise. It was one thirty in the morning.
“What the…?”
Monica followed her to the door. The complex had the tightest security money could buy, so concern for her safety didn’t enter her mind as she opened the door.
The landing between her door and the elevator was empty.
A tiny noise drew Katie’s attention to her feet.
Behind her, Monica gasped.
Cradled in a bundle of brown and pink blankets and nestled in a car seat was the most delicate tiny baby Katie had ever seen.
She dropped to her knees and lifted the blanket away from the infant’s face. Slow, even breaths blew through pink lips. Tucked beside the child was an envelope. Katie lifted the paper away from the sleeping baby, careful to not wake her.
Katelyn Morrison was written in a flowing script.
“Oh, my God.” Monica voiced Katie’s exact thoughts.
Chapter Two
Monica lifted the car seat and brought the baby into the penthouse.
Katie’s hands trembled as she flipped over the envelope.
“Get that,” Monica told her while pointing outside the door.
Sitting on the hallway floor was a large plush diaper bag with sheep printed all over the exterior.
Grabbing it, Katie shut the door behind her and stood next to Monica. Both of them stared down at the baby as if neither of them knew what it was.
“Who would leave their child on your doorstep?”
She had no idea. “I’ll call down to the doorman and ask if anyone has entered or left the building with a kid.”
“Good idea.” Monica sat beside the baby, careful not to wake her while Katelyn crossed to the phone and called downstairs.
“Good evening, Miss Morrison.” The cheerful voice of the graveyard shift doorman didn’t sound alarmed. In contrast, her heart was pounding in her chest and her voice was anything but calm.
“Hey, Alex. By chance has anyone come up in the last ten minutes or so?”
“Only you and Miss Mann. Why? Is everything OK?”
No, everything was definitely not OK. “Are you sure there hasn’t been anyone you didn’t recognize come in tonight? Anyone with kids?”
Alex’s tone turned tight. “No one that wasn’t expected. You sound a little worried, Miss Morrison. Would you like me to send up security?”
“No. No, we’re fine. I thought maybe…” Oh, boy, what could she say? “Good night, Alex.”
“G’night, ma’am.”
“He didn’t see anything?” Monica had listened to the conversation.
“Nothing.”
“How can that be? They practically asked for my firstborn when I came…” Monica glanced at the infant. “Oh, bad joke. They seem so on top of things here.”
“It’s not the first time someone has gotten past security.”
Katie pushed aside the magazines sitting on her coffee table so she could sit and stare at the child. The porcelain, perfect skin and fluff of pale hair on the top of her head were so beautiful. Unable to stop herself, Katie reached out and ran her finger along a tiny cheek. The smooth texture sent a zing up her arm and added to the rapid beat of her heart.
“We need to call the police.”
Alarm spiked inside Katie’s head. “Why?”
“Katie, someone abandoned their infant on your doorstep. We need to notify the authorities.”
When mothers abandoned their infants, they did it on church steps or hospitals…or worse, garbage cans or public bathrooms. Katie’s eyes inched away from Monica and glanced at the envelope clutched in her hand. She’d almost forgotten about it.
She ripped it open and removed two pieces of paper. One looked official, while the other was a handwritten note.