Small-Town Midwife. Jean Gordon C.

and cleared your coming with Megan.” But she’d been too peeved at Kelly for suggesting she take Jon along and with him for wanting to come to think of it.

      “Yes, you should have.”

      Autumn tensed. Even if she was in the wrong, he didn’t have to agree so readily. She waited for him to lecture her on medical protocol as she’d heard him do more than once during their time at Samaritan.

      “You can unclench your hands.” He smiled the killer smile that she’d insisted to the other nurses at Samaritan had no effect on her. “What do you propose we do?” he asked.

      Autumn relaxed her hands, warming at his acknowledgment that she was the person in control here. Except she wasn’t in control, nor was her reaction to Kelly’s suggestion that Jon come on the visit very professional. “Let’s leave it up to Megan. We should respect her wishes.”

      “Definitely,” he agreed.

      “There you go. All nice and dry,” Megan crooned as she returned, patting her son on the bottom.

      Autumn held out her hands and took the baby from his mother’s arms. “Looking good,” she said, holding the little boy so that Jon could see him.

      Jon rocked back on his heels and nodded slightly in the direction of the baby.

      She wasn’t sure what that was about.

      “Isn’t he perfect?” the new mother asked, looking from Autumn to Jon and back to her son.

      Autumn drilled her gaze into Jon’s. If he wanted to observe the visit, admiring the baby would be a good start in getting Megan to agree.

      Jon cleared his throat. “He’s a good-size boy, and his color looks healthy.”

      Autumn resisted the inclination to roll her eyes at Megan. “I apologize for not checking ahead to ask about bringing Dr. Hanlon.”

      “Jon,” he said, turning his smile on the young mother.

      Her expression softened. “That’s okay.” She turned to Jon. “You’re just here to observe, right?”

      That was it? One smile from Jon and Megan was fine with him being here? Autumn focused her attention on the infant in her arms, looking into his blue eyes as if he could give her an answer.

      “That was the idea,” Jon said, his tone light and, to Autumn’s ears, flirtatious.

      What’s wrong with me? she silently asked the baby. Jon wasn’t flirting and, if he was, why should she care? The infant scrunched his face as if he were going to cry. Right. It was Jon’s attitude. She continued her unspoken conversation. The fact that he obviously thought his good looks were a balm to the situation. And that it seemed to be true.

      “Is Dave going to join us?” Autumn asked.

      “No, he got a call for work last night, framing a new camp on the lake.” Megan hesitated. “We figured it was okay for him to go, since you’d be here this morning and I’m sure Mom will stop by this afternoon on her way home from work.”

      Autumn caught Jon’s thin-lipped expression before Megan did. He must not approve of Dave’s not being here. While it was nice to have someone to help with a newborn, from what she’d seen, Autumn was sure Megan would be fine by herself for the day.

      “Dave does construction and lawn care during the summer,” Megan said as if she had to explain. “We’ve had so much rain this year that he hasn’t had a lot of work.”

      Autumn glared at Jon before turning to the new mother with a cheery, “Let’s take a look at this guy. Can I use the changing table in the bedroom?” Autumn had used the beautiful maple table to examine the baby following his birth.

      Megan gazed sideways at Jon. “Ah, the bed isn’t made. We went back to sleep for a while after Dave left for work.”

      Autumn forced a laugh. “We’re here to see you and the baby, not to check on your housekeeping. I’ll wash up in your bathroom and meet you in the bedroom.”

      “Okay.” Megan stepped toward the bedroom.

      “Jon, can you bring the scale?” Autumn pointed to where they’d left it by the door when they’d come in.

      “Yeah, sure.”

      Megan already had the baby on the changing table when Autumn joined her and Jon. She started undressing him. “This is a really cute onesie.”

      Megan beamed. “Yes, don’t you love the little blue-and-yellow elephants? I bought it at the Hazardtown Community Church bargain shed. Mom said newborns outgrow things so fast, we should get as many things as we could there.”

      Autumn placed the baby in the sling of the scale Jon was holding ready. A frown marred his handsome face.

      “I know what you mean,” Autumn said. “Gram saved all of Aunt Jinx’s clothes. She’s only eight years older than I am. Dad didn’t have to buy me anything new himself until I was ready for kindergarten.”