Katie Ashley - The Pairing

“Oh, I’m perfectly well. It’s just—”

Pesh’s gaze dropped to the strawberry-blond haired boy sucking voraciously on a pacifier. “Noah’s fine, isn’t he?”

Emma smiled. “He’s perfect.”

Pesh exhaled the anxious breath he’d been holding. “I’m glad to hear that. You both look well.”

“Thank you.” Emma surveyed him and frowned. “I wish I could say the same for you. What’s wrong?”

“Just a tough day.” Even with Emma’s expectant expression, he didn’t want to elaborate. Gazing down at his hands, he finally responded, “I held a man’s heart in my hands this morning .”

Emma’s eyes widened, and she sucked in a breath. “Oh my God…”

He shook his head with regret. “But no matter how hard I tried, I still couldn’t save him.”

She reached out to rub his arm. “I’m so, so sorry.”

“Thank you,” he murmured. Since he was ready to change the subject before his emotions overcame him again, he motioned for her to have a seat. “So, what brings you here?”

“I have a favor to ask of you.”

His brows rose in surprise. “You do? Another flight for Aidan perhaps?”

Emma laughed. “No. I think it’ll be a long, long time before he ever gets in a small plane again.” As Noah began to squirm, she shifted him from her lap to her shoulder. He spit out his pacifier and started to fuss.

“Here. Let me,” Pesh suggested, bending over to take Noah into his arms. Noah’s surprised blue eyes met his, and then he smiled at Pesh. “Hello, little one. My, how you’ve grown since I saw you last.”

Noah cooed and reached for Pesh’s stethoscope. “You were saying?” he questioned Emma.

“I know it’s a lot to ask, considering you’re not Catholic, but I was wondering if you would be Noah’s godfather?”

Pesh couldn’t hold back his surprise, and his mouth dropped open in shock. “You’re serious?”

Emma nodded. “Since I’m not Catholic, I’m basically humoring Aidan’s father by having a baptism for Noah. You remember him?”

Pesh laughed. “How could I ever forget Mr. Fitzgerald, the matchmaker?”

Emma smiled. “That’s right. Well, you can understand how persistent he is.”

“Oh yes, I do.”

“We’re allowed one Catholic and one non-Catholic godparent. We’ve chosen Aidan’s niece as godmother, and then I wanted you.”

“But what about your good friend?”

“Connor?”

“Yes, him.”

Emma waved a dismissive hand. “Besides the fact that Connor is a non-practicing Baptist, he’s refused on the grounds he doesn’t want to have any moral or religious responsibility for Noah.” She grinned and shook her head. “While he and Casey were obvious choices, let’s just say they’re looking forward to corrupting Noah, rather than guiding him on a spiritual path.”

Pesh smiled. “I see.”

Emma’s auburn brows knitted together in worry. “I hope you’re not offended that I told you that. I don’t want you to think you were a second best choice. When I thought of someone to protect and guide Noah, you were one of the first people to pop into my mind.”

Pesh worked to free his stethoscope from Noah’s mouth. “And what does Aidan say about this?” He knew that although he and Aidan had come to some sort of friendship on the night of Noah’s birth, he couldn’t imagine, as possessive as Aidan was, that he would want a potential ex-flame of Emma’s having a major part in his son’s life.

“He’s fine with it,” Emma replied, as she toyed with the strap on her purse.

“Emma,” Pesh pressed.

She threw up her hands as she met his gaze. “Okay, so he wasn’t thrilled with the idea at first. It took some convincing on my part, but he’s totally onboard now.”

“As honored as I am, I would not cause contention between you two for anything in the world.”

“And you won’t. I promise.” Emma reached out and took his hand. Months ago, that touch would have electrified him from his head to his feet. Now it was nothing more than the caring touch of a friend. “In this day and age, it is so hard to find a truly honorable man. You have such a kind heart and a caring spirit. Coupled with your integrity, I couldn’t ask for a better person in my son’s life, and Aidan agreed.” She squeezed his hand. “Please say yes.”

Pesh brought his gaze from Emma’s intense one to Noah’s inquisitive one. How could he say no? He loved children, and he wanted nothing more than to have a house full of them one day. The fact that Emma thought so highly of him truly melted his heart. As he stared into Noah’s sweet face, he wanted to be a part of his life. “Emma, it would be a privilege.”

Emma’s green eyes widened as she bounded out of her chair. “Really?”

He smiled at her excitement. “Of course, it is an honor and a pleasure.”

“Thank you, Pesh. Thank you so, so much!” she cried, throwing her arms around his neck.

Noah squealed happily between them and kicked his legs against Pesh’s chest. When Emma pulled away, Noah grinned at the two of them, which caused Emma to smile. “I think Noah approves of his new godfather.”

Pesh returned her smile. “I think he does, too. Or he realizes his mother’s talents for manipulating any man within a mile radius.”

“You’re terrible,” she replied, swatting his arm playfully.

Kristi poked her head in the room. “Sorry to interrupt, Dr. Nadeen. But you have a patient in exam room A.”

“Thank you. I’ll be right there.” He shook his head at Emma. “I’m sorry, but I have to go.”

“No, it’s fine. I understand.” She reached for Noah and took him back into her arms. “The baptism is in two weeks. I’ll send you all the details. It’ll be at Transfiguration in Marietta since it’s closer to our house. Afterwards, we’re going to have a big party.”

“I’ll make sure to clear my schedule.”

“Wonderful.”

Pesh leaned over to kiss Noah’s cheek. “Goodbye my godson. Be good for your mother.” He pulled Emma to him and hugged her. “Goodbye to you as well.”

She squeezed him tight. “Thank you again. You can’t imagine how happy you’ve made me. And Aidan.”

He imagined that Emma’s elation was far greater than Aidan’s, but he kept that to himself. Instead, he walked to her the door. Just as he went for the doorknob, Emma shocked him with her next statement. “Oh, if you’re seeing someone, please feel free to bring her with you.”

Pesh couldn’t help the burst of nervous laughter that escaped his lips. “That wasn’t obvious at all.”

Emma frowned. “But I thought…at least I hoped you would be dating someone by now.”

“Well, I’m not.”

Shifting Noah to her other hip, Emma shook her head. “How is that possible? Do you walk around with a bag over your head? Live as a hermit?”

“No to the bag, and I guess yes to a hermit.” He glanced around. “I’m always here.”

Emma’s gaze left his and took in some of the nurses passing by them. He could imagine from the looks they were giving him, and more particularly the envious daggers they were shooting Emma, that she knew what was on their minds. “Do you have any idea what effect you have on women?”

He crossed his arms over his chest. “No, but I suppose you’re going to remind me again.”

Emma sighed. “I just want you to be happy, and I know that deep down you aren’t.”

“Please, just let it go for now, okay?”

Although she nodded, Pesh could tell she was far from agreeing. Somewhere within that pretty head of hers the wheels of matchmaking were turning hard and fast. “See you soon,” she said, before starting down the hall.

As he watched Emma and Noah walk through the mechanized double doors into the waiting room, a pang of sadness reverberated through him as he wondered what his child might have been like. In the months before her death, his late wife, Jade, had been on fertility medication. She’d miscarried once, but she had great hopes that their latest baby making attempts would be successful. She died never knowing if she was pregnant or not. When the autopsy had come back, Pesh refused to read whether she had been. It would have been too difficult to bear.

Shaking off his morbid thoughts once again, he went into the room where a patient needed him.

“Where the hell is my dress?” Megan McKenzie demanded, as she rifled through her closet. The one formal and demure dress she owned had been dropped off at the cleaners earlier in the week to prepare for her godson, Noah’s, baptism. As the godmother, she wanted to look mature and responsible. Most of the dresses in her closet were from her former life—in other words, her life before her son was born. That meant they were too short, too tight, and too revealing.

She cut her eyes over to the couch to check on Mason. Sitting stock still, he was enraptured by the cartoon on the TV. “Be right back, sweetie.”

“Awight, Mommy.”

She pounded up the basement stairs and into her parent’s kitchen. She hoped she would find the dress hanging in the hall closet. If not, she was totally screwed. As she started into the living room, the mere sound of a voice on the television caused her to freeze. Her stomach churned, and her heart raced. She knew that voice all too well. It belonged to the man who had shredded her heart, crushed her spirit, and left her broken almost beyond repair.

Her nineteen-year-old-brother, Sean, lounged on the couch, watching ESPN. On the screen, her ex-boyfriend, Davis Durello, gave an interview outfitted in his Falcons jersey and pads. Becoming enraged that he was invading her home, Megan stalked across the room and snatched the remote out of Sean’s hand. She flicked off the television and tossed the remote at him, smacking him in the chest. He glowered at her. “What the hell, Meg? I was watching that.”

“Are you that big of an insensitive asshole that you even have to ask?”

“I’m an asshole because you’re getting pissed I’m watching some old interview of Davis’?”

“Aren’t you perceptive?” Megan snapped sarcastically.

“I thought you were over him,” Sean countered.

Megan didn’t even bother trying to explain to Sean that even after two years, it was hard getting over the man who left you knocked up and refused to have anything to do with his son besides signing a check. As a teenage male, Sean just didn’t have that much emotional depth to understand that a wound like that may look like it has healed, but it was always festering just below the surface.

“I am,” she lied. “But that doesn’t mean I want to see him. Most people get to leave their ex-boyfriends behind, but I have to have mine thrust into my face during football season. But even when that’s over, he still seems to be creeping around.” Crossing her arms over her chest, she shot a death glare at Sean. “It would be nice if you cared enough about me not to want to watch him.”

“Can I help that your douchebag ex happens to play for the Falcons, and ESPN is doing an interview?”

“You don’t have to be watching it in my presence!”

At her outburst, Sean held up his hands in defeat. “Sorry. I didn’t know it got to you that bad. I’ll turn the channel next time, okay?”

“Fine,” she muttered. Feeling slightly psychotic after her outburst, she kept her head down as she headed for the hall closet. Thankfully, her navy blue dress hung on the rack still in the plastic from the dry cleaners. When she turned around, she found her mother outfitted in her finest pale pink suit. She eyed Megan’s robe-clad form disdainfully. “Megan, we leave in half an hour. Why aren’t you dressed yet?”

Closing her eyes, Megan counted to ten so she wouldn’t bite her mother’s head off. “I left my dress up here after I picked it up at the dry cleaners. I’ll be ready on time. I promise.”

“Would you like me to get Mason dressed?”

“I’ve already taken care of him. It’s just me that needs to get her act together.” Without another word, she brushed past her mother and went into the kitchen. Wearing his best suit and tie, her father stood at the bar, putting on his cufflinks.

At his expectant look, she held up her hand. “I know we leave in half an hour. I’ll be ready. I swear.” She then threw open the basement door. Pounding down the steps, she tried calming down. She didn’t know what it was about her parents’ seemingly good intentions that grated on her last nerve. Of course, they hadn’t bothered her as much when she had lived alone. Now that she was back under their roof, they seemed to forget she was twenty-five, a mother, and not their little girl to boss around anymore.

With clinicals looming to enable her to finish her nursing degree, she’d known she wouldn’t be able to work fulltime. Although she loved the freedom and independence of having her own apartment, there was no way she could afford it and daycare for Mason. So, she’d packed up, tucked her tail between her legs, and moved back home to her parents’ finished basement.