Hiding Out At The Circle C

my personality. Which means she's an absolute angel.'

Zach shook his head. 'An angel with a temper, that's for sure. For the last five hours I've been listening to you scream at poor Jas here from down the hall. And that was after I'd asked the nurse for cotton for my ears.'

But he laughed softly over Jason's shoulder when the baby opened one eye and seemed to glare at him. 'See that? Already, she's giving me dirty looks. Just like her mama.'

Zach paled a few shades when Jason slipped the baby into his arms, but after a minute he relaxed, even smiled at the serious creature staring up at him. 'What's her name?'

'Ally,' Nellie said firmly, smiling when the brothers stared at her with their hearts in their eyes. Ally had been their mother's name.

Jason leaned over Nellie for a long, deep kiss. 'She's gorgeous, baby. Just like you. Thanks for my little girl.'

For once, even Zach seemed moved by the public display of affection.

Cam touched the soft tuft of blond hair on top of little Ally's head and thought he'd never seen a more beautiful miracle. He'd nearly had a heart attack when he'd learned Jason and Nellie had never made it farther than the end of the road before her water had broke. They'd driven straight to the hospital.

By the time Jason had managed to try to reach Zach, he was nowhere to be found. But that was because Zach had stayed at the ranch to make the calls to the police. Branson, who had come to the house when Haley hadn't been at the airport, had knocked Zach out, then left him for dead.

Which had Cam's poor heart leaping again. Thank God, he thought, staring at the white bandage across Zach's forehead. Thank God his brother had a head harder than stone.

It had been stress that had sent Nellie spiraling into early labor, and Cam knew that if something had happened to her or the baby, Haley would never have forgiven herself. He'd had a bad moment when he'd relived Lorraine's labor and how things had gone so badly, but apparently Nellie had done just fine. She glowed.

Jason, in contrast, looked positively awful. His hair stuck straight up and his eyes were ringed with dark exhaustion. Zach had told Cam that Jason had been a complete wreck during labor, and that every time Nellie so much as winced, Jason turned green. He looked like he'd been to hell and back.

But they had a precious bundle of life to show for it.

Cam knew the small twinge of envy was normal, but when Zach handed him the tiny baby, he, too, had to fight back the burning in his eyes.

She felt so light in his arms, smelled so absolutely sweet. The small mewling sound she made tugged at him, and when she opened her eyes to stare solemnly at him, he smiled at her. 'Hello, precious,' he whispered. The baby yawned, turned her head to his chest and smacked her lips against his shirt. Despite himself, he chuckled. 'No milk there, sugar.' Gently, he laid her on Nellie. 'Better luck with those,' he told the baby, grinning at his sister-in- law.

With an ease that spoke of her readiness to be a mom, Nellie soothed Ally while Cam watched, fascinated and yearning all at the same time. 'You really okay, Nel?' he asked her.

Her smile was filled with love and understanding as she reached for his hand. 'Yeah, I'm really okay.' The amusement faded from her eyes. 'Stop worrying. It wasn't your fault. Nor Haley's. It was just my time.'

He shook his head and remembered the terrifying moments in the helicopter as Zach had told him what happened, how Nellie had suffered with the long labor. 'When I first heard, I thought-' He sighed, knowing it didn't bear repeating. 'Never mind what I thought.'

Nel pulled him down beside her, placing his hand on the baby's warm body. 'You thought the worst. I'm sorry I scared you, Cam. I know what you've been through. But I'm strong as a horse. So's the baby. See?'

Ally made some more smacking noises, wrinkled her little brow in a picture of distress as no one made the move to offer her what she really wanted-sustenance.

She was adorable, absolutely precious.

'She's fine,' Nellie said softly. 'And perfect.'

Cam nodded, not trusting his voice.

'How's Haley?' Nellie asked.

He wished he knew. She'd been so exhausted that she'd fallen asleep right there on the table while getting stitches, sleeping through the casting of her broken ankle. She hadn't even awakened when they'd taken her to a room, or when he'd checked on her to tell her about Nellie and the baby. 'Her injuries will heal,' he said carefully.

'The doctor said her ankle was a clean break. It shouldn't give her too much trouble.' Zach moved in close, laying a hand on Cam's shoulder. 'And her cheek only needed six stitches.'

It wasn't the physical injuries Cam worried about. Those would indeed fade, and rather quickly. But the psychological scars went deep, to the bone. He could see them in her haunted gaze. How long would those take to heal?

Jason sat on the other side of the bed next to Nellie and took his daughter's tiny fist in his fingers. 'You guys looked pretty awful when you were brought in,' he said to Cam. 'Gave us all gray hairs. You ever going to tell us exactly what happened up there?'

'Branson's dead,' Cam said flatly, closing his eyes and reliving the sight of the man raising his rifle and aiming it at Haley's head as she scrambled up the rock; seeing all over again the horrifying helicopter crash that had been far too close for comfort. 'That's all that matters.'

Jason nodded soberly. 'Haley's free, as soon as she answers the authorities' questions about Branson.'

Nellie looked at him. 'Make her stay. I want her to stay with us.'

Zach nodded. 'Me, too. Tell her we all want her to stay.'

They all looked expectantly at Cam, their hopes so obvious in their eyes. He had to let out a little laugh despite the heavy ache in his chest. 'I can't ask her.'

Three sets of eyes widened in surprise.

'But you have to,' Nellie cried.

Jas hugged Nel and the baby close. 'Why won't you?'

'Did you upset her?' Zach demanded.

'It's not up to me,' he started weakly. 'She has to want to stay.'

'Well, make her want to, then,' Nellie said simply. 'Woo her.'

'Yeah, woo her,' Jas repeated firmly. Zach nodded in agreement.

Again, Cam had to laugh, but the sad truth was, he had no reassurances for them, because he had none for himself. Haley had made him no promises.

But he hadn't made any, either.

He stilled at that shocking realization. Whether it had been for fear of losing his heart, or the confusion and lies-he didn't know. But he'd never offered her any permanence. He wanted, more than anything, to do that, to make her an entire lifetime of promises. And he wanted her to make some in return.

He smiled, then kissed Nellie and the baby. 'I've got to go.'

'Good. About time.'

'Maybe I'd better come with you,' Zach said, rising. 'Just to make sure you do it right.'

Jason laughed when Cam bared his teeth and snarled. 'I think he'd rather do it alone. We'll have to trust him.'

Nellie just smiled warmly, her eyes filling. 'Tell her we love her, too.'

Which brought it all into perspective, Cam thought. They loved Haley, wanted to be her family. He could only squeeze Nellie's hand and hope Haley wanted that also.

* * *

Haley woke slowly, and unlike in the cave with Cam wrapped snugly around her, this time she had no lingering sense of warmth and security.

She sat up in the hospital bed, glaring down at the cast on her ankle. A federal agent sat by her bed. He smiled at her when she blinked warily.