One Christmas Knight Read Free

forehead. Right there.” Krystal pointed. “It’s blood pressure.”
    Their father had blood pressure issues, not her.
    “Krystal, I’m not going to flip out.” I’m not, I’m not, I’m not. “Just…who have you got in the car?”
    Her sister moved around and opened a backseat door. She bent inside for what seemed an eternity before finally emerging with something wrapped in a blanket cradled against her chest.
    Emma let out that breath. So, clearly not a man.
    She moved closer. “What’s that? A puppy? A kitten?”
    “A baby. My baby.” Krystal snuggled her bundle. “You’re an auntie, Em. And we need your help.”
     
    Every drop of blood fell to Emma’s feet as time wound back like a glitch-filled movie reel in her head. Krystal had a baby? A child of her own?
    Every child was a blessing.
    Still, the news cut deep.
    From what Emma could see of the baby, she was perfect. Glowing peachy skin, long, soft lashes that kissed the tops of her cheeks. Her pink lips were parted in a way that left a tiny O. When those lips sucked in and out, as if she were enjoying a bottle in her dreams, Emma laughed.
    Her reaction surprised her. The emotion surprised her more. Warmth swamped her from top to toe. Then the backs of her eyes began to sting, but in a good way. In an ‘I’m actually an auntie” way.
    “She’s cute, huh?”
    Emma spoke over the lump in her throat. “Krystal, she’s beautiful.”
    “She has your eyes.”
    “Really?”
    “You’ll see. She’ll be awake soon.”
    Emma studied the low gray sky getting ready to dump more snow and headed for the porch. “Come inside. It’s freezing out.”
    A moment later, as Emma turned the front door key, Krystal made a strange sound. A hiccuppy groan.
    Emma saw the tear slipping down her sister’s cheek and laid a gloved hand on her parka’s sleeve. “Don’t cry.” She pressed her trembling lips together. “If you cry, Krys, so will I.”
    “It’s been so long.’ Krystal let go a pent-up breath, smiled. “I’m just so happy to see you.”
    “I’m happy to see you, too. See you both.”
    Krystal’s smile faded. “I hope you feel that way when I tell you why we’re here.”
     
    Emma sat in stunned silence as her sister relayed her story. Krystal had met a man―well, of course she had. Not long into the relationship, a huge argument had spelled the end. The following month, a home pregnancy test made an announcement: Baby on the way.
    Now, all these months later, Krystal had gotten in touch with the father. He had a right to know he had a daughter, she said, and Emma agreed. Only Krystal didn’t want to show up on his doorstep with a baby in her arms, like she’d shown up here out of the blue. She didn’t want to give him a coronary or have him think she was demanding anything because she never would. And if he got angry, accusing, she didn’t want her baby around that either.
    Emma sat further back in the sofa while, beside her, Krystal cradled the baby.
    “You could tell him over the phone. In an email,” Emma said.
    “This needs to be done face to face. He lives just across in Tenterville.”
    The next town over.
    Curling chestnut hair behind an ear, Krystal struggled cobbling her next words together. “I was hoping you could look after her while I break the ice with Shelley’s father.”
    Emma paused, blinked twice, and then smiled.
    “Her name’s Shelley ?”
    Krystal’s eyes were a brilliant rich green―verdant, their artist mom had called them. Those eyes shone now as she grinned. “I’ve always like your middle name.”
    When he was in a good mood, their father would call Emma Shell-Bell. Of course, if he’d had a bad day at the wharf, she’d simply stayed out of his way. Everyone had.
    Krystal got to her feet. “Wanna hold her?” Emma rushed to stand, too, but Krystal stopped her. “I’ll lower her down.”
    Carefully, she offered the baby over and Emma brought her niece close.
    The warmth radiating through the