“That would be most welcome. Until this afternoon.”
Connor was about to fling his cell phone at the wall when Madison’s gentle hand stopped him.
“All we can do is be there for them. I hope they let me try to say goodbye, and thank you. He suffered so much denying himself my blood. His willpower saved me.” Madison leaned her head against Connor’s shoulder.
“It’s not right. This wasn’t his fault.” Connor’s voice broke.
“Maybe this will end his torment.” Madison wiped at her tears and Connor wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close.
“We need to head to the diner early. Ma planned a huge gift for Kate, Rebecca and Sebastian. But, she didn’t know Ashby would have a baby too. We need to stop at the general store and pray they have another Pack ’N Play.”
“It doesn’t feel like Christmas anymore.” Madison pulled the afghan over her legs for comfort.
Connor looked down at his depressed mate and decided that maybe she needed her Christmas gift early.
“How about you open a Christmas gift?”
“I’m not in the mood.” She sighed.
“How about that small square one? The one wrapped in green paper.” Connor suggested, smiling at his mate. She looked up and a grin started to tug at her lips.
“What’s in the box?”
“Open it and find out!” Connor said, nudging her leg with his own. Madison eyed the gift then looked at him, before her eyes wandered back to the small square box.
“Hmm I wonder what it could be?” Connor asked playfully.
“Argh! You got me!” Madison bounced off the sofa and sat in front of their tree like a kid at Christmas. Her eyes were still edged by sadness, but there was a sparkle back in her eye. She picked up the square box. She tore into the wrapping and stared down at the plain white box. Carefully she lifted the top. When she moved aside the tissue paper he watched as her face was transformed into a look of wonder.
“How?” she asked, her trembling fingers reaching out to touch the textured canvas before she thought better of it, and continued to stare. She carefully lifted the small painting out of the box and walked back over to the sofa to sit next to her mate.
Connor looked down and was still impressed by the pure beauty that he saw. Right after mating with Madison and hearing that her sister was missing, he had gone to Doc to see if he had any pictures of the three of them together. He hadfound one, the three of them as babies. Connor had then taken the photograph to Caleb and commissioned a small painting. Caleb hadn’t simply copied the photo. He had taken his own personal experiences with Doc and Madison, and stories about the missing Maddie, and he had brought them to life.
Little Maddie looked to the side of the painting with wide-eyed wonder, staring beyond her brother and sister at a landscape painting in the distance. Baby Maddox was staring at Madison, his tiny mouth quirked to one side, frowning slightly. Madison stared right back at her brother, her face full of laughter. In the background he had painted three white, Bengal tiger cubs. Caleb was truly a genius.
Madison couldn’t stop staring at the painting. She propped it up on the coffee table and sat back on the sofa, her eyes never leaving the small canvas.
“I hope you like it.”
“I love it. It’s the best Christmas gift I have ever received.” She looked up at him as the tears started to spill over onto her cheeks.
“Come here, wildcat.” Connor pulled her into his lap and held her close.
She pulled back suddenly and looked him in the eye.
“Do you want a baby?”
He blinked. “Like now?”
“I’m not sure if I would be a good mother, but I know you would be a wonderful father. I look at that painting and I can’t help but wonder what our baby would look like.”
Connor held her at arm’s length, his heart racing. He desperately wanted a child, but only when his mate was ready.
“I would love to have a child, but only when you are ready. I think you’d make a wonderful mother. I mean, look how much you look after Giddey,” he said, smiling.
Madison grinned back at him. “Do you really think so?”
He nodded. “You live to protect and help people. I can only imagine what you would do for our child.”
