A Bachelor, a Boss and a Baby

by Rachel Lee

  Chapter Three

  For her first meeting with her new bosses as an employee, Diane chose a three-piece black outfit with slacks, a matching sleeveless shirt and a modified trapeze top that moved slightly when she walked but had the effect of minimizing her curves, such as they might be. Drawing attention to her gender had never yet proved to be an asset at work.

  Daphne seemed to be in a sunny mood, eating her breakfast while looking around as if taking the whole world in. Tucked safely in her car seat, she waved her little arms and legs freely, causing Diane just a bit of trouble as she tried to strap the girl safely into the back seat of her car. Diane didn’t mind the wiggling, however. She just wished she could share the child’s happy mood. Right then she felt as if she might be going to her execution.

  Aubrey and Candy had come to her office because they’d heard about Daphne. That probably meant everyone else with an interest had heard by now. What would she do if they refused to let her bring the child with her until she could find suitable care for her?

  Her stomach had begun to feel like lead. The oat cereal she’d eaten felt like it wanted to stage a revolution. She paused to check the diaper bag once more, making sure she had enough for the day. And if she didn’t, well, there was lunch hour and a trip to the pharmacy on Main Street or the grocery at the edge of town. She wasn’t in the wilderness, for heaven’s sake.

  Mentally bucking herself up, she drove down streets beneath big old trees that were just beginning to brighten with autumn color. She had a designated parking space behind the courthouse, and she slid into it. After she turned off the engine, she sat for several minutes, trying to center herself.

  She was startled by a gentle rapping on the window beside her. Turning her head, she saw a pleasant-looking man in a sweatshirt and jeans. She rolled her window down a crack.

  “Hey,” he said. “I’m Wyatt Carter, the judge around here. You’re the new urban planner, aren’t you? Is everything okay? You didn’t move for so long, I had to wonder.”

  Diane felt her cheeks heat a bit. “I’m fine. New-job nerves.”

  He nodded. “I get that. Come on, I’ll walk you in and we’ll stare everyone down.”

  That made her smile at last. “Do I really need protection?”

  He tilted his head as if thinking, then shook his head. “Actually, not at all. That’s what I have a gavel for.”

  Which was how she came to be walking down the corridor in the courthouse basement with the judge carrying her diaper bag while she carried Daphne in her all-purpose car seat in one hand and her briefcase in the other.

  Quite a start to the day, she thought as she entered her office. Wyatt—he’d already insisted she drop the formality—placed the diaper bag on her desk. “I’m just two floors up, and we’re having a full day in the court. If you need anything from me, one of the clerks can bring me a message. But honestly, I think everyone down here will help you without hesitation. Have a great day and remind the council members I still own the gavel.”

  Well, he’d certainly helped her get over some of her nerves, she thought. Was this town a Disney creation? Everyone she’d met so far had been amazingly nice. She placed Daphne in a corner out of the way after checking her diaper, then gave her a small, not too noisy rattle to use. Clutched in one little fist, it waved in every direction, then wound up pressed to the girl’s mouth. Everything seemed to wind up there. She made a mental note to check around her house very carefully before putting the baby down on a blanket on the floor.

  Or maybe she should get a playpen. Man, the list was adding up. Playpen, changing table, crib. Then more clothes, because her onesies would stop fitting soon.

  Seated at her desk, she pulled the files out of her briefcase, feeling only one pang of guilt that she hadn’t spent any time on them last night. Not that they needed intense attention. One was the comprehensive plan from so long ago, and she’d read that before applying. It read like comprehensive plans everywhere except for being outdated.

  Then there was a series of folders that amounted to the local wish list, she guessed. Airport runway expansion. Updating the parks. Help to attract new business. Some funding for repairing the high school, which had apparently met with... She caught her breath. A bomb? Really? She wouldn’t have expected that here. Probably some kid who’d thought he was being funny. Or brilliant.

  The one that most caught her attention was a plan to widen one of the roads up into the mountains to turn it into a scenic drive that would end at an historic mining town that, of course, needed work to make it safe. But that was the kind of thing she loved—preserving historical sites, making them into attractions that would ensure their longevity.

  Some of these projects would likely have to be handled by bond issues, but some could well qualify for grants from various sources. And that would be her job. That and updating the comprehensive plan to comply with new regulations.

  Leaning back in her chair, listening to the quiet sounds of the rattle, which would probably elicit tears by falling on the floor soon, and listening to the baby noises Daphne was making, she closed her eyes and remembered why she had taken this job in the first place.

  Conard County wasn’t all built up like the other places she’d worked, most recently Des Moines. When she’d come out for the interview and looked around the area, all she could see was possibility. Of course, she couldn’t make it all happen, and she wasn’t sure it would be good for the community if she did, but some of it could be brought to life here. The potential, the virtually clean slate...yeah, a lot could be done here, and with those mountains so nearby, that merely expanded the things they could accomplish.

  The scenic road was one great idea. She’d also read how repeated attempts to build a ski resort had fallen through, the last time because of some serious landslides.

  She didn’t understand why it couldn’t be done. Those mountains weren’t going anywhere, but they needed funding for an independent geological survey. That last failure had occurred because of record-breaking rain. Surely that could be planned around. Earthquake activity seemed to be minor. She’d suggest the survey as one of her projects.

  Oh, she’d been bubbling with ideas since her interview, but she had to be careful to avoid the “new broom” effect. There was bound to be resistance to any change around here, so she’d better find her way among the people who’d be affected. Maybe a town hall or charette, a survey of what folks besides the commissioners wanted around here. Community input was essential.

  She glanced over and saw that Daphne had fallen asleep, the rattle still clutched in tiny hands. Toys suitable for an infant, she thought, adding that to her growing mental list. She wondered what other unthought-of things lay around the corner.

  She returned to the files, trying to organize them in a useful way for the work ahead of her. Sources for grants would be her first move, and for that she needed projects that might garner private funding. Turning to the computer on her desk, she opened a new digital file and began to transfer information. Why in the world were these files still paper, anyway? Had they been around that long?

  Much as she didn’t feel like working, she actually made some headway in her organization and was starting to feel fairly good about her morning when the door opened.

  Looking up, she saw Blaine poking his head through a five-inch opening. “We’re up. The mayor, the council chairman and the chief commissioner have decided they want to meet with you now.”

  Diane’s stomach turned over, then became queasy. Anxiety because it was barely noon and the public meeting was supposed to be at six. “Now?” she said pointlessly.

  “Well, I got you ten minutes. Better make sure the tot is comfy and you have a bottle. Don’t panic, it’s not the lion’s den and I’ll be there.”

  “I’m not panicking,” she lied bravely. “What happened?”

  “People talk. And some other people wan
t to get the jump on their, um, colleagues. In short, they want the first whack and want information before the others get it.”

  She understood that all too well. When it came to personal power, adults could act like toddlers. “This isn’t a good start,” she remarked.

  “Is any? I’ll be back for you and Daphne in ten. Or would you rather I ask someone to watch her just for now?”

  “Thanks, but I might as well put all the cards on the table right now.” If it was to be a fight, she was ready for it, she believed. Planners like her weren’t a dime a dozen.

  * * *

  Blaine walked down the hall, his thumbs hooked on his jeans pockets. This was indeed not a good start. The eejits had hired this woman while he was away and could offer no input, and now they were going to have a turf war over her?

  He had to give her marks for taking the tot right into it with her. Apparently, Diane Finch like to have the air as clear as possible. Well, so did he.

  But not the damn fools they were about to meet. Oh, no. The muddier the better for them.

  Then he brushed aside the thoughts as unproductive. He’d managed to work with these people for over five years now, and going all crackers on them in defense of Diane wasn’t going to help anyone. He still had a culvert to take care of, and he and the roads department would be getting the blame if the commissioners stalled it.

  As for Diane, she probably wanted to keep this job for a while. To withstand the inevitable storms that were coming, she needed to be firm and able to stand for herself. The politicians weren’t all bad, after all. But they all had their moments.

  Like any other human, he decided humorously. Show him a perfect person and he’d be sure he was looking at the Blessed Mother herself. Anyway, if it became necessary, he knew a few ways to step in to make them back off her.

  Inside the chamber on the second floor of the courthouse, just beneath the courtrooms and judges’ chambers on the third floor, only one commissioner had arrived. Madge Corker, a graying woman of near sixty, sat in her usual chair and eyed him with a smile.

  “So we have a baby with us now, Blaine?”

  “If ya won’t mind, I’ll be letting the planner explain it herself.”

  “Don’t go Irish on me,” she said lightly. “Usually I like to listen to that accent, but when you carry it too far, I have trouble understanding. I think we need to understand today.”

  “No doubt,” he answered, plopping himself in a seat in the front row. “I’ve a culvert I need to talk about. I was planning that for tonight.”

  A sound of amusement escaped Madge. “You were always good at diversion.”

  “No diversion except around that culvert. Detours.”

  Another sound of amusement escaped her, then two men entered, wearing pressed Western shirts and jeans. The local dress-up. If you took an iron to it, you didn’t need the three-piece and tie.

  Neither of them looked remotely amused. Of course not. Men had a thing about babies at work. Women in the clerk’s office were still trying to get a private closet for nursing.

  Jeff Holdrum, the first to enter, was a portly man, just portly enough to look well-to-do and to sport a small spot of egg yolk on the front of his shirt. Minor Allcoke was a weedy man who looked as if he’d been starving all his life. Except Blaine had more than once watched him eat as if he were a three-hundred-pound rugby player.

  As the two new arrivals took their place at the council table on its dais, Blaine felt some apprehension.

  “This is all looking rather official,” he said. “Where are the others?”

  “That’s tonight. Where’s Ms. Finch? She’s supposed to be here.”

  “I gave her ten minutes.” He glanced at his watch. Then, just to annoy them, he switched to an upper-crust British accent, which he seldom used. “Only seven have passed. To avoid being rude, you understand.”

  For a second, he enjoyed watching them look a bit embarrassed. What was it about speaking the queen’s English in the queen’s accent that seemed to make Americans feel a bit...scolded? He wasn’t sure.

  Jeff Holdrum cleared his throat. “This is just about getting to know her.”

  “Right-o. I thought you already interviewed her.”

  “Some...things have changed.”

  “Hell, life has a way o’ doing that, don’t you know.” Then he folded his arms and waited. He just hoped Diane didn’t begin on her back foot. Weakness didn’t stand up well against these folks. Given Madge was a woman, he hoped she was here to protect Diane, but he’d also seen enough women go after other women to know better than to hope.

  He felt the unmistakable change of room pressure as the door at the back opened. Three sets of eyes left him and looked to the rear. He was tempted not to look at all, but then he changed his mind.

  Diane was walking up the center aisle with the baby carrier all decked out in fresh yellow in one hand, the denim diaper bag over her shoulder and a briefcase in hand. He eyed her with admiration. Not only was she lovely, she’d also been serious about putting all her cards on the table. No mistaking it. Her stride was almost defiant.

  “Hello,” she said. “I’m sorry if I kept you waiting.” She placed the carrier on the floor and next to it the diaper bag and briefcase. Then she walked up confidently to the dais and offered her hand. “We’ve met before, of course,” she said. “At my interview. It’s nice to see you again.”

  She even managed to address them all by name, a feat since she had only met them once nearly two months ago.

  “What can I do for you?” she asked. “I’ve been looking into grant resources for various projects on your list, but it would be helpful if the projects could be prioritized for me. It would also help with writing the new comprehensive plan.”

  Straight to business. Blaine settled back to enjoy watching Diane take charge of this entire questionable meeting.

  After a moment, Madge spoke. “We’d need everyone together for that. This is a special meeting.”

  “I gathered.” Diane smiled and took a seat close to the child and her two bags. “I’m all ears.”

  Madge seemed reluctant, so it was Holdrum who put his foot in the potential quicksand. “We weren’t aware you had a child. I believe that was one of the questions asked on your application, about your general family situation.”

  “It was,” Diane answered pleasantly. “But if you look at my application, you’ll find I didn’t answer because the question is illegal. I thought it was just a holdover that hadn’t been corrected so I ignored it. Regardless, I don’t see why that would be a problem. Haven’t you all worked when you had children?”

  Allcoke cleared his throat. “Are you just babysitting, then? For how long?”

  “I’m fostering for my cousin, who is seriously ill. I will have Daphne indefinitely. Again, why would that be a problem? And why do you need to know?”

  The three commissioners traded looks. “It might interfere with your work,” Holdrum said, nearly swallowing his words.

  “Really? I’m seeking day care for her, but even so, making an issue out of the fact that I have a child to care for strikes me as illegal. So was the question on the application which I ignored, but I wasn’t inclined to make an issue at that time.”

  Bravo, Blaine thought. She’d just cornered them. Maybe not the best way to get off on the right foot, but no question who was holding the reins right now.

  Madge at last spoke. “Apparently we’re sounding like an inquisition. That isn’t our intent, but tonight these questions will arise again, and we need to know if there’s some way we can forestall them or at least knock them down. Trust me, I’m on your side. Fostering a child is not an easy thing to do.”

  No, thought Blaine. It wasn’t. It was also another thing for these folks to gnash their teeth over if they chose.

  Daphne chose that moment to make her presence
known with a loud cry and waving arms and legs.

  “Allow me,” Blaine said, moving swiftly. He opened the straps holding the child safely in place and lifted her to his shoulder. “There’s a good girl,” he said, patting her bottom. “Feeding time?”

  Diane opened the flap on the diaper bag and pulled out a bottle, removing the cover from the nipple. Blaine shifted the child to the crook of his arm and started feeding her. “Nothing like a babe to remind you of the important things,” he remarked as Daphne began to suckle quietly. He gave a stern eyeball to the three people on the dais.

  Just then the back door opened again, and Wyatt Carter strode in, his black judicial robe flapping around his denim-clad legs.

  “Can we help you, Judge?” Allcoke asked.

  “No. I’m taking a recess because I heard about this little impromptu meeting. I’m sure you don’t need me to remind you that meeting without a quorum and without public notice isn’t exactly...copacetic. Then I heard all this was about a baby.”

  He walked over to take a look at Daphne tucked so securely into Blaine’s arm. “Almost as cute as my daughter, although I guess I’m prejudiced.” Then he faced the commissioners again.

  “You really don’t want to mess with this,” he said. “I can give you chapter and verse if you like, but this woman is entitled to have a child, and she’s entitled since she just moved here to take a little time to find proper care for the baby. Until then, her private office will do, and I don’t see how the child’s presence there will disturb anyone.”

  Holdrum raised his hands. Allcoke looked a little red. Madge smiled almost secretly.

  “We were trying to forestall any problems at the public meeting tonight,” Holdrum said.

  “Oh, I can make time to come tonight if you think you’ll need my legal opinion. And Blaine here doesn’t seem at all disturbed by holding an infant and feeding her, something I’m quite sure he volunteered to do. In fact, if I know our county engineer after these past five years, I’d place odds on him liking to have the child around.”