“Guess you weren’t.” Liam pulled out his phone and took a photo of her and Henry. “There. Now you have it documented. The first moment he called you Mama.”
Something welled warm and new inside her. She’d never had this. Someone who’d think about taking photos and making memories together. “Thank you,” she told him softly. “That’s really thoughtful.”
Liam was 100 percent proud daddy. “Can you believe it? He’s eleven months old.” A stricken look took the joy out of his expression. “I don’t even know the day he was born.”
“April 30.” Trisha kissed Henry’s curls again, swaying slowly back and forth to relax him further.
“I wonder what I was doing that day. Probably just fixing a fence or moving some cattle or something. It’s so strange to think that I was just going about my business the day our son was born.”
“You didn’t know,” Trisha said. “You couldn’t have known.” She put a hand on Liam’s arm. “Let’s just try to enjoy this time, and not worry about what you missed. Not right now.”
All this time she’d been so worried about herself and Henry. In a way, she’d figured that whatever Liam had missed out on was his own fault. He could have left his name and number that night. In her fear and resentment, she hadn’t thought much about what it was like for him, knowing he’d missed out on so much. Knowing he’d have missed out on everything, if he hadn’t come to work with Jace in Shelter Creek.
When she thought about it, the enormity of what he might have missed was staggering.
Henry was floppy on her shoulder, losing interest in the crowds and bustle. “I think he’s pretty sleepy.”
“Should I walk you guys home? He might sleep better in his own bed.”
Liam was too sweet. Too thoughtful. He was going to make her want to be with him, and she didn’t want that. Not when he wasn’t going to stay in Shelter Creek. But he was right. It was time to walk Henry home.
“Want me to load him in the stroller? You can go say goodbye to your friends?”
Trisha hesitated just a moment, then nodded. “That would be nice.” She passed Henry over to Liam and stood watching while he carried the drowsy baby over to the stroller. He buckled his son in, and tucked the blanket around him. He actually looked like he knew what he was doing.
She went to say goodbye to Vivian, Maya and the rest of the group.
“Tell Liam we’ll see him tomorrow,” Lillian said, giving Trisha a kiss on the cheek. “And if you need any Henry care this week, I’m your gal.”
“Or me,” said Priscilla, squeezing her hand.
“Or me.” Kathy gave Trisha a hug. “Just call us the Henry Fan Club.”
“Thank you so much. You all are so good to us.”
“And now you have someone else who wants to be good to you.” Monique tipped her head in Liam’s direction. “You should let him.”
“It’s a lot to get used to,” Trisha said.
Monique’s slow smile contained reams of mischief. “Honey, I could definitely get used to a handsome cowboy looking at me the way that boy looks at you.”
“He isn’t looking at me as anything more than the mother of his kid.” Trisha glanced toward where Liam was waiting. He smiled and tipped the brim of his hat in her direction.
“That little hat tip...” Eva sighed. “I could get used to that. Maybe he has an uncle who likes older artsy women.”
“Or an older brother,” Monique added.
“Monique!” Eva looked shocked.
“Some men like older women,” Monique countered, totally unabashed.
“Cougar,” Eva said, and she and Monique burst out laughing.
“Okay, you two cougars, knock it off.” Lillian put a hand on Trisha’s arm. “This young lady and her young cowboy have to get their baby down for a nap.”
Shaking her head, Trisha made her way back to Liam.
“What is going on over there?”
She glanced back to see Monique and Eva still laughing, leaning on each other for support.
“They’re just The Book Biddies. They’ve always got something to say about everything. They were checking you out and then calling each other cougar. Which makes them laugh because when Maya first returned to live in Shelter Creek, she was here studying mountain lions. Some of the locals weren’t supportive of her work, so The Biddies decided to become her support group. They named themselves Cougars for Cougars and went around passing out flyers about how to coexist with lions.”
Liam shook his head. “I don’t think I’m following.”
“Don’t even try. Just accept that The Biddies are always up to something. Speaking of which...” Trisha eyed Liam suspiciously. “Lillian said to tell you she’d see you tomorrow.”
“Oh, that.” Liam’s shrug was a little too casual. “She just offered to feed me some pizza. How could I say no?”
“Smart boy. It’s best to not even try to refuse when The Biddies get an idea in their head.”
They started across the busy square toward the side street that led to Trisha’s cottage.
“I had a lot of fun,” Liam told her as they approached her house.
“Me, too.” Trisha realized she was telling the truth. She’d been nervous about today, being out with Liam and all of her friends, but it had felt pretty natural, almost as if he fit right in.
Liam stopped in front of her gate. “Let me carry the stroller up the stairs?”
She could use the help. Half the time she just left it in her garden, so she didn’t have to haul it up the steep porch steps. “Thank you.” Trisha lifted sleeping Henry out and watched Liam pick up the heavy jogging stroller like it was nothing. He carried it up the steps and put it down on the porch, carefully setting the brake so it wouldn’t roll away.
She held Henry against her chest, climbing the steps slowly and carefully so as not to wake him up.
“Keys?” He kept his voice to a whisper and she answered the same way.
“The outside pocket of the diaper bag.”
The bag was in the bottom of the stroller and he pulled it out along with his jacket. “Almost forgot this.” He fished the keys out and opened her front door for her, setting the bag down in the hall.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
He came back out on the porch. “Do you need any more help? Want me to come in?”
“I’ve got it from here.”
He looked like he wanted to say more, but he caught his lower lip instead, as if to stop himself. “I’ll see you soon, then.”
“When?” She hadn’t meant to ask it. Didn’t want to care when she saw him again. But suddenly, she did.
His eyes sparked with interest. “How about Tuesday evening? Any chance one of those Book Biddies can watch Henry long enough for us to get some dinner?”
“Us?” He’d taken her by surprise.
“Yeah, us.” His gaze riveted to hers, intense in its purpose. “Because this isn’t just about Henry, though he matters most. It’s also about you and me. I want to take you out. On a date.”
Her heart just about stopped. A date. Normally she’d say no. In fact, No was right there on the tip of her tongue, but then she heard Maya’s words from earlier today. Try to relax and have some faith. Why not try to get to know him? Why not see what there was between them? Maybe they were just co-parents. Maybe not even that. But maybe there was something more, and maybe she was ready to try to reach for it.
“Tuesday night would be fine. I’d like that.”
“Okay, then.” Liam reached out and brushed his fingers lightly over Henry’s curls. Then he brought his hand up to touch Trisha’s wavy locks. “I think he may have gotten those curls from my mother. She had thick curly hair.”
“No one on my side has curls. And you have a little curl in your hair, too.”
“It’s nice knowing
there’s something that was handed down from my mom.”
“You must miss her.” Trisha tried to imagine the woman who’d held Liam close, just like she was holding Henry now.
“I do. I wish you could have met her. I wish she could have met Henry.” They both stood quietly, looking at the baby cuddled on Trisha’s chest. Then Liam swallowed hard and took a step back. “I’ll see you Tuesday, Trisha. And Happy Easter.”
“Happy Easter, Liam.” She watched him as he jogged lightly down the steps and headed for his truck. Easter. A holiday of renewal. Of revitalization. Maybe she was just being silly, but it seemed like something in her was rekindling, and coming alive. Trisha took a deep breath, acknowledging the excitement flickering inside her. Yup, it was true. Things were changing. She felt hopeful and awake, and she just might have a little crush on Henry’s daddy.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
“OH NO, POOR BABY.” Trisha put her hand to Henry’s forehead for what must have been the tenth time in five minutes. “You’ve got a fever, for sure.” She walked slowly around her living room, bouncing her sick baby gently, trying to get his crying to stop.
Glancing down at her carefully curated outfit, she sighed. The dark jeans, the heels, the pretty red sweater—they’d all have to go back in the closet for another time. Henry gave a little cough that just about cracked Trisha’s heart in two. It must have hurt because he screwed up his mouth and wailed.
“It’s okay, Henry, love.” She took another lap around the living room, watching him carefully, trying to figure out if bouncing made him feel better or worse. He cried louder and she stopped the bouncing. Maybe the poor guy had a headache.
Trisha moved Henry onto her hip and held him with one arm while she wrestled the phone from her purse with the other. She called Kathy, who’d been planning to come over and babysit so Trisha and Liam could go to dinner. When Kathy answered, Trisha told her what was wrong.
“Oh, the poor baby. Do you want me to come over there and help?”
“We’re okay right now. And I don’t want you to catch it.”
“Do you have some of that infant pain reliever?”
“I do.” Trisha swayed gently back and forth with Henry. The motion seemed to soothe him a little and he quieted. “I’ll give him some if he doesn’t settle down soon. Thank you for offering to babysit tonight. I really appreciate it. May I take a rain check?”
“Of course. And don’t hesitate to call if you need some backup.”
“Thank you, Kathy. Will do.” Trisha set her phone down and chewed on her lower lip. She’d never thought to get Liam’s phone number, and now she had no way to call and tell him that their date was off. She tried Vivian’s phone number, thinking that she’d know how to reach Liam, but it went straight to voice mail. Vivian had probably set her phone aside to spend time with the kids and Jace.
Henry started crying again—she shifted him higher up in her arms so he could look out over her shoulder, which he usually liked. Instead he put his head down and clung to her. Trisha pulled up his favorite playlist of kid songs on her phone and stuck it in the dock. The happy beats of “Baby Beluga” filled the room and she danced slowly, hoping his favorite song would bring him some comfort.
It seemed to work, so she put the song on repeat and she and Henry danced to it a few more times. When she shut the music off, intending to try putting him in his crib, he started crying again.
“All right, one more time.” She started up the song again but it was interrupted by a soft knock on the door. She danced over to answer, and there was Liam, standing on her porch, looking amazing in dark jeans, a black T-shirt and a leather jacket. A wave of disappointment washed over her. She’d been looking forward to seeing him tonight—she hadn’t realized how much until it wasn’t actually going to happen.
She was about to tell him that their date was canceled, but he raised the bag he was carrying. “Takeout from the barbecue place. We can eat here.”
“How did you know I couldn’t go out?”
“Kathy called Lillian, and Lillian called me.” He grinned. “I am dialed into the local gossip network.”
“I didn’t have your phone number or I would have called. I tried Vivian.”
“She and Jace and the kids are having a movie night. I bet she has her phone off. I’m glad you didn’t reach her. This way I can still see you.”
“But Henry is sick.”
“And I’m here to help.” His smile was a little shy. “Isn’t that what fathers do?”
“I don’t know.” She thought of her own dad, so formal and brisk. He’d left most of the nurturing to her mom, who hadn’t been much better at it. She’d seemed to find most aspects of childcare an annoying burden, especially when her almost-grown daughter had become so needy after the accident. “You don’t have to stay. Henry and I will be fine. We’ve been through this before.”
“Of course you have,” he said reasonably. “But now you have me.”
“You don’t need to take the trouble...”
“It’s not trouble. Where else would I want to be right now except here with the two of you, trying to help?”
She couldn’t argue with that, and she didn’t want to because the truth was, she wanted to see him. “Come in.”
He kicked off his boots and set them inside the door, which she appreciated. She liked to keep the floor as clean as possible for Henry to crawl around on. Not that poor little Henry would be up for much crawling tonight.
Liam set the bag down on the dining room table. “Nice music. How is the little guy?”
“He cries every time I shut this song off. He’s got a low fever, a hundred and one.”
“That’s low?” He looked at her with concern furrowing his brow. “That seems like a lot.”
“It’s not great, but it’s not terrible for a baby.”
He whistled low. “Man, babies are tough.”
“So are their parents. I’m not sure how much more ‘Baby Beluga’ I can take.”
He laughed quietly and pulled off his jacket, setting it on one of the dining room chairs. “Want me to take him? I can dance, if you want to change into something more comfortable.”
Gratefully, she handed him the baby. She wasn’t used to wearing high heels and tight jeans.
He got Henry settled on his shoulder and then caught sight of her outfit. “You look amazing. Can we try this date another time?”
Trisha felt her face heat. It had been so long since she’d seen open admiration on a man’s face. “Sure. That would be great.” She fled to her bedroom and changed into comfortable yoga pants and her favorite pink sweatshirt. She chose some pink fuzzy socks and pulled her hair back in a ponytail, to keep it out of Henry’s way. She glanced in the mirror a little ruefully. So much for trying to look like someone who was more than just Henry’s mom.
She stopped in the kitchen for plates and silverware, just in case they got a chance to eat. The barbecue smelled delicious. In the dining room, she stopped and stared.
Liam was in the living room, swaying to yet another round of “Baby Beluga.” He held Henry close to his shoulder and his head was bent over the baby’s, like he was singing along quietly. He was completely immersed in his son, dancing in the dim golden lamplight, his big frame and long legs making Henry seem even tinier in his arms.
It was beautiful and perfect, and father and son looked just right moving around her living room. Tears burned behind Trisha’s eyes. This was what she’d almost missed out on. What Liam had almost missed out on. And more importantly, what Henry had almost missed out on—having a daddy to love him like this.
“Baby Beluga” wound down for the umpteenth time and Liam reached for the volume. “I think he’s sleeping,” he whispered.
Trisha motioned for him to follow and led him back to the bedroom. He went to lay Henry down in his crib and Trisha almost intervene
d to tell him how to do it, except he handled the baby like a pro, supporting his back and neck with his hands and forearms.
“You’re a natural,” she breathed.
He winked and said nothing. Just took the baby blanket she offered and put it over Henry’s legs. Then he removed the toys that had ended up in the crib earlier today, when Trisha had set Henry down for a few minutes.
“You really have been reading the baby books,” she told him as they made their way back down the hall to the dining room.
“Something like that.” He opened the bag of food, allowing heavenly smells to escape. “Are you ready to eat? It might be a long night.”
Their first meal together. She was nervous as she opened the containers of meat, while he dished potato salad and coleslaw onto the two plates.
“Barbecue tofu?” She stared at the skewers in disbelief. “How did you know?”
“I asked Lillian what you’d like. She said you’re not a big fan of meat. Which makes sense, I guess, since you’re such a big fan of animals.”
He opened a second container. “I got chicken. I hope that doesn’t upset you.”
“No. Not at all.”
“Tell me why you like animals so much.”
“They’re cute.” It was her standard answer and he saw right through it.
“And...?”
She studied him, deciding what she wanted to reveal. “After that car accident, I didn’t want to be around people much. It was so awkward. I worried nonstop that they blamed me, or felt sorry for me, and I guess I blamed myself so much, too. And I missed Julie a lot. She’d been my best friend forever.”
“Did you have pets already?”
“No, my parents didn’t like pets. They said they made the house dirty. But I was so lonely after the accident and I begged and begged. Eventually they let me adopt a poodle from the animal shelter, because poodles don’t shed. Frenchie was about nine years old when I got her. She lived to be sixteen and she was such a good buddy. She’s the reason I decided that I wanted to work with animals.” Trisha took a bite of her barbecue. “Oh my gosh, that’s so good.”
Her Surprise Cowboy--A Clean Romance Page 17