Chapter Four
The sky was overcast when Dave crawled out from beneath the covers. He hadn’t slept much, though that wasn’t entirely surprising after his exciting evening. He might as well get up and get on with his day rather than lie in bed.
The shower was hot and he dressed quickly in the cold air of the cottage, pulling on jeans and a thick sweater. God, he’d forgotten how raw and unforgiving an East Coast winter could be. There wasn’t any work today to keep him busy, so he bundled up, scraped the windshield of his SUV, and headed into town.
The only thing open this early on Sunday morning was the café, so Dave stopped and bought two large coffees and a selection of pastries before heading up a street to the clinic. Maybe Charlie wasn’t even there anymore, but he felt uncomfortable with how they’d left things last night. He hadn’t exactly kept his interest in her a secret. Looking at it now, in hindsight, he could understand why she’d backpedaled when she found out about his kid.
Lights were on inside when he arrived, so he cradled the tray holding the food in one hand and tapped lightly on the door with the other. Moments later Charlie came out of an exam room, the baby on her shoulder and a bottle in her hand. Her usually neat-as-a-pin hair was disheveled and sticking out of a frayed braid, and she had bags under her eyes. Clearly it hadn’t been a good night for her either.
She shifted the bottle, turned the dead bolt, and stood back so he could open the door.
The office was warm, and he hurried in and shut the door behind him before he let in too much icy air. “Good morning,” he said softly, peering over her shoulder at the baby. His tiny eyes were closed and his fingers pinched the soft fabric of her sweater. “Rough night?”
“He’s asleep now, isn’t he?”
At his nod, she sighed. “Little bugger. Kept me up most of the night and now he’s out. Typical.”
Dave let out a soft laugh. “Can’t blame a man for wanting your attention all night,” he joked, delighted when her cheeks colored a bit. “Here. I brought coffee. And very-bad-for-you white flour and sugary things.”
“I take back all the bad things I thought about you last night,” she said solemnly, reaching for the bag. “Let’s go to the kitchen. I’m not sure if I dare put this guy down or not.”
Once in the kitchen, Dave put down the tray and stripped off his jacket. Charlie looked up at him with naked yearning in her eyes. “Can you take him while I have something to eat? I feel like I’m going to keel over, and he can stay nice and cozy. And quiet.”
She slid the baby into his arms without waiting for an answer and immediately moved to the counter, grabbing one of the coffees and opening the paper bag, peering down inside before selecting a rather large apple Danish. Her first bite was huge, and glaze clung to the corners of her mouth.
Dave had a lot of thoughts about kissing that glaze from her lips. And if he hadn’t been holding a baby in his arms, he might have. But if—when—he kissed Charlie, he wanted to have his hands free so he could put his arms around her and hold her close.
He looked away, taking a deep breath. She wasn’t the kind of woman a man played with. He should probably just let well enough alone. Still, thinking about her was better than thinking about the baby in his arms and how the weight felt foreign and familiar at the same time. At least the little guy wasn’t crying. Dave figured he’d be okay as long as the baby slept on.
“Let’s go into my office,” she suggested. “I have my desk chair and there’s a decent armchair there too. I’ll bring the stuff and you can have some coffee. It doesn’t look like you got much sleep either.”
He frowned, following her down the hall. “It doesn’t?”
She shook her head, and he watched the ratty braid move back and forth. “It’s in the wrinkles around your eyes. And you showered this morning but you didn’t bother to shave.”
He hadn’t. He knew a day’s growth of stubble was on his cheeks. More than that, she’d noticed. Despite how exhausted she was, she’d noticed all that about him in the space of a few seconds. It was flattering as hell.
Her office was extraordinarily tidy, just as he would have expected, and she pulled the padded chair closer so they could use her desk as a table. He eased himself into the upholstery, careful not to wake the baby, and reached for the thick paper cup.
Charlie sat in her chair, took another healthy bite of Danish, and watched him with keen eyes.
“What?” he asked, after several seconds had ticked by.
“I’m trying to puzzle you out.”
“Never a good idea. I’m a complicated man.” He grinned at her, trying to dispel her solemn gaze, but it was no good. She was focused now.
“You’re good with babies.”
“Why is it so important to you?”
She paused then, furrowing her brow a bit. “You mean, your personal life is none of my business.”
“I wouldn’t put it that bluntly…”
“But that’s what you mean.”
Awkward silence settled over the room. Finally he spoke again. “No, I don’t mean that at all. It’s not an easy thing to talk about. I get that you’re curious given that we … that I … started something.”
“That’s part of it,” she agreed.
He wasn’t immune to the lovely feeling of warm baby curled up against his sweater. “You’re a tough woman, Charlene Yang.”
“Thank you.” She smiled and took a satisfied sip of her coffee.
“You want the truth? All right. Here it is. Anyone I go on a date with wants to know who Dave Ricker is. Coming right out and admitting I have an ex and a daughter … that can be intimidating. I’m not just a guy. I’m a dad.”
“And women are turned off by that?”
He was saved from answering by another tap at the front door.
Thanks to the coffee, pastry, or a bit of both, Charlie looked slightly revived as she said, “That’ll be the social worker. Hang tight.”
She was back moments later with a middle-aged woman who identified herself as Marissa Longfellow. She looked kind, like a schoolteacher, and smiled at the sight of Dave holding the baby in his arms.
“He certainly looks contented,” she noted.
“He likes Dave,” Charlie replied. “He fell asleep right away last night when Dave held him inside his jacket. Then Dave went home and it seemed like he cried for hours.”
Marissa laughed. “Sounds about right. All of mine went through a stage at this age. For three or four weeks they’d be up in the middle of the night and just wouldn’t settle. And then poof. One day they got their days and nights the right way around and I’d start getting good sleep. Or at least a good chunk of sleep at a time. Well, let’s see to the official paperwork, shall we? I have those papers for you I mentioned, Dr. Yang, and then we’ll be good to go.”
“Dave, are you okay here for a few minutes? He’s so contented at the moment.”
“No problem. I’ll just drink my coffee and we’ll have some male bonding time.” He smiled up at her.
They left the office, and he took a sip of coffee then put the cup back on the desk. The baby in his arms took a deep breath and let out a sigh. Dave adjusted his hold so the little guy was cradled just right, then slid down in the chair a little so that his head rested against the padded back and his legs stretched out comfortably. He closed his eyes. He’d missed these first moments with his daughter and he could never get them back. But he didn’t regret the choices he’d made since. It had meant giving up being a SEAL, but it also meant being part of his daughter’s life as she grew up, and that was more important.
* * *
Charlie came back for the baby and stopped in the doorway to her office, her heart catching at the sight before her.
The baby was lying on Dave’s wide chest, still sound asleep, while Dave’s rough hands held him snug and safe. A soft snore broke the silence. Dave had fallen asleep too, and it was as sweet a picture as she’d ever seen.
“Dave,” she said
softly, stepping into the room. He never moved, not a muscle, and she smiled to herself. He was really out. “Dave,” she repeated, louder this time, and he snuffled before opening his eyes slowly.
“I fell asleep.”
“You did.”
“He’s quite the little furnace, isn’t he?”
She shrugged. “He didn’t exactly settle that well for me.”
And there it was. The slow, sexy, slightly smug smile.
“Is it time?”
She nodded, wondering if she was crazy to be taking on this new responsibility. She’d been up all night, been at her wit’s end trying to soothe the child, been peed on when she didn’t get the diaper on fast enough, and was tired and still hungry. And yet the thought of the tiny bundle going somewhere else felt so wrong. Most of the time she was able to put her desire for a family of her own on the back-burner. Whether it was her ticking clock or what, that talent was getting more and more difficult lately. To her surprise, she’d found herself offering to care for the infant while the police investigated the case.
“Yeah, it’s time to get this little man settled.” Charlie moved closer.
“If the parents are local, it shouldn’t be too hard to find out if he has family. How many baby boys could have been born in the last few weeks, anyway?” Dave asked on a yawn, shifting the baby as he sat up.
Of course, if the family wasn’t local, that was a whole other thing. Still, it was a good starting place.
“Here, let me take him.” She slid her hands under the warm little body and lifted. His eyes opened as she moved him into her arms, staring at her without really seeing, not crying, but just taking a few moments to wake up from his comfortable nap.
Marissa was waiting with a car seat and warm blanket and strapped him in securely with competent hands. Charlie went forward and put the little cap back on his head. “He needs to keep warm,” she murmured. “It’s cold out today.”
“Are you sure you have everything you need?” Marissa smiled at her. “It’s a big thing you’re doing.”
“I’ll go right from here to the drugstore.”
“If there’s any problem, anything at all, you’ll call, won’t you? There’s lots of support available. And I’m here day or night.”
Dave stepped forward. “What? I thought you were taking the baby with you?”
Marissa slid a file into her case. “Dr. Yang is going to watch our little one for a few days. Just temporarily, of course.” She smiled. “She’s done such great work with our foster care support group. I have complete confidence in her.”
Charlie looked over at him, wishing she had the same confidence in herself but determined to do the right thing. “His weight’s a little low, and monitoring his health makes sense right now. Hopefully it’s just a case of nutrition and we can get him back on track.”
“And we have fewer foster families available every day,” Marissa added. “Ideally, we’ll find a family member quickly who can be awarded temporary custody, and if not, then once his weight is up, this little guy will be settled with a good family. Well, I’ll be on my way, and let you get home and settled. I’ll talk to you soon, Charlie.”
She was gone in a gust of wind and left the two of them standing there. Charlie took a deep breath. There was no turning back now. For better or worse, she was temporarily in charge of an infant boy.
Dave came closer and put his hands on her upper arms. She looked up, surprised to find his eyes filled with understanding.
“Feeling overwhelmed?” he asked simply.
“A little,” she admitted. “I’m probably just tired. And even though he was fussy, he really is a sweetie. I’m sure we’ll be fine.”
Dave grinned and squeezed her arms. “Well, he’s your little Baby Jesus, after all. Kind of difficult to harden your heart to that.”
She laughed a little. Come to think of it, she’d had more of those silly little chuckles in the last few days than she’d had in a very long time.
“I couldn’t bear the thought of him going to strangers this morning. How silly is that? But oh my. I’ve kind of leaped in with both feet.”
“If it makes you feel any better, every parent in the world leaps in with both feet. One minute you’re alone, the next you’re a parent. It’s a big shock.”
“Is that how it was with you?”
He chuckled. “Definitely. I’d never changed a diaper or given a bottle or any of those things. You at least know what you’re doing. You’ve got a head start.”
His pep talk made her feel better. “Thanks. So why did you come back this morning anyway?” she asked, pulling away. She picked up the carrier and together they headed back to her office where the cold coffee and sweets waited. “I figured you’d be sleeping in after your exciting evening.”
“Couldn’t sleep, and I was worried about you. This isn’t the coziest place to spend the night.”
“Clearly you’ve never tried to sleep in an inner-city emergency room,” she called out, as she poured the now-cold coffee down the sink.
He came up behind her, balling up a sticky napkin. “No, but I’ve slept in some nasty places just the same. Like in the desert where you sweat your balls off during the day and then freeze at night and you and your buddies huddle together because you’re out of fuel.”
She burst out laughing.
“Good times,” he confirmed, with a twitch of his lips. “Very … cozy. And you know what? I think that’s the first time I’ve really heard you laugh.”
She found that hard to believe. He made her smile a lot. But perhaps she hadn’t laughed. It felt good.
“Look,” he suggested, “your cottage is on the way to mine. You’re dog-tired. Why don’t I take you both home and you can pick up your car later?”
Her stomach took that swirly dip again. “That’s not necessary. A drop-off at the waterfront would be fine…”
“We had some snow last night and the roads are a little slick. Maybe I didn’t sleep well but I bet I got more than you plus I just had a nice little catnap. We can stop by the drugstore for whatever you need first.”
It was tempting. She was exhausted. Gosh, how did new parents do it night after night? Lord, she was about to find out, wasn’t she?
He reached for his coat. “Come on. You know you’re dying for a hot shower and a pair of sweats and some sleep.”
Oh God, that sounded heavenly.
“All right.”
“Get your coat. I’ll warm up the truck.”
Several minutes later they were loaded down with diapers and formula and back on the road toward Fiddler’s Rock. Charlie had her purse and the bag of pastries on her lap as Dave negotiated the winding turns, and hard flakes of snow bit through the air as they left town behind for the relative peace of the seaside road. The baby slept on, comfortable in the car seat, lulled by the motion of the car.
“Which place is yours?” he asked, as they passed the Blackberry Hill intersection.
“About a mile past the curve, on the left.”
As they got closer, the flakes started coming down heavier. She motioned for him to turn as they approached the driveway to her place. Even in the gloomy weather, she loved it. The gray shingle siding and white trim were old-fashioned and cozy, and she’d put a big evergreen wreath on her door, complete with a gigantic red bow.
“Nice spot,” he remarked, putting the truck in park.
“Isn’t it?” She looked over at him and smiled. “The trees make it so cozy, but then you go on the back deck and the bay is spread out for miles. It’s even nicer in the summer. I’m not much of a gardener, but I’m trying to expand a few perennial beds.”
He’d left the truck running and she asked a little hesitantly, “Do you want to come in?”
His gaze met hers evenly. “Is that what you want? Or are you just being polite?”
“You’re very direct, you know.”
“Is that a problem?”
“Not really. Takes some getting used to, I thi
nk.” She bit down on her lip. “I can’t eat all these pastries alone. Come in. We’ll get this little guy settled and I’ll make a decent cup of coffee. It’s the least I can do after all your help.”
She wasn’t as direct as Dave. Her words made it sound like a thank you when it was really an “I’d like to spend more time with you” thing.
He shut off the ignition and pocketed the keys. “I suppose I could do that. You take this stuff in, and I’ll bring the baby.”
Once inside Charlie immediately went to the thermostat and turned up the heat. “Gosh, it’s cold in here.” She slid off her boots and hung up her coat. “Make yourself at home. I’m going to start on the coffee.”
He came in behind her and shut the door, put down the carrier, took off his boots, and placed them precisely beside hers before hanging his jacket on the coatrack. “Are you sure you don’t want a hot shower first?”
She wondered if she still smelled of baby spit-up. Plus the idea of a shower and comfy, fuzzy clothes was incredibly tempting. “I wouldn’t be much of a hostess if I did that.” Dave picked up the car seat once more and they walked through to the kitchen.
But Dave stopped at the living room. “Hey, you’ve got a fireplace. Seriously, go shower. I’ll watch the baby and start a fire. When you come out, it’ll be warmer in here.”
Apparently he was taking her “make yourself at home” comments seriously. She put the bakery bag on the butcher block. “It does sound good…”
“Go. We’ll be here when you get back.”
“I won’t be long.”
She left them there and headed to the bedroom, gathered a pair of yoga pants and a bulky Harvard hoodie, and scooted into the bathroom. The shower felt glorious and she nearly didn’t want to get out, except she knew he was waiting. Her heartbeat quickened as she thought of it. She’d invited him in for pastry and coffee, but she was in a steaming shower and he was building a fire and there was clearly an attraction at work here. Was something more going to happen? Did she want it to?
It Must Be Christmas Page 11