by Kira Archer
He glanced down. “What do I do with her?”
Leah waved him over to where she’d set up a playpen.
“Set her down in there so she can nap while we eat.”
He gently deposited the precious bundle into the playpen and then stood at the side, gazing down. “They’re really cute when they’re sleeping, aren’t they?”
She laughed quietly. “Pretty cute when they’re awake, too.”
Brooks nodded. “Well, except for when she’s doing her Exorcist imitation. But other than that, yeah, sure.”
They laughed again and she took his hand to draw him into the kitchen. “Sit. Eat.”
He picked up a fork and stared down at the food.
“What’s the matter?” she asked, putting a napkin in her lap. “You don’t like stir-fry?”
“No, I love it. It’s not that. It’s…I don’t think I’ve had an actual home-cooked meal since the last time my mom came to visit.”
“Don’t you cook?”
He snorted. “I’ve attempted it a few times. It didn’t go well.”
“Oh, come on. I’m sure it wasn’t that bad.”
“Freshman year of college. I wanted to impress this girl I liked. So I invited her to my dorm room for a home-cooked meal.”
“To your dorm room?”
He nodded. “I had one of those hot plate things. And a microwave. I figured I was set.”
“And?”
“Well, I had her in bed by nine.”
Leah raised her eyebrows, waiting for the punch line.
“Except it wasn’t the bed I’d covered in black silk sheets, it was a bed in the ER and she was puking her guts out with food poisoning. The ER doc said it was the worst case he’d ever seen.”
He shook his head, his eyes focused on the long-ago past. “I’d never felt so bad about anything in my life. I’d tried really hard, too. Found some fancy recipe in one of those Martha Stewart magazines. Blew a whole paycheck and an entire day sweating over that stupid little hot plate. I don’t think it got quite hot enough, though.”
“I’m sure she appreciated the effort.”
He laughed, though there was no amusement in the sound. “Naw, she’d wanted me to take her to some fancy restaurant that had just opened because that’s where her roommate’s boyfriend had taken her. But that guy had a rich daddy and a big allowance. I had a hard-working dad who was barely making ends meet himself and a job delivering pizzas at night to help pay for college. So I borrowed some of those little white Christmas lights from a friend in the Theater Club and strung them all over my room, cleaned it up real nice. You know, tried to make it all romantic.”
“It sounds wonderful,” Leah said, her heart aching for him. He told the story with a smile, but his eyes held a lingering pain that she wished she could erase.
“You’d have thought I’d taken her to some back alley and tried to feed her dumpster drippings. She choked down a couple bites and finally spit it out and asked what kind of a cheapskate moron would try to cook an edible meal in a dorm room.”
“That’s horrible!”
He shrugged. “She wasn’t wrong. I mean, she did end up in the ER.”
Leah’s heart cracked a little more. She had half a mind to find out who that girl was so she could go defend his honor or something. What a despicable way to treat someone.
“She was wrong. Whether it met her expectations or not, you went to a lot of trouble and she was nothing but a…a…bitch.”
That startled a genuine laugh out of him. “I didn’t know you had such a potty mouth, Little Miss Schoolteacher.”
“I only use it on special occasions.”
“Good to know you have a naughty side,” he said with a wink.
Oh, she had a very naughty side. But letting it out to play would be incredibly ill-advised so she ignored that remark. “If it’s any consolation, I know how you must have felt.”
“You’ve given someone food poisoning, too?”
She laughed. “No. But I’ve gone to extreme effort only to have it thrown back in my face. A guy I’d been dating for over a year ended up moving so we tried the long-distance thing for a while. He had to fly into a city that was about an hour or so from me for a business meeting. We were supposed to meet up when he was done, but I knew the meeting wasn’t going well and I wanted to surprise him. I went and bought all his favorite candies, wrote out a bunch of notes about the things I loved about him, and placed them all around his hotel room so he’d find them when he got out of his meeting.”
“And he didn’t like it?”
She frowned at the unwelcome memory. “I didn’t hear from him for two days. I’d been supposed to meet him at the hotel. It’s why I had the key for his room. But since he didn’t call me to tell me when he got back, I assumed…well, I didn’t know what to think. He wouldn’t return any of my messages. He finally answered the phone two days later. Didn’t mention his hotel room at all so when I brought it up, he said he thought it was kind of stalkery and it had made him uncomfortable so he’d left and gone back home.”
“He thought it was stalkery for a woman he’d been dating for a year to go into a hotel room to which she’d been invited to spread around some love notes and candy to cheer him up when he’d had a bad day?”
“Yeah.”
Brooks shook his head. “I think some people are determined to be miserable. You can shower me with love notes and candy anytime you want.”
She laughed. “I’ll keep that in mind. Now eat before it gets cold. I hope you like it,” she said, squirming at the sudden shyness that flooded her.
“I’m sure it’ll be amazing.”
He gave her a smile that warmed her down to her very core, and she turned her attention to her dinner to break the connection. He was certainly turning out to be more than she’d expected, which was going to be a problem when it came time to say good-bye.
She pushed that thought away. For the moment, she would enjoy the time they had.
By the time Kiersten and Cole came to pick up Piper, Brooks had exhausted himself in a tornado of baby care. Leah met them at the door with her finger to her lips and gestured them over to the couch where she pointed down at the cutest sight ever. Kiersten put her hand over her mouth and smiled and then whipped out her phone. Cole shook his head while his wife snapped several pictures, but even he was smiling.
Brooks had fallen asleep on the couch with the baby tucked in one arm, a burp cloth over his shoulder, three teddy bears tucked in around them, and a bottle in his hand. And one of those horseshoe-shaped baby pillows on his head that he had been wearing as a crown to try and get the baby to laugh.
“So it went well then?” Kiersten asked.
“Surprisingly well. I mean, there is obviously a bit of a learning curve,” she said, gesturing to the destroyed apartment. “But he started to get the hang of everything. He might not have all the mechanics down of changing diapers and stuff, but he has a way with babies that is pretty cute. He had her smiling and gurgling at him the whole time.”
Kiersten beamed. “I’m glad it wasn’t too horrible for you guys.”
Leah shook her head. “We had fun.”
Cole had finished gathering up their things so Kiersten went to collect the baby from Brooks. He startled awake when she took the baby, but quickly settled back down to sleep when he saw that it was her.
Leah walked them to the door and said her good-byes. Then she went back over to the couch and stared down at Brooks for a few moments. He wasn’t remotely what she’d expected. In any given situation, he always found some way to surprise her.
Life with him, while it lasted, would never be boring, that was for sure.
The door buzzer sounded and Brooks jumped. Leah laughed. “It’s just the door.”
“Oh,” he said, rubbing his hand over his face.
“I’ll see who it is.” Leah turned to check the intercom but Brooks stood and stretched.
“It’s probably Cole,” he said, h
olding up the baby blanket he’d been snuggling with. “Can’t put the princess to bed without her favorite blanket, which I apparently stole from her. You sit. I’ll check the door.”
He’d popped off the couch and was already at the door checking the video monitor before Leah could respond. She shrugged. She sank onto the couch and leaned her head against the back, glad to get her increasing weight off her feet. Her little peanut was starting to kill her back and feet. She rubbed her hands over her belly, over and over. Feeling the hard mound beneath her fingertips, its wiggling inhabitant safe and snug, had become a soothing gesture for her.
The door buzzer sounded again and Brooks cursed under his breath but buzzed in whoever it was and came back over to her. She glanced at him and at the sight of his face, immediately sat up, her heart thudding in concern.
“Brooks? What’s the matter? Who is it?”
He gave her a tight smile. “You have a visitor.”
Chapter Fourteen
Brooks waited by the door, his entire demeanor rigid. Leah’s heart dropped. She’d never seen him like that. Ever. Brooks always had a smile in his eyes, no matter what was happening.
“Brooks? What’s going on? Who is it?” she asked, but a knock at the door sounded before he could stay a word. Instead of answering her, he just opened it.
She stood, her hands immediately going to her belly as she stared at the man in the doorway. “Marcus,” she said, her mind a total blank for a moment as she stared at her baby’s father.
Brooks nodded at him as Marcus entered carrying an enormous bouquet of flowers and then glanced at Leah, his expression unreadable. “I’ll leave you two alone,” he said.
He went into his wine room and turned to close the door, glancing back at her just once.
“Brooks,” she said. But he turned away and shut the door. The look on his face nearly tore her heart out.
Marcus walked slowly into the room, his eyes darting between hers and her belly.
“I’m sorry to drop in unannounced, especially so late. But I just got your messages and wanted to see you.”
“No, that’s fine, really. That’s why I gave you the address. In case you ever wanted to…look us up…”
“So, you’re really…” His gaze dropped back to the baby bump.
Her brows lifted a little. Had he thought she was lying? “Yes. You say you just saw my messages?”
He smiled a bit sheepishly. “Yeah, I’m sorry I never responded. I’ve been out of the country for several months and checking Facebook wasn’t high on the priority list. Oh, these are for you,” he said, handing her the flowers.
“Thank you. They’re gorgeous.” She went into the kitchen area and laid them on the counter, using the time to try and calm her nerves. What the hell did you say to the guy who knocked you up and then reappeared out of the blue five months later?
“I imagine it was somewhat of a shock to see all that. I’m sorry I broke the news that way, but I didn’t know how else to contact you. I thought you should know…”
“No, that’s fine. Thank you for trying to get ahold of me. But I’m here now.”
“Yes, you are.” And what in the hell did that mean? What did she want it to mean? She didn’t know this man. He was a total stranger to her, one she’d never meant to see again. And now here they were, bound through the tiny life they’d created.
Someone really needed to write a how-to book that dealt with the subject. How to Deal with Your One-Night Stand Turned Baby Daddy. With a bonus chapter on how to juggle a new husband into the mix.
She gestured for him to have a seat on the couch. She sat beside him though she left plenty of room between them.
He glanced around. “You have a great place here.”
“Thanks, though I can’t take credit. It’s Brooks’s place.”
“But aren’t you two married?”
Oops. Can’t forget about that. “Yes, but Brooks lived here before we got married. I guess I’m still getting used to calling it home.”
“Ah, I see.”
She nodded and they sat in awkward silence for a minute or two before he nodded at her belly.
“So…is everything going okay with…?”
“Yes,” she said, happy to have something to talk about. “Almost twenty weeks now. Baby is growing perfectly. We haven’t found out the sex yet…oh. I guess now that you’re here I should discuss all that with you. If you want to know or not?”
He waved that off. “Whatever you decide is fine. I’m not going to start making demands about anything the second I walk through the door. I’m just glad to hear everything is going well.”
That was nice of him. The nervous butterflies in her gut hadn’t eased yet and, finally, she laughed. He raised an eyebrow.
“I’m sorry. It’s…this whole situation is a little…”
“Awkward?” he asked with a smile.
“Yes.”
He sat forward and took her hands in his. “Look, there’s no expectations here. I’d like to be involved as much as possible, but that’s entirely up to you. And I know we don’t really know each other, but we got along well enough the last time we met.” His gaze turned suggestive and his thumbs drew lazy circles over the backs of her hands. “I’m sure we’ll get used to each other again in no time.”
Her mind went blank for a second. They had had a really great time that night. The best she’d ever had until…
She glanced up at the door of the wine room and saw Brooks standing there. “Brooks,” she said, pulling her hands out of Marcus’s and standing up. She tried to ignore the guilt crashing over her. After all, she’d done nothing wrong. Even if their marriage had been a true one, she’d done nothing. But she still couldn’t help the urge to fidget and squirm under Brooks’s gaze.
He smiled, though the expression didn’t reach his eyes, and came to her, wrapping his arm around her waist, much to her surprise. The gesture calmed her, though, and she leaned against him.
“So, how are things going out here?” he asked, his eyes focused on Marcus.
“Great,” Marcus said. “Just getting reacquainted with the mother of my baby.”
Leah glanced at him with a slight frown. That had sounded awfully possessive. And the weird tension between the two men was growing by the second.
Brooks’s arm tightened around her. “I don’t remember if I mentioned that Marcus and I went to school together.”
“Yes—” Leah started but Marcus answered first.
“Yes, we did. We were quite the rivals back then, weren’t we?” he said, his tone friendly, though there was a look in his eye that bugged Leah.
“Were you?” she asked, glancing up at Brooks. He hadn’t taken his gaze from Marcus, but the line of his jaw looked as though he was gritting his teeth.
“Oh, yeah,” Marcus said. “Had a couple competing projects. This big guy even lost a few girls to me, I think.” He laughed, but Brooks’s arm around her tensed.
“Ancient history,” Brooks said, with a smile she could tell was forced, though to Marcus it probably looked normal.
“Of course, of course.” He looked back at Leah. “I was only at school a couple years before I sold my first app and then I left for bigger and better things.”
Brooks didn’t answer, and before Marcus could say anything more, his phone beeped. He glanced at it. “Unfortunately, I need to run. But,” he pulled a business card out of his pocket and handed it to Leah, “this has all my contact info on it, and I’ve written my personal cell phone number on the back. Let me know when your next appointment is and any baby related stuff that goes on. I want to be there for all of it.”
“I will,” Leah said, genuinely pleased he wanted to be so involved. The brooding presence of Brooks behind her certainly made everything a little more awkward, but having an involved father in the picture would only be good for the baby.
“And please call me if there is anything at all you need,” he said. “Even a late-night run for ice cream.�
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“I think I can manage any ice-cream cravings,” Brooks said.
“Of course. But no need to run yourself ragged. There are two of us in the picture now.” Marcus laughed and then leaned in to kiss Leah on the cheek. “I’ll talk to you soon.” He pointed at Brooks. “Take care of our girl.” He gave him a big, cheesy grin and waved on his way out.
Leah risked a glance at Brooks who still stood staring at the door.
“I take it the two of you weren’t friends back in the day?”
Brooks glanced down at her and snorted. “We were, sort of. Until he sold the app we were working on out from under me.”
She opened her mouth to ask more questions, but he said, “It was almost a decade ago,” and then headed for the stairs. “It’s late. I’m going to turn in.” He took the stairs two at a time, leaving her standing in the middle of the loft.
“Well, that was interesting,” she muttered.
It had never occurred to her that Brooks and Marcus would have issues getting along. It had never occurred to her they’d ever be in the same room, especially with Marcus taking so long to respond. And even more especially because the odds of her baby daddy and temporary husband knowing each other were beyond slim. Or so she’d thought.
Either way, stressing her out wasn’t healthy for the baby and the baby was the only one who mattered here, so the boys were just going to have to kiss and make up. At least until the baby was born and the whole fake marriage thing was over and done with. Then she could figure out where Marcus would fit in with things. And where Brooks fit. If he wanted to fit, which seemed less and less likely.
She took a deep breath. No point in worrying about it now. They had a few months to get all the kinks worked out. Until then, her concern was getting her little peanut safely into a conflict-free world.
…
Brooks picked up two cards, biting back a smile at the full house staring back at him. But he must not have done it quick enough.
“Oh, better watch it,” Cole said, picking up his own cards. “Looks like Brooks has a good hand over there.”
“No, I don’t think that’s it,” Harrison said, his soft British accent making him sound like Sherlock Holmes trying to solve a mystery. “I think something else is going on with him. What could it be?”