Labor of Love: A 60-minute read (Now and Forever Romance Book 7)

by Regina Duke

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Blurb

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Epilogue

  Regina's Books

  Regina's Bio

  LABOR OF LOVE

  by

  Regina Duke

  Labor of Love

  Copyright © 2019 Linda White

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from Regina Duke.

  Published by RD Books

  United States of America

  Electronic Edition: August 2019

  This book is a work of fiction and all characters exist solely in the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. Any references to places, events or locales are used in a fictitious manner.

  Digital formatting by StevieDeInk, stevie1@steviedeink.com

  Cover design by StevieDeInk

  Cover photo - Fotolia

  Callie’s baby is the only thing that soothed her heart after the death of her husband. She’s not ready for the Fall semester, but she’s a teacher and can’t skip school. To make things worse, the School Board has moved the start date up and her babysitter has quit. Will the new security guard convince her to stick around after Labor Day?

  Labor of Love is #7 in the Now and Forever Romance series.

  CHAPTER 1

  August 1…

  Callie Morgan shook her head sadly and closed her wedding album. Baby Louie was sleeping on the couch, pressed against her thigh, and she’d thought the album would comfort her, but it had the opposite effect. Jerry’s photos tugged at her heart, and she was overwhelmed with sadness as she reviewed page after page of happy faces, wedding cake, and their first dance as man and wife. He looked grand in his tux, and she looked so…ignorant? she thought. Clueless? It was only two years ago. How could so much joy and so much tragedy be crammed into two years?

  Louie gurgled and fussed in his sleep. She smoothed his soft dark hair and murmured comfortingly. “Mama’s right here,” she cooed. He smiled and drooled, showing his budding teeth in irritated gums, then settled once more into slumber.

  Callie couldn’t take her eyes off him. What was she going to do when the Fall semester started and she had to leave him with a sitter? She squeezed her eyes shut. How could God take Jerry away before I even knew I was pregnant? It’s a good thing He gave me Louie or I might never forgive Him.

  She wanted another cup of tea, but it would have to wait until Louie woke from his nap. She let her gaze drift around the tiny living room of her apartment. The day they moved in, Jerry had promised so much more.

  “It’s perfect,” she said, feeling the joy of having their first home together.

  “It’s too small,” he said. “But I wanted you to have something fresh and new for us to start our lives in. With me as a journeyman mechanic and you teaching, we’ll be buying a house in a couple of years.” He pulled her close and nuzzled her neck. Then he tugged her toward the bedroom…

  She shook off the memory. Louie seemed to pick up on her sadness more easily than she’d ever imagined possible, and her crying had disturbed his nap more than once. She didn’t want to do that again, not after the morning she’d had. Her fresh new apartment now smelled faintly of baby burp and a telltale odor reminded her that she hadn’t emptied the diaper pail yet. A red-and-yellow baby quilt lay on the floor. The carpet still looked good, but you could barely see the beige for all the binkies and rattles and other baby toys spread about. Louie’s play pen sat in one corner, an activity spiral baby toy hanging over it.

  A few feet away on the tiny kitchen table, her laptop seemed to taunt her. She’d started paying her bills on-line, but half way through, she realized she could either pay the utility bill or buy food, but not both. She’d been thrilled to learn that her new contract would reflect a statewide raise for elementary teachers, but when she opened the letter that specified what she’d be getting, her hopes were dashed. It was only five percent, but by some perverted twist of fate, it put her in a higher tax bracket, and as a result she was going to earn a whole ten dollars more a month. The cruel letter was tacked to the bulletin board over the table. What a terrible way to start the day. I was going to clean and bake cookies and…don’t make me laugh, Callie, she scolded herself. It took me all morning to make tea, dress the baby, change the baby, play with the baby… She smiled to herself. My favorite things to do. All I really need is a maid. She barely managed to keep from laughing out loud. Well, at least she could still find some humor in life.

  The timer on her phone chimed. “Oh rats, I forgot!” Before she could gather her wits, someone knocked on the door. She scooped up Louie as gently as she could, but the movement woke him, and he began to fuss. On her way to the front door, she collected his car seat and dumped it by the door, which she opened with a very cross, “What?!”

  Her landlord blinked at her, smiling. “And a lovely day it is, too,” he said.

  “I’m so sorry. I have the rent check. Hang on, I’ll grab it.” She toted the baby to the table, picked up the check, and returned to the door. “Here you go. I know I should have delivered it to the office but…”

  “Tut, tut, no worries.” He was shorter than she was, pudgy and graying, and she couldn’t figure out why he was always so happy. As he pocketed the rent check, he handed her an envelope. “Have a good one.” He began to whistle as he left.

  Callie shut the door with her foot, then carefully settled Louie into his car seat. Maybe she should call Mrs. Gable and let her know she was running a few minutes late. Of course, that would make her even later. No, she would just go. That was the best plan. Just get there. It was Louie’s meet-and-greet with the empty-nester who was looking to do childcare. Owing to Callie’s situation as a widow and single parent, Mrs. Gable had offered to take care of the baby for half the price quoted by day care centers.

  She shuddered. She didn’t want to leave her precious boy at a day care. Too many horrible stories in the news had made her shy away. Add to that the reality that most of them in her area wanted the baby to be at least two years old, and she felt truly blessed to have found Mrs. Gable. She stuffed half a dozen items into her diaper bag and finally inched her way out the door, her purse in the diaper bag and the car seat in her other hand. The landlord’s envelope was clenched between her teeth. She set everything in the car with all doors open until she could turn on the A/C. Jerry had left her with a nice car, and she was deeply grateful. While she waited for the car to cool sufficiently to close the doors, she opened the envelope that now contained her dental impressions.

  Louie’s car seat was secure in the back and the A/C was beginning to cool. So far, so good. She pulled the single sheet of paper out of the envelope and skimmed it quickly. Then her heart fell into her stomach and she read it again. And again.

  The landlord was raising her rent.

  CHAPTER 2

  The meeting with Mrs. Gable went very well. At last, things seemed to be going Callie’s way. Now she could concentrate on ramping up for the beginning of school. She made arrangements to drop Louie off at eight in the morning, on her way to the first faculty meeting of the year. Driving home, she realized she hadn’t felt this hopeful since Jerry’s fatal motorcycle accident. She still didn’t know how she was going to cover the raise in
rent, but one thing at a time. She had a dozen things on her to-do list before the day was over, but once she got back inside her apartment, she found her son irresistible and settled on the floor to dangle toys for him to grab, then segued into joining him in a nap.

  The buzz of her cell phone jangled her awake and she grabbed it before it could startle Louie. The caller ID said Gable.

  “Hello?”

  “I’m so sorry, dear!” There was panic in her voice.

  Callie frowned. “About what?” Her heart pounded in her chest, fearing bad news.

  “My mother just had a stroke and I have to fly to Vermont. I won’t be able to take care of little Louie until I get back.”

  Callie closed her eyes and said a silent prayer. “When might that be?”

  “I won’t know until I get there. My sister says she’s stable, but not communicating. I’m at my wits’ end. I know this is a problem for you.”

  Callie called on all the good will she possessed. “Mrs. Gable, you do what you have to do for your mother. Everything will work out. Thanks for letting me know.” She ended the call and sat crosslegged and deflated next to little Louie. His eyes had opened at the sound of her voice and he looked up at her as if asking a question.

  “Sorry, Louie. The babysitter just bailed on us. Oh rats! I need to do laundry. I can’t show up at school tomorrow with baby burp all over my blouses.” She secured Louie in his playpen, then picked out a few items to start the stackable washer. It was small, but it saved her having to lug the baby downstairs to the communal laundry room. Once it was going, she fixed him a bottle. Trying to keep her voice light, she cooed, “What is mommy going to do with you tomorrow? She doesn’t have a clue.” She sighed, then muttered, “Surely I won’t be the first teacher who had to bring a baby to a faculty meeting.”

  The next morning, she walked into the faculty room with Louie’s car seat slung over her arm…and met the disapproving glare of Principal Todd’s piercing gray eyes. His tone matched his stare.

  “What do we have here? A little mascot?” He sounded so snide.

  “I’m sorry,” said Callie, hoping she didn’t look as miserable as she felt. At least her outfit was clean, a sleeveless yellow blouse and matching skirt. They had fit perfectly before she got pregnant. They still fit, but she was all too aware of the extra five pounds of baby weight she hadn’t lost yet. “My babysitter…quit.” It was too much to go into all the details. She set the car seat on the floor next to her chair so she could dangle one hand and let Louie grab her finger.

  Principal Todd looked down his nose at her for another few seconds, then addressed the assembled faculty. “As I was saying before our late arrival joined us…”

  Callie checked the time. She wasn’t late, she was simply the last one to arrive. She felt her hackles rising.

  “…in this day and age, we’ll all feel more comfortable knowing our school has a qualified security guard. So let me introduce Andrew Chapman.” He waved a hand in Callie’s direction.

  For a moment, she blushed hotly, assuming he was once again drawing everyone’s attention to her, but then she relaxed when she heard a chair scrape behind her. She craned her neck to look, and her pulse quickened as she stared into the handsomest face she’d ever seen. He still sported a military hair cut. She guessed his age at thirty. He filled out his school guard uniform with broad shoulders and biceps that threatened to tear the fabric of his sleeves. His eyes were brown and serious, and he stood at attention, as if Principal Todd was deserving of such a thing.

  “Morning, everyone.” He nodded at the teachers. “I’m happy to be here.” He didn’t look all that happy to Callie, but what was he going to say in front of Todd? Her eyes moved down his lean waist and dropped to his shoes. Polished to a high shine. She felt a smile tug at the corner of her mouth and wished he were sitting somewhere in her line of sight. But after those few words, he pulled his plastic chair away from the wall and resumed his seat.

  Callie suppressed a sigh. She pretended to pay attention to all the rules and regulations that Principal Todd felt he had to read aloud, as if the teachers in the room were a third-grade class instead of professionals who made him look good by doing their jobs. But she found herself fighting the urge to turn and peek at the new security guard. Andrew. Andy? She’d have to ask him before the meeting was adjourned.

  The school secretary was passing out class lists and when she mumbled, “Excuse me,” as she slid behind Callie’s chair, Callie allowed herself a little peek. Andrew’s chair was now just eighteen inches behind her own! When the secretary passed, he’d needed to pull his feet back to keep from tripping her. When she had to look front again, she pinned her gaze to her class list but felt a blush moving up the back of her neck. Was her hair perfect? Had she even brushed it before she left the house?

  The movement of the secretary had startled Louie and he began to fuss. Oh no, baby, please don’t make a fuss here! Callie knew it was futile to hope that Louie would quiet down. He’d just spent the last three months having his mommy respond to every sound he made.

  Principal Todd appeared to swell up with disapproval…a tendency that had earned him the nickname Principal Toad among the younger teachers…and Callie flinched, certain that he would use Louie’s cry as another excuse to shame her.

  But then, miracle of miracles, Louie gurgled, then cooed happily. Callie looked down at the car seat and saw a perfectly shined black shoe rocking it ever so gently. She looked up at Andrew Chapman, gratitude written all over her face, and felt a thrill as he smiled at her and winked conspiratorially.

  She smiled back, then turned to face the Principal as he was speaking. Thank God, he likes children, she thought. She wallowed in that realization until a little voice goaded her in the back of her mind, “Yes, he probably has half a dozen at home with his wife, you fool.”

  Even so, his presence got her and Louie through the faculty meeting, and when Todd finally tired of the sound of his own voice and adjourned the gathering, she mouthed a silent, “Thank you” to the handsome security guard.

  “Let me help you,” he rumbled pleasantly. “You carry your papers and I’ll carry the car seat.”

  Callie only peeked sideways six times before reaching her class room, but he never dropped the seat and he wasn’t pretending to be a Ferris wheel or anything. Another twinge of reality. He was definitely a man with baby experience. Darn, darn, darn. She fumbled with the key to her class room and finally got the door open.

  “Thanks for the help,” she said. “I have to take stock of what I need in here before I leave for the day.” She reached for the car seat. He seemed reluctant to give it up.

  “Did I do something wrong?” he asked.

  “No, of course not,” said Callie, trying to keep it light. “You’ve been very kind and helpful.” She averted her eyes. “I’m sure your wife never worries when you’re taking care of the kids.” She set the car seat on her desk and freed the baby from his straps.

  “No wife, alas,” said Andrew. “I was engaged for a while, but when I was deployed to Afghanistan, my fiancée met someone else, and ... well, things sort of went sideways.”

  “So, how come you know so much about babies?” She lifted Louie out of the car seat.

  He grinned. “My sister Tracy has a son about this age. Also, in Kabul some of us got to missing our big families back home and started spending our spare time volunteering at an orphanage.” His voice grew wistful for a moment. “I had the magic touch with the little ones. I could put a baby to sleep in five minutes. Of course, that might have meant that I was super boring...”

  Callie laughed. “I don’t believe that for a moment.” She shifted the baby onto one hip and spread her paperwork out over the desk. “Do you have to go outside and guard or something?”

  “Not today. I was just here to wave to the faculty. Evidently, you all are supposed to protect yourselves until the kids start classes.” He moved his gaze about the room. “I’m guessing second grade?
”

  “Very good guess,” said Callie. She moved the baby to the other hip.

  “If it’s okay with you,” said Andrew, “I’ll hold the little one while you get organized.”

  Callie only hesitated for a second before letting him lift Louie out of her arms. “If you’re sure. There must be other things you need to do today.” She spoke hesitantly, almost afraid that he would agree and decide to leave.

  Instead, he patted the baby’s diaper and asked, “How about you? Is your husband at work?”

  Callie looked down at her class list. “He’s gone,” she said. “Motorcycle accident. He never even saw his son.”

  Andrew made a mournful sound. “I’m so sorry.”

  Callie shrugged it away. “It was rough for a while, but then I had Louie, and...” she hesitated. “And all I want to do is stay home with him.” She dropped into her chair. “Which is not good, because I have to work.” She glanced up at Andrew. “I spent half the summer looking for childcare that I could afford, and by some miracle I actually found a babysitter. Then she called me this morning and told me she had to go take care of her mother.” She shook her head. “I don’t know how long she’ll be gone or if she’ll come back at all.”

  Andrew said, “That’s rough.” He looked around. “Doesn’t the school offer day care for little ones?”

  Callie laughed harshly. “If they did, I guarantee they would take it out of our salaries. But no, they don’t.”

  “Hmph. That’s a shame,” he said, letting the baby seize his finger. “Do a lot of the teachers here have young families?”

  “Six of us,” said Callie. “I guess I better call around and see who they’re using.” She sighed heavily. “And it’s almost the weekend. I was hoping to have a few pleasant days to get my laundry caught up.”

  Andrew chuckled. “Well, this isn’t going to help with laundry, but how about a day at the lake?” He looked hopeful.

  Callie was thrilled and dismayed at the same time. “With the baby?”