Must Love Babies

by Lynnette Austin

  Slowly, he shook his head. “I’m leaving, honey.” He kissed her cheek. “I love you. Remember that.”

  And then he’d walked away, leaving her and her mother in a tomblike house that was no longer a home. All the fun, all the laughter, left with him. He’d taken it, along with her trust.

  She’d gone to bed that night and the next and the next wondering whether, if she’d kept her room cleaner or got better grades or played baseball, her father would have stayed?

  Her thinking self knew he wouldn’t have. But the little girl buried deep down inside still wondered.

  *

  Brant inserted his key into the new lock he’d installed and walked into a hollow-sounding house. Standing two steps inside the door, he surveyed his new lodging.

  “Well, bud,” he said to the baby, “another chapter in this wacky world of ours.”

  Jax gurgled in answer.

  There was nothing familiar except the couple of armloads of his and Jax’s things. He’d squeezed in a trip to the grocer’s so they wouldn’t starve and taken the time earlier to stop by the local cable provider. Technology ruled the world, and he needed internet. Without it, he’d be lost. Annabelle had furnished it at the inn, though that was probably Willow’s doing. Now he had his own again, both for business and to catch some sports and news.

  He prowled the house, too wired to sleep. After he tossed a load of laundry into the washer, he played peekaboo with Jax for a bit, then watched, laughing, as he crawled across the newly mopped floor. Unlike the bunny whose batteries never ran out, Jax finally wore down. Brant changed his diaper and slid him into a clean onesie. Sprawled on the ratty maroon sofa, he tucked his nephew close and fed him a bottle. Halfway through, Jax’s eyes grew heavy and formula dripped off his chin. It was time to put him down for the night.

  Yet even after Jax was sound asleep in his new dresser drawer, Brant roamed the house restlessly. He hadn’t closed the drapes, and the moon shone in, illuminating the small front room. The unfamiliar sounds of the house settling in for the night kept him on edge.

  Stepping onto the front porch, he rested his hands on the banister and stared into the darkness. Other than the moon and a couple of stars, he couldn’t see another light. It was just him, Jax, and nature. The tension of the last few weeks slid away.

  He rubbed grit-filled eyes. He needed some shut-eye desperately.

  Wandering back inside, he did a quick check on the baby. Still sound asleep. It didn’t seem right to leave him all alone, though. Jax was so small. What if he woke and Brant didn’t hear him?

  Wasn’t this what he’d wanted, though? A room of his own. Sleep.

  Yeah, and he wouldn’t get any, worrying about Jax.

  Throwing in the towel, he picked up the baby, dresser drawer and all, and carried him into the master bedroom. What a misnomer. There was absolutely nothing masterful about the small space. In a real-estate ad, they’d call it cozy. He’d call it claustrophobic.

  He set the makeshift crib down carefully, then plucked the worn paperback from his duffel. By the faint light of the bedside lamp, he read a couple of chapters before his own eyes grew heavy. Tossing the book aside, he closed his eyes and slept.

  In his dreams, he stood on a raised dais as the gorgeous shop owner brought him dress after dress to try on. Even while he argued with her, insisting the bride should try them on, she added to the pile waiting for him.

  A man’s work was never done.

  Chapter 12

  The day started early. Jax actually slept through the night, so by six o’clock he was raring to go. The kid was better than a rooster.

  Brant’s dream nagged at him. Seriously? Him in wedding gowns? Even under threat of death, that nightmare wouldn’t be shared with a single soul. He tugged at his ear and wondered when his brothers would get here; he needed some guy time.

  After he shook out the wrinkled clothes he’d forgotten in the washer last night and threw them into the dryer, he made a call to the hospital. He actually caught Lainey’s doctor at the nurse’s station. Halfway through their chat, Jax demanded food. One-handed, Brant opened a jar of fruit and fed him.

  If he’d learned anything from all this, it was that a baby put an end to hopping out of bed and going. Spontaneity? The word had all but disappeared from his vocabulary. Satisfied that all was as good as could be expected, he ended the call and he and Jax finished breakfast, cleaned up, then drove into town.

  Brant pulled into a parking space, and they headed to That Little White Dress. Even though the shop wasn’t open, Molly was hard at work, fussing with a display of belts. Despite their bling, the lady held center stage.

  He knocked on the window.

  “Brant.” Unlocking the door, she studied him, concern clouding her perfect face. “Everything okay?”

  “It is. I spoke with Lainey’s doctor this morning, and he gave me permission to take Jax in to see his mama.”

  Molly lifted the baby from his seat and gave him a big smooch. “Your mommy will be so happy to see you, won’t she, sweetheart? Yes, she will.”

  Brant frowned. Why did women do that? Where did they learn baby talk?

  Why did they do so many things that dumbfounded him?

  He shook it off. “You’re closed today?”

  “I am. Thursday’s are slow, so I spend them taking care of things I don’t get to otherwise.”

  “You’re busy, then?”

  “Nothing that can’t wait. Why?”

  “Would you consider another trip to Savannah?” Quickly, he held up a hand. “Not as a babysitter. It’s… I thought Lainey might need to talk. To a woman. It’s asking a lot but…”

  He read the indecision on her face, along with something else. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing. I didn’t expect to see you again.”

  “Want me to leave?”

  “No, and I’ll be glad to talk to Lainey if she wants to. It has to be her decision.”

  He nodded.

  “Are you leaving for there now?”

  “Yes. Short notice, isn’t it?”

  “I need to run upstairs. Take care of a couple of things. I won’t be more than a minute or two.”

  “Sure.” While she sprinted to her apartment, Brant carried Jax outside and strapped him and his seat into the Camaro. Then he held up a hand. “High five, baby boy. Molly’s going with us.”

  He lifted one of Jax’s tiny hands and tapped his bigger one to it. Jax happily kicked his feet and squealed.

  The trip was bound to be emotional, but he no longer dreaded it quite as much.

  When Molly got back downstairs, Brant and Jax were already waiting in the car. Opening her door, she handed Brant a bottle of water, then slid a second one into the console cup holder. “Thought we might want something cold.”

  “Thanks, I appreciate that. I passed my daily caffeine intake a couple of hours ago.”

  “Been up a while?”

  “Since six a.m. But—” He held up a finger. “Jax slept through the night. Gold star to him.”

  “Having your own rooms probably helped.”

  Brant rubbed the back of his neck.

  “He slept in your room, didn’t he?”

  “He’s so little.”

  “Brant, babies can sleep in their own rooms. In fact, there’s actually a name for that room. It’s called a nursery.”

  “Yeah, yeah, I know.”

  “But you got a good night’s sleep?”

  He gave her a sidelong glance, reminding himself he’d take the whole wedding gown dream to his grave. “Yeah, I did. I read a little Lee Child till my eyes crossed and I couldn’t focus on the words. Took me all of two minutes to fall asleep after I turned out the light.”

  “I’m glad. Fill me in on what the doctor said.” She shook her head. “Never mind. I—” She raised a hand, palm up. “Being a buttinsky. Sorry.”

  Shooting her a quick look, he said, “You’re busy, yet you’re taking another day to help. That’s a lon
g way from butting in.”

  She shrugged.

  “Physically, Lainey’s made great strides. She’ll transfer to a rehab center this weekend.” He tapped the steering wheel. “No contact with the outside world for the first week. Strictly enforced. That’s gonna be tough for her and Jax.”

  “And for you.”

  He grinned derisively. “Yeah. There is that. After that week, though, she’ll have morning phone privileges. No laptop.”

  “That makes sense, really. She needs to concentrate on herself. How about legally? I know you’ve worried about that.”

  “I followed your advice, Mol, and stopped by for a chat with Kemper Dobson.” Brant passed an old truck towing a fishing boat. “I’ve gotta admit that when I first saw him, I had serious doubts.”

  Molly arched a brow. “He’s experienced.”

  “Yeah, and a long-time member of AARP.” He held up his hand. “And that’s okay. You’re right. A lot of experience comes with that gray hair. Anyway, he made a few calls for me. If there’s a bright spot in all this, it’s that since Lainey didn’t hurt anyone else, didn’t destroy anyone’s property, and since this is her first DUI, the rehab and a hefty fine will cover it. Of course, she won’t have her license for a while, but she shouldn’t. She broke the law and endangered herself and others.”

  Brant met Molly’s eyes. “It’s still up in the air on whether or not her hospital bill will be covered. Insurance companies define DUI as intentional conduct. You drink, then hop in a car and drive. Pretty tough to argue that point. Her hospital and rehab tab will be considerable, though, so I’m hoping Dobson can work out something there. My brothers and I can take care of the damage to her car.”

  “You’ve covered a lot of ground.”

  “Unfortunately, we’ve been down this road before. Not the drinking and driving, although maybe she just never got caught. I honestly don’t know. But this will be her second go at rehab.”

  He shot her a sideways glance. “I don’t get it. Yeah, she had another bump with Jason, but that’s been ongoing for a year, year and a half. So why now? After five sober years, why did she fall off the wagon? She needs the answer to that.”

  “The counselors will figure it out. That’s what they do. And they’ll help her find a better way to cope with whatever caused it.”

  She laid a hand on his arm, and he placed his free hand over it, glad to have her beside him.

  “Did you leave anyone special in Savannah?” he asked.

  “Other than my family?”

  “Yeah. Guess that was my not so clever way of asking if you’d been dating anyone. Somebody who might still be on your mind.”

  “No. There was someone a few years ago, but right now? Like I said last night, not the time for relationship tangles, past or present.”

  With one hand draped casually over the wheel, Brant sent her another glance. “You intend to work your butt off giving all these brides their dream-come-true weddings, but you don’t want one.”

  “I didn’t say that.” She brushed at her hair. “I do want one. Eventually.”

  “When you’re thirty. What’s so magical about three years?”

  “You wouldn’t understand.”

  He took the hospital exit. “Try me.”

  “How’s the bid on that shop coming?”

  He slid his sunglasses low on his nose and looked at her. “Okay. Message received. We’ll sideline that discussion—for now. On the business front, after watching the video, my brothers green-lighted the place. I hope I’m not screwing up, but it feels right, you know?”

  “I do.”

  “Since they’ll be here day after tomorrow, I’ll wait to make the deal final.”

  “Smart. That’ll take a lot of pressure off you.”

  “Yeah. This way, it’s a joint decision.” He glanced in the rearview mirror. “He’s sleeping, isn’t he?”

  Molly twisted in her seat and nodded.

  He shook his head. “The guys will fly into Savannah, then catch a cab to the hospital. After they visit Lainey, we’ll head back to Misty Bottoms and they can check out the place. With its proximity to both Atlanta and Savannah, the location’s prime. Add in the new life you ladies breathed into the town, and it’s a winner in my book.”

  “I didn’t do anything. I’m riding on the coattails of the other three.”

  “Not the way I see it. The four of you? One cohesive whole.”

  *

  Halfway to Lainey’s room, Jax got fussy.

  Brant freed him from his seat and held him, patting his back.

  A big burp erupted.

  Brant lifted the baby to eye level. “Good job. Welcome to the guys’ club, little man.”

  Molly smacked his arm. “Stop that!”

  “What? You fed him before we came in. The kid’s gonna burp. Baby 101.”

  “You’re the expert now?”

  “Kind of.”

  She made a face, and Jax laughed.

  “Can’t stay mad, can you?”

  “Just cut out all that boys’ club stuff.”

  “Guys’ club. There’s a difference.” The baby in one arm and the seat in his other hand, Brant started down the hall.

  “Now that Jax has his own room—not that he sleeps in it—did you get him a crib?”

  “He sleeps in a dresser drawer.”

  Her eyes went wide. “What?”

  “I took it out of the dresser! Geez, I don’t put him away like a pair of socks at night!”

  “You need a crib.”

  “Yeah, well, I don’t have one. I don’t have lots of things I need.” His voice grew husky as he met her gaze.

  She licked her lips. “Brant…”

  “Yeah, I know. No fooling around till you’re thirty.” He continued to look at her through half-mast eyes. “I’ll come visit you in three years. How’s that sound?”

  “Now you’re making fun of me.”

  “Believe me, darlin’, nothing about this is funny.”

  When they reached Lainey’s room, her bed was empty.

  Brant ducked into the hall, where he spotted a nurse. “Excuse me. Do you know where Lainey Wylder is?”

  She sent him a wide smile. “Since it’s such a nice day, we bundled her into a wheelchair and took her out to the gardens.”

  “Thank you.” Brant returned her smile. “Can you tell me how to get there?”

  Molly stepped from the room and stole his breath. She looked so right standing there with a baby on her hip that, for a moment, Brant totally forgot the nurse.

  When she cleared her throat, he whipped back around to her. “Sorry.”

  “They make quite a sight, don’t they?”

  “Yes, ma’am, they sure do.”

  She gave him directions, then said, “Someone else came to visit your sister, too. I believe he’s still with her.”

  “Another guy?”

  “Yes. I didn’t get his name.” She gave a quick description.

  “Jason.” Brant’s face turned hard. “If he’s upset her…”

  The nurse laid a hand on his arm. “Did we make a mistake? Do we need security?”

  “No.” He shook his head. “I’ll handle this myself.”

  “Brant.” Molly took a step toward him.

  “Stay here with the baby.”

  “No way. I don’t get set on some shelf. That’s not my style.” She followed him down the hall. “Is it Jax’s father?”

  “Sperm donor,” Brant snapped.

  She winced.

  “Sorry. Go back to Lainey’s room, Mol.”

  “Save your breath.” Molly practically ran to keep up with him, the baby jabbering loudly, no doubt picking up on the tension. “Don’t do anything you’ll regret. Lainey needs you. Jax needs you. It won’t help anyone if you land in jail.”

  He stopped, his jaw set stubbornly. “I won’t let Jason mess with my family anymore. He’s already caused enough trouble.”

  “Understood. But think how this will s
hake down. Chances are you’ll need Kemper Dobson’s help with Jason. What if he brings charges against you for physical violence? Hmm? Who will a jury side with? Award custody to? The father or a hot-tempered uncle?”

  He scrubbed both hands down his face and exhaled loudly. “You’re right. I’ll talk to him. That’s all. Promise.”

  When they reached the door, Jason was looming over Lainey.

  “I need some money. Your brothers have plenty, and they’ll do anything for their little princess.”

  “How did you find me?” Lainey’s voice shook.

  “Still had a check comin’ from the bar. When I stopped to pick it up, Ralph said you’d been lookin’ for me, and that, according to your friend Trisha, you’d had an accident that landed you in the hospital. Didn’t take more than a couple of calls to find you.”

  “I wanted you to see our son.”

  “Why would I want to do that?”

  “Because he’s yours.”

  “Maybe.”

  Brant let out a feral growl, and Molly gripped his arm. “Wait.”

  “Get out of here.” Lainey blinked back tears.

  “Ralph told me you had a drink. We both know you can’t stop at one. That’s how you ended up in here, isn’t it? The court’s gonna find you unfit.” He pointed a finger at her. “You haven’t seen the last of me, Lainey.”

  Then he smiled, an evil smile. “On the other hand, maybe you have. The last of both me and the kid.”

  Brant practically tore the door off its hinges. Lainey sat in the wheelchair, pale as parchment. Jason glowered at her, his hands fisted.

  Brant’s gaze dropped to Jason’s hands. “Whatever you’re thinking, I’d think again.” His quiet voice dripped ice.

  Jason, tall and even skinnier than he’d been the last time Brant saw him, sneered. “Why don’t you go play with your cars? This is between your sister and me. It doesn’t concern you.”

  “See, that’s where you’re wrong, Jason. It does concern me. This is my family you’re messing with, and it stops now.”

  “Oh yeah?” Jason smirked at him, then turned his gaze on Molly, on the baby in her arms. Every molecule of air seemed to have been sucked out of the garden area. Even the birds ceased their singing.