by Lea Hart
Placing his hand on the small of her back, he led her through the doors. “You got it.”
***
Bella had fallen asleep on the way to the park, so Laird found a bench in the shade for them. Sitting back, he gazed out over the crowd and tried to come up with something interesting to say. He’d thought about her relentlessly over the last month and had a lot of imaginary conversations. But now that they were sitting next to one another, his mind was blank. Say something…anything. “How long have you lived in Coronado?”
“How did you know that I lived in Coronado?”
Shit, shit, and double shit. “I assumed you lived there because that’s where your car broke down. You had groceries in the trunk, so I figured that you didn’t live far.” Please buy it.
“Wow, that’s some impressive observational powers you have. What is it you do at SAI?”
“I do all kinds of things. Whatever they need me to do. I retired from the Teams last year, so my skills are still fairly sharp. I’m pretty good with a computer, so I’ve been doing a lot of hacking—I mean research—for different clients. I’m also the lead guy for search and rescue ops. I was the tracker when I was on the Teams.”
“What Teams?”
“I’m a SEAL. I’ve been on the West Coast for the last ten years with Team One. Before that, I was on Team Two out of Virginia.”
“A SEAL…wow, a real life hero.” Leaning over, she adjusted Bella’s blanket and then placed a gentle kiss on her head. “Do you miss being a SEAL?”
“I’m still a SEAL. I just don’t work for Uncle Sam anymore. Max runs the company the same way he ran his platoon when he was a lieutenant. Most of the people who work there are retired from the Teams, so it’s not that different. Except I get paid a lot more money, and I don’t have to go to the sandbox very often.” Opening the bag from the deli, he offered her the sandwich he’d chosen for her. “I have chips and drinks to go with it. Would you like an iced tea?”
“Sure, thank you.” Opening the wrapper, she took a bite and let out a small moan. “This is good. I sometimes forget to eat, so this hits the spot.” Opening a bag of chips, she took several out and started munching on them. “What is the sandbox?”
“The sandbox is the Middle East.” He unwrapped his own sandwich and took a big bite. Noticing her eat, he wondered if she had anyone to help out and give her a break. Grabbing a napkin, he wiped his face and studied her. “Does Bella’s father ever help out or are you on your own?”
Almost choking, she swallowed quickly and then grabbed her drink. Taking a big gulp, she gave herself a moment to respond. “Went down the wrong pipe.”
“Or I asked a nosy question and shocked you.”
“Maybe both.”
His hand moved to her back, and he started rubbing circles as she tried to clear her throat. Way to go, man. “You don’t have to answer that.”
“No, I don’t mind. Bella’s father was never a part of the picture. It’s Bella and me—we are two girls against the world. We’ve done all right so far, and I have no reason to believe that it won’t stay that way.” She took another bite of her sandwich and looked out at the bay. “We’re doing fine.”
“I’m sure you are.” Not knowing what else to say, he shut his mouth and ate his sandwich. He was doing a victory dance in his head, because there wasn’t anyone to get in his way, but he felt like an asshole for being so happy that she was on her own. Being a single mom wasn’t easy. Add to that a child with special needs, and that made it twice as challenging. Glancing over, he noticed that she was nicely dressed and so was her daughter. He knew the stroller she had was expensive because he’d gotten one for his sister last year. Also, she drove a fairly new car. So she had to be successful if she was managing all of this on her own. He liked her, and there was no reason for him not to do something about it. “I was wondering if I could take you ladies to dinner sometime.”
Eyes flying to his, she stared at him. “What?”
“Can I take you and Bella out to dinner? Maybe tomorrow or the next day?” She was looking at him like he’d suggested that she dance around naked in the park, not go out for a meal.
“Oh…my. Well, that would be lovely. I think. Sure, we would love to go.”
He watched her brows knit together and wondered what she was worried about. “Okay, whatever you were just thinking about, you need to stop. You went from smiling at me to frowning in less than a minute. What’s wrong?”
Straightening her shoulders, she replied. “Do you think we need saving? I can assure that we don’t. Just because you met us in a vulnerable moment doesn’t mean that it happens often.”
Scratching his head, he wondered where her paranoia was coming from. Probably from the asshole who had left her alone to raise their child. “I don’t think you two need saving. I like you, Lexi, and I’ve thought about you pretty much every day since we met. I want to get to know you and your daughter.”
Covering his hand, she gave him a weak smile. “I’m sorry, Laird. That was rude.” Staring at her daughter, she ran her fingers over his skin. “I haven’t been asked out or even thought about it in almost two years. I know that isn’t an excuse, but it’s my explanation.”
Dropping his arm from the back of the bench, he squeezed her shoulder. “No apology necessary. You said yes, and that’s all I really care about.” Rubbing his fingers against the fabric of her sleeve, he wondered if Bella’s father had died. Because that would be the only excuse for abandoning a woman the moment he got her pregnant. “Two years…really?”
Letting out a small laugh, she admitted, “Yes. Being pregnant and having a child to care for sort of takes you off the market.”
Kissing the top of her head, he smiled to himself. “I guess it would. Good thing I was the first person in line when you became available.”
“I didn’t know I was available.”
“Only for the first guy in line, which is me. So if our dates go well, you won’t be anymore. Available, that is.”
“As long as you have it all worked out.”
“I do.” He heard his name being called and glanced over to see Chris and Rachel walking toward them. They appeared smitten with one another, and he wondered when that had happened. He knew that Chris had a crush, and it appeared that he’d finally done something about it. Good for him. He was going to do the same thing with Lexi.
He opened the box of cookies that she made him and took one. Shoving one into his mouth, he tasted the dark chocolate and walnuts and knew this was the best cookie he’d ever had. “These are really good. Thank you for baking them for me.” He offered her one and watched her shake her head.
“I ate the first two batches. Those are all yours.” Bella opened her eyes and she lifted her out and kissed her head. “Time for lunch, Bella?”
“Do you want me to hold her while you get her lunch together?”
He noticed her hesitation and smiled. “I have ten nieces and nephews, so I have experience with kids.”
“Well…okay. You have to support her neck, because she has atlantoaxial instability. It just means that her muscles are not fully developed yet, so her head can flop around.”
He held out his hands and watched Lexi place Bella in his arms. He held her close and stared into her beautiful coffee eyes. They stared at one another for a moment and Laird felt something pass through him. Some unexplained feeling of peace. Maybe she was letting him know that it was going to work out. He grinned into her face and laughed. “I think she likes me.”
“She might just like your handsome face,” Lexi replied.
Swiveling his head, he studied Lexi as she pulled out things for Bella’s lunch. So she thought he was handsome. That was probably a step in the right direction. “I don’t know about that. Maybe she just likes the attention.”
“Maybe.” Lexi grinned and held out her hands for the baby. “I like your handsome face.”
Leaning forward, he dropped a kiss on her cheek as he handed her the baby.
“Thanks, honey.” Best lunch date of my life.
CHAPTER TWO
Two Weeks Later
Laird stood in the locker room at the warehouse and finished putting his clothes on. Whistling to himself, he bent down and tied his boots. A large pair of running shoes came into view and stopped in front of him. “What’s up, David?”
“Do you want to ride over to Chris’s house together?”
Sitting up, he stuffed his workout clothes in his bag. “No, thanks. I’m going to pick up Lexi and Bella and then head over. Rachel and Lexi have become friends over the last couple of weeks, and they’ve invited her as well.”
“So this thing with you and Lexi…is it serious?”
“I hope so. I see her and Bella as often as she’ll let me.”
“What’s it like dating a woman with a child? How can you get your groove on if there is a baby on all of your dates?”
“Shut up. You can’t talk that way about Lexi and Bella. Have some respect, man.” Shaking his head, he zipped up his bag and then gave his friend a hard stare. “I’m lucky that she is willing to give me a chance. She has a successful consulting company, takes care of her daughter, and is doing it all on her own. She has about five minutes of free time a day, and she is willing to spend them with me.”
Putting up his hands, David took a step back. “I get it.”
Laird leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest. “She has every minute of every day scheduled. Between Bella’s therapy, nap schedule, and meals, she squeezes in time to work on her projects. I don’t know how she does it all, and I admire the hell out of her.”
“What kind of consulting job does she have?”
“Lexi is a programmer. A really successful one, as a matter of fact. She went to University of San Francisco and worked for Google as soon as she graduated. She then got lucky and went to work for a couple of guys that created a little app called Instagram. She was one of the original thirteen employees and benefited when it was sold to Facebook in 2012. She retired and moved down here after she found out she was pregnant.”
“So she isn’t worried about how she’s going to pay for milk?”
“No, definitely not.” Standing up, he looked around the locker room before continuing. “She hasn’t said anything about Bella’s biological father, and I want to ask her, but I know it’s too soon. I think the shithead abandoned her after he found out that Bella had Down syndrome.”
“What a fucking asshole. Let me know when you find out who the guy is. I’ll ride along when you two have a conversation,” David replied.
Pulling his phone out of his pocket, he checked the incoming message. When he saw that it was Lexi texting him, he smiled. “It’s my girl.”
“Does she know that she’s your girl?” David asked.
“Actually, I have two girls: Lexi and Bella. And to answer your question…I don’t think she is aware, yet.” Frowning he read the text, she sent him. “She’s canceling because she and Bella are sick.”
“Do you want to ride together over to Chris’s then?”
Lifting up his bag, he slung it over his shoulder. “No way. I have to go over there and see what they need. I’ll pick up some soup and juice and take it over.”
“Didn’t she just cancel?” David inquired.
“She canceled going over to see everyone else, not me.” He walked toward the door as he texted her back. He asked her to give him a list of the things she needed. “I should get some flowers, too.”
“Good luck, man. Hope she doesn’t kick you out when you show up. Women are not always really happy to see someone when they’re sick.”
“This is different.”
“As long as you think so.” David laughed as he ambled toward his car.
***
Lexi stood in the doorway in her robe with crazy hair and a very unhappy baby on her hip. “You didn’t get my text?”
“I did,” Laird replied. Lifting both of his hands, he showed her the two bags. “I texted you back. I have soup and juice and some cold medicine, in case you need it.” Looking at Lexi and Bella, he realized how happy he was that he could come over and help. “Let me in and let’s close this door. You don’t need to get a chill on top of everything else.” He crowded her a little, and she stepped back into the house. Closing the door behind him, he set down his bags and encircled his girls in a hug. “Tell me what I should do first.”
“You should go. We are both contagious, and I don’t want you to catch the nasty bug we have.”
Putting his hands out for Bella, he smiled at Lexi. “I never catch anything.” Watching Lexi reluctantly hand over the baby, he felt a small measure of victory. If she was willing to let him help, then she must be starting to trust him. Cradling the baby in his arms, he smiled down at her and noticed that she gave him a small one in return. “Bella, have you let Mommy sleep in the last two days?”
“No, she hasn’t. She’s so congested that when she lies down, she can hardly breathe. We’ve slept in the rocking chair, and that seems to help.” Patting her hair, she realized that she hadn’t taken a shower in two days. “Laird, I appreciate you stopping by, but you should go.”
“I’m not going anywhere.” Rocking back and forth, he noticed that Bella’s eyes were getting heavy and she looked like she was about to pass out. Her hair was wet, so she must’ve just come out of the bath. “I’ll hold on to Bella while you put those groceries away. After you’re done, go take a nap, and then I’ll fix us some of that soup for dinner. Bella can sleep on me, and I’ll come and get you if I need you.”
Lexi wrapped her arms around her middle and let her shoulders drop. Tears welled in her eyes as she stared down at the ground. She was so exhausted, and everything seemed to hit her at once. No one had offered to help her in the last year, and this man was swooping in at just the right moment. Staring up at him, she could no longer hold it in. Tears fell down her face just as she started sneezing.
Taking a step closer, he draped his arm around her shoulder and kissed her head. “You can always count on me.” She sneezed in response. “There is cold medicine in the bag, so please see if there is anything that might work.”
Kissing his arm, she let her body rest against him for a moment longer. “Thank you.” Stooping down, she lifted the bags and took them into the kitchen. She unloaded everything and felt like crying again. He was such a thoughtful, generous man, and he had shown up at just the right moment. She wiped her eyes and nose and popped a couple of cold tablets.
Returning to the living room, she admired the handsome man sitting on the couch with her daughter held protectively in his big arms. He had a football game on and had the sound muted. Walking over, she checked Bella and found her dead asleep. Whispering, she advised, “I’m going to take a quick shower and be back in fifteen minutes.”
“Please take a long hot shower, then lie down, and have a nap. I don’t want to see your pretty face for a couple of hours. If you don’t take care of yourself, then you can’t take care of Bella. I’ll come and wake you, and then we can have some soup.”
“But what if she needs a clean diaper? I have to give her some milk when she wakes up and maybe some yoghurt.”
“I can change her and give her a bottle. I’ve done a lot of it for my nieces and nephews.” Studying her, he realized that she was about to fall over on her feet. “Go and take care of yourself. If something happens that I can’t handle, then I will come and wake you up.”
Leaning over, she kissed the top of his head. “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this.”
“Anytime, sweetie.”
***
Lexi woke with a start in her dark room. Completely disoriented, she wondered what time it was and looked over at the monitor next to her bed. Blinking her eyes several times, she tried to reconcile what she was seeing. Laird was standing at Bella’s changing table and putting a fresh diaper on her. He was singing to her as she kicked her legs in response. Seeing a big bad naval war hero change her
daughter’s diaper made her giggle.
Sitting up, she waited for her head to clear. She definitely had caught Bella’s cold, but she felt a thousand times better. A shower and a nap had given her a much needed boost of energy. She slowly stood and made sure that she wasn’t feeling light-headed. Determining that she was fine, she got up and walked down the hall, she stepped into Bella’s room just as Laird lifted her off the table. She beamed at the two of them as her heart melted. Seeing Bella in Laird’s arms did something funny to her stomach. “Hi.”
“There’s Mommy. Doesn’t she look much better?” Laird said. He handed Bella over and studied both of them.
“Thank you for letting me have a nap.” His mouth pressed a kiss to her forehead, and she closed her eyes against the pleasure. “I think I’ll survive after all.”
“You still have a fever, but you don’t seem as hot.” Guiding them out of the room, he led them to the couch. “She’s had a bottle, a burp, and now a fresh diaper. I’m going to heat up the soup, and then we can eat.”
“You are an angel of mercy, and I don’t know what we would do without you.” Sinking into the cushions of the couch, she snuggled her daughter against her chest.
“That’s not something that we’re ever going to have to worry about.” Turning, he walked into the kitchen, whistling.
They sat in the cozy kitchen, and Bella swatted at the spoon of yoghurt her mother was trying to give her. “Bella boo, what can I interest you in?”
Bella clamped her mouth shut in response and stared at her mother. “Well, ladies, this looks like a standoff. I’m sure the first of many. Based on how you both are staring at one another, I’m going to call it a draw,” Laird proclaimed.
