I've Got You, Babe (Must Love Babies)

by Lynnette Austin

  Now that he’d wiped half a gallon of the stuff from her face and hands, Daisy sprawled on his sofa, remote in hand, watching an animated show about some talking pig. At least she’d stopped jabbering. His ears were threatening a strike.

  Elisa sat at the far end of the counter. Darned if she still didn’t look pale. He grabbed a dishcloth and attacked the jelly.

  “Why don’t you let me do that?” she asked.

  “I’m good.”

  “Yes, you are. Your mother must be awfully proud of you.”

  “She’s proud of all four of us—even when we screw up.”

  A wistful look crossed Elisa’s face, and without a word, she walked into the living room to curl up beside her daughter.

  “’Member when Miss Lizzy had a party for me ’cause we were moving?”

  Elisa nodded and then, no doubt the result of a stressful day and sleep-deprivation, drifted off in the middle of her daughter’s never-ending story of her last day at preschool. Tucker put a finger over his lips and Daisy stopped talking. After he dropped an afghan over Elisa, he crooked his finger and the child followed him into the kitchen.

  He fixed himself another coffee.

  “I’m hungry.”

  “You just ate.” Tucker glanced at his counter. His clean counter. The one he’d only minutes ago finished cleaning.

  “I want Froot Loops.”

  “You like Froot Loops?”

  “Uh-huh.” She nodded her head, the soft blond curls, now loosed from their elastic bands, bobbing.

  “What do you know? Maybe you and I have something in common after all.”

  “Daisy and Tut. Common.” She placed her small hand in his and sent him a smile that would one day have some grown man crawling on his knees.

  Where was Daisy’s daddy?

  “Do you have room for cereal after that sandwich?”

  She nodded vehemently, stuck out her belly, and patted it. “See? Right here.” She poked a spot.

  “Okay, if you insist.”

  “’Sist, Tut. I ’sist.”

  Perched on a stool at the counter, he drank his coffee and devoured three of Dee-Ann’s no-bake oatmeal cookies while Daisy plowed through a bowl of Froot Loops. While she ate, the little girl filled him in on everything he could possibly want to know about her and her mother—without a single mention of the missing male in the household. That left him with a bucketful of questions about Elisa. An unwed single mom? Separated? Divorced? A military wife, the wife of a con? Possibilities swam through his head.

  * * *

  Elisa was taking a quick shower when the doorbell rang.

  “I’ll get it.” Daisy bounced to her feet and tore off toward the door.

  “No!”

  When she turned to look at him, Tucker shook his head. “Does your mommy let you open the door when you don’t know who it is?”

  Wide-eyed, she shook her head.

  “Well, neither do I.” He nodded toward the sofa. “Hop back up there. I’ll see who it is.”

  “’Kay.” With only the barest pouty-lip, she crawled back on the sofa, grabbed her blanket, and popped a thumb in her mouth.

  “Aw, sh—” He’d upset her. Still, she couldn’t open the door to just anybody. The bell rang again.

  A dishtowel stuffed in the waistband of his jeans, he opened the door to his brother’s confident, efficient wife. The cavalry had arrived.

  He gave the petite brunette a heartfelt hug. “Happy to see you, Molly!”

  “Me, too.” The little blond head peeked around the edge of the sofa. “Tut’s bein’ mean.”

  Molly’s brow rose. “Brant told me you have company.”

  “In a manner of speaking.”

  “I don’t know what you’re planning to feed your guests, but I made some potato salad today and thought I’d bring you a bowl.”

  He took it from her. “You’re a wonder, sugar. You run your own shop, you cook, you clean, and for some strange reason, you love my brother.”

  “I do.” Her lips kicked up in a grin. Then she took a good look at the house. “This place is a disaster, Tuck.”

  He raked fingers through his already mussed hair. “Tell me about it.”

  Molly plopped down on the sofa beside Daisy and held out a hand. “I’m Molly Wylder.”

  Daisy put her little hand in Molly’s. “My name’s Daisy Elizabeth Danvers.”

  “That’s a pretty name.”

  “My mommy gave it to me. Wanna know why?”

  “I do.”

  “’Cause daisies are happy flowers.”

  Molly smiled. “They are, aren’t they?”

  Daisy bounced on the sofa. “Yep, and I’m happy, too.” Then, the smile turning to a pout, she looked at Tucker. “’Cept when Tut’s bein’ mean to me.”

  “Oh, for—I wouldn’t let her open the door.”

  Molly thought about it for a few seconds, studying the adversaries. “I think on this one, baby doll, I have to agree with Tuck. He wants to keep you safe.”

  Daisy sighed, as if she carried the weight of the world on her little shoulders. “’Kay.”

  Molly was still there when Elisa started downstairs.

  “You dog.” Molly elbowed Tucker.

  “What?”

  “I should have known,” Molly whispered. “Good Samaritan, my foot. Nobody told me your fainter was drop-dead gorgeous. Even without a trace of makeup, she’s absolutely breathtaking.”

  “She is, isn’t she?”

  “You behave yourself. According to Brant, she’s got a lot going on in her life. She doesn’t need more.”

  “I’m trouble?”

  “You could be.”

  Elisa stopped halfway down. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you had company, Tucker. Why don’t Daisy and I go for a walk? Or I can check again for a room in town—”

  Molly stood. “No, please. No need. I’m Molly Wylder, Tucker’s sister-in-law.”

  “Sister-in-law?”

  Molly nodded.

  “Oh.”

  “Tucker, why don’t you and Daisy take that walk or go play in the yard.”

  “You tryin’ to get rid of me?”

  “Yes, I am. Now go.” Molly made a sweeping gesture with her hand.

  “Come on, Daisy. We’ve been banished from the kingdom.”

  “Huh?”

  “Let’s go play in the front yard.”

  Squealing, she slid off the sofa and threw her arms around Tucker, obviously forgiving him for his past fumbles. “Me and Tut’s gonna go play, Mommy.”

  “Be good.”

  “I will.”

  Elisa suffered a quick jolt of panic as her daughter left with Tucker, then forced herself to take a deep breath. He’d proven himself trustworthy today—more than once.

  Molly patted the sofa beside her. “Sit. Brant explained what happened today, so I brought salad for your dinner. Tuck’s a great guy, but in the kitchen?” She twisted her hand back and forth. “I thought, too, you might feel a little uneasy about all this. It’s kind of scary moving into a stranger’s house.” She laid a hand on Elisa’s arm. “Tucker’s a real stand-up guy.”

  Elisa nodded. “I can’t believe I’m in such a mess. And speaking of messes…” She grimaced at what her child had done to Tucker’s room in such a short time. “Your brother-in-law has been wonderful, but it’s pretty clear he’s—”

  “A neat-freak?”

  A grin slipped out. “Yeah.”

  “As awful as all this is, the important thing is that you got off the road in time. And, I might add, you were incredibly lucky to stop at the Wylder brothers’ shop. Their mama did a darned good job raising those boys.”

  “I agree—with all of that. Under normal circumstances I’d never have come home with Tucker
, but my choices were pretty limited. Watching him with Daisy—well, I think I could have done a lot worse. To be honest, I don’t know what I’d have done today without him.”

  “The Wylder boys are good men.”

  “I vaguely remember seeing three this morning.”

  “Then you’ve met them all. My Brant, your Tucker, and Gaven.”

  “Oh, but he’s not my Tucker.”

  “In a manner of speaking. They have a younger sister, Lainey, and arguably the best parents on earth.”

  A hot, uncomfortable shot of envy ran through Elisa. She wasn’t proud of it, but there it was. Tucker had a big, wonderful family, and she didn’t. Never had, never would.

  Fifteen minutes later, Tucker stuck his head in the front door. “Okay if we come in? I’d like to clean up and Daisy needs to use the facilities.”

  “No, I don’t, Tut. I need to pee.”

  He chuckled and hoisted her into his arms. Depositing her by the bathroom, he sprinted upstairs.

  * * *

  A quick shower and a change of clothes and Tucker felt human again. Hearing chatter, he headed downstairs, but stopped in the kitchen doorway. A three-year-old giggled at the counter, the smell of baked beans emanated from his oven, and two beautiful women chatted over coffee. Both his kitchen and his living room were shipshape once again.

  “I’m in awe,” he said. “I failed totally, but you two have everything under control.”

  Molly patted his cheek. “I beg to disagree. You did good, Tucker Wylder.”

  “Yeah, Tut. You did good.” Daisy held a green crayon and was industriously coloring a picture of a dog.

  “Tut.” Molly grinned.

  “A misunderstanding. No big deal, so I didn’t correct her.”

  “I like it,” Molly said. “King Tut, ruler of nations.”

  “Yeah, yeah.” He jammed his hands in his jeans pockets. “So when can we eat?”

  “As soon as you set the table. For three. I need to leave in a few minutes.”

  They worked in companionable silence, serenaded by Daisy’s rendition of “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.”

  “How are things at the shop?” Tucker asked.

  “Shop?” Daisy’s gaze flew to his. “I like to shop.”

  He chuckled. “Must be part of a female’s DNA.”

  Molly smiled. “Tut means my store.”

  Daisy gaped at her. “You have a whole store?”

  “I do, and it’s full of gowns.”

  “Nightgowns?” the child asked.

  Molly shook her head. “Wedding gowns.”

  “Like Cinderella’s?”

  “Just like Cinderella’s.” She pulled a phone from her purse. “Want to see some?”

  Tucker watched as they bonded over their love of fashion. Something inside him fluttered. Outnumbered three to one by females, he found his house had taken on a new and different vibe. A pleasant one. It even smelled better…or maybe that was the beans.

  His stomach growled. “Can’t tell I’m hungry, can you? I finished the last of the take-out from Dee-Ann’s hours ago.”

  Molly laughed and laid down her phone.

  “Can I see more?” Daisy twirled a curl around her finger.

  “You’d better eat first. Maybe you and Mommy can stop in to see my pretty dresses.”

  “Can I put one on?”

  “Sure. I have some flower-girl dresses just your size.”

  Daisy squealed and clapped her hands. “I’m gonna be pretty, Tut.”

  “You already are, sugar.”

  Daisy looked like she’d won a trophy.

  Elisa made a small sound. “Exactly the perfect thing to say, Tucker. Thank you.” Grabbing hot pads, she turned her back and opened the oven to check on the beans.

  That noise she’d made came dangerously close to more crying. Deciding the best way to head it off was to ignore it, he sniffed the air. “Smells like heaven.”

  “It does. Thanks for sharing your recipe, Elisa,” Molly said. “I have to run now, but I assured her, Tuck, that she hasn’t come home with the big bad wolf. So don’t you dare make me a liar.”

  He caught Elisa’s gaze and nodded, feeling a little like a poser because he’d had quite a few unfiltered, big-bad-wolfish thoughts flit in and out of his head earlier. Regardless, Molly was right. Elisa and Daisy were safe here.

  “Think we should cover the table with a tarp?”

  * * *

  After dinner, he and Daisy sprawled in the living room watching the Disney channel while visions of a man cave danced through his head.

  The doorbell rang.

  His gaze flew to the lock, checked that it was in place as he thought of the woman upstairs making up Daisy’s bed. Had someone come for her? An irate husband, despite her claims she had none? The law?

  “Who’s that?” Daisy came to full alert.

  “Darned if I know.” Tucker started toward the door.

  “Darned if I know,” Daisy echoed, following him.

  He stopped to look at her. “Do you always repeat what someone says?”

  She popped a thumb in her mouth.

  Uh-oh. He’d upset her again. Dropping to one knee, he said, “How about a hug before we see who’s at the door?”

  She nodded and moved into his arms, carrying with her that special little-girl smell.

  The doorbell rang again.

  “Keep your britches on.”

  “Yeah,” Daisy yelled. “Keep ’em on!” Then her eyes went wide. “It might be a monster!”

  “No. First, monsters don’t ring doorbells, and second—”

  A bark sounded from outside.

  “A doggy!” Monsters forgotten, Daisy flew to the door.

  “Uh-uh. Remember what I said.” Tucker moved her behind him, flicked the lock, and opened the door to Brant and Lug Nut.

  Crouched, Daisy peeked between Tucker’s legs. “Will he bite me?”

  “Nope.” Brant snapped his fingers and looked shocked when Lug Nut sat. “It actually works sometimes. Where’s my lady?”

  “She already went home.”

  Brant hung his head. “I missed her?”

  “Yep.”

  “The dog and I are on our way there now and thought we’d stop by to see how things were going. Where’s Elisa?”

  “Upstairs getting Daisy’s bed pulled together,” Tucker said.

  Brant moved to the bottom of the stairs. “Feeling better, Elisa?” he called up.

  “I am, thanks,” she answered, sounding surprised.

  “Great! Okay if I feed the dog, bro? I didn’t get around to it before we left the shop.” Brant dug a baggie of dog food from his pocket. “Got a paper plate?”

  “Yep.”

  The guys started to the kitchen, Lug Nut following.

  Daisy skipped behind them.

  Once he’d dumped the dog food onto a plate, Brant moved into the living room with Tucker. “You doing okay?”

  “I am. We’re good here, but I’ll be late tomorrow. Doc Hawkins wants to run a test on Elisa in the morning, and it’ll take a few hours.”

  Brant’s eyes searched his. “That’ll work. We got a lot done today, so the Vette’s almost wrapped up.”

  Tucker nodded. “Been a long eight months on this project, but worth every second. That car will be pristine when we turn her over to Murdoch.”

  Daisy walked into the room and tugged on Tucker’s pant leg.

  “What?”

  “I don’t feel good.”

  He put a hand on her head. “You’re not warm.”

  “My tummy hurts. The doggy gave me some of his food.”

  Hand on the stair rail, Elisa whispered, “You let her eat dog food?”

  “No!” Tucker looked at Brant.


  “I didn’t. Not my kid.”

  “She’s not mine, either.”

  “I thought you were keeping an eye on her,” Elisa said.

  “I was, then Brant showed up and—”

  Daisy made a gagging sound, and Tucker’s head whipped around. “What?”

  Blak! She tossed her cookies—along with dog food and dinner—right in the middle of his expensive rug. Some of it splashed on him, and he gagged with her.

  Lug Nut galloped into the room and headed for the mess.

  “Do not let the dog eat that!” Elisa rushed the rest of the way down the stairs.

  Daisy started to cry.

  “My rug!”

  “Your rug?” Elisa threw him a look that said eat crap and die.

  And there was the mother bear, Tucker thought.

  Brant grabbed Lug Nut’s collar. “What did I tell you about sharing, dog? Don’t. Ever. Got that?”

  Lug Nut smiled at him.

  Shaking his head, Brant herded him to the door. “See you tomorrow.”

  “You come in here and cause all this, then desert us?” Tucker asked.

  “Damn straight,” Brant said.

  “Damn straight,” Daisy parroted around her tears.

  “Oops!” Brant winced and looked from her to Tucker to Elisa.

  Tucker shook his head. “I’m telling you, the kid’s antennae home right in on off-limit words.”

  Brant threw them a wobbly salute and headed into the night.

  Scrubbing his fingers through his hair, Tucker eyed the mess on his rug. “I’ll get the paper towels. Can you handle Daisy?”

  “I’ve done this more times than you want to know. Come on, sweetheart. Let’s go take a bath, okay?”

  “’Kay.” Then those big blues, swimming with tears, turned to Tucker. “Are you mad at me, Tut?”

  “No, honey, I’m not mad.” He leaned in and kissed the top of her head. “Dog food’ll do that to you every time.”

  * * *

  Tucker dropped into a chair. He’d done his best on the rug, but only time would tell.

  He heard a squeal upstairs, then Elisa’s voice. “Daisy Elizabeth, you get back here.”

  On a gleeful laugh, Daisy came ripping down the stairs as naked as the day she was born.