Despite a fresh diaper, Anthony was testing the capacity of his lungs as Cooper walked back into the living room.
“I’m sorry,” he said, raising his voice to be heard over Anthony’s crying as he patted his son’s back. “He must’ve realized he’d nodded off earlier without finishing his bottle.”
“Here, let me take him.” Kelsey’s sister plucked Anthony out of his arms and turned to her children. “Kids, park yourselves on the sofa and find something in your backpacks to keep you busy while your Aunt Kelsey and I get to know this adorable little thing.”
Dumbfounded, Cooper stood there as Anthony stopped his crying and gazed up at the woman as the children scrambled to do their mother’s bidding.
“Wow.” He finally found his voice, but the single syllable was the best he could come up with. “That’s…wow.”
“Cooper Fortune, your son’s kidnapper is my sister, Jessica Hunt-Myers.” Kelsey made the quick introduction. “Jessica, this is Cooper Fortune.”
“Hi, there,” Jessica said. “I think I can keep—ah, what’s his name?”
“Anthony.”
“I think I can keep Anthony busy for a few minutes if you want to make him that bottle.” Jessica sat in the chair Cooper had vacated and easily bounced the baby on her lap while answering three different questions from three different kids.
Cooper moved into the kitchen and quickly made a new bottle. He returned to the living room, expecting Jessica to give up her claim to his son, but she just motioned for the bottle, popping it into Anthony’s mouth.
He moved to the matching chair and sat, his gaze drawn to Kelsey. Perched on the end of the couch, with the youngest of her sister’s kids on her lap, she pointed to something in the book the little boy held. His tiny eyebrows puckered in concentration for a minute before he clucked like a chicken.
Cooper grinned. “Hey, that’s pretty good. Can you do a cow?”
The little boy looked at him. “We’re not at that page yet.”
“Adam.” His mother admonished him with one word, before she turned to Cooper. “I’m sorry, I didn’t introduce my children. The little one is Adam and he’s a very precocious three, and the twins, Braden and Bethany, are four. My oldest, Ella, is seven, so she’s at school.”
“What’s per-cos-ick?” Adam asked his mother.
“Precocious, and it means you’re very smart,” she answered with a smile as she set aside the empty bottle to lift Anthony to her shoulder. “All of my children are very smart,” she added when the twins started to protest. “They take after their father.”
“Kelsey told me about your husband. I’m sorry.”
Cooper watched as sadness flickered across the woman’s face before she offered him a smile.
“Thank you. She told me about Anthony’s mother. I’m sorry, too. You must have your hands full learning to be a single parent.” She patted the baby’s back, and soon Anthony let out a loud burp and giggled at his accomplishment. “I know what that’s like. If you need any help, just give me a holler.”
He turned to look at Kelsey, who seemed very interested in the picture book her nephew was holding. So, she really was serious about this matchmaking.
Hmm, right idea, wrong sister.
Cooper glanced back at Jessica. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Are you sure?” Kelsey stared at her sister over the roof of her car. “You really want to do this?”
“Are you kidding?” Jessica shot back as she shut her door and activated the automatic locks. “You have no idea how much I am going to enjoy myself.”
They walked across the parking lot toward the large building. Seconds later, automatic doors swished open and then closed behind them, locking out the Texas heat and bathing them in a cool breeze.
“With Mom and Dad watching the kids this afternoon, I’ve got three hours all to myself.”
Kelsey followed Jessica as she ventured farther into the brightly lit entrance. “So, go see a movie, get a massage, read a book…anything but this.”
“Spoken like a single woman who can be in and out of here in less than fifteen minutes and use the express checkout line.”
Jessica grabbed a large silver cart and aimed it toward the rainbow of colors that made up the produce section of the super-size grocery store. “Now, I can thump melons to my heart’s content, wrangle between cuts of meats at the butcher shop and actually make good use of my overstuffed coupon caddy.”
Kelsey rolled her eyes as Jessica’s fingers lightly danced over the vibrant array of apples, from light green to deep red, piled in front of her.
“This is nirvana,” her sister said.
They moved to the first aisle and Kelsey grabbed a bottle of wine from the end display and put it in the cart. A six-pack cellophane package of chocolate bars followed next.
She caught her sister’s disapproving glance. “Hey, you have your idea of heaven and I have mine.”
“Speaking of heaven,” Jessica paused as she looked over a selection of breakfast cereals in the next aisle, “that cowboy of yours is pretty dreamland-worthy.”
“He’s not my cowboy,” Kelsey protested. “In fact, I thought the two of you got along famously yesterday.”
“Yes, so famously that the guy could barely take his eyes off you the whole time.”
“Oh, please.”
“Besides, I told you before, I’m not in the market for a replacement for Peter.”
Her sister’s words were soft, but Kelsey heard the catch in her voice. “I’ve never suggested you replace him. That would be impossible. I just thought you’d finally turned the corner…”
“I have.” Jessica turned to Kelsey and gave her arm a gentle squeeze. “My life is filled with my children and my art. There’s no room right now for a man.”
“But you could fall in love again—”
“I h-had my shot at hap-happily ever after,” Jessica interrupted, her own words stumbling from her lips. “And it was wonderful for the short time it lasted.”
Her sister’s sudden interest in spaghetti sauce and the rapid blinking told Kelsey to change the subject.
Jessica took care of that for her as she grabbed the same brand of sauce she’d used for years and put it in the cart. “Now you, on the other hand—”
“Aren’t interested.”
Jessica looked her in the eye. “Liar.”
“Okay, so Cooper Fortune is a total hottie,” Kelsey relented, knowing it was useless to argue. She hated that her sister had always been able to tell when she was being less than honest. “But he and that adorable baby have got home and family written all over them and that’s not for me.”
“Yeah, I’ve heard you sing that tune for a long time. Ever since that jerk you dated all through college dumped you just before graduation for that former Miss Texas who could give him the proper home and proper children.” Jessica punctuated her last words with the two quick jerks of her fingers showing she was quoting Kelsey’s ex’s words.
“Well, he was right. Thomas is doing very well in his law practice and he’s eyeing a political future. He and his family made the cover of Texas Now! a few months ago.”
“Whoopee.”
“Besides, he never liked that I smelled like a barn at the end of the day.” Something he failed to mention even once during their four-year relationship after they met their freshman year at West Texas A&M University.
“An issue I don’t think Cooper would have a problem with.”
Kelsey grabbed a package of cookies from the shelf and placed them in the cart. “Been there, done that. My last two relationships were both with cowboys and neither one ended pretty.”
“Not surprising since you didn’t bring either of them home to Red Rock to meet the family.”
She’d tried, but neither cowboy had had any interest in her life back here while she was dating them, which turned out to be a good thing as both men ended up walking out on her. “Well, my only focus right now is building one of the be
st equine programs Red Rock has ever seen.”
“You’re kicking butt and your boss knows it, but that doesn’t mean all men—or all cowboys, for that matter—need to be off-limits. Cooper Fortune is perfect—” Jessica turned the corner and started past the next aisle, then stopped. “Hmm, it looks like perfect cowboy is having a problem at the moment.”
Kelsey didn’t know what her sister was talking about until she noticed Cooper, standing in the middle of the baby aisle, a confused look on his handsome face as he held up two different jumbo-size packages of diapers. The shopping cart in front of him was full while his son dozed in the attached car seat.
A burst of fiery attraction exploded in her gut, but she quickly put it out in hopes that Jess might just find herself drawn to the man. That thought gave Kelsey another kick in her stomach—and it wasn’t a pleasant one.
The last time the two of them took a liking to the same guy was back in junior high school when Kelsey found herself crushing on a boy who ended up taking Jessica to the eighth-grade dance. The same boy her sister dated all through high school and married at the tender age of nineteen. Peter and Jessica had always only had eyes for each other, so it’d been easy for Kelsey to let go of her silly case of puppy love.
Not that she liked Cooper Fortune.
Not like that. Yeah, he was the quintessential hunky Texas cowboy, but again, she wasn’t interested.
Remember that, girlfriend. Not interested.
“Oh, the poor guy.” Jessica turned her cart. “Come on, let’s help him.”
Kelsey silently repeated her words as she followed her sister’s lead, noticing the fine way Cooper’s shoulders filled out his faded, snap-front shirt, the sleeves rolled up to reveal strong forearms.
“You’re looking a bit lost, cowboy,” Jessica said, stopping her cart next to his. “Need any help? This is probably the most confusing aisle in the entire store.”
Her sister’s words pulled Kelsey from her thoughts in time to see the bewilderment on Cooper’s face fade into an easygoing smile.
“You’re not kidding.” He dropped his hands, the diapers bouncing off his jean-clad legs. “It took me ten minutes to figure out which baby wipes were the right ones and I haven’t even hit the food area yet.”
His dark eyes looked past her sister and latched on to her. His laid-back grin deepened as he added a hint of sexiness to it. “Hey, Kelsey.”
The image of her kissing that mouth while slowly pulling open his shirt—snap, snap, snap—filled Kelsey’s head. It took a hard blink to erase it. Her mouth was suddenly drier than a Texas summer day and she had to lick her lips before she spoke. “Hey, yourself.”
He held her gaze for a moment before dropping his eyes to her lips. She could’ve sworn he actually knew what she’d been thinking, as impossible as that might be.
“So…” Jessica cleared her throat. “Are you a bit puzzled by the diaper selection?”
Cooper looked at her again, his easy smile back in place. “It’s that obvious, huh? I didn’t even think to write down the brand my cousin and his fiancée had used for the little guy and we ran out this morning.”
Jessica pointed to the package in his right hand. “Those always worked best for my crowd, but you need the right size.”
“Size?”
“It’s based on the baby’s weight.”
“Oh.” Cooper looked at the packages, put both back on the shelf and grabbed three in the correct size. “Anthony is going through these things like crazy. Better safe than sorry. Now, it’s on to that amazing assortment of baby mush—ah, food.”
“Jess, why don’t you lend your expertise on that, too?” Kelsey grabbed her sister’s cart and pushed it past Cooper’s to allow another shopper to get by. “I can keep working on your list for you.”
Jessica shot Kelsey a frown over Cooper’s bent form as he shoved the diapers onto the bottom shelf of his cart. “Sure, I can do that.”
Kelsey only grinned in return and forced herself not to look at Cooper’s perfect backside, encased in faded denim. “Great, where’s your list?”
“Could I bother you to keep an eye on Anthony instead for a few minutes?” Cooper rose and turned to her, moving closer while gesturing toward the baby. “He’s been trying to nap since we arrived. Every time I move the cart it wakes him.”
“Uh, yeah…” She had to tip her head back to look at him, and she could’ve sworn the tips of his boots scraped hers, he was that close. “Sure, it’s no bother.”
Damn, that sexier-than-sin smile was back and directed right at her. “Thanks, I’ll owe you.”
Cooper and Jessica moved toward the other end of the aisle where the stacks of baby food jars stood in precise rows on the shelves. Kelsey looked down at Anthony, watching his tiny eyelids flutter as he slept. With his dark brown hair, and the brown eyes she’d seen briefly yesterday at the cottage, he looked a lot like his daddy.
He’d fallen asleep in Jessica’s arms yesterday, the two of them the exact likeness of Madonna and child. If there was anyone who’d been destined to be a mother, it was her sister. From childhood, she’d been a loving mama to her baby dolls while Kelsey’s side of the room had been filled with horse figurines.
“Looks like we both got what we wanted,” Kelsey whispered, unable to stop herself from stroking the baby’s soft cheek. “Except Jessica never planned on being a single parent. That’s why your daddy and she would be such a good match.”
Anthony chose that moment to open his eyes, and as if he wasn’t happy with her idea, started to fuss.
Kelsey jerked her hand away and looked for Cooper. He and Jessica were at the other end of the aisle. The baby’s fidgeting intensified, his eyes now clenched tightly closed, so she grabbed the cart and started to push it back and forth, but that only increased his crying.
Geez, it was moments like this when she usually gave her niece or nephew back to their mother. Another quick glance told her Jessica and Cooper weren’t heading back to this end of the aisle soon, so she quickly unbuckled the baby and hefted him into her arms.
“Okay, no need to get upset,” she cooed while rubbing the baby’s back. “I’ve got you.”
Anthony snuggled into her shoulder and she held tighter, tucking her face close to his and continuing with her soft words. Her body moved in a natural swaying motion, and soon she was rewarded when the baby heaved a deep sigh and fell back asleep, his breath coming in gentle puffs against her neck.
“Well, you certainly seem to have the magic touch.”
Kelsey turned to find Cooper standing behind her. Jessica and her shopping cart had disappeared. How’d that happen? And how was it that she and Cooper were the only people in this vast aisle of the grocery store?
“Anthony looks right at home in your arms,” he added, taking a step closer, trapping her between the cart and the shelves behind her. “Not that I blame him. Envy, maybe. You know, I think you might be wrong about lacking the maternal instinct.”
“Oh, no. Jessica is—”
“An amazing lady and from what I’ve seen, a terrific mom.” Cooper cut off her words while reaching out to gently tug on a loose strand of hair that had fallen from her ponytail. “But she’s not the sister who’s caught my attention. You are.”
Chapter Four
As far as dirty diapers went, this one had to be the world record holder. Cooper choked back his gag reflex when the pungent odor filled his nose and mouth.
Anthony looked up at him and smiled.
Cooper’s heart gave a little kick as he peeled off the baby’s messy clothes and set them to one side of the quilt. So much for having done two loads of laundry this morning.
“Damn, this is nasty!” He ripped at the diaper tabs and pulled the front flap back, and the nausea factor climbed a hundredfold as his eyes burned. “Whew! Major nasty!”
Anthony giggled.
“Glad you think this is so funny.” Cooper grimaced, grabbing a handful of baby wipes. He tried to clean up his son, b
ut all he seemed to do was succeed in spreading the mess even farther. He removed the diaper and dropped it on an old issue of “Texas Now!” he’d been reading. “Boy, you need to be hosed down to get rid of this stench.”
“I second that.”
On his hands and knees, Cooper turned and looked over his shoulder. Kelsey stood peering at him through the screen door.
“It looks like I got here just in time.” She hoisted the blue plastic object in her hands a bit higher. “My sister said she offered you this baby tub while in the store. Can I come in?”
“If you think your nose can stand it.” Cooper found himself grinning at her. “And your timing is perfect.”
“Why don’t we try rinsing him off before you get him in a bath?” Kelsey suggested as she walked into the dining area and placed the tub on the table. She unzipped her hoodie and peeled it off her shoulders revealing yet another ranch T-shirt, this time pale pink in color. “Is the bathroom sink big enough?”
Big enough for what?
Cooper tore his gaze from her body and shook his head, realizing she was talking about the baby. “No, and the kitchen sink is too big. He squirms so much that I can’t keep a good grip on him, which is why your sister made her generous offer.”
“Okay, give me a minute to get everything we need. Then you can get that stinky baby washed up.”
“Make it a fast minute, okay?” Cooper grabbed the soiled onesie and put it over Anthony’s privates. He’d already been a victim of the baby’s sudden need to urinate, diaper or not, resulting in a steady stream hitting him square in the chest. “I’m about to lose my lunch over here.”
Kelsey’s laugh followed her down the hall to the baby’s room. The low, sexy sound rocked Cooper back on his heels. Two days ago, he’d been tempted beyond reason to kiss her in the baby aisle of the grocery store.
Despite the craziness of their current situation, he found himself ready to do it again. And this time he wouldn’t back away.
Kelsey had been so focused on Anthony that day, her head bent, humming a low tune as she rocked him, that she hadn’t heard him and Jessica approach. Her sister had given him a sly wink as she disappeared around the corner with her own shopping cart. Moments later, he had Kelsey cornered between the cart and the shelving. The silky feeling of her hair sliding through his fingers, the softness of her cheek, the way her lips parted in surprise when he made it clear she was the one he wanted.
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