Their Baby Bond

by Karen Rose Smith

  Motioning to the phone, he suggested gently, “See if you can get Barbara’s number. After you call, we’ll go up to the chapel together and wait.”

  Jake walked to the other side of the lounge to give Tori privacy. A few minutes later, after she hung up the phone, it was easy to read the anger on her face.

  “Mrs. Simmons wouldn’t give the number to you,” he guessed.

  “No, she wouldn’t. I don’t understand that woman. Doesn’t she think that her daughter has feelings? And that if she doesn’t deal with them now, giving up this baby will haunt her for the rest of her life? She said that Barbara needed to make a clean break of it. Mrs. Simmons doesn’t want her daughter’s vacation ruined.”

  Shaking her head in frustration, Tori left the lounge and headed for the elevator.

  Jake reached it the same time she did and jabbed the button. “You realize if Barbara knows about this, you could awaken her motherly instincts.”

  When the elevator door swished open, Tori stepped inside and didn’t say anything for a few moments. “I know. But it’s the right thing to do, Jake.”

  He knew it was, too. Maybe he and Tori were attracted to each other because they believed in doing the right thing. Still, the right thing often caused heartache, took courage and wasn’t as easy as making a phone call. Thinking about doing the right thing always led him back to thoughts of Marion and what had happened.

  As the elevator slid up a floor, he remembered Marion’s funeral. He’d wanted to face her widowed mother after her daughter had died, but his guilt and advice from the police department had kept him from doing that. Now he wished he had. Jake had been trained to follow orders, and he’d stayed away from Elaine Montgomery. But he didn’t know now if that had been the right thing to do.

  After he opened the door of the chapel for Tori and they stepped inside, he realized why she wanted to come here. The quiet. It was a world away from the hospital bustle, although activity was practically right outside the door.

  They walked to the front of the chapel, where a rough-hewn cross hung, as well as a Star of David. When they took seats in the third pew, Jake glanced at the wall beside them, noticing the framed portrait of Nuestra Señora De Los Dolores, Our Lady of Sorrows. Then the dark wood of the altar drew his gaze. A few moments later when he glanced at Tori, she was looking down at her hands and a tear was running slowly down her cheek.

  Without a moment’s hesitation, he slid closer to her and wrapped an arm around her. Even with his vast experience with words—the calm make-a-deal tone, the believe-and-you-can-trust-me phrases, the coaxing supplications, the firm stand-his-ground negotiation—there were no words for a situation like this. Tori was worried she’d lose her son. He wouldn’t serve up platitudes that might not be honest.

  When Tori’s shoulders relaxed and she leaned against him, he knew she’d finally accepted his support. That seemed to be very important to him, and he didn’t examine the reasons too closely.

  They sat together like that until the doctor found them. He was smiling, and Jake let out a breath of relief.

  Dr. Johansen assured them, “Andy came through the surgery just fine. He’s in recovery.”

  Tori was on her feet immediately. “When can I see him?”

  “In about an hour. Why don’t you go down to the cafeteria and get yourself something to eat?”

  She brushed the notion of food away. “Can I stay tonight? I’ll sleep in the lounge.”

  “I don’t think that’ll be necessary. We’ll roll a recliner next to the crib.”

  “Are you sure you want to stay, Tori?” Jake asked. “You won’t get much sleep. Andy’s in good hands—”

  “Would you leave if he was your son?”

  Even if Tori left, Jake had planned to stay. He had a stake in this baby. “No, I wouldn’t.”

  As she studied him, he felt she was seeing too much. Finally she suggested, “Let’s go to the cafeteria. I could use a cup of coffee.”

  Tori didn’t say much as they drank cups of black coffee, took a walk through the gift shop, then found their way to Pediatrics. They stood by Andy’s crib, watching the nurse attend to him. There were three other children in the unit, one about three years old and two about eight or nine. Their parents were entertaining them.

  Finally the nurse left Andy’s crib, and Tori said to Jake, “Go home.”

  “I told you I’d stay.”

  “I know. And I appreciate it. But it’s silly for both of us to lose a night’s sleep. Since he’s sleeping, I’m going to try and catch a few winks, too.” She gestured to the recliner near the foot of the crib.

  Although Jake wanted to stay, he really had no place here. Andy was Tori’s responsibility, and she seemed to want to handle the burden on her own. She was telling him she didn’t need him. “You should eat something before you try to get forty winks.”

  “I’m not hungry.”

  “You can’t take care of Andy if you don’t take care of yourself.”

  “I promise I’ll have a big breakfast in the morning.”

  Obviously she didn’t want his advice. “Will you call me and let me know how Andy’s doing? Nina will want to know, too.”

  “I’ll call.”

  “I have a cell phone, Tori.” He pulled out his wallet, took out a business card and handed it to her. “It’s the second number. I’ll make sure it’s turned on the next couple of days.”

  In spite of himself, he couldn’t help putting his arm around her, pulling her close and kissing the top of her head. “I hope you get some sleep. Don’t hesitate to call me if you need me. I’m a light sleeper.”

  “I won’t need you, Jake. Andy’s going to be fine. Everything’s going to be fine.”

  He didn’t have to be a mind reader to know she was thinking about the adoption again. He hoped her predictions were right on all accounts.

  When he left Tori standing by Andy’s crib, he wondered if her “I won’t need you” declaration was meant to evict him from her life. Maybe throughout this ordeal a few hot kisses and scalding touches were nothing compared to the responsibility she’d taken on. Maybe she could forget about the chemistry between them a lot more easily than he could.

  When Jake’s bedside phone jangled him awake, from years of habit he sat up, glanced at the clock—3 a.m.—and picked up the receiver. What had gone wrong?

  “Hello.” His voice was gravelly with the remnants of deep sleep.

  “Jake?”

  It was Tori, but she didn’t sound frantic. She sounded excited. “What is it?”

  “It’s Andy.”

  Jake’s heart sank. Maybe he’d misread—

  “He ate. I’ve fed him twice, and he kept it down. I think he’s really going to be okay.”

  “You didn’t believe his doctor?”

  “Oh, Jake, I was so worried.”

  “I know you were,” he said quietly.

  “I’m sorry I woke you up. But I just wanted to share the news with you, and the relief.”

  “I’m glad you did.”

  “I hope you can go back to sleep.”

  “If I do go back to sleep, I’ll probably dream about you.”

  His honesty seemed to knock the breath from her.

  A few long moments passed before she asked, “Jake? I’m sorry I sent you away the night we danced at the club.”

  Her honesty almost stopped his heart. But he kept his tone light. “You’d want another dance in your living room?”

  “At least a dance.”

  “And at most?”

  He heard her take a breath. “We’ll have to decide that when we see each other again.”

  He thought about their last kiss…about touching her.

  “After you’re sure Andy’s okay, maybe Loretta will baby-sit for a few hours and we can go to my place.”

  “Jake, I’ve never had an affair,” she said simply. “There hasn’t been anyone but Dave.”

  In a way, Jake felt like swearing a blue streak. A woman w
ho’d never had an affair definitely wanted more than a one-night stand. In the past, he reminded himself again, he’d only been involved with women who didn’t want a lasting relationship for very good reasons.

  Tori had given him a lot to think about, and he wanted her to think about something, too. “I still don’t know if I’ll be staying in Santa Fe.”

  Silence met his statement. Finally she broke it. “I know that. I guess we both have a lot to sleep on. Good night, Jake,” she said softly.

  “Good night, Tori.”

  After Jake hung up, he rubbed his hand over his face, knowing sleep wasn’t the answer for the need in his body the phone call had stirred up. He’d get a workout on the bench press in his living room and then he’d go for a run. By the time dawn broke, he might figure out if exploring his desire for Tori would be totally foolhardy—or the smartest thing he’d ever do.

  To Tori’s surprise, Jake turned up on her doorstep Tuesday evening before she had a chance to phone him again. He held at least four bags of take-out food. In spite of her fatigue, she couldn’t help but smile when she saw him, and she opened the door wide so he could come in. “Something smells wonderful.”

  He deposited the bags on her kitchen table. “I’ve got Chinese and Italian—moo goo gai pan, beef and broccoli, chicken parmesan, linguini and meatballs. Take your pick. When did you last eat?”

  For a moment she absolutely could not remember. “I had breakfast in the cafeteria.”

  “That’s it all day?”

  “Eating just didn’t seem important next to bringing Andy home. But I’m hungry now.”

  His eyes sparked. “Good. How’s Andy doing?”

  “You can see for yourself while I get some plates. Do you want to start a fire and eat in front of the fireplace?”

  His voice turned low and husky. “Sounds like a great idea to me.”

  The suggestion had come out of thin air. Or maybe out of their conversation in the middle of the night. She just knew she didn’t want formality with Jake. Or small talk. Or pretense. She was too tired right now to fight the feelings that had started rioting as soon as she’d seen him at her door.

  A short time later, she realized Jake wasn’t going to pretend the chemistry bubbling between them was a mirage, either. After he’d peeked in on Andy and started a fire, he’d carried the containers of food to the coffee table and settled on the sofa. When she joined him, he patted the cushion next to him.

  She sank down beside him, all the tension in her body leaving her at last. She’d been wired for the past few days, worried about Andy. Settled next to Jake, feeling the warmth of his big body, thinking about the moral support he’d given her, she felt the stress of the past week slowly slip away.

  They shared the moo goo gai pan and the linguini. Most of the time they sat peacefully, gazing at the fire or casting quick glances at each other.

  When Jake was finished, he stretched his arm along the back of the sofa. “What are you going to do about the gallery? Are you going to stay home with Andy? Or hire more help?”

  The food and Jake’s nearness sent a wonderful, comforting lethargy through Tori. “I’m not sure. I’ve actually been thinking about going in for a couple of hours each day and keeping Nina’s crib there. I really have to help Loretta get ready for Peter’s show.”

  She felt Jake’s arm stiffen a bit, and she shifted to look up at him. “Why don’t you like Peter?”

  “I don’t dislike him.”

  She arched her brows.

  “He’s interested in you,” Jake said reluctantly.

  “He’s not simply my client, Jake. We’ve become friends.”

  “The same way you and I are friends?”

  She and Jake could pretend that was what they were, but more was always brewing under the surface. It always had been. “Definitely not. I’m not attracted to Peter as I am to you.”

  That seemed to be the signal Jake had been waiting for. His arm descended from the sofa to around her shoulders. With his other hand, he tilted her chin up and gently traced her lips with his thumb. “Are you attracted to him at all?”

  “I like Peter. He makes me laugh.”

  “You also have a lot in common. You move in the same circles. You and I…we’re very different.”

  Feeling those walls Jake wouldn’t let crumble, Tori laid her hand on his chest. “Maybe not as different as you think. We care about the same things, Jake. We care about other people…and family. You insist you don’t want one, but you’re such a natural at it. You’re good with kids—”

  “And I’m really bad with fairy tales. You’ve got to accept that, Tori.”

  Could she accept that he thought marriage was a life sentence? Could she go any further with him, knowing whatever they had would be only temporary? She’d fallen in love with Jake Galeno. She wasn’t even sure how or when it had happened. If she knew what they had wasn’t permanent, would that help her? Would her fear that he’d leave go away because she didn’t expect him to stay?

  He must have seen the doubts and the questions in her eyes. Slowly, he brought his mouth to hers. His kiss was tantalizingly seductive, but he ended it quickly and pulled away. “You enjoy the fire. I’ll take the dishes out to the kitchen.”

  Suddenly she was much too tired to protest. As soon as he stood, she missed the warmth of his body. After he went into the kitchen, she curled up with the pillow, thinking she’d just close her eyes for a few seconds. After that, she didn’t remember anything until she felt herself being lifted.

  Awakening with a start, she found herself in Jake’s arms. “What are you doing?”

  “Carrying you to your bedroom.”

  “I can’t go to bed now. I mean—”

  He chuckled. “I think you’re too worn-out to even consider anything but sleeping.”

  “I can’t sleep. What if Andy wakes up?”

  “That’s why I’m here. I saw the bottles in the fridge, and I know how to feed a baby. My guess is you haven’t slept much for the past few nights, and you need some straight hours desperately.”

  “Jake, I can’t ask you to do this.”

  At her bedroom now, he pushed the door open with his elbow, carried her to the bed and set her down gently. “You’re not asking—I’m offering. Go to sleep, Tori. If anything really important happens, I’ll let you know.”

  Jake’s deep voice, the comfortable mattress under her, the softness of her pillow tempted Tori to close her eyes again. After a few deep breaths, the feel of Jake’s hand brushing her hair along her cheek, she turned on her side and fell into a dreamland where Jake held her and never let her go.

  Chapter Ten

  When Tori awoke in the middle of the night to Andy’s cry, she immediately sat up. Jake was beside her on the bed on top of the covers.

  Reaching over, he touched her shoulder and murmured, “Go back to sleep. I’ll feed him.”

  Groggy with sleep, she didn’t find it odd that Jake was beside her—not after the dreams she’d had. “All right. Thank you.”

  Once Jake left the bedroom to care for Andy, she undressed, slipped her nightgown on and crawled under the covers. As soon as her head touched the pillow once more, she was asleep with pictures of Jake, Andy and Barbara swirling behind her eyelids.

  The following morning when Tori heard the phone beside her ring, she awoke more completely and looked around the room. Jake wasn’t anywhere in sight.

  The phone stopped after the first ring.

  Either someone had the wrong number or Jake had picked up. In the quiet of morning, she heard movement in the living room and the low murmur of Jake’s voice. When he didn’t come to fetch her, she figured the caller might be Nina.

  She glanced at the bedside clock and saw that it was already eight-thirty. Slipping into her robe and belting it, she went to Andy’s room and stood by his crib. He was absolutely cherubic, and she felt an overwhelming love that seemed to radiate through her life.

  When she found Jake in the kitchen, s
he noticed a pot of coffee had already been brewed and he was sipping from a steaming mug.

  She didn’t know where to begin with him. He’d supported her throughout Andy’s ordeal. He’d kissed her, but then backed off last night, knowing she was tired. He’d slept beside her in her bed, yet had made no demands. She’d never known a man who’d put her first or cared for her the way Jake had, not to mention caring for her son, too.

  Starting with the obvious, she asked, “Don’t you have to be at work?”

  “I wanted to make sure you were functioning first.” He set his mug on the counter with great deliberation and then moved closer to her. With a crooked grin he concluded, “You look as if you’re functioning. How do you feel?”

  “More rested than I have in weeks, thanks to you. I don’t know how to thank you, Jake, for everything you’ve done.”

  “I know a good way to start,” he suggested with a light in his eyes that told her he was going to kiss her.

  When his arms went around her, she waited for alarm bells to start clanging, for her common sense to remind her to be careful. Neither happened this morning. As she clasped his shoulders, he pulled her tightly against him, then lowered his head and kissed her cheek, her nose, her neck.

  “Jake,” she murmured, wanting more…wanting everything.

  “I have to go to work,” he said, kissing the skin between the lapels of her robe.

  “Andy could wake up any minute,” she offered, never forgetting about her son, yet needing Jake’s kisses.

  “We’ll only do this for a minute.” His voice was gravelly and he was breathing harder, just as she was.

  His lips took hers then in a demanding kiss, as if they had to reach the depth of passion quickly because their time had run out. When his hands slipped between them to play over the satiny material covering her breasts, her knees felt weak.