Love at First Laugh: Eight Romantic Novellas Filled with Love, Laughter, and Happily Ever After

by Krista Phillips

  “When Regina brought her, I don’t know…something inside me wanted to try. But I said no again. For all the reasons I’m telling you. Regina persuaded me to attempt a trial basis. Four weeks before I leave for St. Thomas—”

  “If you get the contract.” Maybe he wouldn’t and then he’d keep Cora Lee. Seemed like the job was more important than the baby.

  “If I get it,” he said softly. “I should have said no. It’s silly, you’re right. But something in me wouldn’t, couldn’t say no. So I said yes. Against my better judgment and my dad’s wishes. All of this furniture can go with her. I don’t need it.”

  “Your sister would want you to keep her child.”

  “My sister was so cracked out when she died, she didn’t even care about Cora.”

  Emma Kate ground her jaw. “You don’t know that. Cora Lee is healthy. Maybe she’d been clean and then she…relapsed. I think she loved her child. She clearly loved you. Cora Lee’s your namesake! Griffin, don’t give her up.” How could he do this? How could he toss away his own blood?

  Griffin made eye contact before turning away. “Giselle wouldn’t want her to be raised like we were. Nonexistent parents. I planned to be home. I did. But things kept cropping up. I don’t want to be my father but I’ve proven today that I’m exactly like him. You’re right. I should have never taken her.”

  Emma Kate couldn’t imagine not having parents in her life. Hers smothered her at times but she’d rather have that than no one. “First of all, I never said you shouldn’t have taken her. And if you don’t want to be your father,” Emma Kate sighed and sat beside him, “don’t be.”

  “You’re not hearing me, Kate.”

  “If you want to keep her, then do it. People make time for the things they want to do.” She heard him loud and clear. “I’m going home. I made up the powder for a bottle. Enchiladas are in the fridge. I guess if she wakes up call me.” She stood and started for the door.

  “Kate, wait.”

  “I’m tired, Griffin. And I have to be back here at five. I’m not staying the night. Again. Change her. Feed her. Put her back to bed. If she won’t go down, then call me.”

  “I’m not a bad person.”

  No. He was just selfish. “I didn’t say you were.” She checked in on Cora Lee. If she had any clue she was going to be bounced again…Why would anyone give her up? She slipped out of the nursery and let herself out of the house.

  Maybe Emma Kate could change Griffin’s mind? Show him that having Cora Lee was a blessing. He didn’t have to be like his father. In the coming weeks he’d be so attached he wouldn’t let her go. Down deep, Emma Kate believed Griff could be a good father. When push came to shove, Emma Kate had strong arms.

  Am I fooling myself too? And why do I even care so much? Sweet Lord, what do I do?

  Briley’s words echoed. Big hearts cared big.

  That was that then.

  She climbed the bus steps with a new mission.

  Chapter 5

  Griffin sat on the edge of his bed a long time before he slunk down the hall and peeked into Cora’s room. Only a small glitter of light came from her pink balloon night light. Kate had transformed the room into a nursery fit for a princess. Inside the white sleigh bed crib, Cora slept soundly, her thumb stuck in her mouth. He tiptoed to the railing and gazed on her.

  She didn’t deserve any of this. Not this family. Not a drug-addicted mother. None of it. But here she was, and he was torn. Dad was right. There was no point agreeing to a month when he knew good and well at the end he’d say goodbye. She needed to be attaching to the people who would adopt her.

  Not the man who would leave her.

  Griffin couldn’t explain it. Maybe he was too grief-stricken over Giselle to think straight. Maybe Regina had played on that vulnerability.

  No.

  In the depths of his soul, a spark had wanted to take this child in. To be her guardian. To do a better job with her than he had with Giselle, but he was already failing her, and Kate. The way she left with disappointment and a shred of disapproval in her eyes undid him. It was exactly as he’d expected her to react.

  I’m sorry, Cora. One day you’ll be glad you had a different family.

  He turned to leave and Cora rustled.

  One eye popped open. Two.

  But she didn’t cry.

  Frozen, he stared down at her, hoping she’d fall back asleep. No such luck. She sat up, sleepy-eyed, and reached for him.

  He sighed and gathered her in his arms, her baby powder scent with a hint of Kate softened him. “Hey kiddo. I really do feel bad for not seeing you all day. I’m terrible at this. Don’t you think?”

  She laid her head on his chest and grabbed a fistful of his shirt. He closed his eyes, everything inside him shifting. “I’d be a bad dad. Maybe your new family will let me visit sometimes.” Probably not.

  He eased into the rocking chair in the corner and slid off his shoes. She plucked her thumb in her mouth and burrowed into his chest. He closed his eyes only to be jerked out of the moment by the worst sound and smell he’d ever known. “Oh no! No. No no no.”

  Cora didn’t even squirm.

  “How can that not bother you?” He gagged and coughed. Griffin bee-lined it to the changing table, switching on the lamp. He unbuttoned her pj snaps. This was worse than he imagined.

  “So this is how I die,” he muttered and snatched about twenty wipes from the warmer before undoing her diaper. “Have mercy!” he exclaimed and turned away. “You’re supposed to be a lady, Cora.”

  Covering his nose with his shirt, he debated what to do. He was a grown man. He could do this. Calling Kate was out. Besides, it couldn’t be good sitting in this stuff any longer. He managed to clean her up, gagging the entire time. She didn’t so much as pucker up. He stuck her on his hip and carried the foul diaper outside to the trash.

  By this time Cora was wide awake so he made his way to the kitchen, washed his hands and mixed a bottle. Okay, not too bad.

  Cora reached for the bottle, her little mouth already open and greedy. “This stuff smells terrible. Not as bad as what you did but still gross.” He dreaded going back up to the rocking chair. To the room that bore the stench of death. “Was that my punishment for not coming home earlier?”

  Cora grinned through her bottle, pools of milk collecting in the corners of her mouth and chin. He carried her upstairs, grabbed the baby powder spray on the changing table and fumigated the room, then opened the window. Settling in the rocking chair, he leaned his head back and moved in rhythm to her bottle sucking noises. He took her little hand and noticed a red scratch of some sort. “What did you do, little lady? And I use that term as loosely as what was in that diaper.” He examined it closer. It almost looked like a bite. He made a mental note to ask Kate in the morning.

  If she came back.

  What if she didn’t come back? No. She would. If not for him, for Cora. For the money. The disappointment on her face nearly crushed him, especially after her encouraging words this morning. Her opinion mattered.

  That was his problem. He cared too much about opinions. From down the hall, his cell phone rang. Maybe it was Kate calling to apologize for thinking the worst of him. He didn’t deserve one. He was the worst.

  Cora grabbed his hand covering her bottle. Warm little fingers gripping his. Trusting him to provide her total care. Throwing money her way wasn’t enough. If it had been, then he and Giselle wouldn’t have felt abandoned by their own parents. What was he going to do? He let the phone go to voice mail twice and on the third ring, he eased out of the chair and padded down the hall.

  Dad.

  He might be rearranging his schedule to attend the burial. Griffin could put Giselle to rest.

  He called him back.

  “How did the meeting go today?”

  Not a hello. How was Cora? “We’re in good shape to win this contract.”

  “Why are you whispering?”

  “Cora is up and I’m giving her a
bottle. She’s doing fine by the way.”

  A huff filtered through the line. “I’m not insensitive to the child.”

  His granddaughter.

  “But if you’re going to burn the midnight oil, Griff, it needs to be on this project. This can take us to new heights. Take you to new heights. This will build your name aside from mine. Don’t you want that?”

  “Of course. Giselle would want this, though. I’m burying her tomorrow, but if you can fly home. I’ll wait another day or two. But that’s all I can wait. We’re pushing a week.”

  “I wish I could.”

  Then do it.

  Isn’t that what Kate had said to him? People who really wanted something made time. “I’ll do it alone then.”

  “I can’t,” Dad finally said. “I can’t bury another…” He cleared his throat.

  Griffin didn’t want to bury another loved one either but Dad wasn’t giving him the choice. “I can do it.” He’d have to.

  “Thanks. Is…is the baby sleeping okay? Giselle kept your mother up all hours until we put a nanny on at night. It was terrible for her losing all that sleep.”

  Didn’t that come with parenthood? Although, that’s what he wanted Kate to do. He was his dad made over. “She’s fine. She’s drifting off now.” He continued to sit on the edge of his bed rocking her back and forth, her lids heavy.

  “Keep me abreast.”

  “I will.” He hung up and carried her to the nursery. Wiping the milk away, he lowered her into the crib. Well, that wasn’t terrible. He tiptoed to the door and heard a rustling. Turning back, he grumbled as Cora sat straight up. “You were just asleep.” He lifted her from the crib. “Now what?” He was exhausted and couldn’t call Kate solely on principle. He toted her down the hall, put her next to him in bed, and switched on the TV. CNN. “This should put us both to sleep.”

  No light through the windows. Emma Kate dug through her purse and unlocked Griffin’s door, inching inside. No smell of coffee. No sign of movement. She laid her purse on the table in the foyer and checked the downstairs, then she climbed the stairs and slipped into the nursery. An empty bottle sat on the table next to the rocking chair, but Cora Lee wasn’t in her crib.

  They had to be somewhere.

  Emma Kate was shocked when she hadn’t received a middle-of-the-night call. She assumed Cora Lee had slept all night. But maybe Griffin hadn’t wanted to speak with Emma Kate. Maybe he wanted to fire and replace her. Maybe he already had.

  He was her employer. He was paying her a chunk of change. She didn’t have any say in his personal life. Didn’t even know him well enough, but she had a fat mouth. She pushed open his already cracked door and the sight stole her breath.

  Nestled on his chest, Cora Lee slept soundly. As soundly as the man keeping her secure with his arms. Their mouths hung slightly open. Their dark walnut hair stuck up in spots. Same skin tone. How could he let her go? The pain of that would bear its mark on Cora Lee forever. Emma Kate ought to know.

  Travis had let her go. Hadn’t wanted her. Even five years later it hurt. She was over Travis. But not over the rejection.

  One day when Cora Lee was old enough, she’d know that her uncle had rejected her. Emma Kate couldn’t let that happen.

  She watched longer than she ought to, the ache in her chest growing stronger, then she crept from the room and went downstairs to make coffee.

  An hour later, Griffin entered the kitchen with Cora Lee in his arms. Two blue-eyed sleepy heads. “I overslept. She didn’t go back to sleep until almost five.”

  Less than two hours of sleep. Would he be a bear? She stood. “I’ll make cereal. Does she need changed?”

  “No. I did it.” He placed her in the high chair with a plastic book. “Trust me I had a lot of practice last night.” He crinkled his nose and poured a cup of coffee. He carried it to the table and sipped while Cora Lee chewed on the book and Emma Kate made oatmeal cereal with pears.

  “I didn’t mean to raise my voice last night, Kate.”

  His soft tone had her turning to face him, baby spoon in hand. “I didn’t mean to meddle. I’ve known you a hot second, and I’m your employee.”

  “You feel like a friend.”

  Crazy tears stung her eyes. She counted down the days in her head. Was she hormonal? “I’d like to be.”

  “Truce?”

  “Truce.” She kept her opinions to herself. She didn’t need to nag him. She only needed to let him fall in love with Cora Lee. Then he’d make the right choice. “What’s your plan for today? Should I cook or not?” She sat across from Cora Lee, put a bib on her, and began feeding her breakfast. “Ow-ooohm.” She put a spoonful in her mouth. “Good girl.”

  “I don’t know. Delinda will be here today. And tomorrow. For cleaning. You don’t have to leave or anything. I’ve already called her and told her the situation.” He stared into his coffee cup. “I’m burying my sister at two.”

  Emma Kate’s heart cracked. “I’m sorry. Will your father be with you?”

  “No. He’s in Italy and he can’t emotionally take it.”

  The cracks filled with a surge of anger. “But he expects you to?” She backpedaled again. “Sorry. I’m meddling again.”

  He gave a weak smile. “It is what it is. We were always alone. Might as well end it that way, too,” his voice cracked.

  “Where will she be buried?”

  “Hope Memorial Gardens. By my mom.”

  “Okay.” She continued feeding Cora Lee who reached out and grabbed the spoon.

  “That reminds me.” He pointed to her hand. “What happened to her?”

  Emma Kate was going to tell him. But they’d argued and she’d forgotten. “Oh, we had a wee bit of an accident yesterday, but she’s fine. I ran home to grab some clothes and she might have pulled Westley’s ear a smidge too hard. He nipped her, but she’s fine. Really.”

  “What?” His tone was low but forceful and his eyes narrowed as he shifted in his chair.

  “He’s not used to small children and she’ll have to learn to be gentle. We’ll work on that.” She gave another bite of cereal to Cora Lee.

  “Absolutely not.” He stood. “She’s not to be around dogs. They’re dangerous. Obviously. I made it clear when you asked if she could come to your workplace. No more contact.”

  Emma Kate’s heart picked up speed and she peered up at him. “I get you’re protective. You should be. But he wasn’t trying to hurt her. It was his way of telling her to ease up. He’s not dangerous.”

  “He bit my niece. He should be put down!” His neck flushed red.

  “Hey! That’s not fair.”

  “My kid. My money. My rules,” he said with authority. “No more contact with dogs. Am I clear?”

  “Crystal,” she said through gritted teeth. He put his cup in the sink and stood there a moment rubbing his neck. Today he was burying his sister. Alone. He was on edge and had little sleep. Surely he didn’t mean what he was saying. Emma Kate leveled out and extended some grace. “I’m really sorry. I was going to tell you. I wasn’t hiding it.”

  He nodded and rubbed his ear lobe. “I want her to be safe.”

  “So do I. If I thought for one second he was dangerous, I wouldn’t have let her go near him. And she wasn’t afraid after it happened. I promise.”

  “No more contact with them. Any of them. Okay?” He continued rubbing at his ear.

  For now. “Okay.”

  He made his way upstairs and Emma Kate finished feeding Cora Lee her breakfast. “What are we gonna do today? Walk in the park? Read some books? Put up the baby gate so you can explore the downstairs?” She’d already baby proofed the place. This house had more electrical sockets than she’d ever thought one home could have.

  Thirty minutes later Griffin came downstairs. Clean shaven. Another fancy suit. That oversized watch. He smelled so good she wanted to cry. “I don’t know when I’ll be home, but I’ll try to do better than yesterday.”

  She gave a satisfied grin.
Progress. “We’ll be here.”

  “And…I’ll call to check in on you. On her I mean.” He cleared his throat again. “I should go. I’m never this late to the office.”

  “You own the company. You make the rules. What are they going to do? Fire you?” She clutched Cora Lee to her hip.

  “No, but my dad is always in the office by seven a.m. I need to follow suit.”

  She kept her mouth shut.

  “Bye, little miss.” He rubbed Cora Lee’s head and grinned when she babbled.

  After he left she bathed and dressed Cora Lee and put up the baby gates. She met Delinda and they chatted for awhile, then she met Briley for lunch. Cora Lee sat in her little high chair like an angel. Back at Griffin’s she changed into the dress she had Briley bring to the restaurant. She wasn’t going to let Griffin Noble bury his sister alone. Delinda offered to keep Cora Lee and if Griffin trusted her, then Emma Kate would too. Besides, she had six children and twelve grandchildren—four of them lived with her. She’d be fine.

  She took a cab instead of driving to the cemetery. She scanned the area for one lonely man. She spotted a tent about fifteen feet away. Couldn’t miss Griffin standing by the casket. Only the funeral home workers there with him. Waiting on him to say his goodbyes so they could lower her into her resting place.

  The dry ground kept her heels from sinking as she made her way to him. Hoping she wasn’t out of line—she hadn’t thought this through—she eased behind him and laid a hand on his back, startling him.

  “Kate?” He glanced behind her. “What are you doing here? Where’s Cora?”

  “Cora Lee is with Delinda. And I’m here because you shouldn’t be alone.” She stood beside him and clasped his hand. “No one should bury a loved one alone,” she murmured.

  He wrapped his fingers around hers. “Thank you.” Sincerity in his tone filled her to the brim. “I didn’t have a service. We—I—don’t go to church often. I wonder if…I mean we went as children. Sometimes. Holidays mostly, but one of our nannies took us a few times and I remember asking Jesus into my heart. That’s about as far as it went, though. I don’t know if Giselle did.”