When Joel arrived, carrying Teddy, she stared at the man, and her heart did the craziest dance. Until she spied the fellow he was with, a guy in a suit that screamed law enforcement.
Rushing to them, she reached for Teddy, and her voice rose unexpectedly. “What happened?” Glad the baby appeared fine, happy and in a great mood, she caressed his back, smoothed his curls and kissed his cheek.
Before Joel could speak or make introductions, his partner checked a message on his phone and interrupted to say his good-byes. “Sorry I have to leave, ladies. See you later, Bro. You’re sure you don’t want a ride home?”
Joel searched Emma’s face and in an aside, he answered, “No thanks, Frank. We’ll take an Uber or a cab. Not to worry.” He turned back to the guy and they shared a last man-hug before the fellow waved to her and Barb and left the office.
Joel stepped close to her and Teddy to say, “Can I talk to you for a few minutes, in private?”
Barb had also moved near as if drawn by the little imp in Emma’s arms. Teddy bestowed the hesitant female a toothy grin and his plum little hands reached for the woman who appeared mesmerized.
“This is Teddy?” Barb’s voice cracked. “He’s so cute. Look, he wants to come to me.” She reached out. Emma hesitated, but after seeing the other woman’s radiant face, full of adoration for the handsome actor, she allowed Teddy to have his wish. She passed him to where his arms were reaching. No sooner had she let go, he wound his arms around Barb’s neck and cuddled in close. Laying his cheek against her face he sighed happily.
Confounded, worried, she still hesitated until her secretary waved them away. “It’s okay. He likes me. The baby wants me. I’ve got him.” Then she floated around the room, swaying and singing in a whispery voice, the two in a world of their own.
Emma just stared until Joel interrupted. In a quiet tone, he said, “If he gets rambunctious, Barb, give him some keys. He loves them.” Barb pointed to a set on the side of her desk that not only had a multitude of different colored keys, but all kinds of tiny stuffed toys hanging from various chains. Raising his thumb, he grinned. “He’ll be one happy little dude when he gets his hands on those suckers.”
Barb’s chuckle made Emma relax. She sensed her worrying wasn’t necessary. Barb was hooked just like it happened the first time when she’d laid eyes on the boy.
Beaming a knee-weakening smile her way, Joel took Emma’s arm and led her to the open door of her office.
“I need to explain something, and I’m begging you not to overreact or be angry with me. I couldn’t stand losing you and Teddy now that we’ve come this far.”
Chapter Fifteen
Joel didn’t want to overreach his position, but he knew that Teddy had come to mean a lot to him. Losing him now would be like gouging his heart out with a rusty spoon. On the other hand, having to stop seeing Emma would mean the end of sunshine. He’d never felt this way about any of his women before. Over the years, he’d had many companions, even relationships, but none so serious that he couldn’t leave them when a new story lurked in the wind.
This time was different. She was different. Not only was she Teddy’s mother, but Emma alone would have captured his interest. He’d never met a girl so full of life and fun and love.
On this occasion, when he had to use his words carefully, they left him. Tongue-tied, terrified, unsure of how to begin, she urged him on with her questions.
“What happened, Joel? Why were you with a law officer?”
“He’s an FBI agent.”
“Okay. Why were you and Teddy with him?”
“He’s an old buddy.”
“Uh huh. So there’s no problem.”
“Not anymore. I mean there was, but it’s gone now. We’re safe.”
Startled, she grabbed his hand. “You mean we were unsafe before? You’d better explain because you’re scaring me.”
Joel took his time, laying it all out from the beginning. About how he’d stumbled onto the story of a lifetime and had worked it for months, along with others willing to take chances. How the dangerous situation – unknown to him – had followed him here to New York.
Her eyes grew larger when he described the state of his hotel room last night. She reached out with her other hand to rub his arm soothingly as he explained how he’d spent the rest of the night working, finishing the article so he could pass it over and mitigate the danger.
She moved in close when he admitted to taking such care before arriving at her apartment that morning. Not sure if he should take the chance. How torn he’d felt, knowing she was relying on him to turn up. Worried he might be bringing danger along with him, the guilt had weighed heavily.
At that part, his voice broke. She wound her arm around his back, patting him consolingly, giving him encouragement to continue with the details.
If he’d have stopped there, all would have been well. But he didn’t. His voice weakened with the next confession; he spoke low. It didn’t matter. She heard him… and then the building heard her.
“You what?” She pushed him from her so hard, he had to grab the desk to stop from falling.
Close and in his face now, her finger digging into his chest, she spit out the next words. “You got a call to pick up my baby and run for your life! You and Teddy?”
He didn’t cower. It wasn’t in him. But his voice turned to pure satin and his words to butter. “Honey, we followed Frank’s instructions, no problem. And an agent picked us up right outside. We were safe, I swear.”
“You lie. There’s more. Tell me everything or so help me God, I’ll—” Her arms were still crossed, and her attitude unchanged.
“Okay. O-kay. I’ll admit that we took the stairs and did a bit of a detour through the restaurant to be on the safe side. But that’s it, I swear on my mother’s grave.”
Since his mother was never buried, he decided that didn’t count as a full-fledged, out and out white lie. More like a black fib. He checked her expression. Did it work?
“Uh huh.” She wasn’t giving an inch, but he did notice the wicked storm in her eyes had died down to a small squall.
Continuing before she kicked him out of her office, and their lives, he added, “We were picked up by an agent close to the apartment who took us to the FBI office. Teddy wowed the females. And a few of the hardened male agents fawned over him too. You would have gotten a kick out of seeing them getting played by the little devil.”
Mesmerized by the word picture, she relaxed her stance and uncrossed her arms. Instead, she leaned back against her desk and a slight smile began forming on her beautiful mouth.
“Look, I’ve told you everything. The bad guys have all been arrested. It’s over. That’s why Frank left. We’re totally safe.” If he missed a few particulars about their escape, he wasn’t going to let it bother him. She had enough facts to realize his dilemma. Now that she was receptive again, he ended his admission with the most sincere apology he’d ever given in his life.
“I’m so very sorry for bringing danger into your world, Emma. Are you angry?”
What he saw astounded him so much he had no more words.
Chapter Sixteen
Her face broke into a smile that widened. Then a giggle broke and another. Trying desperately to stop from making a fool of herself, she bit down on her bottom lip, but it didn’t help. In the end, his theatrical story had sounded like pure fiction to her.
Oh, she had no doubt he’d been followed and that the phone call had happened, but the intrigue he’d built around the tale came across as highly overrated and kind of ridiculous. One told by a newspaper correspondent who inflated stories for a living.
People like her didn’t live in the world of movie fiction. Things like he described happened on the screen, not in real life, and she didn’t want them to. It was easier for her to scoff and ignore the implied danger, than to take seriously the described alarming behavior and unsafe actions of criminals.
Maybe she lived in a fool’s paradise, most
people did, but it suited her well. And her safe little cocoon was the very place where she wanted Teddy to grow up too.
“You swear it’s over? Whatever danger there was has passed?”
“Yes.” He came close to her and cautiously put his hands on her shoulders. “Yes. The future is safe, I promise.” When she didn’t move, he began to rub up and down her arms and then he wrapped his arms around her back, pulling her in close. “Emma, sweetheart, I’d like to be a part of that future. Me and Teddy and you.”
“He’s my baby.”
“Yes.”
“You want to share him with me.”
“Yes.”
She lifted her face for his kiss. He didn’t disappoint. Within minutes he left her breathing so hard it was all she could do not to let her weakened knees drop her at his feet.
“Works for me.” She whispered in his ear. And loved that he lifted her, swinging them in a celebratory circle.
“Forever?”
She pulled back to stare into his brilliant, shining blue eyes and lost her heart for the second time in twenty-four hours.
Chapter Seventeen
Two months later…
Emma’s eyes grew large. “How do you know this?”
Two months after the day they first discovered their attraction for each other in her office, Joel still babysat Teddy during most of the days. He’d organized his new job in such a way to leave him flexible with his hours.
Able to make it happen, he’d relieved Emma of a huge amount of pressure. Happily, his dreams of raising Teddy were taking place, only not with Mickie like he’d first imagined. During this time, he and Emma had grown closer. Enjoying his day off, they’d just returned from a lovely meal at the neighboring restaurant and had put their boy down to sleep. Nestled together on the sofa, he saw her waiting for his answer. “That Mickie was adopted?”
“Yes.”
“Once everything had settled, I couldn’t forget the discussion with her mother. Remember I told you about how she’d behaved over the phone.”
Emma nodded and said, “She hung up on me when I called to tell her about Mickie’s passing. Said they’d been kind to her and had loved her, but she’d betrayed them by refusing to choose the church over a life of sin. Her last words were – May God bless her immoral soul.” Emma shivered; her distaste obvious. “I can understand this woman’s attitude sticking with you. I haven’t been able to totally forget it myself.”
Joel snuggled her closer. “So you understand why I found it a subject to delve into. Without my planning it, an article began to take form. When I began to work on the details, I looked into their background and found that interesting snippet of information – that Mickie had been adopted.”
“Poor sweet girl never had good luck.”
“Well, that’s not true. I dug into her background even further and it turns out that she excelled in school, had a fairly normal childhood, and though filled with religion, she was loved. Until she rebelled and left home rather than follow their wishes. Shortly after, she met Justin, and it looks like they were very happy until he was killed. But he’d given her Teddy to love. And then, unknowingly, she found the perfect person to take care of her baby after she passed.”
“Thank you. That helps me deal with the pain of her loss.”
“I think what might help you deal even more is what I was able to find out in the end.”
Emma turned to him with her large eyes full of affection. “What’s that?”
“Teddy isn’t living with a new mom, but with his own grandmother by birth.”
Stunned speechless, Emma watched as he unfolded a copy of a legal document. Tears gathered and her insides began to shake. “He’s my natural grandson?”
“Yes. When you told me about you going to Baltimore to give up your baby daughter, I couldn’t help myself. I had to dig. There’ve been so many times that Teddy had the look of you about him. It’s uncanny.”
“He’s really my flesh and blood?”
“Really.”
“I can’t believe it! It’s a miracle. I’m thrilled.” She reached up to share her happiness with a kiss so sweet he felt the waterworks begin too.
To stop his reaction, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet box which he opened in front of her, startling her, creating more tears… happy ones.
“Will you let me share your lives, you and your boy’s?”
“You, me and Teddy – our baby.” Feeling the warmth of happiness surround her, she whispered, “We’d be honored.”
The End
Afterword
Thank you so much for reading He’s My Baby.
I loved writing this sweet story and hope you enjoyed reading it. If so, I would ask you for a favor. Wherever you purchased this book, please take a few minutes and leave an honest review. Authors enjoy hearing that readers like their stories, and hopefully, others will read your words and choose to buy the book because of your sentiments.
My website at http://mimibarbour.com now has all my books listed with links to the various publishers to make it easy for you to return to where you bought the book and to find my other work.
While you’re there, I’d really appreciate it if you would sign up for my newsletter so I can keep in touch.
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Hugs,
Mimi
Other Books by Mimi Barbour
Most of Mimi's books can be found FREE on Kindle Unlimited!!
~*~*~*~
The Vicarage Bench Series
— Spirit Travel at its Best! —
She’s Me (Book 1)
He’s Her (Book 2)
We’re One (Book 3)
Vicarage Bench Anthology (Book 4 - Books 1-3)
Together Again (Book 5)
Together for Christmas (Book 6)
Together Always (Book 7)
***
Angels with Attitude Series
— Angels Playing Cupid! —
The Angels with Attitudes Anthology (Books 1-3)
My Cheeky Angel (Book 1)
His Devious Angel (Book 2)
Loveable Christmas Angel (Book 3)
A Wonderful Life (Book 4)
Mischievous Christmas Angel (Book 5 - to be released Aug 2019)
***
Elvis Series
— Make an Elvis Song a Book! —
She’s Not You (Book 1)
Love Me Tender (Book 2)
***
Vegas Series
— Action–Packed Thrillers! —
Vegas Series – Complete Boxed Set
Partners (Book 1)
Roll the Dice (Book 2)
Vegas Shuffle (Book 3)
High Stakes Gamble (Book 4)
Spin the Wheel (Book 5)
Let it Ride (Book 6)
***
Undercover FBI Series
— Popular & Compelling! —
Special Agent Francesca (Book 1)
Special Agent Finnegan (Book 2)
Special Agent Maximilian (Book 3)
Special Agent Kandice (Book 4)
Special Agent Booker (Book 5)
Special Agent Charli (Book 6)
Special Agent Rylee (Book 7)
Special Agent Murphy (Book 8 -to be released Fall 2019)
***
Holiday Heartwarmers Series
— Truly a Christmas favorite! —
Holiday Heartwarmers Trilogy
Please Keep Me (Book 1)
Snow Pup (Book 2)
Find Me a Home (Book 3)
Frosty the Snowman (Book 4)
Love of my Life (Book 5)
A Perfect Storm (Book 6)
***
Mob Tracker Series
— She's unstoppable! —
Sweet Retaliation (Book #1)
Sweet Justice (Book #2)
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br /> Sweet Resolution (Book #3
Sweet Endings - (Book #4)
Sweet Faith (Book #5)
Sweet Leni (Book #6)
***
Other Titles
I'm No Angel
Hotshot Cowboy
Big Girls Don't Cry
Christmas Runaway
The Surrogate's Secret
Mimi's Mix (Box Set)
'Tis the Season (Box Set)
Hearts, Flowers & Romance (Box Set)
Red Hot Divas (Box Set)
A Touch of Passion (Multi-author Box Set)
Love, Christmas (Multi-author Box Set)
Unforgettable Romances (Multi-author Box Set)
Kiss Me, Thrill Me (Multi-author Box Set)
Sweet and Sassy (Multi-author Box Set)
Unforgettable Heroes (Multi-author Box Set)
Sweet Heat (Multi-author Box Set)
Unforgettable Christmas (Multi-author Box Set)
A Christmas She'll Remember (Multi-author Box Set)
Snowflakes and Christmas Kisses (Multi-author Box Set)
Unforgettable Valentine (Multi-author Box Set)
A Valentine She'll Remember (Multi-author Box Set)
Unforgettable Suspense (Multi-author Box Set)
Unforgettable Danger (Multi-author Box Set)
Unforgettable Trouble (Multi-author Box Set)
Unforgettable Weddings (Multi-author Box Set)
A Wedding She'll Remember (Multi-author Box Set)
Enchanted Romances (Multi-author Box Set)
Sweet and Sassy Brides (Multi-author Box Set)
Love, Christmas 2 (Multi-author Box Set)
Sweet and Sassy Suspense (Multi-author Box Set)
Unforgettable Thrills (Multi-author Box Set)
Sweet and Sassy Baby Love Page 27
