Declan

by Chris Keniston

  "What?"

  "Nice way to answer the phone."

  "Don't give me grief. If it's bad news, let it rip."

  "No. Just checking on who's still at Becky's and if I have time to stop at the station."

  "Oh yeah, everyone is still here." Adam's tone softened from the gruff way he'd answered the phone, a hint of humor coming through. "It's been decided that Brooks has the most immediate need for baby training. He's on his second diaper."

  "Why second?"

  "Don't ask," Adam laughed heartily.

  "Okay. I'll just take a minute and then I'll be right over."

  "Take your time. No one seems to be in any hurry."

  Disconnecting the call, DJ figured that was probably a good thing. Becky would be getting all the help she needed for now. When he got to her place, he'd have to be the second Farraday brother in baby training. What he knew about babies began and ended with the limited emergency care he'd learned from the department. But then again, how hard could changing a diaper be?

  Pulling into his spot in front of the station, he looked up and down the street. Nice quiet night. Typical in this town. Most nights passed without a single call. It's why any emergency calls after midnight came to whoever was on duty's cell phone. Tonight, Reed would be patrolling the area. Good man. DJ'd been lucky to get someone as sharp as him to join the tiny Tuckers Bluff police force.

  If DJ wanted to nail down the proud papa, he'd better get moving. Sitting out here in his car studying the empty streets wasn't going to help uncover anything new about Brittany. Inside, a single bullpen light was on. The coffee pot was turned off, but still warm. Reed must have been by recently. Taking his place behind his desk, DJ logged onto the computer. Pulling a list of private labs for DNA testing, he scrolled through data, ratings, complaints, and when he reached the bottom of the list he didn't have any better idea of who to trust for a speedy and accurate report.

  Continuing to scroll through searches and pages, he pulled out his phone and hit the one number he knew would have answers.

  The phone picked up on the second ring. "Can't live without me?"

  "Yeah, that's it. Tell Sharla to pack up, you're moving to Texas."

  Luke "Brooklyn" Chapman chuckled on the other end. "I couldn't get her to pack up and move to Hawaii, Texas doesn't stand a chance."

  This time DJ laughed. "You may have a point."

  Brooklyn's tone dropped, "What's up?"

  "Need to prove—or disprove—paternity. Fast."

  "I see." Brooklyn waited a beat. "You?"

  "That would be too easy. Ethan." Another silent beat. "The last of us still in the Corps."

  "The pilot." Brooklyn remembered. "Pregnant mother or baby?"

  "Baby."

  "And the mother doesn't have a problem with a paternity test?"

  "Wouldn't know. She left the baby on my doorstep."

  "Yours?"

  "I'm guessing flying to the Middle East was too much trouble." Though if this baby was Ethan's, DJ should be thankful the mother took the time to bring it all the way to Texas and didn't just abandon her on the closest doorstep. "I need a reputable lab to process DNA sooner than later. The county will take forever and frankly, if she's Ethan's, I want to keep as much of this out of the databases as possible."

  "Don't blame you on that one. What do you want from me?"

  "Got any pull at a private lab that can put a rush on this?"

  "Sure do. You got samples?"

  "Baby won't be a problem. Ethan, maybe. Thought I'd check at the ranch. See if he left a hairbrush or toothbrush when he came home for Adam's wedding."

  "If you don't, there's always the repository."

  DJ swallowed a grin. If Brooklyn could access the Department of Defenses DNA repository for military servicemen, the guy was even better connected than DJ had thought. "Will let you know."

  "Expect instructions on where to send the samples and I'll take care of it from there."

  "Thanks, appreciate it."

  "No problem. And if you ever get tired of the Texas heat, we've got plenty of ocean breezes, beautiful babes, and need for guys with your savvy."

  "Good to know. I'll keep that in mind."

  Brooklyn let out a loud burst of laughter. "In other words, don't hold my breath. What's she look like?"

  "Excuse me?"

  "I know you're devoted to the family, but when a guy turns down beaches and babes that fast, there's usually only one good reason."

  "Sorry to disappoint you. No woman in my life." The way he kept noticing Becky this evening, not as the extra kid at the house or the love-struck teen following Ethan around like a rescued puppy, but as an attractive woman, DJ definitely needed a woman of his own in his life.

  "Hmm, if you say so."

  An image of Becky rocking Brittany and asking if DJ thought Ethan might come home replayed in his mind. Any man would kill for a smart and beautiful woman like her to be so devoted to him. And not once had Ethan ever shown any interest in Becky other than that of another kid sister. How did his brother turn out to be such a jackass?

  ***

  "They really should consider just putting an X on either side so we know where to place the tabs." Still smiling over his multiple attempts to balance the diaper on the tiny squirming baby, Brooks placed his hand along his new wife's back and ushered her forward. "At least the last one fit and she's sleeping peacefully now."

  "You did great." Her hand on her mouth, Becky did her best to hide her own laughter. She'd never considered the possibility that changing a diaper could be such an ordeal.

  "Liar, liar pants on fire," Toni shot back, laughing herself. "I'll have to bring him by for more practice or buy stock in Proctor and Gamble."

  "Hey," Adam raised both hands palms up in an awkward shrug, "it's not our fault no one ever asked us guys to babysit. You gals have the upper hand."

  "Are you saying we're only better at babies?" Meg, Adam's wife of only a few months, stared at him patiently.

  Shaking his head, Adam smiled at his wife. "You, my dear, are brilliant at everything."

  "Chicken." Meg leaned in and kissed his cheek. "But I love you."

  Behind his wife's back, Brooks shot his older brother a thumbs up and Becky almost lost it. Watching the two brothers go from the most eligible bachelors in town to devoted husbands was… sweet. Watching them backpedal most of the evening to save their sex lives was sheer entertainment.

  The sound of footfalls on the steps carried into the apartment. Already by the door, Brooks opened it fully, letting DJ inside.

  "We were wondering if you were going to make it back before the next diaper change." Adam stepped up beside Brooks. "We're just leaving."

  "Finn and Connor already gone?" DJ dropped a gym bag on the floor by the doorway.

  “Yep,” Adam said. "They were out the door on your heels. Morning chores won't wait for family problems."

  "That they won't." DJ hugged his sisters-in-law and slapped the elder brothers on the back. Closing the door behind the last of the visitors, he retrieved his bag from the floor. "Where shall I keep this?"

  Becky glanced around the small apartment. While the others were dealing with the diaper and warming Brittany's bottle, she'd taken a few minutes to make space for DJ. "For now just set it down anywhere. I cleared out a couple of drawers for you so you don't have to live out of a suitcase. When the baby wakes up we'll move you in."

  DJ's eyes widened slightly before he nodded. "I don't want to put you out."

  "You're not. I've needed to cull the excess for a while. I mean, how many t-shirts does a gal need any way?"

  "Trick question?" he asked with a smile.

  Becky shook her head. "I didn't know how much space you would need in the bathroom. It's not very big, but—"

  "A place for my toothbrush is fine."

  Leading the way down the hall, she paused at the linen closet, snatched a towel and continued into the bathroom, trying to ignore the sense of a strong healthy m
ale following closely behind her. She hadn't done any real entertaining since she'd moved in. Certainly not any men. But just knowing six foot plus of a Farraday male stood behind her suddenly made her spacious apartment seem stiflingly small.

  Standing in the bathroom doorway, she pointed to the left side of the sink. "Like I said, I didn't know how much space you'd need. I hope that's enough."

  DJ scanned the tiny space and then flashed a broad smile that made his eyes sparkle an amazing shade of midnight blue. "You really are terrific. Thanks."

  Heat burned the inside of her cheeks. Not that she hadn't heard similar words before, but when they came from her grandmother or her boss, they didn't sound quite so…nice. At a sudden loss for what to say next, she spun around and pointed toward the living room. "You didn't eat much earlier—"

  "Neither did you."

  Those blue eyes twinkled down on her. Like Ethan and Adam, DJ was at least a foot taller than she was and all three had the blue eyes. Only Brooks and Grace had the Irish green. But somehow she didn't remember Ethan's shade of blue being quite so…intense. If anyone had told her that DJ could read her thoughts with those baby blues, now she might believe them. "I wasn't really hungry then."

  "But you are now?"

  She nodded. When Brooks arrived earlier this evening with a couple of his wife's pizzas, announcing serious family meetings required comfort food, Becky hadn't felt much like eating. Now that things were more settled, her stomach demanded sustenance. "Shall I heat you a slice?"

  "Or two." His smile broadened and Becky almost tripped over her own feet.

  "Easy." Strong fingers wrapped around her arm and the eyes that had sparkled with amusement darkened and bore her into her with concern and…something she couldn't quite identify. "You'd better sit down. I'll heat the pizza."

  "I can—"

  Easing his grip on her arm, he shook his head. "You've worked all day and dealt with a baby all night. I can heat up pizza. Promise." Taking a slow step back, he didn't move any further until she nodded and took a seat on the sofa.

  The strangest sensation thrummed from her arm to her fingertips and back. With a shake of her hand, she decided her arms were most likely not used to carrying a little baby for hours. "Finding everything?" The open kitchen allowed her to easily keep an eye on DJ and the TV, not that she was really watching the TV.

  "What's to find?" He reached for the stack of paper napkins. "Plates, napkins. Can't miss the oven."

  She chuckled at his sense of humor, something she'd rarely gotten the chance to see.

  "Would you like something to drink?"

  Hands at her side, she was about to push off the sofa.

  "Don't get up. What would you like?"

  She eased herself back down. "Just water would be nice."

  "One glass of water coming up." A few seconds later he appeared in front of her. A dish towel over his arm, he presented her the paper plate and plastic glass with the finesse of a maitre D at a fancy restaurant.

  "Thank you." She took a bite of the warm slice and groaned with delight. "Oh, wow."

  "Yeah." DJ took a seat in the nearby chair. "I detect a lot of extra workouts in our future with Toni in the family."

  "Mm hm." Becky chewed another tasty morsel. "They seem really happy."

  DJ swallowed. "It's a bit startling getting used to, not one, but two new sisters, soon to be three."

  "I like how y'all do that."

  "Do what?"

  "I've noticed you and the others often refer to Meg and Toni not as in-laws but as sisters."

  "Well, they are." He shrugged and took another bite. "At least they are now. They're as much a Farraday as my mom was."

  "I wish I'd gotten a chance to know her."

  A seriousness took over DJ's face. "Some days I wonder how different things might be had she never passed on. I mean, we had a good life. You know that."

  "I do," Becky agreed.

  "Aunt Eileen was wonderful, but I still wonder what would have been if Mom were still here. Would any of us be any different? Would we have moved on to other careers, choices?"

  Becky considered his words. "I bet not much different."

  "Why?" He set his plate down in front of him.

  "Well, take this baby. She'll be raised in a small town with a huge family for moral support and plenty of old-fashioned values. If she were raised in a city with no extended family and a ‘live and let live’ attitude, she'd grow up to be a totally different person."

  "And your point?"

  "I don't think your upbringing would have been very different with your mom. Maybe she would have handled a situation or two a little differently than your aunt would have, but you'd have still grown up on a ranch with chores and family and responsibilities. Children develop their baser values and character by the time they're four. When your mom died you were…"

  "Six."

  "You were well on your way to you."

  DJ picked the plate up again. "Brooks is right. We should be thanking that woman for bringing Brittany here and not dumping her some place else."

  "Considering we're not around the corner from San Diego, absolutely." Becky reached for another slice. "Did you always want to be a cop?"

  "I wanted to be an Indian." DJ flashed a sly grin at her. "But the pay wasn't all that great."

  "Ha ha. Cowboys and Indians." Becky shook her head.

  DJ balanced an empty plate on his knee. "Actually, not always. For a lot of years, I thought I'd be a rancher like Dad. By the time we were teens, the military was a duty as much as the ranch. Everything after that simply fell into place. What about you? No dreams of being a prima ballerina? First female president?"

  "Oh that's rich." Becky almost spit with laughter. "Me and my two left feet wouldn't last a week on stage. As far as first female president, that's Grace's thing. I was always all about the animals. If I brought home one more stray or injured animal, I think my folks would have sold me to the gypsies."

  "Aunt Eileen probably said that a time or two about Adam."

  "We're well suited." For a split second she thought she saw his eyes spark and narrow before a curtain of calm descended with a nod. Not sure what to make of the unexpected weight that seemed to have settled around them, she pushed to her feet and reached for his empty glass. "Let me…

  "Would you…" Great minds think alike. DJ stood and reached for his glass at the same time, their fingertips touching from opposite sides of the glass.

  Matching smiles bloomed, and Becky was the first to release her hold on the glass. "My turn to get the drinks."

  "I didn't know we were taking turns."

  "Thought that's why you're here?"

  DJ's one brow rose higher than the other and Becky decided that was definitely the sexiest brow she'd ever seen. Instantly, drawing back both her thoughts and where she stood, she shook her head. It was one thing to drool over the Farraday genes on a Friday girl's night, but so another thing when one of those Farradays was two feet in front of you and every touch made your fingers tingle.

  The beginning sounds of Brittany waking up drifted from the bedroom and DJ’s hold on the paper plate in front of him tightened. "How long do we wait?"

  "A little bit more. She's just stirring. It's better to let her sleep as long as she can so that she sleeps through the night sooner than later."

  Stacking her plate on his, DJ walked to the kitchen. The playful banter had silenced. The casual man behind the uniform she'd begun to get a glimpse of was gone, replaced by a man with a dutiful purpose. The man she'd come to know most of her adult life.

  Several minutes passed before Brittany made more noises, this time a little louder. "Now?" he asked.

  "Yeah," she muttered. "All set?"

  On his feet already, DJ straightened his shoulders. "No." He shook his head and sucked in a deep breath. "But when the hell has that ever made a difference?"

  Chapter Five

  No big deal, DJ told himself. He could do this. He could handl
e a few days in close quarters with the beautiful girl in love with his brother and he could certainly handle one little baby. And wasn't that one hell of a new problem. Brittany was so tiny. Jumping out of a high flying helicopter or wrestling with a drug-crazed suspect was preferable to handling such a delicate little being. "What if I hurt her?"

  Becky smiled and walked past him into the room and up to the portable crib. "She's more sturdy than you think. Let me change her diaper real quick." Brittany fussed more loudly as Becky stripped away the moist diaper and deftly strapped a new one in place. Pulling down the nightwear in one swift movement over the baby's kicking feet, Becky scooped the little girl up against her shoulder. "The trick is to keep one hand under her head and then snuggle her against you right away."

  Nodding, DJ followed Becky back into the kitchen. The whole time she made tsking noises at the baby and patted her back. That seemed to work at first, but by the time they'd actually made it into the kitchen, Brittany was squirming and mewling like a pissed off kitten.

  "Here." Becky whirled around, and in another swift maneuver held the baby out to him. "You take her while I heat the bottle."

  Where Becky held the baby in two hands, DJ was pretty sure he could crush the tiny thing in only one of his. "Maybe I should warm the bottle. What do I do?"

  "Nonsense. Hold out your hands."

  Like a good marine used to taking orders, he did as he was told. Holding his hands out in front of him palms up, he wondered why he'd signed up for this duty. The next thing he knew, the lightweight infant was fully resting on his palms.

  "See. That wasn't so hard. Sway or rock her, or if you want you can hold her against you. I'll have that bottle warmed in a second."

  Not quite sure how to get the baby closer without smothering her in his shoulder, DJ found himself holding his arms steady in front of him and bobbing her up and down. Squinty little eyes suddenly opened wide and stared up at him. Brittany seemed as surprised to have him holding her as he was. "Hi, there," he whispered the only words that came to mind.

  "You're doing great," Becky said over her shoulder.

  "You think so?" he asked, never shifting his focus from the tiny baby. "You're being awfully good to me," he told the infant.