For Baby's Sake. Janice Maynard

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СКАЧАТЬ sleep she’d had, surely she could take over and let James go home. But it seemed a shame to wake him. Not only that, if they disturbed the baby, all of James’s efforts would have been in vain.

      Lila yawned. According to the mantel clock, it was still a good two hours before the sun would come up. She might as well join them. Grabbing the afghan off the floor, she covered her two guests and found a blanket of her own. She curled up in the recliner and closed her eyes.

      * * *

      James groaned, trying to figure out why his back ached and why the dog was sitting on his chest. He opened his eyes and blinked. The world came into focus slowly. It was eight o’clock in the morning, and his charge still slept peacefully. He needed to hit the john, but he didn’t want to disturb the child.

      Across the room, Lila was a lump in the recliner, the top of her head barely visible above the edge of her blanket. He smiled in spite of his physical discomfort. She must have come downstairs at some point and not wanted to wake him.

      Evidently, he made a noise in spite of himself, because she jerked straight up in the chair and stared around the room wild-eyed.

      He waved a hand to get her attention. “Everything is fine,” he whispered. “The baby’s still sleeping.”

      Lila stood up and stretched, giving him a mouthwatering view of her flat belly and cute navel. “Thank God for that,” she muttered. Then she frowned at him. “Why are you still here? You have to go to work.”

      Her tone irritated him. “You might try saying, ‘Thank you, James.’ ‘You saved my butt, James.’”

      “Sorry,” she muttered. “I do appreciate it.” She sounded like a little kid being forced to thank Grandma for an ugly Christmas sweater.

      Their entire conversation was being conducted in whispers. Thankfully, Sybbie was sleeping so deeply now, she never stirred. She had missed out on several hours of slumber the night before. Clearly, she was making up for lost time.

      Carefully, he stood up, his hand cradling the baby’s back. “If you’ll take her, I’ll go home and get ready for work. I wouldn’t leave, but I promised Mrs. Bellamy that I’d finish stabilizing her banister and newel post this morning.”

      Lila was flushed, either from sleep or because she was flustered. “Of course you have to go.”

      They finessed the baby transfer without a hitch.

      James rubbed the crick in his neck. “Can you manage ordering the baby bed?”

      “Yes,” Lila said, her voice curt. “I’m not totally incompetent.”

      “I never said you were.”

      They stared at each other across the room, the sofa between them. Old wounds had inexplicably opened up, leaving both of them on edge.

      Lila sighed deeply. “I apologize, James, for being so touchy. It’s the lack of sleep. I’m extremely grateful for everything you did last night.”

      He nodded. “I’ll call you later. We’ll come up with a plan.”

Three

      Lila had to fight the urge to beg. Don’t leave me. I can’t do this. Please help me. She swallowed the words and bit down on her lip until the door closed behind James. Then she sank into a chair and sighed. What was she supposed to do now? Maybe she could grab a little more sleep to get her through the afternoon and evening.

      But no sooner had she sat down than Sybbie woke up, her blue eyes sunshiny with happiness. She reached up to pull Lila’s earring. Lila intercepted the small fingers. “No, sweet thing. You’re too young for that. Come on, baby girl. How do you feel about mango applesauce and toast?”

      * * *

      The day flew by, but inexplicably, Lila had nothing to show for it by five o’clock other than a hamper full of dirty clothes, a floor strewn with makeshift toys and a kitchen that looked like it had been ground zero for a nuclear explosion.

      She did get online and order the crib and mattress and bedding, but only because she couldn’t bear to see the look of smug superiority James would give her if she dropped the ball on that detail. The baby store was a local company in Silver Glen. They delivered the boxes to her front porch before the close of the business day. She’d texted James and told him he didn’t need to pick them up. That had never been an option as far as she was concerned.

      When he showed up at her door at five thirty, it would have been nice if she could have invited him in for a nice hot dinner...maybe wearing a cute top and a flirty above-the-knee skirt. Instead, he was about to see the disaster that was her day.

      Balancing the baby on her hip, she shoved the hair from her face and opened the door. “Hey,” she said. “Did you get everything done you needed to do?”

      He nodded, but he looked tired. “Yep. How’s my girl?”

      Lila’s heart skipped a beat until she realized the teasing affection was directed at the baby.

      James took Sybbie and nuzzled her nose with his. “How’s it hangin’, sweetheart?”

      The Kavanagh men, one and all, were handsome, virile and completely charming. An eight-month-old baby didn’t stand a chance. Lila had spent an entire day playing the clown to keep her charge in a good mood. All James had to do was show up and the child was instantly mesmerized. Sigh...

      “I was going to order takeout,” Lila said. “Would you like me to get enough for two?”

      James nodded. “Sounds good. I’m easy to please. After you make that call, why don’t you gather what you and Sybbie need, and I’ll start carrying everything over to my place. I’ve cleared out the downstairs bedroom.”

      Lila knew that the floor plan of James’s house was similar to hers. But he had turned his traditional dining room into an office. For a couple of nights, it would work as a nursery. Still, she felt guilty.

      “It’s the off-season,” she said. “I’m sure your mom would give me a room up at the hotel.” The Silver Beeches Lodge was Silver Glen’s premier accommodation, where the rich and famous went to get away from it all and have their privacy protected. Located on top of the mountain, it commanded a spectacular view of the valley below. It was owned by the Kavanagh family and managed by James’s oldest brother, Liam, and his mother, Maeve Kavanagh.

      “Of course she would. But it’s not necessary, Lila. I’m right next door.”

      What he said made sense, but she was uneasy about the idea.

      He saw her hesitation. His jaw firmed. “If you’re worried about you and me, don’t be. I won’t do anything to make you uncomfortable, I swear.”

      Except be you. That was the tough part. She had learned to pretend James Kavanagh didn’t exist. The subterfuge would be impossible to maintain now. “I know you won’t,” she said defensively. She didn’t want him to think she was pining away for him.

      “Okay, then. I’ll take the baby bed over and put it together. Call me when the food gets here.”

      * СКАЧАТЬ