They’d been through something so incredibly intimate and bonding together. Then he’d told her loved her. And she’d told him he didn’t.
“You look a lot better. From the accident, I mean. Not just because you just got out of the shower.”
“Trust me, the shower didn’t hurt.”
She watched as he set the bottle on the coffee table and lifted Lily to his shoulder. He alternated between rubbing her back and gently patting until she gave up an unladylike burp. Then he settled her back in his arms and gave her the bottle again.
Beth sat on the end of the couch and folded her legs under her. “You’re very good at that.”
“One niece. Four nephews. Lots of practice.” He smiled down at their daughter. “It’s not the same, though. I didn’t know it then, but it’s not the same when she’s your own.”
She’d never held or fed a baby before her own, but she’d looked into Lily’s eyes as she fed her and thought she understood what he meant. “She’s so sweet when she’s feeding. Or sleeping.”
He looked up at her, then, and arched an eyebrow. “Speaking of which, I got a phone call from Ma earlier and I just talked to Lisa a few minutes ago. Why aren’t you letting them help you? You won’t even let your mother get up during the night.”
“They are helping me. They’re making sure I eat and cleaning up. I’m lucky if I get to finish my coffee before the cup’s whisked away to be washed. They’re hovering and…it’s too much.”
“Let them take a night feeding. Or two. The more you let them do, the faster you’ll recover. Your body needs to rest.”
And she didn’t need another lecture. “If I get in the habit of letting them take care of everything, it’ll just be harder when I’m alone.”
She knew it was the wrong thing to say as soon as the words left her mouth and the way his jaw tightened confirmed that. “You won’t be alone. I’m five feet away. Number two on your speed dial.”
Beth was feeling too refreshed and relaxed to spoil it with an argument. “I’ll try to lean on them more. I promise.”
His face relaxed and he pulled the bottle away from Lily as she sucked down the last few drops. He got a couple of burps out of her and she seemed content to be cuddled against her daddy’s chest.
Beth’s heart did another annoying backflip and she turned her gaze back to the television he must have turned back on when he sat down to feed Lily. The channel had moved on to a classic romantic comedy and she tried to lose herself in the banter.
Kevin chuckled at the on-screen antics and Beth forced herself to relax. She’d enjoy the companionship and take advantage of the extended mental break, as Lisa had put it.
But her eyelids were heavy and no matter how much she blinked, she couldn’t seem to keep them open.
“Sleep, Beth.” His voice was low and reassuring. “I’m here. And I’m not going anywhere.”
She let herself slide into sleep with his words playing through her mind. I’m not going anywhere.
***
“I’m not sure this is a good idea. She’s only three weeks old.”
Kevin made the turn into his parents’ driveway and killed the engine. “The weather’s beautiful and you need to get out and get some fresh air. You haven’t left your apartment since your parents flew back to Florida.”
She ignored him, which wasn’t a surprise. Not being very happy about his taking the baby out, she’d reluctantly insisted on going along, bad mood and all. He had Lily’s carseat unlatched and in his hand before Beth even got out of the Jeep. Most of her aches and pains from the accident had faded, but it would probably be a while longer before she was her old self again.
Thankfully Beth smiled when his mother opened the door and accepted her hug with no trace of her former irritation. His dad got the same treatment and Kevin started getting annoyed. Maybe her bad mood was just for him, even though he hadn’t done a damn thing to deserve it.
He set the carseat with a sleeping Lily in it on the floor at the end of the couch so her mother and grandmother could hover over her and went into the kitchen for a beer. His father followed him in and grabbed one of his own.
“How’s it going, son?”
Kevin didn’t know how to answer that. If he wanted to know how Lily was doing, everything was great. She’d totally aced her two-week checkup. If he was talking about his relationship with Beth, that wasn’t so great. “Okay, I guess.”
“She’s been on her own a few days now. How’s that going for her?”
“She says she’s all right, but she wouldn’t admit it if she wasn’t, so I don’t know. I do know she’s tired, but I try to help out and take Lily to my place when I can so she can get some stuff done or take a nap.”
Leo leaned against the counter, eyeing him over the rim of his beer can. “You don’t look too happy.”