“Want me to try anything?” he asked.
“Knock yourself out. She’s clean and fed and burped, and she slept almost nine hours straight through.”
“Well, that’s probably the issue, now, isn’t it?” Casey asked the sputtering, seething baby as he lifted her from Abilene’s arms. “You’re much too well balanced, aren’t you? No outlet for your tiny well of rage.”
“Something like that.” Abilene watched with mingled frustration and awe as Mercy quieted in seconds, face going placid, blue eyes glued to Casey’s.
“Show off,” she grumbled, though she was grateful for the quiet.
“That’s better, huh? How about I put you in your rocker?” He laid the baby in her seat, and Abilene held her breath, waiting to see if she started up again. Wonder of wonders, she looked as calm as could be.
“Hallelujah.” She dropped her head against the couch’s back.
“Your ex came by the bar while I was taking stock,” Casey said, sitting on the next cushion.
Her head snapped right back up. “He did?”
“Don’t worry—it was fine. He was after a job, actually.”
She blinked. “Really? What, bartending?”
“No, cooking, once the restaurant opens.”
“Oh. He did a lot of that in prison.”
“Said he valued his spinal health over a paycheck from the quarry, and I can’t say I blame him.”
“So you said yes?”
“No, no. I told him I’d talk to Duncan and to you. If all three of us are comfortable with the idea, we’ll consider him.”
“I don’t think I’d mind,” she said, mulling. “It might be awkward, is all.” But probably not terribly. James wasn’t possessive or jealous. Not once an affair was over. You were either all in with him, or else you got the typical frosty reception he reserved for strangers and acquaintances. Only if you were his lover—or his enemy, or indeed his child, she imagined—did he bother getting wound up about you.
“It wouldn’t be for a few weeks still,” Casey said, “if it did even happen. Plenty of time to see how the two of you are getting along.”
She nodded. “It’s good to hear he’s looking for legal work, at any rate.” He seemed to be respecting her rule.
“I’ll talk to Duncan then, see what he thinks.” He rubbed his thighs, then met her eyes with caution in his own. “So, what are you doing this afternoon?”
“Just this,” she said, nodding to the baby.
His lips thinned to a pensive line. “Hang on a sec.” He stood and strode off in the direction of the office, and Abilene heard knocking, then faint talking. He was back inside a minute and lifting the rocker.
“What are you up to?”
“Christine’s going to watch Mercy for an hour or two. You and I have something we need to do.”
If not for last night’s talk, she’d have assumed he meant sex—men rarely moved with such purpose if they weren’t about to get lucky. “What?”
“We need to talk,” he said simply, disappearing down the hall with the baby.
“About?”
Casey either didn’t hear or didn’t care to reply. When he returned he was patting his pockets, pulling out his keys. He eyed her clothes. “Grab a sweater and jacket and your mittens. We’re going for a little ride.”
She was tempted to resist, but in the end, the baby was fed and in good hands, and she was more curious about what he needed to say than she was stubborn about last night.
Once she’d changed, she met him by the front door and they got their shoes on.
“Safety first,” Casey said, and handed her Raina’s helmet. She strapped it on as they headed for his bike.
“Where are we going?”
“To the place I always went to when I needed to get my head on straight about shit.”
“Which is?”