The sharp crack of a burp echoed through the office and they both laughed.
“There,” she said softly, shifting the baby to the crook of her arm again. “That must feel better!”
This time when she put the nipple by his lips, he latched on and his eyes started to drift closed. Her heart shifted a little as one tiny little hand moved to rest along the side of the plastic bottle, willing it to stay in place. What a sweet little treasure he was.
“I guess I’ll take off, then,” Dave said, rather reluctantly, she thought.
“Thank you for all your help tonight. I mean it. This little guy is so lucky you came along.”
To her surprise, Dave got up from his chair and knelt in front of her. “I think he’s lucky you came along,” he said softly. “You’re a real natural with him, you know that?”
“A baby’s needs are pretty simple.” She brushed off the compliment, disturbed by how touched she was by it. They’d just met. But it was the perfect thing to say.
“Still.” He reached out and brushed a little piece of hair away from her face. “I was deployed when my daughter was born. I only got to see her at this age a few times.”
Charlie looked away and bit her lip. “Do you see her now?”
He smiled then, and it lit up his face. “Yeah. Janice and her new husband moved to Kennebunkport and opened a little inn. I came here so I could see my baby girl more often. I don’t want to miss out on all those important moments, you know? Jewell Cove isn’t permanent for me, but this job does let me be close while I figure out what happens next.”
If he’d been attractive before, the knowledge that he was trying to be a good father definitely tipped the scales even more in his favor.
He stepped back. “Call me if you need anything, okay?”
“I will,” she answered, but she knew she wouldn’t. She didn’t have his cell number, and she didn’t know the number for his rental cottage either. Which was okay. She’d be fine here tonight.
He reached the door, but before he opened it he turned one last time. “Please lock this behind me,” he ordered.
“Yes, boss.”
He smiled at her once more before slipping out into the cold night, leaving her alone with the baby and the silence. And perhaps what surprised her the most was how, after he was gone, she really wished he’d stayed after all.
Chapter Four
The sky was overcast when Dave crawled out from beneath the covers. He hadn’t slept much, though that wasn’t entirely surprising after his exciting evening. He might as well get up and get on with his day rather than lie in bed.
The shower was hot and he dressed quickly in the cold air of the cottage, pulling on jeans and a thick sweater. God, he’d forgotten how raw and unforgiving an East Coast winter could be. There wasn’t any work today to keep him busy, so he bundled up, scraped the windshield of his SUV, and headed into town.
The only thing open this early on Sunday morning was the café, so Dave stopped and bought two large coffees and a selection of pastries before heading up a street to the clinic. Maybe Charlie wasn’t even there anymore, but he felt uncomfortable with how they’d left things last night. He hadn’t exactly kept his interest in her a secret. Looking at it now, in hindsight, he could understand why she’d backpedaled when she found out about his kid.
Lights were on inside when he arrived, so he cradled the tray holding the food in one hand and tapped lightly on the door with the other. Moments later Charlie came out of an exam room, the baby on her shoulder and a bottle in her hand. Her usually neat-as-a-pin hair was disheveled and sticking out of a frayed braid, and she had bags under her eyes. Clearly it hadn’t been a good night for her either.
She shifted the bottle, turned the dead bolt, and stood back so he could open the door.
The office was warm, and he hurried in and shut the door behind him before he let in too much icy air. “Good morning,” he said softly, peering over her shoulder at the baby. His tiny eyes were closed and his fingers pinched the soft fabric of her sweater. “Rough night?”
“He’s asleep now, isn’t he?”
At his nod, she sighed. “Little bugger. Kept me up most of the night and now he’s out. Typical.”
Dave let out a soft laugh. “Can’t blame a man for wanting your attention all night,” he joked, delighted when her cheeks colored a bit. “Here. I brought coffee. And very-bad-for-you white flour and sugary things.”
“I take back all the bad things I thought about you last night,” she said solemnly, reaching for the bag. “Let’s go to the kitchen. I’m not sure if I dare put this guy down or not.”