She laughed a little. Come to think of it, she’d had more of those silly little chuckles in the last few days than she’d had in a very long time.
“I couldn’t bear the thought of him going to strangers this morning. How silly is that? But oh my. I’ve kind of leaped in with both feet.”
“If it makes you feel any better, every parent in the world leaps in with both feet. One minute you’re alone, the next you’re a parent. It’s a big shock.”
“Is that how it was with you?”
He chuckled. “Definitely. I’d never changed a diaper or given a bottle or any of those things. You at least know what you’re doing. You’ve got a head start.”
His pep talk made her feel better. “Thanks. So why did you come back this morning anyway?” she asked, pulling away. She picked up the carrier and together they headed back to her office where the cold coffee and sweets waited. “I figured you’d be sleeping in after your exciting evening.”
“Couldn’t sleep, and I was worried about you. This isn’t the coziest place to spend the night.”
“Clearly you’ve never tried to sleep in an inner-city emergency room,” she called out, as she poured the now-cold coffee down the sink.
He came up behind her, balling up a sticky napkin. “No, but I’ve slept in some nasty places just the same. Like in the desert where you sweat your balls off during the day and then freeze at night and you and your buddies huddle together because you’re out of fuel.”
She burst out laughing.
“Good times,” he confirmed, with a twitch of his lips. “Very … cozy. And you know what? I think that’s the first time I’ve really heard you laugh.”
She found that hard to believe. He made her smile a lot. But perhaps she hadn’t laughed. It felt good.
“Look,” he suggested, “your cottage is on the way to mine. You’re dog-tired. Why don’t I take you both home and you can pick up your car later?”
Her stomach took that swirly dip again. “That’s not necessary. A drop-off at the waterfront would be fine…”
“We had some snow last night and the roads are a little slick. Maybe I didn’t sleep well but I bet I got more than you plus I just had a nice little catnap. We can stop by the drugstore for whatever you need first.”
It was tempting. She was exhausted. Gosh, how did new parents do it night after night? Lord, she was about to find out, wasn’t she?
He reached for his coat. “Come on. You know you’re dying for a hot shower and a pair of sweats and some sleep.”
Oh God, that sounded heavenly.
“All right.”
“Get your coat. I’ll warm up the truck.”
Several minutes later they were loaded down with diapers and formula and back on the road toward Fiddler’s Rock. Charlie had her purse and the bag of pastries on her lap as Dave negotiated the winding turns, and hard flakes of snow bit through the air as they left town behind for the relative peace of the seaside road. The baby slept on, comfortable in the car seat, lulled by the motion of the car.
“Which place is yours?” he asked, as they passed the Blackberry Hill intersection.
“About a mile past the curve, on the left.”
As they got closer, the flakes started coming down heavier. She motioned for him to turn as they approached the driveway to her place. Even in the gloomy weather, she loved it. The gray shingle siding and white trim were old-fashioned and cozy, and she’d put a big evergreen wreath on her door, complete with a gigantic red bow.
“Nice spot,” he remarked, putting the truck in park.
“Isn’t it?” She looked over at him and smiled. “The trees make it so cozy, but then you go on the back deck and the bay is spread out for miles. It’s even nicer in the summer. I’m not much of a gardener, but I’m trying to expand a few perennial beds.”
He’d left the truck running and she asked a little hesitantly, “Do you want to come in?”
His gaze met hers evenly. “Is that what you want? Or are you just being polite?”
“You’re very direct, you know.”
“Is that a problem?”
“Not really. Takes some getting used to, I think.” She bit down on her lip. “I can’t eat all these pastries alone. Come in. We’ll get this little guy settled and I’ll make a decent cup of coffee. It’s the least I can do after all your help.”
She wasn’t as direct as Dave. Her words made it sound like a thank you when it was really an “I’d like to spend more time with you” thing.
He shut off the ignition and pocketed the keys. “I suppose I could do that. You take this stuff in, and I’ll bring the baby.”
Once inside Charlie immediately went to the thermostat and turned up the heat. “Gosh, it’s cold in here.” She slid off her boots and hung up her coat. “Make yourself at home. I’m going to start on the coffee.”