Accidental Fate

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright

Note from the Publisher

Dedication

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Epilogue

About the Author

Also by M.A. Stacie

Accidental

Fate

M. A. Stacie

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Cover Artist: Reese Dante

Editor: Corina Calsing

Accidental Fate © 2011 M.A. Stacie

ISBN # 9781920501648

Attention Readers:
This book uses US English.

All rights reserved.

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This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission. All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental. The Licensed Art Material is being used for illustrative purposes only; any person depicted in the Licensed Art Material, is a model.

PUBLISHER

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Note from the Publisher

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Publisher

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Dedication

For my three Musketeers – Jen, Amber, and Maylin.

I can't thank you all enough. Will a dedication do?

Chapter 1

"Please, Joe. Please stop crying," Leo begged the four-week-old baby boy.

Desperation laced his tone. His son had cried for what seemed like days. Leo could do nothing to console him, no matter how hard he tried. Leo was exhausted. Functioning on little sleep and having no one to help was taking its toll.

Desperation had him bundling the baby into the car, intent on driving to the store. Maybe a new brand of formula would settle him? Joe had bawled all the way around the grocery store, embarrassing Leo and making people stare at him. They would assume he was a bad father, but they didn't know the truth. They didn't understand that he'd only known his son for seven days, and before then he had no idea Carlie was pregnant. It had been one night, one drunken fumble with someone he shouldn't have touched, and now he was a father.

The baby screamed louder from his carrier in the back of Leo's car. He winced as the cries echoed around the vehicle. It was like torture, for him and for Baby Joe.

"Come on, little man. I swear we'll be home soon. I'll make it better. I'm sorry. I'm so damn sorry," Leo mumbled, trying to maneuver out of the parking space.

His concentration lapsed as he tried desperately to shush Joe. Leo looked left, pushing his hand through his tangled brown hair, as he pulled forward and started out of the lot. The busy traffic only made his thoughts scramble further. His cell beeped, indicating the complete loss of battery power at the exact moment he turned the steering wheel and drove straight into another car.

"Shit!" Joe screamed, as the driver of the other car climbed out, holding her forehead. Leo rested his head on the wheel, cursing as he tried to gain control of his hammering heart. His life was lurching from one messed up situation to another. He just needed someone to cut him some slack; he needed a break.

People were stopping to see what had happened, clearly curious whether there would be a scene. Leo climbed out of the car, worried about what damage he'd done and what kind of reaction he would get from the woman walking toward him. She appeared calm, but her brown eyes narrowed as she moved closer. Her hands trembled, mirroring his. A sharp gust of wind had her long black hair whipping around her head, temporarily masking her face from view.

"I'm sorry," Leo jumped in. "I… I'm so sorry. I was distracted. The baby was crying. He never stops crying."

Exhaustion beat at him. Every muscle in his body tensed as he waited on the woman's reaction. He expected anger, but instead her expression was concerned.

"I don't think there's any damage. Maybe just a little paintwork."

She looked over to his car, smoothing her hair over her shoulders. Leo had never met anyone with hair so long or so dark. It cascaded down her back, past her hips, and he was certain it must rest on the curve on her ass.

"I'll pay for whatever needs to be fixed. I just lost concentration."

"Um," Erin interrupted, pointing over to the backseat of his car. "I think your baby needs you."

The fact that she had pointed out his son needed him before he'd realized it stung. Leo hadn't even checked to see if the boy was hurt after the bump. He felt inadequate when it came to being a father, though he vowed to keep trying. Joe continued to cry, his face red and angry. The car seat had protected him during the bump, keeping his fragile body safe from harm. Leo lifted him from the seat, resting him high on his chest, and walked back to the raven-haired woman.

The woman's eyes flicked to his arm, evidently taking in the inked puzzle pieces that stretched all the way down to his wrist. Being used to people's fascination with his ink, he cuddled his son close, trying to stop his wails. His quick glances showed no damage to either car, but he needed a closer look. As if reading his mind, she reached out, holding her arms open for the baby.

"Do you want me to take him? You could check out the damage then. Maybe he'll quiet down."

"He won't." Leo exhaled in defeat. "He just doesn't. I've tried everything."

Erin placed her hands on the baby, pulled him gently toward her, and let him nuzzle her chest. Leo gawked when after a few moments Joe hushed and settled.

"That is the first time in hours that he's been silent," he croaked out. His throat constricted with emotion. "Thank you. I'm Leo, by the way."

She smiled, rocking the baby.

"Erin. And who's the little man?"

Leo touched his son's head, cringing back when the baby whimpered. "Joe. His name's Joe."

"Cute."

He shrugged, opening his mouth again and saying much more than he should. "I didn't know what to call him. He didn't have a name when she left him."

A look of horror swept across her face at his revelation. Apparently his verbal filter was on the blink, causing him to blurt out all sorts of secrets. She probably thought he was crazy now.

Nerves had him tidying his shaggy hair as he turned his back on her to check out the cars and hide from her scrutiny. "There isn't anything major. I'll give you my details anyway, just in case you find something when you get home," he said, noticing Joe had slipped into sleep, his little mouth hanging open.

He watched her gaze flit from his left hand, up his arm, until she made eyes contact. Her frown gave away her confusion at the situation. Something about this situation troubled her, and in truth, he understood why.

"The baby's yours, right?"

Leo reached out for his son, nodding his confirmation.

"His mother didn't tell me. Left him on my doorstep a week ago with a letter and a hundred bucks," he replied coolly.

She gasped, automatically kissing Joe's head before giving him back. "Are you joking?"

Leo shook his head. "Thanks for settling him. Here's where you can reach me. I'm real sorry, Erin."

He didn't wait for a response. The sympathy and sadness shining in her eyes had his chest constricting. He'd been thrust into fatherhood without a single clue of how to deal with it, but he continued to cope. Her sympathy could break him.

After buckling Joe back into his carrier, he climbed into the car. People had begun to slowly go back to what they had been doing, dismissing the accident. Leo looked into his rearview mirror, seeing Erin as she gazed down at the crumpled card he'd thrust into her hand. Before Joe, he'd have made a move. Now he just drove away.

* * * *

Erin parked her car, reflecting on the accident. Leo appeared to be struggling, but what new parent didn't? She recalled how her sister coped after the birth of the twins and the way she floundered from one feeding to the next. Her sister had found it difficult even though she was in a committed relationship. It seemed that Leo was doing this alone.

After checking the address on the card Leo had given her, Erin assessed the rundown music store and apartment above. It was definitely the right place, the carton of formula and baby's bottle in the apartment window confirmed it for her. She climbed out of the car, hauled a huge sack of goods over her shoulder, and looked for a way to get to the apartment above the store. She walked to the front, noting it was, in fact, open.

She heard the baby crying as soon as she opened the door. The sound made her heart clench, and she hoped Leo would accept what she was here for.

"Mornin'," the young girl behind the counter shouted across the store.

Suddenly, rock music pumped through the speakers, filling the room with a thumping bass drum. Erin smiled at the two customers. They flipped through the piles of vinyl records, obviously trying to locate a hidden gem or two. They glared at her, questioning why she was grinning at them.

"Um, hi," she shouted back. "Can you tell me how to get to the apartment upstairs?"

The young girl chewed her gum, some of it sticking to her lip hoop. Erin fought the urge to reach out and wipe it away. Gross.

"Why're you askin'?"

Her heavily lined eyes thinned, waiting for Erin to reply.

"I met Leo yesterday. I've brought him a few things for Joe," she answered.

The girl nodded, lifting up the counter so Erin could squeeze through.

"This is the only way upstairs. Leo never got around to fixing the fire escape at the back, and I guess now he has the kid, he couldn't get the stroller up there anyway." She pointed up the stairs. "The door to his apartment is at the top."

Erin thanked her, looking up toward the wooden door. It stood ajar, and as she entered the stairwell noticed the baby still cried. No wonder Leo had been distracted yesterday. If Joe cried like that all the time, then he must get very little sleep. Taking a deep breath, she walked up the stairs and tapped on the door. Something dropped, smashing on the floor. A loud curse and a low pleading for Joe to stop followed.

"Leo?" Erin called out, only to hear him curse again. "Are you okay?"

"Come in. I'm in the kitchen."

She walked cautiously into the apartment. It appeared tidier than she had initially expected. She'd assumed the inside would resemble the outside, but it was clean apart from the odd discarded baby blanket or stuffed toy. A Moses basket rested on the couch, but Joe wasn't in there. She couldn't see him at all, though she could hear him, and he had one large set of lungs.

Erin dropped the sack on the floor, strolling over to where she assumed the kitchen was, and peeked her head around the door.

"Hi," she said softly, chuckling at the astonished look on Leo's face as he spun to face her.

Joe snuggled in his arms while he tried to clean up the spilled soup on the floor. The baby was red-faced, his tiny hands clenched tight. Leo spluttered, rocking the baby and sweeping a cloth across the floor with his foot.

"Um, hi?"

He worded it more like a question than a greeting, probably perplexed as to what she was doing there. He wore only loose sweat pants, evidence he hadn't expected company. The fact that he wore very little made the atmosphere rather awkward, given he didn't know her.

"I'm sorry for just strolling in. The girl at the counter told me to come up here."

They both cringed as Joe let out a heart-wrenching squeal. Erin reached out instinctively, stroked the baby's head, and made a light shushing sound. At her touch, Joe began to settle, closing his eyes and whimpering.

"How do you do that?" he asked.

Erin smiled, taking Joe from him and rocking the baby until he began to drift off.

"My sister has twins—six months old. I'm used to their grouchy behavior."

"But how do you soothe him? I try so hard. He hates me."

She sobered, holding the baby tighter to stop from touching Leo. He turned his back to her and leaned over the sink in defeat.

"I'm sure he doesn't. You're just so stressed around him. He feels it," she tried to reason. "Look, I brought you some things for him. My sister was going to take the twins' clothes to a charity store, but I thought you might be grateful. She put a few toys in for Joe as well."

Leo turned, rubbing at his bare chest and chewing on his lower lip. He cleared his throat, looking down at Joe, his expression full of love.

"You didn't need to do that. I crashed into your car. I should be helping you."

"I'm not the one who has just discovered I had a child."

"True," he huffed, pointing over to the living room and shuffling forward.

Erin nodded over to the sack she'd brought with her, sitting down on the couch with Joe. The baby liked her; he calmed at her touch, giving Leo a little reprieve from his incessant bawling.

She stroked the baby's head as Leo started to check the contents of the sack and heard a small sigh of relief when he saw the small clothes, bibs, and bedding. Fear that he'd reject her help kept her nerves simmering until he shot her a quick grin. His hands were clenched, however, jaw harshly set. His anger dispersed quickly, causing her to wonder what had caused it.

Leo moved over to her, placing his hand on her shoulder as tears welled in his eyes. Erin lifted her head, trying not to focus too much on his muscled torso, but it entranced her. The sinew bunched under her inspection.

"Thank you," Leo rasped.

"It's nothing. I was worried you wouldn't take them." She smiled.

Joe gurgled in her arms, snuggling closer.

"Over the past week I've learned to accept what people offer. I have nothing for him. She left him with nothing, and I didn't even know she was pregnant."

"It's been hard," Erin stated rather than asked.

He nodded, sitting down beside her. "It's been horrendous. Joe must be confused. That's why he cries so much. I have no idea what to do with a baby, and I can't even work in my own store because he cries constantly, chasing customers away."

"I can't imagine."

"No, you can't, but then I hope you'd never throw your child out like trash. We've only just met, and you've done far more for me and Joe than Carlie has. You have no idea how grateful I am, Erin. Really."

"I can see." She gazed down at Joe, noticing Leo's hand still rested on her shoulder. "He is gorgeous, utterly beautiful. He has your hair… and your chin."

Leo looked at the baby, shaking his head in denial.

"I don't see it, but he sure has a lot of hair. I thought all babies were bald."

"Clearly not," she stated, adjusting the baby in her arms as Leo touched the cleft in Joe's chin, the pride he felt evident in his smile.

"He's cute when he's asleep, and with me that's not very often."

Erin tried to blow a strand of hair from her face but didn't succeed. He reached up, smoothing it behind her ear, his fingers lingering. His touch gave her goose bumps. It was the oddest sensation, and one she wanted to experience again. Nevertheless, she was aware he couldn't afford that kind of diversion; Joe had to be his sole focus.

"He'll settle. You've both had a lot of changes. You guys will slip into a routine soon enough. It took my sister months to start feeling like herself again."

Leo placed his arm across the back of the couch. Erin braced herself, mentally willing him to touch her, but the sensation never came, his fingers millimeters from the crook of her neck. Her skin tingled in awareness.