Baby in Her Arms (2 page)
Authors: Judy Christenberry
Tags: #Romance, #Contemporary, #Historical, #Nonfiction, #Series
Maggie looked helplessly at Josh McKinley, and he shrugged his shoulders. She moved closer to hand him the baby.
He backed away. “Hell, lady, you aren’t going to give up because I don’t know what kind of milk, are you?”
Exasperated, she said, “No! But I thought you could hold the baby while I call my sister. My nephew is almost a year old. Kate will know what to do.”
He reluctantly took the baby back into his arms, holding her against his body, as if he’d learned from watching Maggie.
She headed for the phone, and the baby started crying again.
“She hates me,” he protested, following Maggie.
“Don’t be silly. She’s probably not used to a man’s voice. Speak softly.” She dialed Kate’s number.
“Kate, do you know what kind of milk a baby should have?” she asked as soon as Kate answered.
“Maggie? What?” her sister asked.
“A man is here with a little baby, and we’re fixing a bottle, but I don’t know if she should have skim milk or whole milk.”
“How old is she?”
Maggie hated to ask the man for more information, but she had no choice. Not that she expected him to know. “How old?”
To her surprise he said, “Eight months. She was born last October.”
She repeated the information to Kate.
“Whole milk is fine. She can probably eat a little mashed potatoes, too, if they’re not heavily seasoned. Now, tell me what’s going on.”
Maggie explained about Josh McKinley.
“Hey, maybe your sister could take her in tonight, just until I can arrange things,” the man suggested.
Maggie suddenly realized he was standing right next to her, his shoulders brushing hers. “I doubt—”
“Ask her.”
“Kate, he wants to know if you can take Ginny tonight.”
“He what?” Kate squawked. “No, no, I can’t. Nate has come down with the chicken pox from a child in his play group. I don’t think it would be good to—”
“Oh, no. You’re right.”
“Look, I’ll pay—” Josh urged.
“Her baby has the chicken pox,” Maggie explained.
Before the man could respond, Ginny whimpered again.
Kate spoke before Maggie could. “You’d better get off the phone and feed her. And don’t forget to change her diaper. She’s probably wet.”
Maggie hung up the phone. “Do you have any dry diapers? When did you last change her?”
“Change her?” Dawning realization stole over the man’s handsome features. An unpleasant realization. “You mean—” He gestured to the baby’s bottom.
“Of course that’s what I mean. You haven’t changed her, have you?” she asked as her own realization occurred. “How long have you had her?”
“A couple of hours. I couldn’t figure out what to do.”
“Do you have diapers?”
“You’ll have to look,” he insisted, clutching the baby against him with two hands, as if he feared she’d run away.
Maggie opened the bag and found five unused disposable diapers. “Good. I’ll show you where you can change her while I fix some potatoes and her bottle.”
“Potatoes?”
“My sister said she could eat them. This way.”
“Wait a minute!” he gasped as he followed her. “I can’—I mean, I’ve never—You do it!”
“It’s not difficult, Mr. McKinley. And she is your daughter.” She wasn’t about to admit that she wasn’t very experienced in that area herself.
Gesturing to the sofa in her office, she turned and left the room, feeling guilty. She hoped poor Ginny didn’t suffer from her father’s lack of experience.
In the kitchen she heated up some mashed potatoes Kate had prepared before she’d left for the day. Wanda washed the bottle in silence, a sure sign that she was upset, and slapped it down on the counter beside the milk she was warming.
“There! It’s clean. But I think you should throw the guy out on his ear. His story sounds pretty hokey to me.”
“We really haven’t even heard his story, Wanda, and the baby’s so sweet.”
“Hmmmp!” Wanda snorted and pushed through the swinging doors.
“She’s changed,” Josh said, stepping into the kitchen.
Maggie stared at the mangled diaper, its sticky tabs at strange angles. But at least the diaper wasn’t falling off. “Good job.” She could afford to be generous.
His sheepish look surprised her. “I had to throw away two others. Those sticky things got stuck on—on other things.”
“Then your next stop had better be somewhere you can buy diapers. The two you have left won’t last very long.” She knew that much, at least. Kate was always complaining about the number of diapers Nathan used.
He looked panicky again, but as he drew closer to Maggie, Ginny gurgled and held out her hands, plainly asking Maggie to take her.
Maggie’s heart flipped over and she grabbed the warm little body. “Oh, you sweetheart. Are you hungry?”
She held the baby in one arm and picked up the bowl of potatoes. “Fill the bottle with warm milk and bring it to me,” she ordered, as if she cared for Ginny every day of the week, and sailed through the swinging doors.
Josh stared at Maggie’s cute little backside as she swung away from him. Then he shook his head. He shouldn’t even be noticing such a thing. He had a baby to care for.
Ginny. He had Ginny to care for:
And Ginny wanted Maggie.
He couldn’t blame her, but he also couldn’t deny the pang of jealousy that filled him.
Dismissing such silliness, he took the milk from the stove and filled the bottle, screwing on the nipple, and followed Maggie.
“Have you eaten?” Maggie asked as he slid into the booth across from her.
“Me?” It took time for him to remember. “Uh, no. I went to see about...about Ginny and—no.”
“Wanda, bring Josh a menu,” Maggie ordered, never lifting her gaze from Ginny.
Josh knew why. His child, little Ginny, suddenly seemed to have eight hands, waving and reaching, trying to catch hold of the spoon Maggie wielded.
Then he was distracted by the menu Wanda handed him. It took him no time to place his order; and the food was brought to him amazingly fast.
After shoveling food down with as many manners as he could summon, he leaned back against the seat and realized Maggie was holding his child, watching him in silence.
Ginny wasn’t watching anyone. Snuggled against Maggie’s neck, she slept peacefully.
Josh wasn’t slow. He immediately realized what he needed. He asked Maggie the only possible question.
“Will you come home with me?”
Chapter Two
Q
uiet, shy Maggie O’Connor stared in disbelief at the handsome man opposite her.
uiet, shy Maggie O’Connor stared in disbelief at the handsome man opposite her.
His cheeks burned red and he hurriedly added, “I mean, for Ginny. Come home with me to help out with Ginny.”
Still, she could say nothing. Words wouldn’t come to her.
“I promise I don’t mean anything else. No...no playing around. I mean, your dad trusted me. You can, too.” He was getting his embarrassment under control, she could tell, since the red in his cheeks began to disappear.
If only she were as quick to recover. “I...I don’t think—”
“Think about Ginny. I don’t know how to care for her. Every time I touch her, she cries. Her mama just died and—”
Those words got Maggie’s attention. “Her mother just died?”
“Yeah, so—”
“You don’t seem very broken up about it!” She couldn’t keep the accusatory tones out of her voice. Having lost both of her parents, Maggie took death seriously.
She expected a quick show of sorrow, a repentant attitude. Instead she discovered frustration when she looked at him.
“I’m not exactly celebrating,” he said grimly, “but I hadn’t seen Julie in almost a year and a half. She never even told me about Ginny. It wasn’t until today that I learned of her death and Ginny’s existence. I’ve been hit kind of hard.”
Maggie turned her head to stare at the baby, whose warm little body pressed against Maggie. Sympathy welled up in her for the orphan. Her own mother had died at Maggie’s birth. She and Ginny had a lot in common, because the child would never remember the mother who’d given her life, just as Maggie didn’t.
“What are you going to do?” she asked.
“I’m still hoping you’ll come home with me.”
She studied him under lowered lashes. He was a sexy, handsome man. A lot of women wouldn’t question his intentions if he asked them to come home with him. They’d even be disappointed if he expressed disinterest. Maggie, however, wasn’t surprised by his promise that he didn’t mean anything sexual with his offer.
Kate said she gave off the wrong vibes to single men. Maggie didn’t know if that was true, but she’d found it easier to deal with numbers than real live men. Ginny, however, was another story.
“Where do you live?”
He sat up straighter, a spark of hope lighting his eyes. “I have a condo a few blocks from here, near the Plaza.”
His private investigator business must be successful, Maggie realized, since that was a pricey neighborhood. “Even if I take care of Ginny tonight, that’s only going to delay your problem twenty-four hours.”
“One Day at a Time. That’s my motto.” He sent her a smile that she figured usually got him whatever he wanted from a woman.
“Why did you take her?”
He looked like she’d thrown a glass of cold water in his face. “What?”
“I said—”
“I heard you. Because I’m her father.”
“Are you sure?”
“Why are you asking these questions? What difference does it make to you? I asked you to help care for her for twenty-four hours, not write a biography.”
Maggie stiffened, causing Ginny to shift. “It seems to me that you should be more agreeable if I’m supposed to do you a favor.”
“Ah. We’re wanting to know how much I’ll offer? Is that it?”
Enraged, Maggie slid from the booth. “Here, Mr. McKinley, take your baby and leave. I don’t need insults.” Though she tried to hide how reluctant she was to let Ginny go to her father, she bent toward the man so she could hold on to the soft bundle of joy a little longer.
“Wait!” he protested, panic in his eyes. “I didn’t mean to insult you. And you’d be doing me a huge favor. I don’t mind paying.”
“I don’t think I asked for any money.”
“Maggie, please help me, just until tomorrow.”
She hadn’t intended to agree to his crazy plan. After all, she didn’t know him. Her father may have trusted him with a few family secrets, but he hadn’t said he’d hand over one of his daughters to him for repayment.
But Maggie had no fear that he would be interested in her. And she had a lot of fear about what would happen to Ginny. Not that she herself knew all that much about babies, but she knew a little. She’d taken care of Nathan on occasion.
“Please?” His blue eyes, exactly like Ginny’s she suddenly realized, pleaded along with his word.
“I...I suppose I could help you out tonight. I’ll take Ginny home with me and you can pick her up in the morning.” She cuddled the sleeping baby against her again, aware of how happy she was to do so.
“No!”
Maggie blinked at the man as he jumped to his feet, crowding her in the aisle.
“But you said—”
“I asked you to help me, not take my baby away.”
“But I can’t spend the night at your place. That would—”
“That would be best,” he hurriedly said. “I promise I won’t touch you. Ginny needs to get used to her new home.”
She tried to picture what it would be like to stay in the same apartment as Josh McKinley. He probably had a bachelor pad, completely inappropriate for a baby. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“You’re not taking Ginny some other place. She stays with me. But I could use your help.”
Ginny smacked her rosebud lips, as if still taking the bottle, and Maggie’s heart swelled with love. She’d heard of falling in love at first glance, but she hadn’t expected the recipient of her emotions to be a baby. “All right. I’ll help you out until morning. I go to work at seven-thirty.”
“Maggie, you’re the best!” he exclaimed, smiling that sexy smile again. “Are you ready to go? We need to buy some diapers and some milk before we go home.”
Josh couldn’t believe his luck. He’d convinced Maggie to come home with him and take care of Ginny.
They’d moved the baby seat to the back and Maggie had strapped Ginny in without waking her. Then they’d driven to one of the few all-night groceries. Josh knew its location because he usually shopped at odd hours.
Maggie had remained in the car while he’d purchased only the necessities. Then they headed toward his apartment.
“I hope you don’t mind not going to your place. But it’d take an hour to go to North Kansas City and back. I bought you a toothbrush.” He glanced her way, not sure what kind of response he was looking for.
“Thank you. I’ll pay you back as soon as we get the baby settled.”
Her cool tones told him he hadn’t been forgiven for the things he’d said earlier. “Come on, Maggie. I didn’t mean to insult you. I apologized.”
“Yes, of course. I’ll still pay you for the toothbrush.”
He grinned. “I should’ve known you’d be stubborn. After all, you’re Irish, just like your father.”
She didn’t respond to his smile. “I’m not like my father.”
Even as he mentally made a note of her response, he muttered, “You could’ve fooled me.”
Nothing else was said until he wheeled his car into his parking space in the garage attached to his building.
“If you’ll get Ginny, I’ll bring everything else.” There were two suitcases Child Protective Services had given him, as well as the grocery bag.
As their small procession made its way to the door leading to his condo, Josh realized his life had changed. This morning he’d had no idea he had a daughter.
Yep, everything had changed. But he wasn’t going to let it affect him.
Maggie marched along, still disturbed both by Josh’s attempt to pay her and her acceptance of his plea for help. She’d never spent the night with a man, even as a baby-sitter. She couldn’t help being nervous.
When Josh told her they’d arrived, setting down the suitcases and juggling the grocery sack to find his keys, she suddenly wondered what she’d find in his apartment. She’d always heard bachelors were messy. After all, she’d seen
Animal House.
When he pushed the door open and gestured for her to precede him, she prepared herself for anything.
Animal House.
When he pushed the door open and gestured for her to precede him, she prepared herself for anything.
To her surprise, she discovered a spacious, comfortable living room, with only a few items out of place. “How nice.”
“What did you expect? A hovel?” he asked, grinning again.
“No, but I’d heard—that is, some men aren’t neat.”
“Don’t go putting a halo on my head, Maggie. I have a cleaning woman who comes in every week. She was just here yesterday.”
“Oh. Well, it’s still nice. I like the colors.” The room was mostly done in masculine colors—forest green and tan.
With a nod, he started down the hall. “You and Ginny can sleep in my bed. Bring her this way.”
“But she can’t sleep in a regular bed. She’ll turn over and fall off,” Maggie protested. At least she knew that much about babies.
“She can turn over?” Josh asked, staring at his daughter as if he expected her to perform the miracle right now.
“Yes. They start turning over when they’re about four months. Ginny can probably crawl, too.
“What are we going to do? I don’t have a crib.” He stood there, his hands on his hips, a puzzled look on his face.
Maggie fought the urge to put her arms around him. He looked so concerned for his baby. In fact, in spite of all the questions in her head, she had to give Josh credit. For a tough guy, he was being remarkably sensitive to his baby girl’s needs.
“Maybe we can put pillows around her, build a barrier so she can’t fall off before one of us notices.”
“Good idea. Thank God you came with me, Maggie. I wouldn’t have managed without you.”
Maggie savored his words as she followed him into his bedroom. The king-size bed would provide plenty of room for her and Ginny, that was for sure. “Do you have another bed? Where are you going to sleep?”
“The other bedroom is a home office, right now. I’ll take the couch.” He busied himself lining up the back of a chair next to the bedside table. “I’ll get the other chair from my office.”
Maggie laid Ginny down on the bed and checked her diaper. Just as she’d expected. The baby needed another change. She unfastened the sleeper, taking the little feet from their warm pockets.
“What are you doing?” Josh gasped over her shoulder.
Maggie jumped, unprepared for his sudden return. “I—I’m changing her diaper. She’s wet.”
“Again? Already?”
“Babies are like that. Would you bring me a clean diaper?” She wasn’t sure where he’d left the bag he’d had earlier or the grocery sack.
Without a word he hurried out, returning quickly with a clean disposable diaper. “Aren’t you afraid she’ll wake up?”
“I think she’ll sleep through the change,” Maggie whispered. “All that crying wears a baby out.”
“I’m glad it’s good for something,” he muttered, returning to his construction of a barrier on the other side of the bed.
“Does she have any clean clothes in those bags? She rubbed mashed potatoes into this outfit.”
“I’ll get the suitcases.”
Inside the bags, they discovered numerous articles of clothing and several stuffed toys. Maggie couldn’t help thinking about the woman who’d given birth to this darling baby and bought so many things for her. “Her mother certainly provided well for her.”
“Yeah...except for a daddy.”
She had no answer for his response. Selecting an adorable pink nightgown, she gently dressed the sleeping baby, only rousing her slightly before Ginny settled back into sleep.
“I can’t believe she’s sleeping so soundly,” Josh said in a whisper.
Maggie smiled but said nothing. Josh had lined the side of the bed with chairs and a long king-size pillow. She felt sure Ginny would be safe. She pulled back the cover with one hand before settling the baby on the mattress, breathing a sigh of relief when a tiny snore signaled Ginny continued to sleep.
Maggie slipped carefully off the bed and stood there, staring at the baby.
“She’s beautiful, isn’t she?” Josh murmured.
“That wasn’t your attitude when you arrived at the diner,” she reminded him with a weary smile.
“Babies don’t look so good when they’re screaming.” He continued to stand there. Finally he said softly, “Do you think she’ll ever get used to me? Like me?”
The warm feelings that rushed through Maggie scared her. They almost overwhelmed her intentions to keep her distance from Josh McKinley. But in spite of her warnings to herself, she couldn’t help but reassure him. “Of course she will. Little girls always love their daddies.”
“Did you love yours?”
“Of course I did!” She stared at him, wide-eyed, wondering what could’ve made him think she didn’t love her father.
“You seemed upset when I said you were like him.”
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