As he was hooking one of the head supports, her little body slipped sideways, about stopping his heart. He quickly stabilized her head and snapped the buckle into place. Assured she was peacefully snoozing and wouldn’t fall out of the contraption, he climbed out of the truck, hoping he could work awhile.
His flooring subcontractor, Zeb, a trim man in his sixties wearing jeans and an old blue work shirt, stood at the front of the brick ranch home they were building with his arms crossed, waiting.
“Hey, Zeb. Sorry again about the tile delivery. Pete assured me he’d have it here by nine this morning.”
“We can’t finish as promised if he doesn’t. I’ve already lost a day.” Zeb’s eyes narrowed as he spotted a tiny head peeking out of the carrier contraption. “Uh, congratulations?”
“She belongs to Remy. I’m babysitting.”
A big breath of air whooshed out of him. “That’s good. Was afraid I’d missed something big.”
Jake pressed fingers against his burning eyes. “Had a rough night. She cried for hours.”
“Lots of prayer going on in the West household, huh?”
“You know it. More like begging for mercy.” He laughed. “You know anything about colic?”
“Can’t say that I do.” Zeb squinted into the late-morning sun. “Except I remember one of my girls had luck by changing her baby’s formula.”
Jake nodded. Zeb had kids and grandkids, so Jake could trust parenting tips from the man. “Have you been inside? Did my cabinets get delivered?”
“Not yet. The guys are still taping and muddin’ drywall and priming.”
Jake needed to go inside, make sure everyone was on schedule and the work met his expectations. But a work site wasn’t the place for a baby. “If Pete isn’t here in fifteen minutes, I’ll call him.”
“Thanks, Jake. We’ll do a good job for you.”
“You always do.” He only hired top-notch subcontractors, and Zeb and his crew were the best around.
Jake made a phone call, and as soon as he hung up, Abigail began to stir. She’d be hungry when she woke. She’d also need a fresh diaper...or two or twenty.
There was no way he’d be able to work while caring for a baby. He needed to find child care, and quickly.
Turning to go to the truck, he spotted Violet’s shiny, older model luxury convertible pulling in behind his vehicle. She’d either had it for several years or had bought it used. Either way, he had to admit she might have a good head on her shoulders. Well, except for the brand-new, very expensive tires.
“Oh, hello,” she said as she climbed out.
“Hey.” Had she been out for a Saturday drive and just happened to spot him? Or had she come to check up on Abigail?
The latter was the more likely scenario.
Wearing shorts and a flowery pink top, Violet looked like a breath of fresh air. Her mile-long, shapely legs caught the attention of a few of his men watching from the garage area.
Jake put himself between them and Violet, blocking their view. “I was just headed to change Abigail and get a bottle.”
“Don’t let me stop you.”
Would Violet hang around? Jake had parked in the shade and planned to change Abigail’s diaper right there in the truck. Violet better not breathe down his neck and complain about his decision. He had to do a decent job with the diaper, though, or else Abigail would be strapped to his chest, a loaded weapon ready to wreak havoc.
By the time he’d laid the baby on a changing pad placed on the vehicle seat, she was fully awake.
Violet peeked around his shoulder. “Looks like that diaper’s on pretty good.”
“Yep.”
“So I guess you don’t need any help with the clean one.”
“Nope.” He successfully changed her despite the tense woman watching. When Abigail fussed, he popped a bottle in her mouth and tucked her in the crook of his arm.
“How did she sleep last night?”
“Not well. I’ll bring her by the office if we continue to have problems.”
“Problems? What type of problems?” Violet asked, going from the diaper police back to pediatrician.
“She cried from eight until nearly midnight. I think she has colic.”
“Well, there are several things you can try, like—”
“Thanks, but I read about it on the internet. Got some ideas.” He nodded toward town. “And I bought your whole list of baby stuff, so we’re good to go.”
The Pete’s Flooring truck arrived with the tile as Abigail slurped down the formula.
“Excuse me a minute.” Jake strode across the lot.
Happy and bright-eyed, Abigail let the nipple slip out of her mouth. He tucked the bottle in his front pants pocket. Abigail watched him as he directed Pete where to drop off the tile. While Pete’s men unloaded the pallets, the truck with the kitchen cabinets arrived.
“Jake, do you want me to hold her?” Violet called as she picked her way across the muddy expanse of the future front lawn.
“Hang on just a minute.”
Needing to direct the second delivery, and hoping to prove to the doc that he could take care of his baby cousin, Jake safely tucked Abigail in the carrier against his chest, talking sweetly to her in a voice that no longer felt strange. A couple of his men snickered.
Ignoring them, he pointed the second group of deliverymen toward the garage. Once they finished unloading, they started backing out, nearing Pete’s truck.
“Whoa!” Jake rushed over, waving his arms to stop the collision.
Startled by his voice and sudden movement, Abigail shrieked, her arms and legs flailing. He quickly soothed her, patting and cooing.
Jake finally sent the cabinet truck on its way, then turned and found Violet standing at the front of the house watching him. Frowning.
She glared at the mess of scraps and tools around them. “This isn’t an appropriate place for a two-week-old baby. You’re going to have to make other arrangements or—” She huffed.
Or what? he wanted to say but didn’t dare challenge her in the situation. He’d already come to the same conclusion himself.
“This isn’t a normal day,” he said instead. “I’m still juggling, trying to figure out my new schedule with Abigail. I just dropped by to check on the tile delivery.” Mainly, he needed to get through his first full day with a baby.
Today, on four and a half hours of sleep, he’d bought baby equipment and supplies, changed several diapers, fed her two bottles and coaxed three burps. He’d even managed to keep Abigail alive. That victory must count for something.
He probably deserved a medal.
Violet stood looking at him as if he was a nail in one of her four-hundred-dollar tires.
He walked away before he said something rude.
Close on his heels, she followed, her spotless white flip-flops getting mired in mud. He stopped and turned.
Looking at her feet, she didn’t notice his sudden change in direction and barreled into him. Slowly, she looked up, frustration flashing in her pretty eyes. “This place is too hazardous for a baby.”
“You’re more at risk in your open-toed shoes than a baby is tucked against