She went to one of the grouping of sofas and Jarrett placed the baby down on one of the now slip-covered sofas. Mia pulled back the blanket and everyone gasped.
“Oh, he’s perfect,” Nola cooed and glanced at Mia. “And so handsome, like your brother. What’s his name?”
Mia swallowed. “Bradley Preston Saunders, Junior. That’s the name Brad and Karen chose. I’m going to call him BJ.”
Nola smiled. “It’s perfect.”
She felt Jarrett’s presence behind her. It seemed so natural for him to be there. Too natural.
“I think these two need some rest,” Jarrett told everyone.
Normally, Mia wouldn’t like him making decisions for her, but she was tired. “Maybe you can come up later.”
“Of course, but you need to rest now,” Nola added. “If you need someone to watch this little guy, I’m available.”
Jarrett picked up the carrier and placed a hand on her elbow as they made their way to the elevator. She was glad she didn’t have to climb the stairs. They stepped into the small paneled compartment. He punched the second floor button and the doors closed.
“This is nice,” she said.
He frowned. “What, the elevator?”
She nodded. “You have to remember it’s been a while since we’ve been able to ride upstairs.”
The doors opened and Jarrett motioned for her to step out first. “Well, only one’s working,” he said. “The other has multiple problems. I’m going to have to mortgage my home just to fix it.”
“You’re kidding?”
He suddenly grinned and her heart tripped.
“Almost. These old parts aren’t easy to find. But all I need to do is make sure it runs for the next few months.”
They reached her apartment and she unlocked the door. Once inside, she tried to take the baby, but Jarrett had already walked into the other room. Her bedroom.
She went after him, knowing it would be best to end this…dependency. She had to do this on her own. No distractions. And Jarrett McKane was definitely a distraction.
“I can handle it from here.” Besides she wanted time with her son. Alone.
He set the carrier on the bed and stepped away. “I just didn’t want you to lift anything yet.” He shrugged. “You just got out of the hospital.”
“The baby isn’t heavy. Besides, I need to get used to carrying him.” She worked to unfasten the straps and he began to stir, then made a little whimpering sound. She lifted him into her arms, feeling the tiny body root against her shoulder. If Jarrett would just leave.
Even though they had shared the birth, she had to draw a line at having an audience while breast-feeding.
“Not a problem.”
“I’m sure you have plenty to do. And I need to feed him.”
He looked embarrassed as he quickly glanced at his watch. “Sure, I have a meeting anyway.” He started out and stopped. “If you need anything…”
“I know, you’re across the hall,” she echoed, knowing how easy it would be to depend on him. To care more and more for this man. But she had to stand on her own and raise her son. “Jarrett, I could never begin to thank you for everything you’ve done.”
“Hey, what good are landlords if they can’t step in as labor coaches?” He glanced at the baby. “Be good to your mom, hot rod.” He turned and walked out.
Mia heard the door shut and it sounded so final. But it had to be. She couldn’t get involved with Jarrett McKane.
She laid BJ down on the changing table. Startled, the baby blinked open his eyes and looked at her. Something stirred in her chest as his rich blue gaze stared back at her.
“Hey, little guy,” she whispered, almost afraid he would start crying. Instead, he stilled at the sound of her voice. Her throat tightened. “Welcome home, son.” She swallowed, knowing there could be only one man in her life.
“Looks like it’s just you and me now.”
A FEW nights later, Jarrett got off the elevator on the second floor after a friendly poker game with Joe and friends in the community room.
Friendly, hah. They were card sharks. All of ‘em. They had set him up, and by the time Jarrett had figured it out, it had cost him nearly a hundred bucks. Nothing to do but cut his losses and go home.
Fighting a smile at how the old guys had tricked him, he unlocked his apartment door. Before he got inside he paused, hearing a sound coming from across the hall. A baby crying. BJ. He checked his watch. It was after midnight. He waited a few minutes, but the crying didn’t stop. Concerned, he went to Mia’s door, and the sound got louder and angrier.
“Mia.” He knocked, and after a few seconds the door opened.
A tired and anxious-looking Mia stood on the other side. Dressed for bed, she had on a robe, but by the looks of her, she hadn’t gotten much sleep.
“Is everything okay?”
She didn’t answer, instead she handed him the baby wrapped in a blanket. “Here, you make him stop. I’ve tried everything.”
He quickly grabbed the bundle, then she turned and walked across the living room.
Jarrett looked down at the red-faced infant with his tiny fists clenched, waving in the air. “Whoa, there, little guy.” He closed the door and followed after the mother. “It can’t be that bad.”
The answer was another loud wail. Not good.
He looked at Mia. “Did you feed him?”
She sent him a threatening look. “Of course I fed him. And I diapered him, bathed him, burped him, but he won’t stop crying.” Tears filled her eyes, her lower lip trembled. “I’m lousy at this.”
“Stop it. You’re just new at it.”
He readjusted the squirming baby in his arms. Hell, he didn’t know what he was doing either. He raised the baby to his shoulder and began rubbing his back. The baby stiffened, but Jarrett didn’t stop.
“Has he been eating good?”
Mia nodded, but looked concerned. “Maybe he’s not getting enough. I feed him every two hours.”
“Maybe he’s got an air bubble,” Jarrett said.
He went to the sofa and sat down, laying the screaming baby across his legs. He remembered seeing Kira doing this with Jenna. After a few minutes a burp came from the little guy and the loud crying turned to a few whimpers and then, finally, silence. He kept patting the baby’s back until he fell asleep.
He smiled at Mia who still looked close to tears. “Hey, BJ is fine now.”
She didn’t look convinced.
He lifted the baby into his arms and caught the clean sent of soap as the tiny bundle move against his shoulder, then finally settled down again. Protectiveness stirred in him as he carried the infant into the bedroom.
There was a night-light on over the crib, and he placed BJ down on his back. He made room as Mia adjusted the baby’s position and covered him with a blanket. The kid stirred but didn’t make another sound. The silence was golden.
They stepped away from the baby’s bed. “He’s so exhausted, he should sleep for a while,” Jarrett said encouragingly.
“Thanks to you,”