“I know. It’s hard for Caroline to cart him around in the carrier.” Eli tousled his son’s hair. “So how was your day?”
Tuck told him about the little boy.
“Ah, man. That’s bad.”
“I’ll check on him again tomorrow. I hope they find him a good home.”
“They will.” Eli shook his head at the whole ugly mess. “I need a beer.” He turned back into the house. “Want one?”
“I got one,” Tuck replied, pointing to his beer on the table.
Jesse was fascinated with Tuck’s shirt pocket, sticking his fingers in and out, chewing on his fingers and then doing it again.
“You’re one lucky little boy,” Tuck told him. “You have parents who will never let you down.”
Jesse bumped up and down on Tuck’s knees and made cooing sounds. Unable to resist the baby, Sam reared up on Tuck’s thigh, wagging his tail. Jesse wriggled trying to get to the dog. Smiling, Tuck let him touch Sam and Jesse’s excitement grew.
Eli came back, a Bud Light in his hand. “Do they even know who the little boy is?”
“They’re investigating now.”
Jesse gurgled again, drawing their attention.
Eli sat on the edge of the other rocker, watching his son. “I’m thinking about calling him Jess. I know Jesse was on Pa’s birth certificate and Caroline liked it at the time, but now that he’s older I like Jess. It’s what everyone called Pa, anyway.”
Tuck rolled his eyes. “Could you be more transparent?” Eli and Caroline had decided to name their son after Eli and Tuck’s foster father.
“What?”
“Jesse sound too feminine for you?”
Eli took a swallow of beer. “Maybe.”
Tuck bounced the boy on his knee. “What does Caroline think of the idea?”
“She rolled her eyes just like you did.”
Tuck laughed, and it felt good to talk nonsense with his brother. “Pa said as he grew older everyone started calling him Jess. It will probably be the same with Jesse.”
“Yeah. And Caroline won’t think I’m a macho pig.”
“Caroline doesn’t ever think that about you.”
“Hmm. She understands me better than anyone.”
Tuck raised an eyebrow. “And believe me that’s not easy.”
“Come on, I’m a big old teddy bear these days.”
Tuck just grinned. Caroline had changed his brother for the better. He was softer, more approachable. He and Caroline were good for each other. Tuck envied that. He wasn’t jealous because he was happy for them. They’d found something rare—true love.
He wasn’t so jaded by past experiences that he didn’t believe in love anymore. He did. But for him life was different. His goals were different from most men’s. He knew a lot of his attitudes had to do with the circumstances of his birth, but so far he hadn’t found a woman to change his way of thinking.
At his age, he didn’t think that was ever going to happen. That was fine, too. He was content with the choices he’d made.
“Is Caroline working tonight?” Caroline was a professional photographer and often worked late.
“No. She had a magazine shoot this morning that ran into the late afternoon. Mr. Fussy Pants here is teething and wouldn’t sleep when he was supposed to. Caroline is soaking in a hot tub and I’m giving her some quiet time.”
Jesse tried to jam both fists into his mouth, chewing away as slobber ran down his chin.
“He’s trying to eat his hands,” Tuck remarked.
Eli dug in the diaper bag and handed Tuck a cloth. He waved a teething ring in front of Jesse. “Chomp on this for a while, son.” Jesse clamped onto the ring.
Tuck wiped Jesse’s chin. “Does he keep y’all up at night?”
“Sometimes.”
“Why don’t you go home and unwind with Caroline,” Tuck suggested. “I’ll watch Jesse.”
Eli jumped to his feet. “You got a deal.” He kissed the top of Jesse’s head. “Daddy will be back later.” Eli paused in the doorway. “This is where he’s supposed to cry because I’m leaving him.”
“He’s not going to cry.” Tuck bounced Jesse up and down. “He’s happy with Uncle Tuck.”
“Yeah. I’ll pick him up later.”
“Take your time. I don’t have plans.”
After Eli left, Tuck grabbed the diaper bag and went inside. Sam followed. Dee decided she’d rather stay outdoors. He gathered toys out of the bag and eased down on the area rug. Jesse crawled all over him instead of playing with the toys, the teething ring firmly gripped in one hand.
Jesse poked his fingers in Tuck’s eyes, ears, nose and mouth. Tuck wiped away slobber and just enjoyed the wonder of this curious child. He thought about kids and how some were born into privilege and others into horrible circumstances. Trying to understand why would be impossible. And he probably wasn’t supposed to. That’s why there were people like Jess and Amalie Tucker—to even the odds.
At that moment he felt incredibly lucky.
Maybe that’s why he felt so strongly about his plans to one day refurbish the farmhouse and take in foster children. Every child needed a chance like the one he’d been given.
A knock at his back door interrupted his reverie. He swung Jesse into his arms and got to his feet.
“We got company, Jesse.” He wiped away more slobber. “Wonder who it is?”
He stopped at the door. Grace Whitten, Caroline’s sister, stood on the other side of the screen. He pushed it open, his heart knocking against his ribs the way it always did when Grace was near. He never quite understood that because the woman could annoy the hell out of him with very little effort.
“I’m sorry to bother you, Jeremiah.”
He tensed and felt that seething annoyance creep up his spine. No one called him Jeremiah but Grace.
“But I was over at Caroline and Eli’s and no one answered the door. I…” Her words halted as she held out her hands to Jesse. “Come to Auntie Grace. I should have known they were here. Both their vehicles are at their house.”
Jesse practically leaped into her arms.
Traitor.
“Hi, precious,” Grace cooed as she walked in without an invitation.
“Don’t call him precious,” Tuck said, closing the door.
Grace turned to face him. “Why not?”
The objection had come out of nowhere and he couldn’t explain it. Maybe it had something to do with the talk he and Eli had had earlier about the macho stuff. He could blame Eli, but obviously he had issues about boys being boys and girls being girls. Or whatever. Grace had a way of making him nuts. He’d blame her. That was easier.
He waved his hand. “Never mind.”
Grace glanced around his kitchen and den for Caroline and Eli. He watched the patrician features of her face. She had to be the most reserved, uptight woman he’d ever met. Her exterior was cool, composed. Always. He’d never seen her any other way and he’d known her for four years.
Grace was a dedicated career woman. Dressed