Chapter 8
CHAPTER EIGHT
T he cold hit Bunny’s face as soon as she stepped out of Teddy’s truck. The snow swirled in dense waves, blurring everything into a frosty white haze. The flakes clung to her coat, melting into tiny droplets as she hurried toward the open front door of Teddy’s house. The wind bit at her cheeks, making her feel as though she was wading into the heart of the storm rather than escaping it.
She crossed the threshold. Once inside, she shook off the snow and stomped her boots on the mat, but the chill stayed with her. Turning back, she saw the snow piling up so quickly it had already started to cover their tracks. The sight sent a sinking feeling into her stomach. What had she been thinking hopping into his passenger seat?
Teddy followed close behind, carrying the baby in the car seat. His easy stride contrasted sharply with Bunny’s rising panic. She glanced around the cozy, pristine bachelor pad. It had an inviting, open floor plan that was starkly unprepared for the chaos of a wailing infant.
Her sisters flashed into her mind. Kitty and her quick-to-love, quick-to-marriage escapades. Birdy, buried in legal briefs and her stubborn refusal to let anyone in. How would they manage without her? And what would the town think when they inevitably found out she’d spent the night with the mayor and a baby everyone seemed to think was theirs?
Though , Bunny thought with a growing skepticism, there’s no way this baby is his . The baby had none of Teddy’s warm brown skin, his dark eyes, or his unruly curls. He didn’t share even the slightest resemblance to him.
The baby’s sudden, shrill cry snapped Bunny out of her thoughts. It was a cry filled with all the urgency of a tiny human who hadn’t been changed or fed in too long.
“I think he’s had enough of the great outdoors,” Bunny said, forcing her voice to remain steady. “Where can I change him?”
Teddy scratched his head, glancing around his house as though realizing for the first time how ill-equipped it was for a baby. “Uh... the kitchen island?”
Bunny raised an eyebrow.
“It’s clean,” Teddy said defensively, grabbing a dish towel from a drawer and laying it across the island. “It’ll do, right?”
She sighed as she unbuckled the baby from the car seat. The infant’s cries softened slightly as Bunny lifted him. The warmth of the baby’s tiny body seeped through her coat.
The faint scent of cinnamon lingered in the air—likely from a candle Teddy had burned earlier—and the polished wood of the floors gleamed under the overhead lights. It was a cozy home, with mismatched furniture and the kind of lived-in comfort that hinted at Teddy’s charm. But nothing about it said “prepared for a baby.”
Bunny laid the baby on the makeshift changing station, pulling out the diaper bag. As she peeled back the diaper, she gagged at the smell. “Oh, sweetie, no wonder you’re upset.”
Teddy, who had been hovering nearby, took a step back, wrinkling his nose. “That is an unholy smell.”
“Welcome to parenthood,” Bunny said dryly, grabbing a wipe.
"Not my kid, remember?"
Bunny said nothing.
"Tell me you believe me."
Teddy's eyes burned into hers, making her lose her breath. She did believe him, and she told him so.
His features melted into something that reached for her heart. "Thank you."
She ignored her heart. It was likely thawing from exposure to the cold elements. “Can you grab the wipes?”
Teddy picked up the packet and fumbled with the tab. Ripping it open, he handed the package to her. “Wipes. Check.”
She pulled a few out and set them aside. “Now the powder.”
He handed it to her without a word, his brow furrowing as he watched her arrange the supplies. “What’s next?”
She held up the onesie. “This. Lay it out flat. We’ll need it once we’re done.”
Teddy followed her instruction, smoothing the fabric over the island with surprising care. The contrast between his usual breezy attitude and this sudden attentiveness struck Bunny. Like her misfiring heart, she pushed that thought aside, too.
“All right,” she said, lifting the baby and carefully unfastening the soiled diaper. She grimaced as the smell hit her full force. “Oh boy. This is... bad.”
Teddy stepped back, wrinkling his nose. “Is that normal?”
“It’s normal for a baby who hasn’t been changed in a while.” Bunny reached for the wipes and began cleaning the baby’s skin. “Okay, your turn.”
“My turn?” Teddy blinked at her, his voice tinged with alarm.
To her surprise, he didn’t argue. He didn’t make a joke or a self-deprecating comment. He stepped up to the makeshift changing station, mimicking her earlier movements with a seriousness that caught Bunny off guard.
She thought of the men in the mayor’s office with their constant interruptions and undermining comments. She thought of her sisters, who challenged her at every turn, refusing to take her advice even when they needed it most.
But Teddy? Teddy listened. He didn’t argue, didn’t try to out think her or prove her wrong.
“Like this?” he asked, glancing at her for confirmation as he wiped the baby’s legs. And then paused.
"What is it? What's wrong?"
"Unless I failed anatomy class, this isn't a baby boy."
Bunny looked down to confirm that fact. “Congratulations, Mr. Mayor. It’s a girl.”
Her voice softened as she looked down at the baby, who was now blinking up at her with wide, curious eyes. Now that the baby girl was clean, she was all smiles and cooing.
The faintest pang of protectiveness welled up in Bunny’s chest, catching her off guard. She didn’t know where this baby had come from or why someone would leave her with Teddy. But one thing was clear: this little girl needed someone to fight for her.
And if there was one thing Bunny was good at, it was fighting for those under her protection.