Chapter 6 #2
She smiled on her way to the kitchen counter, and I was pretty sure I saw the smile turn to a grimace at the racket.
“I got the very last four-pack of baby bottles on the shelves at the Country Market,” Ava said as Quincy and I gathered around her and the grocery bags. “Formula, diapers, burp cloths, pacifiers, ointment…”
“You’re a lifesaver,” I said to Ava as Quincy started unpacking the bottles and washing them. “Both of you.”
“Hey, I’m just doing what I’m told,” Ava said. “I’m as clueless as you.”
Quincy moved at high speed, washing and drying a bottle, mixing up formula, heating it, explaining to me all the steps and how to test the temperature.
“You’ll probably want to find a comfortable place to sit while you feed her,” Quincy said. “It might take a while.”
If those weren’t daunting words…
Shaking it off, I went to the living room, still holding Juniper, with Quincy following me, bottle and cloth in hand. The sectional had two open boxes on it.
“I’ll get those,” Ava said since my hands were full of a still-squalling baby.
She pulled the boxes to the floor, and I sat down stiffly.
“I’m running to a big-box store in Nashville now.
I’ve got the things you mentioned on a list, Quincy, and I’ll call Chloe on the way and see if she has anything to add. ”
My pregnant sister-in-law would likely be on top of that.
“Thank you, Ava. You want to take my card?” I asked.
“You can pay me back. I need to go so I can get back in good time.”
She grabbed her wrist wallet and keys from the kitchen, then hurried out the door.
Quincy helped me situate Juniper so she was propped up on my arm.
“Depending on how long you’re going to have her in your care, you might consider getting a pillow for feeding time.”
I ignored all of that because I had no idea of anything beyond this minute. If we could get the crying stopped, my chances of thinking straight would be better.
Quincy leaned over me, bottle in hand, and showed me the basics of bottle-feeding a baby. Juniper took the nipple in her mouth right away and went after the formula as if she hadn’t eaten for a week.
Frowning, I asked, “How often do babies eat?”
With her eyes locked on Juniper, Quincy sat next to me and adjusted the burp cloth on the baby’s chest. “It varies. She’ll let you know.”
“Oof,” I said, not liking that answer at all.
“How long will she be here, if you don’t mind me asking?” Quincy asked.
“I wish I knew,” I muttered, my gaze glued to the baby as she drank avidly, her eyes wide and focused on me.
When I glanced back at Quincy, her expression was one of confusion, and I realized she probably had even more questions than I did.
“The baby’s mother is my ex-girlfriend,” I said. “She left a note that says this is my child, and she’s done playing mama.”
Quincy gasped, and her mouth gaped as she stared at me with stunned eyes. Several seconds ticked by before she said, “That’s a lot.”
“Yeah. I’m still processing.”
Her gaze veered back to the baby, then to me again, as if she was looking for some resemblance. “Do you think it could be true?”
I exhaled and noted the shakiness of it. “Mathematically, it could be.”
“And that’s why you haven’t called authorities.”
“Seth said he’d have Holden talk to the sheriff, let him know what’s going on. Even if she’s not mine, I don’t like the idea of her going into the system. I don’t know much about it, but it can’t be good for a baby. I figure I’ll see about a paternity test tomorrow.”
“Was it your ex who dropped her off?”
“I don’t know. I saw a car take off, but I didn’t think much of it. All I can tell you is that it was a gray sedan. That’s not what she was driving when we broke up last October, but apparently a lot of things have changed since then.” I looked back at Juniper, whose lids were getting heavy.
“I can’t imagine,” Quincy said. “I’m sorry to talk bad about a woman I’ve never met, but that’s so selfish it makes me feel sick.”
“Gina has…problems. Her mental health isn’t stable,” I said. “I’m not defending what she did, just saying she makes bad decisions. A lot. There’s a part of me that thinks this baby could be better off without Gina, at least until Gina makes some changes.”
Quincy frowned and nodded. “A baby is better off with her mother…except when she’s not.”
“Exactly. I’m just not sure I’m the best answer for this one.”
We both turned our attention to Juniper, who seemed to have stopped sucking on the bottle, and her eyes were completely closed.
“Is she asleep?” I whispered, afraid to rock the boat.
Quincy leaned across my lap and gently grasped the bottle. She eased it out of Juniper’s mouth, but the baby didn’t stir. Quincy nodded. “She got her belly full. She’ll probably sleep for quite a while.”
“Doesn’t she need pajamas?”
With a musical laugh, Quincy said, “Do you have something she could borrow?”
I tried to smile, but I wasn’t sure I succeeded. “You put pj’s on Ava’s list, right?”
“Yes, and I promise, if she’s anything like me, she’ll come back with a handful of adorable baby outfits.”
“What do we do in the meantime?”
“She’s okay in her towel for now. We’ll sneak a diaper on.” Quincy leaned over me and eased her hands under Juniper.
I caught another hint of Quincy’s sweet scent.
As she stood, settling the baby against her chest, I was struck by how pretty she was, with blond hair pulled back, blue-green eyes, and smooth, young, suntanned skin.
Emphasis on the young. She had to be no more than mid to late twenties.
I was practically old enough to be her father.
I had no room to think about how attractive anyone was, not with this baby in my care anyway.
Besides, Gina had soured me on relationships.
What seemed like a hint of attraction was just gratitude—Quincy had saved my ass today, and fuck did I appreciate her for doing that. She had absolutely no reason to help me other than an obviously good heart.
“Why don’t we put a couple of blankets down on the floor in the bedroom,” she said. “I don’t know if she’s rolling over yet, but we can’t leave her on the bed, just in case. She’ll be safe on the floor. Grab a diaper and the ointment. We need to get one on before dinner goes through her.”
I went to the kitchen, ripped open the diaper packaging, and pulled one out.
Then I followed Quincy to the spare bedroom, which had a bed, a dresser, a nightstand, and not much else.
It wasn’t a big room and didn’t have a lot of space, but you could easily fit a baby on the floor at the foot of the bed.
My gut had sunk with what she’d said, because without her guidance, I probably would’ve laid the baby on the bed, thinking it was a good, soft place for her to sleep, and what would that have done? Endangered Juniper, apparently. Fuck me.
Quincy settled the baby on the floor on a blanket I’d folded into quarters. The room was dim, with only the light coming in from the hallway. She took the diaper from me and kneeled in front of Juniper. “I’ll show you how,” she whispered.
I nodded, bending next to her so I could watch as she unswaddled the baby, spread ointment all over her bum, between her legs, anywhere the poop-splosion had reached.
Then she lifted the baby’s legs enough to slide the diaper under her rear and put it on.
When she was done, she glanced around the room.
“We should have Ava grab outlet covers too,” she whispered.
“I doubt she’s crawling yet, but it could be close. ”
“Got it.” We both stood and left the room. Quincy pulled the door shut most of the way, and I took my phone out and texted Ava again, then stuffed it back in my pocket, distracted. Distressed.
Back in the living room, Quincy said, “Do you want me to stay until—”
“Yes,” I said in a rush, panic rolling through me like a tidal wave. “Please.”
“Okay,” she said easily, and gratitude seeped in around the edges of my panic, helping it recede.
What the fuck was I going to do when she left? Ava wouldn’t be in Nashville more than a couple of hours. Once she dropped off supplies, though, she’d need to get home to Cash. I’d be left alone with this helpless baby.
I’d held her bottle for her, but I wasn’t even sure I could remember the steps to mixing a new one that Quincy had so patiently gone over.
And that was just feeding. Diapers? I’d watched just now but never done it.
And if there was another blowout, God forbid, what then?
Ointment, I assumed, but how often? How much?
And what else? What the holy hell else did I need to know?
There had to be scores and scores, but I was so clueless I didn’t even know what I didn’t know.
“Quincy,” I said once we were in the kitchen and she’d started taking everything out of bags and packaging.
“I know you don’t know me from Adam, but is there any way you’d consider staying here tonight?
I’ll pay you well, provide your dinner and breakfast, and we can find a different place for the baby so you can have the guest bed.
It’s brand-new and…” I shook my head. “If it sounds like I’m desperate, it’s because I am. Please. I need help.”
She set the extra bottles on the counter and met my gaze. “I’d be happy to, Knox. Whatever I can do to help.” She smiled as if it was no big deal, even though to me, it was a big, giant deal.
I exhaled. “Thank you.”
I was so damn relieved I could kiss her.
And I meant that only in a manner of speaking, of course. Nothing else.