Chapter 9
Quincy
While dropping glasses and plates was something I did on the regular, fortunately I hadn’t spilled on anyone for quite a while. Until today, of course.
Around three p.m., I was down to one last table of late lunchers when Seth led Knox and Juniper into my section. At the sight of the man whose house I’d slept in, my pulse sped up and a burst of energy pumped through me.
Which was completely dumb.
I barely knew the man, and even if I had, there was no reason to react to the sight of him. Yes, he was good-looking, but I was, in fact, not looking. Not for a relationship or a date or even a passing attraction.
Mitchell’s breakup at the end of spring had shocked me, hurt me, and woken me up.
It’d knocked me on my butt emotionally for a bit, but in hindsight, it was the best thing that could’ve happened.
The more distance I got from it, from him, the more clearly I could see our relationship had run its course, probably a year or two ago.
At the time, I hadn’t noticed our feelings had waned, and instead I’d kept looking forward, moving toward a future with him, banking on a ring and, eventually, a family.
Without realizing it, I’d put the other areas of my life on the back burner and been content to wait tables at Henry’s while I waited for my future to come to me.
I’d needed months of thinking and late-night talking with my roomies to figure out a path that spoke to me, but I finally had one, and I wasn’t about to abandon it for a guy.
Even if my attention was one–hundred percent drawn to his strong, long-legged body dressed in jeans, a burgundy tee, and a flannel shirt, I wasn’t interested. I refused to be.
“Hey,” I said warmly, like I did to all my customers.
“Hi, Quincy.” His voice was a low, whiskey-smooth timbre, quieter than usual.
When I glanced at the bundle of cuteness in the car seat, I understood why.
“Nap time for our princess, huh?” As soon as I said it, the unintentional intimacy from calling her our princess hit me, and I quickly jumped to a more comfortable topic. “What can I get you to drink?”
Without seeming to notice my screwup, he ordered a coffee and a bowl of lager pork chili. I poured his coffee, then went to the kitchen for his chili, which was ready fast since it just had to be served up along with some bread that Kinsey had recently taken out of the oven.
I’m not sure what happened exactly, but somehow when I went to set down his meal, I knocked over his coffee, and it spilled straight into his lap.
I gasped as he pushed his chair back to try to avoid getting hit.
He wasn’t quick enough, so I nearly tossed the plate and chili bowl down as I grabbed for a spare napkin at the next table.
Except the chili splashed upward and nailed me in the cheek.
I tossed the extra napkin at Knox’s lap, somehow keeping my wits about me enough to not go for his crotch myself.
“I’m so sorry,” I said. My face was burning up and not from the hot chili that’d hit it. I scrambled to the next table for more napkins. “Did it burn you?”
“It wasn’t hot enough to burn.” He held the cloth to his thigh to soak up the liquid. “Only a small amount hit me.” He nodded toward the floor, where there was a puddle forming.
The dark liquid continued to drip from the table to the floor, and I tried to reassure myself that most of it was, indeed, on the table instead of Knox.
“I’m really sorry,” I said again as I took one soaked napkin from him and held out a dry one. “I’ll pay for cleaning or new jeans or whatever you want.”
He reached for the napkin and trapped my hand between it and his other hand. “It’s okay, Quincy.” With a squeeze on the back of my hand, he looked up and met my gaze as if to show me he meant it.
I wasn’t convinced. Not even close.
“Sure, sure,” I said, not at all calmly. “It’s fine to have a clumsy server dump hot coffee all over you and burn you and stain your pants and maybe wake up your baby.”
His hands, with the napkin, were still around mine as he glanced toward the car seat, which he’d set on the floor on the other side of him—thank God because if she’d been on this side, I would’ve scalded sweet Juniper with coffee!
“On she sleeps. Everything’s okay. I’m fine,” he reassured.
He squeezed my hand one more time before releasing me, and I couldn’t help noticing how much bigger his hands were than mine.
I blew out my breath and attempted a smile. “Yeah. Okay,” I said, biting down on the urge to apologize again.
Dropping things always flustered me. Spilling on someone did more than fluster. I’d had a lot of practice at recovering though, and I forced myself to take three seconds now, close my eyes, and breathe in deeply. Just enough to get my brain back on the job again.
When I opened my eyes, the chili splatters on the tablecloth caught my attention, and I remembered I must still have a splotch on my face, so I grabbed one of the unused napkins and swiped at my cheek. Sure enough, it came back with a red-orange smear.
Super.
“I’m going to get you a fresh bowl of chili. I’ll be right back.” I picked up the original one and headed to the kitchen, relieved Zinnia was in charge today. Cash wouldn’t usually say anything, but I’d know from his expression he didn’t like yet another Quincy mishap.
I managed to deliver bowl number two and some extra bread to Knox without incident, cleaned the floor, and then I did my best to fade into the background and let him eat in peace.
We were low on rolled silverware, so I worked on those at the bar, making small talk with Dakota as she restocked for dinner service.
My mind was split between her chatter and Knox and Juniper, who were out of my sight in the next room.
There was no reason for me to feel drawn to them other than I was drawn to every cute baby.
It didn’t matter that I’d stayed with them last night.
It was just a job. But I couldn’t deny that I had to fight the urge to hover and triple-check whether the baby was awake yet and reassure myself again that Knox wasn’t, in fact, hiding third-degree burns on his lap.
When I had the basket of silverware wrapped and delivered to the host stand, I allowed myself to check on Knox. He was just pushing his bowl back and sticking the last of the bread in his mouth.
“How was everything?” I asked as I sidled up next to him and craned my neck to check on Juniper. She was still asleep, looking like an angel.
“Good as always,” he said, “even with wet pants.”
My eyes popped wide open as my mortification flooded right back in. “I’m sor—”
“No more apologizing,” he said, laughing. “I’m teasing you. Here’s an insider tip for you—that’s a good sign I’m absolutely fine.” His laugh faded. “Really, Quincy.”
I liked the gentleness in his tone when he said my name.
And that was not a good idea, so I inwardly shook my head at myself and took his dishes away. “Heard,” I said with more confidence than I felt. I was about to ask him if he wanted dessert when Seth came around the corner.
“How was lunch?” he asked.
Knox nodded. “Damn good, thanks.”
“Did you two talk yet?” Seth asked, and I tilted my head, curious.
“Haven’t had a chance,” Knox answered.
“I’ll take those.” Seth reached out for the dirty dishes. “You can take a break, Quincy. I’ll cash him out.”
“I haven’t offered dessert yet—”
“I’m good,” Knox assured me.
“Need anything else?” Seth acted as if I wasn’t standing right there, ready and willing to finish up with my table. I was pretty sure he didn’t know I’d tipped over Knox’s coffee, so I was super confused. “More coffee?”
“I’ve had enough coffee,” Knox said with a subtle smile at me. “I can’t think of anything else I’d need.”
“Okay, then. You two talk.” Seth pulled out the chair in front of me, then headed toward the kitchen.
A knot formed in my gut as I tried to figure out what Knox could possibly need to talk to me about that Seth was aware of. Then it hit me that Knox had taken Juniper to the doctor today.
“Is Juniper okay?” I asked as I sat on the edge of the chair.
“Dr. Julian said she looks great. He agrees that five months old is about right. We’ll hear back on the paternity test sometime next week.”
I exhaled in relief and sat back farther into the chair. It took about three seconds for my curiosity to roll back in. Just as I straightened expectantly, Juniper let out a quiet snort-cry.
Knox surprised me. Instead of stiffening at the first sign of baby wakefulness, as he had last night and this morning, he glanced down at the car seat, then swiveled toward Juniper and bent over to get her out.
Maybe time alone with her had infused some confidence in him.
“Come here, little one,” he said in a tender voice. “I figured my time was about up before you woke up hungry again.” He straightened and cradled her in one arm as he reached to the diaper bag and unzipped it.
I’m not going to lie; I fought hard to not pop up and help him, but it wasn’t my place anymore. I wasn’t the hired help. Besides, I wanted to see how much progress he’d made.
He pulled out a bottle with formula premeasured, as I’d shown him, opened it with one hand, set it on the table, then dug around for a bottled water.
I literally bit down on my tongue to keep from offering to help.
Juniper’s lower lip quivered, and then she let out a louder cry as her eyes popped open.
“Just a few more seconds, Juniper,” he said as he unscrewed the water lid, then poured it into the bottle. Once he had the lid on, he shook it vigorously.
“You’ve been practicing,” I said and realized a grin was spreading across my face.
“Crash course and an excellent teacher. Thanks again, by the way.”
“Anytime.”
He set the bottle on the table, lifted Juniper, and brushed a kiss to her forehead. She paused in her crying and studied him for a moment.
It lasted maybe two full seconds before Knox moved her to the crook of his opposite arm and teased her lower lip with the nipple of the bottle. Juniper took it eagerly and gazed up at him with adoring eyes.
Pretty sure my ovaries stood up, did a pirouette, and spit out some eggs at the sight of him handling his baby with care and competency.
“Do you mean that?” he asked, his gaze still locked on the infant.
I had to yank myself out of my stupor to try to understand what he was talking about. “Mean what?”
“That you’ll help me with her anytime.”
“Oh. Of course. Whenever I can.”
Knox didn’t say anything else for a while. He was focused on the baby in his arms, his expression nothing like yesterday’s fear and more one of determination…and possibly affection. I couldn’t stop watching the two of them. There was nothing quite like a hot guy taking care of an adorable baby.
Reel it in, I told myself. I sensed there was more coming, so I waited, but I forced myself to glance around the restaurant, noting that the customers in Sarai’s section had left. It was nearly time for us to close until dinner.
When I turned back toward Knox, I caught him nodding once as he watched Juniper drink, as if he was having a silent conversation in his head.
“I’m keeping her with me at least until I get the test results,” he said, switching his attention from the baby to me.
“That’s great,” I told him. “It’s definitely the best thing for her.”
“I’m hoping I can convince you to help me.”
The way my blood started rushing through my veins at that was all the reason I needed to say no. Because there was maybe a slight attraction on my part, and I was just starting to get my feet under me to dedicate myself to this new path I’d chosen.
I made a point of not reacting, of waiting for him to say more, because he didn’t actually ask me a question.
“I might be more confident than I was yesterday, but I can’t do this on my own, Quincy.”
“You’ll learn,” I said. “Look how far you’ve come in just a few hours.”
“And that’ll continue,” he said with determination. “But I’m not foolish enough to believe I can handle this princess on my own for several days.”
“You know I work here full-time, right?” I asked, torn about that fact at this very moment. Part of me wanted nothing more than to go home with Knox and help him care for Juniper. Part of me recognized that wouldn’t be the smartest move I could make right now.
“I took the liberty of talking to Seth. He said if you’re interested in helping me out, he’d let you help me while I need it. Then you can have this job back whenever you’re done.”
I couldn’t ignore how much I wanted to do that. “And when would I be done? What happens when you get the results?”
Knox gazed down at Juniper, who was still avidly going after her bottle. Slowly, his lips curved upward, then he sobered again. “If she’s mine”—his lids lowered for moment, and his broad chest rose as he inhaled—“I’m going to keep her.”
My chest inexplicably contracted at his declaration. I mean, of course I was thrilled he’d made that decision. This baby needed a responsible parent, and even though Knox was new and mostly clueless, there wasn’t a doubt in my mind he could be everything Juniper needed him to be.
“And if it turns out she isn’t yours?” I asked, wanting to distract myself from my weird surge of emotion.
“I’m not sure yet, but”—his Adam’s apple rose with a big swallow—“if she needs a family, I’m not sure I could let her go into the system.”
That right there was proof he’d be a good father. Not that I needed it.
“So you’d want me to help for how long? What do you have in mind?”
“Let’s start out saying it’s a temporary nanny position with the potential for longer. If she isn’t my daughter, it’s a complicated decision. That’s as specific as I can be right now.”
I was so in. Or I wanted to be so in, but Jewel’s voice rang out in my head. You want to be part of a family so badly. A good, loving family. This is, like, a hot guy and a baby. Ready-made family.
She was right about all of it. I knew I was predisposed to fall for the baby at least, and maybe the hot dad as well, and that would not be in my best interest. If I cared about them, it would hurt like hell when I had to go off to school in January.
I didn’t want to do anything that could possibly derail me or get me off to a wobbly start.
Still, the words that came out of my mouth were, “I’ll help you, Knox. I’ll be your temporary nanny. If it goes beyond next week, I can give you until January, when I go back to school.”