Chapter 2
CHAPTER 2
B ree placed Lilly into her car seat and then grabbed her purse from the breakfast bar. “I’ve got her, you just open the car, and I’ll get her strapped in and we can go.” Adam is so clueless. He really does need me.
“Gotcha.” Adam hurried through the front door to the Mercedes in the driveway.
Bree followed at a slower pace because she had Lilly. “Nice car. I didn’t know you had a Mercedes. Except for the Lincoln Navigator, I thought all your vehicles were of the fast variety.”
Adam held the passenger side back door open.
She placed the car seat down and wove the seat belt through the bottom of the equipment, pulling hard to make sure it was secure. Then she stepped back and Adam closed the door.
“I don’t. You’re right I tend to like fast and sleek. The Mercedes is a great car and now that I have Lilly, I might buy one. This one belongs to Emily. I drove the Jag today.”
She held up her hand and chuckled. “You don’t have to say more. I think you’ll find that with Lilly along you’ll be getting a lot more use from your Navigator.”
He ran a hand behind his neck. “Yeah. It will take some adjusting to accommodate the little sweetheart.”
Bree slid into the passenger’s side seat.
Adam pulled her seatbelt out and handed it to her.
She looked up at him and smiled. “Thanks.”
He grinned. “Anytime.” Adam walked around the front of the car, slipped behind the wheel, and buckled up before starting the engine. “So where is this store?”
It took them about twenty minutes to get to their destination. The boutique was located in downtown Denver on the 16 th Street Mall. It was on the corner of 16 th Street and Curtis. The two store fronts showed baby clothes and a gorgeous wicker bassinet.
After they entered the store, Bree checked to see if her friend was working. She was not, so Bree helped him pick out all the furniture and the diapers. When she took him to the clothes area, she picked up the onesies, t-shirts, bibs and little shorts, including swim panties. She picked up a couple of different sizes because she knew from her experience with her siblings how fast babies grow. She also got some footie pajamas that were just a little heavier material than the onesies and would keep Lilly warm without being too hot.
Adam was transfixed by the little pink dresses with ruffles. Then he saw tiny panties with ruffles and had to have those, too.
Bree giggled as he put several of every size and color dress and panties into the cart.
They included a mobile of zebras for over her crib and several soft toys she could hold on to and chew on if she wanted.
Bree picked out the portable playpen, sheets, and a couple of blankets for both the playpen and the crib. She even found a ballerina music box that played Brahms Lullaby.
All these things for a little human were pocket change for Adam, but delivery was free, and most importantly, it included set-up. This alone was worth more than the furniture and clothes for Lilly. Adam was not mechanically inclined, after all.
They walked out, with Bree holding Lilly.
Adam loaded the bags of clothes, toys, and the playpen into the trunk.
“Do you want to come to the house and help me get her settled? She’ll have to stay in my room until the nursery is ready.”
Lilly began to fuss.
“Yeah, we better get to your house so she can eat. It’s been a long time since I met her, and you’ve had her even longer. She’s been a wonderful baby, so easy going, but she’s got to be hungry.” Bree placed the baby in the car seat and strapped her in. Then she settled into the passenger seat and buckled up.
Adam slid behind the wheel and put on his seatbelt before starting the car.
“What do I feed her? Do I need to get baby food first? I’ll have to let Carole know so she can pick some up and keep it on hand. She’s the best housekeeper in the world and she has kids and now a grandchild. She’ll know what I need.”
Bree shook her head. “Carole is the best housekeeper in the world. I even thought about trying to steal her from you, but for our immediate needs, I saw some bottles and formula in the diaper bag. When we get to your house, I’ll show you how to make it.”
While he drove, Adam glanced at Bree. She had a smile on her face and looked beautiful. Serene.
“How do you know so much about babies?”
“I was the oldest of six children. I started taking care of babies when I was eight and it’s not something you forget how to do. Besides I’ve always wanted children. That’s why I agreed to marry you. I want more than anything to be Lilly’s mother. She’s such a sweet baby.”
They arrived at Adam’s home. It wasn’t far from Bree’s house, though he had a house on several acres of land in the middle of Cherry Hills.
His house was a stately colonial style with a large, covered porch, including white columns supporting the roof.
He punched in the security code, and the gate swung open. The driveway wound around the house to the six-car garage in the back.
“If you’ll get Lilly, I’ll get the rest of this stuff.” She’d visited his home frequently and was familiar with the layout.
“Okay.” Bree released her seatbelt and exited the car. Then she lifted Lilly, in her car seat, out of the vehicle and headed to the door to the kitchen.
Adam carried all the bags in one trip, then the diapers and playpen on the second trip. He stacked all the bags on one end of the cherry wood kitchen table. His kitchen was quite spacious. He’d designed it so the kitchen and family room were basically one big room. That’s the way his parent’s home had been. He liked it, so designed this house just like theirs but on a grander scale. He carried the playpen through the kitchen, down the hall, past the formal dining room and his office, to the left one of the two staircases, and leaned it against the first stair.
When he returned, he heard Lilly crying. She was in her car seat on the opposite end of the table from the bags of baby clothes, sheets, and blankets were behind her.
Bree was getting a bottle ready.
He turned to Bree. “What do I do?”
“Come here and learn how to make a bottle. She’ll be fine for a moment.”
Adam walked over to Bree with his phone out.
She placed warm water in the bottle, then added the formula. Covering the tip of the nipple with an index finger, she shook it until all the formula was mixed with the water. “There you go. Now, pick her up and try to calm her. She’s just hungry. And now you can feed her.”
“Me! I don’t know how to?—”
“You’re about to learn. Go sit with her on the family room sofa and I’ll bring you the bottle.”
He needed to learn how to do everything for his daughter. He would approach this just like a business takeover. He’d do research, in this case, watching Bree as she interacted with the baby, and then he would do it on his own. He put his phone in his pocket, picked Lilly up from the car seat, and leaned her against his shoulder, patting her back as he walked over to the sofa.
The family room furniture, including the two sofas and two recliners, was covered in a cream-colored, soft fur like material. There was a large screen TV over the river rock fireplace.
He sat down with Lilly, keeping her on his shoulder and patting her back. He was doing his best to calm her and maybe himself, too.
Adam could hire a nanny to take care of her, but he didn’t want that for Lilly. It would be a lot easier if he did, but he wanted either him or Bree to be responsible for their daughter.
That thought made him smile. Their daughter. She was already in place in both of their hearts. He knew he would fight to the death to keep her safe and thought Bree felt the same way.
She approached with a bottle. “Okay, lay her back on your arm, so her head is nestled in the crook of your arm, so you can feed her. Like this.” Bree positioned her arms like she was holding the baby to feed her.
He did as she asked, looking down at Lilly.
Her face was screwed up, tears running down her cheeks as she cried pitifully.
Adam didn’t know what to do to help her.
Bree handed him the bottle. “This is what she wants.”
He accepted it.
Lilly immediately reached for it and was practically shoving it in her mouth before he could tilt it toward her. Then she settled in and drank, alternately holding the bottle and grabbing Adam’s shirt in her little fist.
Bree sat at the other end of the sofa and watched him with Lilly.
The more she drank, the more her eyes closed.
Adam looked over at Bree. “She’s going to sleep. Should I let her or keep her awake?”
“If she wants to sleep and stops drinking, then you can burp her and put her to bed. I’ll get the playpen ready.”
“Okay.” He looked up from where Lilly lay in his arms. “Thank you, Bree. I don’t know what I would do without you.”
“You’d be in a world of hurt, my friend.” Then she laughed, grabbed the sheets and blankets before heading out to retrieve the playpen.
Fifteen minutes later, she quietly entered the room.
Lilly was asleep.
“Did you burp her?” asked Bree.
Adam shook his head. “I don’t know how. I just now took the bottle out of her mouth. She had quit drinking…for the most part. She would stop and every time I tried to remove the bottle, she’d start sucking again.”
“For the most part, that’s a reflex action. She’s not really still hungry but isn’t willing to not have something to suck on…when she wants it, of course.” Bree retrieved a dish towel from the kitchen, placed it over her shoulder, and plucked Lilly from Adam’s arms. “This is how to burp her.”
The baby barely awoke, even as Bree placed her against her shoulder and thumped her back.
After she’d burped Lilly, Bree handed the still sleeping baby back to Adam. Then she picked a pacifier from one of the bags, washed it and gave it to Lilly.
The baby took it immediately, even in sleep.
“The pacifier will give her something to suck on and then she won’t drink more formula than she needs and give herself a belly ache.”
He held his arms, so Lilly was laying on her back and making little snuffle sounds. It was so dang cute he couldn’t help but smile as he watched her.
“Let’s take her upstairs and lay her down. Then you can ask Carole to keep an eye on her while you take me home. I’ll come back with my car and an at least an overnight bag.” She grinned. “I won’t leave you alone to take care of her tonight. That wouldn’t be good for Lilly.”
He easily stood, even with Lilly in his arms. “Will you grab a couple of those bags and bring them upstairs? Or would you rather carry her, and I’ll get the bags?”
“No, you take her. You need to spend as much time as you can with Lilly, so you feel comfortable caring for her. I’ll be here, too, but I think you need to bond with her.”
Adam looked down at the sleeping child, ran his palm lightly over her silky blonde hair. “I think I’m already bonded.” He suddenly looked up at Bree. “How could Sally just abandon her?”
Bree shrugged. “I can’t give you an answer. I couldn’t have done it. No matter what the job. I can’t imagine any circumstance that would let me abandon my child. Although, selfishly, I’m glad that she did. She’s allowing me to have my dream. I’ll be a mother, and that’s all I’ve ever wanted to be.”
As he looked at her, his brows very slightly furrowed. “Do you wish you and Brad had children?”
“Yes…and…no. I wanted to be married before I had children and then when Brad died, I didn’t think I would ever want anything again. Not love or motherhood or anything. I believe that everything comes to us in its own time, and this is the time I’m supposed to be a mother. Marrying you is my means to an end.”
“I understand that. I’m just glad you are helping me, whatever your reasons.” He stopped and looked down at her before touching her shoulder, hoping to convey sympathy. “You deserve to be happy, Bree.”
She ducked her chin. “I tell myself that, but it’s hard. It gets easier every day to go on, but I still mourn. I probably always will.”
His heart hurt, thinking about Brad. “It’s okay. I miss him, too.”
She nodded. “Let’s get this sleepy baby upstairs and to bed. Then you’ll have to find Carole before we can leave.”
Bree had set up the playpen with sheets and blankets. They got Lilly settled into it and then walked downstairs.
Carole was entering the kitchen from the backyard. She carried a basket full of vegetables she’d just harvested from her garden.
Bree and Carole were alike in that they both loved to garden and since Carole and her husband lived in a condominium, she kept a garden at Adam’s house.
“Well, you’re home early.” The trim, middle-aged woman with dark blonde hair smiled at Bree. “How are you, hon? We haven’t seen you for a while.”
Bree shrugged. “I’m good. Adam needs to ask a favor.”
Carole turned her gaze on Adam. “Anything, Boss. What do you need?”
Adam took a deep breath. “I have a sleeping baby upstairs in my room, and I wondered if you would keep an ear open for her while we’re gone for a little bit. I need to take Bree home so she can get her car.”
Carole’s moss green eyes widened. “A baby? Since when do you have a baby?”
Adam ran a hand around the back of his neck. “Since this morning. I’ll explain everything when we return. Will you do it?”
“Of course. I might have to go upstairs just to see him.”
“Lilly,” said Adam. “She’s Lilly Kincaid, and she’s, my daughter.”
Bree hadn’t thought Carole’s eyes could get any wider. She’d been mistaken. The woman looked like one of those pictures of the children with eyes so big they covered half their face.
“Carole?” Adam waved his hand in front of her face. “Are you okay?”
She shook her head a little and closed her eyes. “Yes. I’m fine. Just very surprised. You couldn’t shock me more if you told me, you and Bree were getting married.”
“Well, that’s good…because we are.” He looked over at Bree, then he looked out the door to the backyard. He saw the sixty foot lap pool he’d put in to keep in shape. It was surrounded by lawn. The pool house was in the middle of the length of the pool and was also in the colonial style to match the house.
Directly out the door was a twenty-foot-wide covered patio that ran the length of the house. They could have the ceremony there…if Bree agreed. “I was thinking we could have a small ceremony here in the backyard. We can tell everyone to bring their swimsuits and dress casually. We’ll have a pool party for a reception. What do you think?”
Bree was silent for a moment.
Adam frowned, and his chest was tight. He was sure she hated the idea. If she did, what did that bode for their future? Would they be at odds with everything?
She suddenly grinned. “I think that’s a perfect idea for this wedding. You’ve got the patio we can get married on and lots of grass for our family and friends to sit. Then we can change into our bathing suits and go for a swim. I’m glad you bought a couple of those swim panties for Lilly. I get the feeling she’ll love the water…just like her daddy.”
The tightness in his chest disappeared. Adam grinned and puffed out his chest. “That would be terrific. I plan on teaching her to swim as soon as possible. I heard classes are offered just for babies.”
Bree laughed. “They are. You’re so funny though. We’ll go together and learn all we can so we can continue to teach her here at home, since this is going to be my home now.”
He slung an arm around her shoulders as he had since Brad’s death. “Let’s get this show on the road. I want to be back before she wakes up.”
She placed an arm around his waist and headed for the garage. “Do you want to drop the Mercedes by the office and pick up that Jag?”
“And deprive Emily of the treat of driving the Jag? No way.”
Bree chuckled.
Adam loved hearing her and grinned, happier than he’d been in a long time. He directed her to the passenger’s side and held her seatbelt as she settled in.
“Thanks. You know you don’t have to do that. I can pull out my seatbelt.”
“I know, but this makes it easier. I’m all about making things easier for you. You’re doing me an enormous favor and upending your life in the process.”
After he was behind the wheel, she spoke. “First off, I’m not doing you a favor, I’m doing me a favor. Second, I gave you my reasons. Though I want to help, I’m not sure I’d saddle myself for life to help you. Lilly is the clencher. Third, don’t expect me to give up that little girl for anything. She’s mine now, just as much as she’s yours.” Her voice softened. “I already love her. How can that happen so quickly? How can I have fallen so completely in love with her in the matter of a few hours?”
He opened the gate and then drove toward South University Boulevard. “I don’t know, but the same thing has happened to me. She’s just special, I guess. I’d give my life for her and, as you said, it’s only been a few hours.”
He pulled into Bree’s driveway.
“You don’t have to stay. I’ll be over after I’ve packed a bag.”
“All right. Will I need to change her diaper when she wakes?” The thought made him distinctly uncomfortable.
“More than likely. She’ll probably sleep for a couple of hours, though. Babies tend to sleep a lot. And I should be back before she wakes.” She unbuckled her seatbelt and opened the car door. “I’ll see you soon.”
“We’ll be waiting.”
Bree closed the car door and walked toward the house.
Adam waited until she was inside before leaving. Then he headed back to his home and the little one who’d stolen his heart.