Chapter Eight
“This is never going to work!” Heather said with a laugh as her lovely daughter completely ignored the photographer frantically waving a stuffed bear.
“Of course it will work,” Jim told her seriously. “Diane is being a little coy because she knows she’s the prettiest baby here and she doesn’t want to give anything away, but she’ll come around.”
“You’re crazy. I love my child and I think she’s brilliant, but she’s not even three months old. There’s no way she’s capable of thinking such complex thoughts.”
Although when Diane happened to glance at her, a serious and thoughtful expression on her face, Heather suddenly wondered if Jim was right.
“Maybe she hates being dressed like a rabbit,” she said. After Diane had been photographed wearing a pink dress, they’d put her in a little bunny costume.
“It’s not that,” Jim said confidently, as if he and Diane had chatted on this very topic.
“Come on, Diane,” the young male photographer urged as he continued to wave the toy in the air. “Look at the camera and smile so Mommy can have a nice picture of you. Come on.”
Diane sat propped up against a pile of powder-blue pillows in front of a backdrop painted to look like puffy white clouds and a broad expanse of sky. She wore the terry-cloth bunny jacket and hat with great style, but she didn’t seem the least bit interested in having her picture taken.
Heather leaned against the front counter and figured she’d have to step in herself at some point to see if she could get Diane to look toward the camera.
“Are you glad you’re doing this?” Jim asked.
“Actually, I am.”
He’d asked her help in picking out a wedding present for Rick and Lupe, then had suggested that they stop by the department-store photographer so that Heather could have pictures taken of Diane.
It was, he told her very seriously, important to have a record of her daughter’s changes over the months.
Heather hadn’t had the heart to tell him that she already had dozens of photos at home.
However, the idea of a more professional photograph had been appealing.
She could pick out a couple of different poses and send them along to her mother.
“Come on, Diane,” the photographer coaxed once more.
Diane seemed fascinated by a loose thread on one of the pillows.
“I’ll fix this,” Jim said in that tone of voice that announced he was a man about to solve an important problem. Women and children should step aside.
Heather did just that. Jim moved to the box of toys and picked out a stuffed purple puppy. He shook it a couple of times as if checking the flexibility of the animal, then walked toward Diane. He crouched down and checked to make sure he wasn’t in the way of the camera.
“Hi there, sweet cheeks.”
Diane turned toward the sound of his voice and gave him her best toothless grin. Her entire face lit up, her little eyes scrunching together and her hands waving in delight.
“Got it,” the photographer said as the camera flashed several times in a row. “Just a couple more.”
“You want a puppy?” Jim asked, holding up the stuffed animal. “Can you say puppy?”
Diane’s expression remained thrilled. She was getting attention from the favorite guy in her life.
Heather watched her daughter and realized the situation had just gotten more complicated.
It had probably been that way all along, but she hadn’t been aware of it.
Here she was trying to keep the possibly perfect Jim Dyer at arm’s length while not noticing how her daughter had bonded with him.
In Diane’s very simple world, Jim fulfilled all the functions of a father.
Heather reacted first with panic, then forced herself to stay calm. She didn’t have to change anything just yet. Jim was great with her daughter, and until she found a reason to worry, she should just be happy that her child was surrounded by people who adored her.
Her own concerns were different. Because she was an adult, her relationship with him was more complicated…
especially because she still couldn’t find any serious flaws in his character.
Even so, she couldn’t escape the suspicion that he was hiding something pretty big.
What was it? Had he robbed banks in his youth?
Did he practice extortion? There had to be something because no one was that good.
“That should do it,” the photographer said. “You can pick the pictures up in ten days.”
“Thanks,” Heather said, but made no move to collect Diane. Jim was already taking care of that, first removing her costume, then holding her close.
“You were brilliant,” he told the infant as he cradled her in his arms before setting her into the stroller and carefully securing her in place.
“Very lovely. The pictures will be beautiful because you’re beautiful.
Yes, you are. And smart and fun. Did I mention you were my favorite little girl in the whole world? ”
He straightened and gave Heather a quick smile. “She says she’s ready to go, but she wants us to leave via the toy department.”
Heather settled her purse strap over her shoulder and motioned for Jim to push the stroller. “She did not say that. You said that. And she doesn’t need any more toys.”
Jim looked hurt. “She did so tell me. She whispered it. I know the books say kids can’t talk yet, but she does. She’s a little worried about upsetting you, so she doesn’t want me to tell you.” He lowered his voice conspiratorially. “You need to pretend you don’t know.”
He looked completely serious, Heather thought, trying not to laugh. As if he believed every silly thing he said. How was she supposed to resist a man with a perfect sense of the ridiculous?
Perfect. There was that word again.
She sighed. “Fine. We can go through the toy department, but you are not allowed to buy her anything.”
“Of course not.” He looked hurt at even the suggestion.
Heather knew better than to believe that expression. They would get into the middle of the doll aisle and he would go crazy picking out a half-dozen things for Diane. She’d seen it happen before.
There are worse things, she reminded herself. Jim was a lot of fun and he genuinely cared about her and her child. Maybe he was a little too indulgent, but they could both survive that.
They walked to the elevator, then waited to go down to the basement.
Heather noticed a couple of women glancing at Jim with a hint of longing in their eyes.
That she understood completely. He was too good-looking by far.
She still had trouble when he smiled and flashed his dimple.
Her thighs quivered just at the thought.
He was tall and strong and smart and gentle and…
And she’d better watch herself or she’d end up doing something silly, like falling for him.
Five minutes later, Jim stood in front of Diane. He held several dolls in each arm. “Which do you like the best?” he asked.
Diane blinked but otherwise didn’t respond.
“You’re ignoring me,” Jim said patiently. “I’m going to hold these up one by one and you let me know which one you want.” He held up the first doll, a cloth beauty with cotton curls, and shook it. Diane yawned.
Heather stood by the stroller. “You shouldn’t be doing this. I’ve already said she has more stuff now than she’ll ever play with. She’s a baby. Toys aren’t that important.”
“I know all that, but what you keep forgetting is that I’m not just doing this for her. I’m doing it for me. I like buying her things.” He returned his attention to Diane. “Okay, so none of these work. Let me get another batch.”
He walked down the aisle, both putting the dolls he already had back in place and collecting new ones. Heather didn’t know whether to laugh or strangle him.
“Your husband is very devoted to his daughter,” a voice said from behind her.
Heather turned and saw an older woman smiling at her. She held several toys in her arms.
“I couldn’t help overhearing your conversation,” the woman continued. “You have a very lovely family. That’s nice to see.”
Rather than trying to explain the situation, Heather said, “Thank you. I feel very lucky.”
The older woman waved and walked toward the cashier.
Heather stared after her. No doubt she and Jim did look like a married couple out with their baby on a Saturday afternoon. A wave of sadness and longing swept over her. Part of her wanted it to be true—if not with Jim, then with someone else. There were times when it was difficult to be alone.
But she’d already had her chance. Three chances, in fact, and each time she’d struck out.
Was she really willing to try again? She knew how to be a good single parent because she’d grown up with one.
She wasn’t afraid of taking care of Diane on her own.
Yet sometimes she was lonely and wanted more.
Was that person Jim? She looked at the man patiently trying to get her eleven-week-old baby to pick out a doll.
How was she supposed to resist him? How could she not?
Nothing in her life had allowed her to experience a relationship with a normal, loving guy who wanted the same things she did.
Why would she think her luck was about to change now?
* * *
Heather heard Jim’s tuneless humming as he prepared the barbecue for their steaks. She finished burping her daughter, then set Diane down to sleep.
“I love you, sweet cheeks,” she murmured as she stroked her baby’s face. Diane made a soft cooing sound, more breath than vowel, but it was enough to make Heather smile. “You’re a special little girl, aren’t you?”
Heather pulled the drapes shut, then stepped out of the room and into the hallway. She followed the sound of Jim’s voice and found him on the patio, carefully lighting the charcoal he’d poured into the barbecue.
“This will take a little time to heat up,” he said without turning to look at her. “Give me thirty more seconds and I’ll join you inside.”