Allison Leigh - Mother In A Moment

She knew she should be insulted, but she was too glad to climb into the safety of his big truck where the thunder overhead didn’t seem to be quite so near. She fastened Tad into one of the built-in car seats the shiny new vehicle possessed, then Garrett drove out of the hospital’s parking lot, heading to the drugstore that was just down the block.

He went inside and came out a short time later with a small white sack that he tossed into her lap. Darby didn’t waste any time. She climbed into the backseat and gave Tad a dose of the sticky pink liquid right then and there.

Garrett watched her in the rearview mirror. Saw the way she tenderly smoothed Tad’s wispy blond hair and tucked his soft little blanket against his cheek, murmuring sweet nothings under her breath as she tended to him.

Then she climbed back into the front seat and sighed deeply. Her fingertips drummed against her thigh, just below the hem of her toast-colored shorts. “I should’ve known he was getting sick. Garrett, I didn’t even know who their pediatrician is. It wasn’t even on record at Smiling Faces. You’ve got to get that information so this doesn’t happen again.”

He nodded. “I’ll get whatever you need.”

Her blue gaze settled on him. “It’s not what I need. It’s stuff that you need. As their guardian.”

“Fine. I’ll make sure I get it.” He glanced in the mirror again at his nephew. “Is he going to be okay?”

“Sure. He’ll be fine, as long as the antibiotic does its work. He’ll probably be feeling better within a few hours, actually.”

“That fast?”

“Children are pretty resilient.” She looked out the window.

“Good. I wouldn’t want Caldwell to go around saying tomorrow at the hearing that they were receiving inadequate care. He doesn’t need any additional ammunition against me.”

“Not even the mayor could prevent ear infections,” she murmured. “Children just get them. Some more often than others.”

“You’re good with them.” He forced his attention away from the vulnerable curve of her neck, exposed by the scoop-necked shirt she wore and her feathery hair, and concentrated on negotiating the surprisingly busy rush-hour traffic. “It’s a wonder you don’t have a passel of kids yourself already. You’ll be a good mother.”

“No husband,” she reminded him.

“Lack of a husband didn’t stop my mother.” He wished he’d kept his mouth shut as soon as the words were out.

“Yes, well, having parents who are married isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be, either.”

She looked as enthusiastic about her statement as he felt about his. Then another explosion of thunder rocked through the air and she leaned forward, looking up through the windshield at the sky. “I can’t believe it’s not raining. Does it do this a lot?”

“Every year. You haven’t been here that long?”

“Just a few months,” she admitted.

“Where from?”

Her shoulder lifted. “Everywhere. Nowhere.”

“And Georgina Vansant took you in.”

“She’s my…friend. I’ve known her a long time.”

Garrett was certain that wasn’t what Darby had been going to say. “She’s a good woman. Fair. She offered me a job once. Way back when.”

Her lips curved. “Really. Doing what?”

“Yard work.” He smiled faintly, remembering. “She probably thought if I was busy enough trimming the hedges around her property I couldn’t get into trouble elsewhere.”

“Did you work for her, then?”

He shook his head, his smile dying. “Nope. Never even saw her house up close. My mother sent me to New Mexico to live with her cousin, instead.”

“How did you like it there?”

He pulled into the driveway and parked. “I lived. Obviously. He was an ex-cop turned finish carpenter. He put me to work with him, mostly because he didn’t trust me out of his sight at first.”

“So that’s how you got into construction?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, it seems that has worked out fairly well for you.”

He nodded and watched as she climbed into the back to release Tad’s restraints, then carry him into the house. Garrett pocketed his keys and followed.

As soon as he entered the living room, Regan popped up and ran headlong into him, wrapping her arms around his leg as if he were her absolute favorite treat. He was so surprised he nearly jerked back. She smiled up at him, her brown eyes twinkling and her blond curls bouncing. “I drew you a picture,” she announced.

Garrett gingerly unlatched her hands. “Uh, that’s nice.”

She skipped back to the coffee table and waved a piece of paper in the air. “See?”

Darby came down the steps just then. “That’s beautiful, Regan. Why don’t we put it on the refrigerator door so we can look at it every day.”

Regan nodded and disappeared into the kitchen with Reid right on her heels.

Beth—Garrett remembered her now from the day he’d gone to Smiling Faces—was smiling at him. Her teeth were white and even and her white-blond hair flowed over shapely shoulders, curling just beneath a pair of breasts that gave new meaning to the short-sleeved pink sweater she wore.

She swayed over to Garrett, her long lashes fluttering. “You poor man,” she pouted. “You must be just overwhelmed with everything that has happened.”

“No.”

His short answer didn’t deter her. “I can’t imagine how you’re getting by.” Flutter-flutter. “I was so glad that I could help you out today when you needed me.”

“Darby needed you.”

“That’s right,” Darby said from the kitchen doorway. “So thanks a lot, Beth.” She crossed the carpet, holding out a folded bill. “That ought to cover your time, I think.”

Beth’s expression tightened a hair. “Don’t be silly, Darby. I wouldn’t dream of taking money for helping you out.”

Darby’s eyebrows rose. “Oh. I guess I misunderstood you then when you said it’d be ten dollars an hour.”

Garrett swallowed a chuckle at the consternation on Beth’s face. “I’ll be in the den,” he said, and escaped while the escaping was good.

Darby continued holding out the cash. Beth snatched it out of her hand, her lips tight. “You didn’t have to do this in front of him,” she hissed.

Darby shrugged. “Thanks for coming over. I do appreciate it.” That was sincere, at least.

“When are you coming back to Smiling Faces?” Beth’s eyes were fastened hungrily on the closed door to Garrett’s den.

“If Garrett has his way, no time soon.” She ought to feel ashamed for baiting Beth, but then Beth should be ashamed for the way she was practically throwing herself at Garrett.

And she didn’t exactly appreciate the disbelieving look the other woman cast her way.

“Molly’s not going to like that,” Beth predicted. “You know, the only reason she hired you in the first place is because she’s friends with Mrs. Vansant.”

Since it was true, Darby couldn’t very well argue the point. She started herding Beth to the door. “Whatever I end up doing, I’ll work it out with Molly.” She smiled. “Unless you’ve been promoted and are handling more than the check-in desk?”

Beth’s lips tightened. She gathered up her purse and flounced out of the house.

“Thank you and goodbye,” Darby murmured after the door slammed shut.

Thunder pounded overhead, making the windows shake again.

“Now there goes a woman who is not the least bit intriguing.”

Darby turned to see Garrett standing in the doorway of his den. “Who? Beth?” The windows rattled again, and Darby quickly moved deeper into the living room. Away from the windows. “She’s all right. She’s just—”

“On the prowl for a man.”