Page 78 of Callahan

“So, what’s your excuse for staying last night?”

Good grief. This town’s gossip machine was ridiculous—not that it was unexpected.

Adam didn’t miss a beat.

“Brian wanted me to stay. In fact, he wants me there until we catch whoever wrote the letter threatening her and the baby.”

Granny fluttered her eyelashes, like she couldn’t believe what she was hearing, Hugh and Teresa gasped appropriately, and Adam continued, “I’ll bet the rumor mill forgot to mention that little fact. Maybe you can fill them in at the next meeting.”

His response was a little harsher than I expected, but kind of also appreciated. That old bat had had it out for me from the minute she’d found out Shawn was dating a (gasp!) Protestant.

And I wasn’t even practicing.

I didn’t know if that had made the situation better or worse. Either way, Shawn had wanted to tread lightly and keep our relationship under wraps until he returned from overseas.

Granny gaped at Adam, making her look like a fish out of water. It took her a second, but her face changed, and it seemed she’d come up with a retort. But as she was about to spew it, Hugh intervened.

“Are you okay, Lainey? Do you want to stay with us for a while?”

“I appreciate it. Brian also offered to let us stay at his house. But I open the bakery so early and work so late, it’s just easier for me to stay at the apartment. Plus, I can easily nurse Conor during the slow times.”

“But your safety…”

Adam chimed in. “That’s why Brian wants me to stay with her.” He shot Granny a look and added, “On the air mattress.”

She planted her arms across her chest like a petulant child, and again, acted like she was going to say something, but once more, Hugh spoke first.

“Well, if Brian thinks it’s a good idea, then it must be. We appreciate you coming over today with all that’s going on. We had no idea about any of it.”

Teresa added, “Please let us know if you change your mind and want to stay. We can put you up in Shawn’s room.”

“Thank you for letting us come over and cooking dinner and baking cookies. Teresa, I’m never going to lose this baby weight if you keep feeding me every time I visit. And I appreciate the offer to let us stay, but Brian put up a camera outside my building and is having his people patrol the area more often. So, between that and Adam staying at the apartment, I think we’re safe.”

Conor whined, and Teresa’s eyes got big with excitement.

“Can I feed him?”

I reached for the diaper bag and fished around until I found the small, insulated bag that contained his bottle.

“The doctor said the best way to warm it is with lukewarm—not hot—tap water. Hot water degrades the nutrients.”

Hugh took the bottle from me. Obviously feeding their grandson the first time was going to be a joint grandparent effort.

“Lukewarm—not hot, got it. I’ll be right back.”

Conor’s cries got louder, and I worried if we waited too long, he wasn’t going to be consoled with a bottle.

Teresa must have shared my concern because she lamented, “We should have prepared his bottle sooner, so we’d be ready when he got hungry.”

“Fortunately, it’s not too cold, so it shouldn’t take long.”

We stood awkwardly as Conor cried, and my fingers flexed with desire to take my son from Teresa and soothe him with my breast, so I tried to make small talk.

“I’ve read he can have breastmilk straight from the fridge, but I thought since this is only his second attempt with a bottle, we should try to keep everything else as close to normal as possible.”

“I agree,” Teresa said.

Fortunately, Hugh returned and handed the bottle to Teresa, who tested the milk on her wrist, which seemed to offend Hugh.

---