Page 29 of And Then There Was Us
“Everything seems impossible until you have a baby.” She looked through the boxes and found the right size.
Hugh went to a display of dresses. “Does she like dresses?”
“She’s a girl. Of course she likes dresses.”
“I noticed in the pictures she was wearing mostly leggings and long shirts,” Hugh said.
Brianna narrowed her eyes.
“What?”
“You noticed that?” she asked.
“Of course. We were going shopping for her, so I had to see what she liked. I also noticed that she’d made a few clay pots and stuff that you had on the bookshelves. Would she like arts and crafts? There must be a craft store in the mall.”
“You’re so thoughtful, Hugh. I can’t believe you noticed all of that in the short time we were at my apartment.” Brianna crossed her arms.
“I knew we were going shopping for her.” He shrugged. “What size is she?”
Hugh caught a glimpse of a young family by a display of sweaters. The little girl appeared to be around the same age as Layla. She picked up a sweater and rubbed it against her cheek, turning the sweetest blue eyes up to her father, who swooped her into his arms and kissed her cheek. His wife placed her hand on his back. Hugh felt a tug in his heart and knew that sharing Brianna with Layla could never be an issue. Treat’s voice sifted through his mind.Family knows no boundaries.He’d heard it a million times from his father and from Treat, and it had never quite hit him the same way it did now, as he glanced at Brianna and thought of her and Layla.
“Seven,” Brianna said. “She likes arts and crafts, but she’s really into drama and plays right now.”
He looked through the dresses for the right size.
“Wait, no. I just got carried away with the idea. We said a pair of shoes, not a dress, too, Hugh. That’s way too much.” She reached for the dress.
Hugh lifted it out of her reach with a laugh. Brianna’s reaction was so different from that of the money-grubbing women he used to date that he found himself wanting to buy things for Layla and for her.
She shook her head. “You can’t buy me, you know.”
Hugh put the dress back on the rack. “You don’t really believe that’s what I’m doing, do you?”
“Not really, but guys don’t just buy stuff for women’s kids unless they want something in return.”
He wrapped her in his arms and pulled her close. “Brianna Heart, you have a very poor image of men in your head.” He leaned back and looked down at her. “I’m going to do everything I can to change that.”
Chapter Fifteen
BRIANNA WAS THINKING of the morning when they reached Hugh’s house. He hadn’t wanted to stop kissing her before they’d left that morning, and he hadn’t tried to kiss her—really kiss her—since they’d gotten out of the car at Claude’s studio, and now that their time together was coming to an end, she wished he would.
“I had a lot of fun today. Thanks for driving me to work and to the mall, and for buying Layla those cute shoes, and for getting my car fixed.” She laughed and rested her head back against the seat. “You’ve done more for me in twenty-four hours than anyone’s done for me in twenty-eight years.”
“I’m sure anyone would have done the same.” He leaned closer to her and she sat up straighter. “May I be so forward as to ask for your cell phone number?” He grinned, and it made her laugh.
“Oh, gosh, you don’t have my number and I’ve already spent the night at your house. I’m such a tramp.”
“Somehow I missed out on the tramp part. Tramps don’t go to bed fully clothed, and I’m pretty sure they don’t sleep through the night or tell guys not to kiss them.”
She groaned. “I’m sorry. I knew I shouldn’t have said anything.”
“Bree, I’m teasing.” He pulled out his cell phone and handed it to her. “Here, put your number right in there.”
She handed him hers. “Only if you will, too.”
They both put their contact information into the other’s phone.
“I feel lucky that you spent the day with me, and I had fun shopping for Layla. I hope one day soon I get to meet her.” He brushed her hair away from her cheek.
