Page 18 of Baby Blue
“And no smoking.” Before he could answer, she added, “You shouldn’t smoke in the house with the baby. You realize that, right?”
“I want to quit,” Blue admitted.
“I can help you with that, maybe get you a prescription if you want,” Anne offered.
Blue nodded. “I think I’ll take you up on that,” he said.
“And if you’ve got a jar full of condoms on your nightstand,” she said, “then you’ll?”
“Good as done,” Blue said, his face reddening.
“Nothing to be embarrassed about as long as you’re safe,” she assured him. “No judgment here.”
He found it hard to look at her when he said, “Thanks. I understand.”
As he watched, Anne closed her eyes and sighed. “Know what would be great?”
With no idea where she was going, he asked, “What?”
Her eyes opened and her face softened. “It would be great if you and Indigo were still here when Toady got old enough to know about things like that. He doesn’t have a man to talk to. Wouldn’t it be nice if you were able to do that for him? If you were an honorable man who could help him as he grew up?”
Blue didn’t know what to say. He certainly wasn’t someone he’d want counseling a child. Without even thinking, he blurted out, “You’ve got more faith in me than I’ve got in myself, that’s for sure.”
“Can I ask you something?”
Blue nodded again. “Sure.”
“What’s your full name?”
No one except the department of motor vehicles and the doctor’s office ever asked him that. “Um, BrentAlan Wallace.”
A smile broke wide across Anne’s face. “Well, BrentAlan Wallace, you’re right. I’ve got more faith in you than you’ve got in yourself. But I have a feeling you’re going to learn a lot about yourself in the next few months, and I think you’ll be surprised.”
Blue chuckled. “I hope you’re right!”
“I’ll see you in the morning before you go to work,” Anne said, opening the front door. “And if you need us, just call and Polly can come over.”
“She’s welcome to come over and play with the baby any time she wants,” Blue called after her.
“I’ll be sure to tell her. See you later, Brent.”
“See ya, Anne.” She closed the door and Blue sat for a couple of minutes, thinking about everything she’d said. It was shocking to him to hear her say she believed he’d eventually be a man Toady could look up to. Did shereallybelieve that? If she did, that was the most faith anyone had placed in Blue in…
Ever.
Anne’s heartraced all the way back to her house. She’d all but told him she wanted a relationship with him, and he either hadn’t caught it or felt the same way. Or maybe he was playing her.
She was pretty sure that wasn’t true. Yeah, Blue could be crass and possibly a womanizer, but she didn’t think he wasa person who’d manipulate someone else just to get what he wanted. He didn’t strike her as having the time or energy for that. By the time she got inside and closed the door behind her, she knew she had to get to know him better. Shewantedto get to know him better. For reasons she couldn’t explain, she was drawn to him.
Of course, he wouldn’t be drawn to her. He didn’t know she was alive. He only saw her as the friendly neighbor lady who would help him if he needed help. But that was a start. As she stood in the bathroom, brushing her hair and pulling it back, she took another look at herself. Her skin was flawless, and her eyes were bright.I should get a new shadow combo, she told herself,and maybe some new lipstick. Or gloss. Yeah, that’s it?gloss. She stared again.And they make those highlighter kits. I should get one of those too. Polly can help me with it.There were a few things she could do to make herself look better. She might not be able to catch Blue’s eye, but maybe someone else would notice.
Her periwinkle blue scrubs were her favorites, so she pulled them from the closet and stripped off. Then she turned.
What she saw startled her. Yeah, she had a little paunch in the middle, but it wasn’t bad. The stretch marks were worse. For reasons she didn’t understand, she unhooked her bra and took it off. When she did, her breasts dropped what she considered a significant amount.For a girl who wore an A-cup in high school, I sure have a bad case of Cooper’s Droop!she thought. Nothing she could do about that.Guess I’ll have to rely on low lights and bad eyesight, she told herself and snickered.
BlueWallace would never be attracted to her. She should just get that out of her head, she knew. But those eyes haunted her constantly. And a little voice inside her head kept asking the same question, over and over.
Why not?
