Page 12 of Perfect Bragg

“Damn.” I jump out of the front seat and open the door to the backseat. I grasp the car seat to pull it out but it doesn’t move. “How the hell do I get this thing out of my truck?”

Harmony joins me and yanks on the car seat from the other side. “It’s stuck.”

“Forget it.” I jerk my hands away as baby poop glides down the side of the car seat onto the truck’s upholstery. “It’s too late anyway. Let’s get her home, and I’ll deal with it later.”

We settle back into the front seat and I drive the remaining mile to Harmony’s house. When I switch off the truck in her driveway, she doesn’t move.

“I’m sorry. I don’t think the smell is ever going away.”

I groan. “I’m going to have to buy a new truck.”

She giggles but slaps a hand over her mouth. “Sorry. I didn’t mean…”

“To say my truck will smell of shit until the end of time?”

Her hand drops and her giggles intensify. “If the butt fits…”

I tickle her ribs. “I’m supposed to be the jokester.”

Robin lets out a wail and I freeze. “Where’s her pacifier?”

Harmony’s lip purse and she points to the car seat. “Just when you think shit can’t get worse.”

I look to where she’s pointing. “You drop your pacifier in it.”

We get out of the car and stare at the baby crying in the car seat.

“I’d probably cry if I was covered in shit, too,” I say.

“But how am I going to get her inside?”

I sigh before reaching forward and unbuckling Robin. I hold her at arm’s length – my arms stretched as far away from me as I can manage – as I hurry inside the house.

“Where do you want your package?”

Harmony rushes ahead to open the door. Her dogs immediately attack but she snaps her fingers and they drop their bottoms.

“Behave, boy and girls. We have a baby here.”

I swear Black Ops nods as if he understands her words.

“Shall I put her in the sink in the bathroom?”

“Do you usually change a baby in the sink?” Harmony asks as she follows me.

I’ve barely managed to settle Robin in the sink when the front door bangs open.

“I’m here,” Ashlyn shouts. “What’s going on?” she asks as she enters the bathroom. “Uh oh. Your first blowout. I got this. Rowan!” she hollers for her husband. “I need the changing stuff.”

“Thank goodness. Someone who knows what they’re doing,” Harmony mutters as she backs out of the bathroom. I follow her.

“Hey! I would have figured it out.” Maybe.

“But now you don’t have to.” She motions toward her front door. “I’ll see you later.”

“Are you dismissing me?” I’m the one who’s supposed to be helping her. Not Ashlyn.

“Do you know how to change a baby’s diaper?”

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