Page 56 of Winter Vows

To his amusement, Laura gurgled appreciatively.

Trish shot him a look of pure venom.

He winked. “Your mama can’t stand it that you and I have a thing going,” he advised the baby. “Personally, I think she’s jealous.”

“No, what she is, is frazzled,” Trish declared, slapping a plate of fresh vegetables and dip onto the table so hard that the dip splattered. “Now look what you made me do.”

“It’s okay,” Sharon Lynn soothed. “We just plop the plate on top of the stain and no one will notice a thing.”

Hardy headed for the children’s books to get out of the line of fire. He figured if he weren’t careful, the next plate was likely to end up in his face.

Unlike the huge chairs in front of the fire, the only chair in the children’s section was meant for someone about a quarter of his size. He managed to scrunch down on it, while he selected a board book that looked as if it was about Laura’s speed.

“Goodnight Moon,”he said, reading the cover. “Sounds like a winner to me.” He held it up for Laura’s approval. He took her gurgles for a yes. He turned the thick pages slowly, reading to the baby and showing her the pictures. He was pretty much engrossed in the simple story when he heard the front door open and close, followed by a hoot of masculine laughter.

“Will you look at that?” Harlan Patrick said. “The world’s most dedicated bachelor has taken to reading stories to the baby.”

“Can this bachelorhood be saved?” Slade Sutton chimed in.

“Oh, stop it,” Val ordered before Hardy could get up and silence both men with a punch. “I think it’s wonderful.”

“I agree,” Laurie said.

Hardy felt his cheeks flame. “I was just helping Trish out. The baby was upset and she had things to do and—”

“It’s okay,” Val soothed. “Don’t pay any attention to the two of them. They’re cretins.”

Slade bent down and kissed the tip of her nose. “That’s not what you were saying last night.”

“Last night I was deluded into thinking that you had a sensitive side,” she countered.

More people flowed into the room, filling it to capacity with laughter and conversation. Slade’s daughter joined them before her father’s teasing could veer into dangerous territory. “Oh, she’s darling,” Annie cooed. “Can I hold her?”

Hardy hesitated.

“I’ll be real careful,” she promised.

“Over in the chair,” Val instructed. “And you don’t budge.”

Hardy followed Annie to the chair and delivered Laura to her with some regret. “Just holler if you want me to come and get her.”

“She’ll be fine,” Annie said, gazing at the baby with a rapt expression. She glanced up at Val. “When are you and Daddy—”

“Don’t even go there,” Slade said. “I’m just now getting the hang of being a father to you.”

“That means you’ve had plenty of practice,” Annie countered. “I need a baby brother or sister.”

“It isn’t about what you need,” Val declared. “Your father and I will decide when the time is right to expand our family.”

The look she gave her husband suggested to Hardy that the time was a whole lot closer than Slade suspected.

Suddenly feeling as if he were intruding, Hardy searched for Trish in the growing mob scene, then moved off in her direction. She was standing apart from the crowd, looking a little shell-shocked by the sheer number of people who’d turned out for the grand opening.

“Looks like you have a success,” he observed, moving to her side.

“I never had this many people turn out for my year-end sale in Houston,” she said, her expression dazed. “And I gave really good discounts. I owe this to the Adamses, I’m sure. Their approval counts for a lot around here.”

“No,” he corrected. “You owe it to all your hard work and planning. Don’t sell yourself short.”

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