Читать книгу A Secret Colton Baby - Karen Whiddon - Страница 12
ОглавлениеStunned, Theo wasn’t sure he’d heard correctly. “What? I just talked to her and she didn’t sound that sick. Now you’re telling me... How is that even possible?”
“I don’t know. No one even knows what this disease is, never mind how it’s transmitted. Dr. Rand thinks it’s a virus. Either way, it’s not good. She’s in really bad shape, Theo.”
“I’m on my way down there,” he said, pacing the length of the kitchen. The rich smell of the chili now made him feel queasy.
“No. You can’t. There’s a reason we have the victims isolated. You can’t risk exposing yourself.”
“I don’t care about myself.” He swore. “You know how much Gram means to me.”
“We all feel that way,” Gemma said. “And you may not care about yourself, but you have to think of the baby. You can’t risk her.” She took a deep breath. “Right now you’d be denied entrance anyway. Only essential medical personnel are allowed in, and we have to put on protective-wear as a precaution.”
Theo cursed again. “How bad off is Gram?”
“Right now she’s stable.” Another shaky breath, the sound coming through as more of a warning than any words could be. “The CDC is sending a team. Flint knows this already, but they’re talking about a quarantine.”
Theo stopped pacing, trying to understand. “A quarantine? Of what, the clinic?”
“No. Dead River. The entire town.” And then Gemma, his normally unflappable sister, began to cry.
Theo did his best to console her, well aware she most likely hadn’t shared every detail with him. “What about the baby?” he asked, taking a deep breath. “She was with Mimi right before she died. We need to get her checked out.”
“You’re right,” Gemma said. “And you and anyone else who might have come into contact with her. I can’t come by tonight, but I work the afternoon shift tomorrow, so I’m off in the morning. How about I swing by the ranch and check her out then?”
“That’d be perfect.”
“Then that’s what I’ll do.” With that, Gemma told him she had to go back to work and ended the call.
Stunned, Theo could only stare at his phone. He felt he needed to do something, anything, but he didn’t know what. If this virus had been a bronc, he would have climbed on and ridden it into submission. But it wasn’t, and in reality, there was nothing he could do but stand by helplessly and watch.
And that summed it up. He was a rodeo cowboy, a bareback bronc riding champion, and not much else. He couldn’t even help his own grandmother—the woman who’d raised him—when she needed assistance.
But he could—and would—protect Amelia. His tiny daughter had no one else. He’d somehow figure out a way to be a good father, even though he had no idea how. Again the spicy scent of chili filled his nostrils. This time, the smell filled him with purpose. Ellie had done nothing but work all day. She had to be starving.
He found a cookie sheet that would work as a tray and filled a bowl with corn chips before ladling the chili over that. Topping if off with a generous amount of shredded cheddar cheese, he folded a paper towel to act as a napkin, grabbed a spoon and a can of cola and carried the tray up to Ellie’s room.
It was impossible to knock with his hands full, so he didn’t bother. The door was cracked. He used his elbow to nudge it the rest of the way open.
Carrying the tray, he paused just inside the room. Both Ellie and the baby were asleep on the bed—Ellie sitting up, her back supported by both pillows, still cradling the infant securely in her arms.
Carefully and quietly, he placed the tray on the dresser and stared at the pair. Bathed in the soft light from the window, Ellie looked almost angelic. Looking at her and the sleeping baby made the back of his throat ache.
Shaking his head, he scoffed at himself. Still, there was a particular glow about her. Maybe it was one of those things females got when they were around babies. Who knew?
He took the opportunity to study her—and his child, too. Something about the scene calmed him, the way beauty always did. Ellie’s exotic, high cheekbones caught the light, bringing a soft flush to her creamy skin. The delicacy of her face seemed almost at odds with her lean, athletic body. She’d pulled her hair, a soft brown color, back into a ponytail. The soft strands that had escaped framed and highlighted her face.
And the baby... Chest tight, he moved closer to examine her. Perfect little rosebud of a mouth, dusky skin like her mother’s. Innocent and perfect, too much so for the likes of someone like him. What did he know about being a father? His dad had become a drunk after their mother was killed in a car accident. His father had been in and out of their lives, showing up just often enough to humiliate his sons. He’d finally abandoned their family, much to everyone’s unspoken relief. Gram had taken over, filling the void as best she could. She’d been both mother and father, grandmother and teacher to Flint, Theo and Gemma.
Standing there in the quiet room, midday sunlight warm on his arm, Theo faced the fact that the world he’d taken for granted continued to crumble down around him. Losing the ability to rodeo had seemed like the worst thing that could ever happen, even though everyone had kept telling him he should consider himself lucky that he’d survived.
But now his beloved Gram was seriously ill, and this tiny, helpless human had been entrusted to his care. Him, of all people, who had always taken a certain sort of pride in being the least settled person he knew. Despite his satisfaction with the life he’d chosen, he’d never wanted to fail his grandmother, though deep down inside, he knew he had. Gram had loved him anyway. Now, no matter what, he knew he couldn’t let his daughter down.
“Theo? Are you all right?” Ellie’s voice, husky with sleep, startled him. Her bright blue eyes were fixed on him, though still groggy with sleep.
“I hope I didn’t wake you,” he said, feeling surprisingly awkward. “I brought you lunch.”
She shifted, sliding back to sit up, careful not to disturb the baby. “Are the hands all fed?”
“Yep. And I cleaned everything up. Later, I’ll need you to tell me what I need to do to prepare for the evening meal.”
“I will.” Her heavy-lidded gaze slid past him to the tray. “But right now I’m famished. Would you mind taking Amelia so I can eat?”
“Sure.” This time he didn’t hesitate. He figured if he did this often enough, soon he’d be completely comfortable with holding the baby.
The transfer could have been awkward, but Theo just held out his arms and let Ellie take care of it.
“I’ve got her,” he said, half smiling, barely noticing as Ellie moved to take the bowl of chili from the tray and begin eating with a quiet and intent efficiency.
The rumble of his voice caused Amelia’s eyes to open. Colton green. Of course. He’d read somewhere that less than five percent of the world’s population had green eyes.
“Hi there, little baby,” he crooned, trying not to feel foolish.
Looking up from her meal, Ellie made a sound.
“What?” he asked, reluctantly dragging his gaze from the baby.
“She has a name.” Ellie’s soft voice carried a bit of steel. “Amelia. You don’t have to always call her baby or the infant.”
“I wasn’t aware I did.” He shrugged, refusing to let a small detail like that bother him, despite what Ellie thought it revealed. “Sorry.”
Too busy finishing her lunch, Ellie didn’t respond, though he could feel her gaze on him as he gently rocked the baby. Gram Dottie would love Amelia, he knew. Now she just had to get well so they could meet.
Something of his worry must have shown in his face.
“Are you all right?” Ellie asked again. “You look... Is something wrong?”
“Yes.” He took a deep breath, needing to get it off his chest. “My sister called while you were asleep. Gram Dottie collapsed at the clinic.” Despite his best intentions, his voice cracked a little. “The doctors think she has the same thing that killed Mimi Rand. They’ve got her in isolation.”
“Oh, Theo.” Ellie’s eyes widened. “I’m so sorry.”
He nodded, working really hard to keep his expression neutral. “Gemma says they think it’s some kind of new virus. The CDC is sending a team and they’re even talking about quarantining the entire town.”
“What?” Ellie hand moved to her throat. “I’ve never heard of them doing that, except maybe in movies. It must be really bad.”
“Don’t panic.” His words were for both of them. “We’ve got some really sharp doctors at the clinic, and Dr. Rand vowed to find a cure. He’s working around the clock, despite being really broken up by the death of his ex-wife.”
Ellie nodded, her blue eyes huge in her suddenly pale face. Her cheeks flushed, she looked away. “You’re right. Of course. There’s no need to let my imagination get the best of me. I hope your grandmother gets well quickly.”
“She will,” he said with a confidence he didn’t feel. “Anyway, Gemma is going to come by tomorrow and check us all out. I can’t risk the baby’s—Amelia’s—health by taking her down to the clinic.”
“I agree.” Her brow creased in a dainty frown. “But it’s still safe to go into town, isn’t it?”
“Of course.”
“Good. I need to pick up a few things.” She hesitated, and then continued, sounding a bit sheepish. “Though now that my stalker might have found me, I’m a little bit scared to go.”
“Don’t be.” Here Theo could speak with confidence. “I’ve called a company to come out and install an alarm. They’ll be here tomorrow. And as far as going into town is concerned, I’ll go with you, like a sort of bodyguard.”
He could tell his words pleased her from the dusky rose that suffused her face. “Thank you,” she said. “If you don’t mind, I need to make a trip in the morning, as long as it won’t interfere with the alarm installation.”
“They’re supposed to come around two, so if we go early, we should be fine. I’ll need to find out what time my sister plans to stop by, but we can work around that. I want to make sure none of us is sick before we leave the ranch and risk infecting others.”
She nodded. “Good point. Do you have any idea what the early symptoms are?”
“It’s flu-like. From what I remember Gemma telling me, it’d probably be fever and nausea, weakness or tiredness, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose and maybe body aches.”
She nodded. “That’s kind of what I thought. So far, Amelia hasn’t exhibited any of those.”
“What about you?”
“Nothing.” Tilting her head, she studied him. “And you? Have you been feeling all right?”
He started to answer, then checked himself. “I’m still dealing with fallout from my rodeo accident, but no flu-like symptoms yet.”
“I’m sorry.” Her soft voice matched the softening in her blue eyes. “What exactly happened to you?” She blushed, then shook her head. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to pry.”
Even now, six months later, he could still barely talk about it. To anyone else. But for some reason, he wanted to tell her. “I got thrown by a horse. A crazy, completely out of control bronc. My skull was broken, I had a right clavicle fracture, messed up my hip and my ankle was shattered.”
He took a deep breath, forcing himself to continue. “But the worst thing was that my spine got messed up. All the other injuries were fixable. Meaning, I could heal and go back to competing. But that damn spinal cord injury nearly paralyzed me. They told me I can never ride again. I’m lucky I’m even able to walk.”
“You don’t sound as if you think you’re lucky,” she commented.
Which meant he hadn’t successfully hidden the bitterness. How could he, when it rode so close to the surface?
“Rodeo was my life,” he said quietly. “With that gone...”
Her chin came up. He was starting to recognize that habit of hers. Gesturing at Amelia, still cocooned in his arms, she gave him a look that reminded him of Gram Dottie when she was about to make a point.
“With that gone,” Ellie threw his words back at him. “You now have time to focus on something else. Someone else. Amelia. Your daughter.”
* * *
Ellie hadn’t meant to be so bold. Judging from the total shutdown on Theo’s rugged face, she’d gone entirely too far. Still, she didn’t regret her words, nor would she call them back.
Amelia had just lost her mother. She deserved a father who’d give her 100 percent.
Theo had given Ellie a hard stare and then turned without a word, placed Amelia in her bassinette and walked away.
Apparently she’d touched a nerve. Well, baby Amelia’s situation touched Ellie. She knew better than most how it felt to have parents who treated you as an afterthought. She’d do everything she could to make sure Amelia didn’t suffer the same fate.
The rest of the day passed quickly. She bathed and changed Amelia, before taking her down to the kitchen so Ellie could resume the rest of her duties. Despite his offer to help, Theo didn’t put in an appearance. Ellie wasn’t really surprised, though she was disappointed.
Since Amelia had gone right to sleep, Ellie was able to work unencumbered. Dinner went off without a hitch—she’d placed the chickens in the oven to roast along with some potatoes, carrots and onions, and opened several cans of rolls and baked them just before it was time to eat. For dessert, she’d made a cobbler using baking mix and canned peaches. Not exactly gourmet fare, but it would fill their hungry bellies. She’d fed Amelia while everything cooked.
The meal turned out delicious and the cowboys were loud and appreciative. Theo arrived just after everyone had started to eat. A few of the men paused, but Theo waved them to continue. So they did, still raining compliments down on Ellie.
She smiled, told them thank you, and waved them back toward their meal.
As had been her habit, Ellie stayed slightly apart, near Amelia’s portable bassinette. She watched from near the oven, having just made herself a plate and about to sit down at the smaller dinette table. She’d fed and changed Amelia earlier, and despite her earlier nap, exhaustion battled to claim her.
Theo crossed the room to stand near her. Conversation at the long table briefly ceased. But a quick look from Theo and it resumed, though several of them men made no secret of the fact that they were watching.
“I’m sorry,” Theo said, pitching his voice low so the others couldn’t hear. “I promised to help you with the evening meal and I forgot.” He rubbed his leg as he talked to her, making her realize his injuries were no doubt hurting him.
“That’s okay.” Surprised that he’d even apologized, she slid the plate she’d just filled toward him. “Go ahead and eat. I’ll make another plate and join you.”
He glanced at Amelia, who, with her tummy full, slept contentedly. “How is she?”
“Still fine.” Turning, she busied herself filling a plate with food. Once she was done, she carried it over to the smaller table that sat in the kitchen proper.
After a moment, he followed and took the chair opposite her, his expression shuttered. “I talked to my sister. Gemma’s going to be here about eight-thirty tomorrow morning. That’ll give her plenty of time to check us all out. The stores in Dead River don’t open until ten anyway.”
“Sounds great.” She glanced at the still-sleeping baby. “What about Amelia? After she’s cleared as healthy, can we bring her with us? I can’t exactly leave her here alone.”
“Of course not. I’ll help you with her.” Flashing her a preoccupied smile, he dug in. The muscles rippling under his button-down shirt made her mouth go dry. Even here, Theo radiated masculinity and sex appeal. And tension, though he appeared to relax a little as he began eating. “This is great,” he said. “How did you manage to make all this and still look after the baby?”
Secretly pleased, she shrugged. “It’s nothing fancy, that’s why.”
“It’s good food. Thank you for managing to act both as cook and nanny. I promise I’ll make it up to you as soon as I can.”
He sounded earnest and charming, and the sparkle in his emerald eyes was pretty damn close to irresistible. Dangerous thinking, she chided herself. “I may hold you to that,” she replied lightly. “Now eat up. There’s peach cobbler for dessert.”
He made a moan of delight and again she blushed. When she got the warm cobbler out of the oven, the men cheered. She served it herself, wanting to make sure there was enough for everyone.
After the hands had taken themselves off to the bunkhouse, Theo guided her toward the living room couch, handing her the remote before going back to fetch the bassinette, which he placed near Ellie.
“Sit. I’ll clean up,” he said. “And for breakfast tomorrow morning, Gram Dottie used to make us this baked egg dish that you can refrigerate and just pop in the oven. I helped her once or twice, so I think I remember how to do it.”
Surprised and touched, Ellie nodded. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” He flashed a grin so devastating her breath caught in her chest. “Now relax and watch something on TV. I’ll join you once I’m finished in the kitchen.”
Strange. Too tired to comment, she glanced at Amelia, who still slept. Perfect baby. Leaning back into the overstuffed couch cushions, she pressed the power button on the remote. Since she still didn’t know the television channels for this area, she pressed one at random. A legal drama was on, one she thought she might have caught a few episodes of in the past.
The next thing she knew, Theo was shaking her shoulder. “Ellie, wake up. It’s late and you need to go on to bed.”
Groggy, she blinked up at him, trying to understand. “What...what time is it?”
His lazy smile touched her like a sensual caress. “A little after ten. You fell asleep and looked so peaceful. I didn’t want to bother you.”
“Amelia.” She looked for the baby, not finding her. “Where’s Amelia?”
“I carried her upstairs a minute ago. She needed a diaper change and I think I figured out how to do it.” He lifted his shoulder in a sheepish shrug. “Though you might want to double-check my handiwork. She’s asleep in the crib.”
He’d changed Amelia? Talk about giant strides, especially from a man who’d barely been able to say his daughter’s name. Wisely, she kept her sentiment to herself. She sensed if she made a big deal about it or even commented, Theo would shut down.
“She’s going to want her nighttime bottle soon.” Pushing herself up off the sofa, she stifled a yawn. “I’ll just go ahead and make it, so I’ll have it when she wakes.”
He eyed her. “How do you know how to do all this, anyway?”
“My parents were very active in the church,” she said, shrugging. “When they went off to be missionaries, I stayed with a neighboring family who had triplets. Mrs. Anderson needed all the help she could get. I learned not only how to take care of babies, but I also learned how to cook.”
And Ellie had felt glad to be needed. Even if later, as she’d grown older, she’d come to understand she was being used as an unpaid nanny and cook. She hadn’t truly minded, as she’d come to love the triplets, but when she’d needed to get a job to earn her own money, she’d asked to be paid. Instead, she’d found herself out on the street. Luckily, one of her high school friends had taken her in until she could find a job and save for a place of her own.
Taking her arm, he guided her into the kitchen and over to a chair. His slow smile made her mouth go dry. “Sit. Tell me what to do and I’ll make the bottle.”
Wondering if she was still asleep and dreaming, she gave him instructions, unable to resist the tiniest bit of flirting. “It would seem you have a natural talent,” she told him, smiling shyly. His answering grin made her feel warm all over.
When the bottle was ready and he’d tested the temperature with a drop on his wrist, the way she’d told him, he handed it over, his fingers brushing against hers and lingering a second too long.
Telling herself it was in her imagination, she took it and pushed to her feet, again swaying slightly. He reached out to steady her, and somehow she ended up pressed against the muscular length of him.
Instantly, her senses leaped to life as she came deliciously awake. Breasts tingling against his rock-hard chest, her entire lower body began to melt as she stared up at him.
Green gaze dark, he lowered his face as if about to kiss her. She caught her breath, her heart lurching crazily, her mouth already throbbing. She wanted him so badly in that moment she shivered, dizzy with longing.
And then he released her, shaking his head, one corner of his sensual mouth curving. “Sorry. Old habits.”
Somehow she managed to make it out of that room and into hers without collapsing. Only when she’d closed the door and dropped down onto her bed and covered her face with her hands did she let herself think about what had just almost happened.
The only reason it hadn’t was that Theo had enough sense to back away.
Though she had to admit, the casual old habits had stung. But then, she chastised herself, what the hell had she expected? Theo Colton wasn’t for her. She needed her job and the protection Theo had promised from her crazy stalker. Which meant she needed to get herself under control and forget even thinking about being attracted to him.
Amelia began making snuffling sounds, which meant she was about to cry. Ellie scooped her up, gently pressing the bottle’s nipple against her perfect, bow-shaped lips. The baby latched on, suckling like a champion, which made Ellie smile.
Once Amelia had finished, Ellie burped her. One final check of her diaper, which had been put on perfectly, and she put the baby back in her crib, amazed at how quickly Amelia dropped into sleep.
Attending to her evening preparations as quickly as she could, Ellie brushed her teeth, washed up and changed into her pajamas.
She climbed into bed, ready to fall asleep, even though she knew she’d probably dream of Theo. She resolved, if she did, to promptly forget all about them in the morning.
* * *
That night and the next morning, Theo refused to even think about what foolish urge had made him almost kiss Ellie Parker. He’d been without a woman too long; that had to be it. After all, Ellie wasn’t even his usual type. He preferred his women curvy and flirty and casual. With her willowy, athletic figure, Ellie not only wasn’t his type, but was too serious by far.
And too sweet, he thought. The kind of woman who needed a white picket fence and a husband who was content to work a nine-to-five and come home to her each night.
In other words, everything Theo was not. Little Miss Serious would want it all, including love. He wasn’t in the habit of intentionally breaking hearts, and he didn’t intend to start now.
Rushing through his shower, he hurried downstairs to get the egg casserole baking in the oven. He also made a pot of coffee, waiting impatiently for it to finish brewing. Outside, the sun hadn’t yet risen, and he could tell the outside air would be crisp. His favorite kind of morning, back when he’d wake up and drive out to the rodeo grounds to check out the lay of the land. He’d walk the grounds, a cup of java steaming in his hands, looking for the other cowboys who were out there doing the exact same thing.
Shaking his head, he ruthlessly pushed that thought away the same way he’d quashed his surprising desire for Ellie.
Pretty soon the kitchen smelled like eggs and sausage and coffee. The hired hands begin to drift in, one by one, hanging up their jackets and wiping off their work boots on the mat just inside the back door before heading to their table in the adjoining room.
The casserole seemed to be a big hit, judging from the appreciative comments and requests for seconds. He’d already put the second one in and it had finished cooking just as he scooped the last bit out of the first pan.
The hands finished eating, several of them joking and laughing and clapping him on the back, calling him a damn good cook. As they filed out, Theo began to wonder why Ellie hadn’t yet put in an appearance.
Surely what had almost happened last night hadn’t made her skittish?
Fear stabbed him. What if she was sick? Or Amelia? Gemma wouldn’t be here for another hour or so. Trying to contain his rising panic, he rushed to Ellie’s room, finding the door closed. Taking a deep breath, he tapped lightly. When he received no answer, he went ahead and opened the door.
Inside, he heard water running and realized she was in the shower. Amelia gurgled, awake in her crib. He went closer and swore she smiled at him, flailing her tiny hands. Glancing toward the open bathroom door, Theo leaned over the crib, reaching for the baby. His hands looked huge even to him as he unbuttoned her Onesie so he could check her diaper. It was dry, which meant Ellie had changed her. He noticed two empty baby bottles on the dresser. One had to be from last night. The other meant Ellie had already been downstairs to make her formula and fed her. He had no idea when, but it had to have been before sunrise.
Amelia cooed, and Theo felt his smile widen. He’d never been much for babies—hell, what guy was—but this one seemed cuter than most.
“Well, good morning,” he said, in what he thought might be a reasonable facsimile of baby talk. “You look mighty pretty this morning.”
And then he’d be damned, but Amelia latched her teeny, tiny, wrinkled pink fist on to his finger and held on as if she knew what she was doing.
Throat tight, he stood still and let her.
A moment later the shower cut off. “I’m in here with Amelia,” he called out, just in case Ellie planned to walk out here naked or something. For his own protection as well, because baby or no baby, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to resist a nude Ellie. In fact, even thinking about it...
He forced his thoughts back to the baby, picking her up and holding her close as if she were also a shield.
“Morning.” Ellie wandered into the room, wrapped tightly in a towel, wearing another on her head like a turban. She looked pink and young and absolutely delectable.
Glad he was holding the baby, he managed a friendly smile. “I got worried when you didn’t come down for breakfast.”
“I’m sorry.” She sounded anything but. “I got up early to take care of Amelia and then came back up here and feel asleep. You’d promised to take care of feeding the hands, so I decided not to worry about that.”
Her gentle dig made him want to laugh. Instead he nodded. “There’s still some egg casserole left if you’re hungry.”
“I’m starving. I’ll come down and warm it up after I finish getting ready. Do you want to take Amelia with you or...”
A not so subtle request for him to go. He almost offered to take the baby with him, but then he realized he wouldn’t know what to do if she cried or needed something. No, he’d need a bit more practice and experience before he tried handling her alone.
“I’ll just put her back in her crib,” he said, pretending not to notice her disappointed expression. “Come on downstairs when you’re ready. Gemma will be here in a couple of hours.”
“Ninety minutes,” she corrected automatically. “You said eight-thirty. It’s seven now.”
“Right.” Once he had gently placed Amelia back, he carefully avoided looking at Ellie or going anywhere close to her. His hands were empty now and already he was itching to fill them.
Giving himself a mental shake, he hurried from her room and back down to the kitchen.
