Читать книгу In Bed with the Opposition - Kathie DeNosky - Страница 9

“Zeke, is Sheila at home?” Brad asked, as soon as his best friend answered the phone.

“Hey man, how are things going?” Zeke Travers asked cheerfully.

Brad tried to rub away the tension building at the back of his neck. “At the moment, not good.”

“I can tell.” Zeke laughed. “It sounds like Sunnie is throwing one grand and glorious fit. Where’s Juanita?”

“Out of town and—”

“Uh-oh, you’re on your own with the baby,” Zeke finished for him.

“Yeah and she won’t stop crying,” Brad said, wondering how something as small as a baby could make so much noise. He was pretty sure her wailing had the dogs barking in downtown Royal. “I was hoping Sheila might have an idea of what could be wrong with her.”

“Sorry, man. Sheila went with Abby Langley to do some shopping for the Christmas party they’re throwing next week for the kids at the women’s shelter over in Somerset.” His friend paused. “Do you think Sunnie might be hungry? When Sheila took care of her, I noticed that Sunnie was pretty short on patience when she wanted a bottle.”

“It hasn’t been that long since I fed her, and everything was fine up until about ten minutes ago,” Brad said miserably. “That’s when she started crying, and she won’t stop.”

“Maybe she needs her diaper changed,” Zeke suggested, sounding as mystified as Brad felt.

“I just put a new one on her.” Brad walked over to the baby swing, where his niece sat screaming at the top of her lungs. “I’ve tried rocking her, holding her to my shoulder and walking the floor with her. Nothing seems to help. She normally likes her swing, but that isn’t cutting it with her this evening, either.”

“Man, I don’t know what to tell you.” Zeke paused. “Hang on a minute. Abby’s car just pulled into the driveway. Let me fill Sheila in on what’s going on and then have her call you back.”

“Thanks, Zeke. I owe you one,” Brad said, ending the call. He tossed the phone on the couch and picked up Sunnie to pace the floor with her again.

He hated having to bother Zeke and Sheila. They were newlyweds, and he was pretty sure they had more pleasurable things to do in the evenings than give him advice on how to care for a baby. But he was at his wit’s end and man enough to admit that he needed help.

“It’s okay, baby girl,” he crooned as he patted her back and walked from one room to another. “We’ll get through this.”

If anything Sunnie’s screaming got louder and made him feel like a complete failure for the first time in his life. He had thought he was doing the right thing when he made the decision to adopt his late brother Michael’s daughter. But if today was any indication of his parenting skills, he might have been wrong. Although he had gotten the hang of diapering and feeding Sunnie, it appeared he was a complete washout at knowing what was wrong and how to calm her.

What was taking Zeke and Sheila so long to return his call? he wondered, checking his watch. It had been a good ten minutes since Zeke assured him that Sheila would call him back.

With Sunnie wailing in his ear like a banshee gone berserk, it took a moment for Brad to realize that someone was ringing the doorbell. “Thank God,” he muttered, as he rushed over to open the door. He fully expected to see Zeke and Sheila Travers standing on the other side. “I really appreciate—”

Instead of Sheila, Abigail Langley stood on the front porch with her hand raised to ring the doorbell again. Great. The last thing he needed was her witnessing yet another of his inadequacies in child care.

“I don’t want to be here any more than you want me here,” she said, as she hurried into the foyer. “But Sheila became ill while we were out shopping and asked me to stop by to check on you and Sunnie.”

Apparently he hadn’t been very good at hiding his displeasure at seeing her again. But Abby’s help was better than no help at all, he quickly decided when the baby’s screaming reached a crescendo. Explaining everything he’d tried to get Sunnie to stop crying, Brad shook his head. “Nothing works. She’ll start to wind down and look like she’s going to nod off, then she’ll open her eyes and start screaming again. If she keeps this up much longer, I’m afraid she’ll hurt herself.”

Quickly removing her coat, Abby handed it and her purse to him as she reached to take the baby. “It’s all right, angel. Help has arrived. Where’s her pacifier?”

He handed Abby the one he had been trying to get Sunnie to take. “I don’t think it will do any good. She keeps spitting it out.”

As soon as Abby placed the pacifier in the baby’s mouth and cradled her close, Sunnie’s crying began to lessen. “Do you have a rocking chair?” Abby asked.

All she had to do was walk in the door and take the baby from him and Sunnie reduced the racket she was making by a good ten decibels. “What the hell does she have that I don’t?” he muttered under his breath, as he laid Abby’s coat and purse on a bench in the hall, then led the way to the family room.

Motioning toward the new rocking chair he’d bought the day before bringing Sunnie home from Sheila and Zeke’s, Brad stuffed his hands into the front pockets of his jeans and watched as Abby seated herself and began to gently rock the baby. In no time at all Sunnie’s cries had settled to occasional whimpers and he could tell she was about to go to sleep.

“When I tried rocking her, she just screamed louder,” he said, unable to keep from feeling a bit resentful. The immediate change in the baby when Abby took her made him feel completely inept, and it annoyed him beyond words that she had been witness to it.

“I think the problem is that you’re nervous about taking care of her without help.” Abby shifted Sunnie from her shoulder to the crook of her arm. “She senses that.”

“I don’t get nervous,” he said flatly. Frowning, he stubbornly shook his head. “I might feel a little apprehensive about being solely responsible for her care, but I’m not the nervous type.”

Abby laughed softly. “Apprehension, nervousness, whatever you want to call it, I think she’s picking up on it and she’s letting you know the only way she can that it upsets her.”

Feeling a little insulted, he glared at the woman calmly rocking his niece. “So you’re saying it’s my fault she wouldn’t stop crying?”

Her indulgent smile as she shook her head had him clenching his teeth. “Not entirely. I think a big part of her problem is that she’s fighting to stay awake.”

Brad grunted. “I’d rather fight for sleep than against it.”

She nodded. “Me, too. But with each day Sunnie is becoming more alert and aware of what’s going on around her. I think she’s probably afraid she’ll miss something.”

While Abby rocked the baby, Brad went into the kitchen to start a pot of coffee and see if there was some of Juanita’s apple cake left. The least he could do was offer Abby cake and coffee for bringing the noise level down. When he returned to the family room, Sunnie was sound asleep.

“I don’t think we should risk waking her when you pick her up,” Abby said, her tone low.

“Good God, no.” Just the thought of another crying marathon like the one that had just ended made him cringe.

Rising from the chair, she smiled. “If you’ll tell me where the nursery is, I’ll put her to bed for you.”

He led the way up the stairs to the bedroom he’d turned into a nursery and couldn’t help but notice how natural Abby looked with a baby in her arms. If any woman was meant to mother a child, it was Abigail Langley. It bothered him to think she wasn’t going to give herself that chance.

He had come to fatherhood through adoption. She could reach motherhood that way, too. All she had to do was open herself to the possibility. But she apparently wasn’t ready to consider her options and it wasn’t his place to point out what they were.

While she put Sunnie to bed in the crib, he turned on the camera and picked up the video baby monitor to take with them. “Thank you for stopping by,” he said once they’d left the nursery and were descending the stairs. “It seems like you’ve had to come to my rescue twice today.”

She gave him a questioning look. “Since Sunnie is wearing a dry diaper, I assume you mastered that challenge?”

Nodding, he grinned. “It turned out to be a lot easier than getting her to bed for the night.” When they reached the bottom of the stairs, he asked, “Would you like to stay for a cup of coffee and a piece of cake?”

“I… should go and let you enjoy the quiet,” she said, walking over to the bench where he had laid her coat and purse earlier. “If you have any more problems you can always call me.”

Before she had a chance to pick up her things, he placed his hand to the small of her back and ushered Abby toward the family room. “To tell you the truth, I could use the company of another adult for a little while. As you’ve seen this evening, Sunnie isn’t exactly a witty conversationalist just yet.”

“No, but you have to admit, she gets her point across,” Abby said, smiling.

“No kidding.” He rubbed the side of his head. “I’m still experiencing some ringing in my left ear.”

When they went into the family room, she sat down on the edge of the couch. “If you don’t mind, I think I’ll pass on the cake and coffee. If I drink caffeine now, I’ll be up all night.”

“Would you like something else?” He walked over to turn on the gas log in the fireplace. “I think there are some soft drinks in the fridge.”

Abby shook her head. “I’m fine. Thank you.”

“I’d offer you something stronger, but since I don’t drink, I don’t keep it around the house.”

Brad’s sister, Sadie, had told her that he never drank anything stronger than coffee or iced tea, due to the fact that their older brother, Michael, had been an alcoholic, as well as a drug addict. It had ultimately led to the man’s death when, in a drug and alcohol induced haze, he’d crashed through a guardrail and driven over the side of a cliff.

“I’m not much of a drinker, either,” she admitted. “I might have an occasional glass of wine with dinner, but that’s about it.”

Brad sank into the big, overstuffed armchair flanking the couch. “Don’t get me wrong. I have nothing against drinking in moderation. It’s when a person doesn’t know when to quit that it becomes a problem.”

“Like it did for your brother?” she asked.

He nodded. “Mike had a rebellious streak a mile wide and would do anything he could think of to humiliate our dad. What better way to do it than to become the town drunk?”

She could tell Brad resented the fact that his brother had gone out of his way to humiliate the Price family. She could sympathize. In her senior year in high school she had suffered through her own family’s scandal, and knowing they were the subject of intense gossip and speculation had been one of the worst times in her life.

“A lot of kids go through a reckless stage,” she offered gently. “I’m sure Michael never meant for it to become the huge problem that it did for him.”

“You’re probably right. Unfortunately, Mike never seemed to be able to come out of that phase and it just got worse when Dad disowned him.”

Two years older than she and Brad, all she could remember about Michael Price was that he had a reputation for partying hard and raising hell. “Was your dad disowning him the reason he left Royal?”

“Dad had reached the end of his rope,” Brad said, nodding. “He ordered Mike out of the house and rather than stick around to see how Dad felt once he had cooled down, Mike took off. The first news we had of him was eight months ago when we were notified that he’d been killed.”

“Michael’s death must have broken your father’s heart,” she said, unable to imagine the degree of desperation Brad’s father had to have reached to take such a drastic stand. To lose his son without making amends had to have been crushing.

“I’m sure it affected him more than he let show.” Raising one dark eyebrow, Brad gave her a pointed look. “But don’t get the idea that Robert Price would have handled it any other way. You know how he is about appearances. Sadie wouldn’t have made the decision to move to Houston when she got pregnant with the twins if she hadn’t been worried about our father’s disapproval.”

Abby had been in Seattle at the time, working at the web development company she and one of her college friends had started right after graduation. It wasn’t until she sold her interest in the highly successful venture and moved back to Royal to marry Richard that she learned the story behind Sadie’s move.

“I’m glad she decided to return to Royal,” Abby said sincerely. “If she hadn’t, she and Rick might not have run into each other.”

Brad’s sister had become pregnant after one night with Rick Pruitt, just before the dashing Marine had been deployed to the Middle East. Losing touch, it wasn’t until some three years later that they were reunited when they ran into each other at the TCC clubhouse. Now they were happily married, raising their adorable two-year-old twin daughters and looking forward to a bright future together.

“Dad mellowed over the years and was pleased about her and the girls moving back, so it all worked out for the best.” Brad glanced at the video monitor he still held. “Do you think Sunnie will be all right? She cried awfully hard there for a while.”

“Babies do that.” Abby couldn’t help but be a bit amused. She had never seen Brad Price look more unsure of himself, and she found it oddly fascinating. “I think she’ll be fine, Brad. Really.”

“I hope that’s the case,” he said, placing the monitor on the end table beside his chair.

“This afternoon you mentioned that you don’t intend to hire a nanny,” she said, when he glanced at the monitor again as if needing to reassure himself that the baby was all right. “Having help might give you a bit more peace of mind about caring for her.”

“I’m not entirely certain that handing Sunnie’s care over to someone else would be in her best interest,” he said, surprising her. His expression told her that he had given the matter a considerable amount of thought.

“You’re going to try to do this on your own?” She hadn’t meant to sound so incredulous, but men with the kind of fortune Bradford Price had amassed hired help to take care of their children, even if they were married.

“Yes, I am,” he answered decisively. He sat forward, propping his forearms on his knees, and stared down at his hands as if trying to put his reasoning into words. “This isn’t about me or my comfort. This is about Sunnie. In her short little life, she’s been abandoned by her mother, used as a pawn in a blackmail scheme and passed from one stranger to another. She hasn’t really had the chance to bond with anyone.” His tone took on a hard edge. “She deserves a hell of a lot better than that.”

Abby couldn’t have agreed more. Sunnie had been the result of Michael Price’s only night with an unscrupulous woman who, after giving birth, had tried using her infant daughter at the request of a dangerous drug lord to extort money from the Price family. They had sent blackmail notes to Brad, as well as a few other TCC members, telling each of them they were the father in an effort to get as much money as they could. He had correctly assumed they’d be too embarrassed to reveal to each other that they were being blackmailed. But when Brad and the other men who had received notes refused to pay, the career criminal had given up on his scheme and the mother abandoned the baby on the doorstep of the club with a note pinned to her blanket, declaring Brad was Sunnie’s father. A DNA test proved that there was indeed a genetic link, but when Zeke Travers tracked down the baby’s mother, she admitted that it was Michael Price and not Brad who had fathered Sunnie. Whether it was due to a sense of obligation to his late brother or the fact that Sunnie had captured his heart, Brad had taken responsibility for her and started the adoption process.

“I applaud your dedication,” she said, choosing her words carefully. He was trying so hard to do the right thing for Sunnie, she certainly didn’t want to discourage him. “But don’t you think it would be wise to have a little help? At least until you become more accustomed to caring for her by yourself?”

“She’s had so many people come and go in her life, I want her to know that I’m not just another person taking care of her until the next one comes along.” He shrugged. “I want her to know early on that I’m always going to be here for her. That’s why I’m working from home for the next six months.”

“You’re serious,” she said softly, in total awe of the lengths he was willing to go to for the baby girl.

“Very. My assistant is running the day to day operation at the firm and forwarding anything she can’t handle through email and faxes. After Sunnie’s first birthday, I’ll see how things are going and make my decision whether to continue working from home or go back into the office.”

Abby had gained a newfound respect for Brad when she heard he was taking on the responsibility of raising Sunnie as his own, but that admiration had just gone up a good ten notches. She knew a lot of men with his wealth and position in the business community who wouldn’t even consider going to such lengths for their own children, let alone a niece or nephew they were adopting.

The contrast between Bradford Price, the playboy financial genius, and Brad Price, the dedicated new daddy, was disconcerting and Abby needed time to assimilate and understand the two sides of his personality. It had been much easier to view him as her lifelong rival and fierce opponent in the race for the TCC presidency than it was to see him as the down-to-earth, caring man she had seen over the course of the day.

Needing to put distance between them, she made a show of checking her watch as she rose from the couch. “I should go. I have to get up early tomorrow to help Summer Franklin with the charity drive.”

“In other words, you’re going to put those god-awful pink flamingos in some poor unsuspecting soul’s front yard, so he’ll have to donate money to the Helping Hands Women’s Shelter to get rid of them,” Brad said, getting up to walk her to the door.

“It’s for a good cause,” Abby defended.

“I’m not saying it isn’t.” Brad laughed. “But pink flamingos? Seriously, couldn’t they come up with something a lot more attractive and a little less tasteless?”

She picked up her coat and purse as they passed the bench in the hall. “If they were attractive, people might not be as eager to get rid of them and donate less.”

“I guess you have a point,” he conceded. “But do me a favor.”

“What’s that?” she asked as he took her coat from her and held it while she put it on.

Placing his hands on her shoulders, he turned her to face him. “When you drive by my place, keep on going,” he said, grinning. “I’ll send in a donation just to keep from having to look at them.” Before she realized what was happening, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close for a hug. “Thank you again for helping me out with Sunnie this morning and then again this evening. I really appreciate it, darlin’.”

For some reason, the endearment most Texas men used freely when talking to a woman sent a shiver straight up her spine and the awareness she had experienced when Brad kissed her under the mistletoe came rushing back tenfold. When had the skinny kid she had always competed against developed so many muscles? And why did they feel so darned good pressed against her?

Hastily backing away from him, she walked to the door, hoping he hadn’t noticed the fact that she had clung to him a little longer than was required for an embrace of appreciation. “If it gives you any measure of comfort, I can guarantee the pink flamingos won’t be on your lawn tomorrow morning when you get up.”

Grinning, he slipped his hands up to his thumbs into the front pockets of his jeans and rocked back on his heels. “That’s good to know.”

Stepping out onto the porch, she couldn’t resist turning back for one parting shot. “But don’t get too complacent, Price. Your day will come when you least expect it.”

What was wrong with her? she wondered, as she walked to her car. Why after all these years was she suddenly noticing Brad’s impressive muscles? How could it be that she felt more secure with his arms around her than she had in very long time? Had it been so long since she had been held by a man that even Bradford Price could make her feel breathless and cause her pulse to speed up?

“You’ve lost your mind, girlfriend,” she muttered to herself as she steered her luxury SUV around the circular drive and out onto the street.

She wasn’t looking to be held by any man, let alone a playboy like Bradford Price. With his piercing hazel eyes and dark good looks, he represented trouble with a great big capital T and she wanted no part of it.

Besides, after experiencing the pain of losing her husband, she wasn’t about to give her heart to another man and put herself in the position to go through something like that again. She was a survivor and it was only through working for various charities that she had kept herself going after the many disappointments of the past year. And although she did get lonely at times, community service would have to be enough for her. It was far less dangerous to her peace of mind than the almost irresistible combination of Bradford Price, with his rock-hard biceps and movie star good looks, and the most adorable baby girl Abby had ever seen.

“How much longer do you think we need to stay before it’s socially acceptable to leave?” Brad asked Zeke, as he checked his watch.

If the informal cocktail party he was attending hadn’t been in honor of the candidates for the various club offices, he would have declined the invitation. Instead, he had sipped on his club soda, engaged in the obligatory mingling with all of the other guests and counted the minutes until he could politely thank the election committee chairman, Travis Whelan, and his wife, Natalie, for hosting the party and leave.

“What’s the rush?” Zeke asked, looking puzzled. “I thought you’d be glad to have an evening off from your child-care duties. After all, you’ve been on your own with Sunnie now for the past week.”

Brad shrugged. “Sunnie isn’t the easiest baby to get to sleep, and I’m pretty sure my sister will be ready to throw me to the coyotes by the time I get back.”

“What happened to Bad Brad, the heartthrob of every sorority sister on the UT campus?” Zeke laughed. “If you’re not careful, you’re going to ruin your reputation as a world-class player.”

“The reports of my past conquests are greatly exaggerated,” Brad said, grinning. “If you’ll remember, I was the one sitting in our dorm room studying while you and Chris Richards were out on the town.”

“Yeah, maybe once,” Zeke shot back, his smile wide. “If you’ll remember, Chris Richards and I were usually with you in those days and doing anything but studying.”

As he and his best friend stood there reminiscing about their college days and their friend, Chris, another member of the TCC, Brad noticed Abby walk through the Whelans’ front door. Wearing a pair of black slacks, a matching jacket and a pink silk blouse, she was utterly stunning. To his amazement, the sight of her robbed him of breath.

Maybe Zeke was right about his needing a night out, Brad decided, forcing himself not to stare. If the sight of his lifelong nemesis peaked his interest like this, then he was in definite need of some female companionship.

“Looks like Sheila’s trying to get my attention,” Zeke said, nodding toward his wife. “I’ll bet she’s not feeling well again and wants to go home.”

“Has she seen a doctor?” Brad asked, concerned for the woman who would soon be Sunnie’s godmother. He couldn’t think of anyone else he’d rather have for the baby’s godparents than the Traverses. Brad knew for certain that if anything happened to him, they would see that Sunnie was loved and cared for.

“Not yet,” Zeke said, looking worried. “She has an appointment tomorrow.” He placed his champagne glass on a passing waiter’s tray. “I’ll see you the day after tomorrow at our meeting with the commissioner.”

“Tell Sheila I hope she’s feeling better soon,” Brad said, as his friend started across the room toward his wife.

“I’m worried about Sheila,” Abby said, walking over to him.

“So is Zeke, but I’m sure she’ll be all right,” Brad said, turning his attention to the woman beside him. “You look very nice this evening.”

She gave him a suspicious look. “Really?”

Her question surprised him. “I wouldn’t have said it if I hadn’t meant it.”

“In that case, thank you,” she said, taking a sip of the drink she held.

“Why would you think I’m not sincere?” he asked, frowning.

“You have to ask?” Her laughter caused an unfamiliar warmth in his chest. “I’m not used to something like that from you, Price. Veiled insults and jokes at my expense—yes. Compliments—no.”

Brad started to deny her claim, but with sudden clarity, he realized she was right. When she had joined the TCC, he had made comments and jokes about her that, looking back, he wasn’t overly proud of. It was no wonder she didn’t believe him when he made a favorable remark.

“I believe an apology is in order,” he said, clearing his throat.

“You’re out of your mind if you think I owe you an apology, Price,” she said incredulously. “Of all the arrogant—”

“Hush.” Setting his drink on a nearby table, Brad took her by the elbow and led her out into the Whelans’ enclosed courtyard before she drew too much attention to them. If he was going to have to eat crow, he didn’t particularly want witnesses.

“What are you up to now, Price?” she demanded.

When they were safely out of earshot of anyone eavesdropping, he placed his hands on her shoulders to keep her from walking away. “If you’ll stop jumping to conclusions and let me finish, I would like to tell you that my behavior the past several months has been out of line and uncalled for.” He could tell by the widening of her vibrant blue eyes that it was the last thing she expected from him. “I’m sorry for that, Abby.”

She shook her head. “I … um … don’t know what to say.”

“You could start by telling me you accept my apology.” He shrugged. “But that’s up to you.”

“Y-yes …” She cleared her throat. “I accept.”

“Good.” He smiled. “Now that we have that out of the way, I want you to know that I meant what I said.” He slowly slid his palms down her arms until he caught her hands in his, then stepped back and took in the sight of her. “You really do look incredible, Abby.”

“Thank you,” she said, her voice soft.

From the muted landscape lighting, he wasn’t certain, but it looked as if she blushed. Fascinating. For reasons he didn’t fully understand, Brad pulled her into his arms and held her close.

“What on earth do you think you’re doing?” she asked, starting to pull away from him.

“I’m giving you a friendly hug to go along with my apology,” he said, enjoying the feel of her lithe body pressed to his a little more than he anticipated. He felt a tiny shiver course through her and instinctively knew it had nothing to do with her being cold.

“When have we ever been friends?” she asked.

Releasing her, Brad stepped back. “Maybe it’s about time to put this rivalry behind us and declare a truce.”

She looked suspicious. “Why now after all these years?”

He shrugged. “Once I become the president of the TCC it would be nice to see unity restored to the club.”

“Oh, really? You ‘re going to win the presidency?” She laughed as she turned to walk back into the house. “I knew there had to be an underlying motive to your sudden generosity.”

After watching her go inside, Brad stuffed his hands into his trouser pockets and stared up at the clear night sky. What the hell had gotten into him?

Lately, it seemed that he seized every opportunity to touch Abby, to hold her to him. It had started the other day at the clubhouse when she had helped him change Sunnie’s diaper. He’d hugged her to offer his comfort when she told him about her inability to have children. But that didn’t explain his kissing her under the mistletoe. And later that evening when she stopped by to help him get Sunnie to stop crying, he had told himself he hugged her out of gratitude. But the truth was, a simple thank-you would have sufficed.

Brad shook his head as he rejoined the party. There was a simple explanation for his actions and it didn’t take a genius to figure out what it was. He was a healthy male with a healthy appetite for the ladies. Since taking on the responsibility of his niece, he had curtailed his pursuit of female companionship, and it was only natural that he would gravitate toward Abby, since she was the only single female he’d had contact with in the past few weeks.

Satisfied that he had determined the reason for his uncharacteristic actions, Brad found the host and hostess, thanked them for the party and headed for the door. He would have to ask his sister to babysit again some evening in the near future in order for him to have a night out. Until then, he’d just have to make sure he steered clear of Abigail Langley.