Desperately Seeking Dad by Marta Perry

Author:Marta Perry
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Steeple Hill
Published: 2000-09-19T04:00:00+00:00

The baby was still crying. Well, one thing at a time. Mitch crossed to the playpen and picked up Emilie. This time no magic happened—she continued to wail, although the volume decreased.

“Okay, little girl, it’s okay.” He bounced her on his hip the way he’d seen Anne do when she fussed.

“Everything’s going to be all right. Mitch will take care of you.”

Yeah, right. It was one thing to give a baby a bottle and then hand it back when it cried. Taking complete care of one was something else entirely.

Emilie seemed a little calmer when he talked, so he did his thinking out loud. “I guess I could call somebody else to help. Wanda, maybe.”

It seemed to be working. The baby’s sobs quieted to whimpers, and she looked up into his face.

“But do I really want to do that? Open us up to her curiosity? No, I don’t think so.”

Besides, he’d told Anne he’d take care of them.

“So I guess you’re stuck with me.” He smiled at Emilie. She smiled back, and he felt as if he’d struck gold. “Let’s get some water for your mommy, and we’ll look for that teething ring she mentioned.”

He tickled Emilie, getting a belly laugh that startled and amused him, then headed for the kitchen.

It was harder than it looked to manipulate a glass of ice water, a bottle of aspirin and a baby. He didn’t want to put her down, because she might start crying again. He had an uneasy suspicion that if she did, he wouldn’t find it so easy to stop her.

“Okay.” He stuffed the aspirin bottle in his back pocket and set the water pitcher back in the refrigerator with his free hand. “Let’s get this up to Mommy. Maybe I’ll have to ask her where the teething thing is.”

He started to close the door, then realized that pink, gel-filled donut looked out of place in Kate’s refrigerator. “Hey, is this yours?” He held it out to Emilie, who grabbed it and stuffed it in her mouth. “I guess so.”

He picked up the glass. “One more time up the stairs, okay?”

Emilie seemed content to be put in her playpen now that she had the teething ring to chew on, so he deposited her and tiptoed into the bedroom.

Anne lay on her side, one hand under the pillow. Her black hair tumbled about her face, curling damply on her neck. He brushed it back, resisting the urge to let his fingers linger against her soft cheek.

“Anne.” He hated to disturb her, but she probably should take something for the fever.

She stirred, and her eyes opened, focusing on him.

“I brought you some aspirin and a glass of water.”

She nodded, propping herself on one elbow long enough to down the tablets with a thirsty gulp of water. “Emilie…”

“Emilie’s fine. I found the teething ring, but you’d better tell me what to feed her and when.”

“I’ll get up.” She started to push the quilt aside, and he tucked it back over her firmly.

“No, you’re not getting up.

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