Holiday Baby by Jenna Mindel

Author:Jenna Mindel
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2018-08-13T16:24:36+00:00

Chapter Eight

The next day, Simon spotted Cat through his storefront window wearing that festive red knit hat. He met her at the door. “Hello.”

“Hey. Can you keep an eye on Opal for a minute? I brought the pinecones and birch for the window box.”

“Sure.” He took a sleeping Opal, bundled in her car seat, and set her on a bench behind the cash register, where it was nice and warm.

Sunshine streamed in through the door and window, warming his retail space even more. He could see Cat moving around outside, arranging branches amid the greenery he’d stuffed there yesterday. She placed pinecones that were attached to sticks within the clumps of pine and cedar branches.

It didn’t take long before Cat peeked her head inside the store. “I’m done if you want to come out and see.”

He checked to make sure that Opal was still asleep before following Cat outside. Glancing at the window box that ran the length of his storefront window, he liked what he saw. “Really nice.”

She gave him a playful shove. “Come now, it’s better than nice. I told you the glitter would work.”

It did. She’d stuck red berries in with the pine alongside the birch and pinecones. The jazzed-up birch branches were coated in what looked like large sugary granules that shimmered in the light. She’d even twirled red velvet ribbon throughout the arrangement. “You were right. The storefront looks great with all this. Thank you.”

She smiled. “Thank you for offering me a job.”

His stomach took a dip, so he quickly checked his watch. Five long hours before he closed up shop. “Let’s get started, then. I’ll show you how the register works and all that goes with it.”

“Sounds good.” Cat entered the store and checked on Opal. “I have one more thing to grab from my car. Do you mind?”

“Not at all. Go ahead.” Simon stood near the sleeping baby while Cat disappeared around the corner. Opal might not make as good a chaperone as he’d originally thought, considering the amount of time the baby slept.

Cat returned with a duffel bag.

“What’s that?”

“A portable play-crib thing. I can’t keep Opal in her car seat all afternoon. Where would you like me to put it?”

Babies came with all sorts of accessories. “How big is it?”

Cat pulled it from the duffel and popped it up in no time, adding a sort of shelf that was about halfway deep that turned it into a crib.

“Let’s put it behind the counter, in the corner. It’s warm there and she’ll be out of the way, but you can still keep an eye on her throughout the store.”

Cat smiled again. “Thank you for letting me bring her. I don’t think she’ll make any trouble. Overall, she’s pretty good.”

Until she screamed to be fed or needed changed. Even then, Cat could use the back for privacy and he could cover the store. “No problem. I like seeing her.”

Cat tipped her head as if she’d say something, but then didn’t. Cat lifted Opal out of the car seat, wrapped her in a blanket and settled the baby on her back in the portable crib.

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