He had learned at an early age that a man out in public with a horse or a puppy drew women like honey drew flies. In the last four months, he had learned that a man with a baby also attracted women. Wherever he traveled with Merry—grocery, park, rodeo, beach or mall—women came up to him to see the baby. But when he carried it further, it was different. A man and a woman who met over a horse or a dog could ignore the animal for a few hours. No such luck with a baby. When Merry demanded attention, Jared had discovered that most of the women he encountered either knew little about babies or already knew too much and didn’t want anything to do with another one. Romance had gone out of his life almost as swiftly as fatherhood had come into it.
But then, springing forth from a hedge, had come a beautiful lady who obviously loved little babies. “My, oh, my!” he whispered aloud. He looked down at the baby in his arms. She had finished the bottle, and her breath was rapid, rising and falling evenly, telling him she was asleep.
“What a day we’ve had, eh, li’l darlin’? It will be downhill all the way from here.” He placed Merry gently on the blanket. “We’re going to get our things and go find the pretty lady. I suspect she isn’t going to be able to resist you. We are going to ask Faith to dinner and to become part of our lives. We need her—I can feel it clear down to my toes,” he said to the sleeping baby.
He paused and looked at the spirea bushes. Only a sprinkling of white petals on the ground indicated that anything had disturbed the flowers. He picked a little sprig and tucked it into the pocket of Merry’s bag.
Jared stretched out on the blanket, folding his arms behind his head, and watched white clouds shift across the deep blue sky. He listened to the birds and enjoyed the slight April breeze while leaves caused shadows to dance across him. His thoughts were on Faith Kolanko. She had been calm, cool, efficient. And beautiful. Big green eyes, long legs. In his heart he gave another silent prayer of thanks for Merry’s rescue and for Faith Kolanko sweeping into their lives.
All his life, there had been women around—until the last two months. He missed having a woman around. He had thought of marriage—something that had never crossed his mind until he’d become a father. Now he was ready to marry. But now, because of Merry, he couldn’t get out and meet women with the ease he had known before. Well, Faith was one lady who had charged into his life, and he wanted to keep her there. At least, he wanted her there long enough to see if he wanted her there forever.
Two hours later Jared shook out the soft blanket, rolled it up, then bound it with leather before fastening it to a carrier on his back. Catching his shaggy hair, he fastened it with a leather thong behind his head. Then he carefully placed Merry in her baby carrier and secured her against his heart, brushing her soft hair lightly with his fingers.
“Sweetie, I didn’t know how lovable a little baby could be until I met you.”
He brushed off his jeans, gathered his things and crossed the park. Whistling, Jared strolled to the Harrington Building and pushed inside. Moments later, he was describing Faith to the receptionist, who shook her head at him.
“I’m sorry, sir. There are a lot of blond women who work in this building.”
“Faith Kolanko is about five feet eight inches tall. She has long blond hair, green eyes, a few freckles across her nose—”
“Miss Kolanko works on the fifth floor.” A man in a white shirt and dark slacks appeared at Jared’s side. “She’s an artist and works for Graphic Design.”
“Thanks,” Jared said, eyeing the man as much as the man was eyeing him. Jared turned, looked at the directory posted near the elevators and spotted Graphic Design listed on the fifth floor.
“We’ll have to wait until she gets off work, Merry,” he said to the sleeping baby. “We’ll come back about four o’clock so we don’t miss her.”
He strode out into the sunshine and back to the park, this time spreading his blanket in the shade where he could see two of the building’s exits.
At four he went to his pickup, where he left the blanket and picnic basket, opting instead for Merry’s umbrella stroller. “Now, darlin’,” he said, buckling Merry into the seat and handing her a bright blue rattle, “we’ll wait for Miss Kolanko to get off work.” Hooking Merry’s diaper bag over the handle of the stroller, he pushed her toward the Harrington Tower.
They sat in the cool lobby and watched people pour through on their way home from work, but Jared did not spot any tall, beautiful blonde. Five became six, the building emptied, and a security man in a brown uniform appeared.
“Sir, do you work in this building?”
“No, I don’t.”
“Well, unless you have some reason for being here, I’ll have to ask you to leave. I need to lock up the building for the night,” he said, switching off some of the lobby lights.
“I’m waiting for Faith Kolanko with Graphic Design.”
“Miss Kolanko? Do you mind if I verify that?”
“No, go ahead. I’m Jared Whitewolf,” he said, standing.
The security guard crossed the lobby to a phone and placed a call. Jared pushed Merry and the stroller closer.
“Whitewolf. He said he’s waiting for you, Miss Kolanko. That’s right, a little baby. Yes, ma’am. You’re welcome.” He replaced the receiver.
“She said to tell you she would be right down. Sorry for the inconvenience, sir, but we have to make the building as secure as possible.”
“sure. I understand. Thanks.”
Jared pushed the stroller back to the bench that faced the elevators and sat down to wait, watching as glowing numbers above the elevator moved from five to one. He stood as the double doors slid open and the woman he was going to marry emerged.
Two
Rushed, annoyed that she had to take time to see why the man she met in the park was waiting downstairs, Faith glanced around. Her searching gaze was arrested by a tall cowboy wearing a wide-brimmed black hat with two feathers hanging over the brim, a white T-shirt and a big silver buckle on a hand-tooled leather belt. Jeans hugged his slim hips, and the tips of black boots showed beneath the frayed edges. For an instant she didn’t recognize him. The lobby was dim; the hat hid his eyes. And the shaggy black hair she remembered from the afternoon was pulled behind his head, changing his appearance considerably.
The tall cowboy turned a stroller to face her, and she saw Merry Whitewolf. Faith knew the man she was facing was Jared Whitewolf.
“Mr. Whitewolf—”
“Howdy, Faith. And it’s Jared. You saved Merry’s life, so we’re on a very personal basis.”
“I have to get back to the office,” she said as he approached. She looked down at the baby, who smiled. Faith couldn’t resist smiling back. For just an instant the cares of the day fell away. “Hi, Merry,” she said, leaning down slightly. “You are the friendliest little girl I have ever seen.”
“That’s because her daddy’s friendly” came a slow drawl. “Sorry to interrupt your work, but
