“Hey, hey,” she said and rubbed the child’s back soothingly. At the same time she pushed the child up and against Luke’s chest. The pained look on his face became even more pronounced.
“It’s all right, sweetheart,” Marie crooned. “Daddy’s got you. Everything’s okay. Daddy will fix everything, won’t you, Daddy?” When Luke didn’t speak up quickly enough to suit her, Marie poked Luke in the ribs as a prompt to answer. It was her feeling Daddy shouldn’t have to think quite so hard before responding.
“Ouch! What’d you do that for?” He glared at her. Damned woman had been a pain since the moment he’d run—scratch that—she’d run into him.
Marie glared right back and gestured to the sobbing toddler. The noise level had dropped but people were still staring and they were still only a few decibels below eardrum shattering.
“Oh, right.” Luke cleared his throat. “Marie’s right, Carolyn. Dad’s got the situation under control.” He wished. “You can stop screaming. It’s not going to change anything, after all and if you’ll just stop and think for a minute I’m sure you’ll realize—”
Marie reached up and snatched the baby right out of his arms and hugged her to her breast. “Oh, for God’s sake. Come here, sweetie. Let Auntie Marie hold you.” Marie wrapped her arms snuggly around the baby so she’d feel secure, rested her cheek on the top of little one’s head and began to rock in place. “Shh, shh, Auntie Marie’s got you now and she won’t let anything happen to you.”
Luke rolled his eyes and muttered, “Oh, brother.”
Marie sent him an evil look and mouthed, “Go get the blanket you bought.”
“What? I can’t hear you. Carolyn, you’ve simply got to pipe down before you permanently damage our hearing. Now, what did you say?”
Marie refrained from kicking him in the shins. Barely. Very softly she instructed, “Go and get the baby blanket you bought.”
“You’re still mumbling,” Luke complained. “Did you say you wanted the pink blanket? What for? Marie, look at her. She’s all red and overheated. The last thing she needs is a blanket. She must be getting heavy. Let me take her back.”
She finally blew up. “So you can make her cry again? The blanket’s a comfort thing, you dolt! You probably had one yourself at her age. Or maybe you didn’t and that’s what’s wrong with you. Now would you just quit arguing and go get it?”
Luke backed away and made a calming gesture. “All right, okay, I’m going, see? But I’d just like to point out I’m not the one who made her cry again. If you were all that good with kids you’d know not to yell like that. It upsets them.”
Marie ground her teeth. For two cents she’d hand the child off to him and sit back to watch the show. Unfortunately they’d all be sharing the same car for the next hour and the screaming was already grating on her nerves. “There, there, sweetheart, I’m sorry. It’s just that men are such morons, sometimes your only option is to cut loose.” Marie continued to rub Carolyn’s back while she vilified all men in a soft croon. “You’ll see. Someday you’ll come to me and say, ‘Auntie Marie, I remember back when I was no more than two and you told me all about men. You were right, Auntie Marie. They are dolts.’ Now let’s go down to the car, all right, honey? I’ll introduce you to another of the species. Homo Sapiens Adolescenti, an absolutely pitiable group. The worst of the worst. You remember that when you’re sixteen and don’t have anything to do with them, okay, sweetheart? Save yourself all kinds of grief.”
By then they’d reached the car. Luke had finished unwrapping the blanket. He held it out to her.
“Just drape it over her,” Marie directed. “Make sure the satin touches her cheek.”
“Right. But I still say she’s going to suffocate.” Luke carefully covered his daughter, arranging the folds just so. “How’s that?”
Carolyn snuffled twice then turned off the spigot altogether.
Marie sighed. “Wonderful. In another hour or two the birds may even feel safe enough to begin chirping again.”
Luke reluctantly grinned. “Yeah. It was pretty scary, wasn’t it? I’ve got to run back in and get her car seat. I’ll be right back.”
“Coward,” Marie said, but she smiled and snuggled Carolyn while they waited.
Carolyn had so exhausted herself with all the carrying on, that she conked right out within minutes of the car being in motion. Blessedly, she slept the entire trip through.
“Well, that’s done,” Luke said as he pulled into his own driveway. “I think I’ve got enough time to make arrangements to get my car towed in and get a loaner. Tomorrow you can take me over to pick up a rental.”
Marie sighed. She supposed it would be mean-spirited to say no. The accident had been their fault, after all. “Sure. I guess.”
“Call your insurance agent when you get home. We’ll exchange insurance information and stop by the police station when I see you tomorrow.”
“Yeah. Right.” Man, she really didn’t want to do this. Besides having the personality of a prickly pear, Luke was a reminder of a painful period in her life. “Twelve o’clock?”
“Sounds good. See you then.”
“Right.” Marie put the car into Drive while she waited for Jason to get back to the car after helping Luke in with Carolyn’s stuff. She wanted out of there just as quickly as possible. She had a feeling that the longer she stuck around Luke Deforest, the worse off she’d be. And the effect he seemed to have on her was only the half of it. Luke Deforest was trouble with a capital T.
Chapter Two
Instead of sliding into the passenger side, Jason came around to the driver’s side. Marie sighed. She should have known.
“Scoot over, Marie. I’ll drive now.”
Only over her dead body. “Sorry, Jason, but I’m driving. One accident per day is about all I can handle.”
Jason rolled his eyes. “Oh, come on. You can’t be serious.”
But Marie stood firm. She’d reached her quota of adolescent-style thrills and chills for the moment. It was either stand firm or flip out. Marie knew which one she preferred. “No. I’m afraid there’s no negotiating this one.” Ha, there was a misnomer if ever there was one. More like gross intimidation wouldn’t get the adolescent his way this time. Unfortunately for Jason she was too numb to be properly cowed by the prospect of one of his scenes. “I’m driving,” she assured him firmly. “Jump in and let’s go before Luke comes out to see what’s wrong.”
That threat worked. Luke was twice his size and not happy with the accident. Jason knew he’d gotten off easily. He still had all his appendages, was still breathing, wasn’t he? He moved. Not particularly graciously, but he moved.
He also scowled. He stomped around the front of the car, slapping the hood with his fist as he circled in front of it. He slammed the door when he got in and immediately began complaining. “Man,
