storm passed.” Lucas handed her a card.
“The snow hasn’t,” Edward said.
Was he as grumpy as he sounded? He seemed harmless and even friendly underneath his elderly annoyance.
“We had car trouble,” Demi said.
“We can get a tow for you.” Gladys gave Lucas his card back.
“Don’t bother, it’s totaled. It caught on fire.” Lucas glanced over at Demi with a secretive grin.
“Oh, my goodness. I am so happy you are all right.”
Gladys gave him the key—a real key. The charm of this place was already working its way into Demi.
“Do you have room service?” she asked.
“We have a kitchen and prepare food for all three meals a day, but it’s all put away now. There’s a restaurant not far from here that delivers to us, though.” Gladys produced a menu.
Demi took it, thrilled to no end. “Thank you.”
“Have a good night.”
“Breakfast starts at seven,” Edward said.
Lucas led the way up the grand staircase and down the hall to their end room. Only then did Demi realize they’d be sharing it. She hadn’t thought to ask for her own.
Lucas opened the door and let her go in first. A king-sized bed with a cream comforter that had a thick green stripe running across the foot end was to the left of the door. A white nightstand with a dark wood top was on each side. A counter with a microwave and coffee machine was to the left. There was a small refrigerator below. The bathroom was behind an old-fashioned sage-colored sofa that faced a fireplace and high-backed chair. The walls were sage green and trimmed in white. Tall windows flanked the fireplace, and a larger window was between a dresser with a television and the high-backed chair.
Demi removed the baby pack and a now-fussing Wolf. Lucas put the backpacks on the sofa and went to the large window, performing his sentinel role.
After removing her outer clothes, Demi prepared Wolf’s dinner, holding him in one arm. Then she went to the chair and sat, feeding him with a bottle.
Lucas left the window and checked the taller, narrower windows. When he finished, he turned on the fireplace and sat on the sofa with the restaurant menu.
“Pizza?”
Anything sounded good right now. “Sure.”
He took out his mobile and put it away. There must have been no service because he went to one of the nightstands and used the phone to order.
Demi looked down at Wolf, with his red hair and closed eyes, as he suckled the bottle. He’d been a real trouper on the long, cold walk here. He’d only started complaining when he got hungry. Maybe he’d grow up to be an outdoor person, like her.
Lucas finished ordering and sat down on the sofa and watched them. Wolf began making tiny grunting sounds, contented with a full tummy. He opened his eyes and met hers. Their bond was magical. She’d heard other mothers talk of it but hadn’t come close to imagining what it would be like for real. Indescribable. Miraculous.
Wolf finished his dinner. She needed to get him ready for bed.
Standing, she walked to Lucas. “Will you hold him so I can get us ready for bed?”
Lucas looked up at her and then reached out to take the baby. He cradled Wolf in his arms, his size dwarfing the little one.
Demi dug into her backpack, which she had strategically packed to fit the most items. She found Wolf’s pj’s and a fresh diaper and set them on the counter. In the bathroom, she flattened a towel out on the vanity next to the sink. Before retrieving Wolf, she washed her face and got into her own pj’s—she’d opted for pants and a top.
When she emerged from the bathroom, Lucas was at the counter with Wolf, changing his diaper and talking to him in a baby voice. She couldn’t hear exactly what he said, something to do with fresh and clean for bed.
She stopped beside them and saw Wolf’s big smile. He giggled and waved his arms.
“It didn’t take long for him to latch on to you.”
Lucas smiled with a glance at her. He finished dressing Wolf and lifted him, raising him high and then bringing a pudgy cheek down for a blow-kiss. Wolf squealed in delight.
“I am never going to get him to sleep if you keep that up.”
“We can hang out for a little while.” Lucas cradled the baby in one arm as though he’d held infants all his life.
“How are you so adept at handling babies?”
“Friends and family gatherings.”
“You like them.”
“Kids? Yeah, of course. What’s not to like?” He offered his pinky and Wolf grabbed hold. “Yeah.”
His sing-song tone contrasted mightily with all his brawn. Adoration suffused her. After that kiss, the whole spectacle warmed her much more, having more sentimentality and heat.
“You said you don’t want to have kids.”
“Not my own. It’s easy to enjoy them when they aren’t yours.”
A laugh bubbled up and out of her. She used to think the same before Wolf came along.
“He’ll have to sleep between us tonight,” Lucas said in his normal man tone. Then, to Wolf, the sound changing again, he said, “Won’t you? Yeah.” He brushed his nose with the baby’s, eliciting another raucous bout of giggles. “We can’t have you rolling off anything.”
The baby would serve as a barrier between them. Demi should be glad for that.
“Are you sure you won’t roll onto him?” she asked.
“I doubt I’ll get much sleep tonight anyway. I won’t roll over on him.” Lucas’s voice reverted to the animated version for the last declaration. “No I won’t.”
“How did I ever miss this Jerry Maguire character you have in you?”
His deep chuckle rendered Wolf still. His eyes grew big and he stared up at Lucas as though the rich sound fascinated him.
I’m with you, pal. More than his voice fascinates me.
Demi had to endure another half hour of Lucas playing with Wolf before sleepiness finally took over and the baby conked out in his arms. She also had to endure the way Lucas watched the transition from play to sleep. He held Wolf until the phone rang, signaling their pizza had arrived.
Demi took Wolf from him and laid the baby on the bed while Lucas took care of the pizza delivery. She arranged a blanket around Wolf and leaned down to kiss his forehead. She wasn’t accustomed to sharing him with anyone. No one else had been around. She had to admit to a little jealousy, seeing how smitten her
