10
Vance
This baby is a whole lot different now that she's eaten. I'm holding her in the crook of my arm, smiling down at her as we wait in Luke's office for someone from some agency to come and check her out.
Now that she's not hungry, she keeps blinking up at me. Just these little owl blinks. I'm not a baby pro or anything, but I get the feeling that she likes me.
I reach down and stroke a fingertip over her cheek, and she makes a face like she might cry.
"Better be careful there, V. Wouldn't want to rock the boat."
I flash Luke a grin. "Especially not with you on board."
I watch his face as it dawns on him what I'm saying. He looks surprised then abashed. He shakes his head. "Scared me to death."
"If 'scared to death' means trying to inflict death upon an innocent, stranded tourist..."
He snorts. "Don't know about innocent."
I grin remembering that. "I recall somebody up on deck just washing off, drinking the shower water, so damn thirsty." I shake my head, deadpanning it to make him laugh...and to make him feel like a fucking pervert. "Someone else sneaking around in shadows trying to get an eyeful."
Sky smirks, looking down at his desk, where he's got his cum-stained planner flipped open and he's tapping a pen against the top page.
"So this person we’re waiting for…who is it?” I ask. “What will they do when they get here?"
He shrugs. "Sometimes they take the babies. Figure out where to place them. Lots of times, we've got someone from Evermore waiting to take the baby home. I guess I should call Pearl. She does it more than I do. And they're going to ask for camera footage of the drop-off if I've got it. Just to rule out anything nefarious."
Sky picks up the phone and calls security. "Sounds good," he says, and I lift a brow.
"They’re going to send the footage over Everchat in a second,” he explains.
"Everchat." The name still makes me smile.
He lifts a shoulder. "You got a better name for it?"
"Nope. What I also don't have is my own fancy chat software like some...moguls."
Luke snorts at that. "Oh yeah, such a mogul here, talking about the Golden Rule and—"
"Flying on a jet," I tease him.
He gives me a warning look.
"I'm kidding, preacher.” I smirk. “I know it's that family money."
"Lots of talk about money. I'm thinking about something that rhymes with cold and bigger."
I let my mouth drop open in mock shock. Then I grin down at the baby. "I can't believe him, little miss babyface. Can you? Your zaddy's calling me a gold digger!"
The baby makes a little face that might be a smile.
“That’s right, little cupcake,” I say. “Be offended!”
The knock surprises me more than it should. I jump, and the baby’s mouth quavers.
“It’s okay,” I whisper.
"Come in," Luke says, stepping around his desk at the same time a Black woman in a tan pants suit comes through the door. Her hair is short, and she's wearing magenta lipstick.
As soon as she sees Luke, they both smile, looking pleased to see each other.
"Carrie. It's so good to see you."
She shakes his hand. "It's good to see you, PL." I can see her profile from where I'm standing near the door, so I see the teasing smile she gives him, and I bet she heard about his nickname from Pearl. "How've you been doing?" she asks.
Right about that time, she turns to me and looks me over, and her eyes grow wider. "This must be the man!"
I'm surprised to find my face heat at her perusal. "Look at him, too,” she drawls. “You've got you a mighty fine one, PL." She looks from me to Luke and snickers like she's embarrassed herself. Sky is shaking his head.
"Carrie, Carrie."
She smiles at me. "We've been friends for a long time now. How long is it, PL?"
"Probably about six or seven years."
"I've known him longer than you have," she teases, and I can see why Luke likes her.
I shake my head, tsk-ing. "I'm just sorry for you."
McD's mouth opens, and I'm beaming from seeing him here in his comfort zone.
"He's a lot to take care of, isn't he?" She casts Sky a look. "I bet he's working all the time. You have to pull him home for dinner?" she asks me.
Oh yeah, I pull him all right.
I nod. "Sometimes."
"He works about as much as I do,” she says of Luke. “Never takes a day off. You're a painter, right?" she asks me.
I nod.
"And let me see this little lady right here..."
This woman is nice, and I like her. She seems warm. And caring. So I don't know why it makes my chest hurt to hand the baby over to her.
"That's my little baby," she coos. "Look at this one. She's a gem." She looks at Luke. "So what's the story with her?"