public that you’re not some kind of monster without, well, making sure you are seen out and about with children.”
“I get that, but can’t I just make an appearance and call it good without judging babies?”
“It won’t be so bad.”
“I don’t know the first thing about babies. They make me nervous. As it is, I’m not that good around older children.”
“Oh, I don’t know. You did fine with mine at the ball diamond last Friday.”
Sure, Alec had been a little awkward, especially at first. Danielle didn’t like him, but that wasn’t because of anything he’d done. Her kids hadn’t found him frightening or creepy. If they had, they would have said so. They were unflaggingly honest in that way. All kids were.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
“What if I wind up pelted with pacifiers or booed out of the park?”
His attempt at humor came as a welcome surprise. Julia chuckled at the visual. “I don’t think it will come to that. I know one of the organizers.”
“Calling in another favor?”
“Let’s just say I promised her that Best For Baby would offer a savings bond to the contest winner, and it doesn’t hurt that we’ll be passing out coupons for a free package of diapers.”
“My reputation is being salvaged by something worn on a baby’s butt. Great,” he muttered. “So, you’ll be there, too?”
Foolishly, her heart kicked out an extra beat. Her tone purposefully glib, she asked, “Afraid to go into the lion’s den alone?”
“Hell yes. Besides, if I have to suffer through an afternoon of glad-handing and gratuitous fawning, I think you should, too.”
“I don’t think it will be as painful as all that,” she told him. “But I promise to stick by you the entire time.”
“Something to look forward to.” His reply had her smiling. “Where do you want to meet?”
“How about the lobby of your apartment building in, say, half an hour?”
“My apartment building?”
“You’ll need to change your clothes for this.”
“And you need to approve my attire.”
She neither confirmed nor denied his response. “Half an hour,” she said again. “’Bye.”
* * *
When Alec arrived, Julia was already in the lobby, leaning against the front desk and chatting with the security guard. It didn’t surprise him that she’d beat him there, even though his office was closer. He’d been waylaid by a couple of phone calls, including one from her reporter friend. What did surprise him was her easy manner with Hank Maloney, the grizzled-looking, retired cop who stood sentinel in the apartment building’s lobby Monday through Friday. Alec had lived in the building for nearly four years and he’d never heard Hank’s voice, except for an occasional grunt that served as a greeting.
The older man’s leathery face was split with a grin now. He had his wallet out and was showing Julia pictures of his grandkids.
“They’re just precious, Hank.”
“Smart as whips, too,” he replied. “I’ve been puttin’ aside some of the pension money I get from the city so that they’ll be able to get into a good college someday without having to take out loans. My boy, he teaches at a parochial school. His wife, too. They started a college fund right after the kids were born, but the way tuition is rising, it ain’t going to be enough.”
“Tell me about it,” she said grimly. She spotted Alec then and straightened. Her expression turned businesslike. “Hello, Alec.”
She was dressed in navy capri pants and a floral print top that was belted at the waist with a length of satin ribbon. The blouse’s butterfly sleeves fluttered as she waved goodbye to the guard and crossed the lobby to Alec. The outfit, which she’d paired with low sandals, was perfect for an afternoon of strolling about the park. He’d bet she’d changed. He couldn’t see her wearing that to her office.
Girl next door, he thought. She had that appeal. Especially when she offered a guileless smile as she stepped
“I get that, but can’t I just make an appearance and call it good without judging babies?”
“It won’t be so bad.”
“I don’t know the first thing about babies. They make me nervous. As it is, I’m not that good around older children.”
“Oh, I don’t know. You did fine with mine at the ball diamond last Friday.”
Sure, Alec had been a little awkward, especially at first. Danielle didn’t like him, but that wasn’t because of anything he’d done. Her kids hadn’t found him frightening or creepy. If they had, they would have said so. They were unflaggingly honest in that way. All kids were.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
“What if I wind up pelted with pacifiers or booed out of the park?”
His attempt at humor came as a welcome surprise. Julia chuckled at the visual. “I don’t think it will come to that. I know one of the organizers.”
“Calling in another favor?”
“Let’s just say I promised her that Best For Baby would offer a savings bond to the contest winner, and it doesn’t hurt that we’ll be passing out coupons for a free package of diapers.”
“My reputation is being salvaged by something worn on a baby’s butt. Great,” he muttered. “So, you’ll be there, too?”
Foolishly, her heart kicked out an extra beat. Her tone purposefully glib, she asked, “Afraid to go into the lion’s den alone?”
“Hell yes. Besides, if I have to suffer through an afternoon of glad-handing and gratuitous fawning, I think you should, too.”
“I don’t think it will be as painful as all that,” she told him. “But I promise to stick by you the entire time.”
“Something to look forward to.” His reply had her smiling. “Where do you want to meet?”
“How about the lobby of your apartment building in, say, half an hour?”
“My apartment building?”
“You’ll need to change your clothes for this.”
“And you need to approve my attire.”
She neither confirmed nor denied his response. “Half an hour,” she said again. “’Bye.”
* * *
When Alec arrived, Julia was already in the lobby, leaning against the front desk and chatting with the security guard. It didn’t surprise him that she’d beat him there, even though his office was closer. He’d been waylaid by a couple of phone calls, including one from her reporter friend. What did surprise him was her easy manner with Hank Maloney, the grizzled-looking, retired cop who stood sentinel in the apartment building’s lobby Monday through Friday. Alec had lived in the building for nearly four years and he’d never heard Hank’s voice, except for an occasional grunt that served as a greeting.
The older man’s leathery face was split with a grin now. He had his wallet out and was showing Julia pictures of his grandkids.
“They’re just precious, Hank.”
“Smart as whips, too,” he replied. “I’ve been puttin’ aside some of the pension money I get from the city so that they’ll be able to get into a good college someday without having to take out loans. My boy, he teaches at a parochial school. His wife, too. They started a college fund right after the kids were born, but the way tuition is rising, it ain’t going to be enough.”
“Tell me about it,” she said grimly. She spotted Alec then and straightened. Her expression turned businesslike. “Hello, Alec.”
She was dressed in navy capri pants and a floral print top that was belted at the waist with a length of satin ribbon. The blouse’s butterfly sleeves fluttered as she waved goodbye to the guard and crossed the lobby to Alec. The outfit, which she’d paired with low sandals, was perfect for an afternoon of strolling about the park. He’d bet she’d changed. He couldn’t see her wearing that to her office.
Girl next door, he thought. She had that appeal. Especially when she offered a guileless smile as she stepped
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