Rules of Desire: Protecting Erin(22)
Aware that Rachel eyed her sister critically, Jared bent to pick up Theresa, his gaze drawn to Marissa as she came through the curtain that separated the lingerie shop from the back rooms. Scowling when he saw her red-rimmed eyes, he glanced at Rachel. “She okay?”
Shaking her head, Rachel handed William back to him, eyeing him meaningfully. “Sammy’s in the back. Why don’t you go say hi to him and put William down?”
Nodding, he started to set Theresa on her feet again when she cupped her hand to whisper in his ear. “I don’t like carrots. Mommy makes me eat carrots.”
Hiding a smile, Jared sighed. “Aunt Erin makes me eat carrots, too.”
After setting her on her feet, he nodded soberly and took William, hiding a smile when Theresa gave Erin an accusing look, a look she met with a raised brow.
Erin’s eyes danced, love for her niece obvious. “You have to eat your carrots. So do your daddies and your uncles.”
Lowering her head, Theresa looked up at Erin through her lashes, twisting from side to side. “Okay.”
Copying her, Jared met his wife’s look of amusement with a raised brow, looking into Erin’s eyes as he spoke to Theresa. “Sometimes you have to trust that someone who takes care of you knows best.”
It made him feel slightly better when she blushed, but he knew he wouldn’t get rid of the nagging sense of foreboding until they’d worked everything out.
He barely had time to greet Marissa, who gave him a distant smile before rushing to greet the customer who walked in, but he’d gotten close enough to see that she wore more makeup than usual, probably in an effort to disguise the fact that she’d been crying.
He hoped like hell it wasn’t to cover a bruise.
Making a mental note to call Cole Madison when he left, Jared headed toward the back.
Cole, Sloane, and Brett Madison had already expressed their interest in Marissa, but she’d done her best to keep them at a distance—something Jared doubted would last much longer.
He went through the curtain, passing the kitchen on his way down the short hall to the nursery Boone and Chase had made in the back room.
After settling his sleeping son in the crib, Jared straightened to look at Sammy.
Sitting on the sofa, Sammy stared down at a plastic red truck, moving it forward and backward on the cushion in front of him.
Noting that the small boy seemed unusually silent and sullen, Jared went to the sofa to sit on the other side. “Hi, Sammy. I like your truck.”
Without looking up, Sammy paused to stare at the truck. “Mr. Brett bought it for me.”
“Did he? That was very nice of him.”
“My daddy broke mine. Stepped on it and broke it so Mr. Brett took me to the toy store and let me pick out a new one.”
“That was very nice of him. Mr. Brett, Mr. Sloane and Mr. Cole like you very much.”
Sammy looked up, smiling for the first time. “They like mommy, too. I heard them say it.”
Hiding a smile, Jared nodded. “I know. Is that okay with you?”
“Yeah.” Sammy started moving the truck again, his smile falling. “Daddy made Mommy cry again.”
Jared stiffened, wondering if Cole, Sloane, and Brett knew. “Oh?”
Sammy shrugged and looked up again. “Mr. Sloane hugged Mommy. I like Mr. Cole and Mr. Sloane and Mr. Brett. I wish they were my daddies.”
“You do?”
“Yeah. They’re nice. The make Mommy smile and play trucks with me. Mr. Cole bought me a hammer. He said he’s gonna show me how to build a birdhouse.”
“That sounds like fun.”
“Mr. Sloane is taking me and Trisa for ice cream, but we have to eat all of our lunch first. I can’t get big and strong if I don’t eat my lunch.”
Enjoying their conversation immensely, Jared grinned. “That’s true. Mr. Sloane is very smart.”
“Yeah.” Sammy sat back, staring down at the truck he now held on his lap. “Trisa has two daddies.”
Seeing the direction Sammy’s thoughts had taken, Jared smiled again. “Yes. She does.”
Sammy looked toward the crib. “The baby has three daddies.”
A glance toward the crib had his chest swelling with love and pride. “Yes. He does.”
When Sammy went silent again, Jared waited him out.
He didn’t have to wait long.
“I wish I could have three daddies.”
Marissa came through the doorway, her cheeks as red as her eyes. “Hello, Mr. Preston. I’m sorry I was busy earlier.”
Hating the thought of her ex making her cry, Jared smiled. “No problem. Sammy was just showing me his new truck.”
Her blush deepened. “He’s very proud of it. He even sleeps with it.”