Evan looked down and saw that little Annie had finished her bottle and was peacefully sleeping in his arms. Taylor was nearly asleep in Grants arms, and even Cody had settled down and was drinking heartily.
They didnt need help from anyone.
This baby thing was a piece of cake.
As she unlocked the door of her apartment that night, Claire could hear her phone ringing. She juggled two bags of groceries and quickly pushed her way into her kitchen, catching the phone on the fourth ring.
Hello, she said breathlessly.
Hello, this is Evan Brewster.
Claire felt an incomprehensible torrent of pleasure just hearing his voice. Which was ridiculous. He might be a handsome man, but he was a stubborn man, an angry man and one of her new bosses.
Still, her traitorous, disobedient heart skipped a beat. Claire ignored it in favor of more important concerns like why was Evan calling her? Was it to fire her for slamming a car door in his face earlier? Or was it to ask for help? She prayed he was calling for help.
forearm, though, he started as if shed given him an electrical shock. Their eyes met briefly, then both quickly looked away.
Whether you guys understand this or not, youre complete strangers to these babies, she continued as she moved to Chas and manipulated his arms around the baby he was holding. They have to get to know you or they wont sleep. They probably wont even stop crying, she said, jerking Grants arms until she had them folded properly around the little girl. In fact, Im going to suggest that each of you take a child, one child, and be responsible for that childs care, so that baby gets a sense of being special, being important and feeling secure.
When all three kids were properly positioned, she stepped back. Now, keeping your hands and arms around the baby just like I fixed them, bring the baby up to your chest and cuddle her or him.
All three of the Brewster brothers did as they were instructed.
When you cuddle a baby, Claire continued, rub your cheek against the babys cheek and whisper soft things. Just tell her that you love her.
This is weird Grant began, but Claire silenced him with a look.
These kids have been with strangers for the past two days, and, she added softly, they lost their daddy, too. And their mom. What each one of them needs right now more than anything else is a little bit of love.
Crossing her arms on her chest as if daring them to disagree, Claire watched all three shrewdly asafter casting surreptitious glances at one anothereach Brewster cuddled his child. As shed instructed, they rubbed their cheeks on the babies cheeks, they whispered endearments.
Pat their backs, Claire encouraged quietly, because the sleepy children were calmer now.
When was the last time you fed them?
We gave Taylor the final bottle right before Evan called you, Chas whispered. Though the little girl he held still sniffed and hiccuped, her crying had stopped and her swollen eyes were closed.
Claire swallowed the lump that formed in her throat. She could feel every iota of these babies pain. She missed Norm, too. But on top of that, these kids were lonely and afraid, with strange people for the second time in only two days. Have the other two eaten? she asked, her voice soft and tender.
Evan nodded. Everybody has had a bottle in the past hour.
Then theyre ready for bed, Claire whispered, motioning to indicate that all three children were breathing deeply and evenly. But putting them into a crib is a very tricky thing, so were going to do this one baby at a time.
The brothers nodded.
Grant, you first. Stand up slowly, Claire said, walking over to the first crib. When Grant joined her, she said, Bend at the waist so that your baby doesnt leave the warmth of your body until shes almost at the mattress.
Though his moves were awkward, Grant did exactly as he was told.
Gently place the baby on the mattress and slide your hand out from under her carefullyand slowly, so you dont disturb her.
As if disarming a homemade bomb, Grant slowly, cautiously slid his hands out from under Annie. Claire motioned for him to take a few steps back, and he did. The baby continued to sleep. Grant sagged with relief.
Next, Claire motioned for Chas to do the same thing. She quietly repeated the instructions, and, as Grant had, Chas also went limp with relief.
Before Claire could motion to Evan, he was already on his way to the last crib. Without any direction from her, he laid Cody on the soft mattress, eased his hands and arms from under the child, stepped away, and then breathed a huge sigh of relief.
Claire had an odd intuition about the way Evan didnt wait for her help, almost as if he didnt want to risk her touching him again. Deciding she was putting too much meaning on things that probably had none, she clicked on the baby monitor and motioned for all three men to come out of the nursery. One by one they filed out into the hall. Claire gently closed the door behind them. Placing one finger on her lips, she cautioned them not to say anything and then directed them downstairs.