All four tiptoed down the circular stairway, through the foyer and into the all-white kitchen at the rear of the house. Collapsing on the stools in front of the counter, the brothers groaned.
Parentings not exactly as easy as it looks, Claire said with a laugh.
How the hell do you know so much about kids? Grant asked incredulously.
Shes got six brothers and sisters, Evan replied before Claire could. Though she realized he knew the answer because shed told him as much that afternoon, she felt a strange jolt of joy that he not only remembered but took the liberty of answering
for her as if they were longtime friends.
Youre kidding, Grant gasped.
Nope,
Claire said, then walked to the counter to inspect the empty bottles. Again, she told herself not to make a mountain out of a molehill. She knew what was happening. She found Evan attractive and she wanted to think he found her attractive, too, so she was grasping for straws. My youngest brother is six. Started first grade this year. Cute as a bug.
But you dont live at home. Your phone number is listed under your name, not your parents, and I recognize that address as being part of a house converted into apartments, Evan observed, getting comfortable on his chair.
Ive been on my own since college, Claire informed him casually as she inspected the contents of the cupboards. Her heart had speeded up when she realized he not only remembered everything she told him but now knew where she lived.
But she stilled her thumping heart by reminding herself that hed called her because hed needed to get care for the babies. Then she told herself that even if he was attracted to her and she was to him, neither one of them could act on that attraction. First, he was her boss. Second, they had a ten-year age difference. Third, he was rich and she was poor. Dirt poor. Talk about nothing in common
As she had hoped, she found baby food, formula and vitamins. She pulled out all three and set them on the counter. It would have been hard for me to move back in with my family after college, but, also, my being home would have disrupted them. David was only about a year old when I left for school. He doesnt remember me being home. Kelly doesnt want to give up half her bedroom. She shrugged carelessly. Having my own apartment suits everyone.
You didnt move out because you hate kids? Evan asked watchfully.
Claire laughed. Heavens, no. I love kids.
All three men visibly relaxed.
And Ill help you, she said with another lilting laugh. Look here. These are prescription vitamins. Do you know what they tell you?
Yeah, that the kids dont eat right, Chas said, frowning.
No, that the kids go to a pediatrician, Claire contradicted. And see, she added, showing the men the label. Right here is their pediatricians name.
Ah, Chas said happily. Thats good.
That is good, Claire agreed. Just by reading this label youll know the dosage to give them, and the doctor to call to find out where they are with their immunizations.
Immunizations? Evan echoed, narrowing his eyes at Claire. What the hell are you talking about?
Remember I told you that I was going to hit the basics with you? Claire asked sweetly.
They nodded.
Well, somebody get a notebook, because I think youre going to want to be writing some of this down.
Okay, Grant said, rising from his seat. Ill take charge of that.
Splitting up everything is a good idea, Claire said, while Grant rummaged for a pencil and paper. I meant what I said upstairs about each of you taking a child. More than anything else, a baby needs a sense of security. If each of you more or less adopts one child as his own, each baby will get that sense of security.
Or things could actually fall apart, Evan thought, studying her carefully. He knew he didnt trust her because he suspected she was involved in Arnies scheme to take the kids. He also believed that by bringing her into their home, he and his brothers had opened the door for her to continue aiding Arnie.
He knew his brothers didnt agree with him and thought he was being paranoid. But he also realized that he had more to lose than his brothers did. They might love these children in a generic way that mixed responsibility and a sense of family, but if something happened and they lost custody, Grant and Chas would get on with the rest of their lives. For Evan much, much more was at stake, because raising these children was his only chance at being a father.
How did it go after I left last night?
Though the question was perfectly innocent, Evan turned and glared at Claire. The insides of his eyelids felt like sandpaper, he was so tired he could have dropped where he stood, and his head hurt.
Between the cuddling and crooning, feeding and changing, Evan figured hed gotten about two and a half hours sleep. And since all three brothers awakened for every baby incident, he knew Chas and Grant hadnt fared any better than he had. But because the triplets couldnt be left alone, Chas and Grant got to stay home while Evan set off to handle the second half of their responsibility, running the local lumber mill.