Page 24 of Sean
Sean stepped out of the car, shrugged on the massive stuffed-to-bursting backpack that he used as a diaper bag, and released the car seat straps that kept Jace confined.He held out his arms.“You ready for some play time?”
Jace bounced in the seat, arms reaching to be picked up.Sean tickled his belly and was rewarded with a giggle.
With Jace riding on one hip, the heavy bag of toys cutting into his quickly numbing fingers, and the playpen handle clasped in his free hand, Sean hurried across the lot.He pulled up short at the heavy door, wishing for a third hand.With his two free fingers, he wrestled the door open, wedged a foot into the opening, and forced his shoulder through.
“Made it,” he whispered.
There was no time to congratulate himself on his resourcefulness as the flimsy plastic bag chose that moment to split down the middle, sending Jace’s toys scattering across the wooden floor.
Despite the commotion of his entrance, when Sean’s gaze met Monica’s, he had the answer to the question he’d asked himself for days.
He’d move triplets and all their gear just to put that smile on her face.
The ache that sucker punched him in the gut threatened to double him over as Brittany’s face floated in his memory.What business did he have thinking about another woman’s smile?He’d meant every word when he’d told Monica he was only looking for friendship.Maybe he should leave before things got more complicated.
Retreat was a fleeting thought, though, as the others rushed to help him.
“Give me that baby before you drop him.”Monica swooped Jace from his arms.
Even as he nearly choked on grief, Sean braced for an irate eruption from his son.Jace was clingy around strangers.
But the fit never came.Instead of crying, Jace offered giggles as he renewed his acquaintance with the nursery worker.
“Here, let me take that.”
The other man, Caleb, if Sean remembered correctly, grabbed the playpen.
“I can—” Before Sean could finish the thought, he felt a tug on his pant leg.He looked down to meet the serious gaze of a child.The little boy held Jace’s dump truck, a casualty of the split bag.
“I got it,” he said, holding it up to Sean.
“Thanks, buddy.”Sean accepted the toy, and the boy raced off to help his mom.That had to be Monica’s friend Bobbie.
Sean took a couple of cleansing breaths.
His grief was real, but he was being foolish.Appreciating the smile of a beautiful woman wasn’t disloyalty to his wife.Benjamin’s unrelenting teasing was just making Sean overly edgy.
He snuck a look at Monica, who’d plopped down on the floor to play pat-a-cake with Jace.As far as Sean could tell, he was as good as invisible to both of them.So much for unwanted attraction.
“Where do you want to set this up?”
Sean was still standing half in and half out of the door, Caleb in front of him, holding the playpen.He took a step forward, releasing the heavy metal door, which closed with a loud snap.
Sean held out a hand.“Sorry.Sean Conklin.”
“Caleb Lowe.Good to meet you.”After shaking his hand, he lifted the playpen slightly.
Sean looked around the cavernous room.Rolls of masking tape and tape measures littered the floor, and about a dozen large areas were already marked off.“Somewhere out of the way, I guess.Monica?”
“Yeah?”Her reply didn’t even come with a glance in his direction.
Right, Conklin, she’s drooling over you.
The sarcastic thought shouldn’t have been comforting, but it was.
“Where do you want me to put Jace?”
She got to her feet, Jace cuddled close to her chest.“There’s no need to cage him up.I can supervise and hold him at the same time.”
