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Jamie bounced Milly up and down on his knee as she squealed with delight. Lucy couldn’t help but to smile. It was obvious that he loved babies, and it was also obvious that this particular baby loved him.
“Oh, Jamie, she’s spitting up all over you. Oh, dear.” Mason’s mother rushed to hand him a towel, which Jamie took.
“It’s no big deal,” Jamie said. “I’ve been thrown up on by bigger women than her before.” It was a pretty risqué thing for him to say to Evelyn, but she just smiled and didn’t seem to take offense.
Lucy mentally rolled her eyes. If she’d said something like that, she’d be labeled rude, crude, and who knew what else.
Jamie cleaned up Milly’s face and his suit, then began talking in baby talk, saying “It’s no big deal,” over and over while making a funny face. It cracked the baby up.
Lucy sat quietly, her eyes taking in her adorable niece, and even though she felt horrible about it, just wanting the visit to be over. She adored babies. Was good with Melina’s twins. But for some reason, she felt awkward and out of place when it came to visiting her own niece, who was a dead ringer for both her parents. She had Gail’s brown hair and Mason’s blue eyes, and her cheeks were so chubby, Lucy longed to kiss them. But so far, she’d let Jamie take care of that.
Mason’s parents and sister had greeted her warmly, but Lucy was on guard. They were contesting her competency to care for Milly and all of a sudden they were giving her hugs because she was marrying a billionaire. Did they really think that changed the person who she was inside? She was so tired of all this phony bullshit that she could hardly stand it.
“I’m sorry, Luce. I didn’t mean to hog the baby,” Jamie said. “Why don’t you hold her?”
She smiled at him. Milly was so cute. He was so cute. They both belonged here. They both fit in. She didn’t.
“It’s okay,” she told him. “The two of you are having fun.”
Suddenly, with tears in her eyes, Mason’s mother said, “Mason used to play with her just like that. It was such a beautiful thing to see.”
Her shoulders shook while she tried to get her emotions under control.
Lucy felt a pang of guilt for her earlier thoughts. Mason was gone and they were all connected by Milly. Wasn’t it time she worked on getting past her hard feelings and mistrust?
Jamie got up and carried Milly over to where Lucy was sitting. Before he could hand her to Lucy, Diana said, “Maybe Milly feels comfortable with Jamie because he and Mason are so alike. They even resemble each other.”
Lucy stiffened. What was Diana talking about? Other than the fact they both had dark hair and eyes, Jamie looked nothing like Mason.
Feeling anxious at the comparison being made—was Diana making it deliberately to make Lucy uncomfortable, she wondered—Lucy reached up to take the baby from Jamie.
She stared at her adorable niece, who had Gail’s sweet smile. She was like a beacon of light at the end of a dark tunnel. If she and Mason’s family and maybe even her own family were ever going to find common ground, she was certain this little girl would be it.
Jamie tried handing her Milly, but the little girl started struggling almost immediately. She clung to Jamie even as Jamie soothed her and told her how great “Aunt Lucy” was. Finally, the girl was in Lucy’s arms, but the baby began to whine. Lucy tried bouncing her like Jamie had, even tried using the same sugary sweet baby talk, but soon the baby’s whimpers turned into a full-blown cry. Suddenly all eyes in the room were back on Lucy.
Jamie, who was sitting next to her, leaned in and whispered in her ear, “She senses you’re nervous, that’s all.”
Lucy smiled stiffly at Mason’s sister, who was staring at her.
To Jamie, she said in sotto-voce, “She doesn’t like me.”
“Quit worrying about them. Just enjoy her. Have fun. Be yourself.”
“Would you like me to take her, Lucy?” Diana asked.
Lucy smiled tightly and said, “No, we’re fine.” She stood and started to walk the room, jiggling Milly even as she tried talking to her. “Hey, baby. I’m your Aunt Lucy. I’m so excited to see you. We’re going to have lots of fun together…”
Diana, whose husband had left the room ten minutes ago to work in his office, took the opportunity to sit next to Jamie. Their thighs touched, and Lucy immediately wondered what she was up to. Whatever it was, Lucy was sure it was no good.
Still walking and talking to the baby, she caught pieces of their conversation.
“How is your sister, Jamie?”
“She’s fine, thank you,” Jamie said, his eyes and smile on Lucy.
“Oh that’s so good. I was afraid the poor dear would be falling apart.”
“Well, like I said, she’s just fine.”
