Love Like This, page 16
“Oh, my effing stars.” Kendra fanned herself in amusement. “Spencer Adair is on her heels at long last. She’s met her match, ladies and gentleman.” The tables around them nodded in amusement and went back to their meals. “Lord Jesus. Oh, yes. I’m loving every second of this. For once, I’m not the lovestruck idiot in this duo.” She did another shoulder dance to celebrate.
Spencer scoffed. “No one said anything about lovestruck, all right? I’m just…intrigued and now preoccupied. Let’s not get crazy.”
“Sure. You’re not mooning over this woman and I’m not a sucker for Idris Elba with his shirt off, and oiled up, and caressing a woman’s face, preferably mine, and—”
“You’re stealing from my crisis with a straight girl fantasy.”
“I’m using it as a stepping stool to Idris.”
Spencer smiled at Kendra being Kendra but moved beyond it. “Maybe I should stop seeing her.”
Kendra pulled her face back and studied the tables around them as if to say “did you just hear this woman?”
“I’m serious, Ken. I don’t like feeling like my brain is all over the place, and besides that, we have very different beliefs about love and marriage and the grand scheme. I’d probably be a letdown for her in the long run. Those are big issues one shouldn’t ignore.”
“Oh, are we back on your fear of marriage because your parents’ didn’t work? That old chestnut?” She rolled her eyes as if the subject was a tired one.
“You’re minimizing my whole ideology, but yes, it’s a factor.”
“Let me help you unfactor that nonsense, because I work with families bringing little ones into the world every day, and that love is purer than anything you can toss forth in an argument. So, you need to check yourself, Spencer, before you blow something that could, in the end, be your mother-effing everything.”
“I always know you’re serious when you almost swear.”
“Good, because that’s now. Eat your burger. We’re not just here for Dr. Phil time, Lil Miss. You need nourishment or your mama would kill me.”
Obediently, Spencer took a bite of her burger and then a couple more, because hospital food had never been this good. Seriously? Where did they hire their chefs? “What about you?” she asked around three fries. “Staying away from Tucker, right?”
“Away is such a general definition.”
Spencer shook her head. “You’re going out with his ass again? Speaking of mamas killing their kids, it’s my job to stand in for yours since she can’t be here. Don’t be an idiot. Don’t.”
Kendra shrugged and pulled a pathetic face. “He says he’s sorry and only wants to be with me from now on.”
“Are you stupid? Were you dropped on your head? Those are the only explanations I can summon in this moment.”
Kendra waved her off. “Don’t go getting all worked up. I get it, okay?” She tapped her chest several times with force. “I know he’s a player now, and what to watch out for. Knowledge is power.”
“What a pair we are, sitting here,” Spencer said. “You running around with a no-good dog, and me chasing a—”
“A starry-eyed white woman with moves,” Kendra said, laughing.
“What am I gonna do with you?” Spencer asked.
“More like what am I gonna do with you? Eat your burger, Spencer Spice, and don’t forget the tomato. It’s good for you.” A pause. “When do you see her again?”
“As soon as humanly possible,” Spencer said, with a very guilty smile.
* * *
Janika and her co-captain, Roger Raines, were running out of air. They’d managed to cram themselves into a small pod before the spaceship lost all power, careening to Earth where it would undoubtedly burst into flames. Gah! Hadley swallowed and turned the page, her heart rate out of control, and why wouldn’t it be? This mission was crazy! The move had been a risky one, but somehow Janika and Roger had made it out of there in time. Now it was a matter of finding the space station before the pod itself became a death chamber from which they’d never escape!
“Hurry, Janika,” Hadley murmured. She was tempted to look ahead to be sure they made it out in one piece, but that would be cheating and Hadley wouldn’t be able to live with herself if that’s who she became. A knock at the door. She glanced up but couldn’t stop reading. Not yet. She flipped the page. Roger suggested they take turns breathing, to which Hadley wanted to scream, “That’s not practical, Roger. Hurry! That’s what you need to do!” Another knock. “Oh, dear goodness,” Hadley said, closing the book and scurrying to her front door. She found Larry Herman there, their interesting and sometimes tightly wound landlord. She happened to have a soft spot for him.
“Hey, Larry,” Hadley said, smiling. “What can I do for you?”
“I’m here to report that Gia Malone is officially sick. I’m filling in tonight.”
Hadley watched him shuffle nervously, and push his plastic-framed glasses farther up on his nose. “You’re filling in for babysitting? With me?”
“Well, she certainly shouldn’t be around children with the multiplicity factor of germs. Consider the likely outcomes, Ms. Cooper.”
Hadley glanced outside and to the right for any sign of Gia near her own apartment. Nothing. “Are you…certain she’s not well?”
“Do I look certain?” He seemed to make a show of pursing his lips and tightening his eyebrows, which really just reminded Hadley of Bert from Sesame Street, but she let it go, deciding to seek out Gia instead. Larry followed, hot on her heels, to Gia’s apartment door, which was opened promptly before she could knock.
“Hey,” Gia said, brightening. “Was just coming to see what time we’re scheduled for at Autumn’s tonight.” But something was different about Gia. Her voice was lower and her nose looked red. Her normally bright brown eyes carried a dull, dim quality. Oh, no! Poor Gia.
“I’m filling in for you, remember?” Larry Herman said. “We decided. The young lady you carry on with decided along with me.”
“Elle’s just being overly cautious. I told you guys I could do it.”
“Elle thinks you shouldn’t babysit?” Hadley asked. “She might be right. Look at you. Do you have a fever?” Hadley ushered Gia back inside and Larry followed them in. “Sit,” she instructed, and placed the back of her hand on Gia’s forehead. “You do. You have a slight elevation.”
“That decides it!” Larry crowed. “I’m in and you’re out.”
Gia stared at him. “You just want to spend time with Hadley, and you know it.” It was true that Larry did seem to carry a bit of a torch for her. While she tried not to encourage the crush, she couldn’t help but be nice to him. He tried so hard, and always came up so…awkward.
“What I’m most interested in doing is making sure that the Carpenter infants are cared for and not exposed to the plague.” He scowled at Gia.
“I don’t have the plague,” Gia said. But it sounded a lot more like “I don hab the plague” due to her very noticeable cold.
“It’s okay, G,” Hadley said, rounding the kitchen island and pouring Gia a glass of orange juice from the fridge. She also grabbed a couple Tylenol for good measure. “I want you to rest right here on this couch tonight. Here.” She dropped the Tylenol into Gia’s hand and smoothed her hair back affectionately. “Take those and drink every drop of that juice, you poor sick person. Where’s Elle?”
“She had a meeting with her sponsor rep tonight. A dinner thing.”
“Gotcha. In that case, I will check on you soon. You need someone to say things like ‘Poor baby, Gia’ around every ninety minutes or so. It’s part of the healing process.”
“I’m probably okay without that.”
“You are not. Accept your fate.” She turned to Larry. “It looks like it’s you and me tonight, Larry. You sure you’re up for it?”
He rubbed his hands together with an intensity that said he meant business. “I’ve already googled the multitude of swaddling techniques and practiced in my car with my revolutionary flag. I’m more than prepared.”
“War reenactment this week?”
“Tomorrow morning. I’ve been cast as colonial militia, probably for being too ambitious in past battles where I was featured. I tend to steal focus.”
“Well, you have star quality.” She patted him on the back of his shoulder. “Let’s head over to Chez Carpenter. Go, team!”
They made their way down the stairs and across the courtyard in duty mode. Hadley prepared to make this night work if it killed her. She paused mid-thought because she spotted Spencer entering through the wrought iron gate. Well, then. Things had certainly taken a turn. Hadley couldn’t hold back the grin if she wanted to. They hadn’t seen each other in three days due to their conflicting schedules, yet here she stood, all sleek and shiny and sigh-worthy, which Hadley executed on cue. “What in the world?” Hadley said, abandoning Larry and making her way to Spencer.
“I’m sorry to just show up,” she said, dipping her head and catching Hadley’s gaze. “I was in the mood for some killer coffee, and since I was so close, I thought I might pop over and see if you were around.”
“Killer coffee can make a person drive.”
“That’s a total and complete lie I just told,” Spencer said. “I love the coffee next door, but I made that up just to see you. I can’t stop thinking about you, us, the other night. It’s an ongoing battle and I’ve now surrendered.”
Hadley warmed from her hairline down and gave her toes a good wiggle. “You don’t have to make up an excuse to see me, ya know.”
“I do now, and I will never forget it again. You free?”
Hadley glanced behind her. “Not exactly. But how do you feel about babies?”
Spencer shrugged. “I’m a fan. My best friend’s pretty much a baby whisperer and has taught me a few tricks to use on my little cousins here and there.”
Hadley turned around. “Larry, I think you just might be off the hook.”
“I am not,” he said staunchly, and stood at attention. “I have a duty to sit with the children so the Carpenters can go out in the world. I do not shirk my duties.”
Hadley laughed at what she should have expected to be his response and walked Spencer over to Larry. “Spencer, meet my landlord and friend, Larry Herman. He agreed to babysit the twins with me tonight when Gia caught a cold. But since you’ve been so kind to offer, I’m sure he has preparations to tend to for the Battle of Monmouth.”
“Sorry?” Spencer asked, looking confused. She held out her hand anyway. “Nice to meet you.”
Larry didn’t budge. Instead he eyed Spencer like one would a pesky fly. “I certainly do not need to make preparations. I did that last week and the week prior to that.”
“Okay,” Hadley said, doing her best to pacify him and still capitalize on this opportunity to spend time with Spencer, even if it was in between diaper changes and feedings. “Spencer can back us up, then.” She turned to Spencer for approval.
“I’m an excellent backup babysitter.”
“I’ve never heard of a backup babysitter,” Larry said suspiciously. “It feels made up.”
“It is made up,” Stephanie, their all-black-wearing neighbor said, as she crossed behind them through the courtyard.
Hadley ignored her. “We’re all constantly learning, aren’t we, Larry? Just today I learned that escape pods shouldn’t accommodate more than one person, as the air supply will grow dangerously low. Shall we?”
With Hadley leading the way, the three of them made their way to Autumn and Kate’s doorstep. When Kate answered, she studied their three faces. “Hi, Had. Larry.” She paused when she came to Spencer. “I don’t think we’ve met. Kate Carpenter.”
“Spencer Adair. I’m the babysitting backup.”
“Great. Nice to meet you,” Kate said, with mild hesitation, because of course she’d be wary of leaving her children with a complete stranger.
“I can vouch for Spencer,” Hadley said. “She’s to be trusted.”
Kate relaxed. “The more the merrier, then. These babies could use the backup, if you ask me. They take turns wreaking havoc. Currently, Will’s up to bat.”
“You just hand that little numbskull over to me,” Hadley said, eager to get her hands on him. “Did you get the newsboy cap I had shipped?”
“He wore it all day yesterday,” Kate said. “You’re spoiling them rotten.”
“Did I hear the name Spencer?” Autumn’s voice said excitedly, from somewhere in the apartment.
“You guys should come in,” Kate said, as if forgetting herself.
Moments later Autumn appeared in the living room looking as happy as a bride on her wedding day. She was going out on an actual date and getting to lay eyes on the much-talked-about Spencer, something she’d been asking to do for days now. It was like her version of Christmas morning, and she glowed. “Hi, Spencer! I’m Autumn from the coffee shop next door.”
“Big fan of yours, then,” Spencer said. “Killer brew.”
Autumn studied her. “Oh, yes. You’re very cute. Just as I remembered.”
“Autumn,” Hadley said, quietly and gave her head a subtle shake.
“I’m sorry, but she is. You are,” she said, turning back to Spencer.
“Ms. Primm-Carpenter, we’re here to babysit the little ones,” Larry said, in an authoritative voice—surely his way of getting them back on track and off the subject of Spencer’s good looks.
“So, no Gia-Pet tonight?” Autumn asked.
“She’s down for the count with a cold / flu thing. I’ll check on her later, but I thought it best she not be around the babies. Larry volunteered to sub in and we ran into Spencer unexpectedly in the courtyard.”
Spencer winced. “I’m crashing.”
“You are most certainly not,” Autumn said, forcefully, taking Spencer by the arm and ushering her to the couch. “Please make yourself at home and eat all the food you find. Oh!” She scooped up Carrie from the baby swing and handed her to Spencer. “Meet Carrie. She’s our favorite this hour. It rotates.”
Spencer smiled down at tiny Carrie, who stared up at her with sleepy eyes. The image of the two of them about melted Hadley’s heart into a pile of wonderful goo.
“Hi, baby girl,” Spencer said in a low voice, and rocked her softly.
“You know where everything is, yes?” Autumn asked Hadley.
“I do! We got this. You two crazy kids get outta here and have a much-needed fun night out.”
Kate and Autumn exchanged a flirtatious glance that prompted Hadley to roll her shoulders for all the cute in the room.
“We’ll be home in a couple of hours,” Kate said, and nodded gratefully.
“No reason to hurry,” Larry told them. “Ms. Cooper and I have this under control. Where is the boy child?”
Kate pointed to the playpen. “Under the mobile, there. He seems to be calming down, which is good news for you all.”
Larry nodded and offered a small salute as he headed in Will’s direction.
Autumn looked from Spencer to Larry and back to Spencer. “This is going to be quite the evening.”
She wasn’t wrong.
Spencer took custody of Carrie and occupied her with funny faces, while Larry spent the better part of an hour explaining to Will that there had been many complications on America’s growth to becoming the country we know today.
Hadley ran back and forth between the parties, offering burp cloths, warmed bottles and soft, soothing words as needed. “I think she’s really taken to you,” Hadley told Spencer.
“Well, Carrie and I have gotten to know each other a bit. She prefers a quiet voice and only the gentlest of rocking. Anything more sets her off and she gives you what for.”
“What for?” Hadley asked.
“It’s a technical term.”
Carrie, who’d fussed a bit when her mommies left, seemed to have found her rhythm in Spencer’s arms. Her eyes drifted closed and Spencer leaned back so Carrie could sleep uninterrupted on the warmth of her chest, a spot Hadley knew from personal experience was a great place for sleeping.
“Hey,” Spencer said quietly over Carrie. “I’m not sure your friend Larry likes me very much.”
Hadley wasn’t sure where to begin in order to explain Larry and all of his idiosyncrasies, including his affinity for her. “I think he’s just a little wary of you stealing his thunder tonight.”
“He has thunder?” She glanced over at him surreptitiously. “I’m not seeing the thunder on that dude.”
Hadley considered how she might explain it another way. “He likes to spend time with me.”
A pause. “He has the hots for you?” Spencer asked, and grinned. “Okay, got it. Guy after my own heart. Can’t fault him at all.”
“I wouldn’t go that far. But yes, he carries a unique torch for me.”
“And I’ve totally blocked him tonight. That’s what’s going on here. Now I feel bad for the man.”
Hadley tossed a glance over her shoulder to make sure Larry was occupied before continuing the conversation. “Don’t. I’ve been waiting to see you again.”
Spencer closed her eyes and smiled. “On the drive over, I changed my mind about twelve times before forcing myself to just bite the bullet and show up. That’s not like me.”
“No. You’re not the tentative type,” Hadley said.
“Until you.”
A beat as they stared at each other over the sleeping baby. “Are you free after babysitting, per chance?” Hadley asked.
Spencer opened her mouth to answer but was beaten to the punch by Larry, who stood over them, holding a crying Will as far from his body as possible. All down the front of his shirt and pants was an orangey-looking spit-up. “I’m in need of assistance,” Larry said. “Backup person, would you mind doing your job instead of fraternizing?”
“I got him,” Hadley said, scooping up Will and holding him close. “Someone had a little too much to eat.” She studied Larry. Honestly, his entire outfit was ruined. Completely unwearable. “Tell you what, Larry. Why don’t we see if Autumn has anything you can change into?” The only problem was that Larry was over six feet tall with large limbs and Autumn and Kate’s clothes were not likely to fit. Oh! Unless…
