could see the gleam in her eyes was still there. She shrugged, glancing back down at the counter she continued to organize. “Those are just little generic things I picked up pretty early on. My sister’s been doing the child behavioral therapy for years, and I’ve been assisting her since day one. Trial and error lessons are always the ones that stick fastest.”
“No shit.” Orlando chuckled, trying desperately to keep his eyes on her face because the rest of her was even more distracting than her fragrance. Though he had to be mindful not to get so damn caught up in those eyes. “I was going nuts yesterday just before you called. Now I know. This morning he started getting a little fussy when I was changing him. Turned on the lulu and he quieted right down.”
She glanced up at Orlando. The shine in her eyes appeared to morph into near glistening, but she smiled big. “Funny thing about the luluing. As effective as it can be, nobody ever does it exactly the same. Eventually, the babies only react in that special way to one person they get used to hearing it from the most. Usually mama. In your case, sounds like he’s already taking to your way.” The phone at the receptionist desk rang, and she smiled playfully before going all business like and picked it up. “Bad Boys Auto, how may I direct your call?” Orlando watched as she listened for a second then sat down in front of the computer. It was obvious she was winging it, even as she assured whoever it was she could look into it for them. Asking for the year and make of their car, she glanced at Orlando again, smiling playfully with a shrug. He couldn’t help being as impressed with how quickly she seemed to be a natural at this too as she was with the baby stuff. Of course, tidying up a cluttered desk and answering phones didn’t take as much skill as taking care of a baby did. Still, even as she winced and chewed the corner of her bottom lip because she seemed to be struggling with whatever she was searching for on the computer, there was something about her otherwise determined expression that made him smile.
He was about to ask if there was anything he could help clarify for her, when Nine, clearing his throat, got his attention. Orlando turned to a weirdly smirking Nine. “What’s with you?” Nine glanced at Dani, who was still busy on her call then back to Orlando.
Feeling his face heat, Orlando wiped what he was sure was a goofy-looking smile off his face and started toward the shop. “Nothing.” He shrugged. “Just checking if she was okay. I think she’s got it. Did they bring in that Impala yet?” Thankfully, Nine let it go, more interested in talking cars and work than why Orlando had been standing there gawking at the new hire. Orlando spent the better part of the morning trying to keep himself busy and away from the receptionist’s desk, at least when Nine was in the lobby. Not that there was anything wrong with him going in there to chat with Dani. Most of their conversations consisted of either the baby or something about the shop and their procedures or pricing she had questions about. But Nine had already called him out on the way he’d gotten caught up gazing at her once. The guy could be loud and obnoxious when he wanted to be. The last thing Orlando wanted was for him to say something stupid, even if just kidding, and make things awkward for either of them.
One of the times he was up behind the counter when she wasn’t there, he was looking for some paperwork, and he came across a handwritten form she’d filled out. He knew it had to be her writing because no way was it Nine’s chicken scratches. He was just admiring the girlie curls of her penmanship when something got his attention. She’d gone out to her car to grab something from it and was now walking back with a very smiley Fernando. Fernando worked at the shop and was notorious for trying to pick up on the hot chicks that brought their cars in. It’s why Nine had dubbed him Fern Dog though Orlando had always referred to him as Fernando. “Yeah, that’s the one,” Fernando said as they walked into the lobby. “Their pizza’s the bomb. Maybe one