what she’d been smelling. “That’s one thing I don’t think I’ll ever get used to.” Orlando got up when she did, apparently ready to follow her to the changing table, though he’d just admitted to not being used to changing stinky diapers.
“You’ll get a pass when I’m around. I’ve changed enough diapers it doesn’t faze me anymore.” His exhaling a bit too relieved, made her giggle. “Besides, I’m a stickler for keeping tabs on rashes, and as gross as it may sound pee and even poop color and texture. I need to know Oreo—” She cleared her throat, catching herself—yet again. “Any baby in my care is not constipated or showing signs of coming down with any kind of stomach bug and whatnot.”
“Why do you call him Oreo?”
Glancing up at him as she placed the baby on the changer, she bit her tongue before nearly blurting out that she’d been calling him that since he was born. But there was something else she could respond with that was also true. “I thought referring to you both as Orlando might get confusing. Wasn’t sure how else to shorten Orlando, and I thought it was sweet and cute like him.”
Smiling, Orlando nodded. “Since everyone calls me O, most call him Baby O, but Oreo’s cool, too.”
To Danica’s relief, they didn’t go back to discussing Oreo’s instant attachment to her. Danica had planned something else as well. They hadn’t set a time for how long she’d be here today. Initially, when Orlando had suggested she come by to give him a few tips, he’d said for a few hours. After changing the baby, Orlando said he was ready for lunch, and the baby was showing signs of needing a bottle, but Danica had other plans. Giving him a bottle now would likely make him sleepy again. She needed him to hold out a little longer, at least until after they’d had lunch. She was hoping to spend a little more time with him, but given his response to her, she needed to time her exit today just so. Orlando ran out to pick up some cheeseburgers for their lunch, giving Danica some time to properly fawn over her little guy without the fear of any more comments about their incredible connection. When Orlando got back, they all sat in the dining room, having lunch as Oreo suckled his biscuit and made a good mess of himself. Their conversation stayed mostly baby-related until she checked her phone a few times and responded to a couple of texts. When she glanced up after putting her phone down, Orlando was wiping the baby’s face. “So, I hear congrats are in order.”
Danica peered at him just as she bit into her burger, not sure what he meant.
He finished wiping the baby’s face before turning to her and clarified, “You’re engaged. Is that just recently?”
Chapter 13
Orlando
Asking about her engagement was a risk. Orlando knew this. But given how much older the guy he’d seen her with that first time seemed, he’d sort of begun to hope she couldn’t be that serious about him. It’s what he’d been telling himself every time he was around her and began to feel that inexplicable draw to her. He’d been respectful of the fact that she was in a relationship from the beginning, especially now that he knew just how serious her relationship was. He was just curious now. Never mind that the longer he was around her, with every new thing she said and did to impress the hell out of him, the more that curiosity mounted. He’d talked himself out of asking anything about her boyfriend, several times both days she’d been at the shop. But now that he knew he wasn’t just a boyfriend anymore, he had to get himself in check, especially since keeping his eyes from zooming onto those lips was becoming a real struggle now. It’d happened at the shop as well, but at no time had he had this much alone time with her there. So, the more he knew about her engagement, the bigger the reminder that he should not be getting any ideas and ruin the perfect set up he now had. Orlando had known she’d be awesome with the baby, but so far, she’d exceeded even his wildest expectations. Only it wasn’t just how good she was with the baby that had him so enthralled, and Orlando knew it. Every one of her smiles, laughs, and hell, just listening to her talk