Red.”
Feeling quite pleased with the obvious hunger in his gaze, she smiled and scooped up a bite of pasta, before chewing and swallowing. “I was thinking of chocolate sauce,” she said quietly. “But I figure that would be messy, and I really love my sheets.”
His jaw fell open then he laughed, startling Lacy into tears. He stood and rocked her, managing to soothe her quickly, and leaned over to kiss her. “Sorry, little one, your Auntie Kate is funny,” he murmured, brushing a kiss over her soft, brown hair, and when she settled down, he sat back down next to Kate. “Thank you,” he said, warm eyes on her again.
“For what?”
He shook his head.
She reached over, took his hand. “Jaime,” she murmured. “I’m trying here, trying to accept your care, but you need to accept mine, too.” A squeeze. “If you want to be in my heart, you have to let me into yours, too.”
Soft brown eyes on hers. “You saying I’m being stubborn?”
A brush of her fingers on his arm. “I’m just saying it takes a stubborn to know a stubborn.” A beat. “But seriously, I need you to let me take care of you, too, okay? I need to tip the scales as often as you do.”
He turned his palm over, captured her hand, and brought it up to his mouth. “Okay, Red.”
Her heart swelled. “So, what were you thanking me for, baby?”
He didn’t deny her this time, just held her hand and said, “For making me laugh when I didn’t think that would be possible today.”
She set down the fork she’d been using. “What happened?” she asked. “You didn’t seem sad earlier at my office.”
The warmth fled, cold filling the depths of his eyes. “My last house call didn’t go well.”
Reaching over, she squeezed his leg. “Tell me what happened.”
He covered her hand with his, sighed. “I don’t normally make house calls, but this woman has been one of my clients from the very beginning. She has some health problems, and it’s been harder for her to come in for appointments. Her dog, Charlie, hasn’t been well either.”
The quiet and careful way he said that made her stomach clench.
“Turned out Charlie was doing worse than either of us realized,” he said, continuing the quiet recital. “He was struggling to breathe, was septic, and his heart was failing.” He sighed. “I had to . . . it had to be done today.”
“Oh, Jaime,” she murmured, hugging him as well as she could with a sleeping baby between them. “Oh, honey, I’m so sorry. I know that has to be so hard.”
He nodded, brushed his lips against her temple.
And her heart clenched.
She pulled back. “That’s not it, is it?”
“No.”
“What, baby?”
“Margaret was so upset she started having chest pains.”
Kate gasped.
“She’s okay,” he said quickly. “But I had to call an ambulance, and they took her in for monitoring while I took care of Charlie. Her grandson is with her now, and she’s going to stay the night.”
Carefully, she lifted Lacy out of his arms and carried her to the playpen she’d bought when her niece was born.
Of course, this was the first time Ann had left Lacy, so she’d never used it.
Luckily, Lacy didn’t stir when Kate set her down, and she was able to walk back over to Jaime and do what she’d wanted from the moment she’d first noticed the shadows in his eyes.
She straddled his thighs, sat down in his lap, and hugged him tight. “I’m sorry.”
He was stiff for a long moment then released a shuddering breath and wrapped his arms tight around her in return.
They held on to each other tightly and for a long time.
And . . . give and take.
Yes. This was give and take.
Jaime coming in and not hesitating to help her with Lacy, just stepping up and doing what needed to be done. And . . . Kate doing the same, seeing that he was hurting and offering comfort.
It was Jaime holding her when she realized a painful truth about herself.
And Kate making him dinner when he was hungry.
Give.
Take.
Give.
Take.
Love.
Yes, that, too.
Seventeen
Jaime
Ann didn’t seem surprised to see him standing in the hall when they knocked and didn’t waste any time in bundling Lacy into her car seat.
Dave took the infant seat out to their SUV in the driveway and snapped it in place while Ann got the recap, smiled at Jaime, and then disappeared with a wave and a coy, “You two have fun.”
Then she was gone, looking lightyears happier than at