Dreaming of His Snowed In Kiss - Jessie Gussman Page 0,13

being early February, the day was gorgeous.

Maybe people weren’t expecting it, or maybe most folk with young children had those kids taking naps after lunch, but West and Minnie’s children were the only ones at the park.

Not that it was much of a park. Mistletoe wasn’t that big. But there were some slides and swings and other playground equipment and a small reflecting pond where children ten and under were allowed to fish.

From the way Warren was standing at the pond peering into it, Poppy assumed he probably wished he had a pole.

West had Gabriella in one arm, snuggled down into a blanket with hat on, and a bottle in her mouth while he pushed Trevor on the baby swing and Garrett on the regular swing.

Poppy had to admire the way the guy multitasked. She wasn’t even sure she could do all that, and she’d had a lot of experience in nurseries.

As busy as he was with the kids, his head went up as she walked in the gate to the play area. She held up the bags and then motioned to the nearest picnic table.

He nodded, and if she wasn’t mistaken, one side of his mouth picked up. The man must be hungry. That was almost a smile.

He said Warren’s name as he slowed the swings.

She wasn’t quite sure how he had gotten Trevor into the swing with the baby in his arm, so Poppy set the food on the table and jogged over to give him a hand getting him out.

“Definitely happy to see the food. And I can’t say I don’t appreciate your help too,” he said, like he too wasn’t sure how he was going to get Trevor out.

“Have to say, I’m impressed. I’m not sure I could do what all you’re doing.”

“Sure you could. It just takes practice.” He said it sarcastically, because they both knew he’d had all those kids for less than two weeks.

“You had an awful lot dumped on your lap.”

“And I rose to the occasion.”

“Humbly, of course,” she said with a lifted brow and not a little sarcasm of her own.

“Some people are just naturally good.”

“When you meet one of those, would ya introduce me to them?” she asked, lifting Trevor and pressing her cheek against his chubby red one.

His little hands flailed, and his legs kicked. “No! No! No!”

“I think that means he wants to keep swinging,” she said, not really to West, because they weren’t really having a conversation.

“He was having a good time.”

“Aren’t you hungry, buddy?” she asked between yells in the voice she used for children, which was not exactly baby talk but not loaded with the sarcasm that she had been using on West either. He brought out the worst in her. Which was another reason for her to steer clear of him. Somewhere, in some sermon or self-help book, it was written very clearly that one should stay away from negative influences in one’s life.

West was definitely a negative influence. No one could make her want to spit nails faster than him. And usually with just a look. He didn’t even need words.

“No! No!”

“You really need to teach your child how to say yes,” she said, pressing Trevor’s body against hers and making sure the swing didn’t hit him when his foot caught.

“I’ll get right on that. Right after I figure out how to juggle cooking and cleaning and changing pooped underwear.” He said the last a little lower, although Garrett had jumped off the swing and run over to the picnic table with Warren.

“Still?”

“Yeah. Minnie said he was trained, but all of this upheaval has caused him to regress. I’ve gone through four pairs so far this morning.”

“You should use pull-ups. They’re like disposable underwear. Isn’t that what he’s wearing?”

“I’ve never even heard of pull-ups until a couple days ago. In fact, if you had said pull-up to me, I would have thought horizontal bar and elbow grease.”

She laughed. “And rightfully so. Maybe I can stop by the store later on today and grab you some. I’m guessing shopping with these guys is a bit of a challenge as well.”

“I haven’t tried that yet. I did go to the grocery store twice, but Minnie stayed with them both times. Although Warren seems to want to go everywhere I go, and he came with me.”

“I suppose it’s gossip if I ask about the father?” Trevor had calmed down and relaxed against her.

They started walking toward the table.

“Probably, although I’m curious too. I haven’t asked Minnie.