Be My Baby (9 page)

He had his arm around me pulling me closer
to him. I didn’t turn my head to face him. I was afraid to be that
close to him.

He ran his fingers through my dark shiny
locks. He lifted my hair away from my neck. I felt his warm breath
on my skin sending shivers up through me.

“Why did you change your hair to look like
Amber’s?” he whispered against my neck softly.

“Don’t you like the look?” I asked.

“You are much more beautiful than she could
ever be. Don’t you know that?”

His lips brushed the back of my neck; he
started planting soft kisses on my skin. His lips were warm and
soft; all I could think about was the memory of watching Trey’s
lips and mouth thoroughly kissing Amber’s that day. The memory
caused a wave of nausea to run through me.

I jumped up from him quickly.

Trey reached for me to pull me back to
him.

"Tylar for Chrissake, I'm your-"

Just then Trey's cell phone rang with a
pre-set tune. It was Carrie Underwood blaring out the song, "Before
He Cheats."

"What the hell?" he asked looking down at
his Blackberry genuinely puzzled.

"Hello?" he answered frowning.

"Why are you calling me about that?"

There was a short pause while whoever was on
the other end of the phone apparently explained why the call was
made. "No - the Motion in Limine was filed the day before
yesterday. If you can't locate the file-stamped copies they are on
Pacer by now to access. Tonya can get e-copies for you."

Another pause. I was freaking curious by
this time.

"I can't really talk now. This can all wait
until I am back on Monday."

Trey ended the phone call. I had to know who
it was though I suspected that I already knew.

"Your girlfriend, Amber?"

"My
colleague
, Amber," he retorted
obviously annoyed.

"By the way - I really like the personal
ring tone you set up for her. 'Before he cheats'? Really Trey?"

"Hey," he snapped grabbing me once
again.

"I don't even know that fucking song. She
must have programmed it to my phone."

"Really? And when would she have had the
opportunity to do that?"

"Tylar for the love of Jesus, I don't
know!"

He was exasperated by the line of
questioning. So what? I would damn well like to know when she would
have had access to his Blackberry.

As if reading my mind he had given it some
thought.

"Hell - I lose that damn phone on a daily
basis. It was likely just a prank."

"If that is true," I countered, "How would
she have known your password in order to download the tune?"
"Everyone knows my password - including you Tylar!"

"Do you mean to tell me that you have NEVER
changed it from 1-2-3-4?"

"I have too much to remember already. I use
that same password for everything provided it doesn't require an
alpha-numeric combination. Then I use A-B-1-2-3-4. Everyone in the
office is aware of it. I guess I'm the joke of the firm with
passwords but I don’t have time for that shit."

It almost amused me that as intelligent and
orderly as Trey was he couldn't manage multiple passwords. That was
neither here nor there. The bitch had intentionally downloaded that
ring tone for his phone. She knew he was here with me. How? Were
they still sharing personal info with each other?
“I just wanted to make sure that you were comfortable Trey. I have
to get down to the stables to help Danny with the
thoroughbreds.”

I made a hasty retreat from his room

Once I got out to the stables I busied
myself with the normal daily chores of caring for the horses to
wear myself out. It was how I coped these days. It was how I was
able to fall into my bed exhausted every night so that I could
sleep.

Danny came out of the tack room as I was
brushing Saratoga Sam. We had gotten to be pretty good friends the
past week or so. I had shared with him some of the details relative
to my situation with Trey.

"Hey didn't hear you come in," he remarked.
"How are things going with your hubby being here?"

I shrugged and continued brushing.

"It's no big deal," I answered. "I'm
thrilled that Preston is here now. It's not like anything has
changed between Trey and me. He is sleeping in the guest
quarters."

"Wanna bet he tries to sneak into your
quarters tonight?" he teased.

I looked up at him. He was thoroughly
enjoying my discomfort at the thought. I wondered if Trey had
planned on something like that. Perhaps I would simply lock my
door.

"You're going to lock your bedroom door
aren't you?" he asked getting his shit-eating grin on.

"Maybe," I said smiling. "Hey guess what? I
was talking to Trey earlier and his Blackberry goes off with one of
those musical downloads. It was Carrie Underwood's song 'Before he
Cheats' of all things."

"No shit?"

"Guess who the call was from?"

"Amber of course, right? How the hell did he
explain that?"

"Said he didn't have a clue how it was
downloaded. He does misplace his phone a lot," I remarked now
brushing the underbelly of the horse.

"Yeah right," Danny snorted, "You know he's
doing her don't you?"

"He says that he isn't but he doesn't need
my permission if he wants to," I shrugged. I was bored with the
direction the conversation was taking.

"Can we talk about something else
Danny?"

"Sure. Want to go dancing tonight?"

I removed the bridle from the horse and
lightly slapped his bottom to get him to go into his stall. I hung
his bridle on the hook outside the stall as I closed the gate. I
turned to face Danny.

He was watching me and waiting for an
answer. He was handsome in a different way than Trey. He had a
rakish charm and magnetism. Trey was more refined and
charismatic.

"Danny," I said as if I was about to scold
him. "I told you I am not dating. Period."

"Hey," he grinned, playfully grabbing me
from behind and lifting me up in the air as if I was a sack of
potatoes. "Who said anything about a date? I like my women with
more meat on them anyway. I just thought you might like to get out
once in awhile."

"Put me down," I laughed squirming around in
his arms. "Put me down and I may consider it."

He gently set me down so that I was facing
him. We were standing close - too close. I backed up a bit turning
to open the gate on the next stall. I had to groom 'Runaround
Sue.'

"So where is this place where they have
music and dancing?"

"Not too far from here. It's a place called
'Jackass Flats'. It's a converted barn that has music on the
weekends. They book some decent bands. They serve drinks and food.
Hey - ask Trey to come with us if you want. I promise I have no
ulterior motives Tylar."

I looked at his face and it was brimming
with sincerity. Yeah, he could pull sincerity off pretty well. He
reminded me of that character on the old 'Leave it to Beaver' shows
I had watched as a kid on TV Land channel. Eddie Haskell - that was
the guy. I smirked out loud.

"What?" he asked innocently.

"Nothing,
Eddie
," I
smirked.

He looked puzzled.

"What time are we leaving?" I asked.

He immediately grinned taking my question as
confirmation that I was going. Hell, I had already decided to go
when he had first asked me. He was right. I needed to get out every
now and then and enjoy myself.

"How about I swing by the big house about
8:30 to pick you and hubby up? It's casual dress."

"The time works fine but I'll meet you out
here. I'm not inviting Trey. Trust me Danny that would not be a
good move on my part."

He nodded then took off down the gangway
toward the door to the arena.

"See you then 'Little Bit," he called out.
That was quickly becoming his pet name for me.

"Don't call me that!" I hollered after him.
I heard his chuckle just before the door closed behind him.

I took a leisurely bubble bath when I got
back to the house a little after five. Dinner was at 7:00. Edie had
put Preston down for a nap. I heard her babbling in her crib as I
was dressing after my bath.

I went into the adjoining nursery and
watched as she was sitting up in her crib babbling to her stuffed
animals in a language only she understood. Her voice was soft and
melodic like Trey's I thought to myself. She spotted me as I got
close to the crib.

She scrambled up to stand at the rail. She
was wearing just a diaper and tee shirt. Her chubby little legs
were so cute as she bounced up and down holding her arms up for me
to lift her.

"Hey baby girl," I cooed to her, lifting her
out of her crib.

She gurgled and smiled at me, her thumb
finding her mouth as she sucked on it.

I got a clean diaper and the baby wipe
dispenser taking her into my room to change her. Once she had her
clean diaper on she rolled onto her stomach and crawled to the edge
of the bed. She wanted down. I lifted her off the bed and she went
scurrying back to the nursery to get some of her toys.

I went back to the bathroom and blew my hair
dry. I applied some eye make-up. I was wearing a new pair of skinny
jeans with a new pair of boots I had bought last week. I wore a
black v-neck sweater. I looked at my reflection. The dark brown
hair had to go. I was going to have it re-colored I decided. I
certainly didn't want to pay tribute to that conniving bitch. What
had I been thinking?

I dressed Preston in corduroy bibs and a
long sleeved cotton tee shirt. Purple was definitely my girl's
color. I brushed her baby hair out of the braid and it fell into
soft waves. I put a couple of little baby barrettes in her
hair.

"There sweetie. You look so pretty
today."

Dinner was cordial. Most everyone's
attention was focused on the baby. I felt grateful for that. I had
a feeling of guilt about going out this evening to have some fun. I
had to remind myself that Trey was here to spend time with Preston
and not with me. We were separated for right now. My change in
appearance from earlier had not gone unnoticed by Trey. I saw him
studying me over the rim of his wine glass.

"Do you have plans this evening Tylar?" he
asked point blank, cocking an eyebrow.

My father looked over at me from where he
had been cutting up some cooked carrots for Preston.

"Nothing major planned," I replied, "Just
going out for a bit with a friend."

(That was not a lie!)

Trey continued to gaze at me at me
quizzically. I so knew that he wanted to know more. He had too much
pride to dig any deeper. My father apparently did not.

"What friend?" Dad asked not taking his eyes
off of Preston.

She was smashing the soft cooked carrots
into her mouth faster than my father could continue slicing
them.

"Dad," I moaned giving him the evil eye,
"It's a friend okay?"

Now they were both watching me making me
totally uncomfortable. It was if I was a teenager being grilled by
both of them - one silently; the other one not so much.

"I certainly didn't mean to pry Tylar,
though your behavior is rather surreptitious this evening." my
father said. "It is Preston's first day here. I thought you would
want to spend it with her."

I saw Trey give a silent smirk as he waited
for me to reply.

"Dad I fully intend to bathe her and get her
ready for bed. She'll be asleep when I leave. Besides that, this is
really Trey's weekend with her. I will be with her all week long
now, caring for her as a good and fit mother should."

"I didn't mean to imply that you weren't a
good or fit mother Tylar," he responded with an edge of sternness
creeping into his voice. "I was merely expressing my opinion I
suppose."

"Your opinion is always welcome Dad. I will
ensure that Preston is tucked in before I leave. Perhaps you and
Trey can watch Sport Center or something since you both seem to be
fans of the same channel."

I got up from the table, tossing my cloth
napkin onto my half full plate. I was a bit ticked off that my
father had taken me to task in his own subtle way about my going
out for the evening. He had practically accused me of acting
sneaky. The fact that he had done it in front of Trey had plainly
pissed me off. I went over and lifted Preston from the high chair
to take her up for her bath.

I turned with her in my arms as I was
departing the dining room. They were both watching me as I knew
they would be.

"By the way Dad, do I have a curfew?"

I left the room hearing my father mumble
something inaudibly followed by Trey's chuckle.

Preston enjoyed her bath with the bath toys
I kept in a basket in my bathroom for her. She played while I
brushed my teeth and touched up my hair and make-up.

I proceeded to bathe her and wash her hair -
something that she was not particularly fond of. I toweled her dry
and put baby lotion on her skin. She loved that part of her daily
ritual. I got her diapered and in her pajamas.

We sat in the rocker in her room and I read
her three storybooks. She seemed to enjoy being read to immensely.
I would point out the pictures to her and identify them: doggie,
kitty cat, and monkey. I was trying to get her to say the words. I
guess it was all about repetition. I decided I would continue to
re-read these same three books to her and see if she would start
trying to mimic the words.

I was rocking her now. I looked over at the
clock. It was 8:30. She was dozing off. I placed her in her crib
and placed her blanket on her. She rolled to her side and put her
thumb in her mouth and drifted to sleep.

I turned her baby monitor on which had
listening units in the family room, my dad's room, and Edie's room.
I went and put the mobile one we had into Trey's room.