Violet snuck a glance at Jake over the top of her coffee cup, but he didn’t meet her eyes. “She was fine, but for some reason I didn’t sleep well. After I fed her I took her into bed with me, but she just wanted to play.”
“Well, it was a big day for all of you.” Seth poured another cup with his free hand and set it in front of Jake. “Did you come to any agreement about the advertising offer?”
“We’re going to do it, and put our profits into a trust fund for Daisy,” Jake answered. “At least that’s what I’m doing with my salary.”
“Me too,” Violet added. “Maybe you can handle the details for us, Seth?”
“I’d be glad too. And as the only fully functioning adult here this morning, I’ll whip up some breakfast. Any takers?”
Jake checked his watch and groaned. “I’m supposed to meet Millie for brunch, and I’m going to be late.”
“I accept.” Violet slid her chair away from the table and stood. “As long as I can shower while you work your magic.”
An hour later, Violet, feeling much fresher, had just stabbed her first bite of Seth’s cinnamon French toast when the doorbell rang. Seth was shoveling applesauce into Daisy and it was clear she wouldn’t tolerate an interruption, so she put the warm morsel in her mouth and chewed fast on her way to the front door.
Even so, she swallowed a bigger piece than she should have when she discovered Richard on her front step, sagging against the door frame like his bones had turned to jelly. She was speechless, not because she didn’t expect to see him, but because she couldn’t breathe.
“You don’t want to see me, I know.” He was wearing the hangdog face that used to soften her heart, but now just irritated her. “Nothing to say? You’re right, I should just go.”
She pulled on the back of his shirt as he turned away, believing herself in urgent need of the Heimlich maneuver. But just as he spun back around she managed to get the lump of bread unstuck and began to cough violently.
“Oh, Violet, you’re choking!”
Richard stepped into the foyer and whacked her on the back, which only made her cough harder. Tears coursed down her cheeks. “Stop! I’m okay now.”
Seth was there, holding Daisy, who was crying. “Rayburn? What did you do to my sister?”
What was it with men and the last name thing? “Everyone just relax.” Violet’s voice was still croaky, and Daisy was screaming full-force, so no one heard her. She took a deep breath. “Everyone be quiet!”
Even Daisy fell silent. “Richard and I need to talk. Seth, could you watch the baby while we walk over to the park for a few minutes?” Then she headed off down the sidewalk, giving Seth no choice but to do as she asked, and knowing Richard would follow her.
Violet didn’t speak until she found an isolated bench where they could sit and talk without being disturbed. Although she hadn’t known what Richard was prattling on about when he left the gallery the previous day, she realized later he’d seen the same thing in the pictures her brother had tried to point out to her. If it weren’t for the kiss, she would tell Richard the same thing she told Seth — she and Jake did not have feelings for each other. Now she wasn’t so sure.
“I know you think there’s something going on between me and Jake,” she began.
He shook his head and smiled. “What I think is that there’s
nothing
going on between you and me, and I came by today to ask you if there’s a chance that will change. Jake will be going away soon, and he’ll be gone for a long time.”
She didn’t like being reminded of Jake’s departure, but she’d have to deal with it eventually. “I never meant to deceive you. You’re such a great guy, and handsome, and you’d be a wonderful father. I was hoping …”
“For some chemistry to develop. But that isn’t going to happen with Jake around.”
She knew now it was
never
going to happen, and it wasn’t fair to let Richard think otherwise. She reached for his hand. “I hope you’ll always be my friend.”
He sighed, and caught her hand between both of his. “You’ll need someone to fix things for you while Macintyre is off traipsing the globe.”
Thinking of Richard with tools made her roll her eyes and laugh, and he joined in. At least one of her relationships might turn out all right.
• • •
To Jake’s amazement, the turnout at the gallery on Sunday was even bigger than the day before.
“It’s the mother-daughter pictures,” Millie told him. “I think a rumor has gotten out that the baby is yours.”
Jake scowled, thinking about the people who knew about Daisy. “I can’t think who would have started that rumor.”
Her eyes darted around the room. “Oh! It’s my good friend Standish Miles, I must go speak to him.”
Standish Miles?
At least now Jake knew who had started the rumor. He wandered into the room where the pictures of Violet and Daisy were on display. A few people were standing in front of the first one, but they moved on just in time for him to take their place.
The sight of Violet in her flowered dress reminded him of last night. He could feel the buttons, so aggravatingly small, and just beyond them, the rounded flesh of her …
don’t go there
. If those thoughts continued, he was going to have to find a potted plant to hide behind.
“Jake?” A pretty young woman headed toward him with a big smile on her face. He hated such moments. Had they met, and he didn’t recognize her, or had she only seen his picture on a book jacket?
“I’m sorry, I …”
She laughed. “It’s me, Carrie.”
Did he know more than one Carrie? This woman had a sculpted short hairstyle in a darker shade of blonde than the Carrie he’d taken to Wickham, and she was dressed in a slim skirt and jacket even he recognized as stylish. The main difference, however, was in her demeanor. The old Carrie — for indeed, he now saw this was the same person — had slumped, as though she could shrink and hide. Now her posture was straight and her face was animated.
“Wow, you look great! I mean … ”
“Don’t worry, I know what you mean. I feel great, and it’s all thanks to you. And Matt.”
“Listen, I’m just going to be blunt here. What’s going on between you and my uncle?” He’d hoped the two could help each other, but now he was afraid one of them — or both — would end up getting hurt.
She put her hand on his arm. “Do you mind if we step outside?”
He led her out the back door, and she immediately took a cigarette from her bag and lit it. “It’s a terrible habit, I know,” she said, seeing him cringe. “Your uncle loathes it, and I’m trying to quit.” She inhaled deeply and exhaled away from Jake. “Matt is a wonderful man, but I know you hired me to take care of him. I told him I’d think about dating him when he’s better, and he thinks he might be able to find me a job in Wickham.”
He nodded. “Thank you. Is your old boyfriend leaving you alone?”
The shadow that crossed her face made her seem more like the old Carrie. “So far. I was afraid to come into the city, but I wanted to see the exhibit after Matt raved about it. After my makeover, he told me no one would recognize me.”
“He was right. What did you think of the pictures?”
Her smile chased away the shadow. “The ones of Miss Gallagher and Daisy are so beautiful! Will they be put into a book, like the others?” She stubbed out the cigarette with her sandal.
“I don’t think so, but I’m going to be taking more for an advertising campaign, I think.” He moved toward the door and held it open for her.
“Oh, that’s terrific! But you know, I miss Daisy, and I wish I could convince Miss Gallagher I would never have hurt her. Maybe if you need a babysitter sometime I could come in to the city for a few hours or an evening. Your uncle doesn’t need me to be there all the time.”
Now that they’d found the wonderful Grace Cornelius, Jake couldn’t imagine any situation where they might need another babysitter for Daisy. Even if they did, Violet would never let Carrie near the baby again. But he didn’t need to tell her that.
“Thanks, Carrie. If we ever do, I know where to reach you.”
Violet removed her cotton robe and handed it to the motherly assistant. She had to fight the urge to cover her breasts with her hands. Although the air-conditioning had been adjusted for her comfort, and she stood within a ring of lights, she shivered and felt her nipples stiffen. She was wearing white cotton bikini underpants; the only covering she’d have above the waist would be Daisy.
The assistant handed her the warm, naked baby, and immediately she saw the cons of infants as fashion — she could conceal one breast at a time, but not both. And Daisy squirmed more than the typical bra or shirt.
The baby grinned impishly and grabbed her mother’s nose, squeezing hard. Violet hoped she wouldn’t try that trick on her exposed nipple. “Now be a good girl, no peeing on Mommy. Or anything else.”
“Don’t worry, Miss Gallagher, I’ll be standing nearby with towels, and we have extra panties, if necessary.”
“Thank you, Maeve. That’s if I even go through with this. I’m having serious second thoughts.” She was, in fact, calculating whether or not she could afford to break her contract with
bébé
.
The grey-haired woman laughed. “I’m sure it’s embarrassing. But nothing will, you know,
show
, in the finished pictures. And your husband is taking them, so that will help. Imagine if you had to pose naked for a total stranger!”
Her husband? Is that what everyone thought? They’d probably been told Jake was Daisy’s father, and assumed they were married. Getting naked in front of a stranger would be easier, far easier than getting naked in front of Jake. What had she been thinking when she agreed to this?
The day they met with the team from
bébé
, she’d been informed the marketing plan included showing plenty of soft, well cared-for skin, on both baby and mother.
“It will be very tasteful,” they’d told her, and she’d thought more about the finished product — and making an appointment at the spa for some skin treatments and a pedicure — than the actual photo shoot. Jake, after all, had seemed unconcerned, nodding and making sketches and notes during the meeting. When their eyes met, he gave her a reassuring smile.
He’d treated her like a model, which is all she was to him, really. Well, that and the mother of his child. But it had been almost two weeks since their adolescent grope session, and nothing had been said about it. They’d been careful to keep a certain distance between them. Perhaps it was simply disinterest on Jake’s part, or the fact that he had another woman in his life, one he cold take to a motel where there’d be no interruptions from baby monitors. In any case, what was she worried about? It was Jake who’d be getting an eyeful of her assets, and if it didn’t bother him, there was no reason for it to bother her.
“You can let him know we’re ready, Maeve.”
• • •
Jake was an artist, first and foremost. He had photographed nude models, many of them as attractive as Violet, many times in his career. So when the people from
bébé
had presented their ideas, he’d been totally onboard. In fact, it was exactly how he’d wanted to pose Violet and Daisy the first time he photographed them — skin-to-skin, natural and unfettered. Violet had demurred, and he’d known then it was just as well.
All those weeks ago she’d been too uptight for the idea to work; she hadn’t even known how to play with Daisy, really. But she’d loosened up, and he liked to think he had helped with that process. That he’d been able to do something for her, even if she was completely unaware of it.
Now he was confident she could pose for the photos, and
bébé
would have its ad campaign showing a real mother and baby who used their products, both with healthy, radiant skin and hair. Yes, Violet would be naked, or nearly, but he was a professional. He was like a doctor, really, when it came to the human body.
When he received word she was ready, he walked into the studio where she stood under the lights, holding Daisy against her chest. The baby saw him and arched toward him, exposing much of her mother’s breasts. He observed them from his objective, professional viewpoint. They had the slight drop you would expect after a woman had given birth and nursed a baby, but were still exquisite. Round, full, and as he knew from the night he and Violet had fallen asleep together on the sofa, still very firm.
Suddenly aware he’d slipped out of professional mode, he raised his eyes to her face. Color bloomed in her cheeks. She was an artistic vision with her peachy skin, glossy dark hair and sea-blue eyes — but he knew he wasn’t being objective anymore.
He took a deep breath to settle himself. “Are you warm enough?”
“I think you’ve already determined that.”
Ouch
. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.” Did she think he could take photographs without looking at her? But he knew they needed the camera between them, to hide his eyes and give her the illusion of privacy. He moved toward his equipment and began to make adjustments.
“We’ll start with the light background, your skin and hair contrast with it beautifully. Lie down on the platform as though you were on your bed at home. I want you on your side, propped up with your left arm, with Daisy sitting in front of you so you’re both facing me. Put your right arm around her belly.”
He turned to Maeve. “Make sure as much of Violet is showing as possible, but nothing that shouldn’t be.” He and Violet had agreed the female assistant would help with the necessary physical adjustments. Now that he saw how easy it was for him to forget this was work, he was glad.
The older woman helped Violet with the pose while a make-up assistant fluffed up her hair. Working with an infant could be difficult, Jake knew, but as soon as the two women stepped out of the frame, Daisy saw her daddy and her face lit up with a huge smile. He started snapping pictures, knowing he had to work quickly.
Before long he slipped into a state of flow, where the work was as natural as breathing, and he lost all sense of time passing. Violet seemed to be right there with him. She lost her self-consciousness and moved easily from pose to pose, matching her reactions to Daisy’s. He couldn’t stop smiling at what he was seeing through the lens of his camera. Not a woman he wanted to ravage, although she was that; but a woman who had been transformed by motherhood, who had learned to give and nurture. And she was not just any mother, but the mother of
his
perfect child.