Counting Stars (24 page)

Chapter Forty-Two

“I’ll push if you’d like,” Pete offered, lifting the stroller from the Jeep.

“Um, sure,” Jane said reluctantly.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, balancing the stroller against his leg while he closed the hatch.

Jane shifted the twins on her hips. “Nothing,” she assured him. “It’s silly.”

“Try me,” Pete said as he attempted to open the stroller. “It can’t be as ridiculous as my not knowing how to put a diaper on—or open this thing.” He looked at Jane for help.

“There’s a lever on the right side. You’ve got to unlatch it first.”

Pete located and released the lever, and the stroller unfolded. He stood behind it, holding the handle while Jane situated Mark and Madison in their seats. When she was finished, he stepped aside, motioning for her to take over.

“I thought you wanted to push.”

“I do, but so do you. Go ahead.”

“Thanks,” Jane said as she took the handle and checked the brake. “Where to?”

“You tell me,” Pete said. “This is your old turf.” Jane thought for a moment, then turned the stroller around. “There’s a little park a few blocks away—not that Madison and Mark are going to get out and run around.”

“Soon enough,” Pete said. “Did you see Maddie pull herself up on your parents’ couch?”

“I did,” Jane said. “Watching the basketball game must have inspired her. She’s ready to take on the court.”

Pete grinned. “Nah. I bet she’ll be a dancer like her mother was.”

“I didn’t know Tamara was a dancer.” Jane gave him a sideways glance. “What else do you know about her?”

“Quite a bit,” Pete said, wishing he hadn’t mentioned it.

“You should write it down,” Jane said. “And everything you can remember about Paul too. It’s important for the twins to know as much as they can about their—parents.”

Pete heard her hesitation and felt a rush of guilt. “Hey, about what I said the other night,” he began, “about you not being Mark and Madison’s mother—that was way out of line. I apologize. I was just angry about the fence and . . .”
What else had he been so uptight about?
Pete struggled to remember why it was—just a little over a week ago—he’d been so against Jane Warner’s having anything to do with Mark and Madison. Now all he could think of was that she was a godsend, a miracle who allowed him to be involved in the twins’ lives. “Anyway, I’m sorry. You’re a great mother to them, and if it weren’t for you, I
would
be looking at visitation rights with some adoptive couple.”

“Thank you,” Jane said sincerely. “You’re great with them too. I certainly can’t get Mark to eat like you do.”

They walked in silence for a moment, and Pete’s thoughts drifted back to Tamara. He knew she was Mark and Madison’s biological parent, but seeing them with Jane, it was easy to see
her
as their mother. Still, Jane was right. He should write down Paul and Tamara’s story.

“I suppose I could do something like that,” Pete said. “Write about Paul and Tamara, I mean. Maybe in a few months . . . I doubt I’ll forget too much between now and then.”

“Whenever you’re ready.” Jane gave him a mischievous look. “You could write about the dishwashing races the two of you used to have. By the way, your loading time was seven and a half minutes, but your hand-washing time was
seventeen.
”

“That’s because I had a slow dryer,” Pete complained, rolling his eyes at her. “Remind me to get better help next time.”

Jane laughed. “Then I’ll wash and we’ll see how fast
you
can figure out where everything goes. It’s not my fault Mom rearranges all her cabinets once a month.” She stopped walking. “Here,” she said, stepping aside. “You can push now.”

“You sure?” Pete asked. “You’re not afraid I might run off with the twins?”

“No. Did you think that was why I . . . ? You did!” she exclaimed, looking dismayed. “Okay, the thought may have crossed my mind the first day—or two—but since then I haven’t been worried. I—trust you.”

Pete took the handle and began walking. “You’re not very convincing.”

“I mean it,” Jane insisted. “I wanted to push because I
like
to. My sisters all married young and had children right away, but I’ve had to wait until I’m thirty to have the privilege of taking babies on a walk.”

She hung back, and Pete glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. She looked embarrassed, and he wasn’t sure if it was because she’d told him her age or the fact that she had wanted a baby for a long time. Neither surprised him. He’d already known that much and more from reading the file Richard had prepared. The file that
had
piqued his curiosity more than he cared to admit.

“I’m enjoying Mark and Madison too,” Pete said. “But I also have to have a job, so I know I couldn’t do it alone. I’m glad they have you.”

“Thank you,” Jane said again.

“You’re welcome.”

She laughed. “Aren’t we the polite patrol today. We aptly fit the description I gave my sister just an hour ago—‘trying to be nice to each other and learn how to share the twins.’”

Pete nodded in agreement. “That’s us.”

They walked in silence until they reached the park. Mark began fussing, so Jane took him out of the stroller. Pete picked up Madison, and they moved over to a bench.

Pete pulled Maddie’s hat down over her ears. “Her nose is a little pink. Do you think it’s too cold for them? I could run back and get the car.”

“They’ve got all those layers. They’re probably fine,” Jane assured him. “But use this if you’re worried.” She handed him a pink, fuzzy blanket and leaned against the bench, enjoying the scenery.

Pete wrapped Maddie in the blanket, then watched Jane out of the corner of his eye. “Can I ask you something?”

She nodded warily.

“How come you didn’t tell me you’re Mormon?”

“I—I don’t know,” Jane stammered, looking embarrassed again. “I guess I was afraid it might be one more thing to make you want to take the twins. That and I wasn’t a very good example of a member of the Church the night we first met.”

“Oh.” Pete looked down at Madison.

“Does my religion bother you?” Jane asked.

“Not at all.” Pete spoke honestly. “The unit I serve with is based in Utah—I joined the Reserve to help with expenses when I was attending law school there. Anyway, I know quite a few members of your church. Good people. Great families—like yours.”

“Thank you,” Jane said, unmistakable relief in her voice.

“It’s true.” Peter leaned back against the bench, thinking of his buddies going off to what they called a sacrament meeting each week. He’d guessed that was where Jane was headed this morning when he’d watched from his upstairs window as she, all dressed up, loaded the twins in the Jeep. By then, he’d known she was a lifelong member of the LDS Church. Richard’s research revealed that and much more.

Pete’s thoughts shifted to the book Shane had given him when their unit came home this last time. Pete hadn’t opened it until this morning, and then only because he was feeling restless since Jane and the twins weren’t around. On the inside cover he’d found a brief note:

In these marked passages lies the peace you’re seeking. Good luck with your new life.

Shane

As much bored as he was curious, Peter had found himself flipping through the book, reading a marked section here and there. Then he’d come to a part about Jesus Christ’s visit. Probably because he was so focused on Mark and Madison, the verses about Christ blessing the children had caught his attention. That afternoon, the picture in the living room at Jane’s parents’ had reminded him of those verses. It all seemed very appropriate and good, Pete decided, that Jane belonged to a church so focused on children. Maybe that was what made her so great with Mark and Madison. Had Paul sensed that in her?

An image of his brother smiling at them came suddenly to Pete’s mind. Goose bumps sprang up on his arms, and for a moment he had the extraordinary feeling that someone was watching over them.

Chapter Forty-Three

“Ready to go?” Peter asked, walking through Jane’s front door.

“Almost.” Jane handed him Mark. “Maddie had to be changed last minute.” Reaching down, Jane picked up the diaper bag, giving that to Peter too. “Go ahead and get in the car. I’ll be right there.” Racing to the bedroom, she grabbed her shoes and collected Madison from her crib. They needed to hurry to get a good spot for the St. Patrick’s festivities on Fourth Avenue. Jane couldn’t remember ever being this excited to go to a parade before, but today she was eager to watch Mark and Madison experience one for the first time.

She hurried to the Jeep, buckled Madison, and got in.

Pete grinned. “My, you’re looking . . .
green
today.” He took in her appearance, from her green socks and hoodie to her dangling green earrings and the green scrunchie in her ponytail.

“No pinching. I grew up with brothers and learned early to be prepared.”

“Ah—you take all the fun out of things,” Pete complained as he put the car in drive and headed downtown.

After several minutes searching for a parking space, Jane finally spotted one. Pete maneuvered the Jeep along the curb, and Jane climbed out of the car and opened the door to get the twins.

“Did you see your surprise?” Pete asked, looking across the seat at her as he unbuckled Madison. He nodded his head toward the back of the Jeep.

Jane glanced behind the seat and saw that instead of the large double stroller, there were two smaller, compact strollers. She looked at Pete questioningly.

“Now we can each push,” he said. “Let’s hurry. I think I see the start of the parade.”

Jane held Mark and Madison while Pete popped open the strollers. “See? One hand,” he bragged. “I tried out every single model at the store, and these were the best.”

“Does the fact that they have
Jeep
written on the side have anything to do with it?” Jane teased.

“Maybe,” Pete admitted. “It’s good to feel manly when taking your children on a walk. But that’s not the only reason. Look how great they are.” He pointed out the different features. “Lightweight, yet they recline. And they have this cool storage pouch. You know, for all the Cheerios and stuff? And check out the tread on these tires.”

Jane couldn’t help but smile at his enthusiasm. “You chose well. And it was very sweet of you.”
Sweet.
Where had
that
come from? Sweet was something you said to a boyfriend when he brought you flowers. She mentally cringed at her choice of words.

Thankfully, Pete didn’t seem to notice. He’d already strapped Mark in and waited for her to tuck Maddie’s blanket around her. Jane nodded that she was ready, and they took off at a brisk walk, heading for the parade route. They’d gone about a block when Jane heard someone call her name.

She looked over to the curb and was surprised to see Tara walking toward her. She was wearing a very tight lime-green miniskirt and matching sweater with some sort of boa thing attached—and she was holding hands with Zack.

“Jane, I haven’t seen you in forever,” Tara exclaimed, giving her a hug. “What have you been doing the past few weeks? You look—different.”

Pete stopped and turned around, heading back to her.
Oh no,
Jane thought. He’d survived her family thus far, but Tara was another matter entirely. “We’ve been running to make it to the parade on time,” she said, praying Tara would shut up.

“No,” Tara shook her head. “That’s not it. You have a look like—Who is this?” she asked as Pete stopped beside Jane.

“Tara, Zack, this is Peter Bryant. He recently returned from Iraq.” Jane looked at Pete, apology in her eyes. “Pete, this is my friend Tara, and her friend Zack.” She could have introduced them as ‘my friends, Tara and Zack,’ but she’d never counted Zack as one of her friends. Any guy that would hit on his girlfriend’s co-worker was a creep in her book, and Zack had earned that distinction early on. For the life of her, Jane could not imagine what had possessed Tara to see him again. Had she forgotten about the loss of her cat, her art classes, her freedom?

Tara’s eyes were huge. “
This
is Peter?” She smiled at him, exposing every one of her recently whitened teeth.

“That’s me.” Pete shook hands with Zack and then Tara, who, Jane noticed, held on a second longer than necessary.

“So,” Jane said. “What are you two up to today?”

“We decided to go out to brunch—you know for the holiday,” Tara said. “And then I’m going to show Zack some property. He’s thinking of buying a house.”

“Oh,” Jane said, nodding her head, silently sending Tara the
Are you out of your mind?
look. Jane turned to Pete. “Tara is a realtor. In fact, she is
my
realtor. How’s that going, by the way? Any offers on my cottage?”

“Not yet,” Tara said brightly. “You know what I say. If it’s meant to sell, then it will.”

“It’s
meant
to sell,” Jane said. “And soon. Because if it doesn’t, I’m going to be living on macaroni and cheese.”

“You’re so funny, Jane,” Tara said. “You’ll just have to come back to work, that’s all. Did you know Jane is also a real estate agent?” Tara asked, looking at Pete. “She’s given up a very promising career to stay home with those babies.” Tara glanced at the twins. “Though they are getting cuter.”

Jane rolled her eyes, and she noticed Zack shifting uncomfortably at the mention of babies. She watched his gaze drift to Madison and Mark and noticed his look of boredom change to one of outright repulsion.

Run, Tara, Run,
Jane thought.

“It was nice to meet you, but we’d better get going,” Pete said. “The parade is supposed to start in a few minutes, and we don’t have a spot yet.”

“Good to see you,” Zack said, looking at Jane.

“Nice to meet you too,” Tara murmured, taking a last, lingering look at Pete. She turned to Jane. “Call me.”

“Sell my house,” Jane replied, then hurried to catch up with Pete.

“Interesting friend,” he commented as soon as she’d caught up with him.

“Yes,” Jane agreed.

“Why are you having her sell your house?”

“Because she’ll give me a break on the commission, and because she took care of everything with the listing so I didn’t have to.”

“No. I mean,
why
are you selling your house?”

“Because I couldn’t live there with Mark and Madison.” Jane started to jog, trying to match Pete’s pace. “It’s on Bainbridge—not very close to the hospital.”

“But if you’re a realtor, why not list it yourself?” He looked over, slowing his stride as he noticed her running. “Wouldn’t it be worth the paperwork not to have to pay
any
commission?” He stopped suddenly. “Let’s cross here. I think I see a place on the other side.”

Jane followed across the street. They walked another half block before finding some free space along the curb. She spread out the thick blanket she’d brought while Pete lifted the twins from their strollers. They settled on the blanket just in time to see the last of the pre-parade activities.

“All right, Mark. This is it.” Jane bounced him on her knee in time to the music of the approaching band. As the drummers walked by, she pulled the earflaps of his hat down to muffle the sound.

“You never answered my question,” Pete reminded her. “Don’t take this wrong, but it seems kind of strange for a realtor not to list her own house.”

“I suppose it does,” Jane said. “But you have to understand that before Mark and Madison came along, that cottage was the love of my life. It was a miracle I was ever able to afford it, and then I put all my spare time and money into the yard. It was very hard to leave—I don’t think I could show it to people. So you see, Tara
will
earn her commission.”

“Why not just rent it?” Pete asked.

“I am, sort of, for now,” Jane said. “Tara’s been staying there since she broke up with Zack. But she can’t afford the whole mortgage payment, and after what I saw today, I wonder if she’ll move out altogether.” Jane sighed. “In any case, the cottage isn’t practical anymore. With Mark’s health problems, it will be a long time before I would feel like I could stay there—even on weekends. I’d never forgive myself if something happened and I wasn’t close enough to the hospital.”

Pete nodded and returned his attention to Madison and the parade. Her eyes were wide as she followed the activity down the street. Beside him, Jane beamed as she snuggled Mark close and pointed out all the exciting things to see. Pete watched her from the corner of his eye, irritated with himself that he
was
intrigued by her. Richard had been right on the money. The more Pete learned about Jane, the more he wanted to know. She was the most unusual woman he’d ever met, and he still couldn’t fathom all she’d given up—the life she’d left behind to care for Paul’s children.

Pete forced himself to look away, silently acknowledging that his curiosity, admiration, and respect for Jane were growing day by day.

* * *

“Today was a lot of fun,” Jane said as she turned on the night-light and left the twins’ room. Pete followed right behind her.

“It was,” he agreed. “I think I got some great pictures. I really love this new digital camera. I can take hundreds of shots of Mark and Madison and store them on my computer.”

“Strollers, a new camera . . . Aren’t you just the proud dad?”

Pete laughed. “I guess I’d better be careful I don’t become the
broke
dad.”

“I know what that’s all about,” Jane said. She went into the kitchen and got two glasses of water. “And believe me, it’s no fun.”

“Then why don’t you use some of the insurance money?” Pete asked. He sat at the counter across from her.

Jane frowned as she handed him a glass. “How do you know about that?”

“About what?” he asked, taking a drink. “About the money we can draw on, or the fact that you haven’t used a cent of it?”

“I assumed you knew about the account,” Jane said. She took a long drink of water, then looked directly at Peter. “Richard Morgan thought I was in this for the money. He thought that I’d preyed on Paul or something and was just waiting to pounce.” She sounded indignant. “I’d much rather struggle than have him thinking—”

Pete held a hand up, cutting her off. “Richard
thought
you were after Paul’s money, but that was months ago. Believe me, he’s changed his opinion since then. Besides, taking some money out to pay Mark’s doctor bills—instead of selling your car, for example—would in no way implicate you’re after any money.”

Jane’s brow furrowed. She set her glass aside, folding her arms across her chest. “How did you know about my car?”

“Richard told me—only because I wondered what became of my Jeep,” he added quickly.

“Hmm.” Jane turned away, her ponytail flipping behind her, driving him crazy again. He watched as she carried dishes from the counter to the sink. “Speaking of the Jeep . . .” Pete said.

“Yes?” She opened the dishwasher.

“What would you think if I waited awhile on purchasing a car?”

“What would I drive?” She turned on the faucet and began rinsing out bottles.

“The Jeep, of course,” Pete said. “Richard has an old Mercedes parked in his garage he said I could use. He was going to let his son start driving it, but his grades dropped and the insurance is too much.”

Jane shrugged. “Sounds like you don’t need to buy a car right away.” She turned to him. “Unless you’d rather drive the Jeep, that is. It seems to me you’re pretty attached to it, and pushing around a Jeep stroller isn’t quite the same.”

“No,” Pete agreed. “It isn’t, but those
were
some pretty good off-road tires through the grass.” He grinned.

“How did Paul come to have your car, anyway?” Jane asked.

She returned to loading the dishwasher, and Pete was glad she couldn’t see his face. He cleared his throat, wishing the unbidden memory of Tamara would clear away as easily.

“It was a wedding present.”