all tonight.”
Ivy shrugged playfully. “Hey, I can go for that. How was your day on
the job, Bonnie?” She sat down on the foam puzzle pieces and Bonnie
jiggled in her bouncy seat and babbled a long stream of incoherent words.
“Wow. It seems like you had a rough day too.”
Rafe chuckled. “She should have no complaints. She gets to hang out
with Grandma who buys her frilly dresses and fills her room with Build-
A-Bears. She can poop in her pants and have other people take care of it
and always has an ample supply of teething cookies.”
Ivy gave him a look. “You tasted the cookies, haven’t you?”
He made a face. “Those things are awful. Do the people who make
this stuff know how bad their product tastes? She is going to love Oreos
when she can have them.”
“Her little palate is sensitive. She can’t have overly spiced foods yet,”
Ivy crooned and took her from the bouncy seat. Bonnie was heavier and
she looked healthy and definitely happy. He was a perfect father and she
was a lucky little girl. Ivy nuzzled the baby and felt her own biological
clock ticking. She hoped and prayed that when the time came she could
have a child of her own and find a man who wanted to work with her
72
Baby On Board Dahlia Rose
toward that goal. Not every woman was born with fertile soil to plant a
seed; some had to work at it. She thought of her ex and how he had looked
at her after she told him it would be hard for her to conceive. It made her
sad and she pushed the thought out of her head. Tonight was for relaxing.
She would eat, enjoy herself, and play with Bonnie.
“You look pensive,” Rafe said, coming over with a platter in his
hands. “Ready to go inside and eat?”
Ivy smiled. “Yup. I’m excited to taste your culinary skills.”
“I’ve got many other skills I would be happy to show you,” he said
under his breath, but Ivy heard him loud and clear.
“I’m sure you would.” She winked as she passed by him holding
Bonnie. It was a brazen move to let him know she had heard his words.
Inside was cool compared to the warmth of the evening. It was already
in the eighties and it was just a few weeks into June. It was going to be a
long, hot summer. She put Bonnie in her high chair next to the table while
Rafe spooned some different colored baby foods onto her pink princess
plate.
He used a haughty French accent while he worked. “For the little
madam, we have green goop, a.k.a. peas, orange goop, a.k.a. sweet
potatoes, and some yellowish beige gunk for dessert—”
“Let me guess, apple sauce?” Ivy laughed.
Rafe inclined his head. “Quite true, madam. And for you, a glass of
sparkling white wine and a plate of delicious fare.”
She shook her head and smiled. “You’re a nut.”
He sat down across from her. “I just know how to enjoy life.”
“Is there any word on her mother?” Ivy asked and then frowned. “I’m
sorry if you feel it’s not my place to ask…”
Rafe stopped her by covering her hand with his own. “I made it your
business when I showed up at your house asking for help. My lawyer has
filed the petitions with the court. I’ve got temporary custody and he’s
hired a detective to find her. Then she can sign the papers giving over her
parental rights to Bonnie. That’s the easy way. The hard way would be if
73
Baby On Board Dahlia Rose
she decides to fight, which my lawyer assures me would go my way since
she abandoned her on my doorstep. The final court case is in a month,
either way. I don’t intend Bonnie to ever go back to a situation where she
can’t be safe.”
“She was well cared for,” Ivy interjected. “I don’t know her mother’s
issues but sometimes things get tough for a single mother. I don’t think
she could manage being a single mother anymore.”
“That gives her no right to just leave my daughter on the doorstep. She
found where I live. She could have waited with her,” Rafe pointed
Ivy shrugged playfully. “Hey, I can go for that. How was your day on
the job, Bonnie?” She sat down on the foam puzzle pieces and Bonnie
jiggled in her bouncy seat and babbled a long stream of incoherent words.
“Wow. It seems like you had a rough day too.”
Rafe chuckled. “She should have no complaints. She gets to hang out
with Grandma who buys her frilly dresses and fills her room with Build-
A-Bears. She can poop in her pants and have other people take care of it
and always has an ample supply of teething cookies.”
Ivy gave him a look. “You tasted the cookies, haven’t you?”
He made a face. “Those things are awful. Do the people who make
this stuff know how bad their product tastes? She is going to love Oreos
when she can have them.”
“Her little palate is sensitive. She can’t have overly spiced foods yet,”
Ivy crooned and took her from the bouncy seat. Bonnie was heavier and
she looked healthy and definitely happy. He was a perfect father and she
was a lucky little girl. Ivy nuzzled the baby and felt her own biological
clock ticking. She hoped and prayed that when the time came she could
have a child of her own and find a man who wanted to work with her
72
Baby On Board Dahlia Rose
toward that goal. Not every woman was born with fertile soil to plant a
seed; some had to work at it. She thought of her ex and how he had looked
at her after she told him it would be hard for her to conceive. It made her
sad and she pushed the thought out of her head. Tonight was for relaxing.
She would eat, enjoy herself, and play with Bonnie.
“You look pensive,” Rafe said, coming over with a platter in his
hands. “Ready to go inside and eat?”
Ivy smiled. “Yup. I’m excited to taste your culinary skills.”
“I’ve got many other skills I would be happy to show you,” he said
under his breath, but Ivy heard him loud and clear.
“I’m sure you would.” She winked as she passed by him holding
Bonnie. It was a brazen move to let him know she had heard his words.
Inside was cool compared to the warmth of the evening. It was already
in the eighties and it was just a few weeks into June. It was going to be a
long, hot summer. She put Bonnie in her high chair next to the table while
Rafe spooned some different colored baby foods onto her pink princess
plate.
He used a haughty French accent while he worked. “For the little
madam, we have green goop, a.k.a. peas, orange goop, a.k.a. sweet
potatoes, and some yellowish beige gunk for dessert—”
“Let me guess, apple sauce?” Ivy laughed.
Rafe inclined his head. “Quite true, madam. And for you, a glass of
sparkling white wine and a plate of delicious fare.”
She shook her head and smiled. “You’re a nut.”
He sat down across from her. “I just know how to enjoy life.”
“Is there any word on her mother?” Ivy asked and then frowned. “I’m
sorry if you feel it’s not my place to ask…”
Rafe stopped her by covering her hand with his own. “I made it your
business when I showed up at your house asking for help. My lawyer has
filed the petitions with the court. I’ve got temporary custody and he’s
hired a detective to find her. Then she can sign the papers giving over her
parental rights to Bonnie. That’s the easy way. The hard way would be if
73
Baby On Board Dahlia Rose
she decides to fight, which my lawyer assures me would go my way since
she abandoned her on my doorstep. The final court case is in a month,
either way. I don’t intend Bonnie to ever go back to a situation where she
can’t be safe.”
“She was well cared for,” Ivy interjected. “I don’t know her mother’s
issues but sometimes things get tough for a single mother. I don’t think
she could manage being a single mother anymore.”
“That gives her no right to just leave my daughter on the doorstep. She
found where I live. She could have waited with her,” Rafe pointed
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