Debbie Macomber's Cedar Cove Series, Volume 3 by Debbie Macomber

wobbling.
    â€œHi,” he said.
    â€œHi,” she returned, smiling up at him.
    Mary Jo looked…dreadful. No other word for it. She was dressed and her hair was brushed, but her makeup didn’t disguise her paleness or the circles that darkened her eyes. Those tired eyes did light up when she saw him, though.
    She moved aside so Mack could step into the house, which he noted was tidy. A white bassinet was set up in the living room close to the sofa, and there was a stack of disposable diapers on the coffee table.
    â€œI’m so sorry,” she said. “I planned to have Noelle bathed and ready to receive company…but she had a bad morning.” She patted Noelle’s back. “And consequently, so have I.”
    â€œNo need to apologize,” Mack told her.
    Mary Jo made a halfhearted effort to stifle a yawn. “Noelle kept me up most of the night. I thought she’d be tired this morning, but no such luck. Whenever I put her down, she starts to cry all over again.”
    â€œIs she sick?”
    She shook her head. “I talked to the nurse and she said it’s a classic case of colic. It generally hits at about three weeks.” She sighed. “All Noelle does is fuss and cry. I don’t think I slept more than an hour all night.”
    â€œYou should’ve phoned. We could have rescheduled.” He would’ve been disappointed but could easily have stopped by some other time.
    â€œI probably should have,” she agreed, “only I’d been looking forward to showing you how much Noelle’s changed since you saw her.”
    On his initial visit Noelle had been sleeping peacefully, wearing a tiny pink knit hat. She’d slept the entire time, so he hadn’t had the opportunity to do more than gaze at her admiringly.
    Mack set down the teddy bear and saw that Noelle had already acquired a dozen or so stuffed animals.
    â€œMy brothers spoil her terribly,” Mary Jo said, pointing to the heap of plush lions and puppies and bears. “Especially Linc. He’s the oldest, and really should have a family of his own by now. His problem is that he takes his responsibilities—or what he sees as his responsibilities—too seriously. I think that’s what caused his breakup with… Oh, you don’t want to hear all this.” She nodded toward the sofa. “Please make yourself at home.”
    Noelle squirmed in Mary Jo’s arms.
    Mack took a seat, feeling awkward, since she was still standing. Mary Jo paced and patted the baby’s back, but Noelle sent up a wail that startled him with its intensity.
    â€œDo you want me to take her?” he asked.
    â€œIt won’t do any good.”
    Mary Jo looked as if she was about to fall asleep standing up.
    â€œLet me try.”
    She sighed. “All right. Thank you. I’ll put on a pot of coffee. I need caffeine if I’m going to function for the rest of the day.” She placed Noelle in his arms.
    Mack hadn’t spent much time—virtually none, in fact—around babies, so this was a new experience. Noelle continued to yell and thrash her arms and legs. He stared down at her. Her small face was red and fierce with anger as she lay on his lap. Not knowing how to calm her, Mack offered his finger, which she instantly grasped. Then he rested his large hand on her tummy andbegan to hum a tune he remembered his mother singing to him. He didn’t recall the words, but the melody had stayed in his mind.
    Noelle blinked up at him and suddenly went still. Then her eyes opened wide. Although it was highly unlikely, it seemed to Mack that the baby recognized him.
    Mary Jo poked her head into the room. “What did you
do?
” she asked. “How did you convince her to quiet down?”
    â€œI…hummed,” he replied, a bit embarrassed. “As soon as she heard my voice, she stopped crying. I think she remembers me.” If her hold on his finger was any