Simple Man by Lydia Michaels

around his place. What now?
    “Where’s the baby?”
    “Logan’s napping in his crib. Babies do that.”
    “I’m aware babies nap, Mr. Martin. How are you managing today?”
    “Fine.”
    “May I sit down?”
    He waved an arm toward the sofa. She grimaced and chose the chair again. Today she wore a black pencil skirt and a turquoise cardigan, with simple black slippers on her feet. She was pretty in a stuck up kind of way. Nothing like the girls he was attracted to.
    “Did you attend your parenting class last night?”
    “Yes.”
    “And how did that go?”
    Aside from almost leaving Logan there… “Great. Logan’s top of the class.”
    She jotted down notes, but didn’t smile. “Have you selected a pediatrician?”
    “As a matter of fact, I did.”
    She looked surprised, but said nothing, only jotted down more notes. “Have you been shopping?”
    “Yes, would you like to look around?” Go ahead. I dare you.
    She glanced around, but didn’t get up to look in his cabinets. “What do you plan to do about work, Mr. Martin?”
    His expression fell. She’d found his kryptonite. “I, uh, I have a job.”
    “Doing what?”
    “Construction.”
    “What sort of hours do you work? Every time I’ve come by it’s been the middle of the work day and you’ve been home.”
    He shifted uncomfortably. “I took a few days off to get Logan situated.”
    “When do you plan on returning to work?”
    I don’t know. “In a few days.”
    “And when you return, who will be caring for Logan?”
    “I’m looking into various options now.”
    “What kind of schedule do you work?”
    “I usually go in around six and I’m home by four. I also play a few gigs a month for some extra money.”
    “Gigs?”
    “I’m a musician.”
    She frowned and jotted down more notes. He really was developing a strong dislike for this woman.
    “Have you filled out the paperwork for food stamps yet?”
    His jaw locked. “I don’t think that will be necessary.”
    She eyed him and his pride smarted. “Mr. Martin, with all due respect, yesterday your cabinets consisted of dust and Wild Turkey. A baby requires more sustenance than that.”
    “With all due respect, Ms. McAlister, I’ve been to the store and I’m more than capable of filling the pantry.”
    “How much is your annual income, not including your gigs of course,” she asked patronizingly.
    Who the fuck did this broad think she was? Talk about kicking him right in his manhood. “I make decent money when there’s work.” There was no way he was reporting his income.
    She pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes. She had very pretty lashes, golden almost. The fact that he noticed only made him dislike her more. “These programs were recommended to you for a reason. I could summon the court and request proof of your wages.”
    “Be my guest,” he called her bluff.
    She scowled at him. Suddenly Logan began to cry. He stood. “Are we done?”
    “If you don’t mind, I’d like to stick around for a little while and observe.”
    He did mind, but he couldn’t force her to leave. Why couldn’t he have been assigned to someone like Joanne or Haughenschlaugger? They liked him.
    He turned and went to get Logan.
    “Hey, big guy.” He reached down and scooped him up. He was already becoming more comfortable with holding him.
    Logan immediately began to settle once in his arms. Shane carried him to the living room and sat him in his car seat while he heated up a bottle he’d had on the ready from that morning.
    “Aren’t you going to latch that?”
    Shane stilled. “I’m coming right back.”
    “It only takes a moment for a baby to get injured, Mr. Martin.”
    He scowled at her. She was really starting to piss him off. “Maybe you weren’t aware, but Logan’s two months old. At his age, he’s just learning to hold up his head. I think catapulting out of car seats is a little advanced for him—even if he is at the top of his class.”
    “Do you think you’re funny,