“No.” His gaze moved to her then. “Not yet.”
She nodded, gripped with sympathy. She was still processing the changes in her day, but this wasn’t her life. In six weeks, her life would return to normal—for the most part. But Mr. Dean would come home to his son every night until the day little Oscar went off to college. A daunting change for a man used to freedom.
She shifted Oscar in her arms, his little hand catching the silk neckline of her blouse and pulling the fabric down. The lace edge of her pale pink bra was a stark contrast to her dark gray blouse. She lifted his tiny hand and tucked it into his blanket, her cheeks hot as she tried to adjust her clothing.
She glanced at Mr. Dean, hoping he’d missed the whole slip. He stood, his eyes pressed tightly closed and his brow furrowed deeply.
The doorman buzzed, and Mr. Dean’s eyes opened, his gaze slipping over her. “Thomas,” he murmured.
“Or Harry,” she offered, hurrying to explain Harry’s no-doubt irritated attitude. “He’s not thrilled that he’ll be in charge. If he’s a bit prickly, that’s why.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” Mr. Dean smiled, pressing the button by the intercom. “Yes?”
“A large delivery sir,” the doorman said.
Oscar chose that moment to burp then dissolved into tears. She patted him, bouncing him gently in her arms, while Finnegan Dean stared in horror. She carried the baby out, knowing Oscar’s screams were hard to talk over. She kept bouncing and patting, making her way to her room. Once there, she changed Oscar into a dry diaper and wrapped him in a clean blanket before scooping him up and walking toward the window.
He calmed, grunting and wriggling until he was comfortable enough to fall back to sleep.
She spread another blanket on the middle of the bed and laid Oscar on his back, surrounding him with pillows for her benefit. He was too little to roll, she knew that. She waited, one hand resting on his swaddled body, to ensure he was sleeping peacefully. He didn’t stir, but his little mouth suckled in his sleep, and she stood. She smiled, left the door ajar, and made her way down the hall.
“Hey, Jessa,” Thomas said, waiting. “You want to check
over the list and make sure we have everything you requested?”
She took the clipboard from him, checking off each item before signing off. “I appreciate how prompt you were.”
“If you point me in the right direction, I’ll assemble the crib before I go,” he offered.
She led him down the hall to the room that adjoined hers through a shared bathroom. It was a large, airy room with a wonderful view of the new park. She could imagine a window seat with pillows piled high and a tower of books to read.
“I think it will fit here,” she said.
He nodded.
“Do you need anything?” she asked.
“I brought my own tools.” He smiled, looking at her with an appreciative eye.
“I’ll leave you to it,” she said, turning to go…and found Mr. Dean watching them. “This is Oscar’s room? It’s perfect, lots of room to grow.” She smiled at him. “Thomas has offered to assemble the crib.”
“Good,” Mr. Dean said. “I have a conference call soon. I’ll be unavailable for some time.”
She nodded. She understood why he was here, working from home, and that today was one distraction after another. Not his norm. He was usually at the office late. Lara, the fifth-floor receptionist and her frequent lunch buddy, lived to tell her all about Finnegan Dean’s comings and goings. And, per Lara, Mr. Dean was a schedule man. “I’ll try to keep things quiet.”
He nodded, glanced at Thomas, and left.
“Your boss is pretty intense,” Thomas said once they were alone. “But I love Dean Automotive cars. Some of the few cars on the road that still have a unique profile.”
She nodded. “You can spot a Dean vehicle a mile away.”
“Good company to work for?” Thomas asked, opening the box and pulling out the pieces.
“Definitely,” she agreed.
“So, Jessa, what do you do after hours?” he asked, smiling.
She smiled back. “I go home to three younger brothers. And a sister, though she’s out of state—at college. Never a dull moment in my house.”