Mind Play (Bennett Sisters Book 3) (4 page)

In the darkness of the room with the shades drawn closed
, shadows danced on the walls
from the glimmer of the
turned on
television, yet no sounds came from it.
She spotted Jake lying fast
asleep in the chair that pull
ed
out
to a makeshift bed
.
Claire smiled.
Jake looked exhausted from
his first full night with his daughter
.
Nursing blankets, spit
-
up rags, and bottles littered the dim room. The
closed
curtains
blocked
out the setting sun.

Emma sat propped up in
the bed, smiling down at the bundle of joy in her
arms.
Lily was
fast asleep. Even in the semi-darkness of the room, Claire could see the bags under Emma’s eyes.
Emma looked like she could use a few hours
of sleep
herself. Claire walked over to the bed and sat beside her
, whispering
,
“How’s my niece?”

Emma
’s red watery eyes and uncontrollable yawn told Claire enough, but Emma confirmed her suspicions.
“She’d be perfect if she was
n’t a night owl. I don’t think we
got two hours of continuous sleep last night
. I’d be just dozing off
,
and she’d wake up hungry
or with another wet diaper
.
Aren’t babies supposed to sleep all the time after their first
born? I don’t remember John waking up so much.
”

“We were all younger then
. I
t didn’t effect us as much.”
Claire reached for the baby and
carefully
took her out of Emma’s arms
,
snuggling the infant close to her body
,
and
then claimed a rocking chair
sitting at the end of the bed
. “I’ve got her
. W
hy don’t you
try and
get some sleep
?
I’m just going to rock her for a bit to keep her
happy
.”

“Oh
,
Claire, that would be awesome.
Have I told you you’re the best sister in the world?” Emma
s
a
nk back into the mattress
and
smiled
,
pushing the button to recline her
position
.
“Are y
ou sure you
don’t mind?”

“Of course not
.
I remember how it was with John. If
it
hadn’t been
for
the four of us, I don’t think Abby would
’ve
every
gotten
any sleep.” Claire gazed
down at
the beautiful baby girl in her arms
. “Besides, I want to spend some
a
untie time with her. Just close your eyes and try to get some rest.”

Claire didn’t know how long she’d been rocking Lily when she looked up to see Butch standing in the doorway, smiling
down
at her
with a twinkle in his eyes
. She ignored him
,
hoping that he’d just go
away
. S
he lowered her gaze down to look at the baby.
He didn’t
take the hint
. H
e sauntered over to her
and
gently
caressed
the baby’s head.

“She’s beautiful,” he whispered.

“I know. She couldn’t be any more perfect.”
The baby had her whole palm
wrapped
around Claire’s thumb as
Claire
rubbed
the top of
her
tiny
hand.

Butch glanced around the room. “I see they’re finally getting some sleep.”

“You should have been here awhile
ago;
Emma was snoring, poor thing.”
Butch’s proximity made her uncomfortable
.
She was totally bewildered by his recent behavior.
Yeah, he’d been friends with her family for the last ten months, but he’d hit on her for the first time that morning, and she didn’t know what to say.
Not that it mattered anymore.

“So, did you get her number?”

Butch narrowed his eyes
in thought
. “Who?”

“Don’t play dumb. The nurse you were flirting with. Did you get her number?”

A
grin
formed on his lips. “Are you jealous
,
angel
?”

Yes.
Claire glared at him. “Don’t be
ridiculous
. I was just curious.”
 
 
 

Butch’s grin got even bigger, showcasing both dimples
.
I
t was apparent he wasn’t buying her answer
, but she wasn’t about to
let him know
otherwise. What she really wanted to do was stand up and
give him what for, but she knew she wouldn’t.
That was how her sisters would have handled it
, not her
. They were the outspoken ones, the ones that didn’t take crap from any man. Claire only dreamed of being that way herself
.
Claire stood up for herself when she needed to, but she’d only fight the battles she could win. Not wanting to give him any more ammunition, s
he held her tongue and kept herself calm and collect
ed
, not showing
the
turmoil she
was
feeling inside. No, he was fishing for a reaction
,
and he wouldn’t be getting one from her.

“I wasn’t after her number. I
was only flirting
with her so she wouldn’t throw me out
later
when I
sneak
Emma some contraband
. She’s d
ying for a burger and
a chocolate
milkshake
, and who am I to deny the mother of my godchild anything
?
” Butch shrugged. “
I told her I’
d get
her one.
It’s easier if you play nice with the people in charge.” Butch stopped the rocking chair and kis
sed the top of her head. “
A
ngel
, y
ou know you’re
the only one for me.”

He walked out on her again, leaving her alone with her thoughts in the quiet room. Well
,
quiet for a
few
minute
s
before Mike, Sam, Abby, and John burst through the door, carrying on a loud conversation. She’
d only caught the tail end of
it
.

“You know you like her, you want to marry her, you want to
make
babies with her
,
”
Abby
said
in a
singsong
voice
,
mimicking a line from her favorite movie
. Mike growled
, scowling
down at their little sister.

Their loud conversation had
Emma stirring in the bed
,
and Jake
trying to sit up,
but not the baby.
Lily
was sleeping right through it
all
.
“Good job
,
guys, you woke them up.”

They all stopped and glanced around the room. “Sorry,” they said in unison.

“Abby, who does Mike like, that he wants to marry and have babies with?” Claire asked
,
biting her lip to hide t
he smile forming on her lips
.

“
Dr. Elizabeth Lister
, of course. You know
she’s the only one that can put
that
deep of a
frown on Mike’s face
. We ran
into her as we were coming in
the hospital
. T
hey both scowled at each other, and Mike
stomped
after her. It was the funniest sight I’ve ever seen.”

Mike took a step toward Abby, but Sam and John
stepped between the two
,
effectively shielding Abby from Mike’s reach
.

“That’s not a good idea
,
Mike.”

Mike’s gaze went from father to son and back.

“Yeah, I’d have to agree with my dad on this one
,
” John said
,
crossing
his arms over his chest
,
in an identical pose as
his father
.

“
Just man-up already and ask her out
,” Abby said
nestled
safely
behind the brick wall of muscles
blocking Mike’s attack
.

“
You don’t even know what you’re talking about.
I don’t want to ask her out. I don’t even like her
,
” Mike said as he turned
. He
walked to Emma’s side of the bed and pla
ced a kiss on Emma’s forehead
.
Emma
wiped
the sleep from her eyes
and covered her mouth as she yawned.