Let It Snow (Sue Thomas FBEye)

Chapter Two

"Jack is right. You are gorgeous. All pink and clean."

Jack smiled as he watched from the doorway.

Oblivious to Sue's sweet talk, the baby screamed louder than his neighbours when they got into a fight.

She caught his reflection in the mirror and their eyes locked. For an instant, Jack saw his future play in front of him. She was his partner, his friend, his confidante... his better half. The day he met her, he became a better person. If there was any chance to spend the rest of his life with her, he wanted to grab it with both hands.

"I'm almost done, Jack. Would you hold her while I clean myself, please?"

Before she finished wrapping her in a towel, he placed his load on the roomy counter top.

Her face lit up. "Where did you find all this?"

"Day care. And I also have this." He lowered the gym bag he'd retrieved from her locker onto the floor. "I thought you might want to change."

"Jack Hudson, you're a real sweetheart."

The compliment went all the way up to his head. He wasn't just a sweetheart, he was a real sweetheart.

"Would you help me with the diaper, please? It's a bit big, so I need to fold it."

For her, he'd do anything she asked. "Just tell me what you want me to do."

***

Jack Hudson.

The janitor memorised the agent's name in case it might come handy. So far, he'd learned more than he wanted to know and he had no desire to stay any longer, but he also didn't want the couple to see him. At the first suitable occasion, he'd dash outside the office and leave them to the consequences of their actions.

***

When she handed the infant to Jack, Sue tried not to laugh.

"You can hold her closer, Jack. You won't break her. She's a tough little cookie."

While she had experience taking care of her brothers' children, it didn't look like Jack had spent lots of time around babies.

***

That was the cue the janitor waited for. With the attention of the couple solely focused on the child, he hurried outside.

***

The bathroom door closed behind him. Jack was alone with a crying infant he had no idea how to console.

"Your bottle will be ready soon. Sue just needs to mix it and put some clothes on. It won't take long."

The infant didn't understand of word of what he was saying, and yet, he felt compelled to talk to her. Mystified by his own behaviour, Jack paced the room.

"Please, be good for me. We want Sue to think I know what I'm doing."

The office door was open. As he cuddled the baby against his chest to free one hand, he stilled near the doorway.

He could have sworn he'd closed the door with his foot when he came in with the supplies. "I must be more tired than I realise." It'd been a long day. No wonder his imagination played tricks on him.

"Jack? Something wrong?"

Sue stared at him from the doorway of the bathroom. At the sight of the bottle in her hand, he sighed in relief.

"Not anymore." He shut the door to keep the heat inside the office then followed Sue to the couch. "Did I get the right formula?"

"I think so. I just hope it was fine to mix it with warm tap water."