“Let me get cleaned up,” she said, then darted to the bathroom.
CHAPTER 20
BECKETT
Thirty minutes later,we were stepping into the penthouse. My daughter was still awake, and my grandmothers were dancing for her. Charlotte was on her BabyBjörn bouncing chair, looking at them with wide eyes.
They only stopped when I said, “Good evening,” both turning to look our way. Their eyes bulged comically. Both Celine and Isabeau were staring at Piper as if they didn’t even see me. Celine’s mouth was hanging open, and it was all I could do to hold back my laughter.
“Hi,” Piper said. “It’s good to see you two again.”
For the first time in my memory, Isabeau was speechless.
Celine recovered first. “It’s great to see you too. You two went out on a date?” she asked without further ado. That snapped Isabeau out of her stupor.
“Of course they did. Look at them both smiling and happy.” She glanced at Celine. “Which means it’s time for us to hightail it out of here. By the way,” she said, looking straight at Piper, “we’re still waiting for you to drop by and get that new perfume we were talking about.”
I was half surprised they weren’t pulling ingredients from their bags or something to whip it together right here.
“I still have a lot left of the one I just got. But maybe it’s time for a change.”
“That’s my girl,” Isabeau said, rubbing her hands together.
Charlotte started to flail her hands, and I recognized the cue immediately. I picked her up from the bouncer, holding her against my chest, and she rested her head on me.
Damn, I’d never get over this baby smell. In the beginning, I thought the scent was in her clothes. Then I googled and discovered there was such a thing as newborn smell.
“Oh, look at her. Such a daddy’s girl already,” Piper exclaimed.
“Of course she is.” I was damn proud of it.
Charlotte sighed, making me hold her even tighter. She was already outgrowing her newborn clothes. How the hell was time going by so fast?
“All right, we’re out of here,” Isabeau said. She and Celine each kissed Charlotte’s and Piper’s cheeks before letting themselves out the front door.
Piper looked at me with a grin. “That went well. And this,” she said, pointing at me, “is absolutely adorable. Can I take a picture of you two?”
“Sure.”
“I’m going to look at it when someone annoys me.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s going to put me in a good mood.”
Watching me with my daughter was enough to turn her mood around?Who is this woman, and why does she already care about my daughter so much?
“So,” Piper said, licking her lips, “you were saying something about her evening routine? Can I help in any way?”
“You sound eager.”
She nodded fervently. “I am. Could I cuddle her too?”
“Sure. Charlotte likes to be held by everyone, though I’m her favorite.”
Piper smiled as she took Charlotte from me.
Once I managed to read her cues, I realized my girl was pretty easygoing. I still had to pay attention to her sleepy signs, though. I’d missed them a few times and paid for it. Turns out, overtired babies don’t want to sleep, and instead they just cry.
