She left it at that because she was beginning to talk too fast, something she did only when she was really nervous or being insincere. She only hoped the explanation was enough. Babies really did demonstrate and reciprocate strong feelings of affection from very early on. Though none she’d ever watched had come even close to Oreo’s response to her. In fact, the few times she had watched a baby, it took hours to get them to warm up to her since they were dealing with separation anxiety from their parents. Crinkling her nose before Orlando even had a chance to respond to that, she’d never thought she’d be so grateful for the sudden need of a diaper change. One peek into the back of Oreo’s little pants and sure enough. “Time for a new diaper.”
She laughed at the face Orlando made. Her opening the back of the baby’s diaper had released what she’d been smelling. “That’s one thing I don’t think I’ll ever get used to.” Orlando got up when she did, apparently ready to follow her to the changing table, though he’d just admitted to not being used to changing stinky diapers.
“You’ll get a pass when I’m around. I’ve changed enough diapers it doesn’t faze me anymore.” His exhaling a bit too relieved, made her giggle. “Besides, I’m a stickler for keeping tabs on rashes, and as gross as it may sound pee and even poop color and texture. I need to know Oreo—” She cleared her throat, catching herself—yet again. “Any baby in my care is not constipated or showing signs of coming down with any kind of stomach bug and whatnot.”
“Why do you call him Oreo?”
Glancing up at him as she placed the baby on the changer, she bit her tongue before nearly blurting out that she’d been calling him that since he was born. But there was something else she could respond with that was also true. “I thought referring to you both as Orlando might get confusing. Wasn’t sure how else to shorten Orlando, and I thought it was sweet and cute like him.”
Smiling, Orlando nodded. “Since everyone calls me O, most call him Baby O, but Oreo’s cool, too.”
To Danica’s relief, they didn’t go back to discussing Oreo’s instant attachment to her. Danica had planned something else as well. They hadn’t set a time for how long she’d be here today. Initially, when Orlando had suggested she come by to give him a few tips, he’d said for a few hours. After changing the baby, Orlando said he was ready for lunch, and the baby was showing signs of needing a bottle, but Danica had other plans. Giving him a bottle now would likely make him sleepy again. She needed him to hold out a little longer, at least until after they’d had lunch. She was hoping to spend a little more time with him, but given his response to her, she needed to time her exit today just so. Orlando ran out to pick up some cheeseburgers for their lunch, giving Danica some time to properly fawn over her little guy without the fear of any more comments about their incredible connection. When Orlando got back, they all sat in the dining room, having lunch as Oreo suckled his biscuit and made a good mess of himself. Their conversation stayed mostly baby-related until she checked her phone a few times and responded to a couple of texts. When she glanced up after putting her phone down, Orlando was wiping the baby’s face. “So, I hear congrats are in order.”
Danica peered at him just as she bit into her burger, not sure what he meant.
He finished wiping the baby’s face before turning to her and clarified, “You’re engaged. Is that just recently?”
Chapter 13
Orlando
Asking about her engagement was a risk. Orlando knew this. But given how much older the guy he’d seen her with that first time seemed, he’d sort of begun to hope she couldn’t be that serious about him. It’s what he’d been telling himself every time he was around her and began to feel that inexplicable draw to her. He’d been respectful of the fact that she was in a relationship from the beginning, especially now that he knew just how serious her relationship was. He was just curious now. Never mind that the longer he was around her, with every new thing she said and did to impress the hell out of him, the more that curiosity mounted. He’d talked himself out of asking anything about her boyfriend, several times both days she’d been at the shop. But now that he knew he wasn’t just a boyfriend anymore, he had to get himself in check, especially since keeping his eyes from zooming onto those lips was becoming a real struggle now. It’d happened at the shop as well, but at no time had he had this much alone time with her there. So, the more he knew about her engagement, the bigger the reminder that he should not be getting any ideas and ruin the perfect set up he now had. Orlando had known she’d be awesome with the baby, but so far, she’d exceeded even his wildest expectations. Only it wasn’t just how good she was with the baby that had him so enthralled, and Orlando knew it. Every one of her smiles, laughs, and hell, just listening to her talk had mounted the curiosity level about her relationship through the roof. Hearing her gush about her wedding and honeymoon would be galling to say the least, but it’d do the trick. Still he braced himself. Of course, he’d caught Dani mid-chew, and now he had to wait for her to finish chewing and take a sip of her soda.
“Not officially.” She wiped her mouth with a napkin as their eyes met; then she glanced away, quickly smiling at the baby. “Felicia asked if we had any marriage plans, and I told her we’ve discussed it, but we’re not actually engaged yet.”
Just like that, Orlando had a million more questions he suddenly needed answers to. He jumped right into the first. “So, I take it you two have been together long.”
Again, she paused as she finished chewing the fry she’d slipped in her mouth. Just like the previous question, Orlando braced himself for the answer to this too. Since the day he heard back from her and she’d left him awestruck over the phone with her baby skills, Orlando’s head had started up the rationalizing. As long as she and this boyfriend of hers weren’t childhood or even high school sweethearts, and they couldn’t be given their obvious age difference, maybe she hadn’t been with him too long. Given the guy’s age, he had to have his own home, right? At the very least his own place. Even if his other reasoning, that because she’d since made it clear she lived at home with her sister and brother, her not living with him yet meant it wasn’t too serious. But this changed things—big time.
“Not really.” She wiped her mouth then cleared her throat, glancing away from Orlando to wipe the baby’s mouth. “Just under a year. But he’s a meticulous planner. So even if we likely won’t get married for at least a few years from now, you know once I finish school and he’s comfortable in the position he’s anticipating being promoted to, he wanted to start planning.” She lifted her noticeably ring-less finger, the one Orlando had been eyeing ever since he’d gotten past the scare of not being able to get ahold of her. “Even the ring. He’s been saying we should start at least shopping around so he can see what I like.”
Well, that’s kind of stupid. Orlando bit his tongue before the words slipped out. Even if the guy was as meticulous a planner as she mentioned, why start planning this far ahead? What was the point? Plenty could happen between now and then. As Orlando’s mind raced to follow up with another question because, instead of crushing his curiosity, now he needed to know more, she hit him with an unexpected question of her own. “Felicia mentioned she’s not the baby’s mother but said she’s not”—she stopped to cough into her fist then took another sip of her soda before turning back to smile at the cooing baby—“opposed to taking on the role. Sounds serious.” She turned from the baby to look Orlando square in the eyes. “How long have you two been together?”