The Marine's Baby. Deb Kastner

to affirm his independence, Nate had moved into his own cabin and away from the family quarters in the lodge on his sixteenth birthday. He’d selfishly not cared how his family felt about it. Yet Vince had kept the cabin intact and waiting for him, at his own loss, for Nate knew Vince could have been cashing in by renting the cabin out to guests.

      Yet he hadn’t. Why?

      He shook his head. Not wanting to think too much on what that might mean, he turned his attention to the smiling woman by Vince’s side.

      “Jess,” Nate offered, nodding his head toward the woman and reaching his hands out for Gracie. He suddenly and inexplicably wanted the infant back in his arms, even if it felt awkward, and probably looked worse. “I can take the baby now.”

      “It’s Jessica,” she corrected, only briefly glancing at Nate before her gaze returned to the baby, whom she didn’t immediately relinquish. “What can I do to help?”

      “Not a thing, ma’am,” Nate snapped impatiently, then winced at his own harsh tone. With Vince glowering at him, he felt as if he was on trial, and all because, as Vince had said, Nate wasn’t exactly daddy material.

      But he would learn to be. And quickly. He was nothing if not determined.

      “Sorry,” he apologized gruffly, but that didn’t stop him from scooping Gracie back into his arms. He kissed the baby’s soft cheek, wishing she would smile at him as she did at Jess.

      It didn’t seem fair to Nate that Gracie started squirming and protesting the moment she was back in his arms, squawking and reaching out for a woman she had only just met, rather than wanting to be in her own guardian’s arms.

      Not that Nate could blame her.

      Jess shrugged. “No problem.”

      “Thank you, anyway,” he continued, trying to take the edge off his earlier tone, “but I’m sure Gracie and I will get along just fine on our own, at least for right now. We’ll see how it goes.”

      Vince barked out a laugh and shook his head in disbelief.

      “Oh, right, little brother. You have been taking care of babies all your life.”

      “Well, no, but…”

      “You do know she needs a diaper change?” Jess asked, arching one golden eyebrow and grinning wryly. Nate might have taken offense, but her large brown eyes radiated kindness.

      “I—er, well of course I know,” Nate said, patting Gracie on her plump behind.

      In truth, he hadn’t noticed until Jess brought it to his attention. What Nate knew about babies could fit onto the head of a pin.

      That was one problem he was going to have to fix, and fast.

      “Would you like me to change her for you?” Jess asked with a polite smile. Her gaze was steeped in amusement, but Nate couldn’t argue. A rough-cut marine holding a tiny baby girl had to look fairly humorous to anyone’s eyes, especially to this day care director, who no doubt took care of babies every day.

      He shook his head before he could think better of it. “I’ve got it. Thanks.”

      “You’re sure?” Jess queried.

      Nate shook his head again. “I’ll just go over—” He hesitated, looking around the lodge’s day room. No thought presented itself that would reasonably complete his sentence, so he let it dangle as awkwardly as the baby squirming in his arms.

      “The sofa, perhaps?” she suggested. This time Nate was certain he heard a little teasing in her tone, not that he could blame her.

      “Right. The couch.” He moved toward the sofa as he spoke, not wanting to make eye contact with either Jess or Vince.

      “Do you have a changing pad?” Jess asked from directly behind his left shoulder.

      Nate couldn’t remember what he had in the diaper bag, but by the weight of it, he was positive he’d packed everything, including the kitchen sink. He’d certainly cleaned out the infant shelves of the baby store where he’d stopped to pick up necessary baby items on his trip to Colorado.

      Settling himself on the couch, Nate propped Gracie on his knee and reached for the diaper bag.

      Changing pad. Changing pad.

      What did a changing pad look like?

      Chuckling, Jess seated herself next to Nate. “Here you go,” she said, pointing to a folded piece of vinyl.

      When Nate didn’t move fast enough, Jess snatched up the changing pad and unfolded it on the surface of the couch, then gently removed Gracie from Nate’s arm and arranged her on the surface.

      “Diaper?” she queried, lifting an open palm.

      Nate knew what that was, anyway. He handed her a fresh diaper and the box of wipes he’d purchased.

      He belatedly realized he was allowing the woman to take over, but he brushed it off, knowing it would be useful to watch an expert change Gracie’s diaper for once, and certainly the baby would appreciate it. His own attempts to change the infant during the drive to Colorado were questionable at best, to which Gracie’s current saggy baggies attested.

      And he hadn’t even known about the changing pad. He’d just changed her on a blanket.

      Jess had Gracie’s diaper off in moments, despite how the baby girl wiggled and kicked. Her soft, sweet voice affected Nate more than he cared to admit, so it wasn’t any surprise to him that Gracie responded with happy smiles and coos.

      He just wished the baby girl would respond to him that way.

      “Oh, you poor little thing,” Jessica told the wriggling infant, before glancing back at Nate. He might be considered handsome in a rough-cut sort of way, with his military-short light brown hair and gold-flecked eyes, but he obviously knew nothing about taking care of a baby.

      “What?” Nate queried. Jessica thought he sounded slightly defensive, and that, for some reason, embarrassed her. She felt her face warm under his intense gaze, hating that she was so easily ruffled.

      “Gracie has a diaper rash.” She tried not to make it sound like an accusation, but thought it probably sounded like one, regardless. Her face went from warm to burning hot, and she was concerned that her countenance would reflect how she was feeling inside. She had to be as red as a cherry.

      Pursing her lips, she deliberately softened her next words. “Do you have any ointment?”

      “Ointment,” Nate repeated, digging haplessly through the diaper bag. “What exactly am I looking for?”

      “A tube, like toothpaste,” Jessica said with a laugh. Now that she wasn’t the only one flustered, she could relax about it.

      Nate continued his search, but to no avail. After a moment he gave up rummaging and shrugged at her.

      “I don’t think I have any,” he admitted at wryly. He flashed Jessica a rueful grin. “I’m afraid I’m not as armed and organized as I need to be. I didn’t know what Gracie would need, so I thought I bought a little bit of everything I could find. Obviously I missed something.”

      “Babies require a lot of gear,” Jessica informed him, efficiently wrapping Gracie in a clean diaper with the ease of experience. “I’d be happy to go into Boulder with you tomorrow to help you stock up on basic supplies.”

      Nate flashed her a lopsided smile. He was a handsome man, she thought again. If she were looking for that sort of thing.

      Which she definitely wasn’t.

      She wasn’t looking for any kind of man at all—now or ever. Military men included, even if they looked ridiculously heartwarming and adorable as they toted around cute little baby girls.

      Especially if they toted around cute little baby girls. Even the thought choked her up emotionally, and she was immediately