Free Instant Daddy by Carol Voss Page B

trust in him. Especially not when he had to head back to Madison tonight and didn’t know when he’d be able to get away to see the little guy again.
    Jessie bringing her camera to the park had surprised and pleased him. She’d even come out of her shell and appeared to accept him a little. He’d thought about asking her if she’d consider moving Jake to Madison, but the time hadn’t seemed right. He needed to find out before he left, though. It was the only way he’d know how to proceed.
    Walking into the small bedroom, he couldn’t help smiling. Jessie had made sure Jake had everything a little boy could possibly need. A crib, a rocking chair, a book shelf loaded with books, a low train table and two big wooden train cars brimming with toys, undoubtedly Jessie’s dad’s work. A red stripe ran chair-rail height around the room with brightly painted, wood trains hanging on the medium-blue wall above.
    Her silky hair veiling her face, Jessie bent and plucked a book from the shelf. “Peter will read your favorite story.”
    Peter waited, wondering if the boy would object.
    Instead, Jake held out his arms to him.
    Feeling like king of the mountain, Peter picked him up. But the small bruise on the little guy’s forehead did a quick job of dashing his ego. Good thing for him that eighteen-month-olds apparently regained trust more easily than adults did.
    Jessie handed Peter a little book and indicated he should sit in the rocking chair.
    Peter sat down and carefully positioned Jake on his lap.
    “Tomut.” Jake pointed at the little blue engine on the cover.
    “I see. The book is about your engine.”
    “Story.” Jake opened the book, ready to get down to business.
    Needing no further direction, Peter began to read.
    Jake listened with rapt attention, identifying pictures in his own language.
    Smart kid. And Peter could mostly figure out what he was saying by matching his words to pictures in the book.
    “End.” Jake slammed the book shut. “More story.”
    “No,” Jessie said. “Now Peter will rock you and sing a song.”
    A song? Peter shot her a look. “I’m tone deaf.”
    “Jake isn’t fussy.”
    “Easy for you to say.” He frowned at her. “I don’t know any songs.”
    “He loves it when I make one up.”
    She expected Peter to make up a song? She didn’t understand. He wasn’t just marginally musically challenged. He was tone deaf. Melody deaf. Completely unable to make up songs. Period.
    Jake twisted around and held up his arms.
    Peter lifted him against his chest.
    Jake snuggled close and laid his head on Peter’s shoulder. “Pedo sing, ’kay?”
    Peter’s heart contracted. No way could he turn Jake down. He scoured his brain for a song to sing to a little kid. He knew all the words to one. He glanced at Jessie. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Stroking Jake’s back, he decided to go for it. “Happy birthday to you,” he intoned in his rusty monotone.
    Bless him, Jake began to hum along.
    Jessie turned and busied herself arranging the bookshelf but not before Peter saw the grin on her face. At least she had the decency not to laugh out loud.
    His voice was even worse than he remembered. But Jake’s little hum in his ear kept him going to the finish. “Happy birthday, Thomas the Tank Engine, happy birthday to you.”
    Jake’s head popped up from Peter’s shoulder, a megawatt smile on his face. “Tomut?”
    Peter smiled right back.
    “You’re a hit,” Jessie said.
    “You were right. He’s not fussy about his music.”
    A hint of a smile lifted the corners of her mouth. “Time for bed now, Jake.”
    Jake shook his head. “Pedo sing.”
    “I don’t know any more songs,” Peter explained.
    “Sing Tomut.”
    “Time for sleep,” Jessie insisted. “Peter will put you in your bed, right Peter?”
    “Sure will.” Peter stood and set Jake in his crib.
    “Sing, Pedo?” Jake squinted up at him.
    “Sorry, big guy. Time to sleep now.”
    “Give him a hug and this.”