Baby Kisses

Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Promotion

After the first week, Tooty felt comfortable in her duties as personal assistant to a famous author. Sometimes she wanted to pinch herself to see if she'd wake up. For her, reading had always been an escape from life's challenges and she'd certainly had her share in her twenty years.

Sitting beside Harris, she read the last page of his favorite book, Restoring 'Tween Time, and then tucked him in. His eyes had already drifted shut. "I love you, baby." She kissed his cherub cheek and knew that even if she could, she'd never change the fact that she'd born a child out of wedlock at the age of sixteen. Harris was her heart. He meant everything to her. Too bad his father was such a jerk.

Flopping across her bed, she turned her lamp off and stared at the ceiling. If Julie hadn't been trick riding at the Montezuma County Rodeo, Harris would never have been conceived. That's where she'd met Laramie Walker, or as he was known on the rodeo circuit, Lucky Larry. Tooty grinned at the ceiling; her son was gonna be handsome just like his father. Only Harris would be a "looker" with character. Lucky Larry was a selfish prick. At the time, she'd only been his flavor of the night and when she'd contacted him to let him know she was pregnant, he'd told her she was a liar and to have her lawyer contact his. Of course, she'd been devastated, but now she was glad she'd never legally pursued him. Harris was all hers.

Sighing, she thought about her future. If she could just gain full time employment she could look for a little house for her and Harris. Living with her parents was difficult. She appreciated that they allowed her and Harris to stay with them, but they were always so critical. Her dad was old school and had almost cast her out of the house when she'd finally told him she was pregnant. Her mother had kept that from happening, but had harangued her ever since about being a "loose" woman. Living with her parents was a paradox. They loved and doted on Harris, but never let her forget she'd disappointed them.

Not feeling sleepy, she flipped her lamp back on and walked to the closet to retrieve her special box. Sitting Indian style in the middle of her bed, she opened it and lifted the top page to review her latest poem. Reaching back into the box she picked up her favorite pen and tapped it against her chin while rereading the first stanza.

His eyes, the color of love

Paint my soul with living shades

He is the shadow of my dreams

He knows me as no other

Will I ever meet him?

After pondering a few minutes, she tried writing the next stanza, but scratched through the words. Searching her soul for inspiration, she finally wrote.

Do miles separate us?

Or is he the bright star in my backyard?

Is he fey?

Or is he man?

She reread the stanza. I like it.

* * *

Miles watched Tooty's old pickup pull to the front of the cottage. The girl really needed better transportation. The vehicle backfired in a puff of smoke when she turned it off. He rolled his eyes and then rolled to the front door to open it.

"Good morning, Tooty."

"Good morning, sir."

Miles flinched at the greeting. It made him feel ancient.

The grin on her face piqued his curiosity. "What's up? You're smiling like a Cheshire cat." Her grin widened and changed her average face into a pretty one. She had beautiful teeth.