The HR Manager, Niles Arnett, nodded. “We knew that early on. The new product will be ready to market in two months. Is that long enough to recruit a new sales team? We aren’t sure what we’re looking for.”
“Two months is tight,” she said. “Very tight. I’ll need to do some research. Do you have information about the demographics?”
They provided her with a folder full of promotional information about the new drug, and she asked a few more questions, took notes, working hard to keep her focus.
“I’ll have a plan to you within a week,” she told them as they all stood. She shook hands with the men in the room. “I’m looking forward to working with you again.”
It helped that she’d done a fourteen-month stint in their HR department a few years ago, knew the players and understood the business.
When she left she felt a ripple of pleasure at the new contract, but her mind quickly went back to making a baby. Her stomach clenched. God, she hoped Derek would agree to ask Nate.
Nate heard the phone at the same time as he heard the door open. Probably Krissa home from work. He wasn’t sure if he should answer it anyway. She picked up mid-ring and he wandered from his bedroom to the kitchen where she talked.
“Hello?” She paused “What’s wrong?” Again she listened. “Do what, honey?”
Nate walked into the kitchen to see Krissa leaning against the counter. Her powder blue suit hugged every curve, the short jacket nipped into her waist, the skirt ending just above her knees. He’d seen her legs, of course; she wore shorts all the time, but today those legs ended in a pair of sexy stilettos. Wow.
“Do you want me to come over? Where’s Eric? Oh.” Krissa glanced at Nate. “I’ll come over, then. Be there in…twenty minutes.”
She hung up the phone and straightened. “Hi. Gotta go.”
He arched a brow.
“My friend Cameron is having a meltdown.” She started toward him, removing her suit jacket as she walked, exposing a silk blouse in shades of blue that resembled a water-color print.
“What’s the problem?” He stepped aside so she could get though the door. She sighed.
“The usual. She’s overwhelmed and her husband is out.”
“Want me to come?”
She shook her head. “No, that’s okay. Sorry to leave you again, though.”
He shrugged, followed her down the hall. “Are you sure? I could help.”
She stopped in the door of her bedroom. He’d been about to follow her in there. Whoa. He was getting way too comfortable there.
“You’ve had a long day, too,” he pointed out.
“Yeah. Okay. I’ll just change and we can go.”
She closed the door and he backed off. She looked so professional, she seemed like a different person than cute, casual Krissa. The sleek hair, the makeup, the suit, the heels…it was kind of intimidating.
When she emerged, she’d changed into a short denim skirt and a tank top. Still looked damn delicious. She grabbed her keys and purse. “Okay, let’s go.”
“Does this happen often?” he asked, as they drove.
“Not often. But it has happened before. Just since the baby was born.”
“How old is the baby?”
“Emma’s three months old. The twins are three. They’re a handful. And Emma’s a pretty good baby, but you know…all babies are work. And she’s had these colicky spells.” Krissa shook her head. “She doesn’t stop crying for hours. I think that’s what’s happening. It makes Cam insane.”
A baby screaming non-stop. What was he getting himself into? Nate grimaced.
A short time later they pulled up in front of a small cottage on a palm-lined street. It was nowhere near the mansion that Krissa and Derek owned, but it was nice. Not that big. Probably crowded with three kids.
Krissa rang the door bell but didn’t wait, just let herself in with an easy familiarity. “I’m here,” she called out. Nate immediately heard the harsh, exhausted cries of a baby.
“Sit down!” a woman’s voice screamed. “Just. Sit. Down!”
Nate followed Krissa to the back of the house to a family room off the kitchen. The baby’s cries grew louder, joined by the frightened sobs of a toddler.
A woman stood there, baby in her arms. Tears streaked both the woman’s face and the baby’s scarlet cheeks. The two children sat on the floor, one crying, the other near to tears. A bowl of cereal had been dumped onto the carpet, milk seeping in a circle around it.
One small boy covered his face with his hands. He looked so forlorn, Nate’s chest squeezed.
The baby continued to howl, Cameron continued to cry and the twins both began sobbing.
What a nightmare.
Chapter Eleven
Nate glanced at Krissa, feeling lost.
Krissa reached for the baby and Cam released her.
“Have you fed her?” Krissa asked.
“Yes.”
“Changed her diaper?”
“Yes.”
“Okay, then. Go. Go wash your face, change or whatever, and go.”
Cam stood there. She glanced at Nate who forced a smile. “Go where?”
“Wherever you want,” Krissa said patiently, giving her friend a small push. “Shopping. A movie. Go sit at the beach for a couple of hours. You have to get out of here. If you can hear the baby crying, you’re too close.”
Cam turned, looked over her shoulder at them as she went down the hall.
Nate watched Krissa shift the baby in her arms into a strange position where she lay on her stomach across Krissa’s forearm. Krissa patted the baby on her back. “Okay, boys, what’s the problem here?”
They both sniffled and hiccupped. “I spilled my cereal,” one said. Nate looked from one identical twin to the other.
“Let me,” he murmured and went to the kitchen. He snooped through cupboards until he found paper towels and something to clean the carpet with, returned. He crouched down in front of the boys and started scooping soggy cereal into the bowl. He scraped up as much as he could, then blotted the milk with towels.
“I’m Nate,” he said to the boys and smiled. “You guys help me clean this up and we’ll get something else to eat. Okay?”
They nodded, wide-eyed, and helped clean, pressing paper towels with all their little might to absorb the milk, then scrubbed at the stain. Krissa walked with the baby, rhythmically patting her back and murmuring soothingly to her. The wails seemed a little less frantic, although they continued.
It was enough to drive you insane. He could see why Cameron was freaking out. She appeared in the door, car keys in hand, brows drawn together and her mouth a thin line.
“Are you sure…”
“She’ll be fine, Cam.” Krissa walked over to her friend. “You know she’ll be fine. You just have to get away.”
“But she’s crying…”
Krissa nodded. “Yup. Now, go.”
Cam left. Krissa walked another circle around the room and Nate took the boys into the kitchen.
“I don’t know your names,” he told them.
“I’m sorry.” Krissa walked over. “This is Alexander.” She put her hand atop one blond head. “And this is Benjamin. They’re three.”
“We’re twins,” Ben piped up.
“I see that. I can’t even tell you apart.” Nate grinned. “What’s the secret?”
Krissa smiled at him. “Ben has longer hair.”
“Ah.” He studied them. “Okay. But I bet you’re different in other ways aren’t you? One of you is the good twin and one is the evil twin. Right?”
The boys laughed. “I’m the good one!” Ben cried.
“No, I am!”
Their tears were apparently forgotten. “Okay, you guys hungry? What do you want?”
“I want chicken noodle soup.”
“I want a gillcheese sammich.”