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her besides plain Jane.

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    Baby On Board Dahlia Rose

    Chapter Three

    “Mom, I’m bringing a surprise over,” Rafe said into the phone. He
    was packing up Bonnie’s baby bag while he held the phone between his
    shoulder and ear.
    “Well, that’s nice sweetheart. Is it another potted plant?” his mother
    asked.
    “Better,” Rafe said with a grin.
    “Thank God, because I was going to go postal if you brought me
    another piece of vegetation,” his mother said.
    That was Frieda Steele for you. She never minced words even when
    his father was on Capitol Hill. If his mother had something to say, she
    would say it and be damned who didn’t like it.
    Rafe laughed. “I’m on my way over, Mom. Is dad there?”
    “He’s in his shed playing with those fishing lures,” she replied.
    “Okay, just don’t let him on that river right now, Mom. He needs to
    see the surprise too,” Rafe explained.
    “What in the world are you bringing here, Rafe?” He could tell his
    mother’s interest was piqued.
    “You’ll see. Bye, Mom.”
    He walked over to where Bonnie was playing in her playpen and he
    bent to pick her up. They’d already been to a pediatrician and his lawyer
    that morning. Bonnie was in perfect health and right on schedule in her
    growth. The doctor took a sample from him and the baby to run in the lab
    for a paternity test. At the lawyer’s they started the process of him gaining
    full custody of Bonnie. Mr. Sneed would find Bonnie’s mother and when
    they were ready for the court case, all would be well in place.
    “Time to go meet your grandparents,” Rafe gave her little chubby
    cheeks a kiss and the baby squealed. It thrilled him at how sweet his
    daughter was, how she accepted his love and gave it in return. Each day

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    Baby On Board Dahlia Rose

    since he found her on his doorstep, he fell more in love with her.
    Rafe strapped her into her car seat while she regaled him with a stream
    of baby talk and giggles. He chuckled. Who knew he could actually make
    a baby girl laugh? He took her outside to his Escalade and made sure she
    was secure before he got into the driver’s seat and looked at a small bag
    sitting on the passenger seat. It was an impulse purchase he’d made. He
    grabbed one of the stickers from the bag and got out of the car. He
    smoothed the sticker on the rear window and stepped back to look at it.
    Baby on Board. Feeling a sense of satisfaction, he climbed back into the
    SUV and pulled out of his driveway. He also bought one for the Humvee
    he drove on base. He was proud and wanted everyone to know he was a
    dad.
    As he drove to his parents’ lake house, his mind shifted to Ivy and the
    kiss they shared. He did it, and hell, it shook him down to the very fiber of
    his being. He’d never had a gut reaction of desire for any women like he
    did for her. Yet nothing seemed to go right when he was around her. She
    had this impression of him that she would not let go of. It bothered him,
    yet he couldn’t blame her either. He thought back to the various parties at
    his house and how out of control they sometimes got. He thought about
    Donna and the way she spoke to Ivy. He should’ve opened his mouth and
    given the fake double D’s a dressing down. Instead, he scolded Ivy for
    defending herself. That was a mistake. He would make it up to her tonight
    when he got home. He made a mental note to grab some steaks and other
    items from the market on his way home. He and Bonnie would have
    dinner with Ivy and maybe they could start over. Rafe wanted more with
    Ivy than just friendship.
    It was a forty-five minute drive before he pulled into the driveway.
    The sun reflected like diamonds off the lake and it was simply gorgeous.
    It reminded him of when they lived in D.C. and would come up to this
    house for summer vacations and holidays. At Christmas time when the
    water froze and it snowed, it looked like a winter wonderland. Bonnie
    would grow up seeing all of it and her memories