“Janine’s not interrupting anything, is she?” Gramps asked.

“No,” Zach responded gruffly. He seemed to be taking in everything about her, from her worn jeans and oversize pink sweatshirt to the gurgling baby riding so casually on her hip.

Gramps cleared his throat. “If you’ll excuse me a moment, I’ll go get a pen,” he said, leaving them alone together.

“How have you been?” Zach asked, his eyes riveted to her.

“Fine. Just fine.”

“I see you haven’t had any problems finding another admirer,” he murmured, nodding at Michael.

Zach kept his tone light and teasing, and Janine followed his lead. “Michael St. John,” she said, turning slightly to give Zach a better view of the baby, “meet Mr. Zachary Thomas.”

“Hello,” Zach said, holding up his palm. He seemed awkward around children. “I take it you’re watching him for a friend.”

“Yes, another volunteer. She’s looking for a part-time job, but she’s having a problem finding one with the right hours. She’s at an interview.”

“I see.”

Janine sank down on the ottoman in front of Zach’s chair and set Michael on her knee. She focused her attention on gently bouncing the baby. “Now that your life’s back in order,” she said playfully, glancing up at Zach, “have you discovered how much you miss me?”

He chuckled softly. “It’s been how long since we last talked? Seven days? I’m telling you, Janine, I haven’t had a single disagreement with anyone in all that time.”

“That should make you happy.”

“You’re right. It should.” He shook his head. “Unfortunately it doesn’t. You know what, Janine? I was bored to death. So the answer is yes, I missed you.”

CHAPTER SEVEN

Before Janine could respond, Gramps wandered back into the living room, pen in hand.

“So where are those papers you wanted me to sign?” he asked Zach.

With obvious reluctance, Zach tore his gaze from Janine’s. He opened his briefcase and pulled out several papers. “Go ahead and read over these contracts.”

“Do you need me to sign them or not?” her grandfather grumbled.

Once more Zach dragged his gaze away from Janine. “Please.”

Muttering under his breath, Gramps took the documents to the small table, scanned them and quickly scrawled his name.

Janine knew she should leave; the two men probably had business to discuss. But she couldn’t make herself stand up and walk away. Not when Zach had actually admitted that he’d missed her.

Gramps broke into her thoughts. “Janine, I—”

“I was just going,” she said. She clambered to her feet, securing her hold on Michael.

But Gramps surprised her.

“I want you to stay,” he declared. “I wanted to talk to you and Zach. Fact is, I owe you both an apology. Burt and I had a good long talk the other day and I told him how I’d tried to arrange a marriage between the two of you. He laughed and called me an old fool, said it was time I stepped out of the Dark Ages.”