Baby Love (Baby #2)(68)

"Hi baby girl," I said yawning. "What are you wearing?"

"Oh," Trey said grinning, "I thought maybe I would get her dressed up a bit for lunch."

He had dressed her in a red, black and green tartan plaid wool pleated skirt with a brown turtle neck sweater. He had put dark blue knit tights on her and brown boots.

"Thanks sweetie," I said smiling at him mentally gagging at the obvious clashing of colors and style.

"Do you want something to eat before we meet Tristan for lunch? I made some sweet rolls and coffee earlier."

Trey was being so damn sweet my heart swelled with the love I had for him. So what if he was color blind? He had so many other great qualities I decided.

"Thanks honey, it sounds good," I said getting out from the covers and stretching.

"I think I will have a little something."

I managed to re-dress Preston before we left changing out the brown sweater for a red one that matched the red in her plaid skirt. I substituted black knit tights and black dress shoes for her feet. I brushed her hair up into a little ponytail sprout. She looked adorable.

We met Tristan and Libby at an upscale restaurant in Buckhead called "Sunday's." It was well known for the Sunday brunch menu they offered.

Libby was dressed in her usual impeccable style that seemed distant from her sexual and social tastes. She had worn her long blond hair down straight with a black fedora hat perched saucily on her head. She had dressed in a black wool skirt that was straight cut with a slit up the back with black leather boots that sported silver spurs as accents.

Libby seemed out of sorts that we had brought the baby with us. She had made a comment that she had little experience with children since she had been raised by a nanny because her parents had traveled extensively. She had been an only child.

We ordered our lunch. Preston was seated at the end of the table in a high chair. I had packed some graham crackers for her to snack on. She had eaten some pureed bananas and had nursed before we left. I tied her bib on her knowing how messy she could get with her crackers.

Libby ordered a double Bloody Mary and quiche; Trey and I ordered Spanish omelets and iced tea; Tristan ordered a spinach salad and club soda.

Our conversation consisted of catching up as to how things were going with Tristan's expanded winery. It would be in full production by the first of the year.

Libby filled us in on the end of year close-out sales at the various boutiques and sex shops in the distribution chain of Sexabella Products. She told Trey she could hook him up with some stocking stuffers for Christmas at a large discount. She handed him her card which he pocketed. I made a mental note to toss it in the trash when I did laundry.

The waitress brought Libby her second Bloody Mary and I noticed once again how much attention she paid to Trey. I couldn't understand why Tristan was oblivious to it.

Tristan and I were having a side conversation about the club. He said he would like to discuss a business venture with me later concerning the club and his interest in buying into it. He said that he had some solid ideas that would benefit all concerned. I told him I would be more than happy to discuss it. The truth was I would entertain another partner as long as Gina approved as I really needed to cut my hours there. I missed Trey and the baby too much on the weekends.

Preston had been gumming her graham crackers for a few minutes and naturally had a soggy mess going on with her fingers and around her mouth. I pulled my cloth napkin out wiping her mouth and fingers. She passed some gas and giggled at the sound. In a few moments Trey noticed her cheeks getting beet red and he nudged me. I looked over and saw the same just as she grunted audibly.

"Oh for God's sake," Libby commented, rolling her eyes in disgust and waving her hand around her nose as if she was about to pass out.

"That smells terrible. It has simply killed my appetite."

"Now baby," Tristan consoled her, reaching over to rub her cheek, "That is just what babies do."

"That's why they're gross," she said still fanning her face.

"Think about it - one day we will have one of our own that will be making a mess with his or her crackers and crapping in their diaper whenever they feel the need."

"The hell you say," she said laughing, downing the rest of her drink.

"I don't do diapers baby."

"Then I will change them all sweetheart," he said, kissing her lightly on the nose.

I lifted Preston out of her high chair and grabbed her diaper bag taking her to the restroom to change her. What was in Preston's diaper at the moment was preferable to what was being said at our table. It was getting a bit too deep out there for me. It was obvious that Libby didn't possess a maternal instinct. Tristan was certainly blinded by something.

Thankfully the restroom was equipped with a changing station. I had to pull off Preston's shoes and tights to get to the offensive diaper. I finally got her cleaned up, changed and re-dressed. When we got back to the table Trey was sitting there by himself. Our food had arrived. I put Preston back in the high chair and sat down.

"Where's Tristan and Libby," I asked, looking around.

"They left."

"What? Why?"

"Libby claimed that the smell of baby poop had made her nauseous; they had their food boxed up to go."

"You are kidding, right?"