Tied Up, Tied Down (Rough Riders #4)(25)

“You never cry.”


“I never do a lot of things I should. I’m so tired of everybody thinking I’m some kind of robot. Of everyone thinking I can handle everything.” She started bawling harder. “I can’t! How do women have cranky babies and demanding jobs and confusing relationships and run a household by themselves without going insane?”


“I don’t know, but I’m wondering if a stiff shot of whiskey wouldn’t be the best thing for you right about now.”


That caused Sky to laugh through her sobs and Eliza’s wails. “Great advice coming from an alcoholic.”


She smirked. “At least I didn’t suggest you snort a line of coke or smoke a joint.”


A loud pounding sounded on the door that separated the business spaces. A muffled voice inquired, “Indy? You okay?”


India walked over and twisted the lock. The door opened and AJ McKay stepped through. “I heard a baby crying.”


“Crying is putting it mildly.”


“Poor thing.” AJ looked at Sky. “You okay?”


“Frustrated.”


“I imagine. Mind if I hold her?”


“Knock yourself out. Or knock her out, whatever works,” India muttered, and passed Eliza to her.

AJ placed one hand under Eliza’s head and neck and the other on the baby’s butt.

“Such a mad face on such a pretty girl. What’s wrong, cutie-pie? Just having a bad day?”


“I don’t know what’s wrong with her. I’ve tried everything. And I-I…” More tears fell. She wanted to scream in misery right along with Eliza.

“I’m sure you have.” AJ nuzzled Eliza’s cheek and cooed, “Yes, sweet baby, she’s a great mama to you, isn’t she?”


“She’s not very happy with her mama today.”


“Sometimes those people who make us the happiest can also make us the most mad,”


AJ said. “It’s a trade off.”


That observation startled Skylar.

India said, “Eliza’s mad all right. Look at how hard she’s shaking.”


A thoughtful look crossed AJ’s face. “Skylar, do you mind if I try something with her?”


Sky wiped her eyes and shook her head. “Please. If you can help her…”


“I’ll see what I can do.” AJ sat in a chair and stretched Eliza out on her lap, belly up.

Holding her head with one hand, she rubbed her thumb from the base of the baby’s skull to the bottom of her neck. She massaged the left side and right side, speaking softly to Eliza as she continued to gently rub and Eliza continued to shriek.

After several long minutes, which seemed a lifetime to Skylar as her precious baby wailed, the cries tapered to whimpers. The whimpers ended with a hiccup. It became quiet enough they heard Eliza sigh deeply.

Skylar felt that sigh clear to the marrow of her bones.

India peered at the infant. “It’s a miracle. What did you do?”


AJ blushed. “Nothing, really. Massaged her neck. We learned when babies are learning to hold up their heads, it can create extra pressure on the tendons in their neck.

When they get all tense, they seize up, mostly in their neck, where their vocal cords are.

They scream, it hurts and they scream more.”


“Thank you.” Skylar stared at the twisted Kleenex in her hand. “I feel like such an idiot. I didn’t know that.” Tears welled up again. “There’s lots I don’t know.”


“Hey, I wouldn’t have known if I hadn’t gone to massage therapy school. Trust me, my sister had the same issues with all three of her kids, so it’s not you.”


Sweet words. AJ was the sweetest woman around.

AJ continued to rub Eliza’s neck and the baby’s long lashes fluttered closed. “As long as you’re here…I have a bone to pick with you, Skylar Ellison.” Those silver eyes locked on hers. “Why didn’t you tell me Eliza was Kade’s baby? All this time and I had no clue you were carrying a McKay?”


Ooh. Not so sweet now.

“Kade didn’t even know,” India pointed out.

“You bet your behind he didn’t, because no way would Kade have let you go through pregnancy and childbirth alone. I’ve known him all my life and he is not that kind of man. Cord told me the only reason Kade took that job up in the north country was because he’d had a bad break up with a woman. I never imagined that woman was you.”


Skylar bit back the retort, I never imagined he’d pretend to be his twin brother and knock me up, either.

“And if you’d bothered to tell any of us you were pregnant, we would’ve made sure he received the message.”


“Am I going to be defending my decision to the entire McKay family for the rest of Eliza’s life?”


“Probably.” AJ straightened Eliza’s jumper. “We’re all overjoyed because you birthed a girl McKay. Keely has been the only girl for four generations.”


“Kimi mentioned that.” Kade’s mother had called a couple of times to chat after Kade had taken Eliza to see her grandma. Kimi was a real spitfire. She claimed she had to be tough to survive being married to a wild McKay man and raising two more McKay hellions. Sky developed an instant rapport with Kimi, even when Sky shied away asking questions about Kade and his childhood, because she didn’t want to seem nosy.