Chapter 38

"Hi, Daddy!" Ciara shouted just before barreling into Bo's legs. Bo snatched up his daughter, kissing her cheek, his eyes seeking out the source of the sultry laugh that rang in his ears.

Carly was leaning against the doorframe of his office, laughing at him and Ciara. One hand rested on her hip and the other held a white paper sack courtesy of the Brady Pub. Bo settled Ciara on one hip and strode purposefully over to Carly. He wrapped his free arm around her and kissed her laughing lips.

"Mmm," Carly moaned. "Hi, baby."

"Hello, Princess. What brings my favorite girls by to see me?"

Ciara giggled and answered, "We brought you lunch, Daddy."

"I can see that, Little One, but isn't a certain someone supposed to be at school?"

Ciara only giggled again and looked to her mother for backup. "It was a free afternoon for the kids, Bo, a teacher's conference of some kind. Ciara and I thought we'd surprise you." She held the bag up, her eyes alight with mischief. "Hungry?" she purred.

Bo did not disappoint when he pulled her flush against him and whispered in her ear. "Famished."

Ciara, growing impatient with her parents' antics, put her little hands on either side of her daddy's face and effectively returned his attention to her. "Daddy, can we eat now please? My tummy is making growly sounds."

"All right, Little One, let's eat!"

Carly gave Ciara her fish and chips and then handed Bo his club sandwich. She had a salad for herself, and the three of them sat together for nearly an hour enjoying their lunches and each other's company. With the baby coming soon, Bo knew that they would have precious few opportunities for just the three of them. He suspected Carly knew it, too, and that her desire to make Ciara feel special was the driving force behind their impromptu picnic.

"Daddy, can I go say hi to Uncle Roman?" Ciara asked. She'd devoured her lunch so Bo nodded but cautioned her not to wander off too far.

When she was gone, Bo tugged Carly onto his lap. "That was really sweet of you, Princess."

"I can't have you wasting away on me now," Carly remarked. "I need you to keep up your strength. I've got plans for you this weekend."

"Oh, really? And just what do you have in mind?" Bo leaned closer and nuzzled the tender skin behind her ear.

"Painting."

Bo ceased all efforts to nuzzle.

"Painting, huh, what? Painting what? What?"

Carly couldn't help but laugh at the adorably confused look on her husband's face. "Aw, painting the nursery wasn't exactly what you were thinking about, was it, sweetheart?"

Bo shook his head, practically pouting.

Chelsea, Nick and Carys were all due back on Sunday, and Bo, realizing that this might be the last chance he and Carly would get to have the house to themselves, had plans to capitalize on it. Unbeknownst to Carly, Bo had arranged for Ciara to spend the night with his mother. He'd also had a little brotherly chat with Phillip that morning, telling him to find somewhere else for Mel and him to be for the evening.

He'd planned on surprising Carly tonight, but his plans for marital seduction were derailing before his eyes. As Carly chatted on about color wheels and trim and wall murals, Bo realized that he'd better do something fast.

"We'll hire someone to paint the nursery!" he blurted. "Please?"

Carly looked at him strangely before answering. "Bo, I know we could, but I really want to do it ourselves. It's important to me."

"Princess, you know I can't say no to you when you look at me like that," Bo protested.

Carly brushed a ghost of a kiss against Bo's mouth and whispered, "I'll make it up to you, I promise."

Thinking that if he started painting now, he could probably finish by sunset and still have time to thoroughly ravage his wife, Bo nodded agreeably. "Done; but let's get started now."

He all but shoved Carly to her feet, grabbed their things and pulled Carly out into the middle of the busy squad room. He scanned the room for Ciara, only to find engrossed in conversation with two of the people he least expected to see in Salem.

"What the...Belle? Claire?" Bo called out. At the sound of her name, Claire's head lifted and her face broke into a beautiful smile.

"Grandpa!" She shouted and ran towards Bo, who caught her mid-leap.

Bo squeezed his granddaughter tightly almost afraid she was going to disappear. "Honey, I'm so glad to see you! When did you get into town?"

"Mom and Dad and I got here last night. We spent the night with Gran. But Mom promised I could come see you today." Then Claire noticed the lady standing behind her grandpa. She realized that this was Carly, the lady her parents had told her about. Though her dad had looked mad when he was talking about Carly, her mom had cautioned Claire about giving people the benefit of the doubt. Sticking out her hand, Claire said in her most grown-up voice, "Hi! You must be Carly. I'm Claire, and I'm pleased to meet you."

Carly automatically shook the little girl's hand and found herself responding to Claire's toothy grin and warm personality. Claire was Belle made over, Carly caught that instantly. But there was something just under the surface, the tilt of her head or the way her mouth curved, that reminded Carly of a very young Shawn Douglas.

"Hello, Claire, it's very nice to meet you, too," Carly replied.

Bo put Claire back down and remarked over how tall she'd gotten. Carly had to agree that for a nine year-old, she was tall for her age. Of course, knowing both of her grandfathers, Carly had no trouble seeing where the child had gotten that particular trait.

"Carly?" Belle's soft voice pulled Carly out of internal commentary. The blonde smiled warmly at Carly and then surprised her with a hug. "That's from my mother," Belle explained when they separated.

"She and my father both send their love and congratulations to you and Bo."

"How are your parents?" Carly asked. "I'd so love to see them again."

"Well, you might get the chance. Mom alluded that they might drop in on you and Bo one day so look out. Their liable to turn up on your doorstep in the middle of the night if the mood strikes them," Belle said with a laugh.

"That would be perfectly all right with us. Our home is always open. And that invitation extends to you and Shawn and Claire, by the way, I hope you know that."

Belle's smile turned into a grimace. "I'm not too sure that Shawn will want to accept that invitation, not just yet anyway."

"My son still has a chip on his shoulder?" Bo inserted himself into the conversation, Claire and Ciara having gotten absorbed in Claire's iPad.

Belle nodded. "And you how he gets around Hope."

"I'm surprised you were able to bring Claire to see us."

"Well, I'm stubborn in my own right, when I have to be."

Bo hugged his daughter-in-law gratefully. "Don't let him throw his fits, little girl. His head's full of rocks a lot of the time, and he needs you to keep him straightened out."

"I'm trying, Bo, but I'm afraid that Hope already has him brought round to her way of thinking. She isn't over you, and she hates you with a fiery passion." Belle directed this last bit at Carly, who only rolled her eyes.

"I'm no stranger to people hating me. As long as she leaves us alone, she can hate me for all eternity."

They were interrupted in their conversation by a young officer looking for Bo, a nondescript older man behind the officer.

"Commissioner, this man said he needs to see you," the officer said and then stepped aside.

"Commissioner Brady, Dr. Carly Manning Brady?"

Bo and Carly looked at one another, confusion on both their faces.

"Yes, that's us," Bo answered.

The man handed a large envelope to Bo, who took it automatically.

"You have been served."