Chapter Eight

And the Beat Goes On

Before Jordan knew it six months had flown by. Between colic and teething, two a.m. feedings and diaper rash, time passed more rapidly than she ever thought it would It took about three months to get Joanna on a schedule, but she and the baby adjusted to single motherhood better than she ever believed was possible.

She had notified the Pollack family in Australia that her daughter was JD's child. She had received a sweet letter from Tom, JD's brother. A few phone calls later, and Jordan felt like she had in-laws. In the good sense of the word. As Joanna's christening loomed ahead, Tom was planning to fly in to Boston to be one of her daughter's godfathers.

Garret was going to be the other one.

Jordan had given serious consideration to the second godfather…thoughtfully considering Woody in that group. After all, he had literally delivered Joanna. But as the days passed and Garret was more involved in the baby's life than Woody, the chief ME seemed like the most logical choice.

Rounding out the group was Joanna's godmothers, Lily and Lois Carver. Lily was a shoo-in. Jordan chose Lois because of all the detectives in the Boston PD, Jordan had not only worked with her, but so had Max, who regarded the woman highly.

With all the "gods" in place, Jordan had called Paul and arranged the christening at St. Inez, carefully explaining that Joanna's father was deceased, but would have wanted his daughter christened.

The announcements were printed and mailed out. Jordan did make sure Woody received an invitation in the mail.

"So you're saying I can't go?" Lu quietly asked from across the tiny kitchen in Woody's apartment.

"Jordan didn't list you on the invite, Lu," he responded, carefully tying his tie and attempting to smooth down his unruly hair.

"She wouldn't, you know," the woman responded, somewhat petulantly, a pout beginning to form around her lips.

"I seriously doubt Jordan gives you any thought at all," Woody answered, regarding his reflection in the dresser mirror during the entire discussion. He tried to slick down his hair one more time with no success. Sighing, he turned away and picked up his suit coat from the bed. "But if it's any consolation, I don't think she gives me any thought at all, either. The only reason I'm sure I got an invitation is because she had Joanna in the backseat of my squad car."

Lu sighed and placed her coffee cup in the sink. She had been nursing the now luke warm all morning while watching Woody dress. Part of her secretly hoped he would say "Screw the christening," and spend the rest of the day with her.

But when Woody showered and changed into his good suit, Lu was smart enough to realize that wasn't happening. Damn, she had thought, feeling slightly concerned. The odd part was, she really wasn't sure why it bothered her that Woody was going to the baby's christening. It seemed very natural. Woody and Jordan had worked together for a long time. And Woody had delivered the baby.

And it's not like Jordan had pursued Woody at all after that. In fact, it was the exact opposite. Jordan had three months maternity leave and she took every minute of it. Lu had heard that she would pop into the morgue at odd times, just to see everyone and talk, but the ME never made it across the street to the Nineteenth Precinct. If any of the detectives saw Joanna, it was mere coincidence.

Jordan never called Woody. Not once. Although Wood had called her several times to check on her and the baby. A fact that rankled Lu more than slightly. But to Jordan's credit, nothing was ever said to encourage Woody to spend any time at Pearle Street.

All in all, Jordan had been the perfect ex-whatever. Lu couldn't have asked for less of the woman.

However, Woody's continued need to make sure the single mother and baby were alright bothered her on some level. She was far to sophisticated to call it jealousy. But what was it?

Concern that Woody may still prefer Jordan over her?

Or concern that Woody may feel responsible for the young family?

Lu wasn't sure. She just knew she felt like she was running a losing race trying to keep Woody's attention.

But she was trying.

"Maybe so," she finally answered, smiling back at Woody. "But…what do you say about me cooking dinner while you're gone…and when you get back home, we can eat…and I'll wear that new nightgown you bought me last week…."

"The one with…?" His blue eyes danced in anticipation.

Lu nodded. Sex with Woody was the easy part. Keeping his attention afterwards was getting harder everyday.

"She's beautiful, Jordan," Nigel commented while snapping pictures at the reception held after the christening.

"Thanks. I think so, but I'm supposed to. I'm her mother," Jordan responded with a grin.

"Well, she is…and she looks just like her mother, if I say so myself," Tom Pollack joined in, reaching for his niece. "It's easy to understand why JD wanted to stay in Boston. If all the women here were lovely as these two, I wouldn't want to go back to Sydney, either. Right, Joanna?"

Woody watched from a respectful distance, although he concurred with Tom Pollack. Joanna was as lovely as her mother and looked more like her each day. Chestnut curls…and the blue eyes that had caught his breath at her birth had melted into the cinnamon color of her mother's.

But the shape of the baby's face was all JD's. Even if the Paul hadn't announced the name of Joanna's father at the ceremony, there was no way getting around the fact that the baby belonged to Jordan and JD.

Not Jordan and Woody.

Part of him…a very male part of him…was relieved. The child was not his responsibility, financially or in any other way.

Another part of him, one he still couldn't put a finger on, was acutely disappointed. Whether it that the simple act of procreation had been denied him or the more complex issue that any tie he may have had to Jordan Cavanaugh no longer existed, he wasn't sure.

He just knew a part of him was empty and he longed for something to fill it. Nervously he glanced down at his watch. Six o'clock. He had been at the reception for an hour…a decent amount of time. He slid his gift onto the receiving table and sought Jordan out. "I need to leave, but didn't want to without saying good-bye first," he said to her, gently taking Joanna's hand.

"So soon?" Jordan murmured.

"Yeah… early day tomorrow," he replied, lying through his teeth.

"I'm sorry. Thanks for coming. Thanks for everything, Woody." At least her eyes were sincere.

"I wouldn't have missed it for the world." He brushed his lips against Joanna's forehead and gave Jordan's hand a squeeze before walking to the door. There he turned around and surveyed the group before him. Nigel still taking pictures. Max and Garret enjoying a cigar, out of the range of the baby, of course. Lily and Lois unwrapping Joanna's gifts.

And Jordan finding a quiet spot to nurse her child.

He swallowed hard and shook himself, thanking the powers that be that he was blissfully single and childless. And that a hot, gourmet dinner was waiting, along with a hot, beautiful woman in a very skimpy nightgown.

And then wondered just why all of that sounded a lot lonelier than he would ever admit.