Chapter 67
Raising one eyebrow at the group gathered around Riley and Jordan gained him the reaction he desired from four of the crowd. Nigel quickly passed the baby back to Lily, who had been holding out her arms for him. He, Bug, as well as the two receptionists scurried back to their work. Lily, who had been living with Garrett for several months now, simply ignored him, while Jordan just looked on helplessly, since her child was being held hostage in Lily's loving arms.
As Garrett just stood there waiting for the two of them to obey his unspoken command, Jordan held out her arms for Riley, "Lily, I really should get him settled in my office so I can get to Autopsy."
"You go ahead," she shooed Jordan off. "I don't have my first appointment until ten, so I can get him settled for you."
Seeing Garrett roll his eyes, Jordan decided that discretion was the better part of valor and said, "Okay then!" before escaping down the hall.
Believing that he had his troops under control, because they rarely defied the evil eye he had given them, Garrett was annoyed when every time he went looking for one of the staff that wasn't where they should have been, he found them in Jordan's office playing with the baby. By lunch time he'd had enough of this behavior and told Jordan to move Riley into his office, defying any of them to sneak in to see the baby.
However, Garrett's office was in the middle of the floor and had windows on both sides. The staff could not help but glance in every time they went by. A little after 1pm, a group began to gather at the east side window. Garrett had his back to that area so wasn't aware that the group turned into a crowd as the ones there quietly called to the other to come and witness the event.
Spotting everyone looking into Garrett's office when she came out of Autopsy, Jordan at first thought the worst! That something had happened to Riley! But, as she approached and saw the grins on their faces and a few were even giggling quietly behind their hands. She looked into the window to figure out what was going on.
Unable to hide a wide grin, she pushed open his office door, since she was allowed to go in to feed her son. She cheerfully told Garrett, "You know you have quite an audience here behind you?"
Garrett spun around, saw the staff, and realized he had been caught red handed! Riley had started to fuss and Garrett had picked him up to soothe him. That was how he came to be caught playing with the baby. Without a leg to stand on, he still tried to bluff it out by handing Jordan the baby and stepping out of the office to shoo the others back to work.
They went…but each of them had a knowing grin on their faces as the walked away.
Jordan had always known that she worked with an extremely fun loving group of people. However, she did not include Garrett as one of them. Oh sure, he might laugh at a joke told in the break room every now and then, but 'fun loving' was not a title anyone would apply to him. And when the joke was on him, which was never clearer.
Tuesday morning, Jordan was in Garrett's office switching Riley from his stroller to the portable crib she'd brought for him when Garrett was opening a package left on his desk. She had turned back to the baby to give him his pacifier when she heard Garrett grumble. Turning around, she saw he was holding up a white T-shirt. Curious as to why it had gotten such a reaction, Jordan asked him what it said. She figured no one would just give a plain white T-shirt as a gift, so it had to say something.
Garrett reluctantly turned the front of the shirt to her and Jordan lost it! She nearly doubled over with laughter as Garrett looked on with a frown.
To be continued…