Nanny Makes Three

by Cat Schield

  “I’m going to miss you,” he said, trying a different approach.

  “And I’m going to miss you,” she replied, her voice brisk and not the least bit romantic. “But that was Colorado and this is Texas. We had a nice time, but it’s over.”

  To Liam’s shock, he realized he was back to square one. “I think it takes two people to decide it’s over.”

  “You’re my boss. We just need to get things back to normal.”

  “Or we need to change what normal is.”

  She didn’t look happy. “I’m not sure what you mean.”

  “We made a great start getting to know each other these last few days. I’d like to continue.”

  “I don’t feel comfortable in that sort of arrangement.”

  “Then why don’t you quit?” He would not fire her. She needed to choose to be with him. “If it’s about the money, I’ll pay you until the end of the month.”

  Her mouth popped open, but before she could speak, Maggie let loose a piercing wail. “Why don’t we talk about this later? I really think Maggie needs to get home.”

  Liam agreed, but hated the idea of postponing the conversation. He wanted to batter her with arguments until she came around to his point of view. Giving her space to think would only give her space to fortify her defenses.

  “Fine. But we will talk later.”

  Only they didn’t. By the time Liam returned from the ranch offices, it was close to midnight. Hadley was half- dead on her feet, only just having gotten Maggie to sleep after a rough evening. She was in no condition to listen to his arguments for continuing what they’d begun in Colorado, and he had to watch in frustrated silence as she put Waldo in his carrier and drove away.

  With disappointment buzzing in his thoughts like a pesky fly, he expected sleep to elude him. But he’d underestimated his own weariness and shortly after his head hit the pillow, he fell asleep.

  When the dream came, it didn’t feature Hadley, but his mother. They stood in the ranch house’s entry hall and he was desperately afraid. She was leaving. He clung to her hand and begged her not to go. She tugged hard against his grip, her face a mask of disgust.

  “Mommy, don’t go.”

  “Why would I want to stay with you? I left because I couldn’t bear to be trapped in this prison of a ranch in the middle of nowhere.”

  “But I need you.”

  “I never wanted to be a mother. You and your brother were a mistake.”

  She ripped free and strode through the front door without ever looking back. Liam followed her, but it was as if he moved through mud. His short legs couldn’t propel him fast enough, and he reached the broad wraparound porch just in time to see her taillights disappear down the driveway.

  Liam woke in a sweat. His throat ached and heart pounded as he recalled his mother’s words. As realistic as the exchange had felt, he recalled no such event from his childhood. His subconscious had merely been reacting to Hadley’s evasiveness. So why hadn’t his dream featured her?

  Lingering pain carved up his chest. He felt weak and unsteady. A child’s fear pummeled him. Buried deep in his mind was the horror of being rejected by his mother. She was supposed to love him and care for him. Instead, she’d demonstrated no remorse when she’d abandoned her sons to pursue her real estate career.

  And it was this defining fact that had caused him to never fully invest himself in romantic relationships. He couldn’t bear the idea of giving his heart to a woman only to have her choose something else over him. Deep down, what he craved was lasting love.

  His heart had led him to Hadley. And given the timing of his dream, his subconscious was worried that he’d made a huge mistake.

  * * *

  Hadley was in the nursery folding a freshly laundered basket of Maggie’s clothes when Liam appeared. He’d been subdued and circumspect around her the last couple days, and she suspected she’d done too good a job convincing him that what had happened between them in Vail had been a singular event never to be repeated.

  But that wasn’t at all what she wanted. She was pretty sure she’d fallen in love with him during those four days. And that left her in a quandary.

  “I know it’s short notice,” he said. “But will you be my date for the grand reopening of Royal Memorial’s west wing tomorrow night?”

  The word date caused a spike in Hadley’s heartbeat. She told herself to stop being stupid.

  “Sure. What time should I have Maggie ready?”

  “Not Maggie.” His green eyes pierced her facade of professionalism. “You. It’s a cocktail party complete with adult beverages, finger food and fancy duds.” He kept his voice light, but his expression was stony.

  “Of course I’ll go with you.” She matched his tone, kept her glee hidden. “I’ve heard wonderful things about the new wing. You and the other members of the Texas Cattleman’s Club were instrumental in raising the funds that enabled the restoration to move forward, weren’t you?”

  “We felt it was important for the community to get the hospital back to one hundred percent as soon as possible.” He took her hand, threaded his fingers through hers. “How about I pick you up at seven?”

  Her brain short-circuited at the way he was staring at their joined hands. As if the simple contact was at once comforting and a puzzle he couldn’t figure out.

  “Sure.” Before she recognized what she planned to do, Hadley stepped into Liam’s space and lifted onto her toes to plant a kiss on his lips.

  All day long she’d been thinking about how much she wanted to be in his arms. Not to feel the stirring passion of his lovemaking, but the heart-wrenching bliss of their connection, which consisted of both sexual and spiritual components. The blend was different from anything she’d ever known, and she’d begun to neglect her defenses.

  Liam brought their clasped hands to his chest and slid his free hand beneath her hair to cup her head. He explored her lips with tantalizing pressure, giving her the merest taste of passion. Although she’d initiated the kiss, she was happy to let him set the pace.

  When at last his lips lifted from hers, they were both breathing unsteadily.

  “I’ve been thinking about kissing you all day,” he murmured, lips trailing over her ear, making her shudder. “I can’t concentrate anymore. The entire ranch staff thinks I’ve lost my mind.”

  His words excited a flurry of goose bumps. “It’s that way for me, too. I forgot to put a diaper back on Maggie before I put her back in her Onesie this morning. And then I made her bottle and put it into the cupboard instead of the container of formula.”

  “Will you stay at the ranch tomorrow night after the party?”

  She wanted to very much, but would this interfere with her determination not to get emotionally involved? “If you wish.”

  “I very much wish.”

  “Then that’s what I’ll do.”

  Nine

  Liam wasn’t sure how he was going to make it through the grand opening, when all he could think about was what he had to look forward to afterward. He pulled his truck into a visitor space at Hadley’s apartment building and stepped out. For tonight’s event he’d exchanged denim and plaid in favor of a custom-tailored charcoal suit.

  Anticipation zipped along his nerve endings as he pushed the button in the entry vestibule that would let Hadley know he’d arrived. Her voice sounded distorted as she told him to come up. Her apartment was on the second floor. He stepped into the elevator, feeling the give of the cables as it adjusted to his weight. The building had obviously seen a lot of tenants, because it showed wear and tear in the carpets, layers of paint and light fixtures.

  Standing before Hadley’s door, Liam paused to assess his state of agitation. Had he ever been nervous going to pick up a woman for a date? Yet here he stood, palms sweating, heart thundering
, mouth dry.

  The door opened before he lifted his hand to knock. Hadley looked surprised to see him standing in the hallway. Waldo rushed forward to wind himself around Liam’s legs.

  “Hi.” She gestured him in. “I thought maybe the elevator had decided to be fussy again.”

  He picked up the cat without taking his eyes from Hadley and stepped into her apartment. “You look beautiful.”

  She wore a figure-skimming sleeveless black dress with a round neckline and a half-circle cutout that bared her cleavage. Despite there being nothing overtly provocative about the style, Liam thought she looked incredibly sexy. She’d pinned her blond waves up in a complicated hairstyle that looked as if it could tumble onto her shoulders at any second. And he badly wanted to make that happen. Body alive with cravings better reserved for later that evening, he shifted his gaze to her only jewelry, a pair of long crystal earrings that swung in sassy rhythm as she tipped her head and regarded him curiously.

  “Thank you.” Her half smile captivated him. “You look nice, as well. I’ll grab my purse and we can get going.” She picked up a small black clutch and a sheer red scarf sparkling with clusters of sequins that she draped over her shoulders. It added a flamboyant touch to her otherwise monochrome black ensemble.

  Realizing he was staring at her like a smitten teenager, Liam cleared his throat. His brain was having trouble summoning words. “All set?”

  “Are you expecting a large crowd tonight?” she asked as she fit her key into the lock and set the dead bolt.

  “About a hundred. Those responsible for coordinating the fund-raising efforts and the largest contributors.”

  “What a wonderful thing you’ve done.”

  Her glowing praise lightened his step. He laced his fingers through hers and lifted her hand to brush a kiss across her knuckles. “It was a group effort,” he said, feeling unusually humble. “But thank you.”

  In truth, he was proud of the work he and the other members of the Texas Cattleman’s Club had done in the aftermath of the tornado. As leaders in the community, they’d banded together during the time of crisis and although progress had been slow, they’d restored the town to its former state.

  The drive from Hadley’s apartment to the hospital took ten minutes. Liam filled the time with a description about an outfit his cousin Ivy had bought for Maggie that featured a chambray Onesie with three tiers of ruffles and a crocheted cowboy hat and boots.

  “Complete with yarn spurs.” Liam shook his head in mock dismay.

  “How adorable.” Hadley regarded his expression with a wry smile. “You are just going to have to get used to the fact that girls love to dress up and look pretty.”

  “I know,” he grumbled, knowing she loved to scold him. “But is it really going to be all frilly stuff and hair bows?”

  “Yes.”

  Liam pulled to a stop in front of the hospital’s new west wing entrance, and the look he gave Hadley made her laugh. A year ago he never would have imagined himself discussing an infant’s wardrobe, much less with a beautiful woman.

  A valet opened the passenger door and helped Hadley out of the truck. Liam was grinning as he accepted the ticket from the uniformed attendant and caught up with Hadley, sliding his hand over her hip in a not-so-subtle show of ownership. She sent him an unguarded smile of such delight, his chest hurt. If this was heartache, bring it on.

  “This is amazing,” Hadley murmured as they entered the spacious lobby of the redesigned west wing, taking in the patterned marble floors and triangular glass ceiling over the entrance. In the center of the room, a bronze statue of a cowboy roping a running cow had the names of all those who’d lost their lives during the tornado etched around the base. “A wonderful tribute.”

  Spying Case Baxter, Liam drew Hadley toward the rancher, who had eyes only for the redhead beside him.

  “Case,” Liam called to gain his attention.

  The president of the Cattleman’s Club looked away from his fiancée and blinked as if to reorient himself. At last his gaze focused on Liam.

  “Hey, Liam.” His teeth flashed as he extended his hand to meet Liam’s. “Mellie, you’ve met Liam Wade.”

  “Of course.” A friendly smile curved her lips. Her green eyes darted toward Hadley before settling back on Liam. “At the reception when Case was elected president.”

  “And this is Hadley Stratton.” Liam didn’t explain how they knew each other. Why introduce her as Maggie’s nanny when she’d become so much more? “Mellie Winslow and Case Baxter, our club president.”

  The two couples finished exchanging greetings and Case spoke. “Gotta hand it to you, Liam.” He gestured around, his grin wide, posture relaxed. “This is one hell of a facility.”

  “Have you toured the neonatal unit?” Mellie asked.

  “We just arrived,” Hadley admitted, completely at ease tucked into the half circle of Liam’s left arm. After their conversation in Vail, he’d half expected her to balk at going public with their developing relationship.

  “The whole wing is really terrific,” Mellie was saying, “but that unit in particular is very impressive.”

  Liam agreed. He’d seen the neonatal facility during his many trips to the hospital in his role as chairman of the fund-raising committee, but he was looking forward to showing it to Hadley.

  “Why don’t we head up now,” he suggested, seeing Hadley’s interest. There would be plenty of time later to catch up with Mac, Jeff Hartley and other members of the Texas Cattleman’s Club. “We’ll catch up with you later,” he told Case.

  “They seem like a nice couple,” Hadley commented as they waited for the elevator that would take them to the maternity ward on the fourth floor.

  “I don’t know Mellie all that well, but Case is a great guy and they appear happy.”

  The elevator doors opened, and Liam gestured Hadley ahead of him.

  Despite the crowd gathered to party in the lobby, they had the elevator to themselves. As soon as the car began to move, Liam tugged Hadley into his arms and dropped his lips to hers.

  * * *

  The instant Liam kissed her, Hadley wrapped her arms around his neck and yielded to his demand. Frantic to enjoy the few seconds of isolation, they feasted on each other. But all too soon, a ding announced that they’d reached their floor, cutting short their impassioned embrace.

  “Damn these modern elevators,” Liam muttered, his hands sliding off her body.

  Hadley, her cheeks hot in the aftermath of the kiss, smiled foolishly. She surveyed his chiseled lips, searching for any sign that her red lipstick had rubbed off. Taking the hand Liam offered her, she stepped past a tour group that was waiting to head downstairs.

  “Let’s see if we can catch that tour,” he said, tugging her down the hallway toward a group of well-dressed guests listening to a tall, handsome man in his late thirties.

  “Next is our neonatal unit,” the man said, gesturing down the hall as he started forward.

  “That’s Dr. Parker Reese,” Liam explained, tucking Hadley’s hand into the crook of his arm. “He’s a neonatal specialist. Brilliant guy. We’re lucky to have him.”

  It was hard to focus on Dr. Reese’s description of the neonatal unit’s state-of-the-art equipment and dedicated staff while her senses were filled with the scent, sight and feel of Liam so close beside her.

  He stiffened, dragging Hadley out of her musings. She returned her attention to the speaker only to discover Dr. Reese had passed off the tour to a slender nurse with blond hair pulled back into a bun and a brisk way of speaking.

  “We call her Janey Doe,” the nurse said, a hint of sadness clouding her direct green gaze. “She is holding her own, but each day is a struggle. However, thanks to Dr. Reese...” The nurse glanced up at the tall doctor, and Hadley got the impression that equal parts p
ersonal and professional admiration curved her lips.

  The crowd began to follow Dr. Reese toward the birthing suites, but Liam showed no interest in continuing on. He made a beeline straight for the nurse and introduced himself.

  “Hello, I’m Liam Ward. And this is Hadley Stratton.”

  “Clare Connelly.” The nurse shook their hands. “Thank you for all your hard work on the restoration of this wing. It’s such an amazing facility to work in.”

  “It was an important project for our town.” Although his words were courteous, his tone was strained. “I was wondering if you could tell me a little bit more about Janey Doe.”

  Knowing that she had missed a big chunk of the story, Hadley scanned Liam’s expression, noticed his tight lips, the muscle jumping in his jaw and wondered at his interest.

  “She was found on the floor of a truck stop thirty miles from here...”

  “No sign of her mother?” Liam’s question reverberated with disgust.

  Clare shook her head slowly. “None, I’m afraid.”

  “You mean she just left her there?” Hadley’s chest tightened. “How could she do something like that?”

  “She was probably young and scared. Janey was very small and obviously premature. It’s possible the mother thought she was dead and freaked out.”

  Hadley appreciated how Clare stuck up for Baby Janey’s mother but could see that none of her assumptions had eased Liam’s displeasure. He was staring into the neonatal unit, his attention laser focused on the middle incubator. Was Maggie on his mind? Without knowing for certain that Maggie was related to Liam, Diane Garner had left her granddaughter in his care. Or was he thinking how his own mother had left him to be raised by his grandfather?

  “What will happen to her?” Hadley asked, her own gaze drawn toward the incubator and the precious bundle. The baby was hooked up to a feeding tube, oxygen and monitors, making it impossible to get a clear look at her face.