Billionaire Boss, Holiday Baby

by Janice Maynard

  Earlier, he had thrown on a robe with his boxers. Now he and Peaches settled on the sofa in the den. Pulling an afghan over both of them, he leaned back and watched as the baby gobbled down her meal. He remembered Dani mentioning the need for burping. When the bottle was half-empty, he hefted the baby onto his shoulder and patted her back. Peaches didn’t like being interrupted, but her loud belch told him he’d done the right thing.

  While the infant finished her formula, he reached for the remote and turned the TV on with the volume muted. He had a million channels to choose from, but nothing interested him. He wanted a distraction...some assurance that the world still spun in its normal orbit. Skipping over infomercials and weird sports channels, he landed on an old movie, a Christmas film.

  He had never seen it all the way through, but he knew the general premise. A man unhappy with his life wished he had never been born and then had a chance to see what the world would have been like without him.

  The scenario hit uncomfortably near home for Nathaniel. He had no close friends by design. As head of the company, he knew better than to build relationships that might backfire on him. Because he worked all the time, there was no opportunity for socializing even if he had wanted to. Other than a couple of guys he occasionally played racquetball with at the gym, he was a loner, and he liked it. Mostly.

  By following a rigid set of rules for his personal life, he kept his days running smoothly. This blip with Ophelia only proved what it cost to deviate from his usual behavior.

  Again and again, he wondered what he would do if Peaches were his. Again and again, he shut down that line of thinking. Until the truth came out, speculation served no purpose.

  Too late, he realized he should have changed the kid’s diaper before giving her a bottle. Now she had sucked down the last ounce of formula and was out cold. Fortunately, Dani had already stocked most rooms in the house with diapers and wipes. Thank God for her babysitting experience. At least one of them had some exposure to infants. Otherwise, the situation would have been far worse.

  Luckily for him, Peaches slept through the diaper change, even though he fumbled and cursed and struggled with the seemingly simple task. He was able to return to his room, tuck her back into the little protected corner and fall into his own bed, facedown, unconscious in seconds.

  The next time he surfaced, the clock said seven. He had a hangover headache, and he hadn’t even had a beer last night. Stumbling to his feet, he visited the bathroom and then moved stealthily toward Peaches’s corner on the floor to check on her.

  The nest was empty. Panic flooded his chest for half a second before common sense intruded. The chairs were intact. Dani must have the child.

  He found them both in the kitchen. Dani had fixed a pot of coffee, God bless her, and she was sitting at the window, baby in arms, drawing pictures in the condensation on the glass.

  She looked up when Nathaniel entered the room. “Good morning. It sounded like this little stinker gave you a rough night.”

  He winced. “You heard us?”

  “I’m a light sleeper.” She shrugged, her expression guarded. “I decided that if you wanted help, you would ask, so I didn’t disturb you. You’re a very capable man.”

  Pouring himself a cup of coffee and gulping it with no thought for scalding his tongue, he snorted. “Didn’t feel like it last night.”

  “Poor Peaches. I guess she knew she was in a strange place.”

  “Getting stranger by the minute. Have you heard a forecast?”

  She nodded glumly. “The official totals are twelve to fourteen inches so far, with more, north of the city. It’s supposed to change over to freezing rain in the next couple of hours. The governor has declared a state of emergency. All roads are virtually impassable because of abandoned cars, including major interstates.”

  “So you’re stuck with me?” He tried to smile, but the knot in his chest made it hard to breathe.

  “It looks that way. But on an up note, I’ve already talked to my family. They’re all stuck, too, except my Chattanooga sister. The storm stayed south of them. My parents have decided we’ll simply postpone Christmas until at least the twenty-seventh. It’s supposed to be sixty-two and sunny then.”

  “Welcome to winter in the South.”

  “Exactly.”

  He had no clue how to act, what to say or do. This bizarre scenario was unprecedented. Nausea swirled in his belly, and he felt light-headed.

  Blaming it on the lack of sleep was less worrisome than admitting he was afraid to be trapped with Dani. Sitting there with a warm smile on her face, wearing his shirt and holding a child who was possibly his baby, she personified everything he feared, everything he had avoided for so long and so well.

  He hoped like hell his unease wasn’t visible. He didn’t want to give in to temptation, but he sure as hell didn’t want to hurt her, either.

  Four

  Dani cocked her head, her smile dimming as a knot of something settled like a rock in her stomach. Nathaniel was acting very strangely. Despite her misgivings, she forged ahead with the idea that had come to her while she waited for him to wake up. “I have a question, Nathaniel. You can say no if you want to.”

  As she watched, he took two steps backward, set his empty cup on the counter and shoved his hands in his pockets.

  “Ask away,” he said. But his gaze didn’t meet hers. His body language was one big keep-off-the-grass sign.

  Sighing inwardly, she nuzzled the top of the baby’s head. “It’s Christmas Eve,” she said flatly, as if he didn’t know. “And tomorrow is Christmas Day. Your condo is virtually empty of any sustenance, holiday or otherwise. I checked around online and found a small market about a mile from here that’s opening up from ten to four today. If I make a grocery list, will you go shopping for us?”

  His lips quirked in a reluctant smile. “That’s doable.”

  “I’m not the greatest cook,” Dani admitted. “I don’t think I’d be confident preparing a turkey, even if they have any. But I could do a pot roast with all the trimmings and some kind of fancy dessert. Are you allergic to anything?”

  “No.” He didn’t look happy.

  She was even tempered as a rule, but his silence grated. “Do you have an objection to observing the holiday with good food?” The words came out more sharply than she had intended. Still, she didn’t regret them.

  Nathaniel sat down on a bar stool at the counter and grimaced. “My family was not as warm and fuzzy as yours, Dani. My mother was diagnosed with schizophrenia, but not until I was in high school. I don’t know if you can imagine what my childhood was like.”

  Suddenly Dani felt small and mean. “What about your father?”

  “He loved my mother in spite of everything—and he loved me, I’m sure. But he wasn’t the kind of man who could keep gluing bits of our life back together and making things work. His solution was to spend all his time at the office.”

  “I see.” In fact, she saw more than she ever had before. Nathaniel had layers upon layers, it seemed. The more she learned about him, the more it became apparent he was destined to hurt her if she let herself get too close. The man didn’t want a girlfriend or a wife. In fact, he seemed to be rabidly opposed to human emotion in general.

  Squashing her disappointment, she managed a light tone. “So is that yes or no to the dessert?”

  Finally, she coaxed a smile from him. “I may not know how to properly observe Christmas, but I do like to eat.”

  “Well, there you go.” For no apparent reason, Dani felt like crying. She didn’t want to see Nathaniel as a person, a man with hidden vulnerabilities. She didn’t want to like or understand him anymore than she already did. Liking him led to fantasizing about a future that would never be hers. Fortunately, Nathaniel was oblivious to her turmoil.

  “Your groce
ry store plan still doesn’t help us with the baby’s clothing situation, or lack thereof,” he said.

  Dani nodded. “I have a lead there, as well. Your poor doorman made it into work this morning, but he’s bored, because clearly there’s not much action in the lobby. I phoned down to him earlier with a question or two. In the process, he told me his daughter has a little girl who’s a year old. He thinks they might have some hand-me-downs we can use for Peaches. And they live close enough he can walk to their apartment tonight after work.”

  “Do you make friends with anyone and everyone?”

  His tone didn’t sound as if the question was a compliment. Dani chose her words carefully. “The world can be a difficult place. We’re all interconnected. I see no harm in being open to other people and experiences.”

  “Maybe you were a hippie flower child in another life,” he muttered.

  “I can go, Nathaniel,” she said sharply. “You asked for my help. But if you’re going to act like a horse’s ass all weekend, I’d just as soon leave.”

  Her accusation found its mark. For a moment, Nathaniel turned icy and distant. She wanted to run from his disdain, but she held her ground. The standoff felt interminable.

  Gradually, his posture softened. His chest lifted and fell in a huge sigh. “I apologize,” he said. “Apparently, I’m not as good at sleep deprivation as I thought.”

  “You’re forgiven. I know you’re exhausted.” Dani didn’t hold grudges. Life was too short. A change of subject was in order. “I’m worried that if you get everything we need at the market, it will be too heavy to carry.”

  “I have an old army-surplus duffel bag. It’s practically indestructible. I can load it up, cinch the top and drag it back, if necessary.”

  “That could work.” The thought of filling Nathaniel’s somewhat-sterile condo with the appealing scents of Christmas excited her.

  “Is there anything else Peaches might need that I could get at the store?”

  “We covered the basics last night. She’s old enough to begin sampling simple foods, but since we don’t know if Ophelia has given her anything yet, I’d be afraid to try. The formula will be enough for now.”

  “You’re the expert.”

  “Hardly. I’m just grateful Peaches is an easy baby. I’ve heard stories about colic and other stuff. This situation could have been much worse.”

  “It would have been,” Nathaniel said bluntly. “Without you.”

  She flushed. “I was an extra pair of hands, that’s all.”

  “No,” he said carefully. “It’s more than that. I see it at NCT all the time. People come to you with problems and questions. You triage. You offer solutions. You give support. You’re an extraordinary woman, Dani. Don’t ever underestimate yourself.”

  With that, he turned on his heel and walked out of the room.

  Dani put a hand to her hot cheek. Wow. That was the warmest and most personal testimonial she had ever received from her boss. And it told her he actually noticed what she did for the company. Sometimes she wondered. He became so absorbed in his work, she’d been convinced at times that he saw her as no different from a computer or the copy machine.

  It was disarming to know he was watching.

  Peaches had drooled all over the shoulder of Dani’s shirt, which was, of course, Nathaniel’s shirt. At this rate, she would have to borrow half a dozen to keep up with the baby’s tendency to destroy clothing.

  This was the strangest Christmas Eve Dani had ever experienced. Over the last decade, she had dated a number of men, but none of them long enough to warrant spending the holidays with their families or vice versa. The only Christmases Dani had ever known were celebrated in the bosom of her family.

  Though Nathaniel’s condo was a far cry from her parents’ warm and welcoming home, Dani was determined to make this day memorable. For Peaches. For Nathaniel. Heck, for herself.

  Someday, God willing, she would be marking the holidays in a house of her own with a husband, two as-yet-to-be-named kids and maybe a dog. She would be in charge of the meals and the decorations and the Santa gifts.

  Maybe this odd Christmas was a testing ground. Did she have it in her to make the holiday special under these circumstances? Would Nathaniel even care?

  One glance at the clock on the stove told her she had no time to spare. Presumably Nathaniel had disappeared to suit up for his foray into the winter wonderland. Dani loved playing in snow as a rule, but she didn’t have the appropriate clothing, and it was too cold for the baby even if Dani had wanted to go along.

  With Peaches in one arm, she quickly scanned the contents of the cabinets. They were mostly empty. One set of salt and pepper shakers. An out-of-date container of cinnamon. Half a bag of questionable flour. But at least the basics of cookware were represented. Maybe a woman had furnished the kitchen.

  She found a pen and started writing. By the time Nathaniel returned carrying the big empty duffel bag, Dani had filled three pages of a notepad advertising a well-known realty company. “I hope you can read my writing,” she fretted. “I’m not good at one-handed penmanship.”

  Nathaniel grinned. “We have these things called cell phones...”

  “Well, that’s true. But what if I’m changing a diaper at the exact moment you need to call me?”

  He shrugged. “Then I’ll wait.” Even bundled from head to toe, he managed to look ruggedly handsome.

  “What about eggs and bread?”

  “I’ll put them on top. It will be fine. Quit worrying. You should know, though, that walking a mile and back in a foot of snow won’t be quick. Not to mention how long it’s going to take me to find all this stuff.” He waved the list in the air.

  “Sorry,” Dani said. “I guess I got carried away. Maybe I was making sure you didn’t have to make a second trip.”

  “Maybe,” he chuckled. He kissed the baby’s cheek, his lips dangerously close to Dani’s, close enough to give a woman ideas. “You girls stay out of trouble while I’m gone.”

  * * *

  On the elevator ride down to the lobby, Nathaniel started to sweat. He’d put on clothes from his last Colorado ski trip. When he stepped outside, he was glad he had kept the heavy winter gear. As useless as it normally was in Atlanta, today it was going to come in handy.

  The snow had turned into a nasty drizzle that froze on contact. Soon, he couldn’t feel his cheeks. He wrapped his fleece scarf around all of his face but his eyes, and picked up the pace. It wasn’t easy. Snowshoes might have been a good idea if he had owned any.

  He relished the physical exertion. Despite his lack of sleep the night before, he wanted to push himself to the limits, anything to keep from thinking about Dani. She was his very valuable assistant, not a lover. He had to remember that, no matter how great the temptation.

  He’d never seen Atlanta like this. It was a ghost town, a frozen ghost town. Occasionally, an official vehicle passed. There were a few intrepid explorers out, like himself. For the most part, though, his fellow citizens had hunkered down to wait for the snow to melt.

  What did normal people do on December 24? There would be no last-minute shopping today, that’s for sure. Even Amazon couldn’t fulfill impulsive wishes in the midst of a blizzard. Fortunately, Nathaniel had resources Amazon didn’t possess. Early this morning, he had made a couple of phone calls and arranged to get a gift for Dani. She deserved at least that much for putting up with his bizarre situation.

  The small neighborhood market shone like a beacon at the end of his journey, bringing cheer to the gray, icy day. In addition to the store’s normal illumination, swags of colored lights festooned the entrance.

  Inside, Nathaniel grabbed a shopping cart and stripped off his outer garments. Christmas music played from overhead speakers. Oddly, it didn’t irritate him as it sometimes did. When he found himself
humming along with a familiar tune, he frowned and concentrated on Dani’s list.

  The store was mostly empty. He was able to go as slowly as he wanted, one aisle at a time, until he was confident he had fulfilled his mission.

  At the checkout stand, he began to have a few tiny doubts about getting all this stuff back to the condo. No matter. He’d told Dani it might take a while.

  The store manager rang up the purchases. “You’re a brave man,” he said. “Must have a woman at home ready to cook.”

  “Something like that.”

  When the last item was scanned, Nathaniel handed over his credit card and began loading the canvas duffel, putting the canned goods on the bottom. The manager looked to be in his late forties and bore a passing resemblance to Santa Claus. He was dressed in overalls and a red flannel shirt, probably not his usual work attire.

  The older man began grouping smaller items and tying them into plastic bags to make them easier to stuff in the duffel. “You got a tree already?” he asked.

  Nathaniel shook his head. “No. I don’t usually decorate. It’s a lot of trouble.”

  The Santa look-alike frowned. “Then you should take one of those small live trees. On the house. They’ll be useless to me by Monday. For that matter, I’ll throw in a stand and several strands of lights. Might as well. I’ll be stuck with that whole display seventy-five percent off. I’d rather you and your lady friend enjoy them.”

  “Oh, but I—”

  The manager interrupted, “I know, I know. You’re walking. I get it. My son, Toby, is in the back unloading pallets. Do you know how hard it is for a seventeen-year-old boy to be snowed in the day before Christmas? The kid needs some exercise. He’s driving me and his mom crazy. Let him walk back and carry the tree for you.”

  “It’s a long way,” Nathaniel protested.

  “Won’t matter.” The man punched in a message on his cell phone. “He’s on his way.”