LITMIR.BIZ

Скачать книгу

you have to eat within half an hour after taking the shot or you’re apt to get woozy. I don’t want you tumbling down that magnificent staircase.”

      He chuckled. “I’ll bet you’re used to having men fall for you,” he teased.

      Things went very well for the next two weeks. Nate didn’t forget who she was again and greeted her enthusiastically each morning when she arrived. They enjoyed each other’s company and got along just fine all day, but it was a different scenario with Ethan. He left as soon as she arrived at the house, and was coolly polite when he got home.

      It seemed obvious that he didn’t especially like her, but why? He never complained about her work. At times during the few minutes of their comings and goings he even complimented her on how well his father was doing under her care, so why wasn’t he more friendly?

      If he had a girlfriend there was no evidence of it. The only family photographs in the house were one of Ethan’s infant son, Danny, an adorable little tyke, which was displayed on the fireplace mantel in the family room, and one of Nate’s late wife, Sybil, Ethan’s mother, which Nate kept on his nightstand in his bedroom.

      She wished Ethan would ask her to stay and visit sometimes. Maybe even invite her to dinner. She knew they did quite a bit of barbecuing in the evenings, but in the two weeks she’d been there they’d never mentioned having dinner guests.

      Then, on the Thursday of the second week, a few minutes before Ethan was due home, the doorbell rang. Brittany, who had been rinsing dishes in the sink, grabbed a towel and headed for the foyer, but Nate beat her to the front door. He opened it and she saw his shoulders stiffen as he said, “Hannah? What are you doing here? Where’s the baby?”

      Brittany stopped in her tracks. Hannah? Baby? Could this be Ethan’s ex-wife and their son?

      Brittany stood there listening to a woman’s voice coming from outside. “He’s out in the car. Can you help me bring some things in?”

      “Sure,” Nate said, and walked out the door where Brittany could no longer see or hear them.

      Curiosity got the better of her, and she put down the towel and walked over to the open doorway. There she saw a white minivan with the side door open parked at the curb in front of the house. Inside was a child strapped into a car seat and a blond, statuesque woman wearing designer jeans and T-shirt and loading Nate down with various items of baby furniture.

      What was going on here? Nate shouldn’t be burdened with all those heavy and ungainly items. He might stumble and fall!

      Without hesitation she hurried out the door and across the lawn to the curb to confront him. “Nate, don’t try to carry all that stuff at once. Let me help you.”

      The sound of her voice apparently surprised the woman, who had been leaning in the van to retrieve several suitcases. She backed out and glared at Brittany.

      “Who are you?” she asked gruffly.

      “I’m Brittany Baldwin, Mr. Thorpe’s caregiver, and you are…?” She wasn’t going to let this woman intimidate her. She took her orders from Ethan and no one else.

      “I’m Hannah Thorpe,” she said sharply, then turned her attention again to Nate. “When did you get a caregiver, Nate?”

      He shrugged. “It was after the last time you were here. She takes real good care of me.”

      Hannah looked Brittany up and down. “I’ll bet she does.” Her tone was venomous. “Takes real good care of your son, too, I should imagine. I figured it wouldn’t be long before Ethan would take up with some other woman, but I expected her to be full grown.”

      Brittany gasped. “Now, wait just a darn minute—” she started to protest, but Hannah was already halfway up the driveway to the house with the suitcases.

      Brittany and Nate followed close behind with the pieces of baby furniture.

      “Why are you bringing all this stuff over here?” Nate asked as they set their burdens down in the foyer. “We’ve got all we need to take care of Danny for his weekend visits.”

      “Tell you later,” she said as she turned and hurried outside again, Nate and Brittany not far behind.

      They all reached the van at the same time and again Hannah spoke to Nate. “You and Florence Nightingale here can finish emptying the van and I’ll get Danny.”

      Brittany bristled at the mockery in the other woman’s tone but saw no point in pressing the issue.

      Hannah climbed inside the vehicle and started unbuckling the baby from the car seat while Brittany and Nate waited for her to finish so they could get in to retrieve the other articles.

      While they stood there waiting, Ethan’s car turned into the driveway and he got out. “What’s going on?” he asked as Hannah backed out of the van with the toddler in her arms. “This isn’t my weekend to have Danny.”

      “It is now,” she said crisply, and held the child out to him. “Here, take him. He’s heavy.”

      Ethan took his son and nuzzled him playfully on the neck. He was an adorable child with blond curly hair and sparkling blue eyes. “Hi, guy,” Ethan said as he lifted the kicking and giggling little one over his head. “To what do I owe the unexpected pleasure of your company?”

      “Da-da,” the little boy burbled, and grabbed a fistful of his daddy’s hair.

      Ethan didn’t display pictures of Danny all around his house, Brittany thought, but the look on his face when he hugged his little son left no doubt of his love and pride in the youngster.

      “I’m glad to hear you consider his company a pleasure,” Hannah said sourly, “because you’re going to get plenty of it. I’m moving to Chicago tomorrow, so I’m afraid he’s all yours.”

      Brittany couldn’t believe what she’d heard, and apparently neither could Ethan. “You’re what?” he roared.

      “You heard me,” she snapped, “but let’s go inside so the neighbors aren’t treated to an earful.”

      She wrestled a high chair out of the van and carried it up the driveway, followed by Ethan carrying Danny. Neither Brittany nor Nate knew what to do, but they finally grabbed some boxes and brought up the rear.

      Back inside the house Ethan picked up a folded playpen and led the way down the hall to the family room. The others put down their burdens and followed. When they reached their destination Ethan put the youngster on his feet and Danny immediately took off running from table to sofa to chair, all the while squealing with delight.

      “This room has been pretty much childproofed,” Ethan said. “I’ll let him run around for a while, but we can put him in the playpen if he starts getting into things.”

      Hannah slumped down on the sofa with a sigh. Even in jeans and no makeup she looked like a model. Her complexion was radiant and her short, blunt-cut hair was blond with golden highlights.

      “I need a drink,” she announced. “I’ve been going at top speed all day and still I’m nowhere near ready.”

      “Ready for what?” Ethan demanded. “What’s this nonsense about moving to Chicago? I’m telling you right now, if you’re planning to transfer up there, forget it. I’ll never give my permission for you to take Danny so far away.”

      She shrugged. “I’m not asking you to. I can’t take him with me. I’ve been offered one of those once-in-a-lifetime promotions, but I’ll have to headquarter out of the Chicago office. Also I’ll be traveling a lot, both national and international. So, I’m leaving Danny with you. You’ve always complained that you don’t get to see enough of him.”

      She straightened up and looked around. “Where’s my drink? Surely one of you big strong men can fix me a margarita.”

      “I’ll do it,” Nate volunteered, then looked at Brittany. “Come with

Скачать книгу