LITMIR.BIZ

       CHAPTER SIX

      “IS THE diaper bag packed?”

      “All done.”

      “Don’t forget your new bathing suit.”

      Reese blinked. “We’re going swimming?”

      “We might.”

      “In your in-laws’ pool?”

      “Maybe. They have several.”

      She’d been swimming in the pool on the terrace every afternoon while Jamie was napping. He’d had a slight cold since they’d brought him home from the hospital last Saturday night, but Dr. Wells said it was to be expected. A week later Jamie was well and beaming. Next week she’d be able to move him around on top of the water and see how he fared.

      “Ready?” he called out.

      “Just about.”

      While he was moving around in the apartment, she hurried back to her bedroom and stashed the new suit inside her purse. After breakfast she’d gotten dressed for the drive to White Plains. She’d chosen to wear a rose-colored sundress with a white, short-sleeved bolero jacket. It was a step up from jeans, more presentable for a nanny who was about to face the Hirsts again. A white ribbon for her ponytail to match her sandals, and she left the bedroom.

      “Let’s go!”

      After putting the freeze pack with the milk into the diaper bag, Reese met him in the foyer. Nick had dressed in cargo pants and a tan crew neck shirt. Even though he’d shaved, there was that hint of dark shadow that gave him a slightly disreputable look, adding to his sensuality. The sight of him looking beyond handsome with his wavy black hair and the relaxed look on his face took her breath.

      She quickly switched her gaze to his son strapped in his carryall. Nick had put him in his white outfit with the tiger on the front. The baby was three months and a week old now. He was bigger and looked so healthy you would never have guessed he’d been ill a week ago. Unable to resist, she kissed his cheek several times. His little mouth curved into a smile that reminded her of Nick. It turned her heart right over.

      She tickled his tummy. “We’re going on a trip in our favorite rocket ship.” She sang the song one of her friend’s four-year-old loved. Jamie loved it, too.

      He laughed out loud, provoking a grin from Nick. His gaze found hers. “You sound happy.”

      “Who wouldn’t be? When I think of last week…”

      “Don’t remind me.”

      They left the apartment. Soon they’d climbed in the limo and were headed out of the city under a semicloudy sky, but nothing could dim her elation at being able to spend the whole day with Nick and Jamie.

      Since that night in the hospital when he’d told her about his background and failed marriage, she wasn’t as nervous to meet Erica’s parents. Forewarned helped her to be forearmed.

      Nick’s decision to break from tradition and bring on the condemnation of two families had been made because of his love and need of Jamie. It took an incredibly strong man of amazing character to do what he did. It couldn’t have been easy and she didn’t envy him having to deal with his in-laws today. For that reason Reese intended to be his support.

      In some way things had been easier since the hospital. The bonding that had taken place with Jamie made everything they did seem more natural when the three of them were together. Nick had come home around four every afternoon. She understood his need to spend as much time as possible with his son.

      Reese felt as if the penthouse had become a happy place for Nick. Nothing could mean more to her when she realized how much of his past had been marred by the weight of a painful childhood as well as a difficult marriage. Nick still hadn’t told her all that had gone on between him and Erica to drive them apart, but then Reese was only the nanny. Every once in a while she had to remember that, but it was getting harder and harder.

      On this trip she sat next to Jamie, who loved his pacifier and blue rattle. With Nick sitting straight across from the baby, he could talk to him and keep him entertained, but it was Jamie who entertained them. Every time he laughed, his pacifier fell out and Nick put it back in. Jamie thought it was a game and kept doing it. Maybe he was too little to realize what was going on, but it was hilarious and they laughed all the way to White Plains.

      When they came in sight of the Hirst estate, Reese understood even more the dividing line that separated people with lifestyles like Nick’s and his former wife’s from the rest of the world. They drove past a sign indicating public parking around the west side of the twostory mansion. Paul took the tree-lined driveway to the front entrance and helped Reese out with the diaper bag. Nick followed with Jamie and the three of them started up the steps. By the time they reached the front door, Walter Hirst had opened it. The older man couldn’t hide his surprise at seeing Reese.

      “We’re in the dayroom.”

      If it had been Reese’s father who’d opened the door, the first thing he would have said was something like, “There’s my grandson! Come here and say hello to your old granddad.” He would have reached for the baby and walked him through their house to show Grandma.

      Reese had thought she was prepared for this, but even with the explanations Nick had given her, to see and feel the continued lack of personal warmth and affection coming from Erica’s father disturbed her.

      The interior of the mansion might be an architectural triumph of nineteenth-century elegance, but the only life Reese could see came from Jamie, whose head kept turning as they followed Mr. Hirst to a room with a surprising contemporary decor. His grandmother, wearing a stylish two-piece suit in lime-green, was just walking through the doors leading in from a beautiful flower garden Reese could see beyond her.

      “We didn’t expect you this early. I take it Jamie’s better now.”

      “He’s fine,” Nick stated. “In fact you’re perfect, aren’t you, sport.” He kissed his cheeks while he undid the straps and lifted him out. “You’ll notice he’s grown.”

      “Put him down in the carriage.”

      With no playpen or swing, Nick had little choice unless he wanted to plop Jamie in his grandmother’s arms. But she gave no indication that she wanted to hold him. Reese knew there were many people in the world who couldn’t show affection, no matter their social class. Still, this was Jamie’s family and it just didn’t seem natural.

      Now that she thought about it, a hint of Nick’s rebellion had come out when he’d shown them the nursery and deposited Jamie in her arms. Today he held back and abided Anne’s wishes.

      The trouble with a carriage was that it blocked part of the view for the baby, who started crying as soon as Nick moved out of his line of vision. Reese’s first instinct was to take him right out. Like Nick, she, too, had to hold back from grabbing him.

      “I brought this.” Reese set the diaper bag down on one of the chairs. “It has enough bottles and diapers for today.”

      “We have everything he’ll need. Walter? Will you tell the nurse they’re here.” Jamie was not happy and his cries were getting louder.

      “I’ll be back for him at six.” Nick flicked Reese a glance. “Let’s leave them alone, Ms. Chamberlain.”

      They walked out the mansion through the front door with Jamie’s cries still following them. She assumed he meant they were going to explore the estate and go swimming later on. To her shock Nick headed for the limo and helped her inside.

      She stared at him in puzzlement.

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