Chapter Two
“I think you’re rushing into this. Be pissed off at me all you want, but it’s the truth. What do you know about this guy?”
Haley jammed a bunch of sweaters into her overnight bag and tried to remember her brother was speaking out of worry for her. Gwen climbed across the bed and helped her zip up the bag that was ready to explode.
“We know enough, Luke. If my brother vouches for Connor, then we don’t have to worry.”
Haley smiled at Gwen with gratitude. She really lucked out with her as a sister-in-law. They had hit it off right away and she considered Gwen her best friend now. They also both adored teasing Luke, so it worked out well.
“He’s fine for your brother, but that doesn’t mean he’s fine for Haley.”
Gwen sighed and climbed off the bed and crossed the room. She placed a hand on Luke’s chest and patted it. “Haley will be fine.”
Haley smiled as she grabbed her bag off the bed. Luke kissed the top of Gwen’s head. They were a pretty adorable couple, and Luke would do anything for Gwen. It was good to see him happy again. Haley and Luke had been through a lot growing up together, but their lives had gotten even harder as adults. For a while she didn’t know if either of them would ever get back on track. When she arrived in Shadow Creek she’d been on the run from David—a failed marriage the least of her worries. Sometimes she looked back and wondered how she could have ever been so stupid, how she could have ignored all the warning signs in her spouse. Hindsight was twenty-twenty for sure, but still. She could have gotten out sooner, before she’d gone so low.
Luke and Gwen and the rest of the Baileys had been her lifeline. They’d spoiled and coddled and cherished her, reminding her that there were good people still out there.
“Luke, I know you’re worried, but this is exactly what I need. I hate feeling useless. My teaching position doesn’t start until September. That’s ten months away. What am I going to do for money?”
“I told you that you can stay here as long as you want.”
“I know that, but you guys are practically newlyweds. You don’t need me hanging around here all the time,” she said, grabbing her purse from the dresser.
“Don’t be doing this because of us,” Luke said.
Haley sighed and looked up at her older brother. She adored Luke. She knew he blamed himself for not protecting her and being around during her marriage. She didn’t blame him a bit for her mistakes. She was an adult and she made some bad choices—that was on her. “I’m not. I’m doing it because I genuinely want to help Connor.” She caught the mischievous glint and smile on Gwen’s face and tried to ignore the tiny little hint of giddiness bubbling inside of her at the thought of Connor. She was so not going there, though. He, or any guy, was the last thing she needed. She looked back at her brother who was scowling.
“Connor is an adult and—”
She held up her hand and interrupted him. “Yes, and he’s paying me. I’m not volunteering. That little baby needs help, and how is he supposed to care for her and go to work? It’s actually perfect timing.”
“Don’t get attached to that baby,” he said roughly. The concern in his voice made her throat ache, because she knew why he was saying it. She wasn’t going to think about that now.
She swung her purse over her shoulder and picked up her bag. “It’s a job. I’m helping a friend. That’s it.”
The knock at the door sent her pulse racing, because she knew who was on the other side. Ever since the first night she met Connor that whole pulse-racing-at-the-thought-of-him thing happened. She smiled, and Gwen did a little mini-clap and squeal while Luke shot her a look. Her brother was the first one to reach the door.
Connor was standing there holding the carrier, little Rosie snuggled inside. Of course, normally just the sight of this man kind of got all her insides in a knot, but now with a baby attached to him, she was even more of a jumbled mess. He looked tough and vulnerable; a very appealing combination because it made him more approachable. “Hi,” she said.
“Hi. I, uh, didn’t know if I should leave her in the car so I brought her up here,” he said, lifting up the carrier like it weighed nothing.
That was adorable. She glanced over at Gwen, and judging by her bemused expression she thought the same thing. She tried not to choke as she spotted her brother rolling his eyes.
“I don’t think you have to worry about her driving away yet,” Luke said. Haley kicked him and then stepped outside.
“So don’t worry about me,” she said, turning to face her brother and Gwen. “I’ll text you once I’m settled. But it might not be tonight because we’ve got to do a Walmart run for baby supplies. See you!” she said, tugging on Connor’s coat. She needed to get away from her brother before he got even more insulting.
“Have fun shopping!” Gwen called out.
She watched Connor clip the carrier in and she was impressed when she saw him thoughtfully double-check that the baby was clicked in securely in the backseat. Once they were settled in Connor’s truck, the enormity of what she’d agreed to hit her. Since when would she agree to go and live with a man she barely knew? There was something about him though—despite the tattoos, the rough appearance, the gruff manner, that made her feel safe. He made her feel safe. Like she knew he was one of the good guys—but then again, she didn’t really trust her instincts anymore. Look where they’d gotten her in the past.
“Listen, I really want to thank you for helping me out,” Connor said as he pulled out of the driveway. “I know we don’t know each other, and I have no idea what I’m doing, but I figure we can wing it tonight and tomorrow and figure out how it’ll all work out.”
It was dark out and she could barely make out his profile, even though she had already memorized it. He had the type of face that was hard to forget. His hair was black and short. He had a strong, square jaw and eyes the darkest blue she’d ever seen. His lashes were black as well, and incredibly thick. Even though he seemed so unapproachable he had a smile that could melt any heart—including hers.
“It’s my pleasure. I love kids, and you need help and I need a job so, this kind of worked out well…not that having a baby abandoned on your doorstep is a something fun or wonderful. I just meant that…” Her voice trailed off as she thought about what he must be feeling. The man had found out he was a father. He hadn’t even batted an eye when it was suggested she might not be his. It was like he claimed his responsibilities without a thought. She admired that.
“Well, I’ll get this sorted out.” They drove in silence for the next ten minutes and Haley used the silence to go over the list of supplies that she had made with Lily and Julia on her phone.
Connor pulled into the almost vacant Walmart and parked his truck near the entrance. He turned off the ignition and turned to her. He stared at her in the quiet car, his face illuminated by the parking lot lights. Her breath caught in her throat at the intensity in his eyes, the hardness in his features.
“It’s going to be fine, Connor. You’re already doing a great job. You’re giving her a home, clothing, food. You’ll figure it out along the way.”
She caught the flash of surprise and vulnerability cross his incredible blue eyes. “Thank you,” he said. Murmuring in the backseat jolted them back to the reality of the situation. “We’d better get going before she needs to eat again or something.”
She smiled and got out of the truck, then ran over to the shopping cart depot in the lot and grabbed two meeting Connor. “Here, her car seat will fit in the bottom of this one and we’ll use the other to fill up with everything we need.”
“That’s handy,” he said, resting the carrier gently in the base of the cart. He took the empty cart from her and they made their way across the lot. “So I have no idea what to buy, you know.”
She laughed, her breath causing a billow of frosty air in front of her. “Don’t worry about it. Lily and Julia already gave me a list of the essentials. Of course, this would have been a lot more fun if it was Target, but I guess it’ll be okay. At least the store is empty this time of night.”
They walked through the automatic doors and made their way to the large baby section. Haley took out her list and began pointing to where they needed to be and what they needed to buy. She was picking out onesies and receiving blankets, and having the time of her life when it dawned on her that this was what she’d always dreamed of doing. Except for her own baby. She hated that she blinked back tears as she picked out little sleepers. Then there were plenty of fuzzy winter clothes and she gasped at the adorable velour sleepers. She held one up to Connor who didn’t seem as enchanted as she was. “Why are the feet attached? I’d hate to have my feet trapped all night.”
She tried not to laugh at him because he said it so earnestly. “I think babies like it. We don’t want her getting cold.”
He gave a nod, like what she was saying made sense. He wasn’t really one for conversation she noticed. She motioned for him to keep walking. She was shopping with Connor. “Why don’t you pick something?” she asked a few minutes later. Maybe she was being too bossy.
He ran a hand over his very nicely stubbled jaw. “That’s okay. I don’t want her looking back at baby pictures and hating me for ugly clothing decisions.” He was smiling when he said it, and she stood there looking like an idiot. The bright Walmart lights highlighted his hard features and the flecks of blue in his eyes. Really, it was amazing how good he looked. Who looked that good under fluorescent lights?
She smiled at him. “I just realized I’m throwing all this stuff in the cart without asking you your opinion.”
The grin he gave her now was a different one. Sort of a slow, lazy, mischievous one that lit his eyes as well. That grin also made it difficult for her to remember how to breathe. “It’s okay, I don’t feel bullied.”
She burst out laughing, and his smile widened. Her stomach refused to settle. She could barely handle the aloof, unapproachable Connor at Sunday night dinners, but this engaging, funny Connor was off the charts. It occurred to her that she hadn’t even looked at price tags. She had no idea what his financial situation was like. Starting from scratch like they were doing was expensive. “So, I, um…I was kind of buying whatever looked cute, but I didn’t even ask what your budget is and maybe we should be looking at sales or…”
“I’m okay. Let’s pick the stuff you think she needs and don’t worry about it.”
“Oh, okay,” she said.
“How adorable! How old is she?” They both turned in the direction of the voice. An elderly woman was peering into the shopping cart, and then she looked up at them.
“Uh, a month,” Connor said.
“I always love seeing young couples and babies. I remember those days. Sometimes it feels like it was just yesterday that I was making my way through the grocery store with my babies.” She started coughing, and Connor flicked the car seat cover down so Rosie was completely covered. Haley tried not to laugh. Those were impressive instincts for a guy who’d just found out he was a dad.
“Well, you kids take good care of that precious bundle.” The old woman patted Haley’s hand and walked away slowly. Haley stared at Connor and tried not to reveal the emotions coursing through her.
“Did we get everything on the list?”
Haley blinked and opened the crumpled list in her hand and smoothed it, trying to make herself look normal. “Um, almost. I think we have enough clothes for now. We have diapers, formula, bottles, sterilizer, wipes. We need some of the bigger stuff like a car seat and a bassinet or something for her to sleep in. Oh, and this chair thingy that both Julia and Lily swear by.” She looked at her cart—at some point during their shopping expedition Connor had gotten another cart. “I don’t really know how much this is going to be, though…” she said, her voice trailing off.
“It’ll be fine,” he said, taking the lead and grabbing the cart with baby Rosie in it.
“Okay, let’s get out of here. Oh wait,” she said, stopping in the middle of the aisle. He turned around and her stomach did a little flip-flop. Connor was very much not her usual type—mostly because in her circle she was surrounded by highly educated, suit-wearing, degree-waving professionals, like David. Not that it had ever really meant much to her. She glanced at the coffee display next to her and remembered why she’d stopped him. “Do you have coffee? I think we’re going to need lots of it.”
“I think that’s the last of the load,” Connor said, closing the front door with his foot as he placed another five bags on the front rug.
Haley tried not to look nervous now that they were back at his cabin. While she stayed inside with baby Rosie, he’d been going back and forth from his truck bringing in the endless boxes and bags of baby supplies. She’d used the opportunity to look around the small cabin. It looked as though it had been recently renovated.
The living area was basically one large room with a kitchen on one end, with a large island and chairs, while the other side had a large stone fireplace and two dark leather couches and an armchair. The coffee table was dark wood and without a thing on it, same for the matching side tables. A large window in the kitchen and sitting area overlooked the wooded front yard. The kitchen, even though not huge, had dark, Shaker-style cabinets, with gleaming white stone counters. The appliances were stainless steel and looked as though they’d never been used. In fact, the entire place barely looked lived in. There wasn’t even a television. The kitchen table was also empty—not even a crumb. She hadn’t ventured into the bedroom, not wanting to appear nosy. All in all, the place was gorgeous, just empty and devoid of any personal touches. This also meant that she’d gotten no further glimpse into who Connor really was.
She was also trying to not second-guess her impulsive decision. But she trusted Connor. She had seen him over the last few months, seen the way he interacted with the Baileys, and she knew he was one of the good guys. She just needed to remind herself of that.
“She’s still sleeping?” he asked, taking off his jacket. She tried not to appreciate the way his clothes clung to his body or the way his dark five o’clock shadow clung to the hard lines of his jaw. Connor was masculine in a way that made her feminine side go on high alert. The strange thing about him was that for all his toughness and oozing testosterone, he didn’t really intimidate her.
“She is,” Haley said, coming forward and grabbing a few bags. She placed them on the island and began sorting the contents by type: baby toiletries, kitchen stuff, clothes.
“I don’t even know what half of this stuff is for,” he said, picking up the bottle sterilizer box.
“I know, thankfully I have enough friends with babies to know what this is. Whatever else, we can ask Jack and Lily over for a tutorial. Or there’s always Google.”
“Good idea,” he said, opening the bassinet box. “I’ll start putting this thing together so she has somewhere to sleep tonight.”
“Perfect. Oh, I guess I should get a load of laundry going so I can wash the sheets for that bassinet.”
He nodded and stood. “I’ll show you the laundry room.”
She grabbed a stack of clothes and sheets. “Grab that laundry detergent,” she said.
He grabbed the giant bottle of baby detergent and led her to a room off the kitchen. It was small, the same cabinets and counter as the kitchen, and had a stacked washer and dryer. There was one bottle of detergent and one box of dryer sheets. He flicked on the under-cabinet light. The small space suddenly felt very alive and very intimate, and she was aware of his size as they stood huddled up together in the semi-lit space. He smelled fresh and masculine, and she found herself staring at his strong forearms and hands as he helped her open the packages and take the labels off the clothes. “Are you tired? I can do this if you’re wiped.”
“No way,” she said as she started loading the washer. “That’s why I got the giant coffee. This is going to be a long night for sure. Plus, remember you hired me as a nanny? This is part of the job.”
He leaned against the counter, and she tried not to touch his hands as he handed her two sets of sheets. Her hand trembled slightly. Maybe this was the aftermath of her marriage. This she hadn’t counted on. Sure, she’d learned to be afraid of David, but she hadn’t really counted on being intimidated by other men. She stared at the control panel and tried to push aside her thoughts of David and just concentrate on the laundry. “Okay, well if you need any help, I’ll be in the other room assembling that bed thing.”
She smiled, but didn’t turn. She didn’t need eye contact with him. She was going to have to protect herself from whatever charm he exuded. A few minutes later, with the laundry on, she walked back into the great room to find Connor already standing the bassinet up. “Wow, you made quick progress,” she said.
“It’s easier than it looks.” He made a few adjustments and then stood there, looking quite pleased with himself. “What do you want me to do next?”
She looked around the room. “We bought a lot of stuff, didn’t we?”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “I was taking orders from you. I had no idea babies need all this.”
“I know, kind of crazy. Why don’t we figure out this sterilizer thing and clean the bottles so we’re ready to go?”
“I’m on it,” he said, walking into the kitchen to where she was standing.
“How about we place this over in that corner,” she said. “And then we can use the cupboard above for the bottles.”
He nodded, and looked at the instructions, getting the sterilizer running while she washed out the bottles and then stacked the formula. “I feel like we’re working against the clock. We need to have food and a bed set up before Rosie wakes up,” she said, accidentally bumping into him as she brought the bottles over. “Oops, sorry,” she mumbled backing up like a weirdo. Seriously, she needed to pretend like there was nothing wrong with her.
He reached out to grab her arm, because she knew it looked like she was going to fall over her own feet. She needed to get herself together. It was the whole mix of Connor and being alone with him.
“You okay?”
She nodded rapidly. “Yup.”
He gave her a look that made her suspect he didn’t think she was okay at all and then started placing the bottles on the sterilizer. “Okay, this is good to go. I’ll get the first round going so that it’ll be all ready.”
“Done. What do you think about installing that changing table adapter to the dresser in your room?”
“Okay, let’s go.” He grabbed the bag with the changing pad and she followed him into his room. She tried to pretend like she wasn’t overly curious to see what it was like. But, like the rest of the house, there weren’t any personal details. There was another large window in here, but because it was dark out she had no idea what it overlooked. A king-size bed sat in the center of one wall; it was made, a plain navy comforter on top. A matching walnut-colored night table with an alarm clock and a Kindle. Interesting. No television in here, either. So, he was a reader? She never would have guessed that. She walked over to where he was setting up the safety straps on the changing table cushion to the dresser. “Okay, done,” he said a few seconds later.
“We’re in good shape if Rosie wakes up. Why don’t you get some sleep? I’m going to throw those sheets and clothes in the dryer, and then spend tomorrow setting things up properly.”
He shoved his hands into the front pockets of his jeans and she tried not to notice how well they fit him. “I don’t want to bail on you.”
“You’re not. You have to work tomorrow. Remember, you hired me?”
He ran a hand over his jaw. “Yeah, but still.”
“Seriously. Go to bed. I’m fine. I don’t even know what her routine is yet. She might sleep for hours. Remember what Lily and Jack said? Sleep when Rosie sleeps.”
“Okay, okay. Why don’t I move the bassinet in here and you can take my room?”
Her heart started hammering and she was sure her face was betraying her. His room? Sleep in his bed? The tingling started in her body. Oh she was a mess. “No, no. I’ll be fine on the couch.”
“Seriously. It makes more sense. If I have to get ready for work and eat breakfast, open the front door, she’ll wake up. If you guys are in here, you’ll be able to sleep without me disturbing you. I’ll grab some clothes and hit the couch.”
“But what if I’m up warming up bottles in the night? I’ll wake you up.” There, that was a good argument.
“I sleep like a log. Nothing wakes me up.”
She narrowed her eyes on him. “I think you’re just saying that.”
“I set two alarms.”
She sighed.
“I’ve got fresh sheets in a box in the closet. Why don’t you grab your bag, get your things set up in the bathroom and all that, and I’ll replace the bedding?”
She was flustered with all the thoughts and mentions of his bed. What did he wear for pajamas? What was she going to see when he was asleep in the other room?
“Why does it look like you’re trying to come up with an argument?”
“No, no,” she said, waving a hand. “I just feel bad.”
“Take my room,” he said, walking to his closet.
“Okay, fine. But you can change your mind anytime,” she said, leaving the bedroom.