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“Honey, I might change his diaper for Tammy before we go.” Natalie explained to Bailey, “Tammy’s the wonderful lady who looks after Reece when I go into the office a couple of times a week. She’s catching up on her knitting in the family room until we leave.”
“Mateo mentioned that you work outside of the home.”
“It’s a great balance. Only four hours each day—” Natalie rubbed noses with her baby again “—and then I’m dying to get back to him.” She met Bailey’s gaze. “Want to help me change him?”
Bailey’s knees locked. She’d done some babysitting but never one so young. “I’m not sure I’d be any help.”
Natalie only smiled. “You look like a quick study.”
They left the men, who were busy discussing football, and moved into a nearby room—a downstairs nursery. Bouncing the baby, Natalie crossed to a white lacquered changing table where she gently lay her bundle down then set about unbuttoning his suit.
“Mateo mentioned you know Mama Celeca?”
“I lived in her town for a few months.”
“I’ve heard so much about her. Alex says she’s the biggest darling ever. He went with Mateo to Italy one summer a long time ago. Apparently Mama tried her best to get both of them married off.”
She seemed so genuine, Bailey couldn’t help but like her. Couldn’t help but feel relaxed and at home, even in a dress that looked more like a rag next to Natalie’s exquisite creation.
Bailey brushed a palm over the baby’s soft crown and carried on the thread of their conversation.
“Lucky for you Mama’s matchmaking didn’t succeed.”
“Lucky isn’t the word.” Natalie peeled back the diaper and let out a pleased sigh. “I love when there’s no messy surprises. Could you hand me a fresh diaper, please?” Natalie cast a glance to her right. “They’re in that lower drawer.”
Bailey dug one out while Natalie cleaned up, shook on powder then slid the fresh diaper under the baby’s bottom.
“Mateo mentioned that you’re in between jobs,” Natalie said, pressing down the diaper tabs.
“I was out looking today.” All day.
“Find anything?”
“Not yet.”
Natalie took both the baby’s feet and clapped the soles together, but the baby’s smile was a little slow to bloom this time. Must be past his bedtime, Bailey thought.
“What are you interested in?” Natalie asked, scooping her baby up. “Do you have office skills?”
“Afraid not. I’ve been waitressing, serving and general cleanup.”
“In Italy?” Bailey nodded and Natalie beamed. “What an adventure.”
Bailey arched a brow. “It certainly was that.”
“I don’t know of any waitressing positions, but we’re always after good cleaners for rentals at the agency.”
Bailey’s heart leapt. “Really?”
With the baby’s head resting against her shoulder, Natalie headed for the door. “You’re probably not interested—”
“No,” Bailey jumped in. “I mean, yes. I am interested. When do you think I could start?”
“I’m going in Monday. I’ll give you the address.”
“I’d appreciate that.” A lot. “Thank you.”
Natalie’s pace had slowed. The baby’s eyelids were drooping now. He was about to drift off. “Would you like a cuddle before we leave?”
Bailey gave a nervous laugh. She would. He was so adorable and full of smiles. But what if she took him and he cried? She’d feel terrible. But, as if to reassure her, little Reece stretched his arms out to her and found a drowsy smile.
“Seems at least one of you wants a cuddle,” Natalie joked. But then she saw Bailey’s hesitation. “He’s a darling, honest. The worst he’ll do is pull your nose.”
Bailey blew out a shaky breath. “Well, I’ve never had my nose pulled before.” She put out her arms.
The baby weighed more than she thought. Close up, his heavy-lidded eyes looked even bluer. And he smelled divine—all fresh and new. No wonder Natalie and Alex were so happy. They had it all.
“He likes your bracelet.” Natalie touched the dangling charms that Reece was fingering too. “So do I. Did you get it overseas?”
“It was a gift.” And then Bailey admitted what she hadn’t in a very long while. “A gift from my mother.”
“Then it’s doubly precious. Do your parents live in Sydney?”
“My father does. My mother passed away.”
Natalie’s beautiful face fell. “Oh … I’m so sorry, Bailey.”
“It was a long time ago.”
The sudden lump in Bailey’s throat made speaking a little difficult. Over a decade had passed since her mother’s death. Not everyone would understand why her grief hadn’t faded. But something about Natalie made Bailey feel as if she would. As if the two of them could be more than acquaintances. That, maybe, they could be friends.
Still, she didn’t want to mire down the conversation, not when Reece was mumbling adorable things she couldn’t quite understand and hiccuping in such a cute way.
But Natalie’s expression had grown alarmed. Slanting her head, she held out her arms.
“I think you’d better give him back.”
Bailey’s heart sank. “Did I do something wrong?”
“No, no. It’s just I think he’s about to—”
Natalie didn’t move quickly enough. Reece gave another hiccup. Heaved a little. Then a lot. Next his dinner came up.
All over the front of Bailey’s dress.
Five (#ulink_a56e132c-d0c3-55fa-b933-a2d299452f41)
When Natalie barged into the room, Mateo and Alex had been discussing the state’s current public hospital concerns. Mateo immediately dropped the conversation and peered past Natalie’s shoulder. Bailey wasn’t in tow and Natalie’s hands were clasped tight before her. Seemed unlikely—Natalie was one of the sweetest people he knew. But Bailey was a relatively unknown quantity. Had the women had a disagreement?
Natalie pulled up in front of her husband. “Can you ring and let the restaurant know we’ll be late?”
Standing, Alex caught her arm. “Is the baby all right?” “Too much milk after dinner, I’m afraid.” Alex lowered his hand. “Another accident?” “All over poor Bailey.”
Mateo was no stranger to babies’ assortment of surprises. He not only cared for pregnant women before and during delivery, he looked after their concerns postpartum. Many days, his practice was filled with the sights, sounds and smells of children of all ages. He’d been chucked up on more often than some people brushed their teeth. Part of the job. He wasn’t sure Bailey would be quite so cool with it, particularly given the trying day she’d had.
Setting down his glass, Mateo rose too. “I’ll take her home.”
“No need. Bailey’s fine,” Natalie said. “Other than needing a quick shower and a fresh change of clothes, and I have a stack of outfits in my pre-baby wardrobe she can wear.” She ran her hand down her husband’s sleeve. “Tammy’s settling the baby now. I’ll go see how Bailey’s doing.”
As she sailed away, Alex fell back into his chair. The grin on his face said it all. “She’s an amazing woman, isn’t she?”
“You’re a lucky man.”
Alex leaned closer and lowered his voice. “So, now we know they’ll be occupied for a while yet, tell me about it.”
“Tell you what?”
“About your date.”
“She’s not a date.”
“She’s an attractive female accompanying you to dinner. If she’s not a date, what is she?”
“Difficult to work out,” Mateo admitted. “Like I said on the phone, she appeared on my doorstep yesterday morning.” He went into more about the engagement and her dramatic flight from Italy, the loan and Bailey’s search for a job to pay it back. “When I phoned Mama today, she confirmed that she’d told Bailey to drop in.” Mateo dropped his gaze to the glass he rotated between his fingers. “Mama also asked me to watch out for her until she can make amends with her father.”
“Trouble there too?”
“I’m sure whatever’s gone on before could be sorted out with one or two calm conversations.”
“Family rifts aren’t usually that easy to solve.” Alex took a long sip of scotch.
“Either way, it’s none of my business.”
“So where’s Bailey staying?”
“I said she could stay with me—just for a few days.” Alex coughed as if his drink had gone down the wrong way. Mateo frowned. “What?”
Alex tried to contain his amused look. “Nothing. I mean, Bailey seems very nice.”
“But?”
“But nothing, Mateo. I’m only surprised that you’ve opened your home to her. You haven’t done that in a while.”
“You mean since Linda.” Mateo slid his glass onto the side table. “This isn’t the same.”
Alex studied his friend’s face and, inhaling, nodded and changed the subject.
“What’s happening with the vacation?”
“I haven’t made any firm decisions yet.”
“But you’re still going to France, right?”
It was more a statement than a question. His annual pilgrimage to Ville Laube was a duty he never shirked. But, of course, it was more than simply an obligation. He enjoyed catching up with the people who ran the orphanage. Although seeing the children conjured up as many haunted feelings as good. Each year he saw so many new faces as well as those who had lived there for years.
One little boy was a favorite. Remy had turned five last visit. Dark hair and eyes, solemn until you pitched him a ball—any kind. Then his face would light up. He reminded Mateo of himself at that age. Leaving Remy last year had been difficult.
When he returned this year, Mateo hoped that little boy was gone. He hoped he’d found a good family who would love and support him. He wondered what kind of man Remy would grow into. If he would learn from the right influences. Whether he’d always have plenty to eat.
Mateo confirmed, “I’ll go to France.”
“Maybe Bailey would like to go too.”
Mateo all but lost his breath. Then he swore. “You’re not trying to step into Mama Celeca’s matchmaking shoes, I hope.”
“Just an idea. You seem … interested.”
“You saw us together for less than a minute.”
“It was all the time I needed to see that you think she’s different.”
“Hold on.” Mateo got to his feet. “Just because you’ve found the one, doesn’t mean I need to be pushed down any aisle.”
“Maybe it’d make a difference if you didn’t fight it quite so hard?”
“Fight what?”
Both men’s attention flew in the direction of that third voice. Natalie stood in the living room doorway. While Mateo withered—was Bailey a step behind, within earshot?—Alex pushed to his feet and crossed to his wife.
“Nothing, honey,” he said, stealing a quick kiss. “Is the baby okay? How’s Bailey?”
“Judge for yourselves.”
When a stylish woman, wearing an exquisite pink cocktail number and glittering diamond drop earrings, slid into the room, Mateo did a double take then all but fell back into his seat.
Bailey?
While the bikini-girl turned glamour-queen crossed the room, looking as if she’d worn Chanel all her life, Natalie clasped her hands under her chin and exclaimed, “Isn’t she gorgeous?”
Mateo knew he was smiling. He wanted to agree. Unfortunately he was too stunned—too delighted—to find his voice.
“The first time Mateo and I came to this place, we were twenty-two,” Alex explained as a uniformed Maxim’s waiter showed the foursome to a table next to the dance floor.
“Twenty-three,” Mateo amended, his hand a touch away from Bailey’s elbow as they navigated tables of patrons enjoying their meals and tasteful atmosphere, including tinkling background music. “You’d just had a cast off your arm after a spill on your skateboard.”
“You rode a skateboard at twenty-three?” Natalie laughed as she lowered into a chair the waiter had pulled out for her.
Alex ran a finger and thumb down his tie. “And very well, might I add.”
