Page 9 of Baby Contract

She fingers the check and looks around the big study with its floor-to-ceiling bookshelves and the big oversized leather chairs. There’s really no femininity here. Maybe I should have had Errol put some flowers around. Mom loves fresh flowers. “How do you make any money if this is how you do all your deals?”

“Are you staying?”

“I’m willing to give it a try.”

I let out the breath I didn’t realize I was holding. “This is how I make money. You won, I won, and we’re both happy.”

“I guess that works.”

She tilts her head to the side, and the sunlight from the windows behind me strikes her hair, making her appear ethereal and otherworldly. In ancient times, wars would have been fought over her. Whole religions would be centered around the worship of her. And somehow, she’s a nanny taking care of the child that Dex and his flighty ex decided to abandon. I guess just like a true goddess would do.

I rub the back of my hand against my forehead. I’m losing my mind. “I haven’t slept in a week. Neither has Errol, and Ben…that bastard goes home every night, so he’s fine. Let me show you the room. I have some stuff like diapers and formula. Some disposable onesies.”

“Disposable onesies?”

“Yeah, the white things with the little flowers that snap at the crotch.”

“I know what a onesie is. I’ve just never encountered disposable ones.”

I throw open the door to the sitting room. “It’s these.” I hold up a tiny piece of clothing.

“Those are not disposable.”

My eyebrows draw together. “Are you sure?”

“You’re supposed to wash them.” The baby gurgles as if in agreement.

“That seems unsanitary.” I eye the two of them with skepticism.

Addison rolls her eyes. “What’s the name of the baby?” My silence speaks volumes. “You don’t have a name for the baby?”

“We’ve been calling her baby.”

My new nanny presses her lips together in a disapproving line. I snap my fingers. “I’ll get the birth certificate.” I take out my phone and text Ben.

“Where does that door lead to?” She nods her head toward the north wall.

“My room.”

Another frown.

“It was the only place we could think of that felt safe. Do you know that babies almost stop breathing when they’re sleeping? There’s no discernible rise and fall of the chest. I question whether they even have lungs.” I spent almost every night watching the baby in case I would need to resuscitate her.

“And the camera?”

She gestures toward the video camera Errol and I set up on a tripod so I could watch the baby if I had to take a piss. “I read that you should have a baby monitor.” As she takes in the rest of the room, I pull out my black card. “Go online and buy anything you need.”

“I think it’ll be quicker if I went into town and bought things. You have some basics, but you need a crib, diaper genie, changing pad, changing table, some baby ointment, thermometer, gosh, so much stuff.”

She’s going to leave me with this baby. I break out in a cold sweat. I can’t believe I thought this woman was a goddess. She’s cruel. She’s gonna take my money and run. I’m usually such a good judge of character.

“I’ll go with you.”

Her plush, kissable lips turn up at the corners. “I’m not going to run out on you.”

“A man can’t like baby things when he has a new baby?”

“You don’t even have a name for the baby.”

---