Page 6 of Summer Fling
"I think she had a change of heart in the hospital. After Lilliana was born, I thought things would get better, but as soon as she went home, it was the same. She never hesitated to tell me all the reasons why I couldn't be trusted with Lilliana. She always had her mother there to help her, and I felt useless."
Now I understood why he let so many things slide. He was scared she'd take things to an extreme, not letting him see his daughter at all. I wondered if she'd claim he wasn't a good father to prove her point. She seemed like the kind of person who could make things difficult. I tended to think he should have gone the legal route, but it wasn't my place to give an opinion. I had to remember my role in this situation.
Talk turned to Lilliana. He discussed her favorite foods, her bedtime, and the toys she liked. We finished eating and then carried our plates inside.
I wanted to ask about his stance on electronics, but the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it," Dalton said, leaving the room.
I heard the tread of his footsteps, the door open, and the murmuring of voices. The voices got louder.
"I saw the car outside. Who's here with you?"
Dalton's voice was lower, soothing even.
I rinsed the dishes and put them into the dishwasher, preparing myself for a confrontation.
I heard the hurried footsteps moving toward me, and my heart rate picked up. I put the last dish in the washing machine and straightened. I refused to let this woman get to me.
"I thought I heard someone in here. Who's this?" Oakley waved a hand at me.
Dalton held Lilliana, and he looked unsure what to do.
"I'm Blake, Lilliana's nanny when Dalton has to work. You must be Lilliana's mother." I held my hand out to her.
She refused to shake it. "I am."
I let my hand fall. "Are you dropping Lilliana off for the evening?"
Her face pinched. "I'm going out tonight, and I need someone to watch Lilliana."
"Dalton's happy to have Lilliana." I started walking toward the front door, fully expecting Oakley to follow me. "Thanks for dropping her off."
Oakley spun at the front door, almost as if she realized she'd been manipulated into leaving without her finishing her tirade.
"Lilliana needs a bath and to get to bed," Dalton said stiffly.
I opened the door. "Thank you so much for bringing her. It was a pleasure to meet you."
Oakley stepped through the doorway and hissed to Dalton, "I'll be talking to my lawyer."
But I closed the door before Dalton could respond. I moved toward him, taking Lilliana from his arms. "You want me to start her bath?"
"I don't expect you to work when I'm here."
I rested a hand on his arm. "You need a few seconds to breathe. Come up when you're ready."
He closed his eyes. "Thank you."
Then I turned my attention to Lilliana, who was watching me curiously. "I'm Blake. Do you remember me from the other day?"
"Blay," Lilliana said clear as day.
"You're so good with words," I murmured as I carried her upstairs to the hall bathroom. There were toys at the bottom of the tub, so I filled the water and helped her remove her clothes and diaper, then lifted her into the tub where she could play with the toys.
It was late, probably past Lilliana's bedtime. I didn't like that Oakley had dropped her off without any notice. I was a big believer in keeping kids to a predictable schedule. It had helped me in more jobs than I could count.
I'd had to chew on my lip not to say anything about Oakley's unannounced arrival. It wasn't my place to say anything, and she was already incensed that I was staying here.
