The Nanny and the CEO by Rebecca Winters Page B

masked, they spent the next hour taking turns holding him while they tried everything to settle him down. Finally he fell asleep and Nick lowered him to the crib.
    â€œHe’s not in pain right now, Nick.”
    â€œWe can be thankful for that small mercy at least.”
    â€œYou look exhausted. This is going to be an all-night vigil. Why don’t you slip out and grab a bite to eat in the cafeteria first. When you come back, I’ll go get something. I’d rather it was you he woke up to later.”
    Nick’s eyes looked fierce above the mask. “He wants you just as much.” Her heart pounded dangerously, but it wasn’t from hunger or fatigue. “I don’t know what we’d do without you.”
    She knew the waiting was getting to him, but the more he kept telling her that, the more she wanted to believe it. “Hurry, before he wakes up looking for you.”
    â€œAll right, but I won’t be long.” He disappeared into the bathroom and shut the door. Reese walked over to the crib and looked down at the dear little boy she’d been privileged to take care of so far.
    When Reese had helped her mom with her baby sister, she’d only been fourteen. Though she’d loved Emma, shecouldn’t compare the feelings and emotions that filled Reese now. Jeremy had riddled her with accusations about being a cold woman who put a career above the feelings a normal woman possessed.
    If he could see into her heart and soul right now, he would discover Reese was more than normal, and Jamie wasn’t even her son!
    Â 
    After consuming a sandwich and a piece of pie in record time, Nick left the cafeteria and walked outside the hospital doors. He had a phone call to make, but cell phones weren’t permitted inside. His father-in-law answered.
    â€œNick?”
    â€œSorry to call you this late, Walter, but I thought you should know I won’t be able to bring Jamie to White Plains tomorrow.”
    There was a long silence. “Anne predicted right about you.”
    He took a fortifying breath. “Jamie’s in the hospital with a bad flu bug of some kind. They’ll be keeping him overnight. Depending on what’s wrong after the tests come back, he might be here tomorrow night, as well. I’ll keep you posted and we’ll plan to bring him to White Plains next weekend instead.”
    â€œWhat kind of flu?” Anne demanded. She’d picked up on another house phone the minute Walter had told her who was calling.
    â€œWe don’t know yet.”
    â€œThis never happened when he was with us.”
    Nick was sorry she’d come on the line. This was exactly what he’d hoped to avoid. “Every child gets it, Anne. The point is, he’s receiving excellent care. I haveto go back to him now. Tomorrow I’ll let you know how he’s doing. Good night.”
    He hung up. It was automatic for him to check his voice messages. To his surprise there was one from his father. While his parents were traveling, they never called him. Out of curiosity more than filial duty, he clicked on.
    â€œNicholas? This is your father.” Nick shook his head because that was the way he always started out any phone call to him. The distance between them continued to widen. “Your mother and I are back on Long Island. I came in the office and discovered you’d already gone home. Stan tells me you’ve got the boy with you at the penthouse. Why you would do that baffles me and could prove to be very unwise. We ran into the Ridgeways while we were vacationing in Cannes. They’ll be back next week with their daughter Jennifer who’s been staying with friends in England. She’s a lovely young woman we want you to meet. Better not spring Jamie on her at first. You know what I mean. I expect a call from you before you go to bed.”
    Before I go to bed?
    His father could say that when he never phoned for months at a time?
    Nick clicked