a show of laughing off his question. What would Kevin do if he knew she was less than an hour away, taking care of his baby son? “I’m just calling to check in with Mom. Is she around?”
“She’s right here, fighting me for the phone—hey!” His laughter faded into the background as Leigh’s mother came on.
“Is everything all right, dear?” Leigh could picture her, dressed in the black pantsuit she wore for selling real estate, her makeup in place, her chestnut hair meticulously dyed and curled. Diane Foster was a survivor, a woman who hid her vulnerability beneath the tough exterior it took to get ahead in the world.
“Everything’s fine, Mom. I just wanted to say hello. How are things at home?”
“We’re managing. I think I may have sold that old Meriwether house down the block. And Kevin’s made the midterm honor roll. But we miss you. I just wish you could tell me more about your new job.”
“So do I. But I had to sign a nondisclosure agreement. Just know that I’m safe, and I’ll be in touch. As I said before, you can always reach me on my cell.”
“I know. But I hate to bother—” She broke off. “Heavens to Betsy, what’s that noise?”
Leigh’s pulse lurched as she turned back to face the crib. For whatever reason, Mikey had started to fuss. As she leaned over him, his whimpers rose to a full-blown baby howl.
Eight
“W hat am I hearing?” Leigh’s mother demanded again. “It sounds like a baby crying.”
“It... is a baby.” Leigh sagged against the side of the crib. A blatant lie, she knew, would make her mother even more suspicious. “I’m not supposed to tell you this, but I’m babysitting for a celebrity family. I’m not allowed to say who it is or where they are. It has to be kept a secret. You can’t even tell Kevin. Is he still there with you?”
“No, he’s gone up to his room.”
“Good. He can’t know, Mom. If he does, he might tell someone or try to find out more. If that happens, I’m out of a well-paying job.”
In truth, the job was the least of her worries, but Leigh had already said more than she should.
“I understand, dear,” her mother said sweetly. “Don’t worry, I won’t breathe a word. But I don’t want to worry about you. Promise to keep in touch, all right?”
“I promise. And now I have to go. This baby needs my attention. We’ll talk later, okay? Love you.”
Ending the call, Leigh gathered Mikey into her arms. He stopped crying as soon as she picked him up. The little mischief clearly wanted to be held. He was already getting spoiled. Tomorrow she would ask Dora if it was all right to let him cry a little. For now she would just snuggle him. She enjoyed it as much as he seemed to.
“What’s up, Mikey?” She brushed a kiss across the top of his silky head. “What do you think of the world so far? How about the people in it? Do you think we’re a pretty loony bunch?”
He cooed and butted his head against her shoulder. Laughing, she pressed her nose against his neck, inhaling his clean, milky baby smell. “You’re my sweet boy,” she whispered. “And I love you. Never forget that.”
“Lucky little man.” Wyatt stood in the doorway. “What do I need to do for that kind of treatment?”
Leigh stifled a gasp. How long had he been there? How much had he heard?
“I hope you weren’t eavesdropping,” she said.
“Nothing of the kind. Just feeling the quiet a bit too much. I was about to turn on the news and wondered if you wanted to share some hot cocoa and watch it with me.”
“I’ll pass on the cocoa, thanks. But if you don’t mind my bringing Mikey, I’ll watch the news with you. Being up here is like being on the moon. I could use a reminder of the real world.”
Still apprehensive, she followed him into the cozy lounge area at the top of the stairs. He’d dimmed the lights and switched on the gas-fueled fireplace. Wyatt’s invitation had sounded harmless enough. But what was he up to? Did he
“She’s right here, fighting me for the phone—hey!” His laughter faded into the background as Leigh’s mother came on.
“Is everything all right, dear?” Leigh could picture her, dressed in the black pantsuit she wore for selling real estate, her makeup in place, her chestnut hair meticulously dyed and curled. Diane Foster was a survivor, a woman who hid her vulnerability beneath the tough exterior it took to get ahead in the world.
“Everything’s fine, Mom. I just wanted to say hello. How are things at home?”
“We’re managing. I think I may have sold that old Meriwether house down the block. And Kevin’s made the midterm honor roll. But we miss you. I just wish you could tell me more about your new job.”
“So do I. But I had to sign a nondisclosure agreement. Just know that I’m safe, and I’ll be in touch. As I said before, you can always reach me on my cell.”
“I know. But I hate to bother—” She broke off. “Heavens to Betsy, what’s that noise?”
Leigh’s pulse lurched as she turned back to face the crib. For whatever reason, Mikey had started to fuss. As she leaned over him, his whimpers rose to a full-blown baby howl.
Eight
“W hat am I hearing?” Leigh’s mother demanded again. “It sounds like a baby crying.”
“It... is a baby.” Leigh sagged against the side of the crib. A blatant lie, she knew, would make her mother even more suspicious. “I’m not supposed to tell you this, but I’m babysitting for a celebrity family. I’m not allowed to say who it is or where they are. It has to be kept a secret. You can’t even tell Kevin. Is he still there with you?”
“No, he’s gone up to his room.”
“Good. He can’t know, Mom. If he does, he might tell someone or try to find out more. If that happens, I’m out of a well-paying job.”
In truth, the job was the least of her worries, but Leigh had already said more than she should.
“I understand, dear,” her mother said sweetly. “Don’t worry, I won’t breathe a word. But I don’t want to worry about you. Promise to keep in touch, all right?”
“I promise. And now I have to go. This baby needs my attention. We’ll talk later, okay? Love you.”
Ending the call, Leigh gathered Mikey into her arms. He stopped crying as soon as she picked him up. The little mischief clearly wanted to be held. He was already getting spoiled. Tomorrow she would ask Dora if it was all right to let him cry a little. For now she would just snuggle him. She enjoyed it as much as he seemed to.
“What’s up, Mikey?” She brushed a kiss across the top of his silky head. “What do you think of the world so far? How about the people in it? Do you think we’re a pretty loony bunch?”
He cooed and butted his head against her shoulder. Laughing, she pressed her nose against his neck, inhaling his clean, milky baby smell. “You’re my sweet boy,” she whispered. “And I love you. Never forget that.”
“Lucky little man.” Wyatt stood in the doorway. “What do I need to do for that kind of treatment?”
Leigh stifled a gasp. How long had he been there? How much had he heard?
“I hope you weren’t eavesdropping,” she said.
“Nothing of the kind. Just feeling the quiet a bit too much. I was about to turn on the news and wondered if you wanted to share some hot cocoa and watch it with me.”
“I’ll pass on the cocoa, thanks. But if you don’t mind my bringing Mikey, I’ll watch the news with you. Being up here is like being on the moon. I could use a reminder of the real world.”
Still apprehensive, she followed him into the cozy lounge area at the top of the stairs. He’d dimmed the lights and switched on the gas-fueled fireplace. Wyatt’s invitation had sounded harmless enough. But what was he up to? Did he
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