Read Online The Nanny's Secret by Elizabeth Lane - Free Book Online
Authors: Elizabeth Lane
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that?”
She glanced from father to daughter. Chloe was eating and still refusing to look their way. Wyatt’s only response was a deepening scowl. So much for her lame attempt at humor.
In the next few minutes Mikey finished off the formula and seemed satisfied. Now, if Leigh remembered right, he’d need to be burped to get rid of any air he might have swallowed. Raising him against her shoulder she began patting his back. Nothing. And now he’d started fussing. Was she doing something wrong?
She was about to change tactics when she heard a startling belch. She began pulling him back off her shoulder a little to see if he was all right when something warm and wet washed over the shoulder of her black turtleneck, soaking the ends of her hair and trickling down her chest and back.
“OMG!” Chloe was staring, goggle-eyed. Wyatt was struggling to keep a straight face. When Leigh lifted the baby fully away from her shoulder, she saw that the dog outfit was drenched in spit-up formula.
If Mikey was upset about the mess, he didn’t show it. In fact his attention seemed to be focused on something else. As Leigh held him at arm’s length, a bubbling sound rose from his diaper, along with an unmistakable aroma.
Wyatt cocked an eyebrow. “I think it’s time for Mikey to be excused, Leigh. We’ll save you some pizza.”
Clutching her wet, smelly nephew, Leigh fled toward the stairs.
* * *
By the end of the day Leigh was worn out. She’d peeled off Mikey’s reeking clothes, wiped, sponge bathed and changed him, fed him a small amount, burped him, this time with a protective cloth, and put him down for a blessed nap. While he was sleeping she’d put his soiled garments and hers to soak in cold water, tidied herself up, rigged a couple of makeshift ice packs for Chloe’s swollen breasts, and sterilized the unused bottles and nipples she’d bought at Baby Mart.
She’d barely had time to wolf down two slices of warmed-over pizza before Mikey woke up again, fussing and wanting to be held. Babies learned fast how to get what they wanted.
With Chloe deep in exhausted slumber and Wyatt gone off in the car without saying where, the house was quiet. Snuggling the warm little body in her arms, she sank into the rocking chair. Mikey seemed to like the rocking motion. She could feel him relaxing against her. His eyes were calm and alert. If only her mother could see him. Once she got over the shock, she would fall in love with the little boy.
It was a shame that that could never happen, especially since Leigh’s mother had voiced her yearning for a grandchild many times. She’d been so happy about Leigh’s engagement to Edward and so dejected over the breakup. Leigh had never told her the whole story—how she’d walked into the apartment to find Edward in bed with a coworker, and learned that he’d been cheating on her all along.
Would she ever trust a man again? But the answer to that question was on hold. Right now, and for the foreseeable future, the most important male in her life was the one in her arms.
The room darkened into twilight. Mikey had closed his eyes. His even breathing told her he’d fallen asleep. Carrying him as if he might break, Leigh tiptoed to the crib and eased him down on his back. He was as limp as a worn-out puppy, arms flung outward, hands curled into tiny fists.
With a last tender look, she picked up the receiver for the baby monitor, made sure it was working and slipped out of the room.
At the far end of the hallway was a cozy sitting area with a gas fireplace, well-stocked bookshelves and a state-of-the-art TV. It would be bliss, Leigh thought, to sink into the sofa and spend a mindless hour staring at whatever was on the screen. But right now she needed fresh air.
Double glass doors opened onto the upstairs balcony. Stepping outside, she set the monitor on a handy chair, leaned on the rail and inhaled the cool, piney fragrance of an October night. Far below, the lights of the
She glanced from father to daughter. Chloe was eating and still refusing to look their way. Wyatt’s only response was a deepening scowl. So much for her lame attempt at humor.
In the next few minutes Mikey finished off the formula and seemed satisfied. Now, if Leigh remembered right, he’d need to be burped to get rid of any air he might have swallowed. Raising him against her shoulder she began patting his back. Nothing. And now he’d started fussing. Was she doing something wrong?
She was about to change tactics when she heard a startling belch. She began pulling him back off her shoulder a little to see if he was all right when something warm and wet washed over the shoulder of her black turtleneck, soaking the ends of her hair and trickling down her chest and back.
“OMG!” Chloe was staring, goggle-eyed. Wyatt was struggling to keep a straight face. When Leigh lifted the baby fully away from her shoulder, she saw that the dog outfit was drenched in spit-up formula.
If Mikey was upset about the mess, he didn’t show it. In fact his attention seemed to be focused on something else. As Leigh held him at arm’s length, a bubbling sound rose from his diaper, along with an unmistakable aroma.
Wyatt cocked an eyebrow. “I think it’s time for Mikey to be excused, Leigh. We’ll save you some pizza.”
Clutching her wet, smelly nephew, Leigh fled toward the stairs.
* * *
By the end of the day Leigh was worn out. She’d peeled off Mikey’s reeking clothes, wiped, sponge bathed and changed him, fed him a small amount, burped him, this time with a protective cloth, and put him down for a blessed nap. While he was sleeping she’d put his soiled garments and hers to soak in cold water, tidied herself up, rigged a couple of makeshift ice packs for Chloe’s swollen breasts, and sterilized the unused bottles and nipples she’d bought at Baby Mart.
She’d barely had time to wolf down two slices of warmed-over pizza before Mikey woke up again, fussing and wanting to be held. Babies learned fast how to get what they wanted.
With Chloe deep in exhausted slumber and Wyatt gone off in the car without saying where, the house was quiet. Snuggling the warm little body in her arms, she sank into the rocking chair. Mikey seemed to like the rocking motion. She could feel him relaxing against her. His eyes were calm and alert. If only her mother could see him. Once she got over the shock, she would fall in love with the little boy.
It was a shame that that could never happen, especially since Leigh’s mother had voiced her yearning for a grandchild many times. She’d been so happy about Leigh’s engagement to Edward and so dejected over the breakup. Leigh had never told her the whole story—how she’d walked into the apartment to find Edward in bed with a coworker, and learned that he’d been cheating on her all along.
Would she ever trust a man again? But the answer to that question was on hold. Right now, and for the foreseeable future, the most important male in her life was the one in her arms.
The room darkened into twilight. Mikey had closed his eyes. His even breathing told her he’d fallen asleep. Carrying him as if he might break, Leigh tiptoed to the crib and eased him down on his back. He was as limp as a worn-out puppy, arms flung outward, hands curled into tiny fists.
With a last tender look, she picked up the receiver for the baby monitor, made sure it was working and slipped out of the room.
At the far end of the hallway was a cozy sitting area with a gas fireplace, well-stocked bookshelves and a state-of-the-art TV. It would be bliss, Leigh thought, to sink into the sofa and spend a mindless hour staring at whatever was on the screen. But right now she needed fresh air.
Double glass doors opened onto the upstairs balcony. Stepping outside, she set the monitor on a handy chair, leaned on the rail and inhaled the cool, piney fragrance of an October night. Far below, the lights of the
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