His place was hard edges and dark leather. Nothing was soft or feminine. Not one woman had graced his halls or his bed since he moved to Aspen Cove.
"Maddie, this is where I live." That sounded fine to his ears. "I'm a musician."
She cocked her head like a confused puppy. "What's a musian?"
He held back a chuckle. "Musician. Come with me, and I'll show you." He set her suitcase down and walked the hallway to his home studio. He wasn't only a drummer but a guitarist and keyboardist too. His studio had everything he needed. "I make music."
She moved with caution into the room.
He imagined it was all foreign to her, but then again, her mother was a groupie, and he wasn't sure what Maddie had been exposed to.
"Do you want to play something?"
She shook her head.
"Do you want me to play something?"
"Yeth, pwease."
He took his favorite guitar from the wall. It was the only gift his father had ever given him and was signed by all the members of Drive Shaft. Sitting on the stool, he played her an original. It was a soft lilting tune that had no lyrics yet.
Maddie sat on the floor below him, hugging her bear and looking up with the same eyes he saw each morning in the mirror. Having a child both horrified him and warmed him. It also pissed him off. He never wanted kids because he wasn't suited to have them. He didn't want to be the kind of father his dad was—absent. And yet, if Maddie was his daughter, that's just what he was, anyway. He was a father who never visited or called or sent birthday and Christmas presents. Not that it was his fault, but kids don't know that. All they know is that you were never around.
"Do you want to try it?"
Her full, tooth-missing smile said it all.
He moved to the ground beside her and placed the guitar in her lap. It was way too big an instrument for her, so he laid it flat. If she wanted to play the guitar, he'd happily buy her one suited to her size.
She plucked at the strings, making whatever music her soul produced. Inside each person was a symphony, the music of our life. Sometimes, the notes played sharp, and sometimes they were flat, but when your soul sang in tune, it was a beautiful experience.
Maddie had an ear for music, plucking out the strings that would create a chord without thought or prodding. Her talent was raw, but he knew from her colored fish she was creative.
"That's beautiful, Maddie. Maybe someday, you'll grow up and be a guitar player."
She beamed under his praise.
How many times had he practiced with hopes to impress his father only to be critiqued or ignored? He'd never do that to his daughter. Holy hell, he had a daughter.
The next hour he let her play the drums and his keyboard. When the sun set, he cooked her a grilled cheese sandwich.
They stared at each other for endless minutes, and when he couldn't take the silence any longer, he turned on the television, found cartoons, and put her on the couch before he retreated to the studio to work on his music. When he returned, she was fast asleep, right where he left her. He covered her with a blanket, tucked her bear against her side, and headed to bed. He needed to get up early and figure out daycare.
When he woke the next morning, he wasn't alone. His first thought was someone had gotten past his security system unnoticed and was in his bed, but that wasn't the case. Curled next to him were Maddie and her bear.
He rolled onto his back and crossed his arms above his head. "This is real." Somewhere in his brain, he hoped it was a dream. He couldn't call it a nightmare because the kid was too cute.
She stirred, rolled onto her back, and folded her arms above her head. "Yep."
If he weren't in such a panic about how to deal with this, he would have laughed.
"Let's get up, kiddo. How about muffins and milk for breakfast?" A trip to the bakery could solve two problems. First would be feeding the kid, and since Katie had a toddler, she'd know someone he could call. Thankfully, he'd made friends with Katie's husband, Bowie, or he wouldn't know anyone with a kid.
He sent Maddie to her suitcase to change her clothes. He'd peeked inside last night, and she had quite a few things to wear.
By the time he dressed, so had she. Fashion wasn't her thing. Nothing matched, but she was clothed.
Her hair was a whole different matter. Knotted and tangled, he had no idea what to do with it, so he raked his hands through it and used one of his hair ties.
He loaded her into the back seat and buckled her in. Her booster seat would be here that afternoon. Until then, he'd drive like a granny. When they pulled up to the bakery, sweetness filled the air.
"Let's hit it." He got her out of the car, and they walked into B's hand in hand.
"I heard a rumor," Katie said. "I didn't believe it. Thought my mother-in-law was yanking my chain." Katie rushed around the corner and squatted in front of Maddie. "How about a raspberry muffin and milk?" She ushered Maddie to a table under a corkboard labeled, "Wishing Wall" above it.
While she gathered milk, muffins, and a much-needed cup of coffee for Alex, he stared at the notes posted.
"Does anyone ever post employment needs here?"
"Sometimes, what are you looking for?" She brought their meal out and set it on the table.
"I need a babysitter."
Maddie scowled. "I'm not a baby."
Katie set her hand on Maddie's hair. "Of course you aren't. Silly men never get it right. You need a big-girl sitter."
Maddie nodded and chomped into her muffin.
"I need help with Maddie until I can figure it all out."
"I've got just the woman for you."
Chapter Seven
A sharp rap on the door saved Mercy from washing breakfast dishes. With sudsy hands, she picked up a kitchen towel and made her way to the front of her small bungalow.
She didn't get visitors unless they were bill collectors, so a knock on the door didn't bring feelings of joy. The last time someone came here, it was to deliver certified mail. Certified to drive her crazy since it was another company that wanted payment.
What she wouldn't do for a peephole. At least then, she could see who it was and decide if she wanted to answer.
At the second knock, she braced herself for the worst. "Who is it?"
"Are you Mercy Meyer?"
"Depends. Who's asking?" The voice sounded familiar, but she couldn't quite place it.
"You don't know me, but Katie from the bakery told me you needed a job, and I've recently come into a situation where I need help."
Heart soaring, she whipped the door open only to find Alex Cruz and his daughter on her doorstep. The poor kid looked like she'd been dressed by a color blind person with bad hair skills.
"Oh my God, it's you," he said.
"In the flesh." She flung the towel over her shoulder. "I could say the same. What in the heck are you doing here at my house?"
He pressed his lips together until they formed a thin line.
Maddie broke free and stepped inside. "Can I color?"
They watched her walk inside the house like she owned it. On the coffee table were cutout puppies and kittens.
Mercy used them in class for a reading project. Each time the student finished a book, they got to put an animal cutout after their name. By the end of the year, some kids wrapped the room with animals of every kind and color.
"Sure, sweetie, pick out a puppy and make it pretty." She turned back to Alex. "What do you need?"
He rubbed the scruff on his chin. Its texture sounded like sandpaper against his hand.
"Katie said you needed a job, and I need a sitter."
She looked over her shoulder at Maddie, who had made herself comfortable.
"For how long?" Inside, her tummy somersaulted because she needed a job, and this was the perfect opportunity to pay off some of her bills.
He lifted his broad shoulders, and she wondered if those muscles came from hours of drumming, or if he was born with genes that made him look like a c
alendar model? She would want him shirtless for June, her birthday month.
When she refocused, his mouth was moving, but she hadn't heard a word.
"Are you paying attention?"
She shook her head. "No, I was distracted. Go back to the sitter part."
His low rumble made her insides twist. "Maddie and I took the test and are waiting on the results. Doc said they should be here in a few days."
"So, you need me to watch her until you know for sure? What then? Will you toss her aside if she's not yours?" She hoped that saying it out loud made him feel like shit. However, she also hoped that Maddie didn't hear her.
When she turned, Maddie was happily playing with a dog and cat cutout.
"I can't be expected to take care of a kid that's not mine."
"Of course not, that would be too humane." She rolled her eyes. "Did it ever occur to you that she left her child to you for a reason?" While Mercy couldn't know why it seemed Maddie's mom had a plan. Most likely, it was that Alex was the father. They did have similar eyes, and both had dark hair.
"She had a reason all right. She wanted her daughter to live in the lap of luxury, where private schools weren't a problem. Where expensive clothes, vacations, and Ivy League educations were a given, but she picked the wrong guy. I'm not the catch she assumed I'd be."
"No, you're not."
He crossed his arms and spread his legs, and she swore he grew before her eyes. His stance was an intimidation technique she'd seen many times when she questioned Randy about his whereabouts. Now she recognized it as the defense mechanism it was.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"What? I simply agreed with you."
He shook his head. "We're getting off topic. I'm here because Katie said you needed a job and I need a sitter. To me, it sounds like we're the perfect match." He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. "What I mean is that we need each other." He shook his head and took two slow, deep breaths before looking at her. "None of this is coming out right."
"Let me help you. You don't want the responsibility of a five-year-old, and since I'm an elementary school teacher, I'm more suited to care for her while you figure out your next move."
"You're a teacher?"
"First grade. Did you think I cut out animals and sea creatures for fun? No, I do it because I know my responsibilities and want to be prepared."
"I get it; you're going to bust my balls first."
"I'd rather not talk about your balls in the vicinity of a child. In fact, I don't want to talk about them at all." With the mention of his body parts, she returned to June, and the calendar shot she'd love to see. Alex Cruz dressed in nothing except for a cute puppy placed strategically in front of him to cover his … balls.
"Then let's talk about you watching Maddie. Layla's friend said she might be behind in her education, so having you would be beneficial."
"I'm not cheap." She had a stack of bills that said she couldn't be.
"What's it going to cost me?"
"I've got a stack of bills left by another a-hole that couldn't decide what to do about the girl, or should I say the girls in his life. They need to be paid." She didn't know what the going rate for childcare was, but her time wouldn't come low-cost. He was hiring a cook and a teacher as well as a babysitter. "It will be twenty dollars an hour."
His mouth dropped. "Are you nuts? I'm a drummer, not the star. That's eight hundred a week."
"You wouldn't play a concert for nothing, and I won't take on your child for free either." That wasn't the truth. She would have gladly helped Maddie and taken her in, but why not ask for what she needed. It was a win-win. He needed her, and she needed his money.
"I play for free often. There was the fourth of July concert, and at the end of the month, we have the Fireman's Fundraiser. I don't get paid for those."
"I'm sorry to have misspoken, but you don't want a simple babysitter. You want a tutor and a cook and a caregiver." She looked at Maddie. "She also needs a fashion consultant and hairdresser."
"You're fleecing me."
"I'm negotiating a fair wage for what you want."
She stepped forward, forcing him to move backward. "I'll be right here, Maddie. I just need a private word with your father."
"Hey," he said. "We don't know that's true. I don't want to confuse her if I'm not."
"I would imagine she's confused already. Her mother died, she's been dragged halfway across the country and shoved in front of a man who doesn't want her."
"I don't know what to do with a kid. I've never been a father."
A pffft sound burst from her lips. "According to Layla, you've been a father for five years and never engaged."
His face paled.
"I didn't know."
"If you had … would you have cared?"
He raked his hand through his hair. "I can't say because I didn't know. Right now, I'm doing the best I can."
"I've found when we think we're at our best, we can always do better."
"I'm not here for an education. I'm here because I need your help. I have to be at the recording studio in less than an hour. Do we have a deal?"
If she said yes, her problems would be over sooner.
"It's a deal."
"Thank you." He turned to leave.
"Hey, don't you think you should say goodbye?"
"You're right. I'll need to practice."
She opened the door and stood aside. "To be a considerate human being? It looks like you could use some lessons in lots of things."
She hung by the door while Alex kneeled next to Maddie.
"Hey kiddo, I have to go to work. I'll pick you up later, okay?"
Maddie stopped coloring her pink cat and handed it to Alex. "Fluffy wants to come with you."
"She does, huh?"
He smiled, and the living room seemed brighter. Deep inside, Mercy knew he wasn't a bad man. He just needed a refresher course on how to be normal. Then again, how normal could a man be when he had women throwing themselves at him at every turn?
He rose and walked toward the door. "See you later, Maddie."
She lifted her head and gave him an uninterested wave. But she seemed happy, and kids generally knew what they wanted, and right now, Maddie wanted a purple dog. At least I won't be missed.
Mercy followed Alex out the door. "What time will you be back to get her?"
He swung around to face her. "What? Now you're my wife?"
"In your dreams, buddy. I just need to know if I should feed her."
He flushed a heated pink. "That would be great. I don't know when we'll finish recording. We're trying to complete an album so we can take the rest of the summer off."
"Good luck." She started for the door but stopped. There was a question that had been bothering her since that day in the bakery. "Hold up." She jogged to where he stood and took in his short haircut. "What's with the hair?"
He ran his hand over the short cut. "I thought it would help me blend in."
She laughed. "Keep thinking that." He would never blend in. There was something about Alex that screamed, "Look at me." She didn't know if it was his hazel eyes that switched from being bluer to more green depending on his mood or the build of a man who looked like he cut wood instead of beating sticks. It could be the smile that no doubt had melted off many pairs of panties from adoring fans. All of those things mixed with a hint of vulnerability made him stand out in a crowd.
Could it already be eight? She looked at the clock once more. After a full day of arts and crafts, a walk, and eating, they were exhausted. Maddie had fallen asleep with a Dr. Seuss book in her hands. Alex was right, she was behind, but she was smart, and it wouldn't take any time for her to get up to speed.
Come fall, she'd be ready for kindergarten. It wasn't hard to teach a willing student because lessons were all around them. There were colors in the garden and along the walk. Seeing wild animals was an ideal opportunity to teach her about them and nature.
She covered Mad
die with a blanket and beamed down on the beautiful little girl who frequently gifted her with a smile despite her eyes staying sad. Maddie was a survivor, but Mercy wanted to make her a thriver.
A soft tap sounded at the door, and she went to let Alex in.
The scruff on his chin had thickened in the hours since she'd seen him.
"It's after eight."
"And?"
She leaned in and sniffed him to see if he smelled of alcohol, but he didn't.
"She needs a schedule. Routine is important to kids," she said in a soft tone that wouldn't wake Maddie.
"She isn't going to get that with me. I play until the gig is done."
"That's not going to work now that you have a child." She hoped the sternness of her voice pressed past the whisper.
"We don't even know if she's mine."
She tucked her hands behind her back and clasped them tightly. It was all she could do not to slap some sense into this man.
"Regardless of who created her, she's yours for now, and that means you need to step up and do what's right for her. You can figure you out later."
"She's got what she needs."
"Hardly, when you bring her here, she needs a change of clothes, a toothbrush, a hairbrush, a favorite toy."
"I'm sorry I was unprepared. We left her bear on the couch when we rushed out to get muffins."
"But she has the other things? Like you have a toothbrush for her?" She could see by the lost look in his eyes that he hadn't considered it. "You need to shop."
A deer-in-the-headlights look froze on his face. "I don't know what little girls need."
A growl vibrated in her throat. "She needs what all girls do. Pants, shorts, dresses, underwear, sandals, tennis shoes. Her poor little pinky toe is rubbed raw on the side because her shoes are too small. She needs socks without holes and pretty hair ties. What about books and toys and a bike?"
"All of that?"
"And more. Maddie needs more."
A loud huff whooshed from his lungs. "Can you come with us? I can take time off tomorrow."
"You'll need the whole day."
One Hundred Lessons (An Aspen Cove Small Town Romance Book 15) Page 5