by Sabrina York
The clerk motioned her to a side cabinet, where several cameras lined one shelf. She unlocked the case with careful movements, as if the contents weren’t just cameras, but highly delicate explosives. “What brand are you looking for?”
Caris shrugged. “It has to look expensive.”
The woman removed a camera with a detachable flash and a bag of accessories. “This is a Nikon. It comes with different lenses, including a telephoto.”
After eyeing it, Caris glanced at the price tag. “I’ll take it.” She removed her wallet and took a $100 bill from the back of the stack. Most of the cash was stuffed in her sock, but she had kept a couple hundred free. Once the cashier rang up the purchase and handed her a few coins, Caris picked up the camera and left the shop. She was pleased to find the taxi driver still waiting for her.
“The M & M?” he confirmed as she slid into the car.
“Yes.” As he drove through the wide streets, sheltered by huge trees, Caris put the accessories in her case glancing briefly at the white and red brick buildings as they left the main part of Corvallis. Soon they were traveling down a road with few buildings scattered amid massive trees, rolling hills, and piles of snow in the process of melting. The closer they got to their destination, the more her stomach clenched. When the sign the college kid had told her about came into view, Caris bit down the urge to throw up.
There were gates across the entrance of the M & M, but they were open. The driver turned up the winding drive, which led them another mile or two before a house came into sight. Caris’s mouth dropped open as she got her first good look at Jessica’s temporary home.
The home sprawled across a cleared plot of land, shooting up at least two stories, but probably three. Both the wood and trim were whitewashed. A steeply sloped roof shingled in dark green provided the only relief from the whiteness. Massive trees framed the sides of the house. Some branches were so low they swept within inches of the roof, blending in with the shingles almost perfectly. Two or three brick chimneys sprouted up from the roof.
The driver stopped the car to the side of the house, and Caris tried to close her mouth.
“Miss?”
She blinked and looked at him. “Yes?”
“Should I wait for you?”
She nibbled on her lip. “Well…”
“I can come back at a prearranged time.”
She shrugged. “No, please wait for me. I’m not sure how long this will take.” Caris paid her accrued bill and added a hefty tip to ensure he would wait awhile. The meter ticked as she slid from the car. She draped the camera over her neck, and stood by the opened car door, eyeing the house.
The driver seemed to sense her nervousness. “Go on, miss. Mr. McNeil won’t bite you.”
She gave him a weak grin and closed the door. She trudged to the house, up the wooden porch, and to the front door, knowing he could do much worse than bite her. He could keep her from her child. Her stomach clenched as she raised her fist to knock on the ornate glass screen door. Before her courage could desert her, she forced herself to rap firmly.
She almost turned and ran back to the taxi in the time between her knocking and the door opening. Fear assailed her, and she wondered if they would know who she was. What if they closed the door in her face or called the police? She gnawed on her lip, concentrating on keeping her feet planted on the weathered wooden planks of the porch.
Caris caught her breath when the door finally opened. Her eyes widened as she got her first look at the man she assumed was Dominick McNeil. Dark hair framed a scruffy face, but under the stubble, she could see chiseled features, a sweeping forehead, and a long, perfect nose. As he opened the screen door, she could see his blue eyes were rimmed in red, as if he hadn’t slept lately. “Hi, I’m—”
“You’re late.” He held the door open, indicating she should walk into the kitchen. “Well, don’t just stand there.”
“Excuse me?” Caris pushed her hair back from her eyes, looking at him more closely.
“Ms. Templeton said you would be here at eleven, and it’s nearly three.” He seemed impatient when he reached through the doorway and snagged a handful of her jacket, gently drawing her inside. “We’ll do this in the sitting room, where Jessica spends most of her time.”
She caught her breath at the mention of her daughter’s name. Within seconds, the sounds of her baby’s frantic crying reached her ears. “What are you doing to my…the baby?”
“I left her with my mother. Jessie hasn’t bonded well with her yet.”
Caris grimaced at the nickname Jessie as she followed Dom through the kitchen. Her brain spun as she tried to get a grip on what was happening. Her pat excuse of being a photography student hadn’t been necessary. He had welcomed her into his home with no questions. He seemed to be expecting her, even.
Her thoughts were broken as they entered an elegantly decorated sitting room, where several types of toys ruined the atmosphere. They were scattered across the floor, and her eyes were drawn to the wriggling baby on the pile of quilts. Without thought, Caris rushed to Jessica, kneeling down to lift her into her arms.
Immediately, the baby’s cries ceased. She turned sunny instantaneously, smiling up at Caris. The sight of that fully developed smile, with a hint of her first tooth poking through, brought tears to Caris’s eyes. She snuggled Jessica closer, rubbing her cheek against her daughter’s soft curls. As Jessica rooted at her neck, Caris struggled to suppress her joy. She turned to find Dominick and his mother eyeing her with open-mouthed wonder. “What?”
A wide smile curved across the woman’s lips. “It’s amazing. She hasn’t responded to anyone except Dom, until you.”
“Uh…” Caris looked at Dom, trying to see what Jessica would have sensed in him. All she could see, beyond the handsome exterior, was another obstacle between her and her baby. In addition, he bore the stigma of the name McNeil, which was enough to set her against him in the best of circumstances, and these certainly weren’t the best.
“Ms. Sherry, this is my mother, Elena.”
Elena’s gnarled hands shook as she extended one. Caris stepped forward to accept it, still feeling lost. “I’m not—”
His mother interrupted before she could finish. “Mrs. Templeton said you had glowing recommendations, but I was skeptical. Now that I’ve seen it, I’m in awe. Thank you for coming out.”
“But…” Caris trailed off, wondering if it was to her benefit to become Ms. Sherry, at least temporarily. She shifted Jessica’s weight to her other arm to remove the camera around her neck.
“Sit, please.” Dom indicated the chaise lounger, where a brightly colored baby quilt lay across the back.
She eased down onto the stiff-looking seat, surprised to find it plush and comfortable. Caris allowed her shoulders to sink against the upholstery and brought Jessica closer to her neck. Then she laid the camera beside her.
“What sort of qualifications do you have?”
She looked up at Dom as he asked the question, blinking rapidly. “Um—”
“What does it matter, Dom? She’s obviously highly recommended, and already has a rapport with Jessie…” Elena suddenly trailed off, and her eyes narrowed as they rested on Caris’s face. “Yes, what are your qualifications?” Her tone had turned from friendly to frigid.
Caris swallowed heavily, knowing her brief stint as Ms. Sherry was about to end. She didn’t even know who or what the other woman was, so she couldn’t bluff her way through. “Well—” Her heart skipped a beat when the doorbell rang. It was probably the cabbie checking to see if she still wanted him to wait.
“Excuse me,” Dom said as he left the sitting room.
Caris’s eyes darted to Elena, and she was discomfited to find the dark orbs so intently studying her. She forced a small smile, which suddenly widened as Jessica squealed and waved her chubby fists. She looked down at the baby, amazed at how she had grown in a month. Her hair was longer, and she had filled out. Her features were more defined and seemed t
o be shaping themselves to Caris’s blueprint. She breathed a sigh of relief to know that Brendan had left no visible mark on the baby. She hoped he had left no unseen scars during his short time as her guardian.
The uneasy silence was broken by the heavy, hurrying footsteps of Dom, followed by clicking heels. He reentered the sitting room with a scowl on his face, quickly followed by a starched, prim-looking woman with short, white hair, a long dress, sensible court shoes, and a brown cardigan. His eyes burned when they settled on Caris. “Who are you?”
Her stomach quivered with fear, and Caris subconsciously tightened her hold on Jessica, making her protest. “I’m…what?”
“This is Ms. Sherry.” He waved to the woman hovering slightly behind him. “Now, who are you?”
“I-I came to take pictures,” she blurted out, having lost her coolly rehearsed mental script under the pressure of the moment. “I heard your home was beautiful…” She trailed off, pointing to the Nikon beside her.
He glowered at her. “Do you always present yourself under false pretenses just to take pictures?”
She returned his ferocious scowl. “Wait just a minute! You didn’t give me a chance to say anything when you dragged me inside and brought me into this room. You’re the one who introduced me as Ms. Sherry and assumed I was her.”
He opened his mouth, but froze without speaking. His anger seemed to fade as he mulled over her words. His mouth twisted into a strained smile. “You’re right. I did make the assumption. I apologize.”
She shrugged. “No problem.”
“You’re free to wander around the property to get your pictures.”
Caris tried to keep her lower lip from wobbling at his hastily given permission. Now she had no reason to linger near Jessica and still had no plan for spiriting her child away from the M & M. “Thank you.”
“If we may?” Ms. Sherry’s voice was as crisp as her appearance. She stepped around Dom and marched in silent cadence to the couch, where she held out her arms. When Caris didn’t immediately pass over the baby, she waggled her fingers. “The infant please, miss.”
She bit back tears as she handed her daughter to the older woman, internally shuddering at the thought of that cold woman having responsibility for Jessica’s upbringing.
Before Ms. Sherry could even settle Jessica into a comfortable position, the baby started screaming. She flailed her arms and legs as the woman ignored her struggles and tucked her in her arms, against her sagging bosom. “There, there.” Her voice didn’t audibly soften. Ms. Sherry turned and laid Jessica on the floor.
Caris and Dom both took a step forward, and the nanny held up her hand, turning her head so her frown encompassed both of them. “Baby will soon learn not to cry if you just ignore her.”
Elena snorted. “You can’t ignore that child.”
“You mustn’t let Baby get the upper hand, ma’am. She is much like a wolf pup…”
“What?” Caris demanded, hands on hips.
Ms. Sherry spared her a frosty look before continuing. “She needs to learn who is the alpha. This can only be done with assertiveness, punishment, and reward.”
Caris pushed past her, ignoring the woman’s outraged sounds as she bent to pick up Jessica. She turned back to Ms. Sherry, holding a suddenly quiet baby. “You can’t punish a five-month-old baby.” Her eyes widened as she realized she had revealed Jessica’s age. Would Dom or Elena pick up on her slip?
Her eyes darted to them, but they seemed to be paying more attention to the standoff between her and Ms. Sherry. It must be obvious that woman didn’t care about Jessica. They couldn’t seriously consider entrusting her baby to Ms. Sherry. She returned her eyes to the other woman when she heard her making a strange, breathy sound, much like a hiss.
Ms. Sherry’s gray eyes widened with anger. “Do not presume to tell me my job. I know how to handle a special child. Mental impairment must be handled—”
Caris gasped and held Jessica more tightly. “There’s nothing wrong with this baby. You’re incompetent.”
Ms. Sherry turned to look at Dom, and she wore an outraged expression. “I demand to be treated with respect, Mr. McNeil. My methods are tried and true, with extensively documented successes to back them up. Either rein in your houseguest, or I shall leave.”
He walked forward, wearing a forced smile as he touched Ms. Sherry’s shoulder, causing her to stiffen. He immediately dropped his hand. “Thank you for coming out, Ms. Sherry. We’ll pay your travel expenses, of course.”
She faltered, and her mouth opened and closed rapidly. “I don’t understand.”
“We won’t be needing your services.”
“I am a specialist!”
“And highly recommended,” he said in a soothing voice. “However, Jessica seems to have a rapport forming with Miss—”
“—if you give in now—”
He shrugged, easing her toward the door. “There is a taxi waiting in the drive. Why don’t you take that one? If necessary, we’ll call another for our guest.”
“But…”
Elena interrupted the nanny. “Are you sure this is wise?”
Dom’s eyes widened, and he frowned. “We’ll discuss it later,” he said as eased Ms. Sherry out of the sitting room.
As they left, Caris’s eyes returned to Elena. She found his mother eyeing her with narrow, turbulent eyes, and she slid her eyes away as she cradled Jessica against her.
Dom returned a few minutes later, looking ruffled and annoyed. He took a seat on the lounger and gave her a small smile. “Please, have a seat, Miss…?”
“Reese,” she said without thinking as she moved to a straight-backed, velvet-cushioned seat. She winced as her tongue betrayed her again.
“Do you have a first name?” Dom gave her a small wink.
She studied him carefully, realizing her last name hadn’t set off any alarm bells. Should she use her first name?
“Well?”
“Caris,” she blurted, unable to think of an alias. She tightened her hold on Jessica, terrified he would suddenly try to rip the baby from her. To her relief, his blue eyes remained only curious.
“What do you do?”
She tried to remember the story she had rehearsed, but only snippets came back to her. “I’m on vacation.”
He lifted a brow. “Okay. From where?”
She shrugged. “I was a college student.” Not a total lie. Before meeting Brendan, she had completed a semester at Topeka Tech. “I’m exploring my options now.”
He nodded. “Are you looking for a job?”
Her heart stuttered, and she nodded. “What kind of job?” She resisted the urge to cross her fingers.
“Jessica needs a nanny.”
She looked down at her baby, and then shot a look at him through her eyelashes. “Your daughter is beautiful.” Caris’s throat seized, and she barely squeezed out the word daughter. For a wild second, she wondered how much different things would have been for her—and Jessica—if this McNeil was her baby’s father, instead of Brendan.
“She’s my niece.”
Caris tried to look puzzled. “Where are her parents?”
Dom frowned, but didn’t hesitate to answer. “Her father isn’t ready for a baby and neither was the mother.”
She bit her tongue, trying to hold back an angry retort. She couldn’t give any indication that she was Jessica’s mother, or she would lose her chance to get the baby out of the house. “I see. How long will the job last?”
He shrugged. “I’ll be honest with you. We’ve had some trouble keeping help.”
“Why?” She shot a quick look at Elena, squirming when she saw the dark glare pinned on her.
“Jessica has a hard time bonding with people.”
Caris nodded, remembering the nightmare of finding affordable childcare that was still comfortable for Jess. Finding Clara at Happy’s Day Care had been a miracle. “She seems to like me.”
“Of course she would,” Elena muttered.
&n
bsp; Dom shot his mother a puzzled look, and then turned back to Caris. “I’ll show you to your suite. Later this evening, you can give me reference information, and I’ll run a standard employment and background check.”
She forced herself to nod and smile pleasantly, while her stomach burned, and her hands shook. What had she gotten herself into? As soon as he checked up on her, she wouldn’t be able to keep her identity hidden any longer. Dominick McNeil would kick her out of the house so fast her head would spin. She noticed it was already spinning as she rose to follow Dom up to her new room. Jessica’s eyes had closed, and she carefully laid her on the square of quilts, holding her breath until she was certain the baby wouldn’t awaken.
“You have a magical touch with her.” He didn’t sound exactly happy about that. “Mom, would you mind staying with Jessie for a few minutes?”
She shook her head. “You can count on me staying by her side.”
Caris squirmed at the look Elena directed toward her. It was full of suspicion and something else. Her tone held a note of promise. She shivered as they left the sitting room, and she followed Dom up the ebony carpeted winding staircase. Did his mother know who she was?
Once they emerged on the ebony landing, Dom turned to the right. “This house wasn’t equipped with a nursery or nanny quarters, so we converted the main lady’s chamber for Jessie’s room. Your room is the old dressing room.” He sounded apologetic as he opened cream French doors, and they stepped inside.
Caris caught her breath as she examined her daughter’s room. Mauve carpet cushioned each footstep, before giving way to pale pink walls bearing a strawberry border. A large maple crib rested in the center of the room, surrounded by neatly stacked piles of toys, shelves of books, and still more shelves with other toys. “Did you buy out FAO Schwarz?” She had meant the question to sound light, but her clogged throat lent the words a melancholy tone she hadn’t intended.
He didn’t seem to pick up on the undercurrent in her tone. “Maybe, but not without help. Mom did most of this.”
“It’s lovely.” She followed him through the room, to a door against the wall. He opened it to lead her into a much smaller room featuring the same mauve carpeting. She eyed the double bed covered with a mauve comforter, nightstand, and a dresser. The dressing room converted to a bedroom was still larger than the room in the apartment she had shared with Mandy. “This is very nice.”