by Naomi West
He took her to the bathroom down the hall and pointed to the medicine cabinet. She checked through it, looking at every bottle carefully. He had some Tylenol, but it wasn’t the kind made for babies so young. Nothing else in there would work.
“I don’t see anything that you can give him,” she told him. “I can run out and get something if you like.”
“Oh, you don’t have to do that.”
“Well, you can’t take him out like that. Either let me go get something for him, or I’ll watch him while you go get some medicine.”
He seemed to consider for a moment. “I don’t think I’d even know what to get.”
“That settles it, then. Give me a few minutes, and I’ll be right back.”
“Hang on.” He reached back to pull out his wallet and opened it with one hand. Then he pulled out a ten-dollar bill. “Would that be enough?”
“Plenty.” She folded the bill into her pocket. “Do you need anything else while I’m at the store?”
“Just whatever he’ll need.”
“Okay. I’ll be back soon.”
Damian was still crying and rubbing his eyes as she walked out back and returned to her house. She found her purse and got in her car, then drove to the closest store. She found the baby Tylenol and drove straight back to his house.
She knocked and heard Damian crying before he even opened the door.
“Thank you,” he said. “I think he’s getting worse.”
Alexa dropped her purse by the front door and followed Hawk to where Damian was lying on the floor on a blanket. A toy was by his head, but he paid it no attention.
She took out the package and opened it, then poured the dose. “Want to sit him up and we can give it to him?”
Hawk picked Damian up and held his hands as Alexa slowly poured the medicine into his mouth. Damian made a face and spit some out, but swallowed most of it. He licked his lips a few times and blinked up at Alexa, a look of curiosity on his face – but at least he’d stopped crying.
“I think he likes it,” she said.
Hawk picked up the bottle and looked at it. “I’m sure the grape flavoring helped. Hopefully that means I’ll be able to give it to him myself later. I don’t think I could have managed this time alone.”
“Well…” She thought quickly. This couldn’t sound like she was too eager, but like she was the best new neighbor ever. “I can stay and help you. I have a lot of experience with sick babies.”
“You do?”
She nodded. “I was homeschooled. I told you that I babysat a lot of the kids in my neighborhood. Well, since I was home all day, many times when a parent had to work, they would leave the sick kid with me.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Why would a parent do that?”
“I didn’t grow up in the best neighborhood. For some people, missing a day of work could mean losing their job or not being able to pay the bills. Having me around, who they knew and trusted… made sense I guess. And they usually paid me a little something, so I didn’t mind.”
“I appreciate your offer, but I can’t let you do that.”
“I only live next door. It’s not like I’m far from home, and it’s no bother at all. I work from home. And, I don’t mean to sound mean or anything, but you don’t seem like the most confident person when it comes to sick babies.”
He looked down and closed his eyes. “I’m not,” he said softly. “I hoped it wasn’t that obvious. He’s not my kid. He’s my nephew. I guess I didn’t have the time to get used to a baby or read all the books or take classes or whatever new parents do to prepare. I woke up one day and boom, there he was.”
He hadn’t specifically said his brother was dead, and this was no time to try to get him talking. He had to trust her first. Maybe her not asking would help secure that trust. She put her hand on his shoulder.
“It’s okay. Even new parents are often not well prepared. And all parents feel like they don’t have a clue sometimes. It’s normal. I’m going to spend the night and help you. I’m not taking no for an answer.”
He gave her a crooked, humorless smile. “Thanks. If you want to sell your house immediately to get away from the loud baby and clueless bachelor, I understand.”
She forced a laugh. “I don’t have a problem with either of those.”
“You should also know I have a motorcycle. It’s loud. Might wake you up in the middle of the night sometimes. Just warning you.” He gave her a wink.
She leaned in and said conspiratorially, “I kinda have a thing for bikes and for bikers.”
He looked her over, then bounced Damian twice. He’d been quiet for several minutes now. “What should we do with this little devil?”
She ran her fingers over Damian’s forehead and he closed his eyes in contentment. “I’d say maybe a warm bath, then off to bed.”
She followed him back to the bathroom and they bathed the baby together. Damian had periods of being fussy on and off, but seemed to be feeling better overall. His fever had come down some by the time they got him into bed. He did wake up several times in the night, just wanting to be held. Alexa fell asleep in the glider in Damian’s room, cradling Damian to her chest while Hawk slept in his bed.
When the baby stirred and woke her up, she smelled eggs and bacon cooking.
“Good morning, Damian,” she said.
She stood with him to stretch, then smelled what he’d been cooking in his diaper. She laid him on the changing table and got him cleaned up and into a fresh diaper before finding a clean outfit. When she brought the baby out to the kitchen, Hawk was there and Damian let out a squeal when he saw him.
Hawk turned and smiled. “I guess he’s feeling better?”
“I’d say so. He doesn’t feel as warm. I’d maybe give him more baby Tylenol just to be sure, though.”
He handed her a warm bottle. “Would you mind?”
“Of course not.” Alexa sat and fed Damian while Hawk finished up their breakfast. He set a plate of bacon, eggs, and toast in front of her, then sat across from her at the table.
“You are a godsend,” he said. “You weren’t kidding about being good with kids.”
“It’s in my nature to care for people, I guess.” And to hunt down their murderers until they’re brought to justice, she resisted adding. Caring for Damian felt like doing something for Hugh, for the man she had failed to find proper closure. It couldn’t really make up for him being gone, but it made her feel good doing it. And it brought her closer to Hawk, and hopefully, to more answers.
“I do have a really huge favor to ask of you. And if you can’t, that’s okay.”
“Sure thing.”
“I can’t send him to his babysitters today,” he said. “She watches other kids in a daycare in her house and she has this rule about fevers. But I have a lot of cars to repo today. Is there any way you could stay with him?”
“I’d be happy to. Like I said, I work from home, so I’ll just grab my laptop from next door and work when he naps.”
“Are you sure that won’t mess up your day or keep you from working?”
“I’m my own boss. And I give myself permission.”
“You might just be the best neighbor on the planet,” he said. “I will absolutely give you proper compensation.”
“Oh no.” She waved him off. “You made me breakfast and got me out of the house. That’s more than I could have asked for.”
He chuckled. “Okay. I’m paying you something, though. Won’t take no for an answer.”
She smiled. She’d never planned on getting this close to Hawk, but it could help her find what she was looking for. Although now she wondered just how much she would find. She couldn’t ignore the little flutter in her chest when he looked at her. But if he was the criminal his record said he was, she had to keep her distance. Focus on Hugh’s murder and the baby, and that was it. Ignore the way his voice sent chills through her or the way watching him with his nephew warmed her heart. If she ignored all that until she
knew for sure, then she’d be fine.
Chapter 5
Hawk picked up his phone as he headed toward his first job. “Hey Natalie. I won’t be bringing Damian over today. He has a fever.”
“Oh no! I’m so sorry to hear that! Poor little thing. Are you home all day with him?”
“No, I got my neighbor to watch him so I could do a few jobs.”
“Oh, that’s nice. Can you stop over later, after work?”
“Umm…”
“Damian left his little truck here. He might want it if he’s not feeling well.”
Hawk let out a sigh. “Okay. Yeah, I can stop by. It won’t be until later, though.”
“That’s perfect. Let me know when you’re on your way, and I’ll have it waiting for you.”
“Will do. Thanks, Natalie.”
He hung up and got about his business. His very first job, though, was a problem. The car wouldn’t start. It sounded like maybe the battery was dead. He didn’t have an extra. He called Jared to come with his truck to pull it out of there, but he hated doing that. It would mean having to give Jared the majority of the cut, and also that he had failed on some level. And that was the worst feeling. Though they traded jobs now and then, he avoided it if he could so he didn’t have to feel like this.
All day, it was one problem after another. An owner came out screaming at him and pulled a knife. That sort of thing never scared Hawk, and when he pulled out his pepper spray, the guy backed off. All the same it rattled him and pissed him off. He kept thinking of Damian, too, and wondering if he was okay. He thought about calling many times, but he didn’t want Alexa to think he didn’t trust her. He’d just never had to deal with the baby being sick like this. He called once at lunchtime, and Damian was sleeping and doing fine. He resisted the urge to call again.
By the end of the day, he was wiped. He was tired from not sleeping well the night before, and worn out from the hard day. He just wanted to get home, have a beer, and spend some time with Damian. He was also looking forward to seeing Alexa, but he tried to pretend like that wasn’t the reason he skipped the last job he planned to do. The baby was sick and he wanted to check on him. That was the real reason. Didn’t hurt that Alexa would be there when he got home.
He was halfway to home when he remembered he was supposed to stop at Natalie’s. He considered not bothering. What truck was she even talking about? But if it was something Damian liked to play with, then it might make him feel better to have it. He sent her a text that he was on his way, and made a turn to head toward her house.
He pulled up and went to the door, ringing it like he always did.
“Come in, Hawk!”
He opened the door and the house was quiet, which was unusual. There were always kids running around, playing, laughing, screaming. But today the house seemed empty.
“I’m in the living room!”
He took a few steps in the direction of the living room. When he entered the room, he stopped at the doorway. Natalie was sprawled out on the sofa, completely naked.
He turned away quickly. “Sorry.”
She laughed. “Don’t be sorry. I want you to look at me. I want you to touch me.”
He shook his head and turned back to face her, but looked only in her eyes. “I’m sorry, Natalie. I just can’t.”
“Oh yes, you can.” She beckoned to him with her finger. “Come on over here. You look like you’ve had a rough day. I can make you feel better.”
He had and no doubt she would. His mind flitted to Damian and Alexa, and the stiffness forming in his jeans faded. “You’re Damian’s babysitter. Or you were. I can’t sleep with someone who is caring for him like that. It’s not right.”
“Hawk. Please.” She sat up. “Don’t make this complicated. I want to sleep with you. No strings attached.”
“I’m just… not interested. I’m sorry.” He took a step away, then paused. “Is Damian’s toy even here?”
“Yes.” She pointed to a truck sitting on the coffee table.
He stepped forward and grabbed it. “Does he have anything else here?”
“No. Hawk, don’t be rash. Don’t stop bringing him over.”
“How can I keep leaving with you after this? I’ll have to find a new babysitter.”
“Hawk!”
He walked back toward the door, even more agitated than he’d been before. He slammed the door behind him and tore out of the driveway.
“Fuck!” He pounded on the steering wheel.
Now what the hell was he going to do? It’d been impossible to find a babysitter in the first place who could work with his schedule, and the other sitters he’d looked up had had a waiting list a mile long. He’d either have to restrict all his jobs to times that let him care for Damian, which would cost him jobs, or he’d have to pay out the ass for someone who could watch the baby on off hours.
Some repos had to be done in the middle of the night or on a Saturday. There were times he saw a car he’d been watching and had to leave Damian at a moment’s call. Most daycares didn’t appreciate that, and most babysitters charged an arm and a leg for that sort of thing. The thought occurred to him that maybe the reason Natalie was so accommodating was because she’d been trying to get him to sleep with her this whole time.
He had to figure something out fast or he’d end up either limiting his work, or bringing Damian on jobs. He really didn’t want to bring the baby along when he worked. Too much risk, too many opportunities for something to go wrong. That really wasn’t an option, the more he thought it through.
When he pulled into his driveway, he looked over at Alexa’s dark house. She lived so close. And she worked from home, which meant she was around. She was her own boss, so she didn’t have a schedule to keep up with. If she could help him out, even if for a short time, it might be an ideal situation. And it’d give him a reason to see her more often.
He went inside and found them in the living room, Damian in Alexa’s arms, sucking down a bottle. His color looked to be back to normal, and clearly, his appetite had returned.
“Welcome home,” she said, smiling up at him.
“He looks better.”
“He is. Fever stuck around a little this morning and he was fussy, but I gave him more Tylenol and rocked him to sleep and when he woke up, he was back to what I assume is his normal self.”
“Thank you so much for staying with him today and helping me out. Did you get any work done?”
She nodded toward her laptop, sitting on the dining room table. “I did. I was able to type while holding him on my lap or when he was sleeping. It worked out really well, actually. And he kept me company so I wasn’t stuck talking to myself all day. Working from home can get lonely.”
Damian finished his bottle and Hawk took him from Alexa to burp him. He rubbed his back as he walked back and forth across the room.
“You’ve done so much to help me, Alexa, and I don’t want to take advantage of your kindness. But I’m in a bit of a situation.”
She pulled together her eyebrows. “Okay. What’s going on?”
“I have to find a new babysitter. The place I had been taking Damian is no longer good for him. But it might take me some time to find a new place. My schedule can be a challenge, and not every place can accommodate that. Is there any chance—and I would pay the same rates I paid his last babysitter, or more if you need more—if you could help me out and watch him until I found someone else.”
She stood and came over to him, standing to look him in the eye. “I would be glad to help out for as long as you need. You don’t need to pay me. I like coming over here and being with Damian. It helps me imagine what it might be like to be a mom one day. Kind of like training for when I have that job, too.”
“I will pay you. And it would only be until I find someone long term.”
“Take as much time as you need. I’m happy to help.”
Chapter 6
Alexa walked back over to her house almost dancing in joy at her maj
or stroke of luck. No doubt Hawk thought he was the one making out in this deal having her watch Damian, but she was the real winner. She would have direct access to Hawk on a regular basis, and more importantly, to his house.
She had done some poking around today while Damian was sleeping. But he had been fussy in the morning, and she had to do some paperwork and other things, so she didn’t get as much time as she wanted to look around. Now she would have several days at least, maybe even weeks, to look around. All day without him there.
He even left his computer there. This would make things almost too easy for her. One email or incriminating correspondence, one particular charge on his bank statement, could give her plenty of information.