“Sabrina…” His voice was deep and hushed as he took a step toward me.
I wanted to back away. I wanted to protect my heart. But I was frozen to my spot. It was masochistic, but I wanted to hear what he was going to say.
I knew, at the end of the day, his choice was going to break my heart. But I had hope, a teeny-tiny sliver of hope, that he was about to tell me that he loved me. That I hadn’t misinterpreted everything that had gone between us, and that he wanted to be with me.
When he didn’t move to take another step, I resolved myself to the fact that what I wanted was never going to happen. He was doing the right thing by his daughter, and that only made me fall in love with him even more.
The last thing I wanted was for him to feel bad about rejecting me, so I offered him an understanding smile and then glanced back at the bedroom. There was no way I could just sit in the living room with him and pretend that everything was fine. So I nodded toward the bedroom.
“I’m going to go finish getting ready,” I said, lifting some of my damp hair as proof that I still had things to do.
Liam glanced at me and then over to the bedroom. “Ah,” he said as he nodded. “Don’t let me keep you.”
I didn’t respond as I stepped up to the bedroom door and turned the handle. Once I was inside the room, I quietly shut the door and then took a moment to stand there in the darkness. I took in a deep breath and slowly let it out, closing my eyes.
I’d been a fool. Why had I entertained feelings for Liam? I should have shut them down as quickly as they rose up. I was determined not to be a fool anymore.
By the time I’d blow-dried and curled my hair, Samuel was awake. Grateful for the distraction, I flipped off the bathroom light and made my way out to get my son. I changed him, fed him another bottle, and then played with him on the floor until I heard Liam open the hotel room door and a female voice sounded.
Realizing that I wasn’t going to be able to hide away in the room forever, I gathered up all of the supplies I was going to need for Samuel in his diaper bag and headed back out into the living room.
Katie looked breathtaking. Her hair was pulled back into a low bun, which showcased her backless, dark-pink satin dress. Baby weight was clearly not a concern as the dress’s buttery material flowed around her.
I felt extremely underdressed for this event, but then I pushed that thought from my mind. I wasn’t supposed to be seen at this event. I was Liam’s assistant. My job was to remain in the shadows.
And I did just that. As soon as we got to the ballroom of the Waldorf Astoria, I strapped Samuel to my chest and kept behind Katie and Liam as they walked inside. I kept my focus on Liam, trying to anticipate his needs as he greeted the other guests in attendance. I was frustrated with myself that I didn’t know who these people were, and I made a mental note to do some research for the next event.
I kept Liam well hydrated with water and the occasional flute of champagne. The few times I dished up some of the hors d'oeuvres and handed them to him, he took the plate but only ate a few. I made a note of the items he ate and the ones he left so, next time, I could get just what he liked.
It was hard not to notice how close Katie was to Liam the whole night. When she didn’t have her arm linked with his, she had her body pressed next to his with her hand resting on his back. She was engaged in his conversations, laughing and smiling up at him like they had been a couple this whole time.
It wrecked me, watching them. I thought I could handle it, but with every glance, every look, my heart broke a little more. I cursed myself for being so unprofessional. If I’d just kept my heart locked, I wouldn’t be in this situation.
Two hours into the gala, my back was starting to ache. Thankfully, Samuel was a model baby. I’d faced him out, and he seemed content to watch everyone pass us by as we stood against the far wall. Liam was in my sight, so I relaxed back in an attempt to take the pressure off my feet.
I sighed, wondering what I could do to help Liam. He seemed at ease, but I wanted to provide him with what he needed before he even knew he needed it. I had to prove to myself that I could do this. That I could be the assistant he needed me to be.
That’s when I heard Samuel grunt. Not just any grunt…his poop grunt.
I glanced over at the couple standing next to me and gave them an apologetic smile. Their eyebrows were drawn together as they stared at me and then at Samuel with disgust. Not wanting to subject my baby to their scrutiny, I hurried away to a corner so he could finish.
I’d barely hid myself when the grunt was followed by the sound of a liquid explosion. I braced myself as I anticipated how messy this diaper was going to be. When he was finally finished, I started making my way toward the front where we’d left our bags with the coat check. That’s when I felt it.
Warm liquid seeping through my shirt.
My heart stopped as my stomach sank.
Crap.
I shook my head as I continued on with my task. I wasn’t going to panic until I was in the bathroom and could take Samuel off of me. I was going to pretend everything was fine—even though I knew the truth.
With my diaper bag slung over my shoulder, I weaved between guests and waiters in search of the bathroom. A waitress seemed to understand what I was looking for and pointed toward the back left of the ballroom. I nodded a thank-you from over my shoulder as I headed in that direction.
I picked the far single bathroom and hurried inside. Once the door was locked, I set the diaper bag down on the counter before pulling down the changing table. I undid the clasps on the baby carrier and lifted Samuel out.
One look and I knew I was done for. His entire back and left leg were covered in poop. I glanced down at my white shirt to see I had a matching stain. Before I allowed myself to spiral, I laid Samuel down on the table and buckled him in. Then I took in a deep breath and assessed my situation, tears pricking my eyes as I tried to keep my composure.
I was a mom, which meant that I had a change of clothes for my child in my diaper bag…but nothing for me. I was either going to have to walk around this gala all night with a poop-stained shirt or excuse myself and head back to the hotel, leaving Liam alone.
