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Hadley recognized that look. She’d seen it on the faces of plenty of her fellow nannies who’d grown too attached to their charges.
“Thank you for your time.” Liam glanced down at Hadley, his expression unreadable. “Shall we rejoin the party?”
All warmth had been leeched from his manner by the story of Baby Janey. Hadley nodded and strolled back toward the elevator at Liam’s side. Although her hand remained tucked in his arm, the emotional distance between them was as wide as an ocean. She recognized that this had nothing to do with her. Liam had retreated behind walls she couldn’t penetrate, defenses a young boy had erected to deal with his mother’s abandonment.
“Why don’t we get out of here,” Hadley suggested as they descended in the elevator. “I don’t think you’re in the mood for a party anymore.”
“You’re right.” One side of his lips kicked up. His gaze warmed as he bent down to brush a kiss across her lips. “But I should at least spend an hour here. If for no other reason than to show off my gorgeous date.”
Hadley blushed at the compliment. It didn’t matter what anyone else thought of her looks; as long as she could bask in Liam’s sizzling admiration, she felt flawless.
By the time the elevator doors opened, Liam seemed to have gotten past whatever had affected him in the neonatal unit. Once again the charming rascal she adored, he worked his way around the room, collecting smiles and promises of funds for several pieces of equipment the hospital still needed.
Watching him work, Hadley reveled in his charisma and marveled at his ability to strike just the right chord with everyone he met. This is what made him an astute businessman and a masterful horseman. He didn’t approach every situation with the same tactic.
“I’m ready to get out of here if you are,” he murmured in her ear an hour later.
“Absolutely,” she replied, anticipating what awaited them back at the ranch house.
On the ride home, Liam lapsed back into silence, his public persona put aside once more. Hadley stared at his profile in concern. Her hopes for a romantic evening fled. Liam’s troubled thoughts preoccupied him.
As Liam unlocked the front door, Hadley set aside her disappointment and decided to see if she could get him to open up. “How about I make some coffee and we talk about what’s bothering you?”
Liam’s chin dipped in ascent. “I’ll get a fire started in the den.”
Once she got the coffee brewing, Hadley ran upstairs to check on Maggie. She found the baby sleeping and Candace in the rocking chair, reading on her tablet. The housekeeper looked up in surprise as Hadley crossed to the crib.
“You’re home early. Did you have fun?”
“It was a nice party. The facilities are wonderful.” Hadley knew she hadn’t directly answered Candace’s question. While she’d enjoyed the company and the conversation, Liam’s mood after learning about Janey Doe had unsettled her. “Thanks for watching Maggie. Any problems?”
Candace got to her feet. “She went to sleep at eight and hasn’t made a peep since.”
“Good.” Maggie’s hair was soft beneath Hadley’s fingers as she brushed a strand off the baby’s forehead. “I made some coffee if you’re interested in joining us for a cup.”
“No, thanks. I’m almost done with this book. I’m going to head back to the carriage house and finish it.”
The two women headed downstairs. Liam was in the kitchen and gave Candace a cheerful thank-you as she left. By the time the housekeeper pulled the back door shut behind her, icy air filled the space. Hadley shivered and filled the mugs Liam had fetched from the cupboard. Cradling the warm ceramic in her hands, she led the way into the den and settled on the sofa.
Liam set his mug on the mantel and chose to stand, staring into the fire. “I’m sorry I was such bad company tonight.”
“You weren’t bad company.” Hadley was careful not to let her disappointment show. “Obviously something is bothering you. Do you feel like talking about it?”
“It was hearing about Janey Doe.”
“That was a very upsetting story.” She refrained from adding her own opinion on the subject, wanting Liam to share his thoughts.
“Her mother just leaving her like that. On the floor of a public bathroom. She could have died.”
Hadley kept her voice neutral. “She was fortunate that someone found her.”
“I thought it was bad that Maggie’s grandmother left her with us. This is so much worse. How could any mother abandon her child like that?”
“Not every woman is cut out for motherhood.” Hadley thought about all the families she’d worked for in the last five years and all the stories shared by her fellow nannies. “Sometimes the responsibility is more than they can handle.”
“You mean they wish they’d never given birth.”
Trying her best to hide a wince, Hadley responded, “I mean that parenting can be challenging, and sometimes if a woman has to do it alone, she might not feel capable.”
