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His naughty smile barely registered on the flirtation meter. The man was toast. The truth was, Wynn used to take daytime catnaps a lot. After every time they had sex in fact. But if that was the only way he could knock himself out now, he was out of luck.
“I have work to do,” Felicity said, ignoring his sexy talk. “Ayla and I will see you at dinner.” She opened her bedroom door, slipped quietly inside and closed the door in Wynn’s face.
Midafternoon, Felicity realized that she was going to be earning every penny Wynn paid her. Taking care of a ten-month-old, almost eleven months now, was crazy-hard work. Ayla was mobile, but not yet walking. Her crawl pace was impressive.
It was all Felicity could do to stay one step ahead of her and keep the room babyproofed.
Just after two thirty, the building concierge called to get approval—which Felicity okayed—to accept the delivery from the baby store. After that, pandemonium reigned for at least an hour. The three twentysomething delivery guys were polite, cheerful and efficient. Wynn had paid a hefty premium to have all the furniture unboxed and set up.
Occasionally, the young men consulted Felicity, but for the most part, they knew exactly what to do. One of them spoke rapid-fire Spanish. Felicity caught the occasional word, but she realized her skills were rusty.
Finally, the nursery was ready, at least the basics. Bed, rocking chair, changing table, baby monitor. One box contained wall decals that matched the bedding. Felicity would have to deal with those tomorrow.
Poor Ayla was fussy from missing her nap. Maybe a quick one wouldn’t disrupt bedtime too much. Felicity sat in the rocker and hummed a random tune, rubbing the baby’s back. The infant was out immediately.
When Felicity laid her in the new bed, Ayla looked small and defenseless. What a huge responsibility Wynn had undertaken. Nurturing a young life was no easy task.
Fortunately, the monitor was charged and ready to go. Felicity consulted the instruction leaflet until she was certain she knew how everything operated. When she saw Ayla on the tiny screen, she felt confident enough to roam the apartment. Wynn’s kitchen was a dream. She had missed lunch, so she found some cheese and crackers, plus an apple.
She knew she couldn’t let the nap last more than forty-five minutes. Once she finished her modest lunch, she sat in the chair in her bedroom and answered several emails and texts.
Her father was baffled that she was in New York with Wynn, but she spun the situation in a positive light so he wouldn’t worry. Knoxville neighbors agreed to keep an eye on her apartment.
Felicity filled out an online form for mail forwarding. One of her friends offered to collect the little bit of mail that had already been delivered. This trip to New York had transpired so quickly, it had been hard to manage all the necessary details.
When she finished dealing with the most pressing items, she glanced at her watch and went to get the baby. Fortunately, Ayla was already rousing. She rocked up on her knees and gave Felicity a toothy grin.
“Hey, sweet girl.”
Felicity scooped her up and nuzzled her cheek. “Let’s get you a dry diaper and a snack.”
After that, the remainder of the afternoon flew by.
Felicity heard nothing from Wynn. She wasn’t too surprised. He probably arrived at the office and found himself caught up in meetings or conversations, especially since he was so late getting there to begin with.
Shandy’s binder was very clear about the baby’s mealtimes and the things she liked to eat. Wynn had communicated with his twice-a-month housekeeper and had her stock the kitchen before Felicity and he and the baby arrived.
So, Felicity had everything she needed. The new high chair was the perfect size. And it was certainly easier to feed a toddler who was constrained rather than bouncing her on a knee and trying to find her mouth.
Felicity gave Ayla two spoons to play with while she opened baby food and cut a banana into small pieces. With one final glance at the clock, she knew she couldn’t wait any longer. Wynn had admitted that getting home by five was a long shot. Now, it was five thirty.
“Well, sweet thing, your daddy is trying. Hopefully, he’ll be here before bedtime.”
It was almost six when Wynn showed up. His face was lined with fatigue, but when he saw Felicity and Ayla in the kitchen, he smiled. “Day one, and I’m already failing.”
Her heart gave a crazy, erratic beat that she absolutely had to get under control.
“Nonsense,” she said. “We’ve just finished dinner. Your daughter is ready to spend time with you.”
Felicity washed her hands at the sink and dried them. “I’ll leave you two alone.”
Wynn frowned. “You’re not staying?”
She hesitated, realizing this was shaky ground. “I thought that was what you wanted. I look after her during the day and you bond with her in the evening? I don’t want to get in your way.”
The parade of expressions that flitted across his face told her he remembered saying exactly that. “Well, don’t go,” he muttered. “I’d be glad of the company. Ayla is cute, but she doesn’t talk back.”
Felicity chuckled. “Give her time.” She took a seat at the kitchen table and folded her hands in her lap. Then she changed her mind and rested her forearms on the table.
