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Well, that break didn’t last long. He wondered if this was a routine check or if the woman had some idea of taking Emma from him. If that was her plan, she would be disappointed.
Emma and Sadie were his and Ethan wasn’t ready to give either of them up.
Eight
“Send her in, Sadie.”
Melissa Gable walked into his office with long, purposeful strides. Ethan silently gave her points for an intimidating presence. In her black suit jacket, starched white shirt and knee-length black skirt and sky-high heels, she looked all business. He supposed most people might wither and quietly panic beneath her steady stare. But Ethan wasn’t worried. Ms. Gable wouldn’t get anything he wasn’t willing to give.
She carried a black bag the size of Montana on her left shoulder, and as he rose to greet her, Ms. Gable reached into the bag and pulled out a manila file folder.
They shook hands, then she took a seat opposite his desk. He sat down, too, studied her, waiting. He didn’t wait long.
“I’ve already been to your day care here in the building to check in on Emma, see how she’s doing.”
“How did you know she wouldn’t be at home with a nanny?” Just curious, he told himself.
“I didn’t,” she said. “But it’s my job to be thorough, so I checked the day care first.”
“And?” He offered nothing. He’d learned long ago that the secret to successful negotiations was remembering that he who speaks first loses power.
“She appears to be happy and healthy,” Ms. Gable allowed. “And as a side note, I have to commend you on your in-house day care, as well. Unfortunately, there aren’t enough employers farsighted enough to realize that a well-run day care is imperative in this day and age.”
“Agreed.” He nodded. “It pays to keep your employees happy, and when they don’t have to worry about their kids, they’re more productive.” Well damn, that sounded cold even to him. Maybe that was why he’d begun the day care in the first place. But since Emma had arrived in his life, he’d realized just how important it was for people to be able to check on their children during the day. He’d been downstairs a few times himself.
“Yes. Well.” She checked her notes, then looked at him again. “I’ve spoken to the day care operators, who tell me Emma is well fed, clean and obviously well cared for.”
That irritated him beyond measure. “You expected she wouldn’t be?”
“No, but even the most well-meaning people don’t often pull things together as quickly as you seem to have.” She flipped through to another page, scanned it, then said, “I went by your house earlier and your housekeeper showed me Emma’s room. I approve of what you’ve done there and...” She checked again. “Julie, is it? She assured me that the baby is cared for and happy.”
“Again,” he said, tapping his fingers now against the desk. The desk where he and Sadie had taken each other for the very first time. Odd, but that stray thought eased the temper building within. “You’re surprised?”
Ms. Gable closed the file, tucked it into her bag and said, “Forgive me, Mr. Hart, but you seemed less than happy when you discovered Emma had been left in your charge.”
He winced internally at that, because she made a good point. He hadn’t wanted the baby. Had resented that Bill had remembered that long-ago promise Ethan had made. But whether he’d wanted them to or not, things had changed. That baby girl had started out as nothing more than his responsibility. Now she was more. Now she was his.
Just then, he recalled Sadie telling him, “If you can’t love Emma, maybe you should give her up to someone who can.” And he thought about that. Thought about that tiny girl. How it felt when she curled her fingers around his. How he felt when she laid her head down on his shoulder. How right it was when he checked on her at night and saw her smile at him with delight.
He did love her.
Might not have wanted to. Might not have counted on this ever happening to him, but Emma was important to him now. And he’d give her up to no one.
“Mr. Hart?”
“Emma stays with me,” he said flatly, coming out of his thoughts. “I’m looking for a nanny now and until I find one, my housekeeper, Julie, is helping us care for her.”
