AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Callum sighed. ‘It’s patently obvious you don’t want to be here, Hailey.’
‘No, really, I…’ What? I what? I’m looking forward to it? I want nothing more than to babysit your not-out-of-the-woods-yet adorable six-year-old?
‘Hailey, I’m hardly likely to leave my son with a woman who looks like she’d rather have a hole drilled in her head.’
She felt a shaft of guilt lance her chest. She closed her eyes briefly and shut the door. ‘I’m sorry. Go. Really. I’m not…I mean…’ Hailey looked at him looking at her expectantly. Waiting for her to say something that would make her behaviour less odd. Unfortunately, she couldn’t think of a damn thing. ‘You wouldn’t understand.’
Callum put his hands on his hips. ‘Try me.’
‘Tooth’s done, Daddy.’
Tom’s chirpy interruption was just what Hailey needed to pull herself together. She’d almost said something really stupid. Like, I feel insanely attracted to you and I’m petrified.
Callum shut his eyes briefly, inwardly cursing Tom’s bad timing. He crouched down. ‘Open up,’ he said.
Tom opened his mouth and Callum inspected his son’s job. ‘Looks good, Tommy.’ He pulled him close for a hug and inhaled the sweet smell of bubblebath and baby powder. His heart ached in his chest as Tom wrapped his arms around his neck and held on tight.
They were a team. He and Tom. They’d been alone for most of Tom’s young life and been through some very tough times. Tom desperately wanted a mother—and a baby brother—but Callum just wasn’t in the market for a relationship, no matter how much Hailey had revived his libido.
Losing Annie had been hard and he didn’t want to set himself up for any more heartache. He certainly wouldn’t be stupid enough to fall for someone who had ‘Keep out’ written all over her. He didn’t need someone in his life who had even more baggage than him.
‘C’mon, Hailey.’ Tom squirmed out of his father’s embrace and took his reluctant babysitter’s hand. ‘Do you like reading? Can you read to me?’
Hailey’s gaze locked with Callum’s for a brief moment before she dragged it away. ‘I like reading best of all.’ Hailey pulled her own book out of her bag and waggled it, grinning down at Tom.
‘I like it the mostest too,’ Tom agreed, tugging on Hailey’s hand, dragging her hobbling form into the lounge.
Callum left them to it, gathering his stuff, slipping on some shoes. He wandered into the kitchen and placed Tom’s plate and cutlery into the dishwasher. Tom’s laughter drifted in to him and he lounged in the archway between the two rooms for a few minutes.
Although they had their backs to him, he could easily see them snuggled in a single armchair, Tom firmly ensconced on Hailey’s lap, their heads close together. They were reading Tom’s favourite book about animal mothers. Hailey laughed at something Tom said and Tom pointed at a picture.
She was a natural with him. So why hadn’t she been comfortable with the idea of babysitting him? Why the reticence when she’d first arrived? Was it Tom or was it to do with him? With them. With the insane attraction that was between them?
‘How come you’re not a mummy, Hailey? Beth has Birdie and Rilla’s going to be a mummy soon.’
Callum closed his eyes. Six-year-olds weren’t exactly known for their tact. He opened his mouth to tell Tom to mind his own business but shut it instead, curious to know the answer.
Hailey’s hand stilled on the page. Just like a kid to cut to the chase. ‘I almost was,’ she said, her pulse reverberating loudly through her head. ‘A few years back. But then it didn’t happen.’
Callum straightened. Almost? Had Hailey had a miscarriage? Was this the sorrow he sensed she carried with her? Was this why looking after Tom was so hard?
‘My mummy’s dead.’
Callum shut his eyes. It was so matter-of-fact. So childlike. Spoken with no emotion from a little boy who had no true concept of what a mother was. It was so unfair.
Hailey nodded slowly. ‘Yes, I know. That’s very sad.’
‘It would have been good having a mummy in hospital. I was scared.’
Callum sucked in a breath. Tom had never verbalised that before.
Hailey noted Tom’s vice-like grip on his torch and her heart went out to him. ‘You’re lucky you have a very special daddy who was there for you.’
Tom nodded. ‘A mummy would have been good too. For Daddy also. He misses her. Grandma says so and he goes all googoo-eyed sometimes when he thinks I’m not watching.’
Hailey smiled at the description despite the heaviness in her heart. Another man still in love with his wife—she sure knew how to pick ’em.
