She stood for a moment, having absolutely no clue what was happening.
“Ms. Prescott, isn’t it? Are you going to stand there all day? You’re late, which means I’m late. Even though your agency phoned, I can’t have this becoming a habit. I like punctuality.”
At that moment, a wail and a bang came from inside the house.
“Shit.” He turned and strode down the hallway.
Darcy stared after him for a few seconds and then followed him into the house. She was getting an inkling of what was going on. Obviously, he’d mistaken her for a nanny or a babysitter or something. What sort of man left a two-year-old with someone they’d never met before?
He disappeared through a door and the wail came again. “Lulu wants Matt.” The words were followed by a loud banging.
Whoa.
Darcy stopped short, her heart racing even faster. That was her niece in there, who she’d never seen before. The child was her only link to Emma. She gnawed on her lower lip. She should have introduced herself. But he’d hardly given her a chance. Now she couldn’t resist; she just had to see for herself.
She took the last few steps and stood in the doorway. Her gaze fixed on the toddler strapped in the highchair across from her. She’d been expecting a baby, but Lulu was a little girl. And the moment Darcy’s gaze landed on her, the world shifted and then stopped. When it started again, it was changed forever. This child was her only family. She’d seen photos of herself at the same age, and the resemblance was uncanny. Without a hint of childish chubbiness, Lulu had pale blond hair, a pointed chin, and dark eyes, slightly tilted—like Darcy’s. Darcy was one-quarter Japanese, thanks to her maternal grandfather. He was the one who had introduced her to martial arts; he’d had a friend who ran a dojo. He’d first taken Darcy there at the age of four, when she’d apparently been driving her mother crazy with all her excess energy. Darcy had loved it and never looked back.
“Matt not go!” The words were accompanied by more banging—the plastic dish on the wooden table top—it was full of some sort of yellow gunge which splattered onto the table and the floor and Lulu.
“You know I have to, Lulu. But I’ll be back soon.”
“Nooooo!”
Darcy resisted the urge to put her hands over her ears. How could so much noise come out of something so small?
He ignored it, crossed the room, and picked up a briefcase.
“Matt!” Lulu’s face was screwing up now, everything crumpling. She threw her spoon. It hit him in the chest, then fell to the floor. He picked it up automatically, placed it in the sink, and wiped the yellow gunk from his jacket with the air of a man who’d done it many times before. Lulu dropped the bowl, her little hands formed into fists, and she thumped the table, screaming.
Seriously impressive.
Matt ignored it. How could he be so heartless?
He came to a halt in front of her. “I’d meant to show you the house,” he said. “But I really am late. But I’m sure you can cope—the agency said you’re the best. So just find your way around. I’ve left notes as to what she eats and her schedule over there.” He waved at a counter, then without another word, he was gone.
She heard the front door bang.
For a second there was silence and she exhaled. Was the worst over?
Then the little girl glared at her, opened her mouth, and screamed again. Louder this time.
What the hell was she supposed to do? Before prison, the idea of a children had never entered her head—probably because she’d never come close to meeting a man she wanted that sort of commitment with. Since she’d gotten out, she’d bought a couple of books on babies but hadn’t read them. It had seemed too much like tempting fate. Which all meant…she knew nothing.
Lulu screamed again. Her face was turning puce. Surely that couldn’t be healthy.
“Maaaatt!”
Darcy put her hands on her hips, faced off against her niece, and roared, “Quiet!”
Lulu went silent. She blinked. Opened her mouth. Closed it again.
Darcy took a tentative step closer. Then another. It was stupid to be scared of something so small. Really stupid.
“Hello, Lulu, I’m your Aunt Darcy.”
And the screaming started again.
…