Page 36 of Not the Bodyguard's Baby
Jethro turned the book over in his hands. “I don’t know if I should tell you this or not, but I believe Adam never stopped caring for you. But maybe you’ve figured that out by now.”
September burped Harmony. The process became easier each time, but she still wished Adam were there as he did it so much more efficiently. “I am trying to work on my feelings. I guess the whole family is rooting for me and Adam.”
“I think Andrew will be the happiest not having to deal with his surly older brother. If it’s any consolation, Adam missed you. His grousing and his warnings about client relationships probably helped push Abbie into falling in love with Preston more than kept her away. You know how she always has to prove her brothers wrong.”
“I can’t wait to meet the man who got Abbie’s heart.” She laid Harmony in her lap and spoke to her.
“Preston and Abbie should be here for our regularly scheduled Sunday dinner. And it happens to be the twins’ birthday. Having everyone here, we can have Adam over to the house with no suspicion from Shyla or Sven if he is following Adam. So you know, Adam and Deidre are having dinner tonight and trying to make things look like they are in a romantic relationship to see if they can get Sven to give up and go back home. He wanted me to tell you, so you didn’t hear it another way and think the worst.”
“Thanks for letting me know.”He wants me to trust him. Funny thing is, I trust him more than I trust myself.
The door connecting the garage to the kitchen opened, and Melanie came in holding up a bag. “I brought leftovers.” She set the bag in the kitchen and joined Jethro on the couch. “Shyla spent most of the time trying to figure out where I had you hidden. She assumes I know where you are and is acting on that assumption.”
September picked up Harmony’s giraffe and dangled it above the baby. “She pushed the relationship, and it probably had a lot to do with what happened. Still, I can’t blame her for the choices I made. Though I can blame her for not looking out for me. I decided before Harmony’s birth I would not use Shyla as my manager anymore. Even if I have to let her contract run out. Adam used to tell me she controlled me much more than other managers did their singers. I guess because I was a minor, part of her never quite let me grow up. Do you think I should call her?”
Melanie shrugged. “I’m not sure. Let’s see how the rest of this weekend goes. I got the impression she was using me as a messenger. She attempted to follow me, but I lost her on the tollway.”
Harmony craned her head to look at the others in the room. Jethro pulled an afghan onto the floor and laid Harmony on it, singing a tune about markets and piggies.
Melanie covered her ears. “Honey, please stop. September, rescue us!”
A silly ditty about a little blue man her mother had sung when September was little came to mind.
“One morning when I was out shopping...” The notes came out clear, not rusty, as she expected. Harmony wiggled and batted her arms, and September sang another song.
During the second verse, Jethro’s and Melanie’s phones beeped at the same time.
The alarm.
Melanie scooped up the laundry basket and hurried down the hallway. September grabbed Harmony and followed. By the time she reached the safe room, Melanie had already set the laundry basket down inside. “Good luck. Watch on the monitor.”
September set Harmony in the bassinet and locked the door. Startled by all the activity, Harmony began to whimper. September wanted to do the same. But she needed to be strong for her daughter, so she rocked Harmony, held her close, and sang her a lullaby.
19
Tension woundits way around the family dinner like spiderwebs encircling the room. After last night’s false alarm, everybody was on edge. Even with all seven Hastings in the house and Preston and Abbie’s bodyguards sitting outside, the anxiety didn’t abate. Across the table, September laughed with Abbie over some joke about pregnancy Adam wasn’t qualified to understand.
He had yet to speak with September alone. She looked well despite last night’s scare. He watched Harmony in the bouncy seat as she batted at her mobile. Before long, her eyes drooped and closed.
Halfway through dessert, Jethro’s phone beeped the alarm signal again. “Adam, go with her.”
Adam scooped up Harmony and the seat and raced with September to the safe room. Once there, he set down the seat and locked the door.
“You are staying in here?”
“Dad told me to go with you. And since I wanted to, I’m glad to have his okay.”
“But what if it is Sven? Your car is out front.”
“Sven won’t get past Preston and Abbie’s bodyguards. As we left, Andrew put the extra dining room chair away and plans to tell whomever that I’m in the half bath off the mudroom with intestinal issues. He’ll lock the door. Sit down.”
September transferred Harmony to the bassinet first. “I am surprised she didn’t wake up when I scooped her off the floor so fast.”
“The lights-and-sound thing Abbie brought sure kept her entertained. Do you want me to turn on the monitor?” As much as he wanted to know what was going on, he didn’t want to frighten September.
She bit her lip. “Keep the volume low. I didn’t turn it on last night and wish I had. The wrong house for pizza delivery wasn’t worth the panic I felt.”
“How did you cope?” Adam turned on the monitor. Their visitor stood on the other side of Preston’s guards where the camera didn’t reach.
