Page 12 of The Six-Week Single Dad
Hayden bent over the buggy and smoothed Alfie’s hair, his fingers brushing mine. This time it wasn’t just my ovaries that started screaming; all my senses started tingling.
“We should get going. I want to get Alfie settled as soon as possible.” He straightened up and turned to Maddy. “Where’s all his stuff?”
“In the kitchen.”
We traipsed into the other room. If I thought that I was able to travel light for a six-week stay somewhere, it was clear that Maddy wasn’t. For such a small person, Alfie had a lot of stuff. From what I could see, there was clothes, toys, bottles, food, nappies, the car seat…pretty much a duplication of the things that Hayden had already gotten around to buying. He’d be the cleanest, most well-fed baby around.
“Do you want to take some of that to the car, Bea? And I’ll take Alfie.”
Hayden tossed me the car keys as I nodded and went to pick up the bags. As I walked around to the car, I pondered on the fact that Maddy appeared to hate me. Apart from the fact that I was going to be with Hayden twenty-four-seven for the next six weeks, I’m pretty sure she had nothing to worry about. As long as I could keep telling myself that, everything would be fine.
By the time I came back, Maddy was in tears and stressing about leaving. Her mother was trying to calm her down, which was making Alfie more agitated. Hayden appeared stuck in the middle, not knowing what to do.
“Are you ready to go?”
Maddy wailed at my question, and it was clear that she wasn’t. If anything, she was more upset than her son. She picked Alfie up from the buggy and pulled him close to her, while he wriggled in her grasp. “I’m going to miss you so much, baby.”
If that were true, then why had she agreed to take the job abroad? The thought grew stronger as she thrust Alfie at Hayden.
“Here, take him. I can’t bear to be in the room when you leave.” She rushed out as her mother came back in.
“Have you got everything?” Maddy’s mother asked.
“I think so.” Hayden glanced around the room, as he rocked Alfie in his arms. “And anything we haven’t got, I’ll just buy.”
She patted his arm. “I’m sure you’ll be fine. You know where I am if you need to talk.”
“Thanks, I appreciate that.” He looked at Alfie. “Right then, little one, let’s do this.”
I took a step back while he settled Alfie back in the buggy and made sure he was strapped in and then we left.
It took longer than expected to fit the car seat, with some particularly choice words coming out of Hayden’s mouth, which Alfie appeared to laugh at. I’m sure he didn’t understand, but when I shushed his dad, he grinned. Either that or he’d just filled his nappy.
By the time we set off, it was getting close to lunchtime and my stomach rumbled.
“We never did do that online shop, did we?” said Hayden, eyeing me in the rearview mirror.
We decided it made more sense for me to sit in the back with Alfie, so I could check on him if he was getting fractious or anything. It felt funny being chauffeured by Hayden, even if he was driving slower than a tortoise.
“Nope. And you may be able to tell that I’m getting hungry.”
“Really?” He quirked an eyebrow at me. “I thought that was Alfie.”
I poked my tongue out at him. “All me, I’m afraid. And you might not like me when I’m hungry.”
“In which case, why don’t we stop off at the supermarket? We can pick up a few bits.”
“I like that plan.”
Alfie let out a gurgle, which I assumed meant agreement.
“Alfie approves too.”
“He doesn’t get much of a choice on this one.” Hayden paused. “This is going to be a real test of my parenting skills. I’ve only ever looked after Alfie during the day and on the odd overnight.”
“Now you tell me! I thought you were an expert.”
“Why do you think I needed your help?”
