Page 25 of The Six-Week Single Dad
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I just had some bad news and…”
She waved a hand at me, cutting me off. “I’m sure you did, but I’d prefer if you dealt with it quietly.” And she turned back to her book.
Every fibre of my body wanted to scream and shout. I made my way to the area between the carriages and opened the window. Standing an appropriate distance away—after all, I didn’t want to get into trouble with the guard, as well—I yelled out into the fields as we sped past. It helped a little, though not nearly enough.
As I watched the countryside and towns slipping by, I reflected over the past six weeks. Being a full-time dad had been a wonderful experience and I knew I didn’t want to go back to looking after Alfie a day here and a day there. The developing relationship with Bea was something I hadn’t expected, though it was rapidly becoming everything I wanted and then more. I knew I was in love with her and I had to tell her.
It was almost as if we had created the perfect little family.
A family that Maddy wanted to take away from me.
I couldn’t let that happen.
Chapter Fourteen
Bea
Diana was right, Diana was right…
The words reverberated around in my head like the sound of a train. One like what Hayden was on right now, I thought irrationally. I hadn’t had the opportunity to tell him what Catrina had told me before he went on his course, and when we’d spoken, it was all about him and Alfie. Now I wished I had.
Maddy stood in the centre of the living room, all blond extensions and high heels. After arriving ten minutes ago, she’d demanded to take Alfie back and wouldn’t wait until Hayden got home. She was dressed in a smart skirt suit that wouldn’t have looked out of place on the Square Mile. As I examined her, I noticed that the buttons wouldn’t last five minutes with Alfie around and the cream-coloured blouse she wore would soon be covered in sticky finger marks. She was talking, but I couldn’t take in what she was saying.
“I’ve spoken to Hayden and he knows exactly what’s going on.” She swept into Alfie’s room, where he was taking his afternoon nap. “So I’ll collect all of Alfie’s things and we’ll get going.”
I followed her and put a hand on her arm. “I think we should wait for Hayden to get back.”
“There’s no need.” She shook me off, not even giving me the courtesy of looking at me.
“You’ll disturb Alfie’s routine if you wake him now.”
Maddy whirled around. “What do you know about his routine? You’ve been babysitting him for what, six weeks? And you think you know everything? I was the one looking after him on my own for a year.”
“Hayden offered to help.”
“When was that? I must have missed it.” Her gaze bored into mine, silently accusing me of lying.
“You can’t waltz in here and take Alfie without Hayden’s permission.”
“I’m his mother; I don’t need permission.”
“Maddy, please.”
“And I don’t take orders from the hired help either.”
“I’m not the hired help. Hayden and I are together.” I couldn’t stop the words from coming out of my mouth.
The laugh that came from Maddy was tinged with sarcasm. “Oh, really? That didn’t take long. I always knew he had a crush on you. Tom’s little sister with her PR smarts and her beautiful dark hair.”
I wished I had the smarts now to stop her leaving with Alfie. While I didn’t want to leave her, I needed to find out where Hayden was, and how long it would be before he came home. Walking away from the tension for a few moments helped to calm me down. All I wanted to do was slap Maddy across her smug face. She might have the glamorous job in France and a rich, older boyfriend—oh, wait, that bit was true for me too—but she couldn’t swan around demanding everything her way.
As I entered the living room, the front door swung open and Hayden rushed in, dropping his bags by the sofa.
“Is he still here?” he asked, breathless.
I nodded mutely and pointed towards the bedroom.
Alfie was in Maddy’s arms, his cute little face screwed up as he cried. She jiggled him up and down, his cries getting louder rather than softer.
