Page 40 of A Baby for the Billionaire Cowboy

“It’s not her fault,” Xander said. “She doesn’t have any reason to be embarrassed.”

“No,” Carly agreed. “She’s young and goodhearted, and plenty of smart women have been tricked by bad men. But whether or not we think she should be embarrassed, she probably will be. I’ll tell her how we’re planning to handle this, and then the rest of you can gently sympathize and let her know that no one blames her or thinks she’s more trouble than she’s worth.”

“She never could be,” Xander said.

Carly and Mama exchanged a glance that seemed to carry a whole conversation. Uh-oh. He might have let his feelings show more than he’d intended here as well. Apparently when Daisy was in trouble, he couldn’t control his emotions.

What if he said something about Daisy being like a little sister to him? It might deflect their suspicion, but it felt like a lie. Besides, he probably couldn’t pull it off. Everyone said he was a terrible liar. Well, as long asDaisydidn’t suspect his feelings, it didn’t matter too much what other people thought. They didn’t have to warn him that he couldn’t ask out an employee. He was perfectly aware.

“We’ll take care of her,” Mama promised. “She’s one of us now.”

Chapter Seventeen

Aknock cameat Daisy’s door. She wasn’t expecting anyone, was she? She tried to keep track of the schedule of planned visitors on her phone, but she might have missed something. Or maybe Auntie Rhonda had simply decided to show up whenever she wanted. She’d broadly hinted that she ought to be godmother, which had seemed fair to Daisy then, but now Rhonda practically acted like she had as much claim to the baby as Daisy did.

Well, if Rhonda had showed up uninvited and unexpected, she’d have to take Daisy in her present messy state, with her bun coming undone and baby spit-up on her shoulder.

She opened the door and immediately wished she hadn’t.

“William.” Saying the name seemed to take all her breath.

“Hello.” His gaze swept over her. “Don’t you look a fright. I guess this is what happens when you don’t have me around to make sure you take care of yourself.”

Daisy gulped and tried to find her voice. “What are you doing here?”

“I came to see you and the baby, of course.” He took a step closer and loomed over her. He always had used his height to make her feel small. “It’s my baby too, after all.”

Daisy gripped the doorframe in one hand and the door handle in the other, as much to hold herself upright as to block his entrance. It wasn’t as if she’d be able to keep him from pushing her aside if it came to that.

She didn’t want William in her cottage. She didn’t want her safe space tainted with his presence. She didn’t want him to see Avery. She’d hoped he’d lost interest in her once she ran away.

But how would she really know? She’d blocked his calls. She hadn’t told him where she was. And Avery was his baby. That gave him some rights, didn’t it?

The ranch dogs stood behind William, ears up and alert. Usually they ran around visitors, nuzzling hands, wagging their tails. But now they seemed more like they were waiting for a command, and they watched William as if suspecting he was here to steal the silverware. It gave Daisy a little courage. She didn’t want William in her house, and it washerhouse, no matter who had paid for it. She could introduce him to Avery, but she didn’t have to invite William in.

“Wait here a minute,” she said. “I’ll get my baby.”

“Our baby.” William stepped forward.

The old Daisy would have backed up as he pushed into her personal space. Now she pressed herself against the doorjamb on one side and clung to the door with her other hand, filling the opening with her body. “One minute. Wait here.” Maybe he could push her aside, but he’d have to do it with his hands, not merely with his attitude.

For a moment his eyes widened, as if startled that she hadn’t immediately given way. Then his gaze narrowed. He put a hand on the door.

Lucky pushed between her and William, forcing him back. Buddy growled.

William flinched at the sound. “Fine. One minute. I won’t wait any longer than that.”

She closed the door and locked it. She leaned against it, gasping for breath. What could she do? Call Xander? He and Ava, and probably Josh and some ranch hands, wouldn’t be too far away. They’d come if she called them.

But what was she supposed to say? The father of her baby had showed up wanting to meet the baby? That sounded so reasonable. They didn’t know him like she did. She’d been fooled by him for so long before she saw past the surface. She’d almost married him. How could she explain that his presence now made her feel sick and dizzy, on the verge of panic?

She hurried into the nursery, where Avery was sleeping. She picked him up and pressed him to her chest, breathing in his baby scent and feeling his comforting weight in her arms.

“You’re mine,” she whispered. “I’m never letting you go.”

Her breathing slowed. She was being foolish. William didn’t really want to take care of a baby. She was quite sure that if they had married, all that would have fallen on Daisy. Babies were messy and loud and demanding, all things William hated. He wanted a wife, not an ex-girlfriend with a baby. He’d find someone else to marry, and they’d have children together, and he’d lose interest in Avery.

Her jaw clenched at the thought. How could anyone lose interest in this perfect child? Still, she hoped it was true. Surely he’d give up custody if she promised never to ask anything of him. Carly would help her with the paperwork to make sure William didn’t try any sneaky legal tricks.

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