Page 49 of A Baby for the Billionaire Cowboy

No. She wouldn’t assume the worst until it happened. At least she’d try not to. It was hard to have a positive attitude sometimes, but she was a mother now. She’d try to lead by example, so Avery would grow up believing he deserved good things in life.

A car door opened in front of her. Daisy jerked to a stop, ready to glare at the driver for opening the door in the path of a pedestrian on the sidewalk, but also ready to forgive them quickly if they apologized.

A man got out with a friendly smile that hit Daisy like a bucket of ice water.

William.

She gulped and gripped the stroller handles like a lifeline. It was fine. It would be all right. He couldn’t do anything to her here, in the middle of town. So what if he wanted to talk again? She’d tell him she hadn’t changed her mind, and she’d fight for custody... No, she’d refuse to talk to him at all. She’d tell him to go through Carly.

Daisy lifted her chin and met William’s gaze. “Please get out of my way. I have no desire to talk to you.”

He grinned. “Bet I can change your mind.”

He crouched over the stroller. Daisy wanted to flee, but her legs still tingled from the shock, and she couldn’t run fast enough pushing a stroller, and...

William stood up holding Avery. He opened the back door of his car and ducked down. A moment later he stood up again empty-handed. He’d put Avery in his car!

Daisy stared, her mouth open. William winked at her. He turned to the front seat.

But he’d left the back door open. Daisy shoved the stroller out of the way and dove into the back of the car. She grabbed Avery from the far side of the seat and hugged him to her chest as she rolled to a sitting position.

The car door slammed beside her. Daisy jerked away from the loud noise. William slid into the front seat.

Daisy lunged for the door.

The car started moving. Daisy had her hand on the door handle, but they were pulling out into the street. Could she jump out holding Avery and cushion him with her own body if she stumbled? What if she dropped him or fell on him or—

The car picked up speed. She’d hesitated and missed her chance.

“What are you doing?” she screamed at William.

“Giving us a chance to talk without anyone else around as a distraction. You used to enjoy talking to me.”

“Listeningto you, more like,” she grumbled.

“What was that?” he snapped.

“I said fine. Pull over, and we’ll talk.” Maybe she could get someone’s attention. She didn’t know everyone in town, despite the numbers who had trooped through her cottage to meet Avery. Still, it was a fairly small town, and the Tomlinsons were famous, so most likely everyone had at least heard of her and Avery.

“No, we’ll go back home,” he said. “No distractions there.”

Her phone! She’d had the diaper bag over her shoulder, so she’d dragged it into the car with her. She grabbed the bag and slid her hand into the outer pocket.

No phone. Had it fallen out? Holding Avery to her chest with one arm, she bent down and searched the floor.

“Looking for this?”

She straightened to see William holding up her phone. He must have grabbed it as she was getting in the car.

“I’ll keep it for now,” he said. “You don’t answer your calls anyway.”

They sped through town. It felt like they were going too fast, especially without a car seat for Avery, but no one seemed to notice. Daisy hardly got a chance to glimpse a couple of people talking on the sidewalk before they were past. She scooted over and tried to roll down the window so she’d be ready next time.

The backseat windows didn’t respond. He must have them locked.

And then they were on the road out of town.

Daisy’s breath came too fast. Was she hyperventilating? Her vision grayed, like she might pass out. This couldn’t be happening. She was being kidnapped, she and Avery, and William was dragging them away from the town and people she loved!

---