knew it would be a mistake to blur the lines between them, but Nick was becoming more and more enchanted with Reese.
He grimaced when he thought she might be in contact with her ex-fiancé. Was it possible she still had feelings for him? Nick had too many questions for which there were no answers yet.
“We’re in front of the Sweet Café watching the sailboats.”
“Don’t leave. I’ll see you shortly.”
Once he’d hung up, he shrugged out of his suit and changed into more casual clothes. To save time, he had Paul drop him off near the east rim of the pond.
A mild breeze kept the sun from being too hot. Tourists and locals came here in any kind of weather, but there were more people than usual milling about this afternoon. Quite a few of them were pushing children in prams and strollers. Nick scanned the area looking for Reese’s ponytail. She didn’t appear to be around.
One knockout blonde with hair attractively tangled caught his eye over by the water where she was examining one of the sailboats. She wore a filmy layered top in blues and greens over a pair of jeans defining womanly hips. Her slender yet rounded body reminded him of someone. He moved closer and suddenly his heart pounded with ferocity because he saw Jamie in the stroller in front of her.
“Reese?”
She whipped around, causing her wavy ash-blond hair to swish against the top of her shoulders. The change of hairstyle had thrown him. He couldn’t decide which one he liked better. Her hair had the kind of texture he’d love to work his fingers into.
At first glance her eyes flickered, causing them to reflect the blue off the water. They seemed to search his for a long moment before she averted them and leaned over to pull Jamie out of his seat.
“Look who’s here.” The second Jamie saw Nick, he grew more animated and squirmed to reach him. “You know your daddy all right.” Reese gave a gentle laugh as she handed him over.
Nick kissed his son, rocking him for a minute while he enjoyed the smell of her flowery scent on the baby’s cheeks and neck. “Have you missed me today? I know I’ve missed you.” He pressed a kiss to Jamie’s tummy, provoking more smiles and laughter.
Today she’d put him in the green suit with the grouper fish on the front. In his tiny white socks and white hightops, the picture he made tugged at Nick’s heart. He was proud to claim him and grateful for the meticulous care Reese took of him.
He flicked his gaze to her. “Have you walked to the north end to see the Alice in Wonderland statue?”
She nodded. “It’s wonderful. I particularly loved the Mad Hatter. I can’t wait until Jamie’s old enough t—” She stopped midsentence. He found it fascinating how an unexpected flush spilled into her cheeks.
“To what?” he prodded, already knowing the answer.
“I have a tendency to run on sometimes. Obviously I won’t be around when he’s older…it’s just sometimes difficult to think about not seeing this little one grow up.” Nick was gratified to find her this attached to Jamie already. In truth, for the past week he’d been imagining a future that included the three of them. Since the moment he’d brought her to the penthouse, he’d been happier than he’d ever been in his life.
He couldn’t pin it down to any one thing or moment. All he knew was that she was on his mind to the point it was interfering with his concentration at the office. “Let’s grab a bite while we’re here. Have you eaten?”
“I hadn’t planned to until we got back to the penthouse.”
“Are you hungry?”
“I have to admit a salad and lemonade would hit the spot.” No doubt she kept her expenses down by not spending money on food.
“I’m hungrier than that.” Since the advent of Reese in his life, his appetite had grown. Food tasted better. The sky looked bluer. When he woke up in the morning, the world seemed filled with new possibilities. He looked down at his son. “What about you, sport?”
Reese answered for him. “I’m sure he wouldn’t turn down a bottle. It’s warm out here.”
With Jamie against his shoulder, Nick pushed the stroller. Together they made their way to an empty table and sat down beneath the umbrella, welcoming the shade. As he looked around, it dawned on him he hadn’t been here in years. He’d been so busy making money for the brokerage, this part of life had passed him by completely.
“Here’s a bottle for him.” Reese handed him a burp cloth, too.
“Thank you.” His breath caught when their eyes met. “The waiter’s coming over. Will you order me a steak sandwich and coffee while I feed Jamie?”
The baby nestled in his arm, eager for his formula. He was hungry and virtually inhaled it, then let out several burps loud enough to bring some other diners’ heads around with a smile.
Laughter bubbled out of Reese. He loved hearing it. “Your son would be welcome in some parts of the world where it’s polite to burp after a good meal.”
He continued to rub Jamie’s back in order to get out all the air. By the time his eyes fluttered closed, their food had arrived. Nick lowered him into the stroller and put the canopy down to shield him from the sun.
While Reese ate her salad, he attacked his sandwich. “Did I tell you I’m taking him to his grandparents in the morning?”
She nodded. “I bet they can’t wait to see him.”
“Next time I’ll take you with us.”
A shadow crossed over her lovely face. “Why would you do that?”
“For one reason, you’ll be ready for a change of scenery. For another, Jamie is already attached to you. Another week of enjoying your exclusive attention and he’ll have a hard time being separated for a whole day. With you along to reassure him, things will go better.” He could tell by the shadows in her eyes she was worried about it.
“Don’t be concerned. You’ll be free to walk around certain parts of the grounds. Hirst Hollow is open to the public on Saturdays. You’ll be enchanted with the flower gardens.”
Reese finished her lemonade. He could practically see her mind taking it all in, working up a protest. After she put her glass down, she didn’t disappoint him. “No matter what, your mother-in-law won’t be enchanted to see the nanny along for the ride, especially this nanny!”
“Anne’s going to have to get used to it. You’re an integral part of my household.”
“But Jamie doesn’t come from a normal household.”
“Go on,” Nick urged, drinking the rest of his coffee. He was curious to hear the words she was getting ready to spout from lips he suddenly realized he’d love to taste.
“You don’t really want me to spell it out.”
“You’re wrong,” he fired back. “I’m fascinated by everything you have to say on the subject.”
“If I told you, it could be taken
