Normally, there would be six other staff members and close to fifty kids since parents from nearby towns brought their children to Cradles to Crayons. However, when Bailey had told everyone what was going on, only those with no other childcare choices left their children—even after she had assured them that she would do everything humanly possible to protect their children. And she would. But it wouldn’t bring back the children anytime soon.
It broke her heart.
This wasn’t just her business. It was her life. And that idiot stalker was trying to rob her of what she loved most.
She fought back tears, again, and looked around the room. The tears dried up instantly when she spotted Parker. He was sitting on the floor, keeping watch out the front window where he’d pulled down the shade halfway.
But there was also a baby in his lap.
Maddie Simmons was almost two years old and had blond curls that haloed around her cherub cheeks. Unlike some of the other children, Maddie wasn’t afraid of strangers.
Obviously.
She was right in Parker’s face and was babbling while she wiggled her fingers in front of him. Parker continued to glance out the window, but his attention kept returning to Maddie.
Intrigued at this cowboy warrior’s interaction with the angelic little girl, Bailey walked closer. Parker looked up, and their gazes collided. He had a strange expression on his face, a mixture of shock, concern, amusement and a little of get-me-out-of-here.
“She’s teaching me the ‘Itsy Bitsy Spider’ song, I think,” Parker explained.
Maddie verified that by smiling and babbling, “Bitty, bitty pider.” She clapped her hands and then started another set of sounds. “Tinkle, tinkle.”
Bailey recognized this one. “‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.’ I think she wants you to sing it.”
Parker looked at Bailey as if she’d had just asked to jump out of plane without a parachute. “I don’t think so. I can’t sing.”
That only encouraged Maddie to get closer. “Tinkle. Tinkle.” She exaggerated the sounds as if trying to teach him.
Parker shook his head again, but Maddie persisted by pinching his mouth, and Parker finally mumbled the first line of the song. He was totally off-key, sounding very froglike, but it delighted Maddie so much that the little girl laughed and plopped a kiss on his cheek.
Despite the knot in her stomach, Bailey couldn’t stave off a smile. Children were magical.
She walked closer and eased down on the floor beside them. She positioned herself so that she too could keep watch. “Anything from the sheriff?” she asked Parker.
“Fifteen minutes ago he called and said several deputies from the surrounding towns have joined the search.”
“Good. If they’re still looking, that means they still have hopes of finding the driver of that car.”
“Maybe.” Parker paused. “And what if they don’t?”
That required a deep breath. “Then life goes on as usual.” She glanced around at the handful of kids. “Or as close to usual as possible.”
“Without me?” he pressed.
Another deep breath. “I’m sure with your credentials, Bart Bellows will have another job for you.”
“We’re back to that part about not wanting your mother to win.”
“Yes,” she said without hesitation. But then she hesitated. “You won’t have trouble getting work elsewhere?”
“No,” he also said without hesitation. “As soon as the sheriff gives us the all clear, I’ll call Bart and tell him I’m off the case.”
Bailey nodded. Good. This was what she wanted.
The knot in her stomach tightened.
Maddie tried to get up, but she got off balanced. Bailey reached for her, but Parker beat her to it. He gently caught onto the toddler’s arm and steadied her.
“You’re good with kids,” she commented.
There it was again—the total shock in Parker’s eyes. “I’m not.”
Bailey flinched at his suddenly rough tone. “But Zach—”
“I wasn’t around much when he was this age. Or any other age,” he corrected.
That sounded like old baggage that he didn’t especially want to discuss. Bailey shrugged. “I suppose it was hard for you to be home a lot because of your commitment to the army.”
Parker didn’t answer. He stared at the window, until Maddie began to sing her version of “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.” The cheerful song definitely didn’t go with the somber mood in the room, but her staff was trying to keep things upbeat.
Charlotte was at a work table making Fourth of July decorations with two of the older children, and Audra was arranging the others into a circle for a scaled down version of Duck Duck Goose. Bailey knew from experience that all the running around from the game would tire out the kids, and at least several would need a nap.
When Maddie saw the game forming, she babbled bye-bye to Parker, gave him another kiss and toddled over to join the others.
“Why this?” Parker asked, drawing Bailey’s attention back to him. “Why run a day care?” Parker’s investigation had confirmed her trust fund. She didn’t need to work. And she obviously loved kids…
Bailey heard the unspoken part of question, mainly because her mother often spoke it aloud. “You mean why am I here instead of raising a family of my own?”
Parker gave a begrudging nod. “I guess that’s what I meant.”
“I love kids, but I haven’t met anyone I’d like to have kids with. My last relationship ended badly.” Very badly. As in he turned out to be a low-life scum who cheated on her with a lap dancer and then told the press all about two-timing the governor’s daughter. “Let’s just say, I’m not a prize catch for most guys.”
“Right.” His eyebrow lifted. “You’re beautiful, rich and smart. Guys hate that in a woman.”
Bailey bit her lip to stop herself from smiling. “Thank you.”
He thought she was beautiful.
That was something else to take her mind off the black car, but Bailey did glance out to make sure it wasn’t there. “I also have a mother who’s the governor, and while Mom says she would love for me to marry and give her grandchildren, she’s yet to approve of any man I’ve dated.”
Parker stared at her. “You need her approval?”
“No.” Bailey pushed her hair away from her face. “But sometimes it would be nice to get it.”
He made a sound, a rumble deep within his throat. “In the message that she left on your machine, she seemed to be playing matchmatcher with you and me.”
“All talk, I assure you,” Bailey mumbled. “She’ll find fault even with a non-Neanderthal guy like you.”
She hated this turn in the conversation. Hated that she’d just revealed something that personal to a man who was practically a stranger. If she continued with this, it wouldn’t be long before she told him that she was toying with the idea of using artificial insemination to get pregnant.
Now, that would get him running. But it would also be revealing a secret wish that she wasn’t ready to reveal to anyone. Time to switch gears to something more palatable, but Parker changed it for her.
“Who’s that?” he asked and got to his feet.
She looked out the window and spotted the familiar dark-haired man making his way toward