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Nikos found his son in the nursery, held in the plump arms of his new nanny The white-haired Scotswo an earl’s son from babyhood to university, and Nikos had hired her at an exorbitant rate His son e”
“Goodup the baby “Here to hold your son?”
“Of course” But, looking at the baby, he suddenly felt as if he were facing a firing squad What did he know about babies? He’d never held one before Nikos had been an only child, or close enough, and he’d never exactly been the sort of man to ooh and ah over the children of friends
Feeling nervous, Nikos gathered his child from the nanny’s protective embrace and held him aardly underneath the arms
“No, er…Mr Stavrakis, tuck him closer to you Under his bum”
Nikos tried, but he couldn’t seereed He looked up at Nikos, and his lower lip started to tremble He screwed up his face and started to wail
“I…I see into a cold sweat
“Don’t take it personally, sir,” Mrs Burbridge said in her friendly Scottish burr “The bairn is just tired and hungry He’ll soon be right again with a bit to eat Is his mum about? Or should I make a bottle?”
But Nikos could hardly hear her words over his son’s panicked cries He felt helpless Useless A bad father
“He…I…I’ll come back when he’s not so tired” He thrust the baby back into Mrs Burbridge’s arms and fled
Or at least he started to Until he saw Anna standing in the doorway of the nursery, staring around the room with an expression of wonder
“You didn’t change the room,” she breathed in amazee and cuddled him close His cries subsided to s of animals and trees on the wall to the soft blue cushions of theseat “I was sure you’d have Lindsey redecorate”
Lindsey? Redecorate his house? She could barely e to type his letters
“Why would I do that?” Nikos said uncomfortably “Damn waste of time”
But the truth was he’d loved this nursery Once Mostly he’d loved the way Anna’s face had lit up when she designed it
This was the first time he’d been in here since that awful day Cooper had called hi Nikos had been sure she’d been kidnapped Or worse
It had been one of the police detectives who’d first dared to ask, “Is it possible the woman’s just left you, sir?” Nikos had nearly punched the uments with Anna over her job and her family, Nikos had known he could trust her He’d never trusted anyone more in his life
And she’d made him look like a fool
“Ah, so you’re Mue, the new nanny A pleasure to meet you, Mrs Stavrakis”
“I’lanced at Nikos in surprise “Is that really necessary? I can take care of Misha, as I always have”
Nikos stared at the baby That nae it to Andreas No, he thought Even he thought of his son as Michael now—Misha Too late to change his nas
His own son didn’t know him He clenched his hands
“I’e, but we don’t need you—”
“Mrs Burbridge stays,” he interrupted, glaring at Anna “Since I don’t kno long you’ll be here”
“What do youI’ll be here?” she deone Unless,” she added, “you want to give me joint custody?”
The idea was enough to make him shudder with the injustice of it, but he showed his teeth in a smile “Your presence here is based upon my will and my son’s needs The day he doesn’t need you anyate When he’s weaned, perhaps? A few months from now?”
He had the satisfaction of seeing Anna’s face go white
She wasn’t the only one Mrs Burbridge was edging uncomfortably toward the door “I…er…now that you’re both here with your son, I can see you have o and take my tea, if you’ll pardon me…”