The Baby Project. Grace Green

Her silver hair sparkled in the sunlight, and her eyes glowed with warmth.

      “I’ve brought something for your dinner.” She indicated the covered Pyrex bowl in her hands. “A chicken casserole. I saw the moving van and I knew you’d be busy, what with having company and unpacking all your boxes.”

      “Oh, thanks, Elsa. You’re a godsend.”

      “How are things going?”

      Mallory rolled her eyes. “Don’t even ask!”

      “That bad?”

      “I was about to strangle him when you rang the bell!”

      “I’ll leave you to it, then.”

      “Come in and meet him—see for yourself how infuriating he is.”

      “I don’t want to disturb—are you eating lunch?”

      “No, we’ve finished.”

      “Then I’ll come in, for just a minute.” Elsa stepped inside. “Is Matthew having his nap?”

      “He is,” Mallory said. But as they passed the bedroom door, she heard a banging sound from inside. “He was!”

      Chuckling, she and Elsa went into the bedroom and crossed to the crib. Matthew was lying on his back, hitting his fist against the bars.

      The moment he saw them he beamed.

      “Oh, look!” Elsa said with delight, “I think that first tooth has finally come through.”

      Mallory scooped him up and as she cradled him in her left arm, she checked his mouth. When she saw a sliver of white in his lower gum, she ran a fingertip lightly over it and felt the sharp edge.

      “You’re right, Elsa!” she exclaimed, and gave Matthew a hug. “Oh, what a clever boy you are! Now let’s get you something to eat.”

      In the kitchen, they found Jordan slotting dishes into the dishwasher.

      Keeping Matthew tucked against her shoulder so he couldn’t see his uncle, Mallory said, “Elsa, I’d like you to meet Janine’s brother, Jordan Caine. Jordan, this is Elsa Carradine.”

      Jordan straightened and stuck out his right hand. “Hi, Elsa. How are you?”

      “Oh, I’m well, thanks. And you?”

      “Couldn’t be better,” he said pleasantly.

      Mallory ground her teeth. The man could be so darned plausible, with that open smile. But she knew him better…

      “My condolences, Jordan, on losing your sister,” Elsa said. “Janine was a very sweet girl. In the short time we knew her, everyone around here grew to love her.”

      “Thank you, Elsa. I appreciate hearing that.”

      “Matthew’s so like her. Oftentimes a baby takes after both parents, but I see nothing of Tom in him.”

      Mallory felt a rush of panic. She had to cut Elsa off, before this dangerous line of conversation went any further.

      “Elsa, would you pop the casserole in here and then I’ll get Matthew’s lunch ready?” She opened the fridge door as she spoke.

      Elsa slid the dish into the fridge and then held out her arms for the baby. “Let me strap him into his chair.”

      “Thanks.” She handed over the baby. “Just don’t let him see Jordan. He’s terrified of that beard.” Weak with relief as she saw Elsa focus on Matthew, Mallory swept her suit jacket off the high chair where she’d draped it that morning, and turned the chair so it faced away from Jordan. “There, pop him in. I’m going to hang my jacket up.”

      As Mallory left the room, Jordan lounged against the counter and watched Elsa strap the baby into his high chair. Matthew obviously adored her. Though Jordan could see only the back of the baby’s head, he could see the child’s chubby little hands reach up, could hear him gurgle happily to her. And Elsa just as clearly adored Matthew. Her face was wreathed in smiles, her voice loving as she chatted to him.

      ‘What a good boy,” she said, “to get your first tooth. And so clever, to get all that fussing over with before Auntie arrived, so you won’t be keeping her up at night and she can have the nice rest she so richly deserves.”

      Mallory came back into the kitchen and Jordan transferred his attention to her as she heated a small container of baby food in the microwave, and fastened a bib around the baby’s neck, murmuring affectionately to the child while Elsa took a seat and watched dotingly.

      Jordan hid a smug smile. He didn’t like to think of himself as being manipulative, but he’d undoubtedly pressed one of Mallory’s hot buttons when he’d oh-socasually announced he intended to buy a condo in downtown Seattle.

      He intended to do no such thing.

      He had no intention of uprooting Matthew from his familiar surroundings and friends. He had no intention of hiring a stranger to look after the child. And he had no intention of selling the house. But her outraged response to his announcement had been exactly what he’d counted on.

      By fair means or foul, by emotional blackmail if necessary, he’d persuade her to agree to shared custody. She didn’t trust him, and he had no way of forcing her to. But if his manipulations worked, she’d agree to his plan in the end, because she wanted what was best for Matthew.

      As he himself did.

      Janine’s baby was his nephew and his responsibility, and he was not a man who shirked responsibility. But Mallory was not only willing but desperate to take on that responsibility too.

      The baby was her Achilles’ heel. And he felt no compunction about taking advantage of that vulnerability, because the end would justify the means. He needed someone reliable to look after Matthew while he was working abroad.

      And Mallory Madison would make the perfect nanny.

      After Mallory had fed Matthew, Elsa said,

      “Why don’t I take him with me for a while? It’ll give you a chance to unpack without him getting into everything. All those boxes out in the front hall…”

      “Thanks, Elsa,” Mallory said tautly. “But I won’t be unpacking. I discovered this morning that Number Five belongs to Jordan, and he has put it up for sale.”

      Elsa turned an astonished face to Jordan. “This is your house?”

      He nodded.

      “Did Janine and Tom know?”

      “No,” Mallory said. “He didn’t want them to.”

      Elsa’s eyes were thoughtful as she looked again at Jordan. “In my humble opinion, that was a very generous thing to do. Such good deeds are few and far between today. And the secret acts of kindness are the most worthy of all.”

      Mallory felt as if her staunchest ally had taken a step into the enemy’s camp. But then Elsa went on, “Why are you selling now, though? What’s Mallory going to do?”

      “I appreciate your concern, Elsa,” Jordan said casually. “But we’ll work something out. Something that’s in Matthew’s best interests. In the meantime, I appreciate your offer to baby-sit. We need to clear the front hall before Burton Barton comes along at two with his client.”

      “Someone’s coming already?” Elsa scooped the baby from the high chair. “Well, in that case, I’ll be pleased to take this little precious with me!” She said her goodbyes to Jordan, and then walked with Mallory to the front hall.

      As Mallory hauled Matthew’s stroller from the closet, Elsa whispered, “What on earth are you going to do now?”

      “I don’t know.” Mallory strapped the baby into the stroller. “He says he’s going to fight me for custody…and win. And then he’s going to buy a condo in downtown Seattle and hire a nanny to look