Falling for Mr. Wrong(18)

“How did he react?”

“He wasn’t happy about it.”

“Oh.” Marie winced. “Ouch.”

“Yeah. I mean, he didn’t say anything mean. But he didn’t have to. It was obvious he didn’t want me there.”

“But why? I thought you had a great night together. You told me it was one of those beautiful ‘star-crossed lovers, love at first sight’ sort of nights. Not that I’ve ever had one of those myself, except maybe with Oscar here.” She planted a quick kiss on the baby’s head.

“That’s the problem,” Kelsey said. “We never thought we’d see each other again. We talked about crazy, secret things. He told me how he felt about his divorce. I told him I didn’t think I was coming back from Annapurna. Now he thinks I’m some kind of insane person with a death wish—not exactly the sort you want watching your children.”

Marie waggled a finger in her direction. “He may have a point, you know. Seen your dad today? What training schedule has he put together for this week?”

There were only a few things in Kelsey’s life she refused to talk about, even with Marie. Her father happened to be one of them. “Don’t you think I’ve had enough of a crappy day already, without bringing up my dad?”

“Fine. Then I’ll quiz you about Ross instead,” Marie said. “What’s the chance of future upside-down shower sex?”

Kelsey tried to imagine Ross whispering naughty words into her ear while water rushed over them. All she got was an image of his brows pressed together with distaste, and his voice saying, “Are you sure you’re qualified?”

“I’m going to say limited,” she said. “I think he wanted to kick me out in the morning, but he’s got some rush presentation thing to do for Herriot at the end of the week, so he told me to come back tomorrow at nine.”

“So he’s a jerk.” Marie dropped a kiss on Oscar’s head. “And I thought he was so promising.”

“He’s not a jerk. I wish he were a jerk. He’s just being a protective dad and I’m a weird chick he hooked up with in a bar who suddenly appeared to be his babysitter.” Kelsey rubbed a hand across her face. “It was just so uncomfortable. Like running into your gynecologist at the park. Please, please, please tell me Hope is going to be able to go back on Wednesday. Because two days of this is all I can handle.”

Marie cleared her throat. “Well, there’s a chance…”

“No,” Kelsey wailed. She grabbed a throw pillow and held it over her face.

With one hand, Marie peeled the flowered brocade back a few inches. “She’s still in pretty bad shape.”

Kelsey made a garbled sound of despair. “Send someone else.”

“It wouldn’t be fair to give the kids another temp when they’ve already bonded with you.”

“They haven’t bonded with me,” Kelsey said. “I’ve alternately starved them and tried to poison them. There’s no bonding to speak of.”

“That’s exactly the sort of thing kids love, silly.”

Marie dug her cell phone out of her pocket and pulled up a picture. “Look at this. Hope sent me a picture from the hospital.” Kelsey recoiled from the image of Hope’s face, which looked more like it belonged to one of the undead than the lively young woman she recalled. “They had a horrible time getting the IV started, because she’s so dehydrated. And things are still coming out both ends, if you know what I mean.”

“Marie, please,” Kelsey held up her hand to block any further explanation. “That’s definitely TMI.”

“You’re a nanny now.” Marie waved an imperious hand to dismiss any objection. “You can handle it.”

Kelsey threw down the pillow and stood. “Oh no. I have my limits. If this job involves cleaning something that has emerged from either end of a human being, I’m out of here.”

A loud noise erupted from the bundle in Marie’s arms. It sounded low and…wet? Kelsey’s mouth dropped open. “Please tell me that wasn’t what it sounded like.”

Marie smiled wickedly and held out Oscar. “Hold your nose, sugar. Your training has officially begun.”

…

Kelsey woke up early the next morning so she could do one of her favorite training runs—Green Mountain—before she had to leave for Ross’s house. The trail up the mountain was steep and narrow, and in places slick with packed earth and well-worn rocks. By 6:00 a.m., she had watched the sunrise on top of the mountain and run most of the way back down, just as the trail was starting to fill with other runners seeking the high of getting in several thousand feet of altitude before the sun got too hot. Then, near the bottom of the trail, she hit a patch of loose rocks and her feet slid out underneath her.