Nadia was in the same holding pattern. It might be cynical, but Sky didn’t think this was the time Nadia would stick to her declaration either and she tried damn hard to keep the doubt out of her voice. “I know you’re a private person, Nadia, but honesty is necessary for me to understand what’s going on. Why should I lie to Rex?”
“Because I’m leaving him. For real this time. A friend is letting us stay with her. I need this job and this is the first place he’ll try to find me.”
“As happy as I am that you’re taking a positive step, do you think he’ll believe you just up and left town? Especially when he knows how much you like working here?”
“He thinks I hate this job.”
That was a new twist. “Excuse me?”
Nadia thrust out her chin. “It’s not true. I lied to him. In the last couple of weeks I started complaining to him about this place and how bad it’d gotten. How I hated everyone who worked here. I even hinted I was looking around for something else and I’d found another daycare for Anton.”
Smart woman, laying the groundwork, but it made Sky absolutely sick that Nadia had to go to this much trouble to get out of a horrid, unsafe situation.
“When he realizes we’re gone, hopefully he’ll think I’ve moved to Denver. I told him I have cousins there.”
“Do you?”
“No. I don’t have any friends there either, so there’s no way he can trace me. Except through here.”
Skylar stayed calm and professional even as she wanted to ask more detailed questions on why Nadia was convinced this outlandish ruse would work. She tapped the pen on her calculator, contemplating issues Nadia might not have considered, but ones that affected everyone in her employ. “Is the woman who’s hiding you out another employee?”
“No. I’d never ask that of someone or put such a burden on you. You’ve been very good to me, which is why I hate to ask such a big thing. Again.”
Helpless to say no, Sky said, “Okay. I’ll inform Annie since she fields most of the phone calls. But you have to promise me one thing, Nadia.”
“What?”
“If anything changes, if you decide to return home, or if he threatens you, you have to tell me right away. I can’t be flying blind in this situation when I have a business to run and other employees—including children—to consider.”
“I promise. But this time it’s for real.”
Sky wanted to ask what’d happened to force the change. She wanted to know if Nadia had enough money. If Anton had his favorite toys. If Nadia was scared. However, Sky did none of that. It’d make Nadia even more self-conscious and might make her reconsider her plan if Sky questioned it.
She pretended to squint at the clock when she was trying to hold it together and follow Nadia’s lead, remaining brusque and businesslike. “Ten minutes until quitting time. Maybe you’d better fill in your coworkers on what’s going on before you take off.”
Nadia nodded.
Just as Skylar took a breath and dropped the mask of hard-ass boss lady, Nadia stopped at the door and turned around.
“That man who was here earlier? Is he Eliza’s father?”
“Yes.”
“Why wasn’t he around before, when you were pregnant?”
Wow. That was an intensely personal question from mind-your-own-business Nadia. “That’s a long story and one I’d rather not get into. Why do you ask?”
“Because he reminds me of my husband. A stubborn cowboy. A big man who’ll use his fists to prove himself.”
“Kade is not like that.”
“Don’t kid yourself. They’re all like that,” Nadia said, and slipped out the door, leaving Skylar in stunned silence.
An hour later, Skylar entered the quiet house. No sign of Eliza or Kade in the living room. Maybe they were napping upstairs.
She rooted around in the freezer and threw a boxed casserole in the microwave. She set the plates and silverware on the ruffled placemats and poured two glasses of tea.
The stairs creaked and a freshly showered Kade entered the kitchen with an empty bottle. “She’s scrubbed, fed and sleepin’. I ain’t gonna claim sleepin’ like a baby, ’cause I’ve learned that sayin’ is a total lie. But she’s out.”
“Great timing. Dinner’s done.”
“Good. That looks mighty tasty. Thanks for cookin’.”
“You’re welcome.” Weren’t they civilized and polite? What happened to the heated looks and his suggestion of taking her to bed? Why didn’t he suggest they skip supper and head straight for dessert?