“Enough, Delilah,” Hugh orders. “Go the fuck to bed.”
“Why don’t you want me?” she whines, wrapping her arms around his waist while pressing her lips to his bare chest and kissing.
“Because you’re fuckin’ drunk. Stop.”
“I’m going to go,” I say, raising a hand to get his attention. “This is hard to watch. It’s like I’ve walked into some sort of freaky sex club.”
The look Hugh gives me is enough to kill.
I give him a smile. “Good luck with that.”
Then, I get the hell out of there.
Hugh has a hell of a task on his hands.
Glad it’s him and not me.
Poor guy.
“YOU HAVE TO SIT HER up,” I roll my eyes, showing Hugh again how to sit Star on his lap to burp her after a bottle.
“She’s all floppy,” he growls. “Why is she so floppy?”
“She’s a god damned baby, Hugh. Use your hand to support her chin and the other hand to pat her back, like this.”
I put Star into position and, eventually, Hugh gets it. At least he’s trying. He might not have wanted this, but everything I tell him to do, he does. And although frustrated, he’s still here. It must mean something to him if he’s chosen to live in this house with Delilah and Star. He could have abandoned them, but he didn’t. He wants to make a go of it and that’s something.
“There you go, a natural.” I smirk as he awkwardly pats Star’s back.
She lets out a giant burp that has him pausing. “What the fuck?”
“Stop swearing in front of her.”
“She just burped louder than a grown man. How?”
I laugh. “Babies, they’re capable ...”
Before I can finish my sentence, Star follows her burp with a vomit. White milk comes spewing out of her mouth and lands all over Hugh and his leather jacket. I press my hand to my mouth to smother a laugh as the most horrified expression fills his face. Vomit drips from his hands and his jacket, as he slowly turns to look up at me.
Oh, the horror.
I can’t help it, I burst out laughing. My body shakes as I reach for Star, taking her from his arms. He looks like he’s about to bust a cap, his face is red as he slowly stands, the vomit running down his body now.
“Did I forget to mention babies vomit a lot?” I giggle.
“Do. Not. Speak. To. Me,” he growls, slowly taking steps toward the bathroom, hands out in front of him, expression hard.
“That’s a good girl, Star,” I say, laughing as I bury my face into the little girl’s neck. “Well done. Daddy deserved that one.”
“I did not,” he yells from the bathroom.
“You did. Karma is a bitch, Hugh.”
He growls.
I laugh harder.
“What’s going on?”
I turn to see Delilah walking into the living area, makeup smudged on her face, hair a mess, still wearing the clothes she came home in last night. I’ve not seen her less than perfect, it’s a nice change.
“Hugh got vomited on.”
She blinks. “Oh.”
Then she walks over and takes Star from my arms. “Hi, baby, hi. Mommy is so sorry she missed you last night. So sorry.”
She turns, kissing Star’s cheeks as she walks away.
“Morning to you, too,” I mutter.
“Get me a coffee, Maggie,” she calls.
“I’m not sure if you know this or not,” I say, “but I’m a nanny, not a servant.”
She glares at me.
I give her a sickly-sweet smile.
She is about to open her mouth and argue when Hugh walks back in. He looks at the both of us, and then distracts Delilah and her rude retort by saying, “What the fuck happened last night?”
That’s my cue.
I get the hell out of there.
I’m a nanny, I’m not here to get between them and their arguments.
No, thank you.
3
“How’s it going?” Gabby asks as I rock Star’s stroller with my foot, back and forth, while trying to sip on my coffee.
We’re at Eve’s café, Wildflowers, while Hugh is over at the club doing business. I told him I wanted to come into town, and he told me he’d take me, but only if I could waste some time first as he had a few things he wanted to do. I’m fine with that, I enjoy getting out, and after my car accident a few months ago, I’m without a car so I’m mostly relying on other people to get me around.
You think with all the money in Delilah’s family, they would provide me with a car.
She probably has a few spares lying around.
“It’s going okay,” I tell Gabby, my long-time best friend.
We just came out of a rough spot, when I slept with her best friend Rhett, but to be fair, I was going through a lot and made less than advisable choices. I thought Rhett would distract me from the turmoil my body was left in after I broke things off, for the millionth time, with Dion. God, even thinking of that name makes my stomach twist.
Anyway, Gabby and I had a falling out, but things are good again now. I never told her why I was sleeping with Rhett, because if she knew Dion was back in my life, even for a short time, she’d be disappointed in me, and I wouldn’t want that. She knows what he did to me. She knows the toxic road he took me down. She felt the attachment that I let consume my life.
I wouldn’t want her to go through that again.
“Is Delilah nice? She seems nice, but I’ve only seen her lingering about.”
“She’s not,” I say, shaking my head. “She acts like I’m some sort of servant and in the way of Hugh and her running off and living their happily ever after.”
“What is the deal with those two?” Eve asks, stopping at our table after hearing our conversation.
“It’s rude to eavesdrop, Eve.”
I glance over my shoulder at Doris, the local town gossip and best woman I’ve ever met. I’ve only had the pleasure of meeting her a couple of times, but every time she makes me laugh. She’s an absolute blast, and I could come in here just to sit and listen to her talk.
“Seriously, Doris.” Eve laughs. “You have been sitting here the entire time listening to their conversation.”
“I have not, don’t be silly. I wouldn’t know what they’re talking about.”
“So you don’t want to weigh in on the fact that Maggie is working for Delilah, then?” Gabby says, raising her brows.
Doris chews on her bottom lip, the lines in her face deepening as she frowns. Then, she can’t help herself, she blurts out. “I’ve heard all about that family. They own that big country club. Have you been yet? I hear there is some really sketchy things happening there. Like cover ups for murder and rape, or human trafficking. I’ve heard it all.”
Jesus.
I smile, in an attempt not to laugh. “I haven’t been there yet, but we’re due to go on the weekend. I’ll let you know if I find any bodies lying around.”
Doris raises her brows and leans in close. “I’m serious. A few years ago, there was a big investigation into them because girls were going missing and they all linked back to that country club, but nobody could prove anything. It’s very real.”