Matilda Next Door - Kelly Hunter Page 0,27

a child—every time he tried to think more on that his mind shied away from the problem. And that had never been his problem. Henry Church, with the ego of a man who knew damn well he could outthink all but 0.0009 per cent of the population. No problem too big to at least have a crack at.

So why couldn’t he picture a world with a child in it, without Matilda being there too?

Already, he was coming up with ways to make it up to Tilly—if she’d let him, and didn’t simply hand the baby over to him and disappear. Thirty hours of confinement with a tetchy baby. He had no idea what to expect from either Tilly or the child.

But Tilly exited through the arrival doors looking well put together, her hair in a tidy bun and a blue scarf draped just so over a pretty watermelon-coloured top and fitted grey trousers. She smiled when she saw him, a smile that touched her eyes, and it did something to his insides—made them twist and writhe uncomfortably. She was pushing an enormous stroller and an airline employee walked beside her rolling two large luggage bags. One of them was his, and likely crammed with baby paraphernalia.

The procession came to a stop in front of him, and the attendant passed possession of the suitcases to him and made smiling farewells to Tilly and the baby still hidden in the depths of the pram. Then it was just the three of them, looking for all purposes like one happy little family.

He wanted to reach out and enfold this smiling woman who stood uncertainly in front of him, but instead he rammed his hands in the pockets of his faded farm jeans and kept his distance. ‘Thanks, Til.’ Maybe she would think him a man of few words—but heartfelt words—instead of an emotional wasteland.

And then she folded him in a hug anyway, soft warmth and strong welcome that threatened to unravel him. He hugged her back fierce and fast, before stepping back and trying to disguise his weakness. ‘How was your flight?’

‘They had a dedicated first-class cabin-crew nanny on that flight for me—I kid you not, and the paperwork you sent through worked a treat when it came to immigration. It went so much better than I expected. How’s your grandmother?’

‘She’s holding her own.’

‘And Joe?’

‘Bit of a wreck.’

‘And you?’

‘I’m aiming for stoic.’

‘And you’re nailing it. Here. Let me turn the pram around. Look.’

He looked. How could he not? And saw big blue eyes regarding him curiously, and a thatch of curly red hair and skin the colour of cream. This was what came of his coupling with Amanda? Amanda, with her dark hair and olive skin, and eyes he couldn’t quite remember the colour of, hazel at a guess. Him, with his brown eyes and olive skin and dark hair too. Not that he knew exactly what racial mix he possessed, given he had no knowledge of his father, but still …

‘I’ve decided she’s a little sweetheart, never mind our rocky start.’ Tilly leaned down, her shoulder nudging his. ‘What do you think?’

He thought … things he probably shouldn’t question aloud unless he wanted someone else to have a stroke at his callousness. ‘Seems quiet enough.’

‘So, what’s the plan?’

‘I took the liberty of booking you into the apartment next to ours. Figured I’d take you there now—I know my grandfather’s looking forward to seeing you. After that my plans get fluid and revolve around where you want to go next, be it back to London or back to Wirralong, or wherever else you want to go. I’ll make it happen.’

‘If you add in a half-decent cup of coffee for me, you’re on.’ There was no artifice. No manoeuvring for advantage. ‘Tell me you got my list and have a baby seat in the car and a portable playpen that can double as a baby bed in the apartment.’

He tore his gaze from the baby and straightened. ‘Done. What are your thoughts on live-in nannies?’ Judging by the sudden cessation of her smile, she didn’t think much of them. ‘C’mon. Coffee bar’s right over there and it’s not too bad,’ he said without waiting for her answer.

She wielded the pram like a pro. He took charge of the suitcases. By the time he got the coffee and settled the baby in the spanking new baby carrier in the spanking new car, Tilly had recovered her bright side.

‘This a hire car or a new car?’