The Nanny (The Fabulous Dalton Boys Book 1) (8 page)

Kalee sighed.  "I'll go get it.  You get the car."  She handed Brooklyn her ticket for the valet and hurried back into the main room.

Brook studied Ashley for a moment.  "Are you hungry?"

Ashley thought about it for a moment, and then nodded.  "I'm really hungry.  I hadn't even realized."

"Let's talk Kalee into stopping, and we' have a nice dinner instead.  That's what we should have done to begin with."  Brook hugged Ashley.  "I'm really sorry we brought you somewhere that made you uncomfortable."

Ashley shrugged.  "It was a learning experience.  That place is really sad!"

"It is?  I thought it was fun!"

"Did you notice all those women who were running around paying for dances, just so they could get hugs from the men?"

Brook's eyes widened and she shook her head.  "No one really did that, did they?"  She'd obviously been so wrapped up having a good time herself, she hadn't noticed the other women.

"Several of them.  One woman paid for lap dances with every single man there.  I wanted to give my aunt's business cards out to everyone."

Kalee came up behind the other two.  "What does your aunt do?"

Ashley excitedly explained her aunt's business concept.  "Well, she's a psychologist and has a counseling practice, but a while back, she came up with this brilliant idea for a business.  She actually matches people up and introduces them at the altar.  She does hours and hours of interviews and psychological tests.  They've all worked out so far."

They all got into the car and Kalee drove from the parking lot.  "Are you kidding me?  People actually agree to that?"

"Yes, and it's awesome!  I seriously thought about being one of her clients, but I guess there's no need now."

Brook snorted from the front seat.  "I can't see Barrett agreeing to something like that.  I never would have thought he'd be the type to elope."  She shrugged.  "Of the three he always seemed to be the boring one, you know?  Emotions always in check.  He never got into fights at school, never got caught under the bleachers making out with the cheerleaders.  I think the baby's mother is probably the only woman he's ever been with."

Ashley knew better than that, but she was glad to hear that Barrett had told her the truth about himself.  "He needed a mother for Bradley.  It's not like he has feelings for me at all."

"Bradley?" Kalee asked.  "Is there another baby I don't know about?"  She sounded panicked at the idea.

"No," Ashley said.  "He's agreed to change the baby's name, and I'm trying out different things, seeing what sounds right.  Not Bradley.  I want something a little different, but not stupid.  You know?"  She frowned, wishing she could come up with the perfect name.

"Not like Dalton Dalton Dalton, you mean?" Brook asked.

"Exactly."

They ended up pulling into a little truck stop not far outside of Dalton to eat.  It was getting late, a bit after midnight, and most things were closed.

Once they were sitting, the waitress came over.  "What can I get you to drink?" she asked. 

Ashley looked up and read her nametag, and her heart stuck in her throat.  She was almost certain this was the baby's mother.  "I'll just have a Coke."

Once the other two had placed their orders and MaryBeth had headed back to the kitchen, she leaned forward.  "I think that's Baby David's mama."

Kalee turned and looked.  "We've got to play this cool," she told Ashley.  "Don't say anything about the Daltons or the baby.  We don't want a scene here."

Ashley nodded, but Brook pouted.  "She needs someone to say something about what she named that baby.  She may have been mad at Barrett, but that baby didn't deserve to suffer for it."

"Sh," Ashley said.  She was the only one who could see the waitress coming. 

"Do you know what you want?" MaryBeth asked, chomping on a piece of gum.  "Or should I come back?"

"We need a minute," Kalee told her, glancing down at her menu.  Once the waitress walked off, Kalee looked at Brooklyn.  "We can't afford any more bad publicity for the boys.  None."

Brook nodded reluctantly.  "Fine.  We'll just eat and go."

It was a tense hour for Ashley, who studied MaryBeth carefully.  She'd had sex with her husband.  It was hard to think about.  The woman was several years older than Ashley, her hair dyed a platinum blond.  Her jeans were too tight, and her breasts were coming out her top.  She had obviously not lost all her baby weight yet.

Ashley was happy to finally be out of the truck stop, ready to go home to her husband.  Of course, she needed to take a shower before he could touch her.  Between LaBare and talking to MaryBeth, she felt dirty.

"What am I supposed to tell Barrett we did tonight?" Ashley asked as they pulled up in front of the mansion.

"Oh, tell him we did girl stuff.  He probably already knows anyway," Brook told her, resting her head against the back of the seat.  "It's not exactly a secret that everyone goes there for bachelorette parties."

Ashley nodded, feeling like she was doing something wrong.  "Thanks for wanting me to have a special night."

Kalee turned to her.  "I notice you didn't say 'Thanks for a special night.'  We should have paid better attention and not done what everyone does.  Something that you would have enjoyed would be smarter."

Ashley shrugged.  "Hey, now I can say I've done it, so it never needs to go on my bucket list."

The other two laughed.  "I guess that's true!"

Ashley hurried into the house and back to her old room to shower, before she saw her husband.

Chapter Nine

Early Tuesday morning, Ashley's phone woke her.  She groaned and looked at the caller ID, sitting up in bed and going to the adjoining bathroom so she wouldn't wake Barrett.

"Hi, Aunt Lachele."

"Good gravy, girl!  What are you up to?  Why am I seeing your bottom in the air on the cover of
The Dirt?
And the headline!"

Ashley closed her eyes.  "What's the headline?"

"'Barrett Dalton Kidnaps Nanny and Marries Her to Get Mother for Baby.'  Ashley, are you married to one of those bad boys?" Aunt Lachele sounded worried.

Ashley sighed. "Well, this wasn't how I planned on telling you, but yes.  I'm married to Barrett, the baby's father."  Now that her aunt knew her father was bound to find out soon.  He'd probably fly to Texas and try to force her to go back to Montana.

"What were you thinking?  I don't know why I ask that.  The picture says everything.  You're thrown over his shoulder, your butt in the air.  Cute dress, by the way."

"Thanks," Ashley responded automatically.

"He's carrying you onto an airplane.  Did you get married in Vegas, girl?"

Ashley sighed.  "Yes, ma'am."

"If you got married by Elvis, and you didn't invite me, I'm not sure I'll ever be able to speak to you again."  Lachele waited for a response, and when she didn't get one, the outrage was obvious.  "You did!  You got married by Elvis.  I cannot believe this!  Why would you marry that boy after I expressly told you not to get involved?"

"He's not what you think, Aunt Lachele.  He's not like his brothers.  They're the ones who are always in trouble."

"So he didn't get some girl pregnant, and then refuse to marry her?  Is that what you're telling me?"

Ashley wasn't sure how to get out of this.  "Well, he did that, but..."

"Sex on a stick!  That's why you married him, isn't it?  Because he's sex on a stick."

Ashley felt the phone taken from her hand, and she looked at Barrett.  "I'm happy to hear you think I'm sex on a stick, ma'am.  What can I help you with?"  Ashley felt almost sick at the thought of Barrett having to deal with her aunt.

He laughed.  "It may not have been one of my finer moments, but I knew if I got her on that plane, and I could explain, I'd have a shot with her."  He was quiet for a moment.  "Yes, she is pretty incredible.  I'm keeping her."  He laughed again.  "I cannot wait to meet you, Aunt Lachele."  He handed her phone back to her, bent and put his shoulder to her waist as he had on the day in question and carried her back to their room, dropping her on the bed.  "I woke up early so I'd have time to make love to my wife before work.  I still have that time."

*****

Kalee dropped by to see Ashley that afternoon.  "Can I get you to make a statement that despite the fact that it looks like you were kidnapped and forced to marry in that picture, which it does, you married Barrett of your own free will?"  She collapsed on the couch in the living room of Barrett's wing where Ashley was sitting with the baby.

Ashley blushed and nodded.  "Does it really look that bad?"

"You haven't seen it?"  Kalee dug in her purse for a minute before holding up a copy of
The Dirt
.  Not only was Ashley on the cover, she was the big picture on the cover, the top news story.

"Yeah, that looks bad."  She sighed.  "Of course, I'll make a statement.  I really did marry him because I wanted to."

"And you'll make a sworn statement of that?  Like with a notary?"

Ashley nodded.  "I'll do whatever it takes."

"Good.  Why don't we go into town and get that done this afternoon?" Kalee asked.

"I'll have to take the baby, but that's fine."

"Will it hurt him?" Kalee asked, looking at the baby in Ashley's arms.

"No, I think little Mason will be fine.  I don't want to have him exposed to a lot of germs until he's at least six weeks, but it's summer, and there's not as much going around."  Ashley smiled at him.  "Not Mason.  I'll think of something."

Kalee grinned.  "Anything would be better than his current name."

"Well, that's true!"  She handed the baby to Kalee while she stood up.  "I'm going to go and talk to Brooklyn.  She'll want to go with us.  I need to go to Wal-Mart as well, and though it's not her favorite, it is shopping."

"Of a sort."  Kalee handed the baby back.  "I'll drive.  Do you have his car seat?"

Ashley had taken it out of the box, and it was sitting on the floor in his room but hadn't been used yet.  She led the way and handed Kalee the car seat.  "Rear facing."

Kalee nodded, heading out to install the seat while Ashley went in search of Brooklyn, the baby still nestled in her arms.

Brook was sitting in a chair in the main living room, her legs thrown over one arm, flipping through the pages of a magazine.  She looked up when she saw Ashley.  "How's the drooler?"  She'd warmed up a lot to the baby since she'd had him overnight, seeming to actually care about him a little.

Ashley grinned. "He's fine.  I need to go to Wal-Mart for more diapers and formula.  I thought you might want to go with me.  I know Wal-Mart's not your favorite place, but it's better than staying here and breaking a sweat...cleaning?"

"I'm taking a break," Brooklyn said with a grin.  "Sure, Wal-Mart's better than cleaning.  Besides, I want to see if I can find one of those robot vacuums, so it looks like I've done something on days I haven't."

"I don't think they sell those at Wal-Mart."

"It won't hurt to look—and looking for a new vacuum cleaner is a great reason for me to be shopping during the day and not cleaning, right?"

Ashley shook her head as she headed for the door.  "We have to see a notary as well, so I can state that I wasn't forced to marry Barrett."

Brook laughed.  "Nice photo on the front of
The Dirt
, Ash.  You could be a butt model."

Ashley ignored her, walking out to the car where Kalee waited.  Ashley got into the back with Baby Steven and put him in the car seat.  She shook her head.  Not Steven.  Matt?  Daniel?

On the short drive to town, she played with the baby's hand talking to him softly.  Brook stayed in the car with him at the notary, while Kalee and Ashley took care of business.

Once they were back in the car, Kalee said, "I'll drop you guys at Wal-Mart and be back in thirty.  I need to fax this to the TV station."  Ashley knew she was talking about the station that was set to interview the men in a couple of weeks to help improve their image.

At the store, she took Baby Randolph's carrier out of the car and snapped it into a cart.  Brook wandered along with her, happy to be shopping.  "Wal-Mart is the ghetto of stores, you know," she told Ashley.

Ashley just nodded and headed back to the baby section, buying more diapers and a few cans of formula.  Brook had wandered off on her own, looking at baby clothes. Ashley didn't know why.  Probably because she'd rather look at clothes than anything else, even if they were baby clothes at Wal-Mart.

When Ashley looked up to walk after picking up a couple of toys she thought the baby might enjoy, she found the aisle blocked by a platinum blonde.  "Hello," she said to MaryBeth, knowing the other woman must have heard the news of her marriage.

"Who do you think you are?  Give me my baby."  Her hands were fisted at her sides, and she was obviously angry. 

"He's not yours.  You signed away all rights to him," Ashley said easily, not wanting a confrontation with this woman, but not willing to back down from one either. 

"I gave him to Barrett, knowing he would need me to come and care for him, and then you swoop in out of nowhere and think you're going to mother my child?  Not happening." 

"He's mine now.  And Barrett's.  If you'll excuse me," Ashley tried to push the cart around the other woman, but she just moved to the other side of the aisle still blocking the way.  "This is harassment.  I will involve store management and even the police if I need to."

"Go ahead.  Baby's mine."

Ashley closed her eyes for a moment, trying to think of the best thing to do.  If she pulled her phone out and called the police, MaryBeth would really lose it.  Obviously the other woman had lost her mind.  "Look, I don't want to cause any problems.  I just need to get the baby home." She glanced down at Nathaniel and saw he was still sleeping, and she was thankful.  Loud voices tended to upset him, and his birth mother had no other volume.

MaryBeth gripped the back of the cart, and Ashley wasn't certain if she meant to thrust it at her, or pull it away from her.  Either way, she was not willing to have a fight in the middle of Wal-Mart of all places.

"Walk away from the baby.  He's mine."

Ashley shook her head.  She loved that baby, and she wasn't giving him up for anything.  No, she hadn't given birth to him, but at that point, she'd spent more time with him than his own mother had.  "No, he's not."  She reached down to remove the carrier from the cart when she saw three tall males walk up behind MaryBeth.

"You need to leave my wife alone," Barrett told MaryBeth.  "You gave up all rights to the baby, remember?"

"I did it so you'd marry me!  I knew that you couldn't handle him on your own!"  Her voice was louder and even more upset as she yelled.

The baby started to fidget, so Ashley unbuckled him from his car seat and picked him up, cradling him against her.  "It's all right, sweetheart."

She walked the other way down the aisle, knowing Barrett would get the cart and follow.  She walked to the end of the aisle and sagged against a pole, thankful to see Brook coming toward her.  "You called them?"

Brook nodded.  "I saw her block you, so I called Cage.  I didn't know what else to do."

"Thank you."  Ashley'd had reservations about Brooklyn at first, but she could see now they'd be good friends.  Brooklyn and Cage seemed to have something going on between them that was more than just boss and maid, but Ashley wasn't one to judge.

"I couldn't let you face that witch alone.  If she'd name a baby that awful name, imagine what she could do to someone she wasn't related to!"

Ashley laughed.  "You know what?  Would you go get Baby Ronald's car seat, and we'll go catch our ride with Kalee.  I'll text Barrett and let him know what we're doing, so he knows to buy the baby's stuff."

"Sounds good.  You were right.  They don't have the robot vacuums here. I'll have to look online instead."