Ironic. Overprotective dad and a mom who couldn’t wait two seconds to make sure her daughter wasn’t locked out. He blew out a breath. He shouldn’t judge, but his current late-to-work status was colouring his compassion meter.
Amaya and Bailey started talking over each other. ". . . so lame we have different classes this year.”
“Yeah, I'm in 4A.”
Amaya sighed. “4B.”
“I know.”
“At least we had second grade together.”
Bailey’s eyes lit up. "Remember when Ms. Ellen brought in those baby chicks? They were so cute!"
Amaya giggled. "And then one escaped, and you tried to catch it and fell into the bin of construction paper!"
Ryan pulled out of the hug-and-go lane. At least the traffic was better going this direction. There wasn’t any point in doing the mental math. By the time he dropped off Amaya, he’d have ten minutes to get downtown. That wasn’t going to happen.
Had he known the practice was cancelled, he could’ve asked Emma or Tyler to pull him a solid and take Amaya to school, but since it showed up in the effing updates folder?—
“Dad!”
Ryan slammed on the brakes. “What?”
Amaya pointed. “Bailey said to turn there.”
Ryan caught his breath, his heart racing. “Maybe don’t yell my name like that in the car. Unless we’re about to hit someone.”
“Well you were about to miss the turn.” Amaya leaned back in her seat, her arms crossed.
“It’s that house.” Bailey pointed to a modern bungalow. There were potted plants on the steps leading up to the porch.
Ryan thought about letting her walk up to the door, but given the situation, he figured some explanation was required.No, I didn’t kidnap your child from the school, but while we’re on the topic of kidnapping, you did leave her there alone.
He parked and got out, walking Bailey up to the door. He stayed to the side on the porch, not wanting to get too close.
Bailey knocked. They waited. There weren’t any sounds inside the house. After a few seconds, she reached up and rang the doorbell. It had a camera, and Ryan tried to look . . . not like a pedophile. It was difficult with the scruff on his jaw and the man bun. At least he was wearing a collared shirt.
“Do you want to call her?” Ryan held out his phone.
Bailey leaned closer to the door and shook her head. “She’s coming. I think she was just upstairs in the washroom or something.”
Ryan slipped his phone back in his pocket as the door flung wide.
“Bailey, what the—” The woman’s eyes snapped up, then widened as she saw Ryan standing there.
Ryan had planned on an explanation. He’d mentally prepared to tell Bailey’s mother that he’d found her at the school, practice was cancelled, and he was being a good Samaritan. But the words fizzled on his tongue.
Bailey’s mother was a tall, lean, athletic looking woman with chestnut hair that was pulled up in a twist at the back of her head. There were water droplets on her shoulders and thighs.
Which he could clearly see.
Because she was standing in her doorway wearing only a towel.
Chapter
Two
Aelin clutchedher towel tighter around her chest, cognizant of the dripping water pooling on the wood floor. A tendril of hair had broken free from her claw clip and now stuck to her shoulder, and her skin still prickled from the hot shower.
