The Single Dad's Marriage Wish (Bachelor Dads) by Carol Marinelli Read Free Book Online

at the moment. But I don’t always get called in.’
    ‘Fine.’ Charlotte nodded. ‘Just knock and let me know if you do get called so that I can listen out for him.’
    ‘You’re sure?’
    ‘Completely.’
    ‘Right.’ With supreme gentleness he scooped Bailey out of his highchair, cuddled the exhausted little boy into his broad chest. ‘I’ll give him a quick bath—if you could have listen out for him tomorrow night—’
    ‘Hamish,’ Charlotte interrupted. ‘Surely if there’s a chance I might be getting up to him tomorrow night then I should spend some time during the day with him. I mean it—I’d love to have him tomorrow.’
    He was about to say no, but feeling the exhausted weight of his son in his arms, the thought of just laying him down in his cot, of letting him just sleep, had a slightly bemused Hamish not answering, just heading upstairs to Bailey’s bedroom.
    Staring down at him, his face messy, his hair a matted mess of potato and a dreamy smile on his lips, Hamish envisaged heading downstairs and not having to pack the nappy bag for tomorrow, for one luxurious day not having to wake up a fretful little boy at the crack of dawn because his dad had to go to work. It was just too tempting not to head down the stairs and back to the kitchen to say yes to Charlotte’s generous offer.
    He didn’t even make it to the top of the stairs. ‘Thank you very much, Charlotte, if you’re sure. I know Bailey would love to spend the day at home.’
    ‘No problem. We’ll have fun. ’Night, then!’ Charlotte beamed.
    ‘You’re going to bed?’He frowned at his watch. ‘It’s only seven-thirty.’
    ‘I’ve been up for twenty-four hours,’ Charlottepointed out. ‘Just give me a knock when you leave—perhaps open my bedroom door so I can hear him.’
    ‘Sure.’
    ‘I’ve left the dishes for you to do.’ Charlotte smothered a yawn then gave an impish smile. ‘I cooked so you wash up—house rule number two!’
    ‘Fair enough—good night, Charlotte! Sleep well!’
    Never, when he’d said it that morning, had Hamish thought he’d be saying it again to her just twelve hours later.
    And never had he envisaged doing the dishes tonight. Usually there were just the two plates he and Bailey had eaten their ready-prepared meals off.
    Well, not really the dishes, but even stacking the dishwasher usually seemed like a mammoth task. There was always so much to do—always a stack of work he’d bought home, Bailey to feed and bathe, his bag to be packed for day care. It was just easier to leave the dishes for Elsie or put them off till the next day. But by eight o’clock the dishwasher was whirring, Bailey was fast asleep and most surprisingly of all there were no baked beans for Hamish’s supper turning in the microwave. In fact, there was nothing he really had to do!
    ‘Hamish…’ Charlotte poked her head around the doorway, making him jump, especially when he caught more than a glimpse of a naked, creamy white shoulder, naked because the extremely thin strap of her nightdress was halfway down her arm. ‘You could lecture.’
    ‘Sorry?’
    ‘Teach medicine—to med students. There’d be no night-shift callouts, you’d get all the school holidays off,which might not seem important now, but in a few years’ time…’ He was staring at her as if she was speaking a foreign language, and she realised he had no idea what she was referring to. ‘What we were talking about at the dinner table about you finding a more Bailey-friendly job.’
    ‘Oh, that?’ Hamish scratched his head and actually thought about it for a second. ‘I hate teaching, well, in a formal setting, although I suppose I don’t mind when it’s hands on. I don’t think I’d be very patient but, yep, it’s certainly worth a thought.’
    ‘Just an idea.’ Charlotte smiled, disappearing from view and still talking. ‘I’ll have another think for you—I’m sure I can come up with something!’
    ‘Er, thanks,’ he