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

called to the closing door.
    Teaching?
    When he’d told her his problem he’d never thought she’d actually come up with an answer—and a good one, too. Not that he could see himself teaching but, still, it was food for thought.
    Padding around the house for the first time in the longest time, unsure of what to do with his first real free time in months, Hamish consulted the TV guide then, perhaps wisely, realising Bailey would make up for his golden behavior tonight in a few short hours, he bypassed the television for the sheer luxury of a quick shower and an inordinately early night, waking up, if not refreshed, at least semi-conscious when Bailey’s erupting teeth made their presence known around two in the morning.
    Tiptoeing past Charlotte’s room, with his handgently over a roaring Bailey’s mouth as he tried not to wake her, it was impossible not to be aware of her presence as he gave his son a cool drink, changed his nappy and then attempted to cuddle him back to sleep… impossible not to sit on the sofa and stare into the darkness and try to fathom how his life had changed in the twelve hours since Charlotte Porter had breezed into his world.

CHAPTER THREE
    A ND how it changed!
    Within in a matter of days the spare room was painted, the dog and cat had commandeered the sofa, the bathroom sink was barely accessible thanks to a mountain of make-up and fragrance bottles and, for Hamish, most difficult of all was trying not to notice the tiny, tiny, brightly coloured knickers constantly blowing on the clothesline, which was visible from a kitchen where the radio seemed permanently on.
    Charlotte was very firmly in situ!
    ‘Charlotte!’
    Waking up to her name and the smell of paint, Charlotte flicked on her bedside light and waited for a face to appear around her bedroom door, but instead it was the door that spoke, sounding incredibly like Hamish!
    ‘I’m really sorry to wake you up, only I have to go into work.’
    ‘That’s fine.’ Charlotte yawned. ‘I’ll listen out in case Bailey wakes up.’
    ‘That’s the problem—he’s been up for the last hour.’ On cue, Bailey let out a grizzle. ‘Look, it’s not an urgent call-in, you don’t have to rush…’
    ‘It’s really no problem!’
    She appeared moments later in the kitchen dressed in nothing more than a white cotton nightdress, a huge pillow crease on her face and blinking at the mess that had been created in the couple of hours since she’d gone to bed—the contents of Bailey’s nappy bag were strewn across the floor, and the coffee table was littered with various cups and baby bottles.
    ‘He’s teething,’ Hamish explained, pacing the floor with a fretful Bailey. ‘Normally you wouldn’t even have to get up at all—when he isn’t teething he sleeps right through. I don’t know what he wants!’
    ‘A new set of gums, perhaps. Poor little thing…’ She pouted at Bailey and held out her arms to him. Amazingly he stopped crying but, just a little bit shy, just a little bit coy, he lowered his head back into his dad’s neck.
    ‘You didn’t have to race down.’ Hamish gave a small cough, trying and failing not to notice the very thin spaghetti straps on her nightdress, which looked as if they might snap against the strain of her—very clearly minus a bra—bosom. ‘You can go and, er, put on a dressing gown or something and I’ll make you a coffee.’
    ‘I don’t own a dressing gown…’ Charlotte yawned. ‘And I don’t want a coffee at this hour—it will keep me up.’
    ‘That’s the intention,’ Hamish said dryly, gesturing to the coffee table and feeling miffed and pleased at thesame time when, on the second offer of a cuddle, Bailey happily deserted him. ‘You’re sure you’ll be okay? You can call me on my mobile and Belinda’s number’s on the fridge.’
    ‘Have you tried an ice-lolly?’
    ‘Sorry?’
    ‘For his gums,’ Charlotte said patiently, staring at Bailey’s red face and dribbling sore