Page 31 of Tempt Me-

A quick call to Kate Collins, the district attorney, answers my questions, and I don’t like what I learn.Parker was released from jail when his conviction was overturned due to a technicality the DA doesn’t bother to explain, and I really didn’t care why.The end result is the same.He is out and the state is retrying him.Because I moved to Connecticut and there was no reason for her to leave a forwarding address, as the case was concluded, it took Kate time to find me and let me know I’ll be needed at another trial.

I amnothappy.

I don’t want my life, my job, or Austin and Bailey’s life disrupted by me having to go to New York to testify.

I sigh and am about to head to my room when the home telephone rings.I answer.

“Rhodes residence.”

“Hello, is Mr.Rhodes home?”an efficient female voice asks.

“No, can I take a message?”I tuck the phone between my ear and shoulder and grab a piece of paper and pen.

“It’s the Lakewood Elementary School.”

“This is Mia Atwood, Bailey’s nanny.Is everything okay?”

“Oh, Ms.Atwood.I see you’re on the approved list to pick up Bailey.We seem to have an issue.There’s a woman here claiming to be Bailey’s mother and she’s insisting she see her daughter.She wants to remove her from the premises but she’s not on our list.”

“No, she isn’t.I’ll call Mr.Rhodes immediately.Please don’t let her anywhere near Bailey,” I say.“I’ll come by myself to pick her up when school is over.”

“The problem is, the children were in the hallway walking to the gym, and Bailey saw Ms.Gibson.We took Bailey away and brought her to the nurse’s office, but Ms.Gibson is still here and making a scene,” the other woman explains, sounding upset now that she’s gotten into the details.

My stomach flips over.“I’ll call Mr.Rhodes immediately.Please don’t let her near Bailey,” I repeat urgently.

I hang up the phone, grab my cell phone in one hand and my keys in another.I set the house alarm and call Austin’s cell phone as I run for the car, which I left in the street, thinking only of getting to the school and to Bailey as quickly as possible.

He picks up on the second ring.“Mia?What’s wrong?”he asks, probably because I never call him unless Bailey is sick.

“Your ex is at Bailey’s school.”I detail the rest of the situation.“I’m heading over now.”

Austin swears.“Okay, I’ll meet you there.I’m already on my way home, so it shouldn’t take long.You know what to do.Keep her away from my baby.”

I swallow hard.I know.“You got it,” I promise as I reach my car.

The school isn’t far from the house, and I reach it in record time, bypassing yellow lights that turn red as I drive past.

I arrive at the school, stopping at the main office to sign in.I don’t see Kayla, and I don’t ask where she is.

“Where’s Bailey?Is she still at the nurse’s office?”

The gray-haired woman behind the desk in the office nods.“I thought it would be best to put her someplace where she couldn’t see her mother since what she said seemed to upset her so much.”

I swallow hard.“Where is it?”

“Down the hall to the left,” the other woman says.

I run, slowing when I reach the nurse’s office, not wanting to freak Bailey out.I step into the room and smile at the school nurse.

“I’m here for Bailey?”

“Mia!”The little girl flies out from a side room and wraps her arms around me, holding on tight.

“Hey, baby.”I glance over her head to meet the nurse’s kind gaze.“Is she okay?”

“A little shaken up.She stopped crying when I gave her juice and a book to read so she’d put the incident out of her mind.I just thought it was best she went home early to her family.”

I stroke the child’s head.“Her father will be with her in a little while,” I assure the nurse.“Ready to go home?”