Free Always in Her Heart by Marta Perry Page A

noticed that Annie always talked to the child while she was doing something. Maybe that was the solution.
    Marcy looked up at him while he snapped the pajamas, her blue eyes wide and round. “Nan?”
    â€œNan had to go out for a while.” Had she? Or had that been an excuse to get him involved with the baby? “She’ll be back in a little bit. Link will put you to bed.”
    Marcy looked doubtful. Well, no more doubtful than he felt.
    He’d jumped into baby-sitting impulsively, driven partly by his sense of obligation and partly by his desire to see Annie do something he thought would improve their chances with the social worker.
    It hadn’t taken much thought to decide Annie ought to belong to the play group. All he’d had to do was question whether his mother ever would have done such a thing.
    Of course not. So the answer was that a good mother would do exactly the opposite of what his had done.
    He picked Marcy up, and the child settled comfortably in his arms. Annie’s hesitation had hinted at a shyness behind her cool composure. He hadn’t guessed at that. Still, she’d be fine. Jenna and the other women had been Becca’s friends. They’d make her feel welcome for Becca’s sake.
    â€œOkay, sweetie, time for bed.” He swung the baby over the crib railing as he’d done once before. She clung to him, letting out a cry that nearly pierced his eardrums.
    â€œHey, what’s wrong? You always go right down for Link and Nan, remember?”
    Apparently not. Marcy wrapped small arms around his neck and held on tight.
    He patted her back. “Come on, sweetie. Link has work to do. Be a good girl and go to bed. I’ll sing you a song.”
    That didn’t work. Neither did three stories in a row or four more lullabies.
    He tried plopping her in the crib and making a hasty retreat. In the hallway, he leaned against the wall. He discovered that his tolerance for heart-rending cries was only about a minute and a half.
    He pushed open the door and switched on the light. “Okay. I guess we’re just not ready to go to bed yet.”
    He gave a fleeting thought to the work he’d expected to get through tonight—the record-keepinghe’d taken for granted when Davis was doing it. Well, Annie shouldn’t be too late. He hoped.
    An hour later he and Marcy were still on the family room floor. He’d build a tower with blocks, she’d knock it over. Simple way of keeping her entertained, except that she was so tired she lay on the rug, reaching out with one chubby hand to knock the tower down.
    He heard Annie’s key in the lock with a mix of relief and annoyance.
    â€œWhy on earth is she still up?” Annie put her Bible and a notebook on the side table and slid her jacket off. She knelt beside Marcy. “What are you doing, sweetpea?”
    â€œMostly she’s been crying every time I try to put her in bed.”
    Annie pulled the baby onto her lap. Marcy snuggled against Annie’s soft yellow sweater. He shouldn’t be noticing that the color brought out unexpected gold highlights in Annie’s brown eyes. She dropped a kiss on the baby’s curls, then looked at him, brows lifting.
    â€œDid you try singing to her?”
    â€œEvery lullaby I know. And I read her favorite stories. Nothing doing.”
    He hated the defensive note in his voice. Why should he be defensive? This wasn’t part of their deal. He was supposed to take care of the company, not the baby.
    Annie stroked Marcy’s back. The baby’s eyes closed. “Did you try patting her?”
    â€œI tried everything. She was fine until I put her in the crib, and then she’d scream as if I were deserting her.”
    Deserting her. His father had taken off as soon as he’d learned Link’s mother was pregnant. If you needed a role model in order to be a decent father, he was out of luck.
    â€œWell, let’s give it another