Baby Bodyguard: Book #3 (Baby, Oh Baby! Series (chockful of matchmaking, soul mates, love at first s

Prologue

“What do you mean I’m too old to have six children?” Sami Fontaine demanded. “I’m still in my twenties. Ihave plenty of time.”

Rosie—Sami’s sometime housekeeper and all-the-time best friend—had the unmitigated gall to snort. “Give it up, sweetie. I’ve known you for years now. Ever since you rescued me from that awful maid’s job next door. You’re the same age I am. That means you’ve left the big three-oh behind and are rapidly sliding into a solid over-the-hill thirty-one.”

Sami scowled. “Not until next week.”

Rosie leaned back against the couch cushions and rested her teacup and saucer on top of her heavily pregnant belly. “Be reasonable. Having six kids is a huge stretch.” She ticked off on her fingers. “You don’t have a husband. You don’t even have a boyfriend. Assuming you find the love of your life within the next year and marry, you’ll be pushing thirty-two before you have your first kid.”

“So?”

“Do the math. Are you planning on having a baby a year?”

Sami’s jaw inched out. “Maybe.”

Rosie gave another of her annoying little snorts. “Not a chance. You know full well it’s not healthy for you or your children. Look at my relatives. Carmela and Daria have six children between them and they barely have a brain cell to rub together. Those kids run them ragged. You watch.” She patted her belly. “As soon as I have junior, here, Iwon’t have a brain, either.”

“But they’re such sweet kids,” Sami said wistfully.

“I adore them to pieces, too. But it takes four adult women to keep six kids in line. What does that tell you?”

Sami shot her friend a mischievous grin. “That we’re rotten disciplinarians?”

“You’re getting off track.”

“I excel at that.”

“We’ve all noticed.” Rosie took a quick sip of tea, her expression growing serious. “Let’s figure this out logically.”

“Let’s not. You know how I hate logical people.” Sami made a face. “They’re so… logical.”

“You mean sensible.”

“Even worse,” Sami said with a shudder.

“Honey, if you’re going to have a baby, you don’t have much choice. You must be sensible.”

Sami released her breath in a gusty sigh. “All right, hit me. How am I not being sensible?”

“If you space your pregnancies two years apart, you’re talking about twelve years. That’s pushing it age-wise, Sami. Do the math,” she instructed again.

“I’ve never been particularly good at calculations.”

“No, you’ve never been particularly good at facing facts. Why, you’d be popping out that sixth one when you’re in your forties! Do you realize how old that’ll make you when your youngest graduates from high school? Assuming you survive that long with your sanity intact. And assuming all your parts haven’t already atrophied.”

“Atrophied!”

Rosie swept her hand through the air, the teacup rattling in its saucer. “Hey, you snooze, you lose. When’s the last time you gave everything a good shakedown? Run your engine at full throttle?”

“I’ve throttled plenty,” Sami insisted. “In fact, I’m thinking about throttling you right this very minute.”

“That’s not what I mean and you know it. You’re afraid of marriage. Admit it.”

“Fine. I’ll admit it. I’m petrified of marriage.”

“And we both know why.” Rosie threw her a sympathetic look. “But it’s a little tough to have kids without a father. Ask Daria. So unless you find a way past your aversion, Isuggest you reconsider having babies anytime soon.”

Sami drummed her fingers on the arm of her chair. “I hate being told no.”

“Don’t we all.”

“I suppose. But you’ve always taken it a lot better than I have. So if marriage isn’t a likely possibility and I really want a baby—” Sami broke off and chuckled. “I’ve got an idea. Good grief, Idon’t know why it didn’t occur to me sooner.”

“Sami—”

She rubbed her hands together. “It’s perfect. Well, maybe perfect is a slight exaggeration. But it’s close to perfect.”

Rosie closed her eyes and groaned. “I don’t even want to know. Just tell me I won’t have to clean up after this brilliant idea of yours.”

“No, you won’t.” Sami smiled expansively. “I’m sure Carmela and Daria will pitch in until after the baby’s born.”

“Whose?” Rosie retorted. “Yours or mine?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Imean yours. Mine is only in the planning stages.”

“You’re scaring me, Sami.”

“You know what? Ithink I’m scaring myself.” She grinned. “Isn’t it great? I’m feeling so good about this idea I might even break down and make a list.”

“A list?” Rosie snatched up Sami’s teacup and sniffedit.

“What are you doing?”

“Checking for hallucinogens.” Rosie shook her head and sighed. “It’s clean. That can only mean one thing.”

“What?”

“You’ve lost your mind.”

“Have you lostyour mind?”

Babe Fontaine threw herself into a black-and-white-striped chair and kicked off her shoes. “Now, sweetie,” she said, fumbling for a pack of cigarettes. “That’s not a very nice thing to say.”

“You’re right. It isn’t.” Noah Hawke crossed Babe Fontaine’s carefully decorated Nob Hill living room in an effort to escape the smoke. His dog, Loner, followed at his heels. He halted in front of a huge picture window and allowed his gaze to drift from the gorgeous view of San Francisco sprawled below him to the sunlit bay glistening in the distance. “I apologize. Iknow it’s not much of an excuse, but I just came off a tough project.”

She offered a sympathetic look. But then, that was Babe. “Were you able to help your client?”

“I’m always able to help my client. It’s what I do best.” He turned his back on the window. “Unfortunately, it didn’t end well. Idiscovered her accountant robbed her blind.”

“Oh, Noah. That’s awful. Ihope you sicced your wolf on him.”

“Wolves are wild animals,” he explained gently. “It’s illegal to own them. Since I own Loner, he can’t be a wolf.”

“Oh, pooh. You can’t fool me, sweetie.” She jumped to her feet and began pacing. Babe had never been one to sit still for long. Atiny dynamo of a woman, she possessed enough energy for half a dozen people. “I know a wolf when I see one.” She stabbed her cigarette in Loner’s direction. “And that guy over there has ‘big’ and ‘bad’—not to mention, ‘wolf’—written all over him.”

“Since you’re not Little Red Riding Hood, Idon’t think you need to worry.”

Her explosive laughter filled the apartment. He’d always liked that about her, maybe because they were so different from one another. Hell, he liked just about everything about Babe, despite her predilection for cigarettes.

She was drop-dead gorgeous, with natural blond hair and vivid blue eyes, and also as open and direct as they came. He’d never known anyone quite so outgoing or down-to-the-bones nice. All in all, an intriguing package. Unfortunately, she also wanted something from him. And ten times out of ten, what Babe wanted, Babegot.

“I have work to do,” he prompted. “Tell me why you really called.”

“I already did.” She drew on her cigarette and fixed him with a frank look. “You owe me, sweetie, and as much as I hate doing it, I’m calling in the debt. Iwant you to protect my daughter.”

“Let me get this straight. You’re asking me to drop everything and play nanny to a thirtysomething?” He couldn’t believe it. “You’re joking, right?”

“I’ve never been more serious in my life.” To his concern, lines of strain etched a path across her porcelain complexion. “Noah, Ineed you, honey. Imean really need you. And you owe me.”

That was a matter of opinion. According to his calculations, he’d paid his debt and then some. Unfortunately, she didn’t seem to realize that. “I have other commitments, Babe. Ican’t just drop everything and dedicate myself to… What’s her name?”

“Sami.”

Sami. He tried out the name, wondering if she’d be like Babe or the exact opposite. Somehow he couldn’t believe there were two Babes in the world. All that wild energy running loose could be dangerous. “What sort of trouble is she in? What’s she done?”

“She hasn’t done a thing. It’s what someone wants to do to her that’s the problem.”

He sighed. “Can the melodrama, Babe, and tell me the problem.”

She immediately crossed to a small end table by the couch and yanked open the drawer. Removing a creamy white envelope, she handed it to him. “Read it.”

He weighed it in his palm, running his fingers over the rich texture. “Nice quality.”

“The best. Trust me, Iknow.”

He could just make out the word “Sami” written on the outside in neat, precise handwriting. He slipped the single sheet of paper from the unsealed envelope and stared at the jumble of blurred words. With an impatient grimace, he reached in his pocket and withdrew a pair of reading glasses. He’d have thought after thirty-some years, he’d remember to wear the damn things. He scanned the note, then read it again, swearing beneath his breath. “The time has come. Pay up or face the consequences.”

“Where did you find this?” he asked, returning the glasses to his pocket.

“I moved out of the house a few days ago to take up residence here, in the apartment. Ifound that note at the house.”

“Getting married again?”

She chuckled, though he caught an edge beneath the humor. “You sound like Sami. No, Ididn’t move out to get married again, Ijust felt like a change of scenery. Anyway, when I stopped by the house to collect my mail, that envelope got mixed in with my stuff. Idon’t think Sami’s even seen it. In fact, I’m sure she hasn’t. She’s not very good at keeping secrets.”

“Have you called the police?”

“No!” She hastened to lower her voice. “No. I’d rather not do that. You’re the hot-shot troubleshooter, so I called you.” Apprehension dimmed the vividness of her eyes. “Please, don’t involve the police. You have to promise me that.”

“Why the hell not?”

“Because of the adverse publicity.” She wrapped her arms around her waist. “I’ve got a funny feeling about this, Noah. Ithink it’s someone Sami and I know.”

“Since it wasn’t sent through the mail, I’d say that’s a reasonable assumption. Where did you find it?”

“On the table in the front hallway of the house.” She ground out her cigarette in a gold-leaf ashtray. “If it is a friend or acquaintance, I’ll want it handled quietly.”

“Why?”

“Simple.” A sad smile slipped across her face. “I like all the people I know.”

“Aw, hell.” Beside him, Loner whined.

Babe turned her gaze on the dog and nodded. “Yeah. My thoughts exactly, fella. Well?” Her attention switched back to Noah. “Will you do it?”

As far as he could see, he didn’t have a choice. “What’s your plan?”

“I want you to move in with her for a while. See what you can uncover.”

“Are you going to warn her about the note?”

“No. And that’s the other promise you’ll have to make. You’re not to tell her anything about this. Knowing my little girl she’ll try to find the blackmailer on her own. Or she’ll use herself as bait.” Babe shrugged. “Who can say with Sami?”

“Like mother like daughter?”

She gave him an abashed look. “Something like that.”

Great. Just great. “So I’m not to inform the police or tell Sami what I’m doing in her home. And my excuse for being there is…?”

“Simple.” Babe shot him a sassy grin. “You’re gonna be my little girl’s birthday present.”