“Hello,” she whispered, obeying her aunt’s instructions.
Connor’s voice was husky when he responded. “Hello, Alexis. I’m very glad to meet you.”
She didn’t respond as she continued to look at him with searching eyes.
“This is Mia Doyle,” he said, including both the child and her aunt in the introduction. “My very good friend.”
Patricia gave Mia the same comprehensive assessment with which she’d greeted Connor. “You’re the nanny?”
“In a manner of speaking,” Mia agreed, knowing Connor had given the woman a brief explanation of the arrangements he’d made for his child’s care.
“She’s a good kid,” Patricia said somewhat off-handedly. “My mother raised her right. I guess she learned from the mistakes she made with Brandy.”
Mia didn’t know what to say to that.
Patricia turned toward her car. “I’ll get her bags.”
“Let me help you,” Connor said, moving forward. “Alexis, you can stay here and get to know Mia, okay?”
The child nodded, her somber eyes focused on Mia now. Mia held out a hand to the little girl. “Come into the living room, Alexis. We can get comfortable.”
Once again, the child obeyed without protest, sliding one cold little hand into Mia’s. Only then did Mia notice the somewhat grubby stuffed cat clutched in a death grip in Alexis’s other arm. “What’s your cat’s name?”
“Pete,” Alexis said quietly. “My mama gave him to me when I was little.”
“Did she?” She wondered how much contact Alexis had actually had with her mother. Or did she refer to the grandmother who had raised her? “I like the name Pete.”
Alexis nodded, her fine hair swaying around her face. “Me, too.”
“Are you hungry? I’m making spaghetti for dinner.”
“I’m a little hungry. And I like spaghetti.”
Most children did, which was why Mia had chosen to make that particular dish that evening. She’d made brownies for dessert, another popular treat for her nieces and nephews.
“We’ll eat soon,” she promised, sitting on the couch and drawing Alexis down beside her. “I’m sure you must be tired after your long drive. Did you have a good trip?”
“Aunt Patricia plays the radio kind of loud. But we had hamburgers.”
Mia suspected that Patricia had played the radio as an excuse to avoid making conversation with a six-year-old for four hours. Patricia didn’t seem antagonistic or particularly unkind toward Alexis; it was more that she seemed detached. Almost indifferent.
“I like an occasional hamburger myself,” she assured the child.
Connor and Patricia returned then, each carrying one bag that presumably contained the child’s clothes. Connor had a pink backpack in his other hand, and Patricia bore a bag that might have held toys. It wasn’t a lot of stuff considering it was everything the little girl owned.
“Okay,” Patricia said, both physically and metaphorically brushing off her hands after setting down her load. “I guess I’ll be on my way.”
“You’re not driving back to Springfield tonight, are you?” Connor asked with a frown. “You’re welcome to stay here. I’m sure we can make room.”
“Thank you, but no. I have plans tomorrow.” She held out a hand to him. “Goodbye, Connor. It was nice to finally meet you.”
Giving her hand a quick shake, he replied courteously, “It was nice to meet you, too. If you’re ever in the neighborhood, feel free to—”
“Thank you,” she said, already turning toward Mia.
They shook hands briefly, murmuring platitudes.
Patricia looked down at Alexis then, and for just a moment, Mia thought she might have seen a glimmer of emotion in the woman’s eyes. She couldn’t interpret what she’d seen, but she thought it might have been just a hint of regret. Sorrow, perhaps?