An Unlikely Daddy Read Online Free Page A

difficult for him as it had been for her. She couldn’t imagine why he was planning to stay, was troubled by the fact that he wouldn’t say for how long, and realized that another box of secrets had just walked into her life.
    Like she needed more of that. At last sleep freed her, giving her gentle dreams for a change, offering escape from a world that had too many hard edges.
    Morning would come. Somehow, to her everlasting sorrow, it always did.

Chapter Two
    R ising before the sun . The phrase had amused Marisa since childhood, especially since she was climbing out of bed at the same time as usual. The sun’s winter-delayed arrival always made her feel cozy somehow, and this morning was no different. By the time she finished showering and dressing in one of Johnny’s old flannel shirts and maternity jeans, faint gray light began to appear around the edges of the curtains.
    In the kitchen she made her allotted few cups of coffee and decided to eat cinnamon oatmeal for breakfast. With a glass of milk, she swallowed her prenatal vitamin while she stirred the oatmeal.
    She had just poured the oatmeal from the pan into the bowl when she heard a knock at her side door. Looking over, she saw Julie standing there and waving. Immediately she went to let her in.
    â€œGawd, it’s cold out there this morning,” Julie said, pulling back her hood and shaking out her long auburn hair. Green eyes danced. “Be glad you don’t have to be anywhere. After that thaw last week, it feels like an insult. Oatmeal, huh?”
    â€œWant me to make you some?”
    â€œSweetie, I already gorged on Danish and coffee. Unlike you, I don’t have to worry about healthy eating.”
    Marisa laughed lightly. “Not yet, anyway.”
    â€œI know, I know, it’ll catch up with me. All our sins do. So, dish.”
    â€œDish?”
    Julie pulled out a chair without unzipping her jacket and sat, arching a brow at her. “Did you really think a mysterious man could show up on your doorstep last evening and that your neighbor Fiona would miss it? Or that she wouldn’t call me and probably half the rest of the town? Sit, eat.”
    Marisa brought the bowl of oatmeal and a milky mug of coffee to the table. Julie eyed the coffee. “Still on restriction?”
    Marisa shook her head. “Not now. The doc says I can have more, it’s not risky. But now...I don’t want any more.”
    â€œHah. They retrain us. Anyway, the guy last night.”
    â€œFiona. Does she report on every breath I take?”
    â€œYou know her better than that. But last night was something new. Everyone needs something new to talk about. So, who was he?” Julie waited eagerly.
    â€œHe says he worked with Johnny for years.”
    Julie’s smile faded. “What’s wrong, Marisa? Did he scare you?”
    â€œI don’t know what to make of him, that’s all. He said a few things, so yes he knew Johnny but...it seems kind of late to be making a social call. He certainly doesn’t know me. And he’s talking about Johnny wanting him to check on me.”
    â€œWell, that sounds like Johnny.”
    Marisa’s head popped up, a spoonful of oatmeal in her hand. “What do you mean by that?”
    Julie bit her lip, finally shrugged and said, “Johnny asked me to keep an eye on you if... Well, you get it.”
    â€œHe did?” Anger billowed in Marisa. “He asked you that, and you never told me?”
    Julie put up a hand. “He asked me not to. Don’t bite my head off. But, frankly, I could see his point.”
    Marisa put down her spoon and gripped the edge of the table. “See what point?”
    â€œThe point that he was going away for months at a time to do a dangerous job, and sometimes his feet touched ground long enough to worry about you . He didn’t want to share that with you because you might worry about him more. It was always understood,