Desperately Seeking Dad Read Online Free Page A

thinking. “You mean people like me?”
    He shook his head. “They make a distinction between outsiders and visitors. Outsiders are people like the candle-makers and potters who want to turn the place into an artists’ colony. The old guard understands that, whether they approve or not. But visiting lawyers—visiting lawyers must be here for a reason.”
    â€œSo that’s why everyone I passed looked twice.”
    He shrugged. “In the off-season, strangers are always news. Especially a woman and baby who come to call on the bachelor police chief.” His mouth twisted a little wryly on the words.
    She’d clearly underestimated the power of the grapevine in a small town. But his apparent concern about rumors might work to her advantage.
    â€œNo one will know why I’m here from me. I promise.”
    She almost put her hand out, as if to shake on it, and then changed her mind. She didn’t want friendship from the man, just cooperation. Just his signature, that was all.
    â€œThanks.”
    He took a step closer…close enough that she could feel his warmth and smell the faint, musky aroma of shaving lotion. Her pulse thumped, startling her, and she took an impulsive step back, trying to deny the warmth that swept over her.
    She must be crazy. He was tough, arrogant, controlling—everything she most disliked in a man. Even if she had been remotely interested in a relationship—which she wasn’t—it wouldn’t be with someone like him.
    But her breathing had quickened, and his dark eyes were intent on hers, as if seeing something he hadn’t noticed before. She felt heat flood her cheeks.
    Business, she reminded herself. She’d better get down to business. It was the only thing they had in common.
    â€œHave you thought about signing the papers?” She knew in an instant she shouldn’t have blurted it out, but her carefully prepared speech had deserted her. In her plans for this meeting, she hadn’t considered that she might be rattled at being alone with him.
    Whatever friendliness had been in his eyes vanished. “I’d like to talk about this.” His uncompromising tone told her the situation wasn’t going to turn suddenly easy. “About the woman, Tina.”
    â€œDo you remember her now?” She didn’t mean the words to sound sarcastic, but they probably did. She bit her lip. There was just no good way to discuss this.
    â€œNo.” Luckily he seemed to take the question at face value. “Do you know when she was here?”
    â€œEmilie was born in June. Tina said she’d been here the previous summer and stayed through the fall.” He could count the months as easily as she could.
    He frowned. “Tourist season. They come right through the autumn colors. That means there are plenty of transient workers in town. People who show up in late spring, get jobs, then leave again the end of October.” He shook his head. “Impossible to remember them all or keep track of them while they’re here.”
    She’d left her bag on the pie-crust table. She flipped it open and took out the photograph she’d brought. A wave of sadness flooded her as she looked at the young face.
    â€œThis was Tina.” She held it out to him.
    He took the photo and stood frowning down at it, straight brows drawn over his eyes. She should bewatching for a spark of recognition, she thought, instead of noticing how his uniform shirt fit his broad shoulders, not a wrinkle marring its perfection. The crease in his navy trousers looked sharp enough to cut paper, and his shoes shone as if they’d been polished moments before.
    He looked up finally, his gaze finding hers without the antagonism she half expected. “How did you meet her?”
    She bit back a sharp response. “Isn’t it more pertinent to ask how you met her?”
    His mouth hardened in an already hard face. “All right. I