Seducing the Innkeeper (At First Sight Book 3) Read Online Free

if he’s available,” the secretary said. Moments later he heard his friend and lawyer’s voice.
    “Mark, what’s up?” Tony asked.
    “Need some advice.”
    “Social or legal?”
    “Mostly legal.”
    “Spill.”
    Mark explained where he was and why he’d driven to northern Vermont. “Haven’t seen my son yet but when you see the picture you’ll have no doubt I’m his father.”
    “You say he’s about nine. We were in our last year around the time he was conceived. Never knew you had anything serious going on back then.”
    “I did.”
    “How can you be sure?” Tony asked. “You were never one to take chances.”
    “Let’s say there was one time. Remember the long spring break weekend. You went to the beach and I stayed at school.”
    Tony whistled. “And were a wreck when I returned. So you found her again. What do you want me to do?”
    “Her name is Christa Parsons but she goes by Sommers now. She was a junior at the U. Place is Green Mountain Inn. Let me know what you learn.”
    “Will do. Be careful. Sign no papers. Don’t make a verbal agreement or a promise. Might be a good idea to return home until we have the facts.”
    “Not going to happen. Talk to you soon.” He hung up and started a new file on his laptop and typed an outline and questions for a feature on the inn.
    He glanced at his watch. “Nearly three-thirty. Wonder if he’s home from school.” Mark grabbed his jacket and stepped outside. He glanced toward the house where he felt sure his son lived with Christa. Mark grinned. He could march to the house, pound on the door and announce himself. Not a wise move. He had to wait until he and Christa had their talk.
    Feeling too restless to return to the cottage he set out to walk off some of his edgy energy. Just beyond the cottage he chose one of the paths starting on the level and then led up a small hill. At the top he stopped to survey the scenery.
    A meadow spread from the slope to the edge of the lake. He noticed the wooden boat house and a pier. Across the lake he noticed a blaze of color. Splotches of orange and yellow flowed across a background of green. In the center of the display was a circle of scarlet. Were those sugar maples? Did Christa tap the trees to make syrup? That would add a note of interest to the feature if she agreed to have one done.
    Would she or would she want him gone? Why hadn’t she told him about the pregnancy? He would have married. He’d been ready to take that step. Her disappearance had brought a cascade of emotions…fear for her, puzzlement and anger. His attempts to find her had been frustrating. There’d been no record of a Christa Parsons at the University. He’d begun to believe she had some scheme that had gone awry.
    He leaned against a tree and fought a resurgence of that emotional storm. When had she changed her name? He drew a deep breath. He would learn the answer and the answer would define what he would do. He still wanted her and he wanted his son. Persuading her was the problem.
    He pushed away from the tree and strode toward the lake. As he left the shade sunlight blinded him. When his vision cleared he saw a boy at the edge of the lake. The boy’s hair was blond. Mark’s heart hammered against his chest. He wanted to grab the boy and demand his name but caution was needed.
    Mark continued forward. He saw a model boat skim across the water to the shore. The boy scooped the vessel and turned. Mark stared. There was no question of paternity. Mark faced himself at a younger age.
    The boy halted. “Are you a ghost?”
    “I don’t think so. Why do you ask?”
    “You look like the man in a picture my mom has in her wallet. Was one of my dad. But you’re older.”
    Mark swallowed. Christa had taken some snapshots during their time together. What had she told the boy? “What happened to your dad?”
    The child shrugged. “I’m not ‘zactly sure. I wasn’t supposed to see the picture but my half aunts snuck it out and