Czytaj książkę: «The Best Bride»

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Title Page

Part One

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Part Two

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Part Three

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Epilogue

Extract

Copyright

Part One

Chapter One

The white T-bird fishtailed around the corner. It sprayed dirt and gravel up onto the left front of the patrol car parked on the side of the road.

Sheriff Travis Haynes turned the key to start the engine, then flipped on the blue lights. As he pulled out onto the highway, he debated whether or not to use the siren, then decided against it. He was about to mess up someone’s long weekend by giving him a ticket; no point in adding insult to injury by using the siren. The good citizens of Glenwood had contributed enough money to buy a car equipped with a siren that could wake the dead. But that didn’t necessarily mean they wanted him to use it on them.

He stepped on the gas until he was behind the white car, then checked his speed. He gave a low whistle and looked at the car ahead. He could see a mass of brown hair through the rear window, but little else. The lady was going somewhere in a hurry. He followed behind and waited.

It took her another two minutes to notice him. She glanced in her mirror, saw the flashing lights, did a double take, then immediately put on her blinker and pulled to the side of the road. Travis slowed and parked behind her. He shut off the engine, reached for his Stetson and ticket book, then got out and walked leisurely toward the car. His cowboy boots crunched on the gravel. He noticed the California license plate tags were current.

“Afternoon,” he said, when he walked up to the open window. He glanced down at the woman and got a brief impression of big brown eyes in a heart-shaped face. She looked a little pale under her tan. A lot of people were nervous when they were stopped by an officer. He gave her a friendly smile. “You were going pretty fast there.”

“I—I know,” she said, softly, averting her gaze and staring out the front window. “I’m sorry.”

She gripped the steering wheel tightly. He looked past her to the young girl in the passenger seat. The child looked more frightened than her mother. She clutched a worn brown teddy bear to her chest and stared at him with wide blue eyes. Her mouth trembled as if she were fighting tears. About five or six, he thought, giving her a quick wink.

Travis returned his attention to the woman. She wore her hair pulled up in a ponytail on top of her head. The ends fell back almost to her shoulders. It was a warm September afternoon. She was dressed in a red tank top and white shorts. He tried not to notice her legs. “I’m going to need to see your driver’s license and registration, ma’am,” he said politely.

“What? Oh, of course.”

She bent over to grab her purse from the floor on the passenger’s side. He thought he heard a gasp, as if she were in pain, but before he could be sure, she fumbled with her wallet and pulled out the small identification. As she handed it to him, it slipped out of her fingers and fluttered toward the ground. He caught it before it touched the dirt.

“I’m sorry,” she murmured. Her mouth pulled into a straight line and dark emotion flickered in her eyes.

Immediately his instincts went on alert. Something wasn’t right. She was too scared or too upset for someone getting a ticket. He glanced down at the license. Elizabeth Abbott. Age twenty-eight. Five-six. The address listed her as living in Los Angeles.

“You’re a long way from home,” he said, looking from her to the license and back.

“We just moved here,” she said.

He took the registration next and saw the car was in her name.

“So what’s the story?” he asked, flipping open his ticket book.

“Excuse me?”

“Why were you speeding?”

Her eyebrows drew together. “I don’t understand.”

“You’re in Glenwood, ma’am, and we have a tradition here. If you can tell me a story I haven’t heard before, I have to let you go.”

Her mouth curved up slightly. It made her look pretty. He had a feeling she would be hell on wheels if she let go enough to really smile. “You’re kidding?”

“No, ma’am.” He adjusted his Stetson.

“Have you ever let anyone go?”

He thought for a minute, then grinned. “I stopped Miss Murietta several years ago. She was hurrying home to watch the last episode of Dallas on TV.”

“And you let her off the hook?”

He shrugged. “I hadn’t heard that excuse before. So what’s yours? I’ve been in the sheriff’s department almost twelve years, so it’ll have to be good.”

Elizabeth Abbott stared up at him and started to laugh. She stopped suddenly, drew in a deep breath and seemed to fall toward the steering wheel. She caught herself and clutched her midsection.

“Mommy?” The little girl beside her sounded frantic. “Mommy?”

“I’m fine,” Elizabeth said, glancing at her.

But Travis could see she wasn’t fine. He realized the look in her eyes wasn’t fear, it was pain. He saw it in the lines around her mouth and the way she paled even more under her tan.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, stuffing his ticket book into his back pocket.

“Nothing,” she said. “Just a stomachache. It won’t go away. I was going to a walk-in clinic to see if they could—” She gasped and nearly doubled over. The seat belt held her in place.

Travis opened the car door and crouched beside her. “You pregnant?” he asked. He reached for her wrist and found her pulse. It was rapid. Her skin felt cold and clammy to the touch.

“No, why?”

“Miscarriage.”

“I’m not pregnant.” She leaned her head back against the seat rest. “Give me a minute. I’ll be fine.”

Her daughter stared up at her. He could see the worry and the fear in her blue eyes and his heart went out to the little girl.

“Mommy, don’t be sick.”

“I’m fine.” She touched her child’s cheek.

Travis leaned in and unlatched the seat belt.

“What are you doing?” Elizabeth asked.

“Taking you to the hospital.”

“That’s not necessary. Really, I’ll just drive to the clinic and—” She drew in a deep breath and held it. Her eyes closed and her jaw tightened.

“That’s it,” he said, reaching one arm under her legs, the other behind her back. Before she could protest, he slid her out and carried her toward his car.

She clung to him and shivered. “I don’t mean to be any trouble.”

“No trouble. Part of the job.”

“You carry a lot of women in your line of work?”

Her muscles felt tight and perspiration clung to her forehead and upper lip. She must be in a lot of pain, but she was trying to keep it all together. He winked. “It’s been a good week for me.”

When they reached his car, Travis lowered her feet to the ground and opened the door to the back seat. He started to pick her up again, but she shook her head and bent over to slide in. He returned to the lady’s car and slipped into the driver’s seat. The little girl was hunched against the door, staring at him. Tears rolled down her face.

“What’s your name, honey?” he asked softly.

“Mandy.”

“How old are you?”

She hiccuped and clutched the bear to her chest. “Six.”

“I’m going to take your mom to the hospital, and they’re going to make her feel better. I’d like you come with me. Okay?”

She nodded slowly.

He gave her his best smile, then collected Elizabeth’s purse. After shoving her keys, license and registration into his pocket, he unhooked Mandy’s seat belt and helped her out of the car. He rolled up the windows and locked the doors, then led her to the sheriff’s vehicle.

Her tears stopped momentarily as she stared at the array of switches and listened to the crackling of the radio. “You ever been inside a patrol car before?” he asked.

She shook her head.

“You’ll like it. I promise.” That earned him a sniff. He settled her quickly beside him, then glanced back at Elizabeth. She lay across the seat, her knees pulled up to her chest, breathing rapidly.

“How you doing?” he asked.

“Hanging in there,” she said, her voice tight with strain.

“I’m going to use the siren,” he said, starting the engine and switching it on. Instantly a piercing wail filled the car. Travis checked his mirror, then pulled out onto the road.

Traffic was light and they were at the hospital in less than fifteen minutes. Two minutes after that, Elizabeth had been wheeled away on a gurney and he was filling out paperwork at the circular counter near the emergency entrance. Mandy stood beside him, crying.

She didn’t make a sound, but he could swear he heard every one of those tears rolling down her cheeks. Her pain made it tough to concentrate. Poor kid. She was scared to death.

He bent over and picked her up, setting her on the counter next to him. They were almost at eye level. A headband adorned with cartoon characters held her blond hair off her round face. The same collection of animals, in a rainbow of colors, covered her T-shirt. She wore denim shorts and scuffed sandals. Except for the tears, she looked like just any other six-year-old.

“When did you and your mom move here?” he asked.

She clutched the tattered teddy bear closer. “Yesterday,” she said, gulping for air.

“Yesterday?” There went his hope they might have made friends in town. “Do you have any family here?”

She shook her head and sniffed again.

He reached over the counter to a box of tissues beside the phone. The receptionist was also a nurse, and she had disappeared into the room with Elizabeth. Mandy wiped her face and tried to blow her nose. It didn’t work. He took a couple of tissues and held them over her face.

“Blow,” he ordered, wondering how many times he’d done this during summer T-ball practice. There were always a lot of tears as the kids skinned knees and elbows…and lost games.

“Where’s your daddy?”

Her blue eyes filled again. “He’s gone.”

Gone meaning dead? Or divorced? “Where does he live now?” Travis asked.

“I don’t know. He doesn’t see us anymore. Mommy said he had to go away because he’s big. She said he’s never coming b-back.” Her voice trembled.

He gave her a reassuring smile. Big? That didn’t make any sense. Elizabeth Abbott must be divorced. He glanced down at the hospital forms. She had an insurance card in her wallet, so he copied that information. “Where do you live?” he asked, then realized that if they’d just moved here, Mandy wouldn’t know her address yet.

“By the ducks.”

“The duck pond?”

She nodded vigorously, her tears momentarily forgotten. “It’s pretty. I have a big bed all to myself. Just like Mommy. And there’s little soaps in the bath.” She smiled. She had a dimple in each cheek and he could see she was going to grow up to be a heartbreaker.

He pictured the buildings around the duck pond in the center of town and remembered there was a small motel on the corner. So much for having an address here.

“What about your grandmother and grandfather? Do you know where they are?”

“They live far away.”

Before he could think of any more questions, the receptionist came bustling back into the room. “Appendix,” she said, pulling her stethoscope from around her neck and placing it in the right hip pocket of her nurse’s uniform. “Caught it in time.” She looked at Mandy. “Your mommy is going to have an operation. Do you know what that means?”

Mandy looked scared again. “No.”

“The doctor is going to make her sleep for a little bit while he makes her feel better. There’s an infection inside and he’s going to take it out. But she’ll be fine.”

Mandy didn’t looked reassured. She bit her lower lip hard and tears filled her eyes. Travis felt like he’d taken a sucker punch to the gut. Apparently the kid didn’t know a soul in town, and if the grandparents weren’t local, finding them could take days. He didn’t even know if Abbott was Elizabeth’s maiden or married name.

He held out his arm, offering Mandy a hug, but letting her decide. She threw herself against him with the desperation of a drowning man clutching a raft. Her slight body shook with the tremors of her sobs. She smelled of sun and grass and little girl. So damn small to be facing this alone.

“Hush,” he murmured, stroking her hair. “I’m right here and everything’s going to be fine.”

* * *

It was nearly seven in the evening before Travis was able to take Mandy in to see her mother. The nurse had informed him children weren’t allowed on the ward, but he’d ignored her and marched past, carrying Mandy in his arms. He was the sheriff. What were they going to do? Arrest him?

He should have gone off-duty at four-thirty, but he couldn’t leave the kid on her own, and he didn’t want to take her to the local child services office before she’d seen her mother. It didn’t much matter, he thought as he walked down the hospital hallway. He hadn’t made any plans for the weekend.

Although Glenwood was far enough off the beaten track not to get much tourist trade even over Labor Day weekend, the last celebration of summer usually kept him and his deputies busy. There were fights at the park as too much beer was consumed, and the teenagers would get involved in illegal drag races down by the lake. Come Monday afternoon, the small jail would be filled with red-faced citizens who would work off their sentences doing community service.

The last door at the end of the hallway stood partially open. Travis knocked once and entered. He’d already warned Mandy that her mother would be hooked up to tubes, but it wasn’t as frightening as he’d feared. Elizabeth had an IV in each arm, but her color was good. Medium brown hair fanned out over the white pillow. The pale hospital gown set off her tan. For someone who had just had emergency surgery, she didn’t look half-bad. Hospital smells filled the room: antiseptic and pine-scented cleanser.

“We can only stay a minute,” he reminded Mandy in a quiet voice.

“I know. Is she sleeping?”

“Not anymore,” came the groggy response. Elizabeth opened her eyes and looked at him. She blinked. “Do I know you?”

“We haven’t been officially introduced,” he said, walking closer and setting Mandy on the ground. Before the little girl could jump onto the bed, he laid a hand on her shoulder. “Stand next to your mommy, but don’t bump against anything. I’m Travis Haynes. I stopped you for speeding.”

“That’s right.” Elizabeth looked away from him and smiled at her daughter. He remembered when he’d stopped her he’d thought if she ever really smiled it would be a killer, and he’d been right. Even fresh from surgery, the lady was a looker.

“Hi, sweets,” she said. “It’s good to see you.”

“Oh, Mommy.” Mandy stood as close to the bed as she could without actually touching it. She clutched her bear to her with one hand and with the other stroked her mother’s arm. “The nurse said you had something bad inside, but it’s gone now.”

“I feel much better.” Elizabeth touched Mandy’s hair and her face, then raised herself up on one elbow. She grimaced. Travis moved closer. She looked up at him. “I’m trying to get a hug here.”

He picked up Mandy and held her close to her mother. They clung to each other for a second. He could see the fierceness of Elizabeth Abbott’s love for her child in the way she squeezed her eyes tight and he heard it in her murmured words of encouragement.

“I’m fine,” she promised. “Everything is going to work out.”

He set Mandy on the ground and pulled a chair close to the bed. He sat down and pulled Mandy onto his lap. If Elizabeth was surprised by his daughter’s acceptance of him, she didn’t show it. But in the past couple of hours, he and the little girl had become friends.

Elizabeth settled back on the bed. She pushed a button and raised the head up until she was half reclining. “So you’re the sheriff.”

“That’s me. I’ve just been voted in for another term.”

Her brown eyes met and held his. The dark pain was gone and the lines around her mouth had relaxed. “Did I pass?” she asked.

“Pass what?”

She smiled. “Did I have a story you hadn’t heard before? I mean how many people speed because they have appendicitis?”

“It’s a first,” he said, stretching his legs out in front of him. “I’m a man of my word. You won’t be getting a ticket from me.”

Mandy shifted against his chest and yawned. It had been a long afternoon and evening for her. They’d gone to the cafeteria about six o’clock, but the kid hadn’t been able to eat much. She’d fretted about her mother and beat him at checkers while they waited. Her slight weight reminded him of his oldest nephew. Drew would play video games in Travis’s arms until he fell asleep and then have to be carried to bed.

“Thank you for looking after her,” Elizabeth said. “You didn’t have to stay and baby-sit.”

“It was easy.” He glanced down and watched Mandy’s eyes close. “I filled out most of the forms for the hospital, but they’re going to have a few questions. Do you want me to call your ex?”

She paled visibly. “What? Why?”

“To take care of Mandy until you’re better.”

“No!” She sounded upset. She raised her arm and stared at the IV taped in place on the back of her hand. “No.” Her voice was calmer now, as if she had herself under control. “I’m not, that is, I wasn’t ever married. There’s no ex-husband.”

“All right,” he said, even though her claim made no sense. Mandy had talked about her father. Travis reminded himself this was the nineties and women didn’t have to get married to have babies. He looked closely at Elizabeth. Somehow she didn’t strike him as the type to have a child on her own. Still, she must have; Mandy was proof. Why would anyone lie about something like that? “Any next of kin nearby?”

She shook her head. “My parents live in Florida. Right now, however, they’re cruising somewhere in the Orient. I can’t…” She trailed off. “I can’t call them. What am I going to do?” She shifted and winced. “I have to—”

“Shh.” He pointed at the sleeping child. “You don’t have to do anything tonight,” he said softly. “You’ve just had emergency surgery and I’m not even supposed to be visiting. I thought this might be a problem, so I’ve already called and spoken with a friend of mine. Her name is Rebecca Chambers and she runs the local child services office. It’s a county facility, but a great place.”

“Rebecca?”

“Rebecca Chambers. She’s the director. There are only about twenty kids there. It’s on the other side of town, near the school. I’ve spent some time there volunteering. Mandy will be fine.”

Elizabeth stared up at him. Her good humor had faded, and she looked tired and drawn. “You want to put my daughter in a home?” She blinked frantically, but tears spilled over onto her cheeks.

“Hey,” he said, standing up and depositing a sleeping Mandy in the chair. He hovered awkwardly by the bed. “Don’t cry. It’s just for a couple of days. If you want me to call someone, I will. Just give me a name.”

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “Everything is falling apart. It was going so well and now I don’t know what to do or where to turn. I— There’s no one to call.” She looked up at him. “Can’t she stay here, with me?”

“In the hospital? No. They didn’t even want her to visit you, let alone spend the night. You’re in no position to take care of her, Elizabeth. I know the home sounds bad, but it’s not.”

“You’re right. I don’t have another choice.” She covered her face with her hands. “It just makes me feel like I’m an awful mother. It’s not the place I’m worried about, I’ve been there. I’m going to work there.” She wiped her cheeks with her fingers. “I’m Rebecca’s new assistant. I moved us here to take the job. I’m supposed to start Tuesday. What’s she going to think about me? I’m dumping my kid on her doorstep, and I’m going to miss my first day of work.”

The sobs began in earnest. He hesitated about five seconds, then perched on the edge of the bed. Careful not to tangle the IV lines, he patted her shoulder. She clutched at his arm, all the while muttering how stupid she must look to him. The sheet slipped to her waist. He tried not to stare, but couldn’t help noticing the shape of her breasts under her hospital gown.

Travis told himself he was at best behaving unethically, and at the worst acting like a pervert. He had no business noticing Elizabeth’s body. She’d just had surgery for God’s sake. But he did notice, and admire, all the while calling himself names.

“I’m sure Rebecca will understand,” he said. “It’s not as if you planned this.”

“I know, but Mandy will be there all alone. I wish—”

“Do all the women in your family leak this much?”

“What?” She blinked and looked up at him. Her dark lashes stood up in spikes, her nose was red and her cheeks blotchy. She was a mess. It brought out his knight-in-shining-armor side and he resisted getting involved. He knew what would happen then. Better for both of them if he just backed off.

“Between you and Mandy, I think we could have floated a ship today.”

She smiled wanly. “Don’t make me laugh. It hurts.”

“Okay, then I won’t tell you the one about the parrot with no legs.”

“How did he stay on his perch?”

Travis stood up and winked. “You’ll just have to wait until you get better to find out.” He glanced at his watch. “I’m going to take Mandy over to stay with Rebecca. I’ll call you in the morning and make sure you’re doing all right, then I’ll bring Mandy back here in the afternoon.”

“Why are you being so nice to me?”

“Just doing my duty, ma’am.” He gave a mock salute and picked up the sleeping child. “I’ll leave my number with the nurse.”

“Thank you for everything,” she said, pulling the sheet up and smiling at him. “If Mandy wakes up, tell her I love her.”

“You can tell her yourself when you see her tomorrow.”

Chapter Two

“What do you mean chicken pox?” Travis asked. He stared down at Rebecca, seated behind her desk in her office at the local child services facility.

“I mean I have eight children in various stages of chicken pox, and the other twelve have been exposed. Sorry, Travis. If you’d explained why you were coming by, I would have told you what was going on and saved you the trip. I thought you were just going to mooch dinner. I know that when you’re between women you hang out with me. I thought this was one of those rare weekends.” Her brown eyes looked more amused than apologetic.

“But Mandy—”

“But Mandy doesn’t know if she’s had chicken pox, do you, honey?” Rebecca smiled at the little girl.

Mandy shook her head and tugged on Travis’s pants. “Travis?”

“Hmm?” He didn’t look down at her. Now what was he supposed to do? He couldn’t just leave her in the street. “Rebecca, you’re not helping.”

“Travis?” Mandy tugged again.

“What?”

“Do I have to stay here?”

She looked up, her head bent way back, her wide blue eyes gazing at him with absolute trust. He felt as if he were torturing Bambi.

“Why don’t I make a few calls,” Rebecca said, coming to his rescue. She flicked her dark hair over her shoulder and reached for the phone. “There’s a shelter about twenty miles from here. I’ll see if they have room.” She picked up the receiver.

“Travis?” Mandy tugged again.

“Yes?”

“I want my mommy.”

Travis crouched down in front of her. “She’s in the hospital. She needs to sleep tonight and get better.”

Mandy held her teddy so tightly, he worried she might squish the stuffing out the side. She leaned close and whispered. “I don’t know that lady. I don’t want to stay here. I want my mommy.”

He’d spent enough time with kids her age to recognize the quiver in her voice. Tears would come next and after that, he would feel like a heel and— He stood up and jammed his hands in his pockets.

“You think I should take her home with me?” he asked, already knowing the answer.

“It would be best for her. Elizabeth isn’t going to need a sick kid on her hands, just as she’s getting out of the hospital herself.” Rebecca rose and walked around the desk. She wore a floral print jumper over a white T-shirt. With her long curly hair and conservative style of dressing, she looked like a Sunday school teacher. Travis suspected it was a facade and that deep inside, she had the wild streak of the best kind of a sinner.

When she’d moved to Glenwood six months ago to take over as director of the county facility, he’d asked her out. His big seduction scene had ended up failing badly. They were, he’d realized within the first ten minutes, destined to be good friends. Rebecca had promised to leave his reputation as a heartbreaker intact and not tell the world his kisses had left her cold. Travis stared at her big brown eyes and sighed. He felt mild affection for Rebecca and nothing else. He must be getting old and slowing down.

“You’re the only friend Mandy has,” Rebecca said. “If I could take her home with me, I would. But my staff is exhausted, and I’m staying here tonight. Anyway, you have Louise.”

He thought of his housekeeper. Today was her day off but he knew if he called she would come over to help and show off her latest craft project. At least she wasn’t knitting anymore. He already had two drawers filled with ugly, ill-fitting sweaters and socks she’d made for him.

“I suppose that might work. But I don’t know anything about children,” Travis muttered, trying to ignore Mandy tugging on him again.

“Your nephews stay with you.”

“Travis,” Mandy said.

“That’s different.”

“How?” Rebecca asked.

“Travis?”

“They’re family. And boys.” He looked down. Those blue eyes were killing him. “What?”

“I want to stay with you.”

“You’re the only person she knows in town. Come on, be a hero. It’s what you’re best at.”

He glared at Rebecca. “Thanks.”

Undaunted, she smiled. “Let me get you some supplies.” She disappeared down the hall.

“Why me?” he asked no one in particular.

“Travis? Are you mad at me?”

“Mandy, no.” He swept Mandy up in his arms and gave her a hug. She wrapped her spindly legs around his waist. “I’m not mad. We’ll have fun. I’ll read you a story tonight, okay?”

She nodded. “And Mr. Bear,” she said, holding out the tattered animal.

“And Mr. Bear.”

Rebecca returned with a small cloth bag. “I’ve packed a nightgown, some underwear and a shorts set for tomorrow.” She handed Travis the bag, then smiled at Mandy. “Do you want a pink toothbrush or a purple one?” She had both in her hand.

The little girl stared for a second, then pointed shyly. “Pink.”

“You got it.” Rebecca dropped that one in the bag and walked over to the door. “I’ll be here, so call me if there’s any trouble. It’s only one night.”

“Like you care,” he grumbled.

“Stop it. You’ll have a great time. Think of it as father training. For when you have your own kids.”

“Not my style. Haynes men don’t make good parents.” It was a familiar argument between the two of them. The problem was Rebecca hadn’t figured out he wasn’t kidding. She shook her head. “Let me know what happens. And tell Elizabeth not to worry about coming into work until she’s completely healed. I won’t be giving her job to anyone else.”

“Yeah, I will.” He shifted Mandy so that she was supported by one arm, then handed her the bag and dug in his pocket for his keys. “Say goodbye, Mandy.”

“By.” Now that she was getting her way, she smiled broadly. “Can we have the siren on?” she asked as they stepped out of the building and walked toward the sheriff’s car in the parking lot.

“No.”

She pouted and rested her head on his shoulder.

“Don’t give me that look,” he said. “I can’t use the siren when it’s not an emergency.”

She thought for a minute. “I gotta go.”

His heart sank. “Now?”

She nodded. “It’s a ’mergency.”

* * *

Elizabeth raised the hospital bed and stared out the window. From where she was lying, she could see the corner of the small parking lot and a plot of grass with a Chinese maple in the center. It was early Saturday morning and she’d seen only a handful of cars enter the hospital grounds.

Everything was going to be fine. She’d recited the phrase over and over, hoping by saying it enough she would start to believe it was true. But panic threatened, just below the surface of her carefully constructed facade.

She was scared. There was no getting around the lump in her throat and the cold hard knot in her stomach, just next to the tender incision the doctors had made yesterday. She wasn’t frightened for herself. The surgery had gone well, and she was healing nicely, according to the doctor who had visited early that morning. She had medical insurance, so the unexpected stay in the hospital wasn’t going to deplete her savings.

The lump in her throat got bigger and her eyes burned from unshed tears. She blinked them away and prayed that her daughter hadn’t been too scared last night, alone in a strange place. Had they let her sleep with her bear? Had she had any bad dreams? There were, on average, twenty children at the county facility. Had Mandy gotten lost among all the other kids? Who would have been there to hold her if she cried?

Logically, Elizabeth knew she hadn’t had another choice as far as her daughter was concerned. Having her spend the night in the county home had made sense. She would be fed and warm and have a bed to sleep in. But knowing her only child had been put there, like a stray puppy rounded up by the pound, made her feel like the worst kind of parent. Mothers were supposed to do better for their children. Of course, mothers were also supposed to know what they were doing when they picked out fathers—and look at how that had turned out.

She reached over to the black phone on the small metal nightstand and dialed the number she’d gotten from directory assistance. For the second time in fifteen minutes, she heard a busy signal. From what she remembered from her tour during her interview a month ago, the county facility only had one line. She hung up the receiver. She would keep trying until she got through. She wanted to check on Mandy and reassure her daughter that everything was going to be fine—even though she didn’t know how.

Elizabeth forced herself to hold on to her control. She couldn’t afford to give into the fear. Not now. If she started questioning herself, she might never stop. Six months ago her world had come crashing in on her. She’d managed to collect the pieces and assemble them into a life, but the structure was fragile, and this emergency was enough to send the whole thing crumbling again. The logistics of her condition whirled around in her head. How was she going to take care of Mandy when she was supposed to stay off her feet for a week and not drive for three weeks? What about feeding her, and registering her for school, buying her new shoes, and a hundred other things she’d planned to do over the long holiday weekend? What about taking her out to watch the ducks and playing tag and—

The sound of footsteps in the hallway caught her attention. She glanced over at her partially closed door and watched as it was pushed open. Sheriff Travis Haynes entered the room and smiled at her. She stared at him, surprise and a tiny spurt of pleasure temporarily hiding her worries. He’d told her he would come by today and visit, but she hadn’t expected him to. He’d done too much already. Still, except for Rebecca and Mandy, he was the only other person she knew in Glenwood, and she couldn’t help being pleased to see him.

Gratitude, she told herself firmly, trying to find the reason for the sudden surge of good spirits. Gratitude and nothing else.

“Hi,” she said, managing a shaky smile. She pulled the sheet up to her shoulders and self-consciously touched the straggly ends of her hair. They hadn’t let her have a shower yet, and she felt grungy. She’d planned to insist on getting cleaned up later that morning. She hadn’t expected visitors so early.

“Hi, yourself.” Travis crossed the room in three long strides and pulled a plastic chair close to the bed. “May I?”

“Please.”

His khaki, short-sleeved uniform looked freshly pressed. A badge and a name tag had been pinned above the left breast pocket. He stood about six feet tall, with dark curly hair and a trimmed mustache that outlined his upper lip. He was the kind of man who, as her aunt Amanda used to say, made a woman get a crick in her neck just watching him stroll by.

As he settled himself in the chair, he tossed his beige Stetson across the bed. It sailed through the air and landed dead center on the table in front of the window.

“Neat trick,” she said, trying to ignore the way his brown eyes twinkled when he looked at her. “You have to practice much?”

“Every day. I sit in my office, tossing my hat across the room. It impresses the ladies.” He had a smooth, low voice, like liquid chocolate.

“Really?”

“Aren’t you impressed, darlin’?”

Some, but she wasn’t about to admit it. Once she’d let a man charm her and impress her and seduce her. Never again, she reminded herself. She’d learned a hard lesson from Sam Proctor. “I didn’t expect you to visit,” she said. “I’m sure you have other things you should be doing.”

“You’re the most important item on my agenda,” he said, leaning back in the chair and resting one ankle on the opposite knee. The movement emphasized the muscles in his thighs.

She looked away. “Oh?”

“How are you feeling?”

“A little sore, but better than I was. The doctor says I’m healing nicely.” She shifted in the hospital bed. “They gave me something to make me sleep, and that helped. I never got to thank you yesterday.”

“Just doing my job.”

She waved at the IV still attached to her hand. “They said that if I’d waited another couple of hours, the appendix might have burst. If I’d gone to the walk-in medical clinic like I’d planned, I might have gotten to the hospital too late.”

“So it all worked out. You’ll be released tomorrow.”

“That’s what they told me.” She glanced at him sitting in the white plastic chair. He looked tanned and handsome and disgustingly healthy, while her insides felt as if a herd of buffalo had trampled through them.

“Where are you going to go when they release you?” he asked.

“Back to the motel.” It wasn’t a great solution, but it was the best one she’d been able to think of. Where else could she go?

“And then?”

“And then I’ll get better and go to work. That is, if I still have a job. I need to call Rebecca and tell her what happened.” She forced herself to meet his gaze, and prayed her expression looked as calm and confident as she’d made herself sound. She didn’t want to foist her troubles on anyone, especially not this handsome stranger. One rescue per weekend was quite enough.

He folded his arms over his chest. His shirt stretched tightly across his broad shoulders. He had a solid look about him. He was the kind of man who could physically work for hours without tiring. He looked dependable. She shook her head. Looks could be deceiving.

Then he smiled. She told herself not to notice, that he was obviously an accomplished ladies’ man, but that didn’t stop her rather battered insides from responding favorably to the flash of white teeth.

“I have good news, bad news and good news,” he said. “Which do you want first?”

She panicked. “Is Mandy—”

He cut her off. “She’s fine. That’s the first good news. The bad news is there’s an outbreak of chicken pox at the children’s home. I didn’t know if Mandy’d had chicken pox, so I couldn’t leave her there last night. Rebecca figured the last thing you’d need in your condition is a sick kid.”

Elizabeth frowned. “If she’s not at the home, where is she?”

“Downstairs, watching a clown make balloon animals.” He shrugged. “They were having a party and she wanted to see what was going on. I thought you and I should talk first anyway.”

“So where did Mandy spend the night?”

“With me. I called my housekeeper, and she took care of the basics of bathing and dressing. But I fed her breakfast.” He looked sheepish and proud all at once.

“You?” Why on earth would he volunteer to take home her daughter? “Chicken pox? I can’t believe this is all happening. Mandy hasn’t had them yet. Thank God she wasn’t exposed to them. I don’t know what to say except thank you.” She had a sudden thought. “I hope it wasn’t too inconvenient for your wife.”

“I’m not married.”

She told herself she wasn’t pleased by that fact. It was just a piece of information. It didn’t mean anything. The last thing she needed in her life was a man. “I don’t know how to repay you for all you’ve done.”

“I’m responsible for the welfare of the people of this town,” he said, and grinned again. “You are our newest citizen.”

“You’re very kind.” She relaxed. Mandy was safe. Nothing else mattered.

The slow, sexy grin faded. “You’re going to need help when they release you. Tell me who to call, Elizabeth.”

She turned her head and stared out the window. “There’s no one to call. I told you, my parents are on a cruise in the Orient. They’re probably halfway between Australia and Hong Kong right now.”

She didn’t bother mentioning that she deliberately hadn’t paid attention to her parents’ travel plans. She didn’t even know the name of the ship or the cruise line. In the past six months, she’d cut herself off from her family. She couldn’t bear to tell them the ugly, disgusting truth about her life. She couldn’t bear to see the shock and the shame in their eyes and to relive it all over again. She just wanted to forget everything. And she’d been on her way to doing just that. If only she hadn’t had to have surgery.

“Then a friend from Los Angeles.”

“No.” All her friends knew what had happened. There’d been no way to keep it a secret. She hadn’t been able to face them, and had quickly cut all personal ties. There was no one left to call. What about tonight? Where would Mandy sleep?

“Sheriff Haynes…”

“Travis.”

“Travis,” she said and paused. “I have no family, other than my parents. I know this is an imposition, but would you or your housekeeper be willing to keep Mandy tonight? I’d gladly pay you.” Her hands curled into fists. She hated asking, but what choice did she have?

“I’ll keep her and I don’t want your money. But that only takes care of today. What happens tomorrow?”

Tomorrow she would handle whatever she had to. She turned toward him. “I really appreciate your concern, but it’s not necessary. I’ll be fine. In the morning, I’ll get a cab. You do have cabs in Glenwood?”

“One or two.”

“Good. Then I’ll get a cab, collect my daughter from you and take her back to the motel. We’ll be fine.”

He stood up and walked over to the window. The view from the back—she caught her breath—well, it was just as good as the view from the front, she thought, staring at his tight, high rear end. The pants of his uniform fit snugly at his hips, then fell loosely over his muscled thighs. A black leather belt with snapped compartments hugged his narrow waist. His dark hair fell precisely to his collar, but didn’t touch the starched material.

It was the anesthetic, she told herself. And the fact that she’d spent the last year living like a nun. It was the tension and the strain. It was the season, or the time of month, but it was certainly not the man. She wouldn’t let it be.

“I have a couple of problems with your plan,” he said, keeping his back to her.

“It’s not your business.” She allowed her temper to flare and the heat of anger to burn away the other kind of warmth threatening her composure.

“First,” he said, ignoring her statement, “you’re supposed to stay off your feet for a week. How do you propose to feed and take care of Mandy?”

“I’ll—” She hadn’t solved that yet, but she would. She would get through it the same as she’d gotten through her other problems. One day, one step at a time. “I’ll think of something.”

“You’re not supposed to drive for three weeks,” he continued.

“How do you know?”

“I asked the nurse.”

“If the town has a cab service, I don’t have to drive.”

“Then there’s your job.” He turned toward her and rested one hip on the windowsill. “Which you still have.”

“What?” She started to sit upright but the pain from the incision stopped her. She leaned back and stared at him. “You talked to Rebecca about my job?”

“I explained the situation when I took Mandy over to her. She says to take all the time you need to heal. Your job will be waiting when you’re ready.”

“Thank you,” she murmured as relief filled her.

He was going to make her cry. After breaking down yesterday, she’d sworn not to cry again, but she could feel the tears forming. Maybe it was all going to work out. She’d been so afraid her life would never be normal again. Six months ago, when the police had shown up at her door, her world had collapsed. Slowly, so slowly, she was getting it back together. They were going to make it. They had to.

Before she could ask him what else Rebecca had said, the door pushed open and an attractive nurse came into the room with Mandy in tow. “We do not allow children in this ward,” she said sternly, then grinned. “So I’m bringing her in here to get her out from underfoot.”

Mandy held her bear in one hand and clutched a balloon giraffe in the other. There was chocolate icing on her cheek and she was dressed in a cute pink-and-white shorts outfit that Elizabeth had never seen before.

“Mommy!” When the nurse let her go, the little girl rushed toward her. Travis walked over and lifted her until she was sitting on the bed.

“Travis Haynes, I might have known I’d find you here with one of our prettiest patients,” the nurse said as she paused by the door.

“You know me, Pam. I can’t resist a female in distress.”

Pam laughed, then looked at Elizabeth. “You watch out for this one. He’s our resident heartbreaker.”

“I’ll be careful,” Elizabeth said, knowing she wasn’t ever going to get involved with any man, let alone one as charming and good-looking as Travis.

“You’ve got fifteen minutes,” Pam said. “Then my supervisor gets back and Mandy will have to leave.”

Elizabeth nodded and the woman shut the door.

“I missed you, Mommy,” Mandy said, reclaiming her attention.

“I missed you, too.” Elizabeth held out her arms.

Mandy dropped the bear and the balloon animal, and slipped next to her to snuggle close. Despite the tangle of IV’s and the pressure on her incision as she leaned toward her daughter, Elizabeth wrapped her arms around her and held on, wishing she never had to let go. Mandy’s warm body felt small and fragile cuddling against her, and so very familiar. Elizabeth stroked her head, then bent down and kissed her cheek.

“How are you doing, sweets?” she asked softly.

“There was a clown and he made me this.” She picked up her giraffe. The rubber squeaked as she held it and she laughed. Bright blue eyes met her own. Sam’s eyes, she thought with regret. Mandy had her smile and her nose, but her eyes and the rest of her coloring was all Sam’s. It made it hard to forget her daughter’s father. But forget him, she would. She’d promised herself.

Mandy laughed and tossed the balloon animal in the air, then wiggled to sit back and look up at her. “I had a cupcake.”

“So I see.” She wiped at the frosting. “Sheriff Haynes said you spent the night at his house.”

Mandy nodded vigorously and grinned. “Louise made us another dinner. Then we had doughnuts for dessert.” She sounded faintly scandalized, but quite delighted. “She gave me a bath but he read me a story. About nines and their end.”

Elizabeth looked up at Travis who had returned to his perch on the windowsill. “Nines and their end?”

He cleared his throat. “You sort of had to be there. The San Francisco 49ers are looking for a decent tight end. I don’t have any children’s books in the house, so I read the sports page.”

She grinned. “Whatever works.”

“And we played with trains,” Mandy said.

“I keep them for my nephews,” Travis added helpfully.

“And I got a new nightgown with a bunny on the front from that nice lady, Becca.”

“Rebecca?”

She nodded. “And a pink toothbrush.”

Elizabeth brushed the blond hair out of her daughter’s eyes. “Sounds like you had a full evening. Did you sleep all right?”

Mandy nodded. “I had one bad dream, but I hugged Mr. Bear and told him what had happened, and he said he’d take care of me until you were all better. Are you all better, Mommy?”

Elizabeth swallowed hard. She’d never loved anyone as much as she loved this little girl. She squeezed her. “Almost, honey. The doctor is going to let me go home tomorrow morning.”

“Are we going to our house? The one with the bunnies?”

When she had accepted the job, Elizabeth had rented a house. While she’d stood in the kitchen and looked out at the backyard, she’d seen three rabbits scampering across the yard. She’d told Mandy about them and her daughter was very anxious to make their acquaintance. “No. We can’t move in there until October first. That’s about three more weeks.”

“So where are we going tomorrow?”

Elizabeth could feel Travis’s gaze on her. He’d asked the same question. She still didn’t have a decent answer. “We’ll be fine.”

“Okay.” Mandy picked up her bear and slid off the bed. “Travis said we could go to the movies tonight, Mommy. He said we could have popcorn and hot dogs and candy.” Her body quivered with excitement. “And if I’m really good, I can stay up past my bedtime.”

Travis cleared his throat. “She wasn’t supposed to tell you that last part.”

“I appreciate you doing this for me,” Elizabeth said, wondering how it had all gotten out of hand. “She’s my responsibility and I—”

Travis pushed to his feet and held out one hand to stop her. “You’re not in L.A. anymore. Glenwood is a small town, Elizabeth Abbott, and we take care of our own. As of Thursday night, you’re one of us. I’m on duty today, so I’m going to take Mandy with me to the station. We’re right across from the park. I’ll see that she gets exercise and decent food and is in bed by nine. My housekeeper promised to come by and make sure I’m doing it all correctly.”

“Why are you doing this?”

“Because I don’t have any plans for the weekend and I’ve always been a sucker for a pair of beautiful blue eyes.”

Elizabeth felt a rush of disappointment that her own eyes were brown. She wanted to believe him, believe that it was just about people helping each other. The way he said it, she was almost willing to buy into the myth of small towns. But she’d believed before, had trusted before, and that trust had been betrayed.

“I hate to impose,” she said.

“You don’t have a choice,” he answered. “What else are you going to do with her?”

She glanced down at the IV needle taped to her hand. She didn’t have an answer to that one, either. “Thank you. Again.”

She looked up at him. Humor danced in his eyes, humor and a little bit of compassion. As long as it didn’t change to pity, she could survive. And somehow, she would pay him back.

He retrieved his hat and settled it on his head; then he held out his hand to Mandy. The little girl collected her giraffe and tucked it next to her bear. She grinned at her mother and slipped her hand in his. “By, Mommy.”

“By, honey.”

Elizabeth watched her daughter act so trustingly with this stranger. Maybe Mandy hadn’t been scarred by the experience as badly as she’d feared. Maybe Mandy was going to be fine.

Travis paused by the door and looked at her. The Stetson hid his eyes from view, but she saw the quick smile flash under his black mustache. Her heart fluttered foolishly. The man was handsome as sin.

“I’ll call before the movie,” he said. “So you can talk with Mandy.”

“I’d like that.”

“Rest,” he commanded. “The nurse said you’ll be released around ten in the morning. I’ll be here around nine-thirty.”

“You don’t have to stay,” she said quickly. “But I appreciate you dropping Mandy off.”

“I’m not dropping her off,” he said. “Unless you can come up with something better than that motel, Elizabeth, you’re coming home with me.”

Chapter Three

Travis left Mandy at the sheriff’s office in the center of Glenwood and walked past his patrol car to Elizabeth’s white car parked on the street. The T-bird started instantly. He shifted into gear and checked the mirrors before pulling out and heading for the motel.

Within ten minutes, he stood inside the small rented room, staring at the suitcases stacked in the corner and at the personal items scattered around. A pair of high heels poked out from under the bed. A yellow blouse rested over the back of a chair. The faint scent of perfume lingered in the air. He sniffed appreciatively. He missed having a woman living with him.

His wife had left both him and Glenwood three years ago, returning to town only long enough to sign the divorce papers and wish him well with his life. He didn’t resent her or the split. He should have known better than to marry. Haynes men didn’t make good husbands or fathers. He came from a long line of men who failed at marriage. But he’d wanted to prove his father, brothers and uncles wrong, so he’d married the pretty, dark-haired woman he’d met in college. She’d been shy but quick-witted—and hot as hell in bed. All the ingredients had been there. Still the marriage had fizzled and he’d learned his lesson firsthand. Haynes men made great cops, but lousy family men.

Travis placed an open suitcase on the bed. He folded Mandy’s nightgown and picked up her toys. In the bathroom, an open cosmetic bag sat next to the sink. He collected the compacts, tubes and brushes on the counter and placed them into the bag, stopping long enough to pick up a bottle of perfume and sniff the cap. He would have thought Elizabeth Abbott to be the floral type, but the aroma was spicy. Not overpowering, just intriguing. He dropped the bottle in with the other cosmetics.

After checking the shower and behind the door for clothes, he returned to the bedroom and packed up the remaining items. A white cotton nightgown had been carelessly tossed over a dresser. He folded it carefully, noticing the row of tiny buttons up the front and the lace ruffle around the neck and arms.

He could see Elizabeth in something like this. It would fall about midcalf on her. Not the least bit sexy; the cotton wasn’t see-through. And yet—

He brushed his thumb over the soft cloth. There were always plenty of women around him. Just because he wasn’t good husband material didn’t mean he wasn’t a great date and an accomplished flirt. But he’d liked living with a woman. He missed the day-to-day familiarities, the verbal shorthand, the slow, sensual sex that could take hours. There’d been no need to hurry; he and Julie were supposed to have had a lifetime.

“Getting soft, Haynes,” he muttered, then shoved the nightgown into the suitcase.

He opened drawers and pulled out clothes, ignoring the feel of the lacy panties and bras, quickly filling the luggage. When everything was packed, he loaded the trunk of the car and paid the motel bill. Then he headed for the hospital.

He didn’t know what he was going to say when he saw her. If she’d made other plans, he would drive her to where she was going and be done with her. If she hadn’t, she was coming home with him. There was no way in hell he was going to let her and Mandy tough it out in that tiny motel for the next three weeks. Tough it out, hell. They would starve.

As Travis walked down the hospital corridor he wondered which it would be. He’d left her sputtering yesterday when he’d made his announcement that he intended to take her to his place. Last night, when he’d called to let Mandy talk to her mother, Elizabeth had been coolly insistent that she was not his problem. Louise had told him to use the famous Haynes charm, but he hadn’t felt right about sweet-talking Elizabeth into anything.

He reached her door and pushed it open. She sat on the edge of the bed, dressed in the same shorts and tank top she’d been wearing Friday. Her hair was freshly washed and hanging loose about her shoulders in a mass of shining brown waves. A wisp of bangs reached almost to her eyebrows.

She was trying to pull on socks and didn’t see him in the doorway. She bent down to slip on her socks, but she only got halfway there before grunting in pain and straightening. She raised her left foot toward her right knee, but that action caused her to clutch her side.

“Of course you’d rather rip out your stitches than ask for help,” he said from his place in the doorway. He pushed back his Stetson and walked into the room.

She looked up and stared at him. Faint color stained her cheeks. “I’m not leaving with you,” she said flatly.

“Fine. Where are you going?”

“Back to the motel.” Fire flashed in her brown eyes. “I’ve already called for a cab.”

He walked forward slowly, stopping when he was in front of her. Even sitting on the hospital bed, she had to tip her head back to meet his gaze.

“Not while I’m around,” he said, folding his arms over his chest. “This isn’t Los Angeles, Elizabeth. It’s a small town, and it’s Labor Day weekend. Most of the businesses are closed, including the restaurants. How are you going to feed Mandy? There’s no kitchen in your motel room. Is she registered for school?”

Elizabeth slowly shook her head.

“Who’s going to do that? Who’s going to walk her to her class on the first day? Even if you find take-out places to deliver food, do you have the cash to pay for it, or are you going to have Mandy go to the bank to get more money?”

“Stop it,” she said softly. “Just stop it.”

Defeat darkened her eyes and made her shoulders slump forward. He felt like a heel, but there was more at stake here than her pride.

“You’ve got to think of Mandy,” he said, perching next to her on the bed.

“She’s all I have thought of. I’ve lain in this bed thinking about nothing else.” She brushed her bangs off her forehead. “I just wanted to make a fresh start.”

“You have. So things aren’t going exactly as you planned them. It could be worse.”

“Yeah?” She turned her head to look at him. “How?”

He grinned. “It could be raining.”

A smile twitched at the corner of her mouth. “I happen to like rain.”

“Sit back,” he said, jerking his head toward the pillows.

“Why?”

He leaned forward until his face was inches from hers. He was close enough to see three faint freckles on her nose, close enough to inhale the scent of her body. It wasn’t that spicy perfume, but it was still mighty appealing. Close enough to see the rise and fall of her breasts under her red tank top. Close enough to study the shape of her full mouth and feel the stirrings in his body. Women of all ages, shapes and sizes got his attention, but when the lady in question came in a package this tempting, it was hard to think about anything else.

It was part of his job, he told himself. He would have taken her in if she’d been a fifty-year-old man with grandkids. Yeah, he would have taken her in, but it wouldn’t have been nearly as much fun.

“Do it,” he growled.

She scrambled away from him and leaned against the pillows, drawing her legs up onto the bed. He grabbed one ankle and set her heel on his thigh. She started to pull away. He clamped down.

“You are the most stubborn woman I have ever met,” he said, slipping the sock over her foot.

She had small feet, and her toenails were polished a bright pink, he noticed as he slid on her athletic shoe and tightened the laces. Trim ankles and a nice tan. He thought briefly about tan lines, where they would start and end and what color her pale breasts would be, then he told himself he was on duty and to can the sexual interest.

He put that foot down on the bed and grabbed the other one. When he pulled the sock over her instep, his thumb brushed against her skin. She jumped and giggled. He looked up. “Ticklish?”

“Very.” Her smile faded. “Thank you for everything.” He studied her for a moment. “I live in a big old house on the edge of town. Six bedrooms. I’m restoring it. There’s a yard and a playroom and a lock on the bedroom door. I’ll charge you twenty bucks a night if it makes you feel better. When you can move around, you can cook me dinner on the nights my housekeeper doesn’t work, because I’m damn tired of frozen dinners zapped in my microwave. If you still feel guilty, you can even do my laundry. Louise will be thrilled. In three weeks, when you can drive, you can move into your own place and we’ll part friends. Deal?”

She searched his face as if trying to see what he got out of the offer. He wanted to tell her it was just his job, but he knew deep in his heart he would be lying. He would have made the offer if she’d been old and bald and male, but he wouldn’t have wanted her to say yes so badly. It was, he realized with a touch of chagrin, his way of playing house. He would never have a family of his own, so for three weeks, he could pretend.

“It’s not that I don’t trust you,” she said slowly, “it’s just that—”

“You don’t trust me.”

She stared down at her hands. “I’m sorry. It’s not personal.”

“You don’t have a choice, darlin’. I’m the best of a bad situation. Where else are you going to go?”

She bit her lower lip, then looked at him. The raw pain in her eyes made him straighten. It wasn’t about physical discomfort, he thought, wanting to turn away, but unable to tear his gaze from hers. It was about some secret in her past. She’d said she’d come to Glenwood to make a fresh beginning. He understood that. Lots of people left places to start over. But she’d left something mean and ugly behind. Something big enough to make her not trust anyone. A man. He wondered what the bastard had done to her.

She nodded once. “If it wasn’t for Mandy, I’d say no, but you’re right. I don’t have a choice. She’s the most important part of my life. I accept your offer.” She held out her hand, then drew it back. “But I won’t do your laundry.”

He laughed. “Deal.” They shook hands. He finished putting on her other shoe, then stood up. “I’ll tell the nurse you’re ready to go.”

Elizabeth watched him leave. In his cowboy boots and Stetson hat, he looked more like a cow town lawman than the sheriff in a sleepy California town. She wanted to trust him. Desperately. She sat up straight and shifted to the edge of the bed. It wasn’t possible. She would never trust any man again. Worse, she would never trust herself.

Travis was right. He was her best choice. Right now her options were extremely limited. But when she could drive and move into her rented house, she would pay him what she owed him and disappear from his life.

She heard conversation in the hall. Travis came in, followed by a nurse pushing a wheelchair.

“All set?” he asked.

“Yes.” She stood up and stepped toward the wheelchair. When she was settled, he put the small bag containing her personal belongings on her lap and pushed her out of the room.

She was surprised to see the T-bird parked in front of the hospital. “This is my car.”

“I know. Did you want to go home in the patrol car? You’re just like your daughter. She’s always trying to trick me into using the siren.”

She laughed. “I don’t need a siren. I’m just surprised. I was afraid my car was still parked on the side of the road.”

He set the brake on the wheelchair and opened the passenger door. “I had it moved to the sheriff’s station. Not that we get much car theft up here.”

She stood up slowly. He offered his hand and she took it. His fingers felt warm and strong as he guided her toward the car.

“Watch your head, darlin’,” he said, wrapping his other arm around her waist and easing her down.

The incision pulled slightly and she winced. “I’m fine,” she said, before he could ask. She looked up at his eyes and the thick, dark lashes framing them. For a heartbeat, his gaze dropped to her mouth. She had a fleeting thought that he was going to kiss her, and her body tensed in anticipation. Then he stepped back and the feeling disappeared, leaving her surprisingly disappointed.

What was wrong with her? she asked herself as Travis gave the nurse the wheelchair, then came around to the driver’s side of the car. She wasn’t interested in him or in any man. Dear God, hadn’t she learned the biggest lesson of all?

Travis didn’t glance at her as he slid inside. She wondered if he’d seen the expectation in her face. Embarrassment filled her. She slumped in the seat and closed her eyes.

Something warm brushed across her breasts. She jumped and her eyes flew open.

“Seat belt,” Travis said, pulling the belt down and locking it into place.

She stared at him and her heart fluttered foolishly. He’d simply bumped her when he’d grabbed for the restraining device. Why me? she wondered and sighed.

“I thought we’d go straight to the house,” he said, tossing his Stetson to the back seat. “I want to get you settled. Mandy is at the park with Kyle.”

“Kyle?”

He started the engine and pulled out of the parking lot. “One of my deputies and my youngest brother. She’s already twisted him around her little finger.”

“How do you know?”

Travis shot her a grin. “When he left the office, he turned on his siren. Something tells me that was Mandy’s doing.”

“She can be stubborn.”

“I guess she gets that from her mother.”

She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, but he was staring at the road. She relaxed in the seat and watched as he drove through the small town. As they neared the park, traffic became heavy. She saw families walking together. Her stomach clenched, not from the surgery, but from envy and regret. She and Mandy should have been part of a family like that. It had all been taken away from them. Stolen. She stared out the window and willed the tears away. No. Not stolen. They’d never had it in the first place. It had all been a lie.

As they passed the duck pond, she saw the motel. “Wait, I have to get my things.”

“Already done,” he said, not bothering to stop. “I went there this morning and checked you out. Your suitcases are in the trunk.”

She didn’t know whether to thank him or yell at him for invading her personal space.

“Before you get huffy and start hollering at me,” he said, as if he could read her mind, “I knew you would want your things with you even if you’d made other plans. So I didn’t assume you would take me up on my offer.”

It took too much energy to get angry, so she simply leaned back in the seat and went along for the ride. He’d been right. She couldn’t have made it work at the motel. They passed a sheriff’s car parked on the side of the road by the park. Elizabeth looked around but she didn’t see Mandy.

“When will Kyle bring her back?” she asked.

“I’ll bring her home about four-thirty. There’s a parade today, and a big barbecue. Games for the kids. I thought she might enjoy it and you need the rest. I’m going to have to drop you off then head back to the park myself. Have to make an appearance. Between Kyle and myself, we’ll keep an eye on Mandy. Louise is off until Monday so you should have plenty of peace and quiet.”

He entered a tree-lined residential area. Elizabeth recognized it from her house hunting. He drove around the high school and along a narrow two-lane road she’d never been on before. The houses got larger and farther apart from each other on oversize lots.

“You mentioned Kyle was your youngest brother,” she said. “How many are there?”

“Four, counting me. Craig is the oldest, then me, then Jordan and then Kyle.”

“So Kyle is a deputy. Are you all cops?”

“It’s a family tradition. My dad used to be the sheriff in Glenwood. All his brothers are in police work. Jordan is the only rebel. He’s a fire fighter up in Sacramento.”

“A real black sheep.”

Travis grinned. “We give him a hard time about it. Yup, the Haynes family grows boys and cops. Not a girl in the last four generations. What about you?”

“I’m an only child.”

“Too bad.”

“Why? It’s all I know. My parents were older when I was born and they only wanted one child.”

“They got a pretty one.”

Elizabeth chuckled. This man could charm milk out of a snake. She would do well to remember talk was cheap. But she had to admit Travis Haynes had a certain amount of style to recommend him, and his heart was in the right place. She resisted glancing at his firm body so close to hers in the confines of the car. From what she had seen, everything else was in the right place, too. But the last thing she needed was to get involved with a heartbreaker. Her heart hadn’t recovered from what Sam had done.

They pulled off the road and onto a long driveway. Maple trees and oaks grew on either side of the path. Up ahead she saw a peaked roof, and more trees. Then the path curved around and they drove up into a clearing and parked in front of a beautiful three-story house.

He’d told her he was restoring an old house, but he hadn’t said it was a mansion. Big windows opened up onto a wide front lawn. A porch wrapped around the front. The columns holding up the porch covering had been painted white, as was all the trim. The rest of the building was dove gray, soft and light in the morning sunshine.

“You could get lost in there,” she said, staring at the masterpiece.

“I did, the first couple of days. Stay in that seat and don’t even think about moving.”

He got out of the car and came around to her side. He opened the door, then helped her to her feet. Before she could take a step, he bent over and slid one arm behind her back and the other under her thighs.

“What are you doing?” she asked even as he lifted her against his chest. Elizabeth grabbed his shoulders to maintain her balance.

“And here I thought you were smarter than that.” He started toward the house.

Her face bumped against his shoulder, and she could smell his masculine scent. He’d shaved only a couple of hours before, so his neck was smooth. She fought the urge to nestle against him. “Travis, put me down. I can walk.”

He ignored her. There were four steps up to the porch. He climbed those easily and headed for the front door. She held on, ignoring the way her right breast flattened against his chest and the heated strength of his body. She was wearing shorts so the arm under her legs touched bare skin. Each of his fingers seemed to be leaving a warm imprint on her flesh. She thought about struggling, but her side hurt and she was tired of fighting. Instead, she gave herself up to the feeling of being safe and protected.

When he opened the front door and stepped inside, she stared at the beautiful interior and caught her breath. He had told the truth when he’d said he was restoring the house. Several of the walls had been stripped but not painted or papered. There wasn’t a rug on the wooden floor, and she could see the pile of tools next to the front door.

But none of that mattered. He released his arm and she slid to the ground. Instead of moving away from him, she leaned against him and looked around. A crystal chandelier hung in the foyer. The cut glass caught the sunlight and diffused it into a hundred tiny rainbows. The long staircase swept up to the second story where it split and circled around both sides. Arched doorways led to high-beamed rooms. A giant fireplace filled one wall of the parlor to her left, while on the right, a study with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves held sheet-covered furniture.

“Wow.” She looked at him. “You live here?” He shrugged. “Yeah.”

“All by yourself?”

“I do now. I was married when I bought the place. Some people have a baby to try and save their marriage. Julie and I bought this house.” The humor left his brown eyes.

“I’m sorry.”

He shrugged. “Don’t be. There were no hard feelings. Sometimes it doesn’t work out. Julie and I kept bumping into each other on the curves. Hell, it was no one’s fault. Cops don’t make good husbands and neither do Haynes men. I had no business trying.”

She was about to ask why when he collected her in his arms again and started down the hallway next to the stairs.

“I’m going to put you in here,” he said, using his shoulder to push open a door. “There’s an attached bathroom. It’s small, but I didn’t think you’d want to hassle with the stairs.”

Even though she hadn’t moved much since leaving the hospital, her side was already aching. “You’re right.”

A double bed stood next to a window looking out on the side garden where roses had grown into a tangled disarray of blossoms. A single nightstand and a long dresser took up the rest of the space in the room. There was a half-open door and she could see through to a bathroom.

“This will be perfect,” she said.

“Mandy’s been sleeping upstairs.” He set her on her feet. “She can stay there, or I can dig up a cot for her in here. It would be a little crowded, but—”

“Don’t worry about it. I’m sure Mandy is happy where she is.”

“I’ll go get your luggage.” He disappeared back the way they’d come.

Elizabeth settled on the bed and touched her healing incision. Just three days ago she’d arrived in Glenwood, hoping to make a fresh start. Many things hadn’t worked out the way she’d planned, but they were getting better. She could feel it. She had to get on with her life. It was the only way to put the past behind her.

* * *

Travis looked at the empty plate on the table, then at Elizabeth. “Are you done?”

She laughed and patted her stomach. “Yes, thanks. It was wonderful. Here you had me believe you didn’t know how to cook.”

“I’m okay with omelets,” he said, and carried the plates over to the counter. “And I know my way around a barbecue, but other than that, it’s just me and the microwave.”

“I can make French toast,” Mandy announced proudly from her place opposite her mother.

“I know, darlin’. You made it for me this morning.”

“How long did it take you to clean up the mess?” Elizabeth asked.

Travis rinsed the dishes and put them in the dishwasher. “About an hour.”

She looked at him and smiled. “Amazing, isn’t it?”

“I found eggshells everywhere.”

“He ate four pieces,” Mandy said.

“Good,” Elizabeth said, but he could see she was more tired than enthused. There were dark circles under her eyes, and her smile wasn’t as bright as it had been that morning when he’d brought her to the house.

He wiped his hands and turned toward the table. The kitchen had been the first room he’d remodeled. That had been before Julie had left. She’d picked out the cream tiles edged in blue flowers, and she’d been the one to insist on bleached oak cabinets. He’d wanted a more traditional kitchen but he had to admit her taste had been better than his. The rectangular room was bright and airy, despite an overabundance of storage and the large subzero refrigerator and six-burner range.

“Mandy, let’s put your mama to bed. Then you can help me clean up.”

“But it’s early yet,” Elizabeth said.

“You’re dead on your feet.”

“I can’t be. After you left, I had a nap. I’ve only been up for—” she glanced at her watch “—three hours.” She punctuated her observation with a yawn.

Mandy laughed. “You’re tired, Mommy.”

“I guess I am.” Elizabeth braced her arms on the table and slowly pushed herself to her feet. Travis moved closer, but she waved him off. “I made it to the kitchen under my own power, I think I can make it back.”

“Have it your way.”

She took small steps. Mandy dogged her heels, and he brought up the rear, ready to jump to the rescue in case she slipped. Her nap wasn’t the only thing she’d done while he was gone all afternoon. She’d also showered and changed clothes.

The shorts and tank top had been replaced by a loose-fitting summer dress. It dipped low in front and back and, as he had served his famous vegetable omelet, he got a flash of cleavage. He hadn’t seen where the tan ended and her pale skin began, but the peek had more than stirred his interest. He’d spent most of dinner giving himself a stern talking-to.

Elizabeth was his guest. Despite his claim to want to be paid for the room, he would no more take her money than he would hurt Mandy. He was simply temporary shelter and the only friend she had in town. He couldn’t take advantage of her, or the situation. It wasn’t right. If he wanted a woman, there were plenty in town to oblige him. He’d never once had a problem finding company.

As she turned down the hallway, the last rays of sun caught the thick braid hanging down to her shoulder blades. Her hair gleamed with rich color, brown and gold with a hint of red, so different from Mandy’s pale blond hair. Had Elizabeth’s hair once been that color, turning darker with age, or had Mandy inherited her hair color from her father?

They reached the bedroom. Elizabeth sank onto the bed and smiled at her daughter. “I’m going to rest here for a few minutes before I get ready to sleep. Why don’t you kiss me good-night now and then go help Travis in the kitchen.”

Mandy reached up and kissed her cheek. “I love you, Mommy.”

“I love you, too, honey.”

“I’m glad you’re not in that old hospital anymore. Tomorrow can you come upstairs and look at my room?”

“We’ll see.” Elizabeth stroked her daughter’s head, then glanced at Travis. “Thanks for everything. I really appreciate it.”

“Just being neighborly,” he said from his place in the doorway.

“Hardly, but I do appreciate everything.” She motioned to the room, and then smiled at her daughter. “I don’t know what I would have done—”

He cut her off. “All you should worry about now is getting better. Leave the rest of it alone. Come on, Mandy. Your mother needs to sleep.” He held out his hand.

Mandy looked from him to her mother. “But, Travis, aren’t you going to kiss Mommy good-night, too?”

Chapter Four

Elizabeth looked up at him, obviously startled. Her big eyes got bigger and her lips parted slightly with surprise. But she hadn’t flinched.

He pushed off the door frame and slowly approached the bed. Her gaze never left his. “I do my best work under pressure,” he drawled.

“I’ll bet,” Elizabeth muttered, then looked away. “Look, you don’t have to—”

“Mommy, you need to be kissed good-night,” Mandy said, and bounced on the bed. “It’ll make you feel better. Travis made me feel better when he gave me a kiss. I didn’t have even one bad dream last night.”

“Simply medicinal,” he said.

“What’s mecidinal?” Mandy asked, struggling with the strange word.

He didn’t take his gaze off Elizabeth’s face. Color steadily climbed her cheeks. She glanced at him, at Mandy, at her fingers twisting together in her lap. He approached the bed and bent over.

“It means doing something for medical purposes,” he said. “Like taking medicine.”

He rested his hands on her shoulders. Their eyes met. Mandy asked another question, but he couldn’t hear all the words. Elizabeth’s irises were a pure brown, almost chestnut colored. Her sweet breath fanned his face. His stomach tightened in anticipation, which, he told himself, was stupid. She’d just had major surgery, her six-year-old daughter sat inches away. He was simply going to give her a quick peck on the cheek. So what was the big deal?

But he didn’t kiss her cheek. He moved his head to the left side of her face, but at the last minute veered back and brushed his mouth against hers.

He’d expected some kind of attraction. He was a healthy single male, and she was damned good-looking. But he hadn’t expected to get third-degree burns from the heat.

The contact, lasting no more than one or two seconds, seared his mouth and sent flames of need racing through his body. Instinctively, his hands tightened on her shoulders. Her arms reached up toward him. He felt them whisper by his sides then fall back. He wanted to haul her to her feet and pull her firmly against him. He wanted to feel her body pressing along his, thighs brushing, hips rotating, chest to breast in exquisite delight.

“Don’t you feel better, Mommy?” Mandy asked.

He raised his head. Elizabeth’s eyes were wide and unfocused as if she, too, had felt the conflagration. She swallowed and looked away. But not before he’d seen the answering desire in her gaze.

“Much,” she answered, her voice low and husky. She cleared her throat. “I do feel better. Thank you.”

Travis stared down at her. Who was this woman and what had brought her to Glenwood? Why was there no one, no man, for her to call in her time of trouble? He took a step back and fought a grin. Not that he minded the fact that she was single and in his house. If anything, their kiss had shown him the next three weeks could be very interesting. But why was she alone?

“Come on, Mandy,” he said, holding out his hand. “Let’s let your mom get some rest. I rented a movie for us to watch.”

“Okay.” Mandy jumped off the bed and gripped his fingers. “Night, Mommy.”

“Night, sweetie,” she said, and smiled at her little girl. Her gaze raised to the middle of his chest and stopped. “Good night, Travis. Thank you for…everything.”

Yeah, he couldn’t stop thinking about their kiss either, he thought. “Get some rest.” He led Mandy from the room and closed the door behind them.

A large sofa with a matching chair in soft ivory leather sat in front of an oversize television. Mandy released him and ran over to the VCR. Expertly she pulled the rented tape from its protective cover and inserted it in the machine. Her chatter made him smile, but he had trouble concentrating on her words. He couldn’t stop thinking about Elizabeth Abbott. He was sure there was a logical explanation for everything that was going on, but some sixth sense whispered there was a mystery.

As he sat on the sofa and Mandy climbed onto his lap, he mentally listed what he knew about Elizabeth and her daughter. It wasn’t much. He was too good a lawman to let anything that intriguing go unsolved. If Elizabeth wouldn’t cooperate and answer some questions, he was going to have to find out on his own.

* * *

Elizabeth got coffee going before her exhaustion and the pain in her side forced her to retreat to the kitchen table. She sank into one of the bleached oak chairs. She’d hoped the doctor had been kidding when he’d told her to stay off her feet for a week. Apparently not. He’d reminded her that despite all the improvements in medical technology, the fact was she’d had her tummy cut open, through all the muscles. There were multiple layers of tissues to heal. She hadn’t realized how much she used those muscles until she tried to move around and they reminded her they weren’t working well. She pressed her hand against her side and shifted on the chair. Maybe she would just sit here for a while.

She drew in a deep breath and inhaled the scent of the brewing coffee. At least she’d accomplished something. She smiled. Maybe later, when she’d gathered her strength, she would get wild and attempt toast.

“What are you smiling about, darlin’?”

That voice. It made her think of something warm and rich and decadent slowly slipping through her fingers. It made her think of liquid satin on bare skin. It made her think of last night and their brief kiss. She turned to look at him.

Travis stood in the doorway with his arms folded over his chest. Her breath caught in her throat. She’d never seen him out of uniform before. Her gaze traveled from his scuffed black cowboy boots up the long, lean length of his legs. Worn jeans, faded with lines of white radiating out from the seams by his hips and crotch, clung with the familiarity of an old lover. A red polo shirt stretched across his chest and shoulders, emphasizing his muscles. He looked powerful, but more than that he made her think of a dependable man, a hard worker. His watch was black, some sports kind with a couple of buttons. He didn’t wear any rings or other jewelry. Except for the glint in his dark brown eyes and his teasing smile, there wasn’t anything flashy about him.

Solid, she thought. That’s the word she’d been looking for. Travis Haynes was a solid man.

He took a step into the kitchen. His gaze moved over her face, pausing on her mouth long enough for the tingling to start in her toes and work its way up. Last night she’d lain awake in the dark reliving the brief touch of his lips on hers. It had been nothing significant. A teasing kiss instigated by her daughter. So why did she wonder what it would be like to be held in those powerful arms and pulled hard against that solid chest? Why was her heart beating faster and her breasts tightening in anticipation? Nothing had happened and nothing was going to happen. It couldn’t. She knew better than to get involved.

“You didn’t answer my question,” he said, strolling over to check the coffee. The pot had stopped sputtering. He opened the cupboard above the machine and pulled out two mugs.

“I don’t remember what I was smiling about.” Her voice sounded completely normal, she thought with some relief.

“How do you take it?”

“With milk, please.”

He stirred her coffee and handed her the mug, then took the seat opposite her. “How did you sleep?”

“Great. I feel better.”

“You’re supposed to be staying off your feet.”

“I know. I just wanted some coffee, and I didn’t know what time you got up.”

She felt a little awkward talking about the intimate details of living together. She barely knew Travis. She tilted her head toward the table, then glanced up at him through her lashes. She liked the way his hair curled slightly around his ears, and the trimmed mustache outlining his upper lip. Last night she’d felt the faint tickle of his mustache against her skin. She wondered what that soft, groomed hair would feel like—

The back door opened, cutting off her dangerous train of thought.

“Yoo-hoo, Travis, are you up?” a loud female voice called.

He grinned. “If I wasn’t, Louise, I would be now.”

A woman entered the kitchen. She was in her mid to late forties with short blond hair and a figure that could only be described as an hourglass. Her pants were a bright lime green color, her short-sleeved blouse a blend of greens, yellows and oranges. A wide gold belt emphasized her small waist, while a trio of silver chains dipped toward her generous bosom. Dark eye shadow and lots of mascara highlighted her blue eyes. Her red lipstick clashed with everything, but somehow looked all right.

“You must be Elizabeth,” Louise said, moving forward and holding out her hand. “Your daughter is the sweetest little girl.” She smiled and her eyes got a faraway look. “Maybe I should have had children.” She paused. “No, I think Alfred is more than enough trouble, don’t you?”

“Alfred?” Elizabeth asked as they shook hands. “Your husband?”

Louise laughed. “No, my dog. Hi, I’m Louise.”

Elizabeth didn’t know whether to be embarrassed or laugh back. She settled on smiling weakly. Louise bent over and gave Travis a kiss on the cheek, then moved to the refrigerator and started pulling out food.

“Louise is my housekeeper,” Travis said.

“I figured that.”

“She works here three days a week—”

“But I’m willing to come in more while you’re getting better, Elizabeth,” Louise said, cutting Travis off. “When I heard what happened, well, I just had to rush over and do whatever I could to help.” She set a pitcher of orange juice on the counter. “Maybe you would like to work on some crafts while you’re recovering. I’m thinking of doing something with clay.”

“Absolutely not,” Travis said. “There will be no clay in this house.”

Louise mumbled something under her breath about men being pinheads.

Travis leaned forward and lowered his voice. “Louise is going through a stage right now.”

The chesty blonde glared at him. “I can hear every word you’re staying and this is not a stage. I’m exploring my art.”

“She’s driving me crazy. She makes things and gives them to me.”

“It’s a sign of affection, but if you’d rather I didn’t, then fine.” She slammed the refrigerator door shut and turned her back on them.

“I have this drawer full of sweaters and socks.”

Elizabeth stared at him. “Why is that a problem?”

“They’re not—” he glanced from her to Louise and back “—normal. Most of the socks have no heel. The sweaters aren’t anatomically correct.”

Louise walked over to the table and grinned. “I’ll admit I didn’t quite get the hang of knitting. I never could figure out parts of the patterns, but some of the wool was real lovely.” She held two eggs in her right hand. “How would you like them cooked?”

Elizabeth blinked several times. “Scrambled?”

“Fine.” She glanced at Travis. “I know what you want, but the way you’ve talked about me this morning, I’m of a mind to let you go hungry.”

“Your threats don’t scare me.” As Louise passed him, he reached out and patted her rear end affectionately.

“Don’t you try your wild ways on me, Travis Haynes,” she said, giving him a mock glare. “I’m old enough to be your very young and attractive aunt.”

Elizabeth couldn’t help it. She started laughing. Even the sharp pains in her side couldn’t stop her from chuckling.

“Mommy.”

Mandy entered the room. She was washed and dressed in a pretty blue dress with tiny white flowers. She came over to her and held out her arms for a hug. Elizabeth pulled her close.

“Are you ready for your first day of school?” she asked. Travis was going to walk Mandy to the elementary school and register her.

Mandy nodded. “Travis helped me pick out this dress to wear. Did we choose the right one?”

“Of course, Mandy. You look perfect.”

“I have ribbons.” She held them out. “Will you put them in my hair?”

“Sure.”

Elizabeth turned and Mandy slipped between her legs. When the girl saw Louise, she squealed with excitement. “Louise, you found us.”

Louise looked at her. “Morning, baby girl. What do you mean I found you?”

“Travis said you were lost.”

Elizabeth glanced at him. He’d taken a sip of coffee just as Mandy spoke and now he started to choke. Louise came over and pounded him on the back several times while he coughed.

Louise gave her a quick wink. “He probably said I was trying to find myself.”

The next thud on his back sounded a little harder. He turned to her and held up his hand. “That’s enough,” he said, his voice raspy and faint. “I’m fine.”

Elizabeth wasn’t sure, but she thought she saw a flush of color on Travis’s cheeks. She bit back her laughter and concentrated on Mandy’s hair. When the braid was secured with the length of blue ribbon, Mandy pulled out a chair and climbed onto the seat. As Louise fixed breakfast, Many chatted with Travis and Louise about what Mr. Bear had told her in the night. Louise slid a plate in front of the girl, containing a waffle shaped like a popular cartoon mouse. Cut strawberries formed a bright collar at the bottom of the waffle. A glass of milk completed the meal.

Elizabeth looked up at the older woman. “Thank you for making that.”

Louise shrugged. “It’s nothing. The first day of school should be special for a little girl. And Alfred was never impressed with my waffles.”

Elizabeth wanted to ask if Louise really did feed her dog waffles, but she didn’t dare. As the smells of eggs, bacon and coffee mingled in the kitchen, she leaned back in her chair and savored her feeling of relief. She and Mandy were going to make it. In three weeks she would start her new job and move into her own place. In the meantime, they were safe here.

She glanced at Travis and found him staring at her. His gaze dropped briefly to her mouth. The sensation of being touched was so real, she wanted to touch him back. The attraction flickering just below the surface fanned to life.

He was her salvation and her greatest problem. This, this mindless reaction to him, had to stop. She knew better than to get involved with a man, any man. But he was even worse than most. She knew what his easy ways and quick, tempting smile meant. She’d already been seduced by one charmer and those results had been more awful than she could ever have imagined. The only decent thing to come out of her relationship with Sam Proctor had been Mandy—and that had been an accident.

Louise served them breakfast, then poured more coffee. Elizabeth hesitated before picking up her fork.

“Dig in,” Travis said. “Louise is a great cook.”

“I don’t doubt that, it’s just…”

He leaned across the bleached oak table and laid his hand on top of hers. Heat flooded her fingers, warming her blood and making its way up her arm. She told herself to ignore it, and him, but she couldn’t seem to look away from his dark gaze.

“It’s just nothing,” he said. “Everything is going to be all right. I’ll make it all right. I’m the sheriff. I can do anything.”

“I believe you,” she said and was rewarded with a smile. She did believe him. That was the problem.

She picked up her fork. It was only for a few weeks, she reminded herself. She just had to stay strong and resist the powerful charm of Travis Haynes. She could do it, she had to. Her life depended on it.

* * *

Elizabeth sat in the family room and stared at the television. The screen was blank. She picked up the remote control, then tossed it down. She didn’t want to watch television; she wanted to be with her daughter on her first day of school.

She swallowed against the lump in her throat, but the pressure didn’t go away. Her eyes burned and she wanted to scream at the unfairness of it all. Little Mandy had gone off with Travis an hour ago. She’d waved and smiled, and promised to make her mom something pretty in class.

“I should have been with her,” Elizabeth said softly, fighting the frustration. She touched her side, feeling the bandage under her shorts and panties. There was no way she could have made it from here to the school and back. It took all her strength to walk from the kitchen to the family room. But she’d so wanted to see Mandy’s classroom and meet her teacher. Her daughter would only enter the first grade once and she’d missed it. What kind of mother did that make her? It wasn’t enough she’d taken Mandy away from everything she knew in the world, but now the girl was going to a strange school, escorted by a strange man. It wasn’t fair.

“Television is generally more interesting when you turn it on,” Louise said.

Elizabeth looked up at her. The other woman stood in the doorway to the family room. She had a mug of coffee in each hand. “I wasn’t really planning on watching,” she said.

“Would you like some company?”

Elizabeth nodded. “That would be nice, if you have the time.”

Louise handed her one of the mugs and plopped down at the opposite end of the butter-soft leather sofa. “I’ve got plenty of time. That boy hasn’t even furnished most of the rooms in this monstrosity. There’s not that much cleaning to do. I suspect he hires me so that he can have a taste of someone else’s cooking and a friendly face to come home to a couple of days a week.”

“Are you saying Travis is lonely?”

“Could be.”

Louise fluffed up her bangs with her fingers. Elizabeth noticed she painted her long nails a bright red and had thin stripes of gold dotted on the tips.

“So what do you think of him?” Louise asked.

That was certainly subtle, Elizabeth thought, fighting a grin. “He seems very nice.”

Louise’s eyes narrowed. “Now I don’t think any of the Haynes boys would appreciate being called ‘nice.’ Ladies’ men, maybe. Irresistible, certainly. But nice?” She shook her head and smiled. “You’d better keep that opinion to yourself.”

“I guess I’ll have to.” She took a sip from her mug. “Travis mentioned he has three brothers.”

“That’s right, and his daddy is one of five.” She leaned her head back against the leather sofa. Her expression got soft and dreamy. “That means there are nine Haynes men walking around on this earth tempting women with their wicked ways. When I was in high school, Earl—that’s Travis’s father—came to speak to my class about drinking and driving. I don’t remember a word he said, but I do remember how handsome he looked in his uniform. When he smiled, I about melted in my seat.” She straightened and shrugged. “I was barely seventeen, and my boyfriend and I had just broken up. Earl Haynes looked mighty good. Of course he was a much older man.”

“Of course,” Elizabeth murmured. Louise was certainly a little left of center, but Elizabeth found herself liking the other woman.

“And his uncles. Hell-raisers all of them. I don’t think they were ever faithful longer than a minute. Heaven help the women who tried to tame ’em. Of course the Haynes men did give this town something to talk about. Then when Earl went ahead and had four more boys of his own, there was even more talk. Do you know there hasn’t been a girl born to the Haynes family in four generations?”

“Travis mentioned that.”

Louise laughed. “Travis is the most easygoing of the four boys. Not like Jordan. That one’s always been a mystery. But Travis knows what he wants and gets it.” She winked. “Maybe he’ll decide he wants you.”

Elizabeth shook her head. “I’m not interested in a relationship. Certainly not with a man like him. The last thing I need is some Don Juan upsetting my life.”

“Oh, you can’t believe everything you hear about him. He’s not exactly the heartbreaker everyone says. Despite what he thinks, he’s nothing like his daddy.” Louise grew serious. “You can trust me on that one, honey. I know for a fact.”

It didn’t matter how much of Travis’s reputation was real and how much hype. Enough of what Louise had said was true for Travis Haynes to be trouble.

Sam had been a charmer, too. His easy smile and quick wit had seduced her in a matter of hours. Of course she’d been a willing participant. And young. Far too young for a man like him. She’d never had a clue as to what was going on. She’d known the relationship was in trouble, but even that hadn’t prepared her for the police showing up at her doorstep in the predawn hours of morning. If she lived to be a hundred, she would never forget the feeling of horror when the Los Angeles Police Department officers had taken Sam away. Thank God Mandy had slept through it all.

Louise leaned forward and patted her leg. “You feeling better?”

“What?”

“I thought you might be a little down, what with missing Mandy’s first day at school. You feel better now?”

Elizabeth looked at Louise, with her bright makeup and dangling earrings. The left one was a teapot, the right, a cup and saucer. “You probably don’t want to hear this any more than Travis, but I think you’re nice, too.”

Louise gave her hand a squeeze and rose to her feet. “Just don’t let word get out. I have my own reputation to keep up. Now I’m going to get to work on lunch. I heard Travis’s truck in the driveway. He can tell you all about Mandy’s classroom. Don’t worry, honey. You’ll get to see it soon enough.”

She left the room and passed Travis in the doorway. Elizabeth half turned to face him. “How did it go?” she asked.

He studied her for several seconds. There was an odd look in his eyes, as if he’d never seen her before.

“Travis, is something wrong?”

“No. Everything went fine. Mandy loved her teacher and when I left, it looked like she’d already started making friends.”

Elizabeth sagged back in the sofa. Some of the tension left her body. Maybe, just maybe, she hadn’t destroyed her daughter’s life.

“These might help,” he said as he walked toward her. He held out several instant photos.

“You took pictures?”

“I thought they might make you feel like you’d been there.”

She smiled up at him. “That was so thoughtful.”

She took the photos and looked through them. The first showed Mandy smiling in front of the school. There were three shots of the classroom and one of Mandy with her teacher. The little girl was laughing at something the woman had said. Elizabeth felt tears forming in her eyes. She blinked them away.

“This is wonderful. I don’t know how to thank you.”

Travis shifted his weight from one foot to the other. “It’s nothing special. I didn’t even think of the idea. Craig does it for his kids. He says it’s fun to look back later. You’re not going to cry, are you?”

She sniffed. “No.” She touched one finger to the smooth flat surface, as if she could touch Mandy’s warm cheek. Her daughter’s smile made her own lips curve up in response. “She does look happy, doesn’t she? And the teacher looks nice. Did you talk to her?”

“I know her.”

There was something about the way he said the words. “Oh?”

“I sort of, you know.” He shoved his hands into his jeans pockets. “We dated for a while.”

“Ah. Is she—” Elizabeth paused, then found the correct word. “Is she nice?” She had to bite her lip to keep from smiling.

Travis was obviously uncomfortable with the conversation. “Yeah, she’s really great. With kids, I mean.”

“I’m sure Mandy will like her.”

“Most of the kids do.”

He pulled his hands out of his pockets and walked over to the window. The bright light outside lighted his tall, muscular body. He was very handsome, with his dark hair and eyes. Elizabeth could see why he’d acquired his reputation. If his brothers were half as good-looking, then it’s no wonder the town found the family a great source of gossip.

“Tell me about your ex-husband,” he said.

She felt as if he’d thrown a bucket of cold water in her face. Every muscle in her body tensed. She had to put the photos down when she realized she was mangling them. She folded her hands in her lap and forced herself to relax.

“I don’t have an ex-husband. I told you, I was never married.” She could feel the heat of her flush climbing from the scoop neck of her T-shirt, up to her face. It had been six months, yet she was still embarrassed to remember what had happened. Would this ever get easier?

“You’re sure?”

“I would hardly forget being married.”

He walked to the sofa and braced his hands against the tall back. “The reason I ask is because when I registered Mandy for school, she got confused about her last name. When I first asked, she said it was Proctor. I reminded her that your last name is Abbott. She said that was her last name, too. So which is it, Elizabeth?”

He was still handsome as sin, but the friendly, teasing man who had shared breakfast with her had disappeared. In his place was a probing stranger. For the first time she saw the dark side of him. No doubt he made an excellent sheriff.

But she couldn’t tell him the truth. It was too awful, too embarrassing, too unbelievable. She had trouble believing it had happened, and she’d lived through it. Besides, she didn’t want to see that pitying look in his eyes. She didn’t want to know he thought of her as less, or stupid. No, the truth was her own secret, one she would never share. She could, however, tell him part of the truth.

She raised her hand to flick her hair back over her shoulder. “Proctor is Mandy’s father’s last name. She used it for a while, but now she’s using my name.”

“I see.” He drew his eyebrows together. “You mentioned you had rented a house here in town.”

What did that have to do with anything? She nodded slowly. “I can take possession on October first.”

“Is your furniture in storage?”

“Why are you asking me this?”

He moved around the sofa until he was standing in front of her. She had to tilt her head back to meet his eyes. She wished he was wearing his Stetson so she didn’t have to see the cold black swirling through his irises.

“Is it?”

“No. I don’t have any furniture. I left it all behind in L.A. I didn’t want to move it. Travis, why are you acting like this? Why are you asking all these questions?”

“So you have no furniture, Mandy has very few toys. In fact, all your possessions can fit in the trunk of your car.” He wasn’t asking a question.

Her heart pounded in her chest. She wanted to stand up and stare him in the eye, but the tension was making her side ache too much. She could only sit on the edge of the sofa and fight the fear.

“Travis—”

He cut her off with a wave of his hand. “I want the truth, Elizabeth. Did you kidnap Mandy?”