Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 51792 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 259(@200wpm)___ 207(@250wpm)___ 173(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 51792 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 259(@200wpm)___ 207(@250wpm)___ 173(@300wpm)
“Good for her,” he said.
“Really? I thought you wanted to profess your unrequited love.”
He chuckled. “Yeah, I don’t think she would see the humor in my six-year-old self crushing on her.”
“Six years old?” I asked, my eyebrow arching in question. “The same age as Zoe.”
“Don’t go there.”
“Why not? You started it. You’ve just opened the possibility that right now there is a six-year-old boy giving your daughter moony eyes.”
I cracked up when he looked ready to be sick. “Don’t go there.”
“Again, you brought this up. I’m still waiting for why you need my help.”
“It’s the kind of thing where my brother and hers teased us both about my little crush to the point she hated me on sight. As we grew older, we just kind of ignored each other like neither existed. I don’t know how she may or may not react to me.”
“Like I said, I heard she’s with someone. I doubt she’ll even notice you.”
His lips curved like he was holding back a laugh. “You’re probably right.”
“Did you just make that up?” I accused.
“No. But I was curious how you would react, and you did react.”
My jaw came unhinged before I ground my teeth together. “I did not react.”
“You were jealous at the idea I might be interested in someone.”
I shifted in my seat to angle my body with my back against the door so I wouldn’t have to turn to glare at him. “I don’t even know you well enough to be jealous.”
“Exactly. Yet here we are. You feel this.”
“No. I feel that your father is right. You are a smooth talker.”
When I’d first met his dad with Nate, James had told me not to fall in love with Nate because he was stone cold when it came to matters of the heart. On the other hand, James said Mitchell didn’t shy away from love and could charm his way into a woman’s heart.
“He did, did he?” Mitchell asked, sounding less than pleased.
“He did. Warned me about both of his sons.”
“I guess there’s nothing more to say.” His mood had soured, and immediately I missed the back-and-forth between us. It had been fun going toe to toe with him.
He parked close to the small-town grocery store. We would need to visit the butcher too. “Call me when you’re ready to go or if you need help carrying the groceries,” Mitchell said and then he headed in the opposite direction.
I was beginning to think that working for the Bowmens was a bad idea. Mitchell had been right about the connection between us. It was something I’d never experienced before. He had all but admitted the same. I was the one unwilling to cross the line.
Slowly, I walked to the grocery when Shaina appeared. “Hey, friend, I didn’t think I would see you today.”
“Me either,” I admitted.
“What’s wrong?”
Though I didn’t know her well, it all poured out of me. I needed a sounding board for what I should do next.
FIFTEEN
Mitchell
The woman was equal parts infuriating and intriguing. I wanted her more than I should have. I had to put space between us. Since I had a purpose, I kept walking until I reached the door and opened it.
A man stood inside the inner office.
“Hi. How can I help you?”
“I’m hoping to speak to the doctor.”
He walked around the desk and held out a hand to me. “I’m Miles Carlson. How can I assist you?”
“I have a matter that I’d like to discuss with you,” I said.
He checked the time. “I have a few minutes. My assistant went out for coffee, so we are alone in the office, but why don’t we step in here?” He held out a hand to show where we were going. I followed into a small office. “Have a seat.”
I did, and he followed suit. “Everything I say is confidential, right?”
“If it is of a medical nature and I’m your doctor, then yes.”
“You’re not my doctor yet and I really don’t want what I’m about to share to become front-page gossip in town.”
Miles nodded. “Whatever you say to me, as long as there isn’t danger to anyone else, I will keep your confidence.”
“Even from your wife?”
Though Miles wasn’t a local, Gunner had shared he’d married Jessie, who owned the coffee shop.
“Even from her.”
That was good. I took a breath and spilled. “My daughter—her mother is missing,” I began.
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Yes, it’s a bad situation made even tougher because I’ve only found out recently that she’s my daughter. With her mother missing, my hands are tied with the things I can do. I have a temporary emergency order for legal guardianship, but to make it more permanent, I need to establish paternity. I’m hoping your office is certified to do a paternity test the State of Montana will recognize.”
“We do, more often than you think. When would you need it done?”