Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 68594 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 343(@200wpm)___ 274(@250wpm)___ 229(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68594 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 343(@200wpm)___ 274(@250wpm)___ 229(@300wpm)
Inwardly, I scoffed at the idea.
At the head of the line, the ticket taker handed me the mallet. “Good luck.”
I lifted my arms and swung, the weight almost hitting the top.
“Oh, so close!” he yelled.
Plunking down the money for another swing, I stepped back, sliding my hands to the end of the mallet and focusing all my energy. Again, I swung, this time the weight rushing up the post and hitting the bell loudly. The crowd cheered, and I let Quinn pick the bear. She opted for a pink one wearing a tutu. I felt something akin to pride as I handed it to her—like a warrior giving his queen the prize for winning the war. Which made me want to punch myself in the face for such a stupid thought.
She clapped, grinning, and her beauty in that moment stunned me. Her eyes glowed, her dark hair rippling over her shoulders. Her smile was incredible, the dimples deep divots in her cheeks. She glowed with happiness, and she hugged my arm as we walked away.
I felt the stirring of desire growing. The want to pull her into the shadows and kiss her so strong, I almost stumbled. I looked down, finding her eyes on mine. Time seemed to stand still as our gazes locked, the heat becoming a living, breathing thing between us.
Then her phone rang, breaking the spell. I stepped back, shocked to see how close I’d been standing next to her. I frowned as she answered, hearing the deep timbre of a man’s voice. She furrowed her brow, turning her back. With the crowds around us, I couldn’t hear what she was saying, but a dull feeling of anger rolled through my chest. A sense of déjà vu hit me.
Hanging up, she turned to face me. “I have to go. My daughter—”
I cut her off. “Daughter?”
“I have to go. He says—”
I had no interest in hearing what her husband or boyfriend had to say. Or why she had to leave. She shouldn’t have been here in the first place, and I should have walked away when she offered to buy me a beer.
I turned and did exactly that.
3
QUINN
John disappeared into the crowd, gone before I could speak again. I had seen the horror on his face and heard the shock in his voice when he repeated “daughter.”
He didn’t give me a chance to explain. Instead, he had walked away.
And I didn’t have time to run after him to try to make him understand.
I hurried to the parking lot, sticking to the lighted area and following a couple heading that way. I breathed a sigh of relief and locked the door, heading to Cathy’s place. I shouldn’t have listened to them when they told me to go wander the fair. To get out and clear my head. I should have stayed home. Been there when Abby woke up with a fever. Memories of my ex and his constant criticism about being a bad mother, a terrible wife, an overall failure of a human being played in my head, and I fought to shut them down. He was wrong.
Yet, as often as I told myself that, his ugly words occupied a place in my mind I couldn’t seem to shut off.
I drove back to Cathy’s, parking the car and hurrying inside. Cathy greeted me, laying a hand on my arm. “She’s fine. I gave her some children’s Tylenol and put a cold cloth on her head, and she’s already cooler. She had some water and wasn’t upset you weren’t here. I told her you were running an errand.” She smiled. “Go see her before she falls asleep.” It was only then she noticed the teddy under my arm. “You got that at the fair?”
I nodded. “Long story. Jerk I thought was a nice guy. Ran for the hills when he found out I had a daughter. But the teddy will come in handy for Abby.”
She rubbed my arm in sympathy. “Sorry.”
“It’s fine. Not like I was looking anyway.”
I went past her into the guest room where we were staying. Abby was dozing, opening her eyes and gazing at me sleepily as I sat on the bed beside her.
“Hi, baby.”
“Hi, Momma. Did you get your errand done?”
“Yeah. How are you feeling?”
“Better. I was hot and scared, but I’m okay now. Cathy was nice. And Bart gave me a popsicle. It tasted good.”
“I’m glad. This might help too.” I handed her the bear, the pink fuzzy animal making her smile.
“Oh, Momma, I love her!”
“I thought you might.” As soon as I had seen the tutu and the sparkly necklace on the teddy, I knew it was the one I had to pick. I knew there was no doubt Abby was going to end up getting the bear, so I chose one I was sure she would love.