Flynn Read online

“Emily, why don’t you sit in the back and let Natalie ride up front so she can see more of the scenery on the way to Missoula,” he said.

  “Okay, but on the way back I want to ride up front with both of you.”

  Emily opened the door behind the passenger side and got in while Natalie slid in beside him, filling the interior with her perfume. He remembered it from last night and how he’d smelled it until the early hours of the morning. Enjoyed it until the early hours of the morning when he laid awake thinking about her.

  “Good morning,” he said. She had the same shade lipstick on again today. He hadn’t wiped it off for an hour after she’d left. He’d even stood in front of the bathroom mirror glazing at it, telling himself it was proof that the kiss had been real and not something a lonely man speeding toward middle age had made up.

  “My mother tells me there’s a craft and yarn store in the mall, so that’s probably a good place to look for boots too,” said Flynn pulling out onto the main road.

  “Dad, can we go to the farmer’s market?” asked Emily scooting forward and resting her elbows close to where he and Natalie sat.

  “Not today honey. Remember they don’t have one in winter.”

  “I love farmer’s markets,” said Natalie, turning around to face Emily. “I go to a local one every Saturday morning.”

  “I like them too and vegetables are good for you,” said Emily.

  Flynn smiled and glanced at Natalie who grinned too.

  “Dad, dad, slow up so I can show Natalie where Uncle Shane and Aunt Lacey live.”

  Flynn eased up on the gas as Emily pointed up the road to their right.

  “See, it’s that house down there. Can I stop and see them?”

  “Maybe on the way back. So how’s the motel room?” Flynn asked Natalie.

  “It’s comfortable.”

  “So you are think you’ll be in Timber Creek awhile looking for a house?”

  Please say yes.

  “I plan on being here for at least a couple of weeks.”

  A couple of weeks was better than a couple of days. He was sure she’d fall in love with the place and want to hang around longer. Yeah, he’d work on showing her all the good things the place had to offer.

  “That’s my school,” said Emily pointing to a sandy colored brick building to the left. “And over there is where Nick lives. He goes to the school and he’s in a wheelchair so I push him when he gets tired.”

  “That’s a nice thing to do,” said Natalie.

  “And Dad built a ramp on Nick’s house so it’s easy for his parents to push him.”

  Natalie turned to face him. “Didn’t take me long. Nick’s got cerebral palsy.”

  The poor kid wasn’t doing very well and his parents had told Flynn that he might not have much longer. He didn’t know how Emily would take the news because other than his youngest brother Ryan dying, she hadn’t had a lot of experience with death.

  “I take him cookies from Gran’s café but he can’t eat the peanut butter ones,” said Emily.

  “And how often do you work in your gran’s café?” asked Natalie.

  He smiled again. No one had been this interested in Emily before. Her ditching her car in front of their place was heaven sent for both him and Emily.

  “Mondays and Fridays, and sometimes on a Saturday, but not today because I’m going to Missoula.”

  Natalie smiled. She looked really, truly interested in what Emily was saying. The other women he’d dated only pretended to just to get on his good side, but he’d seen through them and so had Emily. And in the end the women had ended up making snide remarks. One had even suggested that Emily be put in a residential home in Helena.

  “We saw wolves and their babies over there,” said Emily pointing up ahead.

  “Are there a lot in the area?” asked Natalie.

  “Depends on what time of year it is,” said Flynn.

  “Have you been to Yellowstone Park because you can see lots of wolves there, oh and bears too,” said Emily.

  Natalie turned to face her again. “I haven’t. How about you?”

  “Nope, but Dad said we’ll go next summer. You want to come with us?”

  He’d love that. The thought that she’d be around and that they might be together as an actual couple.

  “It’s something I’ll think about,” said Natalie.

  “Okay then,” said Emily.

  Yeah, Emily liked Natalie too, and that gave him the green light.

  ****

  Natalie couldn’t help but tear up as Emily looped her arm through hers as they made their way around the mall. If only it could be like this every weekend. Us going shopping like mother and daughter and making up for all the lost time. Flynn had done such a wonderful job with her. If she’d handpicked someone to adopt her daughter she couldn’t have chosen a better candidate. And on those Saturday mornings, having the handsome cowboy tagging along with them would be an added bonus.

  “You girls mind if I leave you for a bit and go and get the truck cleaned at the wash that’s a block from here?” asked Flynn.

  “Sure,” said Natalie.

  “Okay, how about I meet you by the information desk in say, thirty minutes?”

  She watched him walk away, his cute butt in those tight jeans, the short suede jacket, the boots and most of all, the cowboy hat. She wouldn’t have guessed a cowboy would have been her type, but there was something about Flynn Malone that made her heart miss a beat.

  He finally disappeared out of sight.

  I’m on my own with her daughter.

  Natalie knew it was wrong to think along those lines. He and his wife had been kind enough to give her baby a home. His wife. He didn’t talk about her. In fact, Natalie hadn’t seen any photos of her in the house. Maybe he didn’t want to be reminded that she was gone. And why did he say she was dead when Natalie’s PI had said they were divorced? Maybe they’d been two previous wives.

  Natalie suddenly realized that Emily no longer had hold of her arm. She looked around but couldn’t see her anywhere, just lots of other people milling around in front of the stores.

  Five minutes alone with her and she’d done the unthinkable. She’d lost her daughter.

  Did she know her way around this mall? What if she couldn’t find her, or if Emily couldn’t find her way back to her? Bile rose in her throat. As Emily had special needs, should she go to the security office straight away, and not even bother to look for her?

  Running her hands through her hair she felt hot and cold at the same time. Emily was a friendly girl and what if she’d gone off with someone who meant to do her harm?

  Natalie made her way through the throngs of people, looking everywhere but seeing no sign of her. She glanced in stores hoping to see the blue quilted coat and the red hair somewhere in the crowd but still nothing. Making her way out into the center of the mall, she glanced at her watch. Thirty minutes had passed. Flynn would be back soon and what was she going to tell him? I’m an idiot. I’ve lost your daughter.

  She rushed back to where they were the last time she’d seen Emily, hoping for some miracle and she’d simply be standing there waiting,

  Still no sign of her.

  Glancing to her left, she saw Flynn heading to the information booth. She walked over there too, taking deep breaths rehearsing how she was going to break the news to him.

  She walked up behind him, he turned and smiled.

  Here goes, and I hope he doesn’t hate me.

  “Flynn, I’m so sorry. I let Emily out of my sight for just a second and now…”

  He put his hand on her arm. If only the situation wasn’t so dire, she could appreciate his touch so much more.

  “It’s okay. It’s my fault because I should have warned you that if she finds something that interests her more than what she’s doing with you, she takes off without warning. Don’t worry I gave her a cell phone and she has my number, her grans, and also her two uncles’ numbers on speed dial. We’ve always told
her if she gets lost to take a photo of where she’s at, and call one of us so we can find her. The fact that she hasn’t tells me she’s all right and somewhere she feels perfectly safe.”

  How had her baby been so lucky to find Flynn for a dad? Maybe her mother had handpicked him. Not likely, but either way her and Jon’s daughter had found the best home a baby could possibly get.

  He put his arm around her. Just the touch of his body made her legs shake and her heart pick up its tempo. “Let’s go look for her. I’m betting she’s close by,” he said.

  Together they searched the stores, but no Emily. A band was playing on a stage at the end of the mall. Natalie looked their way and there she was all by herself swaying and dancing to the music just a few feet from the stage.

  Flynn walked up behind her and whispered in her ear. “She loves music. I think it’s because I sang to her every night when she was a baby.” An image of Emily small and fragile being rocked in Flynn’s strong arms sprang into her mind. She would have loved to have seen it. She watched as two small children joined Emily and danced with her as she grabbed their hands.

  “She loves children too. Loves being around them, so I’m glad she’s finally getting a cousin,” he said.

  “You and your wife never had any other children?”

  He looked down at the ground and then up and shook his head.

  “And you’re never thought about remarrying?”

  This probably wasn’t the place or time to ask him, but she wanted to know.

  “Been too busy with the ranch and Emily,” he said watching this daughter and smiling. Pure pride was written all over it.

  Emily spun around and around. A few people began pointing and laughing at her.

  “Maybe we should stop her because of the…”

  He grabbed Natalie’s hand, obviously sensing she was going to stop Emily from further embarrassment.

  “Nope, it’s the people who want to mock her for having Down’s who are the ones in the wrong, not Emily.”

  He was right. Emily hadn’t done anything wrong. She was just being herself.

  “How come you know so much about all this? I mean having a child with special needs.”

  “Don’t think I’m an expert. When she was young I had no idea what I was doing, but then I went along to a support group right here in Missoula and met other parents of children with Down’s and they taught me so much.”

  She so admired this man. Taking on Emily all by himself.

  Emily turned around and waved at them, beckoning them over.

  “We’d better join her or she’ll be upset,” said Flynn.

  Flynn got hold of Natalie’s hand and led her over to where Emily was still swaying to the music.

  She took hold of their hands and made them dance with her.

  Normally shy and self-conscious, especially in a crowd, today Natalie lost every inhibition as she swung around with Flynn and Emily, the three of them laughing, probably being watched and having snide remarks uttered about their behavior, but she didn’t care.

  Her daughter giggled and she could see a little of herself and a little of Jon. If only he could see them, even be here swinging around with them too. Flynn squeezed her hand and she realized a tear had rolled down her cheek.

  The band switched to a slower tune and without warning, Flynn took Natalie in his arms and pressed his body to hers as they twirled around. Even through their coats she could feel the warmth of his body, smell his cologne, and yes, his erection too.

  “Thank you,” he said.

  “For what?”

  “For being kind to my daughter when lots of other women I’ve known haven’t been.”

  Dating couldn’t be easy for him. Not only as a single dad but one dealing with a child with certain needs.

  “You didn’t mind acting silly just now and I don’t know anyone else who would have done that,” he continued.

  “Sometimes it’s fun letting your hair down.”

  Shit, she wanted him to kiss her again.

  “Smile,” shouted Emily.

  They both looked toward her and she snapped a photo of them with her cell phone.

  The music stopped and Emily rushed over to them. “Look, pretty photo. I’m going to keep it forever and ever.”

  Flynn let Natalie’s hand slip through his. “Okay Ms. Malone, let’s go and buy that knitting wool and then I think we should eat because I’m starving.”

  ****

  Flynn stood on the sidelines as Natalie helped Emily pick out a knitting pattern. It seemed she was going to help Emily make a hat and matching booties for Shane and Lacey’s baby.

  Natalie was heaven sent. She had to be. Beautiful, intelligent, patient with Emily, and yes, he hated to admit it, but she turned him on big time. His libido hadn’t been in overdrive like this since he couldn’t remember when. During their dance when they’d held one another, he’d wanted to whisk her off to the hotel room and make love to her.

  “And what color yarn do you want?” Natalie asking Emily that question jarred him out of his thought about taking off Natalie’s clothes and kissing every inch of her body. Shit, if he didn’t stop this fantasy playing out in his head he was going to come right this second.

  “Blue because it’s a boy,” said Emily.

  Flynn shook his head. She was adamant about it just like she’d been with the calf.

  “They have lots of blues so you pick which one you like best,” said Natalie

  Emily walked back and forth several times looking at the skeins on the shelf. While Natalie was being nice and not hurrying her, he knew his daughter too well. If Natalie didn’t insist she narrow down the choices she could pick, it could turn into hours in the store for all of them. He walked over to her.

  “I think Lacey would like to see the baby in his color,” he said pointing to a light blue yarn on the middle shelf.

  Emily crossed her arms, shook her head and stomped her foot on the floor

  Honey please, don’t have an outburst and make Natalie think she’s making a huge mistake hanging out with your dad.

  “You have to pick one soon, honey because Daddy’s getting hungry,” he said.

  “I want all the colors.” She stomped her foot again.

  “Honey you can’t, you know that.”

  “How about we pick two blues,” said Natalie. “This light one, and then the darker shade here and blend them together.”

  He looked at Emily, putting his hands behind his back and crossing his fingers that she wouldn’t give Natalie a hard time and ruin his chances with her.

  “Okay,” said Emily.

  Wow, that had been easy. He let out the air he’d been holding in his mouth.

  “We need two skeins of each color and size 5 needles. Do you have any at home?” Natalie asked.

  “Your grandma might have some but just in case she doesn’t, let’s buy them because we don’t have a craft store in Timber Creek,” said Flynn.

  He pulled out his wallet, but Natalie stopped him by putting her hand over his.

  “This is my treat for all the meals you’ve offered me, and getting my car out of the ditch.”

  “You don’t have to do that,” said Flynn.

  She squeezed his hand. Oh boy, that felt so good.

  “Please, really I want to.”

  “What do you say, Emily?”

  “Thank you, thank you.” She threw her arms around Natalie’s neck and kissed her cheek. A tear ran down Natalie’s face. Yeah, this woman might be ideal for both of them.

  Chapter Eight

  “Can we stop by to say hello to Shane and Lacey?” asked Emily on the drive home.

  “Is that okay with you?” Flynn asked Natalie.

  “Sure, I’m in no rush to get back to the motel.”

  Flynn turned off the main road and headed down a road with one lone house. He pulled into the driveway and Natalie saw Malone written on the mailbox.

  Flynn hadn’t even turned off the ignition when Emil
y got out of the truck and ran toward the house carrying the bag with the knitting wool in it. Natalie heard her not taking her finger off the doorbell, and then a pretty young woman with a loose fitting top stood in the doorway. Emily threw her arms around her and they hugged.

  Flynn put his hand in the small of Natalie’s back as they walked up the pathway to the front door.

  “Lacey, I’d like you to meet Natalie Stevens. She’s from Florida but looking to buy a house around here. Natalie, my sister-in-law, Lacey.”

  Natalie shook her hand.

  “Pleased to meet you, and come in,” said Lacey.

  Emily immediately pulled Natalie into the living room and pointed at a photo in a frame. “Look, it’s me in a pretty dress.”

  She’d obviously been a bridesmaid at her uncle’s wedding. A tear formed in her eye again when she saw how beautiful Emily looked in the dress and her hair piled on top of her head. She had the happiest smile on her face.

  “My cousin’s in here,” said Emily rubbing Lacey’s belly.

  “I bet you’re getting excited,” said Natalie.

  “That, and a little nervous too. Do you have children?”

  I do and here she is.

  “Unfortunately, no.” That was the truth. She’d been made to give up this girl who had a wonderful view of the world and people and…

  “Look, we got knitting wool and Natalie’s going to show me how to make a hat and boots for the baby,” said Emily opening up the bag.

  “Oh my, blue, and Shane’s convinced it’s a girl.”

  “It’s a boy,” said Emily.

  Flynn pulled a face.

  “Hey you guys want to check out the nursery? I’ve been working on the artwork for the walls.”

  “I want to, I want to,” said Emily

  Lacey led the way with Emily pulling the hands of both Flynn and Natalie.

  Seeing the teddy bears stenciled on the wall and a changing table that had already been placed in the corner, Natalie felt suddenly depressed. Although she’d been in high school when she’d gotten pregnant, she’d wanted the baby so much. She’d wanted all the joy that went along with it, but had listened to her mother and all the reasons why she shouldn’t keep the baby. She bit her lip, doing her best to fight back the tears, thinking that she might never have a chance at another pregnancy again.