Designated Daddy by Jane Toombs

Author:Jane Toombs [Toombs, Jane]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Suspense
Publisher: Harlequin Treasury
Published: 2011-07-15T05:00:00+00:00

In the morning sky, the sun flirted with flocks of fleecy white clouds. “Thunderheads by this afternoon,” Steve predicted as they left the cabin behind.

“So we may get rained on?” Victoria asked, worrying about the baby in her kangaroo pouch.

“We ought to be back before then. There’s not much reason to hang out in Hanksville, as you’ll see.”

Joker, bounding ahead of them on the trail, stopped and looked back to make sure they were still with him. Steve carried a leash in his backpack but had told her that he hoped to control the dog by commands rather than by restraint. She had to agree the dog did obey well—except for escaping when he was tied up.

Victoria decided not to worry about possible rain. The day was pleasantly warm and, though she hadn’t minded the cabin’s isolation, hiking down the trail felt like a real adventure.

“Is this the only way to get to Hanksville?” she asked.

“Essentially yes, though another trail from Willa’s cabin joins this one farther along. If you want to take the van, you have to drive down to Aylestown and go around the mountain to get there.”

Which set her off singing “She’ll Be Coming Round The Mountain.”

“Haven’t heard that one in years,” he said and, to her surprise, joined in.

Victoria had never felt more lighthearted. Her stressful job was far away, she was in the mountains she loved, with Steve and Heidi and, for the moment, at least, she hadn’t a care in the world.

How she loved the scent of the evergreens and the sound of the breeze in their branches. As they descended, from the trees squirrels challenged their right to pass. Peering up to try to spot them, Victoria saw a hawk soaring high above.

Up ahead, Joker started to chase some small animal a chipmunk? into the underbrush, but returned on Steve’s command to heel. Why, she wondered, had such a well-trained dog become a stray?

She enjoyed every moment of the trek down the mountain but when they reached Hanksville, she saw what Steve meant. Rather than the picturesque village she had in mind, it looked to be a tired, run-down place with the few buildings along the main street badly in need of paint.

“I need to make a couple phone calls,” Steve said, stopping at a pay phone by the lone gas station. “The general store’s over there.” He pointed across the street. “I’ll meet you inside.”

Seeing the U.S. flag flying from a pole in front of the store, Victoria decided it might also be the post office. She was right. Opening her fanny pack, she removed the sheet of paper she’d scribbled her note to Alice on, bought a stamped envelope at the post office counter and addressed it. Wrapping the note around her key to the mailbox, she slipped it inside, sealed the envelope and pushed it through the mail slot.

Then she wandered through the store, finding a pair of pajamas she thought would fit Steve—maybe he’d get rid of those ratty bottoms then.

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