Little Girl Lost by Shirlee McCoy

Author:Shirlee McCoy [McCoy, Shirlee]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Religious, Romance, Love Inspired Suspense, Fiction, Suspense
ISBN: 9781426847165
Google: FPqQbvH3-f0C
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2009-10-01T13:17:56.318000+00:00

FOURTEEN

Mick stepped into his office and was tackled from behind by a pint-sized tornado.

“Whoa!” He staggered back, turned to scoop his giggling daughter into his arms. “That’s it, Katie-bug. It’s out into the cold with you.”

“No! Daddy! No!” She squirmed and laughed as he shoved open the office window. “Put me down. Grandmom will be mad if I get my dress all messed up. She ironed it and everything.”

“Did she?” He slid Kaitlyn down onto the floor and surveyed the dress she wore. “And she did a good job of it, too.” Not like his own rushed and harried attempts usually were. “Where is Grandmom?”

“Right behind you. So if you’ve got something negative to say about me, you’d better wait a while.” There was laughter in his mother’s voice and Mick turned to pull her into a bear hug.

“Thanks for taking care of Katie for me this morning. I know 4:00 a.m. is a bad time to get yanked out of bed.”

“Three-thirty. Not that I noticed the time or anything.” She smiled, her eyes the same blue as Katie’s, the dimple in her cheek only making the resemblance between grandmother and grandchild all the more noticeable. “And you know your father and I are happy to help out. It’s nice to have Katie around. She’s an easy little girl to entertain.”

“Most of the time.” Mick watched his daughter twirl around the room, her fingers skimming over papers and desk, chair and window. The chubby baby she’d been at three was gone, replaced by a sturdy little girl. She was growing up fast and he wasn’t quite sure how he felt about it.

“She’s easy all the time. How is Howard doing?”

“Barring any unforeseen complications, he should make a full recovery.”

“I’m glad to hear it.

“Me, too. He didn’t look good last night. I was worried things might not go well for him.” Mick shrugged off his coat and settled into the chair behind his desk, snagging the back of his daughter’s coat and pulling her into his lap. “So, what brings you here? I thought we agreed no more visits before school.”

“This was important, Daddy.”

“Important, huh?”

“You forgot to sign my permission slip. Mrs. Samuels said if I don’t bring it back today I can’t go on the field trip.”

“Mrs. Samuels also said that if you didn’t stop talking out of turn, you’d be in detention on field-trip day.”

“I’ve been working really hard at being quiet.” Katie’s eyes were wide and so innocent it almost hurt to look into them.

“Then I guess I’ll sign the slip.”

“Thanks, Daddy!” She threw her arms around him, squeezing hard. He hugged back, inhaling baby shampoo and banana muffins. He wanted to freeze-frame the moment, the sweet earnestness in her face when she put her hands on his cheeks and looked into his eyes, the high-pitched timbre of her voice when she spoke. “You be careful today, okay?”

“Aren’t I always?” He chucked her on the chin. “You be good for Mrs. Samuels.”

“I will be. I promise.”

“Good. Now go on with Grandmom and have a good day.

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