Misfit Father by Ann Evans

Author:Ann Evans
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2006-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

SINCE THE THREE BS WAS only two blocks off Broken Yoke’s town square, Rafe and Frannie walked home. The day had been long and tiring, but productive. He still didn’t see the sense in making the focus of the festival the Accordion Man, but why continue to fight the whole town? Especially when he wanted to call this place home.

And maybe, just maybe, they were right. Maybe it could be shaped into a profitable venture. Everyone certainly seemed determined to give it their best shot. Well, everyone except Stacey Merrick, who’d stormed out of the park barefoot, swearing that she wouldn’t have anything further to do with any of it.

Rafe didn’t think anyone particularly mourned the loss.

He glanced down at Frannie, who was dragging her feet beside him as though she had a date with an executioner. He’d just explained to her what kind of punishment she could expect for that little prank with the paint.

“So you understand that you have to pay for Mrs. Merrick’s new shoes?” Rafe confirmed once more.

“I guess,” the child said with a lackluster shrug. “How much?”

Rafe pretended to give that some thought. “Five dollars ought to cover it.”

Frannie jerked to a halt and scowled up at him. “Five dollars! That’s almost all I have in my piggy bank!”

“Sorry. That’s the deal.”

Rafe watched his daughter’s jaw work as she chewed the inside of her cheek. Her hand in his was warm and so small. It moved fretfully, like a captured butterfly. “Okay,” she said at last.

They started down the sidewalk again. He had to admit to feeling somewhat relieved she’d conceded with no more argument. Frankly, he was flying blind here.

But what was so strange about that? When he backtracked in his mind over the past few weeks—anytime he’d been in Dani Bridgeton’s company—he’d been in the same fix, hadn’t he? Flying blind.

Whatever was developing between them had him firmly by the throat. He couldn’t explain it. He wasn’t sure he even understood it. He just knew it was more than desire. He was drawn to her in ways that had nothing to do with how much he longed to take her to bed. Drawn to her stubborn determination. Drawn to her quick mind and honest courage. Drawn to the passionate empathy she could show toward one confused little girl.

“Why did you buy those stupid trees?” Frannie asked, cutting into Rafe’s thoughts.

Before leaving this afternoon, he had spoken to the guy in charge of the new, improved landscaping at the park. Two small cottonwood trees, balled and burlapped, were all that had remained in the back of the nursery truck. Rafe had purchased them rather than see them returned to the store. He didn’t have much of a green thumb, but Frannie would need someplace agreeable to play. A place with grass and shade and soft breezes.

“Because they’ll look nice planted in the backyard,” he told the girl.

Frannie scrunched up her nose. “They didn’t look so good. They might die.”

“They might. But we’ll give them lots of water and plant food, so they might take root instead.

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