The Daddy Salute by Maureen Child

Author:Maureen Child
Format: mobi
Published: 2011-01-30T18:15:44.125000+00:00

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from Kathy. So if the kiss was strike two... Finally, he said, ‘‘Foul ball, high and away.’’

Nodding sagely, Jack told him, ‘‘Then all you have to do is straighten it out.’’

Brian shook his head in disgust. ‘‘First, I have to get up to bat again.’’

‘‘You will,’’ Jack said, and turned toward the squad slowly making their way over the marsh hill. ‘‘But first, you have to get off this field and back into the playing field.’’

True enough. He wouldn’t get anywhere until those blasted goggles were found. Sighing, he led the way across the brush grass. ‘‘Damn privates,’’ he muttered.

Jack laughed.

A gentle knock on her door woke Kathy at 2:00

a.m.

Jumping up from the chair where she’d been dozing, she shook her head to clear away sleep-induced cobwebs and hurried to the door. She opened it and looked up into Brian’s crystal-blue eyes. He looked exhausted...and entirely too good.

‘‘Sorry it’s so late,’’ he started to say.

‘‘Don’t worry about it,’’ Kathy said, cutting him off as she reached for his hand and drew him into the apartment. ‘‘But it’s so late now, why don’t you just leave Maegan with me for the night? She’s sleeping soundly, and it just doesn’t make sense to move her.’’

He inhaled sharply and blew the air out in a rush.

Nodding, he said, ‘‘That’s fine. Thanks.’’

He scraped one hand across his face, and Kathy felt 98

THE DADDY SALUTE

for him. She could just imagine wandering around in the darkness for hours on end. ‘‘C’mon,’’ she said, and led him into her small kitchen. Pushing him down into one of the two chairs at the tiny table, she said,

‘‘Just relax. I’ll get you something to eat.’’

His smile warmed her through and she told herself she was being ridiculous to be so touched by such a small thing.

‘‘Food sounds great,’’ he said, and leaned both elbows on the table to cradle his head in his hands.

While she bustled around the kitchen, she asked questions about what he’d been up to and let him talk about his night. By the time she had a sandwich made and a bowl of steaming soup in front of him, his story was winding down.

‘‘Anyway, we found the goggles in a ditch the idiot had been sitting in.’’ He shook his head. ‘‘For some reason he set them down, then just walked off without them when the squad was called in.’’

Kathy took the seat opposite him. ‘‘I’ll bet he won’t be doing that again anytime soon.’’

‘‘Lord, I hope not.’’ He tucked into the rich tomato soup, and in seconds the bowl was empty. ‘‘I didn’t even realize how hungry I was,’’ he said as he started on the sandwich.

‘‘Would you like something to drink?’’ she asked as she picked up his bowl to refill it.

‘‘If you have a beer,’’ Brian said, ‘‘I might have to worship you.’’

She laughed, enjoying the feel of the late-night quiet and the man watching her every move. ‘‘Then MAUREEN CHILD

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