The Best Bride

by Susan Mallery

  “Just doing my job.”

  She waved at the IV still attached to her hand. “They said that if I’d waited another couple of hours, the appendix might have burst. If I’d gone to the walk-in medical clinic like I’d planned, I might have gotten to the hospital too late.”

  “So it all worked out. You’ll be released tomorrow.”

  “That’s what they told me.” She glanced at him sitting in the white plastic chair. He looked tanned and handsome and disgustingly healthy, while her insides felt as if a herd of buffalo had trampled through them.

  “Where are you going to go when they release you?” he asked.

  “Back to the motel.” It wasn’t a great solution, but it was the best one she’d been able to think of. Where else could she go?

  “And then?”

  “And then I’ll get better and go to work. That is, if I still have a job. I need to call Rebecca and tell her what happened.” She forced herself to meet his gaze, and prayed her expression looked as calm and confident as she’d made herself sound. She didn’t want to foist her troubles on anyone, especially not this handsome stranger. One rescue per weekend was quite enough.

  He folded his arms over his chest. His shirt stretched tightly across his broad shoulders. He had a solid look about him. He was the kind of man who could physically work for hours without tiring. He looked dependable. She shook her head. Looks could be deceiving.

  Then he smiled. She told herself not to notice, that he was obviously an accomplished ladies’ man, but that didn’t stop her rather battered insides from responding favorably to the flash of white teeth.

  “I have good news, bad news and good news,” he said. “Which do you want first?”

  She panicked. “Is Mandy—”

  He cut her off. “She’s fine. That’s the first good news. The bad news is there’s an outbreak of chicken pox at the children’s home. I didn’t know if Mandy’d had chicken pox, so I couldn’t leave her there last night. Rebecca figured the last thing you’d need in your condition is a sick kid.”

  Elizabeth frowned. “If she’s not at the home, where is she?”

  “Downstairs, watching a clown make balloon animals.” He shrugged. “They were having a party and she wanted to see what was going on. I thought you and I should talk first anyway.”

  “So where did Mandy spend the night?”

  “With me. I called my housekeeper, and she took care of the basics of bathing and dressing. But I fed her breakfast.” He looked sheepish and proud all at once.

  “You?” Why on earth would he volunteer to take home her daughter? “Chicken pox? I can’t believe this is all happening. Mandy hasn’t had them yet. Thank God she wasn’t exposed to them. I don’t know what to say except thank you.” She had a sudden thought. “I hope it wasn’t too inconvenient for your wife.”

  “I’m not married.”

  She told herself she wasn’t pleased by that fact. It was just a piece of information. It didn’t mean anything. The last thing she needed in her life was a man. “I don’t know how to repay you for all you’ve done.”

  “I’m responsible for the welfare of the people of this town,” he said, and grinned again. “You are our newest citizen.”

  “You’re very kind.” She relaxed. Mandy was safe. Nothing else mattered.

  The slow, sexy grin faded. “You’re going to need help when they release you. Tell me who to call, Elizabeth.”

  She turned her head and stared out the window. “There’s no one to call. I told you, my parents are on a cruise in the Orient. They’re probably halfway between Australia and Hong Kong right now.”

  She didn’t bother mentioning that she deliberately hadn’t paid attention to her parents’ travel plans. She didn’t even know the name of the ship or the cruise line. In the past six months, she’d cut herself off from her family. She couldn’t bear to tell them the ugly, disgusting truth about her life. She couldn’t bear to see the shock and the shame in their eyes and to relive it all over again. She just wanted to forget everything. And she’d been on her way to doing just that. If only she hadn’t had to have surgery.

  “Then a friend from Los Angeles.”

  “No.” All her friends knew what had happened. There’d been no way to keep it a secret. She hadn’t been able to face them, and had quickly cut all personal ties. There was no one left to call. What about tonight? Where would Mandy sleep?

  “Sheriff Haynes…”

  “Travis.”

  “Travis,” she said and paused. “I have no family, other than my parents. I know this is an imposition, but would you or your housekeeper be willing to keep Mandy tonight? I’d gladly pay you.” Her hands curled into fists. She hated asking, but what choice did she have?

  “I’ll keep her and I don’t want your money. But that only takes care of today. What happens tomorrow?”

  Tomorrow she would handle whatever she had to. She turned toward him. “I really appreciate your concern, but it’s not necessary. I’ll be fine. In the morning, I’ll get a cab. You do have cabs in Glenwood?”

  “One or two.”

  “Good. Then I’ll get a cab, collect my daughter from you and take her back to the motel. We’ll be fine.”

  He stood up and walked over to the window. The view from the back—she caught her breath—well, it was just as good as the view from the front, she thought, staring at his tight, high rear end. The pants of his uniform fit snugly at his hips, then fell loosely over his muscled thighs. A black leather belt with snapped compartments hugged his narrow waist. His dark hair fell precisely to his collar, but didn’t touch the starched material.

  It was the anesthetic, she told herself. And the fact that she’d spent the last year living like a nun. It was the tension and the strain. It was the season, or the time of month, but it was certainly not the man. She wouldn’t let it be.

  “I have a couple of problems with your plan,” he said, keeping his back to her.

  “It’s not your business.” She allowed her temper to flare and the heat of anger to burn away the other kind of warmth threatening her composure.

  “First,” he said, ignoring her statement, “you’re supposed to stay off your feet for a week. How do you propose to feed and take care of Mandy?”

  “I’ll—” She hadn’t solved that yet, but she would. She would get through it the same as she’d gotten through her other problems. One day, one step at a time. “I’ll think of something.”

  “You’re not supposed to drive for three weeks,” he continued.

  “How do you know?”

  “I asked the nurse.”

  “If the town has a cab service, I don’t have to drive.”

  “Then there’s your job.” He turned toward her and rested one hip on the windowsill. “Which you still have.”

  “What?” She started to sit upright but the pain from the incision stopped her. She leaned back and stared at him. “You talked to Rebecca about my job?”

  “I explained the situation when I took Mandy over to her. She says to take all the time you need to heal. Your job will be waiting when you’re ready.”

  “Thank you,” she murmured as relief filled her.

  He was going to make her cry. After breaking down yesterday, she’d sworn not to cry again, but she could feel the tears forming. Maybe it was all going to work out. She’d been so afraid her life would never be normal again. Six months ago, when the police had shown up at her door, her world had collapsed. Slowly, so slowly, she was getting it back together. They were going to make it. They had to.

  Before she could ask him what else Rebecca had said, the door pushed open and an attractive nurse came into the room with Mandy in tow. “We do not allow children in this ward,” she said sternly, then grinned. “So I’m bringing her in here to get her out from underfoot.”

  Mandy held her bear in one hand and clutched a balloon giraffe in the other. There was chocolate icing on her cheek and she was dressed in a cute pink-and-white shorts outfit t
hat Elizabeth had never seen before.

  “Mommy!” When the nurse let her go, the little girl rushed toward her. Travis walked over and lifted her until she was sitting on the bed.

  “Travis Haynes, I might have known I’d find you here with one of our prettiest patients,” the nurse said as she paused by the door.

  “You know me, Pam. I can’t resist a female in distress.”

  Pam laughed, then looked at Elizabeth. “You watch out for this one. He’s our resident heartbreaker.”

  “I’ll be careful,” Elizabeth said, knowing she wasn’t ever going to get involved with any man, let alone one as charming and good-looking as Travis.

  “You’ve got fifteen minutes,” Pam said. “Then my supervisor gets back and Mandy will have to leave.”

  Elizabeth nodded and the woman shut the door.

  “I missed you, Mommy,” Mandy said, reclaiming her attention.

  “I missed you, too.” Elizabeth held out her arms.

  Mandy dropped the bear and the balloon animal, and slipped next to her to snuggle close. Despite the tangle of IV’s and the pressure on her incision as she leaned toward her daughter, Elizabeth wrapped her arms around her and held on, wishing she never had to let go. Mandy’s warm body felt small and fragile cuddling against her, and so very familiar. Elizabeth stroked her head, then bent down and kissed her cheek.

  “How are you doing, sweets?” she asked softly.

  “There was a clown and he made me this.” She picked up her giraffe. The rubber squeaked as she held it and she laughed. Bright blue eyes met her own. Sam’s eyes, she thought with regret. Mandy had her smile and her nose, but her eyes and the rest of her coloring was all Sam’s. It made it hard to forget her daughter’s father. But forget him, she would. She’d promised herself.

  Mandy laughed and tossed the balloon animal in the air, then wiggled to sit back and look up at her. “I had a cupcake.”

  “So I see.” She wiped at the frosting. “Sheriff Haynes said you spent the night at his house.”

  Mandy nodded vigorously and grinned. “Louise made us another dinner. Then we had doughnuts for dessert.” She sounded faintly scandalized, but quite delighted. “She gave me a bath but he read me a story. About nines and their end.”

  Elizabeth looked up at Travis who had returned to his perch on the windowsill. “Nines and their end?”

  He cleared his throat. “You sort of had to be there. The San Francisco 49ers are looking for a decent tight end. I don’t have any children’s books in the house, so I read the sports page.”

  She grinned. “Whatever works.”

  “And we played with trains,” Mandy said.

  “I keep them for my nephews,” Travis added helpfully.

  “And I got a new nightgown with a bunny on the front from that nice lady, Becca.”

  “Rebecca?”

  She nodded. “And a pink toothbrush.”

  Elizabeth brushed the blond hair out of her daughter’s eyes. “Sounds like you had a full evening. Did you sleep all right?”

  Mandy nodded. “I had one bad dream, but I hugged Mr. Bear and told him what had happened, and he said he’d take care of me until you were all better. Are you all better, Mommy?”

  Elizabeth swallowed hard. She’d never loved anyone as much as she loved this little girl. She squeezed her. “Almost, honey. The doctor is going to let me go home tomorrow morning.”

  “Are we going to our house? The one with the bunnies?”

  When she had accepted the job, Elizabeth had rented a house. While she’d stood in the kitchen and looked out at the backyard, she’d seen three rabbits scampering across the yard. She’d told Mandy about them and her daughter was very anxious to make their acquaintance. “No. We can’t move in there until October first. That’s about three more weeks.”

  “So where are we going tomorrow?”

  Elizabeth could feel Travis’s gaze on her. He’d asked the same question. She still didn’t have a decent answer. “We’ll be fine.”

  “Okay.” Mandy picked up her bear and slid off the bed. “Travis said we could go to the movies tonight, Mommy. He said we could have popcorn and hot dogs and candy.” Her body quivered with excitement. “And if I’m really good, I can stay up past my bedtime.”

  Travis cleared his throat. “She wasn’t supposed to tell you that last part.”

  “I appreciate you doing this for me,” Elizabeth said, wondering how it had all gotten out of hand. “She’s my responsibility and I—”

  Travis pushed to his feet and held out one hand to stop her. “You’re not in L.A. anymore. Glenwood is a small town, Elizabeth Abbott, and we take care of our own. As of Thursday night, you’re one of us. I’m on duty today, so I’m going to take Mandy with me to the station. We’re right across from the park. I’ll see that she gets exercise and decent food and is in bed by nine. My housekeeper promised to come by and make sure I’m doing it all correctly.”

  “Why are you doing this?”

  “Because I don’t have any plans for the weekend and I’ve always been a sucker for a pair of beautiful blue eyes.”

  Elizabeth felt a rush of disappointment that her own eyes were brown. She wanted to believe him, believe that it was just about people helping each other. The way he said it, she was almost willing to buy into the myth of small towns. But she’d believed before, had trusted before, and that trust had been betrayed.

  “I hate to impose,” she said.

  “You don’t have a choice,” he answered. “What else are you going to do with her?”

  She glanced down at the IV needle taped to her hand. She didn’t have an answer to that one, either. “Thank you. Again.”

  She looked up at him. Humor danced in his eyes, humor and a little bit of compassion. As long as it didn’t change to pity, she could survive. And somehow, she would pay him back.

  He retrieved his hat and settled it on his head; then he held out his hand to Mandy. The little girl collected her giraffe and tucked it next to her bear. She grinned at her mother and slipped her hand in his. “By, Mommy.”

  “By, honey.”

  Elizabeth watched her daughter act so trustingly with this stranger. Maybe Mandy hadn’t been scarred by the experience as badly as she’d feared. Maybe Mandy was going to be fine.

  Travis paused by the door and looked at her. The Stetson hid his eyes from view, but she saw the quick smile flash under his black mustache. Her heart fluttered foolishly. The man was handsome as sin.

  “I’ll call before the movie,” he said. “So you can talk with Mandy.”

  “I’d like that.”

  “Rest,” he commanded. “The nurse said you’ll be released around ten in the morning. I’ll be here around nine-thirty.”

  “You don’t have to stay,” she said quickly. “But I appreciate you dropping Mandy off.”

  “I’m not dropping her off,” he said. “Unless you can come up with something better than that motel, Elizabeth, you’re coming home with me.”

  Chapter Three

  Travis left Mandy at the sheriff’s office in the center of Glenwood and walked past his patrol car to Elizabeth’s white car parked on the street. The T-bird started instantly. He shifted into gear and checked the mirrors before pulling out and heading for the motel.

  Within ten minutes, he stood inside the small rented room, staring at the suitcases stacked in the corner and at the personal items scattered around. A pair of high heels poked out from under the bed. A yellow blouse rested over the back of a chair. The faint scent of perfume lingered in the air. He sniffed appreciatively. He missed having a woman living with him.

  His wife had left both him and Glenwood three years ago, returning to town only long enough to sign the divorce papers and wish him well with his life. He didn’t resent her or the split. He should have known better than to marry. Haynes men didn’t make good husbands or fathers. He came from a long line of men who failed at marriage. But he’d wanted to prove his father, brothers and uncles wron
g, so he’d married the pretty, dark-haired woman he’d met in college. She’d been shy but quick-witted—and hot as hell in bed. All the ingredients had been there. Still the marriage had fizzled and he’d learned his lesson firsthand. Haynes men made great cops, but lousy family men.

  Travis placed an open suitcase on the bed. He folded Mandy’s nightgown and picked up her toys. In the bathroom, an open cosmetic bag sat next to the sink. He collected the compacts, tubes and brushes on the counter and placed them into the bag, stopping long enough to pick up a bottle of perfume and sniff the cap. He would have thought Elizabeth Abbott to be the floral type, but the aroma was spicy. Not overpowering, just intriguing. He dropped the bottle in with the other cosmetics.

  After checking the shower and behind the door for clothes, he returned to the bedroom and packed up the remaining items. A white cotton nightgown had been carelessly tossed over a dresser. He folded it carefully, noticing the row of tiny buttons up the front and the lace ruffle around the neck and arms.

  He could see Elizabeth in something like this. It would fall about midcalf on her. Not the least bit sexy; the cotton wasn’t see-through. And yet—

  He brushed his thumb over the soft cloth. There were always plenty of women around him. Just because he wasn’t good husband material didn’t mean he wasn’t a great date and an accomplished flirt. But he’d liked living with a woman. He missed the day-to-day familiarities, the verbal shorthand, the slow, sensual sex that could take hours. There’d been no need to hurry; he and Julie were supposed to have had a lifetime.

  “Getting soft, Haynes,” he muttered, then shoved the nightgown into the suitcase.

  He opened drawers and pulled out clothes, ignoring the feel of the lacy panties and bras, quickly filling the luggage. When everything was packed, he loaded the trunk of the car and paid the motel bill. Then he headed for the hospital.

  He didn’t know what he was going to say when he saw her. If she’d made other plans, he would drive her to where she was going and be done with her. If she hadn’t, she was coming home with him. There was no way in hell he was going to let her and Mandy tough it out in that tiny motel for the next three weeks. Tough it out, hell. They would starve.