Daddy 101 (American Romance)

by Leigh, Jo

  Alex nodded, then lifted Pete off the examination table and put him on the ground. Together, they followed the doctor out of the room and down the hall. They entered a spacious lab with quite a number of cages, several of them occupied. Pete started sniffing around, but Alex was just pleased to see everything looked clean and sanitary.

  The receptionist walked in just then, and something must have spooked her, because she squealed.

  “Connie, please help me set up a saline solution for Pete.”

  Connie responded with yet another little squeak. Alex saw her blush, and then he got it. It was that damn magazine. His guilty secret had been uncovered.

  “Pete can stay in here.”

  Alex looked away from the young assistant to where the doctor stood. The cage was large, and there was a soft-looking pillow covering the floor. It was better than he’d expected.

  “How long will he have to stay here?” Alex thought of Ted, and how delighted he was going to be when he found out Alex wasn’t going to be in New York on schedule.

  “Three days, if all goes well.”

  “I see. Well, fine. I just want him healthy. Can you point me to the nearest hotel?”

  Dani finally looked up at him. He wondered briefly what she would look like with a smile on her face. Pretty, he’d bet. He did a quick survey of the rest of her. Despite the white lab coat, he could see she was quite trim. Petite. But there were curves there, too. Very nice, solid curves.

  “I’m afraid we don’t have a hotel here in town,” she said. “The nearest one is about a hundred miles east.”

  “A hundred miles? I don’t want to be that far from him.”

  “Dani has a room she rents out,” the receptionist said. “You can stay with her.”

  “Connie!”

  “Well, you do.”

  “I’m sure Mr. Bradley would rather stay at a hotel.”

  “No, it’s okay. I really don’t want to be so far from Pete. So if the room isn’t rented...”

  “It’s not,” Connie said quickly, ignoring the daggers the doctor was sending her. “It’s comfortable, too.”

  He turned his attention to Dani once more. “I’d be very grateful. Happy to pay whatever you think is fair.”

  “I’m sorry, but I don’t think—”

  “Please,” he said, stopping her objections. “If something should happen to Pete, and I wasn’t here, I’d never forgive myself. So it’s either the room, or I’m sleeping in the car. I’d prefer the room.”

  He could see the struggle on her face. It must have been the damn magazine that made her so hesitant. She probably thought the Sexiest Man in the World was also a sex fiend or something. “I’m perfectly safe,” he said. “Completely housebroken.”

  That did it. He saw just the hint of a smile on her lips, and he knew the deal was done. And, he’d been right. She was prettier with a smile.

  “All right,” she said, looking first at Pete, then at him. “But I can’t take you there now. We’ll have to wait till I’ve seen the rest of my patients.”

  “Fine. Great. Whatever you say. Can I stay here and wait?”

  She shook her head. “There’s a diner across the street. I won’t be too long. But we’ve got to get Pete settled.”

  He wasn’t going to argue. He could use the time to notify Ted and pick up his E-mail. As long as he was close to Pete, it was all right with him. Three days in Carlson’s Gap. Well, he’d wanted to see America. On the other hand, it was also two nights with Dani Jacobson. It might turn out to be an interesting side trip after all.

  Chapter Two

  Alex ordered a hamburger, french fries and a malt. It seemed appropriate fare in the old diner, with its long counter, plastic patched booths, and a tiny jukebox for each patron. Besides, he was on vacation. No baby Brie, no artichoke pâté for now. Just good old honest American food. He might even have a slice of pie for dessert.

  He’d settled in the booth farthest from the door, anxious for some privacy. His laptop was open on the table, his briefcase beside him on the banquette. and he’d just dialed Ted on the cellular. As the phone rang, he caught the waitress, a thin older woman with steel gray hair and thick glasses, staring at him. He must remember that the next time someone wanted to anoint him Sexiest Man in the World, he should say no.

  Actually he’d not had a choice in the matter or he would have declined. But World magazine had decided his fate in some New York office sometime last winter. They’d neglected to tell him until one month before the issue arrived on the stands.

  In the short time he’d been in the spotlight he’d come to recognize the signs that he’d been discovered. Wide-eyed, glassy stares. Pink cheeks and moistened lips. Actual pointing. Sometimes he got comments, mostly from men or older women, and he’d gotten a rather startling number of propositions from younger ladies. Many with photos attached. Keys, too. And of course there was that one memorable day when a busty blonde at the gym had asked him to autograph her left breast.

  He had the feeling the waitress would not be asking him to sign any body parts, and for that he was grateful. However, he wished she would quit staring. It was damn hard to concentrate with gazes poking him, and he knew, also from experience, that once one person had recognized him, soon everyone in the immediate vicinity would feel the need to gape. Luckily the diner only had a few patrons and two other waitresses.

  Ted answered the phone, and the staring was forgotten as Alex filled him in on his current situation. As predicted, Ted went ballistic when he found out about the delay. First, he wanted to send a jet to get Alex and Pete and fly them to New York. But Alex didn’t want to move the old dog. Besides, he had no intention of cutting his trip short. Then Ted wanted to fly the Los Angeles vet out to Pete, but Alex put the kibosh on that plan, too. He had a good feeling about Dani Jacobson, and he’d learned to trust his instincts. Pete was in capable hands.

  Ten minutes into the conversation, the waitress came back with his food. When Alex looked up to thank her, he saw that a few more tables were taken and the counter was getting crowded. But then Ted brought up Toronto, and Alex was instantly back to the matters at hand. He did, however, eat. He’d been right. It was an outstanding hamburger and the fries were damn good.

  Soon the business with Ted was over, and Alex hung up. He didn’t put the phone down, though. There were several matters that needed his personal attention, the first of which was calling his man in Canada. He dialed, then brought up a spreadsheet on his computer. It wasn’t until the third ring that he noticed the quiet.

  His stomach clenched and he felt a sudden chill. It was too quiet. There was no low murmur in the background, no orders being placed, no cash register jingle. Warily Alex raised his gaze.

  The diner was packed. Every counter seat, every booth, every table occupied. Maybe twenty people stood by the back wall. And every pair of eyes was focused on him.

  He was vaguely aware that someone on the phone said hello. His thumb moved to the disconnect button and he pressed it. The line needed to be clear for his call to 911.

  What had he stumbled into? All he could think of was that old movie The Birds. That’s what they looked like. The ravens and the finches lined up on the rooftops and the phone wires. At any moment, Alex expected to see Hitchcock himself. No one spoke. No one moved. They all just stared at him as though he were an exhibit...or a target.

  He slowly, very slowly, moved his arm down. The gazes of a hundred people followed that arm until it was hidden below the table. Then, as one, the stares shifted back to his face. He leaned to his right, just to see. Sure enough, everyone there moved with him. All of them leaned just a bit. He straightened. They straightened. The theme music from the “Twilight Zone” echoed in his head.

  If he got up and walked outside, would they follow? Or would they stop him before he cleared the door? Why wasn’t anyone blinking, for God’s sake?

  Just then, the door to the diner opened. No one bothered to look. They all just kept staring at hi
m. He risked it, though. He turned his gaze to the door and saw that it was Dani. He instantly felt relieved. Until she stopped. Turned. Stared. For one crazy moment, he pictured her leading the charge. Shouting, “Get him!” and the whole damn crowd lunging forward. But then...

  “Oh, for heaven’s sake,” she said, her voice cutting through the silence as if it were a heavy blade. “Don’t you people have better things to do with your time?”

  She put her hands on her hips, and let her gaze rake the crowd. “Stephanie, you get back to school this instant. Francine, who’s watching the store? Terry, you should know better. I swear, you probably scared the poor man to death.”

  That was it. Someone stood. A woman laughed. The cook dinged his bell. Alex breathed again.

  Dani hustled a few more folks to their feet, then came over to his booth. She sat down across from him, a scowl making her lovely face somehow lovelier. He’d never been so happy to see anyone in his life.

  “Sorry about that,” she said.

  “I thought I was a goner.”

  “They don’t mean any harm. We just don’t get many celebrities here.”

  “So you know about the magazine?”

  She nodded. Then her gaze moved quickly from his face to his plate. “Why’d you do it?” she asked, her focus entirely on his leftover fries.

  He took advantage of her shifted interest to study her clear, perfect skin. Her long lashes. Her full pink lips. “What?”

  “Get yourself in that silly magazine?”

  “I didn’t volunteer. I was drafted.”

  She nodded, giving him a quick glance. But the draw of the fries was obviously too much for her. He shoved the plate across the table. “Go ahead.”

  She frowned. “Go ahead?”

  “The fries. I’m done.”

  She looked at him quizzically. “I’m happy for you.”

  “Don’t you want them?”

  “Your fries?”

  “Yes.”

  “No.”

  “Well then, why have you been staring at them?”

  “I haven’t.”

  “Yes, you have.”

  “I would know if I were staring at fries.”

  “If you weren’t staring at the fries, what were you staring at?”

  “I wasn’t staring at anything. I just wasn’t staring at you.”

  “Oh,” he said, more confused than ever. Then he noticed her cheeks flush pink. “Oh,” he said, the light dawning. It was the magazine again. The celebrity business. “It’s all hype, Dani. No big deal.”

  “What’s all hype?”

  “We’re not going to start this again, are we?”

  “Start what?”

  He smiled. He shouldn’t have. She was clearly flustered. A gentleman would let it drop, let her gather her composure. But he was no gentleman. “I’m not really the Sexiest Man in the World,” he said, lowering his voice as he leaned forward. “I’m just a man. A regular, ordinary man. But if you like, I promise to be as sexy as I can while I’m staying with you.”

  Her cheeks changed from pink to a rather fetching red. But then he captured her gaze, and the cheeks were forgotten. Those blue eyes showed him her nervousness, her hesitation. And, what do you know, her excitement.

  The seconds ticked by. He didn’t let go of her gaze, but held her steady. Her emotions were unguarded, and as he watched, her nervousness ebbed and the hint of excitement grew. Not much, but enough.

  “What?” she asked softly.

  “I said I’ll do my best to live up to my image.”

  The cook’s bell dinged, and she ripped her gaze away. She sat back in the booth and crossed her arms over her chest. “We are not going there. Understand? Not now. Not when you’re a guest in my home. Not even for a second.”

  It was his turn to lean back. He’d thought he was fanning an ember, when it was clear he’d lit a bonfire.

  Her eyes narrowed and a new flush of pink tinged her cheeks. But this time it wasn’t from emhanassment or awareness. This was anger, pure and simple. “I know you think you can get any woman by crooking your little finger, buster, but not here. No, sir. I’ve seen your kind before. Just because you’re rich and handsome doesn’t mean you can run roughshod over people’s lives. There are repercussions, you know. People have feelings. You don’t just waltz in here, mess everything up and waltz out again.” She slid out of the booth and stood, moving her hands to her hips. “Do you want me to show you your room or not?”

  Alex blinked. “Yes, I do.”

  “Well, then?”

  “Let me pay my bill,” he said, trying to find his equilibrium. What the hell was he getting himself into? This woman might be a competent vet, but she was clearly nuts. He went for his wallet, trying hard to think of what he’d done to warrant the wrath of Dani. It wasn’t as if he’d grabbed her or anything. Okay, so he shouldn’t have made that comment. But a man’s got to try, right?

  He heard a small impatient sigh, and when he looked at her once more he could tell she was just itching to go. He left a couple of dollars on the table, picked up the tab and stood. Right next to her. The top of her head came just to the tip of his chin. She had to look up to meet his gaze. When she did, he thought about smiling. About cutting the tension that arced between them. But it was immediately clear a smile would not have the desired effect. She was out for bear, and he was Smokey.

  “Oh, I’ll wait outside,” she said, turning abruptly.

  All Alex could do was watch her go. She stomped her way across the diner, then pulled the door open with surprising vigor. He just stood there, watching the door slowly close, wondering what in the hell had just happened.

  “Don’t mind her, hon.”

  He turned to see the older waitress at his elbow.

  “She’s a good girl. But she’s got her notions.”

  “I see,” Alex said, even though he didn’t.

  “You just don’t let this bother you. She’ll get over it. She always does.”

  “You mean this has happened before?”

  The older woman nodded. “Yep. Haven’t seen her this bad in a while though.”

  “I feel like I should apologize. But I don’t know for what.”

  The waitress laughed. “That sounds about right. Don’t worry about it. She’s just being Dani. Been like that since she was a baby.”

  “You’ve known her a long time?”

  “I hope so. I’m her mother.”

  “Her what?”

  “I’m Phyllis Jacobson. My husband Dooley is back there cooking. This is our place.”

  He turned to face her. “I’m Alex Bradley. My dog is—”

  “I know,” she said. “Your dog is sick and Dani’s caring for him. You’re staying out at her place.”

  “How?”

  “You haven’t lived in a small town, have you?”

  He shook his head.

  “Honey, out here, somebody itches and we all scratch.”

  “So tell me, Mrs. Jacobson. What did I do wrong?”

  She laughed again, and he could see where Dani got her smile. Now that he looked, there was a family resemblance. Even through the thick glasses the older woman’s eyes were almost as blue as her daughter’s. And as intelligent.

  “You were born a handsome man. Made yourself a success. Got yourself some money. Nothing you can do about any of those things that I can see.”

  “Ah. So if I was ugly, unemployed and broke, I’d be welcomed with open arms?”

  Mrs. Jacobson shrugged. “Might be. But you go on now. Don’t make her stand out there by herself. It’ll just get worse.”

  “Worse?”

  “You haven’t seen anything yet.”

  “Maybe I should just sleep in my car.”

  The woman eyed him from his shoes to his forehead. “You don’t seem the type of man who avoids trouble when it calls.”

  “And she’s trouble.”

  “That she is. But she’s worth it.”

  He crooked his b
row. “Oh?”

  The woman reached over and took the bill from his hand. “It’s on the house, this time,” she said, then she met his gaze squarely. “She’s worth it all right, but you aren’t gonna be around long enough to see that. So just be nice, don’t take it personally and everything will work out fine.”

  He stared back for a long while. “Why do I feel like I’ve just been given a warning?”

  “’Cause you’re a smart man. You hurt that girl, you’ll have a whole town to deal with.”

  “I see.”

  “No, you don’t. But mess with our Dani, and you will.”

  THE DRIVE TO DANI’S PLACE didn’t lighten her mood. She’d wanted to walk, but he’d convinced her to accompany him in his car. When she’d seen the black Mercedes, she’d scowled at him, and the scowl deepened as she saw the plush leather interior, the fax machine and the cellular phone. She’d spoken as little as possible, and he thought it best not to push.

  He stopped the car in front of a small two-story Victorian house, white with blue trim. The yard was neat, the house well kept. Dani was out the door the moment he came to a full stop. She walked up the small path, and turned to wait for him. Impatiently of course.

  He took his time. What he couldn’t figure out was why her behavior wasn’t making him angry. There was no sugarcoating the fact that she was rude, belligerent and completely unreasonable. He should have been steaming by now. Instead he was intrigued. And a little aroused. That was the most troubling thing. Sure, she was attractive in her own way, but not enough to warrant his current state of discomfort. Physical beauty was something he was used to. It was nice, but it wasn’t enough, on its own, to turn him on. And frankly he’d been with women a lot more beautiful than Dani. So what was it?

  He got his suitcase from the trunk and slammed the lid down. As he walked up the path, he studied his hostess. She was clearly not his type. Nothing about her said demure. He couldn’t imagine her smiling benignly at a cocktail party, or quietly excusing herself when talk turned to business. No, she had none of the traits he was after. She was wrong, wrong, wrong.

  And he wanted her.