Rachel let Sadie be Sadie and went along with her, asking about things that she was interested in, getting her to try a vegetable. I was grateful for their rapport, and grateful that she didn’t try to push for anything else. I’d had enough women try to worm their way into my bed by fussing over my daughter. Women who were more than happy to be an instant wife and mother if I’d have them. The perky brunettes who came to my door with tater tot casseroles and hair bows and suggestions about setting up play dates for Sadie with their own daughters or nieces, and ideas about how they could make things so much easier for me by helping out with her. Calling her ‘sugar’ and ‘little miss’ which she despised. “Sadie Catherine,” she would correct them, and I’d try not to laugh behind my hand.
I loved who my daughter was, and I wasn’t in the market for someone to change her or tell her she should be different, or that a family of two was wrong. That didn’t mean I wasn’t lonely sometimes. It meant that I didn’t have time for the drama, and women, in my experience, had been nothing but drama. They’d want to change things, and insist their way was better. They’d come between Sadie and me, try to make her, make us both into something more suitable. Make us into people who didn’t go outside barefoot in all weather, or who didn’t buy our clothes at the discount store or build dollhouse furniture at the kitchen table and get wood shavings all over the place. She had the fun and free, sticky face, dirty feet, outdoor upbringing I wished I’d had.
Despite my better judgement, I couldn’t stop thinking of our favorite waitress.
Rachel’s high, golden ponytail swished when she walked, and she had a sort of apple-cheeked prettiness that wouldn’t have been out of place on a movie screen as the beautiful girl next door. She made delicious pies and had a great body, all curves, and a warm voice. Rachel’s voice made me want to shut my eyes and listen to her forever. It was low and husky, somehow sexy and comforting at once. She had everything under control and no matter how busy she was, she always made time to talk to Sadie. Sometimes I watched them together, and I felt a twinge of jealousy. Their rapport was easy, and they were so focused on each other, on this sweet, casual relationship that somehow made me feel left out. I couldn’t decide whose attention I was more jealous of, and that was a question I didn’t want to examine too closely.
There was no way I had any business looking at Rachel as anything other than a competent and friendly server at the diner. I didn’t date, and I didn’t do one-night stands either. Not that I thought Rachel was dying to have a fling in the stock room or anything. She seemed pretty busy as well. And like she was exactly the sort of person who was entirely self-sufficient and didn’t need anyone for anything. As far as I could tell, she ran the entire diner singlehandedly. She was gorgeous and funny and talented. What would she want with a lumberjack checking her out while she worked? I meant no disrespect. I just couldn’t help noticing the way she moved, her grace and energy.
Rachel was not someone I should be thinking of when I was alone in the evening, feeling weary and a bit wistful that I didn’t have that person, that partner to share my daughter and my days with. Sometimes it felt urgent, tragic even that there was no other witness than me to the way Sadie changed and grew, to the things she said. That no one else under the sun shared that knowledge or understood her or loved her as well as I did. It was an honor, but a lonesome one. I was just tired. It was natural that since Rachel had been kind to Sadie, I’d have thoughts of her mixed up with being lonely in my cabin at night, fifteen miles from Rockford Falls, without another soul nearby except my sleeping child. A passing attraction for her was nothing to take note of. It would wane and I’d forget all about her. Maybe we’d quit going into the diner every week. Sadie liked routine and looked forward to seeing Rachel and checking the progress of the daffodils and having some pie. But, if my interest in Rachel grew, I’d have to quit going in there. We’d just start a new tradition that didn’t have me thinking longingly of a smart-mouthed blonde with a ponytail, a killer piecrust recipe, and a sweet rapport with my daughter.
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A Note from the Author
Thank for you taking the time to read my latest release.
I hope you loved reading my story, as much as I enjoyed writing it.
It would mean the world to me if you could take some time to leave a quick review for this book. Reviews allow me to understand how my readers truly feel, and they keep me improving to be better.
I appreciate you supporting me, thank you so much.
- Natasha L. Black
Books by Natasha L. Black
Freeman Brother Series
Millionaire Boss
Millionaire Daddy
Millionaire Crush
Millionaire Hero
Millionaire Best Friend
Forbidden Lovers Series:
Billionaire Boss
Date Your Brother’s Best Friend
Falling for my Enemy
Forbidden Crush
Damaged
Complete box set below:
Forbidden Lovers: A Contemporary Romance Collection
Secret Daddies Series
His Secret Baby
CEO’s Secret Baby
Boss's Secret Baby for Christmas
Daddy’s Secret Baby
My Ex’s Secret Baby
Bad Boy’s Secret Baby
Complete box set below:
Secret Daddies: A Contemporary Romance Box Set
Alpha Male Collection:
Forbidden Daddy
Redemption
Protecting Her
Saving Sky
Protecting Sasha
Complete box set here: Men in Charge
Reverse Harem/Ménage Collection:
Double Dirty
The Cabin
Double Trouble
Training the Rookie
Cuffed to my Roomies
Complete box set here: One Lucky Girl
Fake Marriage Collection:
Pretend You’re Mine
Pretend I’m Yours
Let’s Pretend
Faking It
Complete box set here: Playing Pretend
Other stories you may enjoy:
Back To You
Brother’s Best Friend
Forbidden Protector
Sweet Tooth
Connect with Natasha L. Black
Natasha L. Black is an Amazon Top 100 bestselling author. Dreaming and fantasizing ever since she was a young teenager, her love of writing flourished from a very early age. After working for 15 years as a veterinarian, she now follows her passion in writing for a living. She currently resides in a lovely country home in a rural area of Dallas, writing steamy novels to fulfill her readers' desires.
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Falling in Love: A Secret Baby Romance (Rockford Falls Romance) Page 19
