A Father For Bella. Jill Weatherholt

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СКАЧАТЬ cleared her throat and picked up the dog. She reached for her daughter’s hand. “We better start back.” She took a few steps forward. Bella pulled loose and stepped toward Joshua.

      His breath was slow and easy when she placed her tiny hand inside of his own.

      “I want to walk with Mr. Joshua. He smells like peppermint.”

      He eyed Faith, who hesitated, but then gave him a cautious nod. “Peppermint is my favorite chewing gum.” He smiled and gave Bella a wink.

      “Mine, too,” she said with a giggle. “How long are you staying at the inn?” She skipped along at his side with one ponytail still intact.

      Joshua paused when he noticed Faith turn her head the tiniest bit. Was she curious, too? “Well, it all depends.”

      “On what?”

      He laughed. “I have some business to take care of.”

      “What kind of business?”

      “Bella!” Faith stopped in her tracks and whirled around. “What have I told you about asking so many questions?”

      The little girl bit down on her pouted lip. “I’m sorry.”

      As they neared the edge of the forest, the light from the inn flashed along Bella’s rosy cheeks. She gave her mother a sly glance. “Are you married, Mr. Joshua?”

      “Bella! That’s enough. Take Plato inside and see if Mrs. Watson needs your help with dinner.” She placed the puppy in her daughter’s arms.

      “Okay...but will you make some hot chocolate for me and Mr. Joshua?”

      Faith rubbed the back of her neck. “Well—”

      Joshua sensed the last thing she wanted to do was have hot chocolate with a complete stranger. “That’s nice of you to offer, Bella, but I should get checked in.”

      “Please, Mommy.”

      The two grown-ups exchanged a quick glance, and he nodded.

      “Maybe—now go on inside.” Faith turned to Joshua as Bella darted through the back door. Her forehead puckered. “I apologize for my daughter’s rude behavior. I don’t know what’s gotten into her today.”

      He shook his head. “You don’t need to apologize. That’s what’s great about kids—they’re so inquisitive.”

      Faith paused and raised an eyebrow. “Oh, so you have children?” Her hand flew to her mouth. “Listen to me, now I sound like Bella.”

      “No, I have a lot of friends with kids.” Him? A father? That couldn’t happen—especially when his wife didn’t want to raise a family together. “So, do you work at the inn?”

      She nodded as they headed through the back door and into the kitchen. His stomach rumbled at the smell of baking bread. “Yes, I’m the manager. I started working here after—ah, about four years ago.”

      Joshua noticed her hesitation, but didn’t want to pry. What he did want to find out, without raising suspicion, was how successful the inn was. The last thing he wanted was for his father to get wind of his plan. “It seems like a great place to work. By the looks of the parking lot you must stay busy.” He scanned the brightly painted yellow walls and realized his father hadn’t played a role in the decorating. He hated yellow. Green, the color of money—it’s the only color that matters. Joshua cringed at the memory.

      Faith reached for a red cable sweater draped over the back of the oak chair. “Yes, especially during the ski season. The inn has five rooms, each with its own private bathroom. It’s a big draw.” She pulled a saucepan from the maple cupboard and placed it on the six-burner gas stovetop. “I take it you ski?” She grabbed the milk carton from the double-sided stainless-steel refrigerator.

      He did ski, but it wasn’t the reason for his visit. “Yes, I’ve skied since I was a boy.” He turned at the sound of Bella as she walked into the kitchen whistling “Mary Had a Little Lamb.” The lone ponytail was now released, freeing a mass of messy curls.

      “Are you going to have hot chocolate, too, Mr. Joshua?”

      He glanced toward Faith while she poured the milk into the pan.

      She turned, wearing a pasted-on smile. “After coming to our rescue, it’s the least we can do.” She stirred in three heaping tablespoons of chocolate powder. “After we drink this, we’ll get you settled in your room. I’m sure you’re tired from the drive.”

      She was suddenly strictly business, which was fine by him. He hadn’t come to Whispering Slopes to make friends, especially with a woman as attractive as Faith. “Actually, it’s only a little over two hours from where I live in Bethesda, Maryland. It’s just outside of Washington, DC.”

      Bella pounced into one of the four stools lining the earth-toned granite island situated in the center of the kitchen. “That’s our capital.” She twirled her finger around a loose curl and smiled. “That’s where you live? Cool!”

      Joshua slid into the empty stool next to her as he caught a whiff of the sweet cocoa. “You’re right, Bella, it is our capital. It was a great place to grow up. What else do you know about Washington?”

      She gazed up toward the pendant lighting, pursing her lips. “Well, the President lives there, and the pandas at the zoo—they’re from China. Have you ever been there?”

      His mind flooded with warm memories of trips to the zoo with his mother. She had always been there for him...the one person who’d loved him right. His father could never spare an afternoon for his family. “Oh, yes, many times. My favorite part is the ape house.”

      “I love monkeys, too.” Bella giggled. “Mommy, can we go to that zoo sometime?”

      Faith poured the hot chocolate into the first of three oversize red-and-white mugs. “Maybe someday we will. Now, who wants marshmallows?”

      Bella bounced in her stool. “I do, I do! I want the mini ones.” She turned to Joshua. Her eyes, the size of walnuts, tripped his heart. “Do you like the small ones, too, Mr. Joshua?”

      “Yes, but only five, please.”

      Her head slightly tilted. “How come?”

      “It’s my favorite number.”

      “Mommy, can I have five?” She grinned at Joshua. “It’s my favorite number, too.”

      Faith raised an eyebrow. “But you always like them overflowing in the cup. You love the marshmallow mustache.”

      “Just five.” She turned her gaze back to Joshua.

      Her mother shrugged her shoulders. “Okay, then.”

      Joshua watched while Faith filled each mug with the rich, creamy chocolate. She counted the marshmallows and tossed a few extra into her cup. She peered at Joshua and her cheeks reddened.

      “Hot chocolate just isn’t the same unless it leaves a marshmallow mustache.” She slid a mug in front СКАЧАТЬ