Single Dads Collection. Lynne Marshall

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СКАЧАТЬ the fun and none of the responsibility,’ he said shortly, frowning slightly as he looked at her.

      ‘I don’t think that’s true. Lizzie expects a lot from you and you always deliver. How many netball matches have you been to this year?’

      Jack grinned. ‘Lots. You know me. Rugby, rock-climbing, netball—my three favourite sports.’

      She laughed. ‘Precisely. The sight of you standing on the side of a netball court would be funny if it wasn’t so touching.’ She added the envelope to the ever-growing pile. ‘And it is touching, Jack. You’re fantastic with Lizzie.’

      A muscle worked in his jaw. ‘But what she really wants is a father.’

      Bryony shrugged. ‘And who can blame her for that?’

      ‘She doesn’t realise that fathers aren’t perfect.’

      ‘I think she probably does, actually. But she still wants someone.’

      ‘So how is the quest going? Any suitable candidates lined up? Obviously David is now off the scene…’

      Something in his tone made her glance up at him but his expression was neutral.

      ‘Well, it’s not going that well,’ Bryony muttered, licking another envelope and adding it to the pile. ‘Christmas is three weeks away and I don’t have another date until Saturday.’

      His expression was suddenly hostile. ‘You have a date on Saturday? Who with?’

      Bryony blushed slightly. ‘Toby.’

      ‘Toby who?’ Jack was frowning and she laughed.

      ‘You know—our Toby. Toby from the mountain rescue team.’

      ‘You’re kidding!’ He glared at her. ‘Toby? He’s totally unsuitable.’

      ‘Calm down, Jack,’ Bryony said mildly, gathering up all the envelopes and putting them on the table. ‘Toby is nice. And he’s always been kind to Lizzie.’

      ‘Toby has a terrible reputation with women,’ Jack said frostily, and she shrugged.

      ‘So do you, Jack.’

      ‘But I’m not dating you.’

      And how she wished he was. Her gaze met his and held and then he sucked in a breath and rose to his feet, powerful and athletic.

      ‘You can’t date Toby.’

      ‘Why not?’

      There was a long silence and a muscle twitched in his jaw. ‘Because he isn’t right for you.’

      She sighed. ‘Jack, you’re so jaded about relationships that you’re never going to think anyone is right, but trust me when I say I’m not going to choose anyone who would hurt Lizzie.’

      He took several deep breaths. ‘I don’t want anyone to hurt you either.’

      ‘I know that.’ She smiled at him, touched that he cared at least that much. ‘You don’t need to be so protective. It’s nice, but I can look after myself.’

      ‘Where are you going on Saturday?’

      She wondered why he was asking and then decided that it was idle curiosity. ‘Actually, I don’t know. Toby is keeping it a secret.’ She smiled. ‘Isn’t it romantic?’

      ‘Suspicious is the word I would use,’ Jack muttered, grabbing his coat and car keys and making for the door. ‘I’ll talk to him.’

      Bryony gave an exasperated sigh. ‘Jack, you are not my minder.’

      ‘Toby is definitely not to be trusted when it comes to women,’ Jack growled. ‘I want him to know that I’m looking out for you.’

      ‘I should think he knows that, seeing as you spend half your life in my house,’ Bryony pointed out mildly, and he nodded.

      ‘Well, let’s hope so. I won’t have him messing either of my girls around.’

      His girls.

      Bryony swallowed and her eyes clashed with his. Something flickered in those blue depths and she knew that he was remembering their kiss. ‘We’re not “your girls”, Jack.’

      He hesitated and a strange expression crossed his handsome face as he stared down at her. Then he muttered something under his breath, jerked open the front door and left the house.

      The next day the temperature dropped further still and it started to snow. Wrapped up in her MRT gear, Bryony was posting her Christmas cards when her pager went off.

      Relieved that Lizzie was spending the day with her mother, she drove herself to the rescue base, which was less than five minutes’ drive from her house.

      ‘Two women out walking,’ Jack told her, zipping up his jacket. ‘One has cut herself and one has an ankle injury.’ He exchanged looks with Bryony. ‘What is it with women and ankles?’

      ‘I don’t know but at least it gives you and me an excuse to climb mountains in filthy weather,’ she said happily, and he smiled.

      ‘I suppose there is that.’

      The rest of the team gathered, picking up equipment and listening while they were given a brief.

      ‘We’re not sure where they are—’ Sean, leader of the MRT, tapped a point on the map ‘—but this was where they were aiming for when it started to snow. The path is covered now and they’re totally lost.’

      Bryony looked at the map. ‘It’s really easy to lose that path in bad weather,’ she said. ‘I know because I’ve done it myself.’

      Jack rolled his eyes. ‘Never let a blonde loose on a mountain,’ he drawled, but his eyes gleamed wickedly and she smiled back at him.

      ‘At least a girl will ask for directions if she’s lost. Men never ask for directions.’

      ‘That’s because they don’t need to. Men don’t get lost,’ Jack returned blithely, and Sean sighed.

      ‘Maybe you two could argue on the way,’ he suggested mildly, pointing at the map. ‘Ben, you go with Toby up this path and hopefully we’ll come across them. Stay in touch. And watch yourselves. The weather is awful. I’ll deploy the rest of the team as they arrive.’

      Toby glanced at Bryony. ‘I could go with Bryony…’

      ‘No, you couldn’t.’ Jack’s response was instantaneous, his blue gaze hard and uncompromising. ‘I go with Bryony.’

      Toby’s eyes narrowed slightly and then he shrugged. ‘Whatever.’

      Bryony followed Jack out of the rescue base and they drove a short distance and parked the four-wheel-drive in a farm near the path.

      Jack hoisted the rucksack onto his back СКАЧАТЬ