Saving Alyssa. Loree Lough
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Название: Saving Alyssa
Автор: Loree Lough
Издательство: HarperCollins
Жанр: Современные любовные романы
isbn: 9781472074324
isbn:
The clock struck the half hour.
“Nine-thirty? How can that be?” Grunting and groaning, Max tugged her boots back on, then shrugged into her jacket. Almost as an afterthought, she gave Noah a hug.
“Relax,” she said, patting the envelope in her pocket, “and let me take care of this. If there’s anything to it, I’ll let you know.”
He locked up, then sat on the edge of his recliner and stared at the scuffed hardwood beneath his bare feet. He was tired. So tired of worrying that every stranger had been sent by O’Malley, to finish what he’d started. Tired of pretending this life they were living was normal.
Alyssa would be disappointed to learn they hadn’t sent anything for her, so Noah stuffed the letters back into the manila envelope, sealed it and placed it in the lockbox hidden behind a row of ancient Reader’s Digest books on the top shelf of the bookcase.
Noah held his head in his hands and tried to think of something about their world that wasn’t a lie. When nothing came to mind, he slumped onto his chair and drove his fingers through his hair. Maybe when he answered the family’s letters, he’d ask them not to write, at least not for a while. It was hard enough holding things together without their black-and-white reminders of what life was like compared to what it could have been: Alyssa sleeping in a tiny apartment above a bicycle shop, instead of her big sunny room in Chicago. A dad who sold bike chains and air pumps instead of putting bad guys into prison. A dad who had become one himself.
If she hadn’t already lost so much, he might be tempted—
“Aw, don’t cry, Daddy,” his daughter said, climbing into his lap. Holding his face in her hands, she said, “I cry, too, when I miss Mommy. But everything is going to be okay. I promise.”
Word for word what he’d said to her dozens of times over the years. But until she’d echoed the phrase, Noah hadn’t realized he’d been crying.
He hugged her tight. Kissed her cheek. Buried his face in the crook of her neck and inhaled the scent of baby shampoo. She deserved better than this. Better than the self-pitying, self-centered coward he’d allowed himself to become.
“I’m okay,” he lied. “Got something in my eye, is all.”
She studied his face and, satisfied with his response, frowned slightly. “I just hate it when that happens. Do you want me to get the eyedrops?”
Standing, he hoisted her onto one hip and carried her back to her room.
“No, that’s okay. But if whatever it is hasn’t worked itself out soon, you can get the eyedrops, okay?”
“Okay,” she said, as he tucked her in. “I like taking care of you.”
Noah pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Sweet dreams,” he said again, heading for the hallway.
She rolled onto her side and hugged her pillow tight as he turned out the light. He stood in the doorway for a moment, watching, listening, wanting nothing more than to be the father she deserved.
“Love you, Daddy,”
He could barely speak. “Love you, too, cupcake.”
CHAPTER SIX
“AREN’T YOU GOING to answer the phone?” Troy asked, leaning over her desk.
The caller ID window read Unknown. Billie rarely answered calls she didn’t recognize, and never picked up blocked, unknown or multiple zero numbers. “That’s what voice mail is for,” she told him.
“Hey. Billie. It’s Noah Preston. From the bike shop?”
She grabbed the handset, hitting speakerphone without realizing it.
“Hi,” she said. “I was beginning to think you’d had to send the bike back to the manufacturer or something.”
“So you didn’t get my message last week? About the parts that were on back order?”
“Oh. Yes, I did. I meant to call, but...” But between Troy and work, she’d forgotten to return the call. “Sorry. I meant to let you know there’s no rush.”
“Oh. Right. The ankle is still messed up, huh?”
“It’s much better, but I won’t be riding anytime soon.”
“Bummer. Guess that means you’ll miss the Tidewater race.”
“Yeah. And the Pocono Challenge, too.” She shook off the moment of self-pity. “But it’s no big deal. There are a couple of races in October.”
“Chambersburg?”
“Right. And Green Lane, Pennsylvania, too. But enough about that.” She giggled, too long and too hard. Groaning inwardly, she said, “Any idea when the parts will be in?”
“Two, three days. But that’s just one of the reasons I called today. Are you still interested in building a website for me?”
“Of course.”
“Don’t sound so eager,” Troy whispered in the background. “He’ll think you don’t have any other clients!”
Frowning, she sent a “Shh” warning his way.
“I’m just wrapping up something for another client. How about if I stop by, spend an hour or so watching you work, see if I can get some ideas for your main page?”
Troy shook his head. Noah cleared his throat. “Well, how’s tomorrow, say, after lunch?” She turned her back on her brother and clicked the speaker off. “Works for me. What time does Alyssa get home from school?”
“I pick her up at three-thirty.”
Billie wondered why he didn’t let her ride the bus like the rest of the kids in the neighborhood, then remembered the guy she’d met at the bike shop that day, who’d implied Noah gave a whole new meaning to the word overprotective.
“I’ll see you between one and one-thirty,” she said.
Billie hung up, then faced Troy. “Look. You’ve been a great houseguest, and I appreciate the way you fixed the deck door and reattached that loose gutter. And your chili recipe is to die for. To be honest, I wouldn’t mind if you moved in here permanently...if you’d learn to keep your nose out of my business stuff.”
“When you’re right, you’re right. It won’t happen again.” With one hand raised in the Scout salute, he said, “Sorry.”
“No need for apologies,” she told him, heading into her office nook. “As long as you stay out of my business.”
Troy saluted. “Message sent and received.”
Billie fired up the computer, clicked her most recent client’s file and began adding photos to the About Us page.
“You can fool other people, kid, but you can’t fool me.”
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