Reunited By A Secret Child. Leigh Bale

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       Chapter Two

      “Did you tell him?”

      Katie dropped the mechanical pencil she’d been holding. It hit the computer keyboard and bounced onto the floor. Swiveling around, she picked it up, then sat back and stared at her father. Charlie Ashmore stood in the open doorway to the motel office, gripping his walking cane with one hand.

      “Dad...” She spoke in an annoyed tone, hoping he’d take the hint and leave her alone. But he didn’t budge.

      “I’d like to know. I don’t want to accidentally say something I shouldn’t while he’s staying here,” he said.

      Katie chose to ignore his comments. “Did you get him situated in a room?”

      “Yes. Milly took him some extra towels and a key to the pool. He walked down to Rocklin Diner to get something to eat.”

      The restaurant was six blocks away. Maybe Katie should have offered Reese some lunch, but her mind was swirling with emotions. She told herself that she didn’t want him here. But deep in her heart, she was glad to see him again, grateful that he hadn’t died in the wildfire that had killed his crew. She refused to consider why she cared. Surely it was just because he was Chrissy’s father. Somehow, she knew it was something more. Something she couldn’t explain even after all these years.

      “Maybe it’s not a good idea for him to stay here,” she said.

      Charlie shrugged. “Why not? I know how difficult this situation is for you, but it was inevitable that he would come home for a visit someday. Besides, where else was he going to stay?”

      He didn’t mention Rigbee’s Motel. He didn’t have to. It wasn’t a joke that they’d been accused of having bedbugs. Knowing her father was right didn’t make her feel any better.

      “Where’s Chrissy?” Katie asked.

      “In the living room watching TV.”

      The living room. A large suite of rooms they’d converted for their own use. It included a soft sofa, two recliners, a bookshelf and a wide flat-screen TV. It wasn’t fancy, but it was clean and comfy, and they were happy, most of the time. With a few maids to clean the rooms, Charlie oversaw the front reception desk, while Katie did the books. They made a good team, running the Cowboy Country Inn together. But just now, Charlie’s mouth was stretched into a straight, solemn line that made his white mustache twitch.

      “Did you tell him?” he asked again.

      Katie’s gaze clashed with her father’s. “No, I didn’t.”

      “Why not?” he persisted.

      She looked away, an impatient sigh squeezing from her lungs. “I couldn’t tell him with Chrissy sitting there listening in.”

      “You could have left her home with me,” he suggested.

      She shook her head. “No, I wanted to see them together first. I want to proceed with caution. Telling him might be a mistake.”

      “Why?”

      “What if he causes trouble?”

      Charlie shook his head. “I don’t think Reese is the type of man to do that. Not about his own child.”

      She didn’t think so, either, but she wasn’t sure. After all, he was a fully grown man now, and she knew nothing about him. How he’d been living his life. If he was married or divorced. If he had other children somewhere. Nothing.

      “He wasn’t a very nice person in high school,” she said.

      “With his background, can you blame him?” Charlie asked.

      “What do you mean?”

      “Have you forgotten about his father?”

      She crinkled her eyebrows. “No, I remember.”

      Everyone had known Hank Hartnett. Passed out in the middle of the sidewalk. Causing a brawl in the bank when his account was overdrawn. The bruises on his wife’s face. And sometimes on Reese’s face, too. The man was a constant source of gossip. The town drunk.

      “But that doesn’t excuse Reese’s actions. We don’t know him anymore. What if he takes me to court? He might try to take Chrissy away and then what would I do?” Katie met her father’s gaze, trying to keep the fear she was feeling from showing in her eyes.

      Charlie’s stiff demeanor softened as he limped over to the desk and squeezed her arm. “Ah, honey. You’re worrying too much about this. I don’t think Reese would do something like that. Right now, I think he’s hurting. He just needs a place to lie low, where he can receive some kindness and understanding.”

      Katie brushed a hand across her forehead, trying to keep her composure. She didn’t like this situation. Not one bit.

      Charlie sat on a corner of the desk, one gnarled hand resting in his lap. “I looked into his eyes. He’s still got a lot of kindness there. Did I ever tell you about the time I saw some of his friends picking on a stray dog?”

      “No,” she said.

      “The poor animal looked scrawny and half-starved. Reese was only about ten years old at the time. His friends were throwing rocks and hitting the dog with a stick. Reese got so angry at them. He defended the dog. In fact, he took the animal home with him. Next thing I knew, his mom was down in town buying dog food. And you know what he named that mangy old mutt?”

      She СКАЧАТЬ