Stockyard Snatching. Barb Han

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      The baby moved as she sat down next to him and she immediately scooped him up and brought him to her chest.

      The infant wound up for a good cry, unleashed one, and Kate’s stress levels appeared to hit the roof.

      “He’s got a healthy set of lungs,” Dallas offered, trying to ease her tension.

      “He’s probably hungry. Is there a place where I can warm a bottle?” she asked, distress written in the wrinkle across her forehead.

      Abigail, Tommy’s secretary, appeared in the doorway before Dallas could answer. She’d been with the sheriff’s office long before Tommy arrived and had become invaluable to him in the five years since he’d taken the job. She threatened to retire every year, and every year he made an offer she couldn’t refuse.

      “I can take care of that for you,” she said. “Where’s the bottle?”

      “In there,” Kate said, attempting to handle the baby and make a move for the diaper bag next to her. She couldn’t quite manage it and started to tear up as Abigail shooed her away, scooping the bag off the floor.

      “Thank you,” Kate said, glancing from Abigail to Dallas.

      “Don’t be silly.” The older woman just smiled. “You’ve been through a lot this morning.” She motioned toward Jackson. “It’ll get easier with him. The first few months are always the most difficult with a new baby.”

      Dallas felt as out of place in the conversation as catfish bait in a tilapia pond. And then a thought struck him. If he was a father—and he wasn’t anywhere near ready to admit to the possibility just yet—he’d need to learn about diaper bags and 3:00 a.m. feedings. Kate’s employee had taken her up-all-night excuse far too easily, which meant it happened enough for her to be able to know using it wouldn’t be questioned.

      Speaking of which, Allen seemed to know way too much about Kate’s personal life, which could mean that the office employees were close, and it was clear he wanted more than a professional relationship with her. The guy was a little too cozy with his boss and Dallas didn’t like it. She obviously refused his advances. A thought struck. Could that be enough for him to want to punish her by removing the only obstacle between them—her child?

      He was probably reaching for a simple explanation. Even so, it was a question Dallas intended to bounce around with Tommy.

      Dallas made a mental note to ask Kate more about her relationship with Allen as soon as the baby was calm again, which happened a few seconds after Abigail returned with a warmed bottle and he began feeding.

      The look of panic didn’t leave Kate’s face entirely during the baby’s meal, but she gazed lovingly at her son.

      Dallas had questions and needed answers, the quicker the better. However, it didn’t feel right interrupting mother and son during what looked to be a bonding moment.

      But then, not being a father himself, what the hell did he know about it?

      Sipping his coffee, he waited for Kate to speak first. It didn’t take long. Another few minutes and she finally said, “I want to apologize about my behavior this morning. I’m not normally so...frazzled.”

      “You’re doing better than you think,” he said, offering reassurance.

      “Am I?” she asked. “Because I feel like I’m all over the place emotionally.”

      “Trust me. You’re doing fine.”

      Her shoulders relaxed a little and that made Dallas smile.

      “I do have a question for you, though,” he said.

      She nodded.

      “How well do you know your employees?” he asked, ignoring the most probable reason Allen’s attraction grated on him so much. Dallas liked her, too.

      “Some more than others, I guess.” She shrugged. “We’re a small office, so we talk.”

      The baby finished his bottle and she placed a cloth napkin over her shoulder before laying him across it and patting his back.

      “What does that do?” Dallas’s curiosity about babies was getting the best of him. His stress was also growing with every passing day that Morton didn’t return his texts.

      “Gets the gas out of his stomach. Believe me, you want it out. If you don’t he can cramp up and become miserable.” She frowned.

      “And when he’s miserable, you’re miserable.”

      “Exactly,” she said, her tone wistful. A tear escaped, rolling down her cheek. She wiped it away and quickly apologized. “This whole parenting thing has been much harder than I expected.”

      “Whoever did this to you and left should be castrated,” Dallas said. And he figured he was a hypocrite with that coming out of his mouth, given that he might have done the same to another woman. However, he had very strong feelings about the kind of man who didn’t mind making a baby, but couldn’t be bothered to stick around to be a father to the child. The operative word in his situation was that he might have unwittingly done that to someone. And he had no proof that Susan had actually been pregnant with his child, given that she’d disappeared when he’d offered to bring up the baby separately, instead of agreeing to her suggestion that they immediately marry. Her call had come out of the blue, months after they’d parted ways.

      His gaze didn’t budge from Kate. He expected some kind of reaction from her. All he saw was genuine embarrassment.

      “Oh, I have no one to blame. I did it to myself,” she said.

      “I may not be an expert on babies, but I do know how they’re made. And I’m fairly certain there has to be a partner.” It was Dallas’s turn to shoot her a confused look.

      “Adoption,” she said.

      He gave her another.

      “Surely you’ve heard of adopting a baby?” she asked tartly.

      “Of course I have. I just didn’t know that was your circumstance,” he said stupidly.

      Looking closer at the baby, Dallas couldn’t help but notice the boy had dark curly hair.

      Not unlike his own.

       Chapter Three

      Kate recognized the sheriff as soon as he stepped inside his office. Not only had she seen him around town, he’d stopped by the kitchen to welcome her when she’d first opened her doors.

      He was close to Dallas O’Brien’s height, so at least six feet tall. His hair was light brown and his eyes matched the shade almost perfectly.

      She was relieved for the interruption, after sharing the news about Jackson being adopted, and especially after Dallas’s reaction, which made no sense to her. He seemed fine with her being a single parent, but lost his ability to speak once she’d mentioned the adoption. What was up with that?

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