Claiming The Single Mom's Heart

Sunshine gave a weary sigh. “Monsters I could deal with. Moms are natural-born slayers of monsters. This, unfortunately, is a more vague anxiety that’s had her upset since shortly before school started.”

“Once she makes friends and settles into a new environment, those worries will evaporate.”

“That’s my hope.” But she didn’t sound as if she believed his words.

He moved closer to look down on her with mock chastisement. “Now, don’t you go worrying about Tessa’s worrying. You know what the Good Book says about that.”

Or maybe she didn’t know. She’d only recently started attending Christ’s Church of Hunter Ridge. Was that a politically motivated move? He’d like to think a single mom had more concern for her child’s spiritual welfare than that. But God gave people more freedom of choice than he would if running the show himself.

With a sigh, she stared down at the floor and his chest tightened. This kid thing must be getting to her.

“It’s just that...” She shook her head, lost in thought.

Without thinking, he reached out and gently lifted her chin with his fingertips, her startled eyes meeting his.

“Stop with the worrying, Sunshine.”

* * *

She froze, staring up at him as the warmth of his fingers shot a bolt of awareness through her. An unsettling, although not unpleasant feeling. But this was Grady Hunter. A male cut from the same bolt of cloth as her ex.

She stepped back to break the connection, fearful he’d feel the pounding of her heart. “Believe me, I’m doing my best not to.”

“Well, good, then.”

Their eyes remained locked for an uncomfortable moment, and then she glanced to the top of the staircase. “Are you sure you don’t want me to drop off the design printouts tomorrow?”

“Like I said, destroy them.”

There went her excuse to visit Hunter’s Hideaway again.

He moved toward the door, then paused in front of a watercolor painting displayed on an easel. “I noticed that several of these bear the intertwined initials ESC. Is that you?”

The subject of this painting in particular could have clued him in on the identity of the artist, as well. The child, in partial shadow and facing slightly away, might easily be recognizable as Tessa to someone who knew her. Reluctantly, Sunshine joined him where he continued to study the painting.

“The E stands for Elizabeth. Sunshine’s always been the name I go by.” Her father, who’d been around more often in those early years, had bestowed it on her when she was a toddler.

“You’re extremely talented.”

“Thank you.”

“This is for sale?” His brow furrowed as his gaze met hers uncertainly. “A painting of your daughter?”

He sounded almost disapproving.

“It’s not a portrait.” With effort, she suppressed the defensiveness his words provoked. “It could be any little girl with a Native American patterned blanket clutched in her arms. Customers like that Southwestern touch.”

“It’s very striking.”

“Thanks.”

He moved to the door and she followed to lock up.

“You will keep me informed, won’t you?” He paused in the doorway, all business now. “I mean, if there are any developments with the Co-op members I should be made aware of? I’m available to meet with them, to answer questions and set things straight.”

“As I said earlier, I believe the proposed petition has been squelched.” At least Gideon had backed off for the time being.

Grady looked as if he wanted to say something more but instead nodded a goodbye. She locked up and dimmed the lights. Then wearily heading up the stairs, two troubling thoughts remained foremost.

Why did Grady touching her take her breath away?

And please, Lord, don’t let me be present if Grady Hunter and Gideon Edlow ever cross paths.

Chapter Four (#ulink_f4b7cdc4-381a-51a9-90ed-54ad8b75fc4e)

Whoever would have thought when Grady insisted she destroy the printouts rather than returning them that another excuse to visit Hunter’s Hideaway would be delivered to her doorstep so speedily?

Now, Thursday afternoon, trailing his younger sister Rio down the hallway to his office, she could hardly believe her good fortune. There was an added bonus, as well. Rio said Grady had stepped out and hadn’t yet returned. So if she could manage to ditch Rio, she might not only find her missing pen, but have an opportunity for another look at the photographs on Grady’s wall. On closer examination, would a face in one of them stand out as resembling her mother or grandmother?

“This is the only place I think I could have lost it,” Sunshine said as Rio flipped on the light and they stepped into Grady’s office. “I used it to jot down notes when I was waiting in the lobby the other day, then distinctly remember putting it back into my jacket pocket. That’s the last time I saw it. At Hunter’s Hideaway. And since it wasn’t in your lost and found, hopefully it’s in here somewhere. It was a gift from my father, so it’s special.”

After having thoroughly combed her apartment, SUV, tote bag and jacket pockets that morning, it had taken mental backtracking to figure out the possible whereabouts of the pen. That maybe when she’d pulled out her phone here a few days ago, she’d accidentally dislodged the pen. It was a long shot, but if it had dropped to the thick, patterned area rug, she wouldn’t have heard it hit the floor. Engrossed in her coloring book, Tessa might not have noticed, either.

Rio adjusted the wooden louvered blinds to admit more natural light. “Let’s take a look.”

Ignoring a prick of disappointment that Grady’s sister chose not to return immediately to the front desk, Sunshine gave a longing look at the photographs on the wall, then embarked on the quest for her pen.

“I sat in this area with Tessa for a few minutes,” she explained, leaning over to check under the chairs and lamp-topped table, “then stood over there with Grady to look at the blueprints and his laptop screen.”

She wouldn’t mention wandering the perimeters of the room with a camera in her hand.

“If it’s here, we’ll find it.”

“Thanks, but I hate taking you away from your work.” Maybe you’d better get back to it. Hint. Hint.

“Maybe Grady found it.” Rio optimistically checked out the pencil cup on the desk, then shook her head and they resumed the search.

“Aah, here it is.” As tempting as it was to nudge the colorful pen farther under the edge of the rug with her toe, Sunshine reluctantly bent to retrieve it. So much for thinking God had rewarded her with an opportunity to explore. “Ta-da!”

“What’s going on?” Grady’s deep voice drew her attention as he crossed the threshold of his office, surprise at seeing her there evident in his eyes.

“Sunshine was looking for the pen she lost here the other day.” Rio cast her a bright smile. “Her dad had given it to her.”

“I hadn’t realized you’d lost something or I could have looked around for you.”

“No problem.”

When Rio disappeared into the hallway, Grady moved to his desk and placed his laptop case on the oak surface. “You’re close to your dad, are you?”