The Lawman's Convenient Family

“It’s a seedy bar where they used to hang out. According to what Brady told Eddie, the guy thought his mom was pretty and took her to California.”

It sounded bogus to Julie. “Do you believe any of that story?”

“Hell no.” Adam scoffed. “It’s my job to sniff out lies, and that one stunk to high heaven.”

“I can be a Pollyanna at times,” Julie admitted, “but I have to agree with you. Hollywood producers don’t hang out in seedy Texas bars.”

“Exactly.” Adam slowed his already casual pace, then he stopped altogether in front of the Kidville newspaper office. “On Saturday night, when I told the kids I had to go home and was leaving them with the Hoffmans, they both begged me to stay.”

“That’s not surprising. You’re their hero, the man who saved them.”

Adam shrugged off the praise. “I did what any other law enforcement officer would’ve done. But their teary eyes and quivering lips damn near turned me inside out.”

“It would have done the same to me.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t usually allow myself to get sucked into emotional quagmires like that, but for some reason, Eddie and Cassie got to me. And come hell or high water, I’m going to find out what actually happened to their mother.”

Julie didn’t mean to pepper him with so many questions, but there was a lot she wanted to know. She’d taken an interest in the kids this morning, when her songs had drawn shy smiles.

“Did you tell them you were going to look for their mom?” she asked.

“Yes, and I filed a missing person report. But I hate to give the kids any false hope. I don’t have a good feeling about her disappearance.”

“What about their father?” she asked, feeling a bit like a Kidville star reporter. “Where is he?”

“Eddie told me he died when Cassie was a tiny baby.”

“That’s so sad. Do they have grandparents or another relative?”

“Looking for family members is on my to-do list. If there’s someone out there who’s willing to take them, they won’t have to remain wards of the state.” Adam leaned against the wooden porch railing and blew out a sigh. “I could have called protective services that night, but I knew Kidville would be a better place for them than the receiving home.”

“I wondered why you left so quickly.”

At that, Adam zeroed in on her, his brow slightly furrowed. “Were you at the gala?”

He’d just given her the perfect opportunity to set him straight. “I work for the caterer and was serving that night.”

His gaze roamed over her. “Well, I’ll be damned. You were the blonde in that space avenger costume. I noticed the similarities, but I’d been told that a woman named Lisa would be there. And I’d assumed you were her. I’m sorry. I didn’t recognize you without your...uh...costume.”

Julie looked down at her shoes—a pair of flats—then back at Adam. “I guess you didn’t recognize Lisa, either.”

At that, he laughed. “You’ve got that right. I’d never met her before. I’d only been given a description of her.”

“So it was going to be a blind date?”

“I guess you could say that. I’ve never had any use or need for a matchmaker, but Stan...” He paused, and his expression sobered for a beat. “A mutual friend of ours, had been trying to set us up for a while. And I figured I’d bypass the awkwardness and introduce myself.”

They stood there for a moment. No doubt, trying to make sense of it all. Had Julie and Adam been destined to meet? Or was it just a weird coincidence?

“You didn’t correct my mistake that night,” he said. “Why?”

A slow smile stretched across her lips. “Because I love music and thought it might be fun to dance one time before I had to serve appetizers. And just for the record, I would have set you straight, but you were called away before I got the chance.”

“Sorry about that. I didn’t mean to leave you stranded on the dance floor. That’s not my style.”

Julie didn’t think it was.

“But it was fun while it lasted,” he added.

Was it? She’d certainly enjoyed what little time they’d spent together.

“I owe you another dance,” he said.

“No, you don’t. I wasn’t there to play around. I should have been working. And just so you know, being lazy isn’t my