Read Online Desperately Seeking Dad by Marta Perry - Free Book Online

he thought. Or try to figure out a way to prolong moments when they laughed together across the table as if they were friends.
    They weren’t friends, and Anne obviously intended that they never would be.

Chapter Five
    B y the next morning, Anne had nearly succeeded in convincing herself she’d imagined that unsuitable attraction to Mitch. It must be a product of emotional stress. She’d ignore the feelings—she’d always been good at that, thanks to her parents’ example.
    She maneuvered Emilie’s stroller over the curb. One thing she knew about parenting without a doubt: Emilie wouldn’t grow up in the kind of emotional desert she had. If she and Terry had had children… But she’d finally realized her husband had no desire for a family. In marrying him, she’d just put herself in another emotionally barren situation.
    No, not for Emilie. She bent to tuck the snowsuit hood more closely around the baby’s ears, since the weather had turned cooler. Emilie would have love overflowing from her mother. If…
    The Bluebird Café, she hoped, might provide some answers. At least today she wouldn’t have Mitch sitting across from her when she dropped Tina’s name into the conversation. If Cassie did know whom Tina had dated, and if that person was Mitch, she might not want to say anything in front of him.
    The hardware store carried a display of window boxes and planting tools. Anne hurried past. Not even the most rabid gardener would be buying window boxes today, she thought. But it was easy to imagine the narrow wooden houses, tucked along the steep hillside, decked out with flowers in every window. Bedford Creek would look like a village in the Swiss Alps.
    She pulled the café door open, to be greeted by a wave of warm air scented with apples and cinnamon, and accented with chatter. It wasn’t noon yet, but the Bluebird was crowded already. It was obviously the place to be when Cassie made her famous apple dumplings.
    She glanced around, aware of the flurry of curious looks sent her way. The only empty table, a small one set for two, was in the front window. She maneuvered the stroller to it. Bringing up Tina’s name in a casual way wouldn’t be easy with the number of people in the café. She would have to linger over her lunch, hoping to outlast most of them.
    â€œHi. Can I help you?” The waitress was youngerthan Cassie, with a name tag showing her name: Heather.
    Anne felt a spurt of optimism. This girl, close in age to Tina, might remember more about Tina than Cassie did, assuming she’d worked at the café then.
    â€œI’ll have the chicken-and-dumpling soup.” She put down the plastic-coated menu and smiled at the girl, whose spiky hair and multiple mismatched earrings had to be a fashion statement in a small town. “I’ve heard it’s your specialty.”
    â€œYou bet.” Heather’s hazel eyes ticked off every detail of Anne’s slacks, cashmere sweater and gold jewelry. “Cassie’s famous for it. Anything for the baby?”
    â€œNo, that’s it.”
    She’d wait until the girl came back with her food to build on the conversation. Maybe by then she’d have lost the feeling everyone in the place was listening to her.
    She bent to pull a jar of baby peaches from the diaper bag. As she straightened, the door swung open again and Mitch walked in.
    Her cheeks were warm because she’d been bending over, that was all. She concentrated on Emilie, aware of Mitch’s voice as he exchanged greetings with what sounded like everyone in the place. With any luck, he’d be joining one of them for lunch.
    Apparently luck didn’t have anything to do with it. Mitch made his way, unhurriedly, to her table.The chair scraped, and he sat down across from her as if they’d had a lunch date.
    â€œSomehow I thought I’d find you here.” He bent to greet Emilie, who responded