Read Online Operation Cowboy Daddy by Carla Cassidy - Free Book Online
Authors: Carla Cassidy
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just a convenience to him at the moment and nothing more. She shouldn’t want to be any more to him.
“I do know a private investigator who might be able to help you,” Dillon said, pulling her out of her crazy thoughts. “His name is Mick Blake.” Dillon took his cell phone out of his pocket. “I’ve got his number here someplace.” Dillon found the number and Tony put it into his cell phone.
“Mick is a good guy and is one of the best private investigators I’ve ever run across,” Dillon added.
“Are you all done now?” Halena asked, not hiding her impatience. “We have movies to watch and popcorn to pop.”
Dillon rose. “I’m sorry, Tony. I can’t do much of anything to help you. Hopefully, Mick can locate Amy for you and you’ll get the answers you need.”
Tony got up as well and walked the lawman to the front door. “I’ll give Mick a call. I appreciate your time, Dillon. I know you have a lot of other things on your plate.”
Minutes later Tony returned to his seat on the sofa next to Halena and Mary went into the kitchen to fix the popcorn. A rumble of thunder accompanied the microwave popping.
Apparently, the storm that had threatened all day was moving in. Mary hated gray skies and thunderstorms. Every loss she’d ever suffered in her life had been accompanied by rain.
She had vague memories of rain pattering against a hospital window when she said her last goodbye to her mother. It had been in a rainstorm that her father had suffered his fatal car accident.
There had been more rain in her lifetime, and more losses...too many losses.
“Before the movie starts, I should tell you the rules of movie night,” Halena said to Tony when Mary entered the room with a big bowl of the buttery treat.
“Rules?” Tony looked at the old woman quizzically.
Halena nodded. “We don’t talk through the show. We pause it for bathroom breaks and that’s when, if you really feel the need to chatter, you can.”
“Got it,” Tony replied, his eyes lighting up with amusement.
Oh, the man was positively killing her, Mary thought as she placed the bowl of popcorn in the center of the table. When he smiled, when that twinkle appeared in his eyes, she wanted nothing more than to fall into his big, strong arms.
It had been years since she’d felt this way about a man. And the last time she had, it had ended so badly that she’d been left ashamed and humiliated, and with anger at the universe burning in her heart. She hadn’t even thought of getting close to any man since then.
She snapped her focus to the television, where Halena had started the movie. Through the next two hours Tony attended to Joey’s needs and appeared to enjoy the show as outside lightning slashed the sky, thunder rumbled overhead and the rain came down in torrents.
His gaze caught hers several times throughout and she saw a soft heat in his eyes. It was the same kind of heat she’d seen there when he’d been about to leave two nights before...when she thought he might kiss her.
The storm shot a restlessness through her and his heated looks did nothing to calm the edge of anxiety. The last thing she wanted or needed was any personal relationship between them.
Halena broke the movie-night rules dozens of times throughout the movie, yelling at the television, shouting words of encouragement to the hero and pausing it three times simply to talk about the action. And each time Tony grinned at Mary with that darned twinkle in his eyes.
By the time the movie was over, she was ready for Tony to leave.
The rain had eased to a soft pitter-patter and the thunder had stilled by the time he was ready to go. “Walk me to the door?” he asked.
She nodded and then bent down and scooped Joey off the blanket, where he’d been rolling around and exploring his bare toes. The baby in her arms was her safety net, a physical barrier that she hoped would keep her wistful wish for a kiss from Tony at bay.
They reached the front door and
“I do know a private investigator who might be able to help you,” Dillon said, pulling her out of her crazy thoughts. “His name is Mick Blake.” Dillon took his cell phone out of his pocket. “I’ve got his number here someplace.” Dillon found the number and Tony put it into his cell phone.
“Mick is a good guy and is one of the best private investigators I’ve ever run across,” Dillon added.
“Are you all done now?” Halena asked, not hiding her impatience. “We have movies to watch and popcorn to pop.”
Dillon rose. “I’m sorry, Tony. I can’t do much of anything to help you. Hopefully, Mick can locate Amy for you and you’ll get the answers you need.”
Tony got up as well and walked the lawman to the front door. “I’ll give Mick a call. I appreciate your time, Dillon. I know you have a lot of other things on your plate.”
Minutes later Tony returned to his seat on the sofa next to Halena and Mary went into the kitchen to fix the popcorn. A rumble of thunder accompanied the microwave popping.
Apparently, the storm that had threatened all day was moving in. Mary hated gray skies and thunderstorms. Every loss she’d ever suffered in her life had been accompanied by rain.
She had vague memories of rain pattering against a hospital window when she said her last goodbye to her mother. It had been in a rainstorm that her father had suffered his fatal car accident.
There had been more rain in her lifetime, and more losses...too many losses.
“Before the movie starts, I should tell you the rules of movie night,” Halena said to Tony when Mary entered the room with a big bowl of the buttery treat.
“Rules?” Tony looked at the old woman quizzically.
Halena nodded. “We don’t talk through the show. We pause it for bathroom breaks and that’s when, if you really feel the need to chatter, you can.”
“Got it,” Tony replied, his eyes lighting up with amusement.
Oh, the man was positively killing her, Mary thought as she placed the bowl of popcorn in the center of the table. When he smiled, when that twinkle appeared in his eyes, she wanted nothing more than to fall into his big, strong arms.
It had been years since she’d felt this way about a man. And the last time she had, it had ended so badly that she’d been left ashamed and humiliated, and with anger at the universe burning in her heart. She hadn’t even thought of getting close to any man since then.
She snapped her focus to the television, where Halena had started the movie. Through the next two hours Tony attended to Joey’s needs and appeared to enjoy the show as outside lightning slashed the sky, thunder rumbled overhead and the rain came down in torrents.
His gaze caught hers several times throughout and she saw a soft heat in his eyes. It was the same kind of heat she’d seen there when he’d been about to leave two nights before...when she thought he might kiss her.
The storm shot a restlessness through her and his heated looks did nothing to calm the edge of anxiety. The last thing she wanted or needed was any personal relationship between them.
Halena broke the movie-night rules dozens of times throughout the movie, yelling at the television, shouting words of encouragement to the hero and pausing it three times simply to talk about the action. And each time Tony grinned at Mary with that darned twinkle in his eyes.
By the time the movie was over, she was ready for Tony to leave.
The rain had eased to a soft pitter-patter and the thunder had stilled by the time he was ready to go. “Walk me to the door?” he asked.
She nodded and then bent down and scooped Joey off the blanket, where he’d been rolling around and exploring his bare toes. The baby in her arms was her safety net, a physical barrier that she hoped would keep her wistful wish for a kiss from Tony at bay.
They reached the front door and
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