He glanced down at the delightful child, not understanding how such a treasure came from his bitch of an ex-wife. Aidyn was the one good thing they’d done together. No matter how he felt about Joyce, his daughter was a prize.
Chapter Four
Robyn watched with alarm as Aidyn grabbed her coat and ran out the door, only relaxing when she saw the man’s welcoming smile as he crouched down to Aidyn’s level. She ran to him with her arms wide. He scooped her up and twirled her around. The pair obviously belonged together and Robyn felt bad believing Aidyn’s dad was the criminal. It never occurred to her that the father might be a cop.
She continued to watch as Aidyn placed her tiny hand in his over-sized one, thinking they would leave. Instead, an animated Aidyn turned to point at Robyn while talking. Robyn blushed with embarrassment as though she were a voyeur and automatically pulled back as if caught in an illicit activity. Not only had she misjudged who Aidyn’s father was, but she’d also been staring at him and studying his every feature; the rugged looks, the strong jaw, the five o’clock shadow. If he wore a cowboy hat, he could’ve stepped right off the cover of one of the old west novels her grandma used to keep scattered around the house.
The deputy turned her way. He gave her a short nod, which Robyn took as a thank you for looking after Aidyn while he took down a bank robber. Surreal. As they walked away, she chastised herself for not recognizing him as Aidyn’s father. They looked a bit alike. Was the handsome deputy the same boy she used to know? If he’d given her just one smile, she’d know for sure.
With a half-dozen folks hanging out on the sidewalk gossiping, she decided to find out what happened. She’d been so focused on the deputy, she’d nearly forgotten about her Aunt Kerri. She had to go check on her favorite relative and make sure she was okay. Had the bank been robbed? Had anyone been hurt? Did they know who the robber was?
Her shop assistant, Anna Martinez, would arrive in a few minutes so Robyn placed a Be Back Soon sign on the door, locked it, and hurried down Main Street. A patrol car remained at the bank so instead of checking on her aunt, she decided to wait until he left and headed to Marilee’s Coffee Shop instead.
She stopped to eavesdrop on a group of men talking about the attempted bank robbery. “Good thing the Sheriff hired another deputy. There’s been several break-ins back near my place.” The man who spoke wore a bright orange Bronco ski cap. His name evaded Robyn, but she knew him from the mechanic shop on the edge of town. He pulled the hat tighter around his ears.
“You think it’s the same guy?” asked a man in a fur cap with ear flaps pulled down against the cold.
“Prob’ly. I don’t expect any more trouble. Stupid clown should ‘a known better. Might be he wanted to get caught. Get himself locked up with three squares a day and a television for the holidays. Hell, if only I had it that easy.”
“How ‘bout that new deputy sheriff though. Taking him down the way he did?” One of the other men asked.
“What’s the matter, John. You worried he might replace you as the town hero?”
The men guffawed and Robyn hurried on to speak with her friend Marilee as their words echoed in her head. Wasn’t that what she’d wished for at the old well on Veterans Day…a hero…a tall, dark, and handsome hero to sweep her off her feet? She snickered at the idea. He might be a hero but he’d barely looked at her when he picked up his daughter, much less swept her off her feet. Besides, she’d only gone along with the wish to please Marilee. They’d been drinking wine to celebrate Marilee’s engagement and her friend had practically twisted her arm to say it. Giggling like a schoolgirl, Robyn had tossed her coin in the well as she spoke the words out loud. In any case, tall, dark, and handsome was nothing but a cliché and in reality, she had better things to wish for. Marilee was pushing Robyn to try it again; as if the wishing well was the only way she’d get a man. Robyn sighed as she pulled open the door to Marilee’s Coffee Shop, depressed that her friend might just be right.
The coffee shop was busy and filled with the buzz of conversation about the attempted robbery. Marilee was busy helping out her staff so Robyn didn’t disturb her. She ordered a coffee at the counter and while she waited, she enjoyed the scent of fresh cinnamon rolls as a clerk placed the sweets in the case. The lively chatter and the holiday decorations took her mind off bank robberies and break-ins, but she couldn’t get her mind off the deputy. Was he the boy she’d known as Ben? It had to be him, didn’t it? Did he remember her at all?
Even though he hadn’t been in uniform today, he projected authority with a tall, athletic body and wide shoulders. She’d never been into men in uniform but he could pull her over any day. She was not the bondage type, but thinking of his body standing close enough to cuff her from behind caused heat to flame in her core. Thank goodness the cold weather could explain away the red she felt in her cheeks.
She caught Marilee’s eye from across the room and gave her a wave. The woman was a bad influence, trying to push Robyn out of her comfort zone; encouraging her to pick up strange men in bars and to go gambling with her on the weekends, neither of which Robyn cared to do. Marilee was fun to hang out with though and Robyn wouldn’t give up their friendship for anything.
As she picked up her coffee, her mind skipped back to the visual of the deputy sheriff hugging his daughter. Oh hell, if she’d not been attracted to law enforcement types before, why couldn’t she get the man off her mind?
Chapter Five
As the days went by, Ben came up with excuse after excuse not to stop at Hopeful Quilts to meet the grown-up version of his high school crush. In fact, he’d given up on the idea until he practically ran into her as she came out of Marilee’s. Robyn held the door open and allowed him to enter, staying inside with him as the door fell shut. Noise from the coffee shop faded away into the background as he stood in the entrance with Robyn.
“You’re Aidyn’s dad?” Robyn asked. “Deputy Sheriff Ben Dawson?” she added. Her blank expression giving him no clue what was behind her question.
“Guilty as charged. What’s the little angel up to now?” Although he was elated to run into Robyn, his pleasure was shadowed with guilt. He’d sent his daughter over to her shop for safety the day of the bank robbery and he’d never stopped in to explain and to thank her for being so nice to his daughter. There were other reasons he disliked it when someone asked if he was Aidyn’s dad. His daughter’s outgoing personality caused all sorts of mischief with other kids. Nothing too outrageous but being in law enforcement and being a single dad, he usually got to hear about it when he picked Aidyn up from school. Moms, both single and married, were especially good at using Aidyn to get his attention. They tended to come across as desperate and needy. He tried to avoid those types.
Ben frowned down on Robyn. She was unmarried and childless, according to his discrete inquiries around town. Maybe she didn’t like kids? They stood close together, and he towered over her smaller figure, which was currently hidden beneath an immaculate white winter coat. Everything about her was perfectly in place, a bit too prim and proper for his taste. The girl he remembered was gregarious and lively, always on the go and surrounded by friends. Her pretty face was much like he remembered, maybe even better, but she was just so…professional. Is that why she’d never married? Was she too uptight to let herself fall in love?
Robyn peered up at him through long, dark lashes against pale winter skin “Your daughter’s not in any trouble,” she explained. “I’m Robyn Meadows. She was in my quilt shop the other day…during the robbery.” She gave him a glance but he remained silent. “Aidyn was interested in learning to sew. I gave her information on taking one of our workshops. Unless…maybe her mother plans to teach her.”
The thought of his ex-wife teaching Aidyn to sew gave Ben quite the chuckle, which he kept to himself. He wore his cop face for Robyn to see. His marriage to Joyce had been a disaster from the beginning. If only their daughter hadn’t gotten caught up in the worst of it. He’d done his best to k
eep any emotional scarring to a minimum and even now, nearly a year after Joyce abandoned them, it was an ongoing project. He’d done fine with his wife leaving. Aidyn, not so much. Being cautious about the women he allowed in his daughter’s life had been step one as a single dad and he had no plans to change that any time soon.
“No, her mother is a…well…isn’t…around,” he said, finding polite words to replace the harsh ones that first sprang to mind. He stepped back, uncomfortable with the soft floral scent of Robyn’s perfume and the attractive feminine face she showed the world; reminders that alluring, sexy women came with a price. He’d seen it on the job, and even more so in his personal life.
“Isn’t Aidyn a bit young for sewing lessons?” he asked, trying to get his mind off the unexpected and unwarranted thought of what Robyn would be like in bed.
“For some things, sure. She’s too young for machine sewing, but I have some no-sew projects perfect for her age. Kids can work with different, fun fabrics before they move on to a needle and thread.” She hesitated. “Unless she’s too involved with other activities. I don’t believe in pushing kids into doing things they have no interest in.”
“We’re new around here. She’s not involved in anything outside of school.” He appreciated her attitude. Joyce had always been the pushy type, treating their daughter as if she’d been her own personal mini-me and not a person with a mind of her own.
Robyn looked up at him with a puzzled expression on her face. “Do I know you from somewhere? I mean, from somewhere besides the bank robbery where you became the town hero?”
He grimaced. “Yeah, I suppose I’ll never live that down.” His eyes glinted with curiosity when he said, “We did meet a long time ago. I went to school in Hopeful for a couple of years.” He watched for her reaction.
She smiled as recognition drifted across her face. “You played baseball. And I remember the coach calling you Slugger.”
“If I remember right, the coach called everyone Slugger.”
She laughed. “Now that you mention it, I believe he still does.” She cocked her head and frowned as she tried to remember more. “You were kind of shy.” Her eyebrows lifted and her eyes shifted to his deputy uniform as she looked him up and down. “I take it that doesn’t apply anymore?”
“I don’t know about that. I still get tongue-tied around beautiful women.” The words were out before he could stop them; but no matter what else Robyn was, he had to admit she was still the most breathtaking woman he had ever seen.
She laughed. “You seem to be doing just fine with me. Should I be insulted?”
“Give me a chance. I’ll screw it up soon enough.” He grinned again. She was right though. He’d gotten over being shy a long time ago. More cautious maybe, but not shy. He decided to show her. “Would you like to have a cup of coffee?”
She held up her to-go cup. “I already have one, and I have to get back to my shop anyway. Raincheck?”
“Sure, raincheck. That’d be great.”
“You know where to find me, Slugger” she said as she opened the door and gave him a wave good-bye. Some things never changed. Her smile still made his day.
After Ben took a seat in the coffee house and ordered, he noted Robyn’s perfume clung to his clothes. At least the floral scent no longer made him want to run for the hills. He breathed it in as her face flashed in his mind. He was as charmed by her confidence now as he’d been when he was a fifteen year old blockhead.
The confident, intelligent, and personable girl had grown into the same as a woman. It was no wonder she’d been so popular. He swore under his breath. Robyn was still out of his league. She was a permanent fixture with many friends and family members in town while he remained a rolling stone. He rubbed at a spot of tension on the side of his head. Not that it was all his fault. Joyce had never been satisfied with their living conditions, or his income, so they’d moved to different locations throughout their years of marriage—never finding one that fit them both. It did give him a better understanding of his parents. Change could be entertaining, at least in the short term. The frequent moves had been the only thing that held his marriage together as long as it had.
What he’d done after his divorce was finalized though…that hadn’t been right and the guilt of it weighed him down. Joyce might’ve abandoned their sinking ship first but she was still Aidyn’s mother…and he’d skipped town with his daughter without even leaving so much as a forwarding address.
He had his reasons, but would a kind, decent woman like Robyn understand? He needed to stay away from her or he might make a fool of himself – or worse, mess up Aidyn’s life even more. There was no point in getting involved with any woman, much less Robyn Meadows, tempting as it was. Hell, what was he doing inviting her for coffee anyway? He’d had enough heartbreak to last ten lifetimes, and so had his daughter. Aidyn was just starting to recover from her mother’s abandonment and he would never put her through that again. If Joyce tracked him down and came for Aidyn, he wasn’t sure what he’d do.
Chapter Six
Why had running into Ben Dawson put Robyn in such a strange mood? It wasn’t like they’d ever been friends or anything. She did remember him though. Once she knew for sure the sexy adult male in front of her was the same boy she knew back in school...oh yeah, she remembered him alright and the memories came flooding back. Most of it was about the way he looked at her, and the way he smiled. She’d been so busy though, with her friends, her classwork, and her school activities; not to mention with other boys demanding her attention, she missed the chance to know him better. She’d been disappointed to find out he’d moved that summer but life had moved on. Too fast, if you asked her.
Not wanting to return to the shop in this odd mood, she sent Anna a text. She wouldn’t go back the rest of the day and the shop would have to do without her for a change. Anna was the best. Robyn was completely confident that she could handle things on her own.
Robyn veered off the sidewalk and headed to the park in the center of town. Fresh air, that’s exactly what she needed. She carried her caramel macchiato in one hand as she walked. Her granny used to say fresh air would fix anything…unless it was twenty degrees out and then you’d likely freeze to death. She took a sip of the hot drink to warm up, enjoying the view of fresh snow on the mountains and in the town. The air was a bit nippy but the sky was blue and it wasn’t anywhere near twenty degrees outside. She might be cold but she wouldn’t freeze.
Robyn missed her granny. Her grandmother taught her to sew by hand when she was no older than Ben’s daughter. She smiled, remembering the dress for her favorite doll that they had made together, all by hand of course. Now Robyn used all modern equipment, including her Bernina longarm quilting machine which cost as much as a new car. She’d cared for Grandma when she became ill…until Hospice came in. They’d watched TV together and Robyn would work on projects her Grandmother was unable to complete. Her Grandma had led a good, long life and had filled her home with love. Even so, she once told Robyn opening the quilt shop together had been one of the great joys of her life.
Robyn found herself drawn to the wishing well in the center of the park. The well was built when Hopeful was nothing more than a booming mining camp. According to local legends, it was a lucky wishing well and she’d often found herself contemplating her life while sitting on a nearby bench. Staring down into the depths, she tried to imagine what it was like to be at the bottom digging it out. It had to be just a one person job because only one would fit. He’d stand in the hole shoveling dirt into a bucket which was then raised by a pulley. She shuddered, imagining it. That was not the type of job she would ever volunteer for.
Sitting on the edge with her back to the well, she took a moment to people-watch. A pair of slow-moving joggers circled the park and a couple of young mothers watched as their children tried to have a snowball fight. Robyn laughed at the sight. The children resembled Teletubbies all bundled up and round in their heavy coats. If they fell over, the
y’d be well protected with all those layers. The sight made her smile at the same time that her heart ached for something she might never have. Not unless her real wish came true.
Brushing snow from her regular bench, she sat to open her purse and pull a coin from her wallet. Did she believe in the magic of the well? She’d dropped a lot of quarters in it over the years, especially around Christmas time. She remembered some of those wishes; bicycles, cars, boyfriends, a date to the dance--many of which had come true in one form or another. She was realistic enough to know they probably would have anyway. This time she knew more about what she wanted. The wish had been gnawing at her even before her grandma died. Was there any chance it might come true?
Robyn looked at the sky, gripping the coin tight in her fisted hand. She would wait until after the sun set to make the wish. Marilee had reminded her often enough tonight would be a cold moon; the last full moon of the year and the most magical time to make her wish. She stood and dropped the coin in her coat pocket. It would be freezing out here at night, but she’d come back to toss her coin and make the wish.
Laughing at herself, she stopped to examine the structure one last time before leaving. She wasn’t superstitious, not really. But there was a side to her, a romantic side hidden down deep, which triggered her imagination. The Hopeful Wishing Well could be just as romantic as the top of the Empire State Building, couldn’t it? Too bad the only real romance she had in her life was from watching An Affair to Remember each year about this time. She wouldn’t mind having a Cary Grant in her life.
As she strolled across the street to her car, she tried to visualize Cary Grant’s face but Ben Dawson’s abruptly flashed in its place. She bit at her lip. Forget it, Robyn, she chided herself. You can’t make a fool of yourself and chase after a man you don’t even know. And one with a kid at that.
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