Daddy by Surprise

by Debra Salonen

  He was careful not to chuckle. Didn’t want to move and ruin her artistry.

  He wasn’t an impulsive kind of guy, but in two days he’d made two big, impulsive gestures. So far, he was very satisfied with the first. He only hoped the second would prove equally smart.

  After all, there had to be worse things than riding around the mountains with a beautiful blonde on the back of his bike.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  “READY?”

  Jack couldn’t hear her voice over the roar of his engine, but he read the word on her lips. Her pretty pinkish coral lips that glistened in the morning sunshine. The storm had blown itself out during the night and the day looked very promising, Jack thought, turning off the deafening rumble of his engine.

  He removed his helmet and got off the bike. In the background, her neighbor’s dogs barked with a furor that surely would have meant dismemberment if they were loose.

  “Enough,” Kat shouted in the dogs’ general direction.

  The barking stopped.

  “Nicely done,” Jack said. “You’re going to make a great teacher.”

  She seemed pleased by his remark, but she didn’t acknowledge it. Instead, she repeated, “Are you ready for this?” She patted her purse, which had enough straps to qualify as a backpack, too. “I picked up a bunch of promotional fliers in case you change your mind about doing the tourist thing. And I have a really detailed forest-service map, too.”

  Something he’d been thinking about buying. Jack liked that she seemed to be taking her role as his guide seriously. That made the arrangement seem less like a date. Which it definitely wasn’t. He couldn’t afford to date her, not after last night’s dream. Another sizzler.

  He bent to retrieve the spare helmet he carried. “Sure am. Everything square with your sons?”

  She nodded but didn’t elaborate. Maybe she sensed that he wasn’t really into kids.

  “I listened to the weather report and it looks like you caught a break. Hot and sunny all day.”

  The storm he’d ridden home in the day before had produced a mere sputter of precipitation, but the strong headwind had left him chilled to the bone, despite his leather jacket.

  He’d spent the rest of the evening under the covers, his nose in a book he’d picked up at the convenience store. The more he read about Seth Bullock, local lawman-turned-entrepreneur, the more intrigued he became about the man behind the myth. According to the book, he’d founded a town in 1890. Maybe they’d have time to visit Belle Fourche, too.

  “I’m ready for a little heat so I can show off my cool tattoos,” he said, running a finger along the neckline of his T-shirt. He was careful not to touch the actual tattoo, even though he felt the urge to scratch it. Kat had been adamant about keeping his hands off it. “Shower with warm water, no soap. And pat dry,” she’d said.

  “I thought you might be thinking that, so I brought along some sunscreen,” she said, holding up her bag.

  He opened one of the side compartments. “Great. Drop it in. I’ll put some on later. I’ve been cooped up indoors way too long and need a little color.”

  She hesitated—the mother in her probably wanted to slather him down, anyway—but after a moment tucked her bag into the space. She shook her head lightly before donning the helmet. The sun made her hair sparkle with white-gold highlights he had a feeling were completely natural.

  As she tightened the chin strap, he studied her. For a small woman, she was nicely proportioned with a little extra padding where it counted. Her bright yellow tank top appeared to have a built-in bra because he couldn’t see another set of straps. Her faded denim jeans fit her like a second skin. On her feet were well-worn hiking boots, and tied around her waist was a long-sleeved white shirt.

  A man’s shirt, he could see by the label when she turned to walk to the bike. Probably belonged to one of her husbands, he thought, frowning at the unsettling sensation in his belly. Why should he care if she still wore a former husband’s shirt?

  “So where are we going first?” he asked, throwing his right leg over the seat and scooting forward to give her room to get settled.

  “You have two choices—north or south. I suggest south. Sylvan Lake. The Needles Highway. Harney Peak. If you’re up for a hike, you’ll get a fabulous view of the entire Hills.”

  “How long does it take to get to the top?”

  Even though she wasn’t snuggled against his back, he felt her shrug. The sensation made him all too aware of her. This could be a long day, he thought.

  “I can’t remember. I haven’t done it in a while,” she said.

  Me, neither.

  As if realizing her comment could be misconstrued, she added too quickly, “Four hours, I think. Up and back. Depending on how fast you are. I mean, how fast you walk.” Her groan made him smile. “Can we go now?”

  “Good idea. I think I’d rather ride than walk, but I’ll let you know when we get there, okay?”

  She nodded so vigorously their helmets clicked.

  He looked down to make sure her feet were on the pegs, then he started the bike. When her hands settled lightly on his waist, he felt their warmth permeate his whole body the same way her touch had yesterday. It was a reward in and of itself. He didn’t understand it and told himself any woman’s touch would do the same thing to a guy who hadn’t had sex in months. But a part of him knew that wasn’t true.

  Shifting sideways enough to make eye contact, he asked, “Can you hear me?” He tapped the side of his helmet near his ear.

  Her smile showed pure delight. “Wow. That’s perfect. I was expecting some crackling walkie-talkie thing. And I can hear music in the background. Daughtry. One of my favorites. How’d you know?”

  He didn’t want to admit that he’d seen the name on a list on her table yesterday. He’d downloaded it to his MP3 player last night. Probably a dumb gesture, given he’d never see this woman again after today, but he’d done it, anyway.

  “Are you an American Idol fan? It’s one of the few shows the boys and I agree on. Although that’s not something they’d tell their fathers.”

  Jack didn’t ask why. He knew why. There’d been hundreds of things he didn’t tell his dad. And vice versa. Especially the big stuff.

  “Turn left when you leave my driveway,” she said, leaning into him, even though she didn’t need to in order to be heard. “I hate crossing traffic, but it’s fairly light this time of day.”

  “For the height of summer, I’ve found the traffic pretty tolerable. Especially compared to Rocky Mountain National Park.”

  “You won’t say that when we reach Hill City,” she said with a low chuckle that wormed its way into his very core. “And there’s always a crowd around Mount Rushmore.”

  He checked both ways, then gunned it. The bike shot across the road smoothly. Kat resumed talking once they were up to speed.

  “If we’re not hiking Harney Peak, we can afford to take our time. I can show you some of the back roads, since you said you were interested in history. If this were a four-wheeler, there are all kinds of places I could take you.”

  He didn’t doubt that for a minute. He could think of a few that weren’t on the map. But the thought disappeared when the semi they were passing suddenly pulled out to pass the car ahead of it.

  Jack swerved to the shoulder and cranked on the gas. The bike shot ahead and easily cleared both vehicles, but the sensation of flying, along with a rush of adrenaline, made his entire body tingle. “Holy crap,” he muttered. “That semi driver must not have seen me. I flashed him, too.”

  Kat’s heart felt squeezed to the size of a peanut and she could barely find the breath to say, “Thank God you have sharp reflexes. That could have been ugly.”

  “I agree. But you helped by leaning the right way with me. You’ve done this before, I think.”

  “My first husband had a bike in high school. He sold it after Tag was born. Broke his heart, he claimed, but I notice he hasn’t bought one to replace it.”
>
  She sat back and relaxed her death grip around his waist. “For being new to riding, you did that well.”

  His chuckle was low and masculine. “Thanks. It comes from driving with an inherently high adrenaline level.”

  Again, he downplayed her praise. His modesty was refreshing, but sometimes it rang false. She was about to test her theory when she reminded herself that she was a paid employee, not a prospective girlfriend. This wasn’t a date.

  She cleared her throat and looked around, wondering what to point out. A familiar sign made her cry, “Oh!”

  She lifted her arm and pointed. “There’s the turnoff to Sentinel Pass. We can start your tour there. Hang a right at the big white tepee.”

  Once they were off the main highway, she inched back. “You better slow down. The potholes are bad enough in a car. On a bike, they’ll probably loosen old fillings. Everybody is hoping the new money coming to town will encourage the county to fix the road.”

  He didn’t say anything, but the bike bobbed and weaved until they reached the outskirts of town. Since there was no traffic behind them, he pulled to the shoulder and stopped to look around.

  Pointing toward the large purple-and-yellow billboard a few feet away, he asked, “What’s the Mystery Spot?”

  “Sentinel Pass’s one and only tourist trap. My friend Jenna owns it with her mother. Her father was the mastermind behind it. He was also a scientist who taught at the School of Mines during the school year. He died a few years ago. The Spot is sort of hokey, but in a good-spirited way. My sons love it. In fact, Tag—the one you met—was going to work for Jenna this summer, but it didn’t work out.”

  “How come?”

  “Too much driving on my part.” And considering the price of gas…“He’s still mad at me.”

  “My mother wouldn’t let me work when I was a kid, either. Because of my asthma. I don’t remember how old I was, but it seemed like everybody I knew had a summer job—even the girls. I felt left out.”

  That had been one of Tag’s arguments, too. “When he has a car of his own, he can work wherever he wants.”

  “But he won’t have as many choices and he won’t have had this experience to put on a résumé.”

  She sat back with a snort. “Why do people who don’t have kids always have the strongest opinions about how to raise them?” she asked. “He won’t be nine for another couple of months. This so-called job was really my friend’s attempt to help me out with child care this summer while giving Tag a chance to earn a little spending money.”

  “Oh. I see.” His chuckle sounded conciliatory. “Sorry. You’re right. Not my business. But I do remember giving my mother a hard time for depriving me.” He said the word mockingly. “Fortunately, I discovered swimming that summer and my asthma got better. Plus, I was living in a city where I had access to public transportation. So, I’ll keep my mouth shut from now on, okay?”

  She nodded, embarrassed by her outburst. She wasn’t usually so quick to take offense. Ever the peacemaker, her mother used to say.

  “Let’s cruise through town,” she suggested. “I’ll point out all the historic spots. Like Seymour, our dinosaur. And the post office where Libby worked as postmaster.”

  “She’s married to what’s-his-name…the talent-show guy?”

  “Cooper Lindstrom. He and Lib are so much in love it almost hurts to see them.”

  He put the bike in gear and slowly made the turn. Kat sat up a little straighter, hoping to see someone she knew. How often did a mother of two get to ride behind a handsome guy on an awesome new Harley?

  “Why?”

  “Why what?”

  “Why does it hurt to see them together?”

  She hated the way he not only listened, but actually heard what she said. She wasn’t used to that. “Um…well—” how honest did she want to be? “—because seeing Libby and Cooper together makes you wonder if that all-encompassing, only-in-romance-novels kind of love is ever going to come your way or if you’re going to be a freakish statistic that throws off the bell curve your whole life.”

  He didn’t say anything for a moment, but stopped the bike in the visitors’ parking just the other side of the fire station. He turned off the engine and removed his helmet. Kat did, too, even though her cheeks were on fire.

  “I want to meet these people,” he told her when they were both standing.

  “Are you making fun of me?”

  He shook his head, but he was smiling, so she wasn’t certain he meant it. “I’ve never seen that kind of love and I want to.”

  She was still trying to make up her mind whether or not he was kidding when a voice called, “Kat? What are you doing here?”

  Kat spun around so fast she almost dropped her helmet. “Char. Why aren’t you at the tepee?” They hadn’t talked since Char brought a happy, exhausted Jordie home the day before.

  “I had to mail a bunch of stuff. Thank God for Internet sales, that’s all I can say.” She looked from the bike to Kat to Jack and back to Kat. “I told you I’ve forgiven eBay for screwing up Libby’s original ad, right? I mean, why not? It all worked out. And it was partly Lib’s fault for thinking she could post an ad without naming an exact dollar figure.”

  Kat hadn’t really paid much attention to Libby’s original ad, which had been responsible for bringing her plight to Cooper’s attention, but she did know that Char listed a great many items on the online auction site. “I guess…Um, Char, this is Jack…” Her mind went blank.

  “Treadwell,” Jack supplied. “Nice to meet you.”

  They shook hands. “He’s from Denver. I’m showing him around the Hills.”

  One of Char’s dramatically arched eyebrows lifted. “Starting in Sentinel Pass?”

  “Yeah,” Kat said, standing her ground. “That’s the point, isn’t it? All the hype about the TV show is supposed to bring tourists in. Jack’s a tourist. He wanted to see the place. Right?”

  Jack’s enigmatic gray eyes were glinting with humor, but he nodded gamely. “I especially want to see the famous lovers.”

  Char’s explosion of laughter nearly made her drop her fistful of mail. “Which pair? We’ve got two, you know. This love thing seems to be catching. Might be something in the water. Which is why I drink wine.”

  Kat rolled her eyes. They’d had this discussion before. Char had made it clear she didn’t believe in love, despite her addiction to romance novels. “Libby and Jenna aren’t back yet, are they?”

  Char shook her head. “I’m picking Jenna up at the airport on Sunday. She said she tried to call you last night and didn’t get an answer. Libby and Coop are flying home later. He didn’t want her traveling without him. I don’t know why. She’s pregnant, not an invalid.”

  Kat knew why. Neither of her exes—or anyone else in her family—had ever worried about her like that, but then, nobody had ever loved her the way Cooper loved Libby. Which probably wasn’t surprising. To be loved, first you had to be seen for who you really were.

  “Kat?”

  Kat blinked, glancing from Jack to Char. “Huh? Sorry. Zoned out for a minute. I was…um…trying to map out our next stop.” Liar.

  “I told Jack if he’s still here on the tenth, Cooper is throwing a big party for the town. Everyone is invited.”

  Libby had mentioned something about a whole-town celebration since their wedding had been so small and rushed to dodge media intrusion. “I didn’t know they set a date. Lib said they wanted to coordinate it around the Sentinel Pass filming.”

  Char shrugged as if that part of the deal didn’t interest her in the least. “How’s Jordie?”

  “Good. I think he’s in love with you.”

  Char kicked her beautifully beaded moccasin against the base of Seymour’s pedestal. “He’s the sweetest kid I’ve ever known. If I had a kid, I’d want him to be just like Jordan.”

  Kat heard a funny catch in her friend’s voice, but before she could give it more thought, a horn honked behind them. Char pivo
ted like a dancer and gracefully loped to the large, dusty four-wheel-drive truck that sat double-parked on Main Street.

  “Don’t you people work for a living?” the driver hollered good-naturedly through the open passenger window.

  Char hopped up on the running board. Kat couldn’t make out their conversation, so she turned to Jack. “That’s Mac. Libby’s brother. He and Lib own the Little Poke gold mine, which is going to be one of the spots the film crew plans to use locally.”

  Jack looked puzzled. “That truck looks like it’s on its last leg. I thought gold was worth a lot of money right now.”

  “I think you’re right, but it also costs a fortune to get it out of the ground. Are you interested in mines? I could ask Mac to give you a tour.”

  He shook his head. “Naw. That’s okay. Dark tunnels don’t really appeal to me.”

  Her, neither. But she couldn’t help thinking that his list of phobias was growing. Kids. Needles. Tight spaces. But he knew how to drive a bike. That had to count for something.

  Not that she had a mental scorecard going or anything. Nope. She wasn’t going to rejoin the dating game till her boys were in high school. Maybe college.

  Jack studied Mac’s truck a moment, then scanned the street. His expression said he didn’t see what the whole fuss was about, but that was probably to be expected since he didn’t know Libby and Cooper.

  He nodded toward the bike. “We should probably be going, huh?”

  “Right.” She waved to her friends. “See you later, Mac. Say hi to Megan for me. I’ll call you tonight, Char.”

  “Bye. Nice meeting you, Jack. Hope to see you around.”

  She felt funny hopping behind Jack with her friends watching, but once she’d made it clear that her interest in the man was purely mercenary, she was sure they wouldn’t try to play matchmaker.

  Powerful swoo not withstanding, the guy wasn’t her type. Even if she was in the market. Which she wasn’t.

  CHAPTER SIX