It Had to Be Him (8 page)

Freakin’ crazy town.

Josh shoved the door open and sucked in a deep, calming breath. The woodsy, clean scent was something he’d never get tired of.

Town Hall couldn’t be too far away, so he left his truck where it was and made his way out to Main Street.

He turned the corner and nearly tripped over a kid who sat on the raised wooden sidewalk beside a golden retriever twice the little boy’s size. His head was bent over one of the dog’s big paws.

Josh kneeled down beside them. When the dog whimpered, he reached out and gave it a pat. “Everything okay?”

The kid shook his head. “Wilbur got a splinter from the wood.”

“Ah.” Josh reached to his belt for the more innocuous Leather-man tool, which he’d decided to carry instead of his throwing knife. Growing up, he’d spent most of his free time with the animals at the ranch and hated to see one in pain. “Mind if I take a look?”

The boy’s brow furrowed with confliction. “You’re that guy I saw at the diner last night, right?” The boy’s grip grew tighter on his dog. “Uncle Zeke said you’re trying to take Haley away. We aren’t supposed to talk to you.”

It was like a broken record.

Josh went to work on the dog’s paw. “I was at the diner last night, but I’m not trying to take Haley away. I just want to meet her.” He held up the three-inch splinter. “That had to hurt.”

“Yeah, ummm, I . . . better go.” The boy and his dog scurried off down the street, avoiding the wooden sidewalk this time. The kid looked over his shoulder one last time, as if frightened Josh would follow behind.

Great. His status as a child snatcher had all the little kids in town running scared too? He needed to find a little old lady to help across the street to save his reputation.

With none in sight, he checked out the town that surrounded a large park. In the middle of the grass stood a big whitewashed bandstand, like he’d seen in the movies as a kid. He’d naïvely imagined he’d end up in a town just like this once he got adopted. What an idiot. He soon found out older kids rarely got adopted and, if so, didn’t end up in places like this.

Anderson Butte was so Disneyland clean and tidy it seemed fake, like a movie set. He was tempted to go around the back to see if it was all a façade.

Colorful wildflowers everywhere offset the vivid green of the grass and the surrounding gigantic trees. The buildings were a mix of old and new, but somehow they all blended to form a welcoming, peaceful, postcard-worthy sight.

Yeah. He could totally see himself finally living in a town like Anderson Butte.

Families and couples, clearly on vacation, slowly meandered up and down the street perusing the shops. The town had everything a body could want. Besides a few little touristy specialty stores, there was the diner, a place to get your hair cut, a little drugstore, the post office, a T-shirt shop, a water sports shop, a mini-market, and a toy store with matching colorful wooden soldiers as tall as he was, standing guard out front.

He’d never been inside a toy store. He’d never had toys of his own growing up at the ranch. Had he been free to, he would
have liked to shop at places like this for Haley’s birthdays and the Christmases he’d missed. Hopefully he’d be able to make up for those lost years by spending enough time with her to let her see how much he cared. But right now, he was nothing more than a stranger to his own daughter.

Maybe he should get something for Haley to soften the blow when they finally met. But what? He pulled out his phone and was just about to Google the most popular toys for two-year-olds, but stopped. The shopkeepers probably knew Haley.

He threw his empty water bottle into a green recycling can, pulled the door open, and entered the cluttered little shop. It overflowed with stuffed animals, games, dolls, trucks, and things Josh couldn’t identify. A tiny woman, maybe in her late twenties, stood behind the counter and lifted her chin slightly in greeting while she helped a familiar-looking blond man with a couple of kids standing next to him. Josh headed toward the counter as the man tucked his wallet into his back pocket and then spun around.

Another movie star? What were the chances?

The guy smiled at him and hustled his boys out the door.

Josh shook his head, then moved to the counter. “Brad Pitt, huh? And I could have sworn I saw Ashton Kutcher yesterday.”

The lady, petite, brunette, and so fragile-looking she reminded Josh of a fairy, blinked her eyes. “You must be mistaken, sir. Why would people like that visit here?” She even had a squeaky little Tinker Bell voice.

He threw his thumb over his shoulder. “That man who was just here with his two kids . . .”

When the shopkeeper blanked her expression in a poor attempt to lie, Josh forged ahead. “I wondered if you knew Megan’s daughter, Haley? And if you could suggest something she might like?”

She shook her head. “Meg’s an Anderson. Her father owns the whole town and if we want to keep our jobs, we can’t help you. You might as well leave.”

“I just want to buy Haley a gift.” Josh raised his hand to run it through his hair, and the little woman flinched as if he meant to hit her.

What had Zeke and the mayor told these people? That he stole little kids and beat women just for fun?

The timid woman chewed on her lower lip as if debating. “Haley likes to draw and color. That’s something a father should know about his daughter. Now please leave.”

He read her name tag. “I appreciate the information, Sarah. I’m just looking for a chance to
be
Haley’s father. Have a nice day.” He swallowed back his rising temper as he headed for the door.

That did it. Time for a much-needed showdown with the local law.

He headed toward the biggest of all the buildings around the town square. As he crossed the grassy park in the middle, he spotted Casey. She was just starting up a set of big stone steps while glancing at her watch.

Increasing his pace, he moved behind her. “Worried I won’t be gone when Megan gets back?”

Casey jumped as if startled, then slowly turned around. “Why
are
you still here?”

He surged ahead and held the door open for her. “Need I remind you this is a free country? Or does our great nation’s Constitution not apply to Anderson Butte?”

Casey huffed past him and started down a long hall. “Maybe you should go debate that issue with my father.” She held out a hand. “The mayor’s office is right down there.”

“Maybe another time.” Like when hell freezes over.

“Or, you can come with me to my brother’s office and we’ll get you on your way.”

“Option B sounds safer.” But he wasn’t going anywhere. Unless it was in a body bag. Which might be a real possibility with this crowd.

Casey led the way. The sheriff was on the phone when they entered his office. He motioned them inside as he listened to someone who was shouting at him loud enough to hear across the room; Josh couldn’t make out many of the words, but “Granger” and “ass” came through loud and clear. After a few moments the sheriff said, “Gotta go, Dad.”

He hung up the phone and pulled a piece of paper from a file. “The bill for your trespassing charge.”

Josh accepted the paper, although he’d never been arrested or charged with trespassing.

The fine was ten thousand dollars. Before he could protest, the sheriff pushed another slip of paper across the desk. “The trespassing fine along with the hotel, medical, and parking violation adds up to sixteen thousand dollars. You can transfer the funds directly to Megan’s account by close of business today, or you can get in your truck and never come back. Your choice.”

He picked up the little slip of paper with Megan’s bank account number on it and couldn’t help his grin. “Not bad. This move may have actually worked if I thought all that money was going to your corrupt little town coffers rather than to Meg.” Josh grabbed his cell from his pocket and called up his online banking app. “But instead you’ve solved a problem for me. Now I know how to give Megan the funds I owe her. And, Casey, let’s go ahead and make this an even twenty thousand. I may need to stay at the hotel three or four more days until I find a permanent place to live.” He hit the “Transfer” button and then flipped the
screen around for them to see. “You can call and verify the funds if you like.” He stood, stuffed his phone back into his pocket, then picked up all his receipts. “I’m looking forward to settling in. See you around,
neighbors
.”

The stunned looks on their faces almost made up for being shot.

Meg stopped scrubbing at the sound of a boat approaching. Zeke, as promised and right on time. After spending most of the day cleaning the old house, she’d hardly made a dent.

She tossed her brush in the sudsy water bucket, then stood and stretched out her weary back. Then she made her way down to the rickety dock. Zeke had offered to help her decide what needed to be done first. There was plenty to choose from. Hopefully that bank loan she’d applied for online from her bank in Denver—a bank not under her father’s thumb like the one in town—would come through soon.

After grabbing the rope Zeke threw out, she tied off his boat, hoping the cleats would hold. “Hey there. Careful, the wood is rotting in a few places.”

Zeke hopped out with the grace of a man half his age. “You missed all the fun in town today with that man of yours.”

“He’s not my—is he still there?”

Zeke chuckled. “Yep.”

Josh was tenacious when he wanted something. “Haley’s still with Grandma though, right?”

“She is. Doubt that boy be dumb enough to step foot on Ruth’s land again without permission.”

She counted on that. “Okay, so let me give you the grand tour.” As they walked toward the big two-story log cabin, she gave him the executive summary. “As you saw, the dock’s crap and needs to
be replaced, but that’s something I can do myself. I need to move some walls and make suites. The roof’s questionable, the plumbing moans a bit, I need to add three new baths, and the kitchen needs a total remodel. I’ll refinish all the wood floors myself. I’m not sure yet, but if I can clean up the original baths and make them shine, we might just call them vintage.”

Zeke chuckled. “Vintage, huh? I suppose that’s what you could call me too.”

“Maybe. If we could shine you up enough.” Meg slid her arm through Zeke’s. “You sure you want to be helping me like this? My dad’s not going to like it.”

“Hell, Meggy, I’m not afraid of your father like everyone else in this town. An old widower with no children doesn’t have anyone to help spend all the money I’ve saved from these celebrities who hand it out like candy. If I never worked another day, I’d be just fine.” Zeke pulled a big flashlight from the tool bag he carried. “Now to get under the house and get dirty.”

Megan’s phone signaled an incoming text, which she ignored. “I’m right behind you.”

“You hate spiders, but can’t bring yourself to kill them. Never understood that about you. Answer your beep and I’ll be right back.”

“Thanks.” Relieved she’d avoided the creepy crawlspace, she tapped her cell’s screen and cringed.

It was from Josh.

You can fly a helicopter? How do I not know this about you, Wonder Woman?

Confused, because she expected him to be angry after his pain meds wore off, not cracking jokes, she typed,
What do you want, Josh?

I want you to talk to me while we go for a helicopter ride. I’ll pay the full fee. Amusement parks have nothing on the rates Anderson Butte charges.

He’d told everyone he wasn’t leaving until he saw her and Haley. The seeing Haley part wasn’t happening. Talking to him when he wasn’t drugged up was probably inevitable.

She’d have to look into those whiskey-colored eyes again. And if he smiled at her as sweetly as he’d done when he first saw her in the clinic, it was going to hurt. But at least the meeting would be on her terms for a change. In the air. In an environment Josh couldn’t control.

Yeah, maybe the perfect venue. And she’d have the added benefit of scaring the crap out of him.

Meet me behind the clinic in a half hour.

J
osh crossed his arms and leaned against his truck as he waited for Megan, detesting the pit forming in his gut. He hated that he had to keep up the lies, even if for just a while longer. Hopefully the story he’d come up with would convince her to give him a second chance.