Snowflakes on the Sea (25 page)

Mallory swallowed hard.
He’s mine,
she exulted silently.
He’s mine.

Brittany babbled happily and pointed toward the distant stage.

Mallory chuckled and then whispered, in order to avoid bothering the technicians working in the booth. “Yes, that’s Daddy.”

One of the sound men looked up at Mallory and grinned, shaking his head. “One song and he’s got them on their knees,” he marveled.

Mallory only nodded, since the man was wearing earphones and probably wouldn’t hear anything she said anyway.

Nathan was clearly in command, clearly glad to be performing again. Throughout the long concert, he wove his singular spell. During the livelier numbers, the audience clapped and stomped and sang along, while the ballads stilled them to a silence Mallory wouldn’t have believed possible.

By the end of the performance, Nathan’s face shone with sweat, as did the ample, darkly matted portion of chest revealed by his half-open shirt. Once again, he had given everything, and the massive audience roared its appreciation.

When he sprinted offstage, they summoned him back. The adoring mob clapped and shouted and stomped their feet. As was his custom, Nathan did not reappear.

Mallory could envision him backstage, toweling his face, his neck, his chest, congratulating the band. She felt the distance between them keenly, but did not leave the sound booth. She had promised Nathan that she and Brittany would remain in that remote bastion until the crowds had dispersed and someone came for them. He had not forgotten the mood of the audience at the last concert, and he was taking no chances.

The friendly sound man removed his earphones and stood up. “Hi,” he said, chucking Brittany’s plump little chin. “That daddy of yours really brought down the house, didn’t he?”

Brittany’s Nathan-brown eyes widened, and her soft, dark hair tickled, fragrant, against Mallory’s cheek. A moment later, she tossed back her head and began to scream.

“What did I say?” The sound man grinned, looking a bit abashed.

Mallory shook her head in reassurance and went to the back of the booth, where there was a narrow bench. From the looks of things, there were still a lot of people milling in the aisles below. It might be a while before they could leave.

Brittany was sound asleep when Pat and Roger and two security men came to claim them. They rode to the penthouse in a limousine, Pat protectively holding the sleeping baby, Mallory anxious to change clothes and rejoin Nathan.

The two security guards were waiting discreetly in the lobby when Mallory hurried out of the elevator again, feeling beautiful in her slinky powder blue dress, strappy shoes and silver fox jacket. By their own choice, Pat and Roger had stayed behind in the penthouse to look after Brittany.

Her escorts delivered her to the door of the private hotel suite where the party was to be held and left her only when Nathan pushed his way through the crowd of promoters, musicians and press people, grinned, and held out his hand.

Mallory McKendrick’s heart sang a sweet song of its own as she hurried toward him.

The “First Lady of the West,” #1
New York Times
bestselling author
LINDA LAEL MILLER
brings you to Parable, Montana—where love awaits

Sheriff Boone Taylor has his job, friends, a run—down but decent ranch, two faithful dogs and a good horse. He doesn’t want romance—the widowed Montanan has loved and lost enough for a lifetime. But when a city woman buys the spread next door, Boone’s peace and quiet are in serious jeopardy.

www.LindaLaelMiller.com

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The daughter of a town marshal, Linda Lael Miller is a
New York Times
and
USA TODAY
bestselling author of more than one hundred historical and contemporary novels, most of which reflect her love of the West. Raised in Northport, Washington, the self-confessed barn goddess now lives in Spokane, Washington. Linda recently hit #1 on the
New York Times
bestseller list for the fifth and sixth times with the first two titles in her Big Sky series,
Big Sky Country
and
Big Sky Mountain
.

Linda has come a long way since leaving Washington to experience the world. "But growing up in that time and place has served me well," she allows. "And I'm happy to be back home." Dedicated to helping others, Linda personally finances her Linda Lael Miller Scholarships for Women, which she awards to those seeking to improve their lot in life through education. More information about Linda and her novels is available at www.lindalaelmiller.com. She also loves to hear from readers by mail at P.O. Box 19461, Spokane, WA 99219.

ISBN: 978-1-4603-1939-0

Snowflakes on the Sea

Copyright © 1984 by Linda Lael Miller

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