Cooper's Wife. Jillian Hart

      A jolt of awareness skittled along the back of her neck. She knew by the commanding feel of him that it was Cooper. Did he know why she’d come to town? What should she do now? Troubled, she rubbed her tired eyes.

      “You’ve been crying.” His voice rumbled with concern. “Is it your daughter?”

      “Mandy’s doing much better. She’s sat up and taken some chicken broth. The doctor has high hopes.” Thank heavens for that.

      “May I come in?”

      “You? Always.” What should she say to him? He still stood in the threshold, one wide shoulder propped against the door frame. He was a big man; he filled the small dark room with his powerful presence. Dizzy, Anna caught her breath as he pulled up a chair. “You don’t need to keep checking up on me.”

      “It’s the least I can do, being the sheriff and all.” He winked, and the kindness, the strength of him shone in his dark eyes. “I take it you’re a rather independent woman.”

      Was he commenting or criticizing? She couldn’t tell for sure, but he looked to be holding back a smile. “And you’re a rather overbearing man. Maybe because you take your badge a little too serinously.”

      A broad, lopsided grin stretched his mouth and reached all the way to his laughing eyes. “Smart mouthed, too. I must warn you, I have a lot of experience dealing with your type of female.”

      “Because you’re a sheriff?”

      “No, because I’m a father.”

      They laughed together. There was no mistaking the affection in his eyes, the great love he had for his daughters. Anna wrung her hands, truly awestruck by such a man. Such a wonderful man.

      “I was hoping since your child is out of danger, that we can talk.” His eyes darkened.

      “Talk?” she squeaked.

      “It’s important.” He gestured toward the door. Anna hesitated. She wasn’t up to discussing the letters. Had he figured out why she was here?

      Embarrassed, afraid that her feelings showed, she stepped out into the hall

      “I’ve got a real serious situation.” Cooper gestured toward a chair in the doc’s parlor.

      Anna sat, her pulse beating like a drum in her ears. Had he found out about Dalton? It was possible. After all, both men were sheriffs in the same county, even if nearly a hundred miles separated their towns.

      “This is the first time anyone has survived a stage robbery by Corinthos’ gang. You stood the closest to him. He spoke to you. Could you identify him if you saw him again? If this goes to trial, we will need all the witnesses we can get.”

      “You want to know about the robbery?” Relief shivered through her veins. At least she still had some secrets.

      A noisy clatter pounded outside the window, and then the door swung open. “Papa! Papa!”

      Two little girls tumbled into the clinic, Katie wearing trousers and a big flannel shirt, and a smaller child in a pink calico dress.

      “What are my two favorite girls doing here?” Cooper turned toward the little intruders, a smile tugging away at the stern set of his mouth.

      “Mrs. Potts is shopping, so she said we gotta come on over and see Anna.” Katie ground to a stop in the middle of the parlor, braids bobbing. She rubbed several strands of escaped hair out of her eyes. “Papa, Mrs. Potts is really, really mad at you again. Hi, Anna.”

      A little blond sprite of a girl stared out at her from between Cooper’s knees.

      Anna’s entire heart warmed. “Hello.”

      He cleared his throat. “You mean Mrs. Potts is really mad at you. What did you do this time?”

      “Nothing. A snake got into the pantry, that’s all.” Katie’s eyes twinkled with barely restrained mischief. “She’s awfully scared of things like that.”

      “You and I will discuss this later.” He didn’t look pleased, but he wasn’t angry, wasn’t punishing.

      A good father, Anna decided. Just the sort of man she’d hoped to find. “Katie, I haven’t forgotten about returning your storybook. I’m still reading to Mandy from it.”

      “Only Maisie likes those stories now.” The girl turned serious, obviously concentrating on more important matters. “Do you like my papa enough to marry him yet?”

      Anna couldn’t hold back her chuckle. She looked up and caught the surprise in Cooper’s eyes, laughed at the astonishment slackening his unshaven jaw. “No, Katie. I don’t like your father that much.”

      “Pretty women always say that.” Katie affected a troubled sigh, her heart-deep need for a mother’s love dark like lost hope in her eyes.

      “Katie. Maisie. Let’s go outside.” Cooper wouldn’t meet Anna’s gaze as he headed for the door. Apparently he did know about the letters, about her embarrassing situation. Why hadn’t he said anything? Was he afraid she’d demand marriage whether he wanted her or not?

      “Anna, come see Bob,” Katie called as she bolted toward the door, braids flying.

      “Yeah. Come see Bob,” Maisie chimed.

      Cooper’s gaze snared hers, intense and unflinching. The air stalled in her chest. She saw the warmth of this family and couldn’t help wanting to be a part of it, just in a small way, for this one moment. “Who’s Bob?”

      Katie hopped out onto the sunlit boardwalk. “Bob is my pony.”

      “A very bad pony.” Big blue eyes met Anna’s. Maisie blushed shyly, then dashed outside in a pink blur.

      “She’s precious.” Delight transformed Anna’s heart-shaped face.

      “You see what I’m up against. Two adorable girls who have me wrapped around their little fingers.”

      “I’ll say.” She smiled, but it was warm, without censure. Not judgmental, not disapproving. When it came to Katie, he got the latter reaction most of the time.

      He could only stare at Anna, liking her for liking his girls. He couldn’t help it, even if he was looking disaster in the face. Not only did Anna know he knew about the letters, but now both his girls thought a marriage between them was possible.

      That matchmaking Katie had gone too far this time! Cooper gave Anna one more look, for he was too angry to speak, then stepped outside.

      He had to remember Anna wasn’t all that different from Katherine. Needing his help. Seeking his protection. Looking up at him with doe-soft eyes so that he would lay down his life—or his honor—to protect her, no matter the cost. He would not make that mistake again.

      “Anna, come on!” Katie’s voice lifted in the springscented wind, loud enough to make people turn on the other side of the street and look.

      “Katie,” he admonished, grabbing her arm and pulling her close. “This is going too far and you know it. You can’t go against my wishes like this.”

      “What?” Innocent eyes. Yes, they really were innocent. With Katie, he had to be certain.

      “You know very well Mrs. Bauer is not going to be your mother. I thought we agreed no more—”

      “But you promised!” Dismayed, she stepped back. Then remembering, lowered her voice. “Papa, you promised. You said you would fix everything. Make it all right.”

      He closed his eyes. Counted to ten. “Yes, that’s what I said. But I never said I would marry the woman.”

      “Nor should he,” Anna’s voice, firm but gentle, interrupted. Thank goodness she was on his side. “I know you wrote the letters, Katie.”

      “You do?”