The Best Bride. Сьюзен Мэллери

decent answer. “We’ll be fine.”

      “Okay.” Mandy picked up her bear and slid off the bed. “Travis said we could go to the movies tonight, Mommy. He said we could have popcorn and hot dogs and candy.” Her body quivered with excitement. “And if I’m really good, I can stay up past my bedtime.”

      Travis cleared his throat. “She wasn’t supposed to tell you that last part.”

      “I appreciate you doing this for me,” Elizabeth said, wondering how it had all gotten out of hand. “She’s my responsibility and I—”

      Travis pushed to his feet and held out one hand to stop her. “You’re not in L.A. anymore. Glenwood is a small town, Elizabeth Abbott, and we take care of our own. As of Thursday night, you’re one of us. I’m on duty today, so I’m going to take Mandy with me to the station. We’re right across from the park. I’ll see that she gets exercise and decent food and is in bed by nine. My housekeeper promised to come by and make sure I’m doing it all correctly.”

      “Why are you doing this?”

      “Because I don’t have any plans for the weekend and I’ve always been a sucker for a pair of beautiful blue eyes.”

      Elizabeth felt a rush of disappointment that her own eyes were brown. She wanted to believe him, believe that it was just about people helping each other. The way he said it, she was almost willing to buy into the myth of small towns. But she’d believed before, had trusted before, and that trust had been betrayed.

      “I hate to impose,” she said.

      “You don’t have a choice,” he answered. “What else are you going to do with her?”

      She glanced down at the IV needle taped to her hand. She didn’t have an answer to that one, either. “Thank you. Again.”

      She looked up at him. Humor danced in his eyes, humor and a little bit of compassion. As long as it didn’t change to pity, she could survive. And somehow, she would pay him back.

      He retrieved his hat and settled it on his head; then he held out his hand to Mandy. The little girl collected her giraffe and tucked it next to her bear. She grinned at her mother and slipped her hand in his. “By, Mommy.”

      “By, honey.”

      Elizabeth watched her daughter act so trustingly with this stranger. Maybe Mandy hadn’t been scarred by the experience as badly as she’d feared. Maybe Mandy was going to be fine.

      Travis paused by the door and looked at her. The Stetson hid his eyes from view, but she saw the quick smile flash under his black mustache. Her heart fluttered foolishly. The man was handsome as sin.

      “I’ll call before the movie,” he said. “So you can talk with Mandy.”

      “I’d like that.”

      “Rest,” he commanded. “The nurse said you’ll be released around ten in the morning. I’ll be here around nine-thirty.”

      “You don’t have to stay,” she said quickly. “But I appreciate you dropping Mandy off.”

      “I’m not dropping her off,” he said. “Unless you can come up with something better than that motel, Elizabeth, you’re coming home with me.”

Chapter Three

      Travis left Mandy at the sheriff’s office in the center of Glenwood and walked past his patrol car to Elizabeth’s white car parked on the street. The T-bird started instantly. He shifted into gear and checked the mirrors before pulling out and heading for the motel.

      Within ten minutes, he stood inside the small rented room, staring at the suitcases stacked in the corner and at the personal items scattered around. A pair of high heels poked out from under the bed. A yellow blouse rested over the back of a chair. The faint scent of perfume lingered in the air. He sniffed appreciatively. He missed having a woman living with him.

      His wife had left both him and Glenwood three years ago, returning to town only long enough to sign the divorce papers and wish him well with his life. He didn’t resent her or the split. He should have known better than to marry. Haynes men didn’t make good husbands or fathers. He came from a long line of men who failed at marriage. But he’d wanted to prove his father, brothers and uncles wrong, so he’d married the pretty, dark-haired woman he’d met in college. She’d been shy but quick-witted—and hot as hell in bed. All the ingredients had been there. Still the marriage had fizzled and he’d learned his lesson firsthand. Haynes men made great cops, but lousy family men.

      Travis placed an open suitcase on the bed. He folded Mandy’s nightgown and picked up her toys. In the bathroom, an open cosmetic bag sat next to the sink. He collected the compacts, tubes and brushes on the counter and placed them into the bag, stopping long enough to pick up a bottle of perfume and sniff the cap. He would have thought Elizabeth Abbott to be the floral type, but the aroma was spicy. Not overpowering, just intriguing. He dropped the bottle in with the other cosmetics.

      After checking the shower and behind the door for clothes, he returned to the bedroom and packed up the remaining items. A white cotton nightgown had been carelessly tossed over a dresser. He folded it carefully, noticing the row of tiny buttons up the front and the lace ruffle around the neck and arms.

      He could see Elizabeth in something like this. It would fall about midcalf on her. Not the least bit sexy; the cotton wasn’t see-through. And yet—

      He brushed his thumb over the soft cloth. There were always plenty of women around him. Just because he wasn’t good husband material didn’t mean he wasn’t a great date and an accomplished flirt. But he’d liked living with a woman. He missed the day-to-day familiarities, the verbal shorthand, the slow, sensual sex that could take hours. There’d been no need to hurry; he and Julie were supposed to have had a lifetime.

      “Getting soft, Haynes,” he muttered, then shoved the nightgown into the suitcase.

      He opened drawers and pulled out clothes, ignoring the feel of the lacy panties and bras, quickly filling the luggage. When everything was packed, he loaded the trunk of the car and paid the motel bill. Then he headed for the hospital.

      He didn’t know what he was going to say when he saw her. If she’d made other plans, he would drive her to where she was going and be done with her. If she hadn’t, she was coming home with him. There was no way in hell he was going to let her and Mandy tough it out in that tiny motel for the next three weeks. Tough it out, hell. They would starve.

      As Travis walked down the hospital corridor he wondered which it would be. He’d left her sputtering yesterday when he’d made his announcement that he intended to take her to his place. Last night, when he’d called to let Mandy talk to her mother, Elizabeth had been coolly insistent that she was not his problem. Louise had told him to use the famous Haynes charm, but he hadn’t felt right about sweet-talking Elizabeth into anything.

      He reached her door and pushed it open. She sat on the edge of the bed, dressed in the same shorts and tank top she’d been wearing Friday. Her hair was freshly washed and hanging loose about her shoulders in a mass of shining brown waves. A wisp of bangs reached almost to her eyebrows.

      She was trying to pull on socks and didn’t see him in the doorway. She bent down to slip on her socks, but she only got halfway there before grunting in pain and straightening. She raised her left foot toward her right knee, but that action caused her to clutch her side.

      “Of course you’d rather rip out your stitches than ask for help,” he said from his place in the doorway. He pushed back his Stetson and walked into the room.

      She looked up and stared at him. Faint color stained her cheeks. “I’m not leaving with you,” she said flatly.

      “Fine. Where are you going?”

      “Back to the motel.” Fire flashed in her brown eyes.