The Millionaires' Club: David, Clint & Travis. Kathie DeNosky

slithered through her middle. She shook her head. “No, thanks. I’ll have a glass of orange juice.”

      “I’ll have orange juice with my coffee,” David added.

      As soon as they were alone, Marissa asked him, “So, David, how are you related to Autumn?”

      David met Marissa’s gaze squarely. “I’m not,” he answered carefully, realizing that for once in his life, he hadn’t thought ahead to explanations.

      “She’s not related to you,” Marissa repeated, and there was no mistaking the surprise in her voice. “So how come she’s in your care?”

      The woman might dress strangely, David thought, but her brain was clicking right along. And those dark brown eyes of hers were slicing into him. He weighed what to reveal and what to keep to himself.

      “I was here last night with friends, and while we were eating, a woman came rushing in and collapsed.”

      “This is her baby?” Marissa demanded. “That was on last night’s news. How did you get the baby? Why isn’t she with her mother?”

      He had been so distraught over feeding and caring for Autumn, he hadn’t considered how fast the word would spread in Royal. Royal might be a town filled with some of the greatest wealth in the Lone Star State, but it was still a small place and news traveled like wildfire.

      “I know Dr. Justin Webb,” David answered carefully. “When my friends and I took the woman and her baby to the hospital, we met with Dr. Webb. Instead of turning the baby over to a state agency, he said I could take care of her until her mother is able to,” he explained.

      “Wow! No wonder you looked a little upset.”

      “Yeah, well, I haven’t spent time around a baby before. I haven’t ever even held one before last night.”

      Marissa looked at sleeping Autumn as if she was filled with sympathy for the little girl. “Well, I’m here now and I’ve held plenty of babies,” she said, with a confident tone that was reassuring to him. “We better discuss this job I’m supposed to do. I guess you want me to move in today.”

      “Damn straight I do,” he said with heartfelt sincerity. “I’ll be counting the minutes.”

      “I have to go home, break the news to my family, pack, get my family arranged and then I’ll be over. Maybe four today. How’s that?”

      “Fine, but if you get there sooner, it’ll be great.”

      “You don’t have a girlfriend who could do this?” she asked curiously.

      “No, I don’t. None of the women I date is into babies and diapers and formula. Not even remotely.”

      “I can imagine,” she said, and again, David wondered what she thought of him. In her eyes he might be an irresponsible playboy. “The mother is all alone in a coma in the hospital?” Marissa asked.

      “Not altogether alone. One of my friends, Clint Andover, is standing watch.”

      Marissa nodded in approval. “What are my hours?”

      Startled, he stared at her. “All the time, I thought.”

      She shook her head. “I have a family and I want some time off.”

      He tilted his head to study her, desperation looming inside him again. “This may be a short-term job, but I really need the help. I’ll pay you extra if you’ll stay on the job twenty-four-seven.”

      “Double my pay on weekends,” she suggested.

      “Done,” he said, nodding. He would have agreed if she had demanded that he quadruple it. Money wasn’t the problem here. He glanced at the little baby who slept so serenely and looked angelic, yet he knew that was a mere facade.

      David’s gaze shifted to Marissa Wilder, and he was unaccustomed to the feeling of losing control to a slip of a girl who, in her frou-frou dress, appeared to be all of twelve years old. And the dress looked like something no female past the age of five would want to wear. With the glob of makeup on her face, she was ready for the stage. But he didn’t care if she wore feathers and pajamas and had purple hair. She knew how to take care of a baby, and he had a dim recollection of her family and her older sister Karen, so she wasn’t a complete stranger.

      “Now, at night, am I to get up with Autumn?” she asked.

      “Yes,” he answered instantly, and held his breath to see if she was going to refuse.

      She nodded. “Of course, I’m giving up all my benefits, my health insurance, my 401—”

      “Marissa, I’ll not only triple your salary—which, by the way, I found out from your manager what you’re making— but I will pay your premiums for health insurance and I’ll put in whatever the store contributed to a savings plan,” he said, deciding she had a mind for money as well as a knack with babies.

      “Thank you,” she answered, brightening. “That’s generous.”

      “It is, but I’m desperate.”

      “Why did you want to take Autumn if it was going to be such a big deal to you?”

      “It’s a long story,” he replied, “but I’ve told you the main reasons—I didn’t think she should become a ward of the state and her mother should be able to take her very soon. It hasn’t been twenty-four hours yet.”

      “Here comes Manny,” Marissa said, and then smiled. “Hi, Manny.”

      “Hi, there, Marissa,” he said, wiping his hands on his apron, wearing his customary white undershirt that revealed his bodybuilder’s muscles. “Look at you. Aren’t you cute today.”

      “Thanks, Manny,” she answered, her dimple showing again.

      “Hi, Manny,” David said.

      “Hi, David.” Manny looked at the baby. “This is the baby from last night, isn’t it?”

      “Yes, little Autumn,” David said, still marveling how news circulated in the small town. He pulled out his wallet. “Let me pay you for the chili and for the other guys’ dinners.”

      Manny waved his hand. “Forget it. It’s on the house. You earned a free dinner last night. The chili is on me,” the man said gruffly.

      “Thanks, Manny, but you don’t need to do that.”

      “Forget it. Did you see me on the tube last night?” Manny asked.

      “No, I missed that. I was probably still at the hospital.”

      “Yeah. I got interviewed by a Midland station, too. Wanted to know all about the woman and baby.”

      So much for keeping a low profile, David thought. “How did Midland pick up the story?”

      Manny shrugged muscled shoulders. “You know how news gets around in this part of the world. How’s the mother?”

      “I don’t know,” David replied. “I’ll probably go by the hospital this afternoon.”

      “Yeah, well, hope she recovers real quickly. It’s good you’re helping her out. Good Samaritan Sorrenson. What are you folks having? I’ve got a breakfast special—eggs, grits, sausage, biscuits and gravy.”

      “Sounds fine,” David said. “Okay, Marissa?”

      “I think just eggs and toast for me,” she replied.

      “Aw, come on, Marissa. You need to put some meat on your bones,” Manny urged. “I’ll send out two specials plus some toast. You eat what you want.” He turned and left, passing Sheila at the counter and giving her a pat on the behind. Sheila giggled and sashayed away with platters of steaming bacon and eggs.

      “Where do you live, David? You have a house in Pine Valley, don’t you?”