Free A Bride for Jackson Powers (Desire, 1273) by Dixie Browning Page A

signs. She also knew she gave new definition to the word pig-headed, because she’d been told as much on more than a few occasions by both her father and her stepdaughter.
    But it was important to learn all she could before she agreed to anything, because the last time she’d acted on impulse it had turned into a major fiasco. Which was why she was here in the first place.
    “Well?” she persisted. “I know all about condos and apartments full of swinging singles—my mother-in-law used to watch daytime TV. I don’t really think you’re that kind of man, but all the same, if I’m going to do this thing I need to know everything there is to know about what I’m letting myself in for.”
    He shook his head slowly. The look on his face said, I can’t believe I’m having this conversation.
    But then, neither could she.
    “Because I needed a place to live,” he said tiredly.“Because it’s conveniently located. Hell, how do I know? I’ve never had to explain my choices before. Now, are you going to help us out, or are you going to take up permanent residence in Chicago?”
    “It probably wouldn’t have cost any more to get me a ticket back to Oklahoma City. I’d have paid you back.”
    “Not a chance, honey. You wouldn’t have made it out anytime soon, and I don’t want you hanging around this place any longer. The clincher is that I already had two tickets to Norfolk. I bought Sunny and her carrier a separate seat, but legally she’s still young enough to fly on my ticket.”
    “Then why did you buy two?”
    “Because it’s a damned long way from California to Virginia,” he snapped. “Hetty, are you doing this deliberately?”
    “No, I only want to be sure I know all the details before I commit to anything.”
    Her father would have whopped her across the face long before now. Jeannie would’ve locked herself in her room with a pack of cigarettes, a jar of peanut butter and a telephone. Patience wasn’t a word that could be used to describe either of them.
    Jax took a deep breath and went over it all again. “I’m going to have to find a baby-sitter, a house and a housekeeper, in that order. Meanwhile, I’ll be transferring as much of my caseload as possible to Jason.” He’d mentioned the junior partner of his small maritime law firm before. “I’m not sure I can do all that needs doing while I’m holding a baby in one arm.”
    “Well…I don’t know,” she stalled.
    He took one of his daughter’s tiny feet in his hand. “See, Sunshine? What’d I tell you? Stubborn as a mule. You sure this is the one you want?”
    Hetty didn’t want to smile, because she was still terribly uncertain if this was the right thing to do. If he had an ulterior motive, she couldn’t imagine what it could be.
    And if he didn’t…well, she might be disappointed, but it wouldn’t be the first time.
    As if taking her acquiescence for granted, Jax began gathering up Sunny’s paraphernalia, his coat and briefcase. “Face it, Henrietta, we both got lucky. If the weather hadn’t fouled up, I’d be in Norfolk now, trying to figure out how to juggle work and single parenthood. You’d be cruising the Caribbean in all your fine feathers, breaking hearts and fielding proposals.”
    She muttered “horse manure,” which was tantamount to surrender.
    Jax knew it, too, judging by his tired grin. Hetty said, “Well, all right, but it’s strictly temporary. And I’m only doing it for Sunny’s sake, because she deserves someone who knows something about babies.”
    “Great! What do you have to lose?”
    What did she have to lose? Only everything. She might act foolishly on rare occasions, but she was no fool. She was wildly attracted to a man who would use her until he no longer needed her, then walk away without a backward glance. Because in spite of herfancy clothes and new hairstyle, Hetty knew she wasn’t the kind of woman men looked back at.
    The fact that she’d literally slept with him a few times