Free The Baby Invasion (Destiny Bay-Baby Dreams) by Helen Conrad Page B

man?”
    She turned and flopped down into a corner of the couch, her feet pulled up close. “I told you about him. He sounds tough, kind of gangsterish. And he insists I must know where April is. He seems to want to find her in the worst way, and I can’t tell if it’s because he likes her or has something against her.”
    Scott slipped down onto the other corner of the couch, frowning. “I don’t like the sound of that.”
    “You see why I want to get this settled? I don’t know why April left, why she wants to keep her trip a secret. Is she running from this man? Why didn’t she take her babies with her? Why doesn’t she call to let us know she’s okay? Is this guy who’s calling working for the mob?”  
    She sat huddled, full of worry, and stared at him. Wisps of corn-silk hair framed her face.  
    “I can’t just sit here any longer, waiting for something to happen! I’ve got to go out and make something give. I’ve got to.”
    Watching her, he felt an overwhelming desire to take her in his arms. And this time he didn’t fight it. This time, he enjoyed it, letting his gaze linger on her lips, the outline of the rounded breasts beneath the pink cotton knit shirt, the long, slender legs.  
    Looking at her, he could almost convince himself that babies weren’t the minions from the netherworld he often thought them to be. More like minor annoyances. Mere gum in the works to be scraped aside at will. Whatever.
    He knew he wanted to help her. She touched him. It wasn’t just her beauty. There was something in her eyes, something in the way her hand reached up to push back the strands of hair that insisted on falling over those eyes. He wanted to hold her tightly and make sure nothing bad was ever said or done anywhere near her. A slight shiver shook him and he grimaced, chasing away his fanciful feelings.
    “Okay, this is ridiculous.   There has to be someone in this town who knows where April went.   There has to be someone who knows her, period.”
    “Sure.   But how do I find that someone?”
    He grimaced.   “I actually know a lot of people in Destiny Bay,” he admitted reluctantly.   “I’m a Carrington, after all.”
    She blinked at him.   “Is that supposed to be a big deal or something?”
    He laughed, loving the way she’d punctured his little bubble of self esteem so easily.   “That’s right, you’re not from around here, are you?   Yeah, Carringtons are pretty important in town.   Mostly because there are just so many of us.”
    “Movers and shakers, huh?   Okay, make some calls or something.   That would be great.”
    He took in a deep breath and thought about it.   He’d been so out of touch lately, he wasn’t sure who he could count on these days.  
    “Here’s what I’ll do.   Do you know a café down by the embarcadero, Mickey’s on the Bay ?”
    She shook her head.  
    “It’s kind of a Carrington hang out.   I’m going to run down there and see if I can find anyone who’s ever heard of April.   Maybe I can rustle up something.”
    She shook her head.   “That would be great.”
    He turned to smile at her, then touched her cheek lightly with the palm of his hand.  
    “Listen,” he told her. “Sit tight for tonight. In the morning, we’ll make plans.”
    Cathy looked up. It was embarrassing to recognize that the wave of relief breaking over her was occasioned by his use of the word “we.” She hadn’t realized until he’d come into her life how alone she’d been with this problem. It helped just having someone else to talk it over with. But to have a partner—that was even better.
    Cathy was usually an expert in the stiff upper lip department. Any woman left alone to cope with three small children had to be. And through the years, she’d done pretty well, with only the occasional good cry, something she saved for late evenings so the kids wouldn’t be upset. She could handle the cards she’d been dealt.
    Handling three children of her own