Free Lakeside Hero (Men Of Millbrook Lake Book 1) by Lenora Worth Page B

other side of town,” Brandy had told him, her tone still a bit uncertain at having him helping her. “Marla also donates any pastries that are left but still fresh.”
    Feeling like a clumsy giant inside the dainty little pastry shop, Alec had been careful not to break anything. But tiny Brandy had rattled dishes and slung pots as if she were a navy cook. Alec liked the young girl with the auburn-colored gamine haircut and decided it was probably fun to work in a place like Marla’s Marvelous Desserts. Who didn’t have a sweet tooth, anyway?
    After they’d finished, Brandy had offered to give him a ride home. But Alec had thanked her and declined. He’d decided to walk home since it was only about a half mile.
    Right now, he was late for pizza with his buddies out at the fishing camp that they’d all bought together. He wanted to call Marla but Alec didn’t think they’d advanced to the point that he could do that. She seemed as skittish as her little girl.
    Maybe, like Gabby, Marla was afraid of getting too close to any man who might do her harm. Wishing he could help heal the little girl, Alec wondered if he’d ever get to meet Marla’s daughter.
    Or if Marla would ever allow him to get closer to her. She had yet to explain why her daughter was so frightened of men.
    Did he want to get that involved? To get closer to Marla and Gabby? Maybe he should be thankful since he didn’t want to risk upsetting either of them.
    When the phone rang, he breathed a sigh of relief.
    “Marla, hi. I hope everything’s okay now.”
    She let out her own breath. “Crisis averted. She was mostly tired and needed a nap, but Mr. McQuire is a tad too jolly and friendly for her right now. Sometimes Pawpaw forgets to be stern with her regarding nap time so they’d stayed out on the trails too long.”
    “How was she when you got there?” Alec asked, his heart turning to putty for the little girl.
    “Crying, but my dad had given her a grape Popsicle and she had it all over her blue T-shirt and once-white shorts. After we washed her off and changed her clothes, I read her a story and she fell asleep. She’ll be out for the night so Mom’s letting her sleep here.”
    “So you’ll come back to town?”
    Silence. “I don’t know. Brandy said you were a real trouper with helping get the shop in order, so I don’t have to worry about that. Thank you again, Alec.”
    “Thank me over dinner,” he said, wondering how he’d found the courage.
    Silence. “I don’t know...”
    “Just dinner, Marla. Unless you’d rather stay near Gabby.”
    “My mom’s offered to cook dinner, but I’m not that hungry.”
    “Then I’ll come and pick you up. If you don’t want to eat, I’ll take you home. Or we could go for a stroll around the lake.”
    She didn’t speak and the seconds ticked off until Alec felt sweat popping out on his brow. “It’s okay. Never mind.”
    “A stroll would be nice,” she said. “Give me a half hour to freshen up.”
    “I need your parents’ address,” he said before she got away.
    Marla gave him the house number. “The one with the magnolia tree in the front yard.”
    “I’ll be there soon,” Alec replied. Then he stared at his phone and wondered if he’d taken the right step.
    Looking down at Angus, he said, “Guess I’ll have to give the guys a rain check, huh, boy?”
    Angus woofed in the affirmative.
    The guys would certainly give Alec a hard time once they found out he’d ditched them for a date. But for once, he didn’t care about that.

Chapter Eight
    “M om, people are staring into the dining room window. What have you told all of your friends?”
    Marla saw the flash of a grin on her mother’s face, followed by a big-eyed innocence. “Whatever are you talking about?”
    And she knew that polite evasive technique, too. “I’m talking about Alec. Did you call the neighbors the minute I told you he was coming out here to get me?”
    “To take you on a date,” her mother