Secret Baby Santos by Bárbara McCauley Read Free Book Online

back comfortably against the toolbox. “So other than her apparent good sense and keen judgment, why’d Maggie turn you down?”
    Nick ground his teeth together. He’d spent the entire night trying to figure it out. He had a good sense of humor, dammit. Women liked that. He wasn’t hard to look at. He’d been told he could be charming.
    She was a writer, maybe writer types went for those sensitive guys. Thoughtful, reflective men who read poetry and smoked pipes and sat on top of mountains pondering the universe. Poetry wasn’t his thing, he’d
take a good cigar over a pipe anyday, and he’d sure as hell rather climb the damn mountain than sit on it.
    So maybe he wasn’t her type, he admitted grudgingly. But she didn’t have to be so narrow-minded, he thought with irritation. If she never tried praline-pecanchocolate-peanut-butter ice cream, how would she know if she liked it or not? She just needed to give it a try and take the plunge, expand her horizons.
    Somewhere around 3:00 a.m. he decided that those horizons were going to include him. When that skyscraper of green bean cans had fallen on her, he’d saved her from injury and possible concussion. It was his duty, his responsibility to save her from a life of boredom and monotony, as well. For her own good, of course.
    Her rejection might have wounded his pride a little, but Nick Santos always bounced back. He always had, he always would. Nothing ever got to Nick Santos that a long motorcycle ride and a cold beer wouldn’t cure.
    Nick bent and scooped up the wrenches he’d dropped, then turned to Lucas and shrugged. “She’s more delicate than most women. I came on a little strong, that’s all.”
    â€œNick Santos come on strong?” The surprise was phony, but the grin real. “No.”
    That did it. “Get out of here, Blackhawk, before I cram one wrench down your throat and the other—”
    â€œExcuse me.”
    Both men turned at the sound of the sultry voice. Maggie stood in the doorway of the converted warehouse that was now Nick’s shop, her hands on her son’s shoulders.

Four
    â€œI hope this isn’t a bad time. You said to stop by.”
    He simply couldn’t find the words to answer her. The outside morning light struck her from behind, lighting up her thick auburn hair like gold fire. She wore it loose, and it fell over the shoulders of her forest-green sweater, a color that matched her eyes. She was positively dazzling.
    Lucas was staring, as well, Nick noted with irritation. In fact, if his jaw fell open any wider, it would hit the bottom drawer of the toolbox. “Maggie? Maggie Smith?”
    â€œHello, Lucas.” Maggie smiled. “I’m surprised you remember me.”
    â€œI remember Maggie Smith.” Lucas managed the good grace to at least close his mouth. “I just don’t remember you.”
    â€œThank you, I think.” She touched the top of
Drew’s head. “This is my son, Drew. Drew, this is Mr. Blackhawk.”
    Lucas pushed away from the toolbox, then knelt down in front of the youngster to shake his hand. “Just call me Lucas.”
    Drew politely shook Lucas’s hand. “Nick came over for dinner last night and my mom ran over my bike and Nick says he can fix it and I can help.”
    â€œYou don’t say?” Lucas grinned widely at Nick. “Well, you came to the right place. Nick can fix just about anything. I’ll bet he can even make it go faster. Right, Nick?”
    Nick resisted the urge to scowl at Lucas when he grinned widely at him.
    â€œCan you, Nick?” Drew asked. “Can you make it go faster?”
    â€œSure can, pal.” Nick smiled at the boy, his annoyance with Lucas forgotten at the excited expression on Drew’s face. So what if Lucas knew he was repairing a bicycle? He was just helping the boy out. It wasn’t like he’d gone soft on kids or