Seducing the Innkeeper (At First Sight Book 3) by Janet Lane-Walters Read Free Book Online

no. “Your choice.”
    “Then we will.”
    “Do you want me to tell him?”
    “You know him.” He started on his snack.
    Christa walked to the laundry room to start a load of clothes. Peggy and Stella dashed through the side door. Christa groaned. “What now?”
    “Wait until you hear what he plans to do,” Peggy said.
    “Who?”
    “Davy’s daddy.” Peggy glared. “He’s gonna call the police. Said we were talking blackmail.”
    “What did you do?” Christa listened with horror to their version of an encounter with Mark. “How could you. Anything between Mark and me is none of your business.”
    “Sure it is,” Peggy said. “He could give you enough money to buy us out.”
    Christa added soap and bleach to the washer. “How often do I need to tell you this? You have no share of the inn. The property was left to me by my mother.”
    Stella blocked the doorway. “We know better. Mom told us as his wife the inn would be hers if Daddy died. They both died so we should get a share each.”
    “She told you wrong.” Christa slammed the washer lid. “Hire a lawyer. Check at the courthouse and see who is listed as sole owner. Suing won’t do you a bit of good.” She pushed past them.
     
     
     
    Chapter Four
    Christa stood outside the kitchen and fought to control her rising anger. Her half-sisters had to face reality not to their liking. They’d asked Mark for money. They’d lied to him. In telling him their version of events they had lied.
    Davy opened the door. “What time are we leaving and are we going to the movies?”
    “We’re leaving at five. I need to talk to Mark.”
    “Are you going to tell him about tomorrow?”
    She ruffled his hair. “Among other things.”
    “Will he have rules, too?”
    “Of course.”
    “Can I go to the inn? Chef Jack said I could earn extra money washing potatoes.”
    She laughed. “I’ll come for you there. You can wash a lot of potatoes in an hour and a half.”
    He nodded. “Maybe five dollars worth.”
    They left the house together. She watched him run to the inn. Moments later she knocked on the cottage door. Her gut tightened. How much damage had Stella and Peggy done?”
    Mark opened the door. “Didn’t expect you to come calling.” He winked. “Ready for an encore?”
    She shook her head. “Just a few things. First I had nothing to do with my half-sister’s schemes.”
    “Never thought you did.” He touched her hand. “How can you let that pair live?”
    Christa drew a deep breath. The moment his scent reached her trouble loomed like a boulder over her head. “I felt sorry for two orphaned girls. Unfortunately I had no idea how to control them.”
    He nodded. “About time you put those feelings away.” His hand slid along her arm. “Did they tell you about the letters we exchanged? Yours asked for child support.”
    She growled. “Not my style.” She met his gaze. “I don’t want Davy to be hurt in a custody battle.”
    “Not going to happen.” He tugged her into the cottage and closed the door. “You must have been devastated with all that had happened.”
    “What made matters worse was I was with you when they needed me.”
    “Were they hurt in the accident?”
    “They weren’t in the car.” She made a face. “My step-mother wanted a new dress and dragged my dad to St. Johnsbury during a rain storm. She was always spending money they didn’t have.”
    “Like her daughters?”
    “Absolutely. They learned young. Dad never said no.”
    He clasped her shoulder. “I wish I’d known about Davy.”
    She sighed. “So do I but there never seemed to be a right time to tell you. We’ll work out a schedule of visits.”
    “I want to see you, too.” He tapped her cheek with a finger.
    Christa stared at him. Did me mean for more than sex?
     
    * * *
     
    Mark raised Christa’s hand and kissed her palm. He believed she would arrange for him to see his son. He also believed her half-sisters would continue their attempts to