Smitten by Colleen Coble Read Free Book Online Page B

as he stared at her. “Lisa is in jail?”
    “For loitering, so she says, but I think it has to be more than that. She wants two thousand dollars, and I don’t have it.”
    “You’re white as a sheet,” he said. “What else did she say?”
    His observation surprised her. Why would he care? “She threatened to take Mia if I didn’t help her.”
    He nodded. “Ah. I’d hate to see that happen. Mia is a darling.”
    She glanced at him intently. Was he admitting he cared about his daughter?
    His frown darkened. “And no, she’s not my daughter, Natalie. I’d just hate for any child to be dragged from pillar to post with Lisa. She’s unstable.”
    “I know,” she admitted.
    “You know she’s unstable, yet you believe her accusation of me.”
    Natalie couldn’t hold his gaze. “Mia looks like you,” she said.
    “Oh, good grief,” he said. “She has dark hair and eyes, but so do you.”
    “What about a paternity test?” she asked.
    “What’s the point? I know the truth.” He put his hands on his hips. “This bothers me for more reasons than you know. I’m not that kind of man, Natalie. This goes against everything I believe about relationships and marriage. I wouldn’t do what she’s accusing me of doing.”
    Her cheeks burned at the hurt in his eyes. Was it put on?
    “Anyone who really knows me wouldn’t believe it. If Mia were mine, I would do my duty by her. But she’s not mine, Natalie .”
    She wished she could trust the conviction in his voice, but Lisa had given too many details for Natalie to get the words out of her head. “Forget it,” she said. “Let’s wrap up here so I can get back to my shop. This is my problem, not yours.”
    He pocketed his hands. “What are you going to do about Lisa?”
    “I don’t know yet. I’m not going to give her money, though.”
    “Talk to Brian,” he urged. “You shouldn’t have any trouble getting legal custody. Lisa has abandoned Mia and is in jail.”
    “I’ll call him. I want to adopt her, make her my real daughter. I want to tell her on my birthday.”
    “When is that?”
    “May tenth.”
    “She’s a lucky little girl,” he said softly.
    She glanced around the cabin. “We’ll need you to have these ready by Sawyer’s wedding on Valentine’s Day. You think you can make it?”
    “Less than a year, but I’ll do my best.”
    “Listen, I’d like to help,” she said, wanting to make up for how abrupt she’d been. “I’m pretty handy with a paintbrush.”
    “I hate painting,” he admitted. “That whole whitewashing thing sounds tricky.”
    “It’s not,” she said. “I did my sunroom last winter. If you want to come by this weekend and see how it looks, come ahead.”
    “How about Saturday? What time?” he asked.
    Mia would be at her friend’s house for lunch but home by dinner. “How about six?”
    “I’ll stop by,” he said. “Can I bring a pizza?”
    “I can’t eat gluten,” she said. “I’ll fix us a pizza that I can eat if you’re game.”
    He grinned. “Will it kill me?”
    She smiled back at him. “You won’t even be able to tell the difference.”

    Carson had seen whitewashed wood before, but Natalie’s offer was irresistible. This week’s meeting had opened his eyes about her. He liked her presence, her enthusiasm. And he was man enough to admit to himself that he was attracted to her.
    Her home was a gray two-story with white trim and a wide front porch. He noticed a lavender wreath on the red front door when he rang the bell. Mia’s handiwork again? The door opened, and Natalie’s smiling face welcomed him. The scent of pizza hung in the air.
    “Nice place you have here,” he said, following her into the foyer.
    The oak floors appeared to be newly refinished. Gray-green walls were decorated with pictures of Mia at various ages from babyhood to the present.
    “I love decorating projects,” she said, leading him into a large living room that opened into the dining room and kitchen.
    He