“What a pair we are. Special things are worth waiting for, or however that saying goes.” David laughed.

“You might regain your memory before we’re able to—” Patty started.

“Shh. We’re living in the moment, remember? And in this moment at hand I’m going to kiss you again before Sarah Ann and Tucker wake up from their naps.”

“Good idea.”

The kiss ignited all the heat and passion of the one before, but now there was more. There was a sense of anticipation of what was yet to come intertwined with the desire.

There was a depth of understanding, of rightness, of knowing they would cherish this gift they had given themselves, and the memories of all they would share. They were in a place where neither of them had been before.

And it was good.

Dear Reader,

Well, June may be the traditional month for weddings, but we here at Silhouette find June is busting out all over—with babies! We begin with Christine Rimmer’s Fifty Ways To Say I’m Pregnant. When bound-for-the-big-city Starr Bravo shares a night of passion with the rancher she’s always loved, she finds herself in the family way. But how to tell him? Fifty Ways is a continuation of Christine’s Bravo Family saga, so look for the BRAVO FAMILY TIES flash. And for those of you who remember Christine’s JONES GANG series, you’ll be delighted with the cameo appearance of an old friend….

Next, Joan Elliott Pickart continues her miniseries THE BABY BET: MACALLISTER’S GIFTS with Accidental Family, the story of a day-care center worker and a single dad with amnesia who find themselves falling for each other as she cares for their children together. And there’s another CAVANAUGH JUSTICE offering in Special Edition from Marie Ferrarella: in Cavanaugh’s Woman, an actress researching a film role needs a top cop—and Shaw Cavanaugh fits the bill nicely. Hot August Nights by Christine Flynn continues THE KENDRICKS OF CAMELOT miniseries, in which the reserved, poised Kendrick daughter finds her one-night stand with the town playboy coming back to haunt her in a big way. Janis Reams Hudson begins MEN OF CHEROKEE ROSE with The Daddy Survey, in which two little girls go all out to get their mother a new husband. And don’t miss One Perfect Man, in which almost-new author Lynda Sandoval tells the story of a career-minded events planner who has never had time for romance until she gets roped into planning a party for the daughter of a devastatingly handsome single father. So enjoy the rising temperatures, all six of these wonderful romances…and don’t forget to come back next month for six more, in Silhouette Special Edition.

Happy Reading!

Gail Chasan

Senior Editor

Accidental Family
Joan Elliott Pickart

www.millsandboon.co.uk

For my daughters

JOAN ELLIOTT PICKART

is the author of over eighty-five novels. When she isn’t writing, Joan enjoys reading, gardening and attending craft shows on the town square with her young daughter, Autumn. Joan has three all-grown-up daughters and three fantastic grandchildren. Joan and Autumn live in a charming small town in the high pine country of Arizona.

Dear Reader,

It is time to once again bid farewell to the MacAllister family. They came into my life and yours for the first time in 1995 with Angels and Elves, Forrest and Jillian’s story, which introduced the ever-growing MacAllister clan.

Now, as we leave the MacAllisters to get on with their happy lives, Forrest and Jillian are grandparents, their triplet girls all having found true love.

I want to thank all of you who have written to me over the years to say you were enjoying the MacAllister series as well as my other books. I can’t begin to tell you how much those letters mean to me.

Will the MacAllisters be back to visit you in the future? I really don’t know. Only time will tell if they start whispering in my ear, urging me to share what has transpired as yet another generation grows into adulthood.

I hope you enjoy Patty and David’s story as they deal with dark painful pasts that threaten to keep them from stepping into the sunshine of a future they might share together.

Thank you again for your continued support.

Warmest regards,

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter One

Patty Clark maneuvered her eight-year-old compact car through Ventura’s heavy going-to-work traffic. It was a picture-perfect September day, and the glowing California sun in a brilliant blue sky dotted with puffy clouds promised to warm the chilly morning.

In the back seat, three-week-old Sophia slept peacefully in her secured carrier despite the fact that her three-year-old brother Tucker was chanting with the volume set on high.

“Sarah Ann, Sarah Ann, Sarah Ann,” Tucker yelled happily. “I’m gonna see my bestis friend Sarah Ann. Right, Mommy? We gets to go to Fuzzy Bunny and I can play with Sarah Ann, Sarah Ann, Sarah Ann.”

“Yes, that’s right, Tucker,” Patty said, laughing. “We’re going to the day-care center today, but remember it’s just this one time because Mommy doesn’t work there anymore. They need my help because they don’t have enough caregivers right now to take care of you busy bees.”

“And I gets to play with Sarah Ann,” Tucker shouted.

“Hush, sweetheart,” Patty said. “You’ll wake Sophia and she’ll probably cry all the way to the Fuzzy Bunny. We don’t want that to happen.” She paused. “Tucker, it’s been a little more than three weeks since we went to the center every day. We don’t know for certain that Sarah Ann still goes there. I don’t want you to be disappointed if you can’t play with her.”

“She’ll be there,” Tucker said, bouncing his hands on his booster seat. “Her daddy bringed her all the time. Remember?”

“Yes, that’s true,” Patty said, “but Sarah Ann started coming to the center only two weeks before we stopped going. Maybe her daddy doesn’t bring her anymore.”

“Yes, he does,” Tucker said, frowning. “I know he does. Sarah Ann likes being at the Fuzzy Bunny and her daddy smiled at her ’cause she likes it. I’m going to play with Sarah Ann, Sarah Ann, Sarah Ann.”

Patty tuned out Tucker’s excited mantra, realizing that her son was not going to accept the fact that his “bestis friend” might not be at the Fuzzy Bunny that morning.

Her daddy smiled at her.

Tucker’s words echoed in Patty’s mind as her thoughts drifted back to the two weeks that David Montgomery had brought his daughter to the center before Patty had left to give birth to Sophia.

Oh, yes, she mused, the handsome-beyond-belief Mr. Montgomery had, indeed, smiled at his daughter before leaving her in the morning and when he picked her up at precisely 5:45 p.m. He did not, however, share that smile with any of the caregivers, nor take a moment to say the standard “Have a nice day” to the staff. His focus had been on Sarah Ann and that was that.

Except… Well, yes, there had been that very brief exchange between herself and David Montgomery on her last day at the center.

It had all started when Susan, one of the other caregivers who was delightful to work with, had rushed up to Patty before David Montgomery arrived with his daughter.

“Today is the day,” the attractive Susan had said. “I can feel it in my bones. This morning when David Montgomery delivers little Sarah Ann, he is going to smile at me. I’ve done everything but stand on my head to get that handsome hunk of a man to acknowledge my existence with more than a quick nod and a frown. But I have these vibes, Patty. I do. Today he will smile…at me.”

Patty had laughed. “You’re positive about that, Susan?”

“Yes, I am,” she said, nodding decisively. “We know he’s a single daddy because there was no Mrs. Montgomery listed on the application blank he filled out for Sarah Ann. I am a single mommy. Therefore, it makes perfect sense that gorgeous David should get to know gorgeous me, which would go much more smoothly if the darn guy would smile at someone other than his daughter.”

“Like you, for example,” Patty said.

“Exactly,” Susan said. “He’s been bringing Sarah Ann here for two weeks now. Enough of this grumpy stuff.” She paused. “Oh, there they are now, coming in the front door. This is it. Today is the day. Watch me in action.”

Patty followed slowly behind Susan, deciding that if the determined Susan actually managed to get David Montgomery to smile at her it was worth witnessing. He was, indeed, an extremely good-looking man.

He was tall, had black hair like her own, wide shoulders, long, muscular legs that were outlined to perfection in the faded jeans he wore, and the most incredible blue eyes she had ever seen. It was no wonder that Susan was all a-twitter over the I-only-smile-at-my-daughter David Montgomery.

“Good morning, Sarah Ann,” Susan said brightly, stopping in front of the pair. “And good morning to you, Mr. Montgomery.” Susan beamed.

David Montgomery nodded, then turned his attention to Sarah Ann.

“Have fun, sweetheart,” he said, smiling. “I’ll see you later. I love you.”

“Love you,” the little girl said, then dashed off to join in the fun, her short black curls bouncing.

David’s frown slid back into place as he watched Sarah Ann go without a backward glance at her daddy. Susan turned, rolled her eyes heavenward as she saw Patty standing there, then stomped off.

“Mr. Montgomery?” Patty said.

“Yes?” He switched his gaze slowly to Patty.

“I’m Patty Clark,” she said. “This is my last day here and I just wanted to tell you how much I’ve enjoyed getting to know Sarah Ann. She’s a bright, happy little girl.”

“Thank you,” David said, smiling. “I appreciate you saying that. I think she’s very special, but I’d be the first to admit that I’m very prejudiced when it comes to my daughter. But please call me David and I’ll call you Patty.”

“All right, and I feel the same prejudiced way about my son,” Patty said, laughing. “And I’m sure I’ll do the same when this little girl arrives.” She patted her stomach.

“You and your husband must be excited about having another child,” David said.

“I’m… I’m not married,” Patty said. “I’m divorced. But, yes, I’m certainly anticipating holding my daughter for the first time in just a few weeks. I…”

“Mommy,” Tucker said, running to Patty’s side.

“What can I do for you, sir?” Patty said, tousling Tucker’s dark silky hair.

“Can Sarah Ann come to our house to play on another day?” Tucker said. “Sarah Ann is my bestis friend.”

“We’ll see, Tucker,” Patty said. “But I can’t promise.”

“’Kay,” he said, then ran off.

“So that’s Tucker,” David said. “Sarah Ann talks about him at home a great deal.” He chuckled. “She says he’s her bestis friend the same way Tucker said bestis.”

“Picking your bestis friend is very important when you’re three,” Patty said. “Well, I must round up my group. Have a nice day, Mr. Montgomery… David. It was a pleasure chatting with you.”

“I enjoyed talking with you, too, Patty,” he said. “Goodbye.”

As David turned and left the building moments later, Susan rushed to Patty’s side.

“I don’t believe it,” Susan said, planting her hands on her hips. “He smiled at you, Patty. He even carried on an I’m-a-human-being conversation. That rotten so-and-so. What have you got that I don’t?”

Patty laughed. “A fat stomach. I’m what you would call safe, Susan. Women who resemble beached whales are not generally known to be on the make, so to speak. You, my dear, are just too pretty. Hence, you’re a potential nuisance to a man who no doubt has women fainting dead out at his handsome-beyond-belief feet.

“The fact that David Montgomery hasn’t even smiled at anyone except me, the blimp, says he’s focusing entirely on his daughter at this point in time. Get it?”

“I guess so,” Susan said, scowling. “But I sure don’t like it. What a sad waste of machismo.” She smiled again. “Well, there’s hope. The man can’t stay grumpy forever, for crying out loud. Did you see that smile, Patty? It just lit up his face and…” Susan flapped one hand in front of her face. “I’m over-heating.”

“Well, cool down and gather your wee ones,” Patty said, laughing. “It’s time to get organized here. With Marjorie at the dentist I’m in charge of this place for the moment and heaven forbid we don’t stay on schedule. Shoo David Montgomery out of your mind.”

“Easier said than done,” Susan said. “Okay. I’m off to do my thing with nary a thought of hunky David. Today…ta-da…we finger-paint. Oh, ugh. I’m not in the mood for that mess.”

Patty splayed her hands on her lower back, then shifted her gaze to the door David had disappeared through.

There was a time long, long ago, she mused, when she would have daydreamed about a man like David Montgomery just as Susan was. But those days were over. Forever.

“Green light, green light, green light,” Tucker yelled from the back seat, bringing Patty back to the present with a thud. “Go, go, go.”

The driver of the car behind Patty honked the horn as though thoroughly agreeing with Tucker that Patty should get a move on. She pressed on the gas pedal while ignoring the warm flush on her cheeks.

That had been a ridiculous trip down memory lane, she thought with a mental shake of her head. Why she had relived that conversation with David Montgomery she didn’t know. Well, enough of this nonsense.

Minutes later Patty was entering the Fuzzy Bunny, her arms full of Sophia in her carrier, her purse and a packed-to-the-brim diaper bag. Two caregivers waved from across the room. Tucker made a beeline for his favorite corner of the large sunny area where brightly colored, chunky wooden blocks waited to be turned into magical creations. Susan hurried to Patty and took the carrier containing a still-sleeping Sophia.

“Hello, pretty girl,” Susan cooed at the baby, then shifted her attention to Patty. “Oh, cripe, look at you. You’re skinny as a post already. Not a lump or a bump in those slacks you’re wearing. How did you do that? Do you know that a woman asked me when my baby was due and I was standing there holding a newborn Theresa in my arms? Talk about depressing. Even worse is that was seven years ago and I still haven’t shed the last ten pounds I gained during that pregnancy. Grim.”

“You have a…lush figure, Susan,” Patty said, smiling. “Very womanly.”

“You’d make a good politician,” Susan said, laughing. “Tell ’em what they want to hear.”

“What I want to hear,” Patty said, “is that David Montgomery is still bringing Sarah Ann here. Tucker is so excited about seeing his ‘bestis friend’ again and will no doubt pitch a royal fit if she doesn’t show up.”

“Oh, sexy David will be here with daughter in tow,” Susan said, “and frown in place. The man has not smiled at anyone except his kiddo since he had that chitchat with you. Do you think it would help if I tore off my clothes when he arrives? No, forget that. The extra ten pounds I spoke of is not an inspiring sight to behold. Anyway, it’s great to have you here today, Patty. Where do you want me to put Miss Sophia?”

“I’ll use Marjorie’s office for a nursery today since she’s away on vacation. Sophia can camp out on the owner’s turf.”

“Okay, I’ll carry her… Oops. Jeffery, the wheels stay on the truck. Do not… Too late. That kid kills a truck a day, I swear.”

“Go play mechanic,” Patty said, taking the carrier from Susan.

“Sarah Ann, Sarah Ann, Sarah Ann,” Tucker yelled, racing across the room. “You came. I told my mommy you would.”

Patty slid the heavy diaper bag and her purse onto one of the small child-size tables, then turned to see the front doors of the center swishing closed behind Sarah Ann and David Montgomery.

Oh, good grief, Patty thought. David Montgomery was even more ruggedly handsome than she remembered him being. He just oozed blatant masculinity, moved with a fluid male grace that said he was comfortable in his own body—a body that was so perfectly proportioned it was sinful.

Was that a sensual shiver slithering down her spine? No, it was not. Patty Sharpe Clark, don’t be absurd.

In the next moment her eyes widened as Tucker and Sarah Ann threw their arms around each other in a hug. Patty hurried forward, aware that while the pair were the same age Tucker was a stocky little boy while Sarah Ann was small-boned and delicate. An exuberant hug from Tucker Clark could result in Sarah Ann being squished to tears.

“Tucker, honey,” Patty said when she reached the children. “I know how happy you are to see Sarah Ann but you’re going to squeeze the stuffing out of her. Let her go, Tucker.”

“’Kay,” Tucker said. “Are you still my bestis friend, Sarah Ann?”

Sarah Ann nodded. “You’re my most bestis friend in the whole wide world, Tucker.”

“Come play blocks,” Tucker said, taking Sarah Ann’s hand.

“’Kay.”

“Goodbye, Sarah Ann,” David said. “I love you.”

“Love you,” she said, not looking at him.

The dynamic duo ran toward the far corner of the room.

“Well,” David said, chuckling, “I’d say that was quite a reunion.” He shifted his gaze to Patty. “You’ve been busy since you were here last.” He looked at Sophia, then back at Patty. “You have a beautiful daughter, Patty.

“I remember holding Sarah Ann when she was a newborn and thinking she was an honest-to-goodness miracle. I always thought I’d be the father to three or four kids, live in a home overflowing with love and laughter and…” He cleared his throat. “Does Tucker like his role of big brother?”

“He’s not overly impressed,” Patty said, laughing. “He wants Sophia to do something, not just eat and sleep.”

“She’ll get busy soon enough. They grow so fast. I’ve already been replaced as Sarah Ann’s bestis friend.”

“Oh, not really,” Patty said. “Sarah Ann dashes off when she gets here because she’s secure in the knowledge that you’ll be back to get her later. You’re her bestis daddy and she trusts you with such pure and awesome innocence.”

“I hope I can live up to that trust,” David said, looking directly at Patty.

“I… I’m sure you will,” she said, meeting his intense gaze.

Those eyes, she thought, rather hazily. They put a Ventura summer sky to shame. So blue, so… Goodness, it was warm in here. There was a strange heat consuming her, churning and swirling and… David Montgomery was pinning her in place with those incredible blue eyes.

“Well, I’d better be on my way,” David said, his voice sounding slightly strangled. “I assume you’re reporting back to work here?”

“Oh, no, not really,” Patty said, then drew a wobbly breath. “I’m just substituting today because they’re short on caregivers.”

“I see. Yes. Have a nice day. I’ll be back to collect Sarah Ann at the usual time. Goodbye.”

David spun around and strode toward the doors, soon disappearing from view.

“Goodbye,” Patty said quietly, watching him go.

Sophia squeaked, stirred and opened her eyes.

“Hello, sleepy girl,” Patty said. “Your silly mommy just got thrown off-kilter by a very handsome man, but there will be no more of that malarkey. I’m wearing my mommy hat and it’s staying firmly in place.”

Outside in the parking lot, David started the engine of his SUV, then hesitated before backing out, his gaze riveted on the door of the building.

Patty Clark was a very attractive woman, he thought. She appeared to be about thirty, had black, shiny hair that fell to just above her shoulders and dark, expressive eyes.

Even when she had been pregnant there was something about her that would definitely catch a man’s appreciative eye. And now? Whew. He’d felt the heat coiling low in his body when he’d looked into the dark depths of her eyes.

Man, Patty had a rough road to go. Divorced, the mother of a busy little boy and a newborn daughter? Her husband must have been a real scumball to make taking on what Patty was facing seem a better choice than to stay married to the jerk.

The next time he felt overwhelmed by the single-parent role he’d think of Patty Clark and what she was dealing with. Pretty Patty. He hoped she had family to lend her a hand, both physically and emotionally, a support group. Even still, that wouldn’t erase the fact that each night when Patty locked the door of her home against the world, she was alone to cope with the needs of those two children. Damn, that was a lot to handle and…

“Montgomery,” David said, shaking his head. “Why are you sitting here like a dolt mentally minding someone else’s business? Someone you don’t even know, and will probably never see again after today?”

David put the vehicle in reverse, checked his mirror, then backed out of the parking place. But before he drove from the lot, he looked at the doors to the Fuzzy Bunny Day Care Center one more time, the image of pretty Patty Clark flickering in his mind’s eye in crystal clarity.

It was a typical busy day at the Fuzzy Bunny. With twenty energy-filled children there were the usual squabbles, lots of laughter, a skinned knee that needed a special Bugs Bunny Band-Aid and a hug for the wounded warrior.

After lunch the children collapsed on tiny cots and took much-needed naps, allowing the caregivers to eat their own lunches and get a second breath. Patty ate quickly, then went into Marjorie’s office to give Sophia a bottle. She settled onto the soft leather chair behind the desk and fed her hungry daughter.

Patty’s mind drifted back to the conversation she’d had with David that morning.

He’d sounded so wistful when he’d spoken of having wanted a large family, she mused. Wistful and resigned to the fact that it wasn’t going to happen. Where was Sarah Ann’s mother, the woman who would have given David more children? David was probably wondering where in the world Tucker and Sophia’s father was. But, of course, one did not ask such personal questions of a person one hardly knew.

Patty sighed.

Her tale of woe would sound like a badly written soap opera, yet it was her reality and she’d been dealing with it inch by emotional inch over the past months, gaining at least a modicum of inner peace.

But would she ever totally forget the devastating pain she’d gone through when Peter had moved out of their home and into his secretary’s apartment the day after Thanksgiving, just before Patty had discovered she was pregnant with their second child? And as a Christmas gift? Peter Clark had served her with divorce papers one week before the special holiday.

She’d tried so hard to talk to him, to make him understand how sorry she was that she hadn’t been an adequate wife, that she’d do much better in the future if he’d only give her another chance. But no, his mind was made up. Their marriage was over, he was in love with his secretary and that was that.

She had failed.

She’d done her very best to keep the house clean and picked up despite having a busy little boy who left a trail of toys everywhere. She’d prepared nourishing meals with Peter’s favorite desserts made from scratch. She’d never pleaded fatigue or a headache when he reached for her in the night but… It hadn’t been good enough. She hadn’t been good enough.

She was a devoted mother. She knew that. But she had failed miserably in the role of wife to her husband, and because of that he’d left her for another woman who could and would meet his needs.

Because of her, Tucker rarely saw his father. More often than not he did not show up when he was scheduled to have Tucker for an outing. Tucker no longer asked about his daddy. When Peter did manage to come for his son, Tucker trudged out the doors with a frown on his little face, then ran into Patty’s embrace upon his return.

And this new baby? Patty thought, gazing at Sophia. When she’d told Peter she was pregnant he’d rolled his eyes in disgust and told her to have her attorney contact his attorney about adjusting future child-support payments.

He never acknowledged her changing body when he came for Tucker, nor asked how she was feeling or if she knew if she was having a girl or a boy. He knew when the baby was due but he hadn’t contacted her to see if she’d given birth. He just didn’t care.

Because she had failed as a wife.

To Peter she was the mother of his children, nothing more. Because she had that title he was going to have to fork over a chunk of his paycheck every month to help feed and clothe those children. Patty was an ex-wife, and he’d moved on to be with someone who knew how to perform in that role properly.

“Patty?” Susan said, coming into the office and snapping her back from her tormented thoughts. “This is the first chance I’ve had to really speak to you alone. Has Peter seen Sophia yet?”

Patty shook her head. “He knew when my due date was, but I haven’t heard from him. He hasn’t shown up on his scheduled visitation days for several months to take Tucker for an outing, either. Tucker rarely mentions his daddy anymore. Well, it’s Peter’s loss. I have two wonderful children and I’m enjoying being a mother to them more than I could ever begin to express in words. Life is good.”

“I don’t know how you can be so cheerful,” Susan said. “I’d have murder on my mind if a man did to me what Peter did to you, Patty. Every time I think about it my blood boils. But you? You just keep on smiling.”

Because she’d cried until she’d had no more tears to shed, Patty thought.

Chapter Two

The afternoon passed quickly and just after five o’clock parents began to arrive to pick up their offspring before the center closed at six. At five minutes before six o’clock Susan planted her hands on her hips and stared at the front doors.

“That’s strange,” she said to Patty. “Ever since David Montgomery started bringing Sarah Ann here you could set your watch by him. He picks her up at five-forty-five on the dot, never, ever later than that.”

“Well, ten minutes doesn’t mean anything other than the traffic is heavier than usual,” Patty said, sinking onto a rocking chair used for story hour. “You go ahead, Susan. I’ll wait for David. Sarah Ann is the only child who hasn’t been picked up and she and Tucker are playing nicely together with the blocks. Sophia just ate so she’s fine, too. I’ll use these few minutes to rest my weary self.”

“I hate to leave you here alone,” Susan said, frowning, “but Theresa’s caregiver will be furious if I’m late.”

“Then go, go, go,” Patty said, flapping her hands at her. “I’ve worked here since January and no one has ever been later than a few minutes after six.”

“Not during my two years here, either,” Susan said. “I don’t even know what Marjorie’s policy is about it because it never came up. I wouldn’t be concerned if it wasn’t David Montgomery. He’s just never late, Patty, and it’s now six minutes after six. This is creepy. Something is wrong.”

“It is strange that he hasn’t phoned to say he’s running late,” Patty said. “You know, if he had a flat tire or something. He’s devoted to Sarah Ann and… You’re right. Something is wrong, but I don’t have a clue as to what it is.” She paused. “Well, I’ll just sit here, relax and wait. Susan, go.”

Susan glanced at her watch, cringed, then hurried toward the doors, disappearing from view moments later.

Patty shifted in the rocker to see that Tucker and Sarah Ann were still engrossed in their building project, then stared at the Mickey Mouse clock on the wall.

Something was definitely wrong, she thought, frowning. It was evident to everyone who worked there that David Montgomery’s world centered on his daughter. For him to be late picking her up without a telephone call to explain his tardiness was totally out of character for him.

Dear heaven, it was nearly six-thirty. Where was David? What had happened to him? What should she do?

David, please walk through that door. Now. Right now.

But David Montgomery did not appear and the clock kept ticking.

“Mommy,” Tucker whined at six-forty-five. “I’m hungry.”

“I know, sweetie,” Patty said, getting to her feet. “Why don’t you and Sarah Ann sit at one of the little tables and I’ll get you some juice and crackers.”

“My daddy?” Sarah Ann said, her bottom lip trembling. “I want my daddy.”

“He’ll be here, honey,” Patty said. “Your daddy is just a bit late, that’s all. Don’t cry, Sarah Ann. Your daddy will come in a wink and a blink.”

Now, David, she thought, staring at the doors again. Forget the wink and blink and walk through that door.

When Tucker and Sarah Ann were happily consuming their snack, Patty went into Marjorie’s office and sank onto the chair behind the desk. The walls were clear glass and she could see the two children from where she sat. Sophia slept peacefully in her carrier on a loveseat set against the wall.

Think, Patty told herself. Calm down and think. Okay. David had gotten a sudden case of the flu, was running a temperature and had fallen asleep at home because he was burning up with fever.

She went to the filing cabinet in the corner and found the application David had filled out when enrolling Sarah Ann at the center. Moments later she punched in the number listed and the telephone rang on the other end. And rang and rang and rang. There was no other information on the form. No place of employment, no one to contact in an emergency. Nothing.

She replaced the receiver, sat down again and pressed her fingertips to her now-throbbing temples.

So much for that brilliant deduction, she thought. Now what? Hospitals. Oh, as grim as the idea was, maybe David had been in an accident and… Well, she’d start with the hospital she knew best. Mercy. Where Tucker and Sophia had been born.

The telephone book produced the number and Patty ignored her shaking hand as she pushed the buttons on the telephone. It was answered halfway through the second ring.

“Mercy Hospital. How may I direct your call?”

“I…um… I guess I should speak with someone in the emergency room, please,” Patty said.

“One moment, please.”

Two seconds of music played, then a new voice came on the line.

“Emergency.”

“Yes,” Patty said, wishing her voice was steadier. “I’m inquiring as to whether a David Montgomery has been brought into the emergency room there at Mercy Hospital.”

“Are you a member of his immediate family?”

“Oh, well, I…” Patty said, her mind racing. “Yes. Yes, I am. I’m… I’m his wife. I’m out of town, you see, and phoned the house and David wasn’t there, and I’m so worried and…”

“Let me check, Mrs. Montgomery.”

More music echoed in Patty’s ear and she drew a shuddering breath.

“Mrs. Montgomery?”

“Yes?”

“I’m sorry to tell you this, ma’am, but your husband has been in an automobile accident and was brought here to Mercy. We tried to contact next of kin and finally found your home number through the operator as a new listing, but no one answered the phone.”

“I’m not there. I mean, I’m out of town as I said. Please tell me how David is.”

“Mr. Montgomery is in surgery at the moment to set a broken leg.”

“Oh, God,” Patty whispered.

“He also sustained a blow to the head, has a concussion and we’ll be monitoring him closely through the night for that. I know you want to get here as quickly as possible but please travel safely. We’ll be waking him through the night because of his head injury but we fully expect him to be groggy. He really wouldn’t know you are here.”

“I understand,” Patty said. “Thank you. Thank you very much for your time. Goodbye.”

Patty dropped the receiver back into place and pressed her hands to her cheeks, feeling how cold her palms were against her flushed skin.

Go back to thinking, she ordered herself. What to do, what to do. Think. Okay. She was calming down. Gathering the facts. David was battered but alive. Mercy Hospital was the best in Ventura. But any wife worth the title would drive above the speed limit to sit by his side, whether he knew she was there or not.

But she wasn’t David’s wife, and when she’d been Peter’s wife she hadn’t been worthy of the title, so…so she was going to operate in the role she did best. Mother. David was receiving the best of care and she would see to it that his daughter did the same.

Patty left the office and went to the table where the children were sitting.

“I have a wonderful surprise for you two,” she said, forcing a bright smile onto her face. “Sarah Ann is coming home with us, Tucker, and spending the night. Isn’t that fun, Sarah Ann?”

“I want my daddy,” the little girl said.

“Your daddy had a very important place he had to go tonight, honey,” Patty said, “and you’re going to have a wonderful time at our house. Tucker has toys to share with you and we’ll eat dinner together and… Okay? Sure. Now let’s get your snack stuff in the trash and off we go.”

“This is great, Sarah Ann,” Tucker said. “We’ll have a play date and a sleepover. ’Kay?”

Sarah Ann nodded slowly. “’Kay.”

Bless you, Tucker, Patty thought. And David? Hear me, please, somehow, somehow, hear me. Don’t worry about Sarah Ann because I’ll tend to her as though she were my own. I swear I will. Just be all right, David. Please, please, please, just be all right.

The next morning Patty sat at the large oak table in the huge sunny kitchen at her parents’ home. Her mother, Hannah, sat opposite her daughter, a frown on her face as she listened to Patty’s tale of David and Sarah Ann. Hannah Sharpe had the same coloring as Patty, with a few gray strands now visible in her dark hair.

“So, there you have it,” Patty said. “I called the hospital this morning to tell David that Sarah Ann was with me, safe and sound, but the nurse on his floor said he was in X-ray. Since I’m pretending to be his wife I couldn’t leave a message saying that Patty from the Fuzzy Bunny is tending to his daughter. So, I need to get to the hospital to put David’s mind at ease. Thank you for watching Tucker, Sarah Ann and Sophia while I go.”

“Oh, that’s no problem,” Hannah said. “Tucker and Sarah Ann are so cute together. With their dark hair they look enough alike to be brother and sister. And you know I adore getting my hands on Sophia Hannah.”

“I really appreciate this,” Patty said, getting to her feet. “Well, off I go. Good grief, I’m so nervous. How do you tell a man that you sort of kidnapped his daughter?”

“What you did was very caring, very thoughtful and loving,” Hannah said, rising.

“I hope David views it that way, but it was the only solution I could come up with.” Patty paused. “Where’s Dad?”

“Playing golf with your Uncle Ryan. Neither one of them is a threat to Tiger Woods but they have a very good time. Off you go. You’ve already said goodbye to the kiddos so just be on your way. David Montgomery must be sick with worry this morning over what happened to Sarah Ann when he didn’t arrive to pick her up last night.”

“You’re right. At least I can assure him that Sarah Ann is fine. But, oh, dear heaven, I am just so nervous.”

At Mercy Hospital, Patty was directed to the third floor and given the room number for David Montgomery. She stood outside the closed door and smoothed the hem of her red top over the waistband of her jeans, acutely aware that her hands were not quite steady.

Get it together, she ordered herself. She was being so ridiculous. It wasn’t as though she’d done an unforgivable thing by taking Sarah Ann home last night, and had to beg for David’s forgiveness or… Oh, stop thinking, Patty.

She knocked on the door and heard a muffled directive to come in.

Forget it. She didn’t want to come in, Patty thought. She was turning around and going home. She was… Darn it, enough of this nonsense.

She pushed the door open and entered the room.

“I…um…hello,” she said, as the door hushed closed behind her.

David Montgomery was propped up against the pillows on the bed, a bandage at the hairline above his right eye. His right leg was in a cast from below the knee to the tips of his toes and suspended above the bed by a complicated-looking apparatus. He was pale despite his tawny skin. He was also staring at her with wide eyes and his mouth had dropped open a tad.

A short man in his fifties, wearing a white coat and standing next to the bed, smiled and approached Patty.

“I’m Dr. Floyd Hill,” he said, his smile growing even bigger. “I’m assuming you’re Mrs. Montgomery, and I must say we are very glad to see you. This will solve a great many unanswered questions for us.”

“Oh, no, I’m not Mrs. Montgomery,” Patty said. “I’m not married to anyone. I’m Patty Clark and I have David’s daughter Sarah Ann.”

“I didn’t marry you?” David said, shifting up on one elbow. “You gave birth to my child and I didn’t marry you? What kind of bum am I?”

“Huh?” Patty said, totally confused.

“Oh, my head,” David said, easing back onto the pillow and pressing the heels of his hands to his temples. “It’s going to fall off and roll across the floor. Break it to me gently. Do you have any other kids I should know about?”

“Me? Well, yes,” Patty said. “Tucker is three years old and Sophia is three weeks old. Of course, Sarah Ann is three years old, too. We’re really into the number three at the moment.”

“Ohhh,” David moaned, closing his eyes. “I’m worse than a bum. I’m a sleazeball.”

“Dr. Hill? David? Somebody?” Patty said. “Would you please explain what is going on here? I feel as though I’ve stepped into the ‘Twilight Zone.’”

“Which is a rather accurate description of where your husband…excuse me…your…the father of your children is, himself, at the moment.”

“The who?” Patty said, her eyes widening.

“David,” the doctor said, “does the name Patty Clark ring any bells. Patty… Clark.”

David opened his eyes and looked at Patty again.

“No,” he said. “I have never heard that name, nor have I seen this woman before in my life.”

“Huh?” Patty said. “Now wait just a minute here.”

“David has retrograde amnesia from the blow he sustained to his head,” Dr. Hill said. “He doesn’t even remember his own name, which we were able to supply from credit cards and what have you in his wallet.”

“You’re kidding,” Patty said. A funny little bubble of laughter that held the edge of hysteria escaped from her lips. “No, you’re not kidding. How long is this amnesia thing going to last?”

“I have no idea,” the doctor said, shrugging. “Every case is different.”

“Well, isn’t this just dandy?” Patty said, then marched to the bed and gripped the top bar of the rail. “David, read my lips. You…have…a…daughter…named… Sarah Ann. She…is…three. She…is…cute. She…misses…her…daddy. That…is…you.”

“I don’t know any Sarah Ann,” David said, frowning. “She’s only three and she misses me and… This is terrible. Well, it could be worse, I guess. At least she’s with her mother. You. Patty.”

“No, no, no,” Patty said, shaking her head. “I’m not Sarah Ann’s mother. You didn’t list a name for her mother on the application blank.”

“What did I apply for?” David said. “To be a sperm donor? Are you the mother of Tucker and Sophia?”

“Yes, but…”

“I apparently didn’t marry Sarah Ann’s mother, but why didn’t I marry you? This Sophia baby is only three weeks old? I must say you look sensational for someone who just gave birth. At least I know I have good taste in women. You’re very pretty. Who do our children look like? You or me?”

“That’s it,” Patty said, throwing up her hands. “This isn’t a conversation, this is a ridiculous stringing together of words that are totally insane. Dr. Hill, I cannot talk to this man.”

“Let’s all just calm down and start over,” Dr. Hill said. “Please, Miss… Ms… Patty, sit down, won’t you?”

Patty sighed and sank heavily onto the chair next to the bed. The doctor pulled another chair over and sat next to her.

“Now then,” Dr. Hill said, “perhaps you would be so kind as to explain to us what your relationship is with David, his daughter Sarah Ann and, of course, there’s Tucker and Sophia.”

“Yes, all right,” Patty said, then looked directly at David. “But first I want to apologize for my behavior. I was just so stunned to discover you have amnesia that it threw me for a loop and I haven’t been very patient with your misconceptions. This must be terrifying for you, David, to wake up in a hospital and not even know who you are. On top of that, you’re obviously in pain. I’m sorry I was so rude.”

“Well, I haven’t exactly been a pleasant person, either,” he said, meeting her gaze. “I suppose I should say something macho, such as, ‘amnesia is no big deal and I’ll just hang around until my memory jump-starts itself again.’ But…but the truth of the matter is, you’re right. This is terrifying, the most chilling experience I’ve ever been through. Thank you for understanding that, Patty.”

Patty nodded, then told herself with a very firm directive to stop gazing into the ocean-blue depths of David’s eyes. Mesmerizing eyes. Eyes that held a flicker of pain and fear and made her want to reach out and take David’s hand and assure him that everything was going to be fine, just fine.

But she couldn’t move, she thought frantically. He was pinning her in place with those eyes. Her heart was doing a funny little two-step number and a strange heat was swirling within her, low and hot and…

Good grief, she thought, finally switching her attention to the water jug on the side table by the bed, this man was lethally sensuous.

“Excuse me?” Dr. Hill said tentatively.

“What!” David said.

He was having a heart attack, he thought. On top of his other physical woes, he was now having a full-blown heart attack caused by gazing far too long into the beautiful, dark eyes of Patty Clark. Heat was coiling low in his body and… He was being consumed by desire for a woman he didn’t even know.

“Sorry,” he said. “What was it you were saying, Dr. Hill?”

“Patty is going to share what she knows about you, David. This could be important information.”

“Yes. Yes, of course,” David said. “You have the floor, Patty.”

“Well,” she said, lifting her chin. “That application I referred to earlier is the one you filled out at the Fuzzy Bunny Day Care Center to enroll Sarah Ann over a month ago. There was very little information on the form and you told the owner of the center that you’d get her the remainder of the data later.”

“Mmm,” Dr. Hill said, stroking his chin.

“All the caregivers at the center became immediately aware that you’re devoted to Sarah Ann, David,” Patty went on. “You didn’t really interact, smile or anything with those of us who worked there, but when you looked at your daughter, spoke to her, the love for her just radiated from your eyes, from the expression on your face. You’re a wonderful father.”

“Imagine that,” David said, his voice holding a hint of awe. He frowned in the next instant. “But I didn’t write down anything about Sarah Ann’s mother?”

“No. We assumed you were a single father who has custody of your daughter.”

“That would be unusual,” Dr. Hill said. “Perhaps you are a widower, David.”

“My wife died?” David said. “Wouldn’t I be aware of something that devastating?”

“There are no rules for amnesia,” the doctor said. “It varies from person to person. Go on, Patty.”

“You always pick Sarah Ann up at exactly five-forty-five,” she said. “Yesterday I was helping out at the center because they were short on caregivers. I no longer work there since I had Sophia. Anyway, you didn’t show up to get Sarah Ann last night, David.”

“Oh, God, my daughter must have been scared out of her mind. I don’t know what she looks like, or what kind of personality she has, but that has got to be a terrifying experience for any three-year-old. I’ve got to go get her and…”

“No, wait,” Patty said, raising one hand. “I took Sarah Ann home with me. She and my son Tucker are ‘bestis friends,’ as they put it. I told Sarah Ann that you had somewhere important you had to go and made the whole sleepover seem like an exciting adventure. The three kids are at my mother’s right now so I could come here. And for the record, you are not related to Tucker and Sophia. I’m divorced from their father. Oh, and Sarah Ann slept well and ate a big breakfast. She’s doing fine.”

“Thank you,” David said, then drew a shuddering breath. “Thank you so much for what you did for Sarah Ann.” He paused. “You have a son? And a new baby? And you’re alone, but you took on another child? My Sarah Ann?”

“Yes,” Patty said, shrugging. “I mean, goodness, what would you have had me do? I realize I have a lot on my plate but I can handle three children.”

“Amazing,” David said. “You’re a remarkable woman, Patty, and a natural-born mother, that’s for sure.”

Oh, yes, Patty thought. She got high scores for motherdom. Total zero for wifedom.

“Patty,” Dr. Hill said, “how was David dressed when he brought Sarah Ann to the day-care center? Suit and tie? Professional attire?”

“No, he wore jeans and a shirt.”

“But he doesn’t have calluses on his hands as a construction worker might,” the doctor said. “All right, let’s recap what we know. The driver’s license in your wallet, David, was a temporary one, indicating you probably moved recently and applied for a license with your change of address. The fact that we got your telephone number from the new listings operator strengthens that fact. But where you moved from, we don’t know.

“We can surmise that you relocated approximately a month or so ago because that’s when you enrolled your daughter in day care. Did you move across town? From somewhere else in California? Or from the other end of the country?”

“Damned if I know,” David said wearily.

“You left your previous employment,” Dr. Hill went on, “as evidenced by the lack of information on the day-care application and you saying you’d provide the data later. You’re either looking for work, or a position is being held for you somewhere here in Ventura.”

“But wouldn’t the company be attempting to find him?” Patty said.

“Not if he arrived in town early to get settled in,” Dr. Hill said. “The address on your driver’s license is for a very affluent part of town. Whatever you do is lucrative.”

“Maybe I’m a hitman,” David said, then his eyes began to drift closed.

“He’s exhausted,” Patty said. “I’d best be going.”

David’s eyes flew open. “No, wait. What about my daughter? What’s going to happen to Sarah Ann?”

“She’ll stay with me until you’re released from the hospital,” Patty said.

“I can’t ask you to do that.”

“Do you have a better idea?” Patty said. “You have to trust me, David, know that I’ll give Sarah Ann the very best of care. I’ll keep her home with us rather than take her to the Fuzzy Bunny so she can play with Tucker. I’ll tell her that you have a boo-boo and will see her as soon as you can. I repeat…do you have a better idea?”

“No,” David said quietly. “No, I don’t. I have to get out of this place. I have responsibilities. A child, a home, maybe a job I’m supposed to report to. Ah, hell, I hate this. I can’t live this way. Doc, fix me.”

Dr. Hill chuckled. “Patience, patient. Amnesia takes its own sweet time. Besides, we’re keeping that leg elevated for the next several days to be assured there’s no infection brewing before we fit you with a walking cast. You’re stuck in that bed for now, David.”

“And I’m tending to your daughter,” Patty said, getting to her feet. “Sarah Ann is going to need clothes, though. I’m a member of a huge extended family with oodles of kids. Someone surely has clothes to fit her.”

“No, that’s not necessary,” David said. “The keys that were in my now-totaled vehicle are in the drawer there. Go to my house and get Sarah Ann what she needs.”

“I wouldn’t be comfortable going into your home, David.”

“But maybe she has a favorite toy she’ll suddenly realize isn’t with her, or a blanket she usually sleeps with or something,” David said. “She needs her own things around her. She needs her father, too, but… Hell.”

“I agree with David,” Dr. Hill said. “Sarah Ann is caught up in the adventure of being at your house at the moment, but from what you’re saying she and David are very close. I think it would be best that she at least have clothes and toys that are familiar to her until she can be united with the person who is the center of her existence.”

“Well, all right,” Patty said. “I’ll go to the house and get her some things. I’ll call you here tomorrow, David, and see how you’re doing. Maybe I should have you talk to Sarah Ann on the phone.”

“Good idea,” Dr. Hill said. “She’s too young to be allowed to visit here in the hospital, but hearing her father’s voice might be reassuring.” He glanced at his watch. “I have an appointment. David, take a nap. Patty, it was a real pleasure meeting you. David and Sarah Ann are very fortunate to have you in their lives during this crisis.”

Dr. Hill hurried from the room.

A sudden and heavy silence fell over the room, and Patty became acutely and uncomfortably aware that she was alone with David Montgomery.

Not that David Montgomery knew that he was David Montgomery, per se, nor did he have a clue that he had made hearts go pitter-patter each morning when he’d brought Sarah Ann into the Fuzzy Bunny. Well, not her heart, of course, but Susan certainly worked herself into a dither when she saw him and…

“Patty?”

Patty jerked at the unexpected sound of David’s deep, rumbly voice.

“Hmm? Yes? What?” she said.

“I just wanted to say how grateful I am that you’re taking care of my daughter. There really aren’t words to express my gratitude.” David paused and frowned. “I wish I knew what Sarah Ann looks like so I could picture her in my mind. And where is her mother? Maybe Sarah Ann is with me because it’s my turn to have her according to a visitation schedule of a divorce.”

“Maybe,” Patty said, nodding slowly.

“Do you think it would be appropriate to ask a three-year-old about her mother? You know, ‘So, Sarah Ann, where’s your mom, honey?’”

“Well, sure,” Patty said. “If the opportunity presented itself so it could be done smoothly without Sarah Ann feeling as though she’s being grilled or something. I’ll try to do that but I can’t promise anything.”

“Fair enough,” David said, then yawned. “Excuse me. It’s not the company. I’m just wiped out.”

“Dr. Hill said you should take a nap,” Patty said. “I’ll be on my way.”

“The keys to the house are in that drawer there.”

“Oh, yes.” Patty opened the drawer and removed a key chain. “Vehicle, house,” she said, looking at the keys. “I remember your address so I’m all set.”

“They told me my SUV is totaled. Some guy ran a red light and smashed right into me. I don’t remember anything about that. Hell, I don’t remember anything about anything. Dr. Hill said I shouldn’t try to force my memory to return, but it’s so frustrating not to know…. Enough of my complaining.”

“Sometimes,” Patty said softly, “things happen in our lives that we wish we could remove from our memory bank because they’re so painful and… I’m not saying I’d like to have total amnesia like you have. That must be so frightening, so awful. But I wouldn’t mind erasing some events. You know, like chalk from a blackboard.”

“Your husband…ex-husband hurt you very much, didn’t he?” David said, looking directly at her.

“Well, that’s another story,” she said. “The issue at the moment is that you’re going to take a nap and I am off to collect the children, then go to your house to get your daughter some clothes and toys. I’m still not that comfortable about going into your home but… I’ll speak with you soon, David.”

“Thank you again. Don’t give another thought to going into the house. I’m trusting you with my daughter so I’m sure not going to worry about the material things in my house. You don’t look like a hardened criminal who’s going to rob me blind anyway.”

Patty smiled. “No, I’m not. Well, goodbye for now.”

“Bye,” David said, then watched as Patty crossed the room and disappeared from view.

He sighed and closed his eyes, hoping sleep would give him a break from the physical pain he was in and from the emotional distress of having no memory, no sense of who he was, or what kind of a man he was.

Patty said he was a wonderful father. That was nice to hear and he’d believe her because it felt good. But who and what was David Montgomery the man? And where was Sarah Ann’s mother?

“Give it a rest,” he mumbled, as sleep began to edge over his senses.

Man, he’d just given the keys to his house to a woman he didn’t even know. Was that dumb? But, hell, that same woman had his child and… He trusted Patty Clark. Yeah, he did. He trusted her. But he had a feeling, he just somehow knew, that he didn’t trust easily, was wary and edgy in that arena. Why?

“Don’t…know,” he said. “All I actually know is that Patty sure is pretty. Pretty… Patty.”

David drifted off into blissful slumber.

Chapter Three

“My goodness,” Hannah Sharpe said, after Patty related what she had discovered about David’s amnesia. “That is quite a story. It sounds more like a soap opera than something taking place in real life.”

“I know,” Patty said, then took a sip of lemonade as she once again sat across from her mother at the kitchen table. “But it’s true, unfortunately, and there is no way to know how long it will be before David gets his memory back.”

“That would be so frightening,” Hannah said, frowning. “Imagine waking up in a hospital and not knowing who you are or… I’d be absolutely terrified.”

“David admitted that he is terrified,” Patty said, running one fingertip around the edge of the glass. “I thought that was very honest of him, very real. Anyway, Sarah Ann will just have to stay with me until David gets out of the hospital.”

“Oh, honey, two three-year-olds and a newborn baby is going to be a lot of work.”

“It won’t be so hard, Mom. Tucker will have someone to play with instead of wanting me to entertain him all the time. He’s going to miss going to the Fuzzy Bunny, so having Sarah Ann at the house could very well make things easier for me.”

“We’ll see,” Hannah said.

“All I can do is take this one day at time,” Patty said. “Well, I’d better gather the gang and go to David’s to get Sarah Ann some clothes and let her collect a favorite toy or blanket if she has one.”

“David can’t remember anything about where Sarah Ann’s mother is?” Hannah said.

“David can’t remember anything…period. We agreed that if the opportunity presents itself, I’m going to ask Sarah Ann about her mother.”

“Hi, Mommy,” Tucker said, running into the kitchen. “Sarah Ann and me is watching Blue’s Clues.”

“Sarah Ann and I are watching Blue’s Clues,” Patty said. “Tucker, has Sarah Ann ever said anything about where her mother is?”

“Yeah, ’cause I asked her and she said her mommy was in heaven and she doesn’t think she saw her mom before she went to heaven but she isn’t sure but that’s okay ’cause she has her daddy. I told her I don’t see my daddy too much so she said I can say hello to her daddy whenever I want to. Can I have a cookie, Grandma?”

“No more cookies, Tucker,” Hannah said. “You’ll spoil your lunch.”

“’Kay,” he said, then ran back out of the kitchen.

“Well,” Hannah said, “that was easy enough. We now know that David is a widower and apparently has been for quite a while.”

Patty nodded, then shook her head. “Did you hear what Tucker said? He’s resorting to borrowing Sarah Ann’s daddy because he doesn’t see his own very much. How Peter can turn his back on his own son and… No, I’m not going to get started on that subject.”

“Good,” Hannah said. “Fussing, fuming and raising your stress level is not going to change Peter Clark’s behavior.” She paused. “I was going to suggest you leave the kids here while you go get Sarah Ann some clothes and what have you, but I suppose she needs to be there to pick her favorite things.”

Patty nodded, then got to her feet. “Thanks for babysitting, Mom. I now have to convince Sarah Ann that staying longer at our house is super-duper. She and David are very close and I’m expecting Sarah Ann’s happy bubble to burst and the tears to start at any minute. Do you realize that David doesn’t even know what his daughter looks like? That is so grim. I feel so badly for him.”

“Why don’t I take a picture of Sarah Ann with my digital camera,” Hannah said, “then print it out on the computer? I’ll come over to your place tonight, give the kids baths and put them to bed, while you take the picture to David at the hospital.”

“Oh, I can’t ask you to…”

“I’m volunteering,” Hannah said, rising. “It will be fun. I have nothing planned because this is the night for your father to attend his monthly meeting of retired police officers with your Uncle Ryan.”

“Well, okay, thank you,” Patty said. “I’ll go get the kids and you can take Sarah Ann’s picture. That really is a wonderful idea.”

Tucker wanted his picture taken if Sarah Ann was getting hers done. Hannah printed out one each for the children, then an extra of Sarah Ann for Patty to take to David.

“Is my daddy coming now?” Sarah Ann said. “I want to show my daddy my picture.”

“Sarah Ann,” Patty said, “your daddy bumped his head and his leg and got boo-boos. He has to be where they fix boo-boos for a few days. You’re going to stay with me and Tucker until his boo-boos are better. You and Tucker can color him nice pictures this afternoon and I’ll take them to the place where they tend to boo-boos and—”

“My daddy is in the place with the doctors that give shots and stuff,” Sarah Ann yelled, then burst into tears. “I want my daddy.”

“So much for the boo-boo bit,” Patty said. “Why are they always smarter than you give them credit for? Sarah Ann, sweetie, hey, don’t cry. Your daddy is going to be fine, I promise you.”

“We’ll take care of you, Sarah Ann,” Tucker said, patting the little girl on the back.

“Yes, we will,” Patty said. “Thank you for helping, Tucker. Sarah Ann, we’re going to your house now to get you some clothes. Do you have a favorite toy you’d like to bring to our house?”

Sarah Ann’s tears stopped as quickly as they had started.

“Yes, yes, yes,” she said, jumping up and down. “I want my bear. His name is Patches.”

“Okay,” Patty said brightly. “Then we’re off. See you tonight, Mom, and thanks again.”

“Do I get a hug goodbye?” Hannah said, bending down and opening her arms.

Tucker immediately rushed into his grandmother’s arms. Sarah Ann hesitated, then followed, allowing Hannah to hug her. A short time later the three little ones were buckled up in the back seat of Patty’s car headed toward the Montgomery house.

Patty knew the general area, as it was where her grandparents Margaret and Robert MacAllister lived in their majestic home. When she got closer, she pulled to the curb and consulted a map from the glove compartment. David lived two streets away from the senior MacAllisters, who considered the entire Sharpe family part of the huge MacAllister clan.

Within minutes she turned into the circular driveway leading to a two-story white stucco home with a red tile roof and a beautifully landscaped front area that sloped down to the sidewalk.

“My new house,” Sarah Ann shouted. “I see my new house right there.”

Patty turned off the ignition, assisted the children from the car, then scooped up Sophia’s carrier.

“Do you remember where you lived before you came to your new house, Sarah Ann?” Patty said, as they started toward the front door.

“Brisco,” Sarah Ann said. “Tucker, want to play with my toys?”

“Yeah,” Tucker said.

“Brisco?” Patty said, frowning.

“Brisco,” Sarah Ann said, nodding. “There were lots of hills on the streets and stuff and it rained whole bunches.”

Patty inserted the key into the lock on the front door, hesitated, then looked at Sarah Ann.

“Do you mean San Francisco?” Patty said.

Sarah Ann nodded. “Brisco.”

“Agatha Christie, eat your heart out,” Patty said smugly as they entered the house. “Oh, your new house is lovely, Sarah Ann, very nice.”

Patty swept her gaze over the large foyer, the sweeping staircase leading to the second floor, then stepped forward to peek into the large living room that boasted gleaming oak furniture and sofa and chairs in shades of blue, gray and burgundy.

A massive flagstone fireplace was on the far wall and flanked by floor-to-ceiling oak shelves that were partially filled with books. Cartons sat by the bookcases waiting to be unpacked. Patty placed a sleeping Sophia’s carrier on the sofa.

“Come see my toys, Tucker,” Sarah Ann said, heading toward the stairs.

“One hand on the banister,” Patty said, “and go very slowly. I’ll be up in a few minutes. I just want to check the refrigerator and make certain nothing is about to spoil.”

“’Kay,” the pair said in unison.

Patty walked down a wide hallway toward the rear of the house where she assumed the kitchen was.

This was David’s house, she mused, drinking in details as she went, that he was turning into a home for him and Sarah Ann. Just the two of them, because Sarah Ann’s mother was in heaven.

Was David still brokenhearted over the loss of his wife and didn’t even know his world had been shattered because he couldn’t remember anything? That was a rather depressing thought.

Patty entered the huge, sunny kitchen and made her way through a multitude of boxes to reach the refrigerator.

Well, she thought, looking around, the kitchen was obviously not high on the list of rooms to be set to rights. She would guess that David wasn’t eager to cook, maybe didn’t even know how to do much more than make a sandwich or heat up soup. He and Sarah Ann must have been eating out a great deal since moving to Ventura, or he was bringing in take-out food.

“I’m getting to be a very good detective if I do say so myself,” Patty said aloud.

She gripped the handle to the refrigerator, then stopped, looking around again.

Strange, she thought. It was as though she could feel, sense, David’s presence in this house that was becoming a home. She could picture him here so easily with Sarah Ann trailing behind him, chattering at her daddy.

It was a very large home for two people, yet it felt right for David. He would stride through these rooms on those long, muscular legs, his blatant masculinity demanding space to move freely. He would come to this refrigerator where she was now standing, intent on finding something inside to satisfy his desire to…

A man like David Montgomery would have strong, powerful desires in any arena into which he stepped, whether it be to quell the need for food or to reach for a woman, sweep her into his arms and…

A shiver coursed through Patty.

What on earth was the matter with her? she thought, feeling the warm flush on her cheeks. She’d gone off on some embarrassing sensual trip about David sweeping a woman… Okay, Patty, admit it. The image in her mind had been David sweeping her into his arms, which was ridiculous. She didn’t entertain mental scenarios like that, for heaven’s sake, about a man she didn’t even really know or…

“Enough of this nonsense,” she said, then yanked open the refrigerator door. “Mmm. Pickings are slim.”

There was a bowl of grapes, several oranges and apples, a jug of orange juice, a carton of milk and ready-made individual containers of pudding, Jell-O and yogurt. Three eggs, a half a loaf of bread, a jar of strawberry jelly, and that was it. The freezer above held a large box of Popsicles.

“This is all for Sarah Ann, I think,” Patty said aloud. “Nope, David is not into cooking.”

Going on the assumption that David was going to be in the hospital for several more days, Patty checked the sell dates on the offerings in the refrigerator. She found plastic bags beneath the sink and packed the milk, orange juice and the small containers of desserts. That done, she headed back in the direction of the stairs, placing the bags by the front door.

She made her way up the stairs and when she reached the top level of the house she could hear Tucker and Sarah Ann laughing farther down the hallway.

Don’t get nosy, she told herself, as she passed several rooms on her way to the children. Well, one or two little peeks wouldn’t do any harm. No. But then again she might spot something that would give a clue as to what David did for a living and… No.

Sarah Ann’s room was large and sunny, a little girl’s paradise. It had a pink-and-white canopy bed, white bookshelves full of toys and books and a white dresser. The carpet was lush and the same smoky blue-gray color that she’d seen in the living room and covering the stairs and hallways.

“Sarah Ann,” Patty said, “do you have a suitcase, honey?”

“In the closet,” she said.

“I’ll pack some clothes for you while you get Patches the bear.”

“’Kay.”

Patty completed her chore in short order, then turned to see Sarah Ann hugging a faded teddy bear.

“Is that Patches?” Patty said.

Sarah Ann nodded. “He’s my bestis toy. He gots a hole one time and my daddy fixed him really good. See?”

A strange warmth seemed to tiptoe around Patty’s heart and a soft smile formed on her lips as she saw the repair job David had managed to accomplish on the precious bear. There was a strip of dark blue duct tape across Patches’s tummy, and hearts had been drawn on the life-saving bandage.

“Oh, that’s a fine job of making Patches all better,” Patty said. “Your daddy is a very good doctor.”

“He only doctors toys and my boo-boos,” Sarah Ann said. “That’s all, ’cause he’s busy when he wears a tie and doing turny stuff.”

“I’m hungry, Mommy,” Tucker said.

“What?” Patty said. Turny stuff? “Oh, hungry. Well, we’re leaving now and we’ll have lunch the minute we get home. Pick up those toys you were playing with, kiddos, and we’ll be on our way.”

He wears a tie to do his turny stuff, Patty thought, narrowing her eyes. Turny stuff. Tie. Suit and tie because he’s…

“Sarah Ann,” Patty said, nearly shouting, “your father is an attorney.”

Sarah Ann planted her little fists on her hips. “I just told you that. My daddy is a turny when he puts on his tie.”

“Got it,” Patty said. “Let’s go, my sweets. I may be the next Columbo but I still have to cook the meals.”

Just before seven o’clock that evening Patty peered through the open doorway of David’s hospital room and saw that he was propped up in bed watching the television mounted high on the opposite wall.

Goodness, she thought, the man just didn’t quit. Even beat up and bandaged and wearing a faded hospital gown, there was an earthy male sensuality emanating from David Montgomery. He wasn’t quite so pale tonight, his tawny skin standing out in stark relief against the pristine white pillow.

There was no readable expression on David’s face as he watched what she realized was national news. Maybe he had been able to become engrossed in what he was hearing, forget for a few minutes that he was a man without a memory. And she was about to break his peaceful bubble and tell him his wife was dead. Being a detective was not all it was cracked up to be.

“Hello?” Patty said from the doorway. “May I come in?”

“Patty,” David said. “Hey. Yes, come in. I didn’t expect to see you again today. This is a nice surprise.”

Man, he was glad to see her, he thought. His breath had actually caught when he’d heard her voice, seen her standing there. Patty was so lovely, so fresh-air pretty and…and he was overreacting to this woman due to the fact that she was the only lifeline he had to his reality, the slender link to his identity because she had known him before he lost his memory and she was taking care of his daughter.

That was the reason he got all hot and bothered when he saw Patty Clark. He was hanging tight to that explanation because the alternative was to admit he was having an adolescent testosterone attack, which wasn’t very flattering.

“Sit down,” David said, gesturing toward the chair next to the bed. He pressed the button on the remote control and turned off the television. “How are you? How’s Sarah Ann? My daughter. Daughter. How can a man have a three-year-old daughter and not even know what she looks like?”

“Don’t upset yourself, David,” Patty said, sitting down in the chair. “The fact that you have amnesia is not your fault.” She paused. “Dr. Hill was asking me earlier today what I knew about you while you were listening so I’m assuming it’s all right to tell you what I’ve discovered about you. You know, without breaking any rules regarding what is or isn’t said to someone whose memory is temporarily gone.”

“It had better be a temporary condition,” David said, frowning.

“I’m sure it is. I brought you a picture of Sarah Ann. Here.”

David hesitated, then with a visibly shaking hand he took the piece of glossy computer paper from Patty and stared at the image of the smiling little girl.

“Oh, look at her,” he said, awe ringing in his voice. “She’s beautiful.”

Patty smiled. “Yes, she is. She has your coloring. See? Black hair, your blue eyes. She’s very intelligent, full of energy and chatters like a magpie when the mood strikes. She’s small-boned, delicate, but that doesn’t keep her from wanting to play whatever the other kids are into. You can be very proud of her, David. She’s a wonderful little girl.”

“But…but I don’t recognize her,” he said, closing his eyes for a moment, then looking at the photograph again. “Damn it, I know she’s my daughter only because you’re telling me she is.”

“Give it time,” Patty said gently. “Oh, these are cards that Sarah Ann and Tucker drew for you after I told them you had boo-boos.”

David smiled slightly as he examined the pictures drawn with crayon on bright construction paper.

“Thank you,” he said. “Tell Sarah Ann and Tucker I really liked these, okay? I appreciate your coming all the way back over here tonight to bring me these things.”

“No problem. My mother came to the house and is doing her grandmother thing with all three of the children.” Patty drew a deep breath and let it out slowly. “David, there is something I have to tell you.”

“What is it?”

“Sarah Ann told Tucker that her mother—what I mean is… Oh, David, I’m so sorry but your wife is dead. Sarah Ann said that her mother is in heaven and she doesn’t remember seeing her before she went there. But she also said it was all right because she had her daddy.”

“My wife… Sarah Ann’s mother is dead?”

“Yes. I’m sorry.”

David looked up at the ceiling for a long moment, then met Patty’s gaze again.

“Why aren’t I registering any emotions about that? God, I hate this. I’m an empty shell. I look at a picture of my daughter and think ‘cute kid, but I’ve never seen her before.’ My wife is dead, for God’s sake, and I have no reaction beyond ‘oh, well.’”

“David, stop beating yourself up,” Patty said, leaning toward him. “You must remember that your lack of memory is not your doing.”

“Yeah,” he said, dragging a restless hand through his hair. He narrowed his eyes. “Sarah Ann said she doesn’t remember seeing her mother? Wouldn’t I have given my daughter a picture of her mother?”

“There were no framed photographs in Sarah Ann’s bedroom at your house,” Patty said. “I didn’t think anything of it until now. It does seem strange that you wouldn’t keep her image where Sarah Ann could see it, feel connected to it, to her mother. Sarah Ann isn’t upset by that. Her emphasis is on you.”

“It still doesn’t make sense,” David said, his voice rising. “It’s as though I’m trying to get Sarah Ann to forget her mother even existed. What does that say about me?”

“That you don’t have all the facts yet,” Patty said. “Don’t stand in judgment of yourself until you know why you seem to be distancing Sarah Ann from the memory of her mother. As an attorney you should gather all the data before reaching a conclusion.”

“An attorney? I’m a lawyer?” David said, raising his eyebrows.

“Yep. ‘A turny,’ to quote your daughter. Oh, and you lived in San Francisco before you moved to your new house here in Ventura.”

“Well, thank you, NYPD Blue,” he said, smiling slightly.

“I’m Columbo, sir.”

“Oh, okay,” he said, chuckling. “You need a rumpled raincoat.” He paused and frowned. “This is nuts. I can remember television shows but I don’t recognize a picture of my own daughter?”

“Dr. Hill said there are no rules about amnesia, remember?”

“He wasn’t kidding,” he said, shaking his head.

“Well, I’d best let you get some rest.”

“No,” David said quickly. “I mean, do you have to leave so soon? This has been a helluva day stuck in this bed, trying to deal with all this and… Can you stay a little longer?”

“Yes, if you want me to.”

“Thank you.” David paused and frowned. “Well, we can’t share things about each other because I’m a blank page. Tell me about you, Patty Clark. Why are you a single mother of two little kids?”

It’s none of your business, Mr. Montgomery, Patty thought with a flash of anger that dissipated as quickly as it had come. David was asking her a very fair question considering the fact she was poking around in her Columbo mode finding out everything she could about him.

“It’s not a unique story,” she said. “My ex-husband fell in love with another woman and that was that.” A woman who could meet Peter’s needs as she had failed to do. “Peter… Peter hasn’t bothered to see Sophia and rarely takes advantage of his visitation times with Tucker anymore. Sarah Ann was so sweet about that when Tucker told her. She said he could say hello to you whenever he wanted to because she had her daddy. She’s a darling little girl.”

“Why did you marry that jerk?” David said, frowning.

“Well, for heaven’s sake,” Patty said, laughing, “what a silly question. We were in love, floating around on cloud nine like any other couple who plans to marry. The first years were terrific. I taught school, Peter was climbing the ladder in the insurance company where he worked, we bought a home, the whole nine yards.

“We agreed that I’d be a stay-at-home mother and I quit teaching when Tucker was born. It’s heartbreaking for me to realize that I’ll need to go back to teaching second semester and leave my children with caregivers but…

“David, this is not interesting. It’s just another sad tale of a marriage that didn’t make it. I usually don’t pour out my woes like this. I’m living in the present now and looking to the future. There’s nothing to be gained by dwelling on what happened between me and Peter, except that I did learn something important about myself.”

“Like what?”

“Enough of this. I’m changing the subject. Oh, Sarah Ann did have a favorite toy that she brought back to my house from yours. It’s a worse-for-wear teddy bear that—”

“Patches,” David said, then sat bolt upward. He sank back against the pillow in the next instant, one hand clamped on the top of his head. “Oh, my aching head. Forget the head. Am I right? Is Sarah Ann’s favorite toy a beat-up bear named Patches?”

“Yes,” Patty said, her eyes dancing with excitement. “Yes, you’re right. Oh, David, see? Your memory is coming back in little bits and pieces. Do you remember anything else about Patches? You mended him with… Do you know?”

David stared into space. “No, there’s nothing else there.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“What did I mend the bear with?”

“Duct tape,” Patty said, smiling. “Then you drew hearts on it. I was very touched when I saw it. You really are a very loving father.”

“I wonder what kind of husband I was?” he said, frowning.

No doubt a much better husband than she had been in her role of wife, Patty thought. She hoped when David’s memory returned that would prove to be true, so he wouldn’t have to live with the kind of guilt that tormented her.

“What’s wrong?” David said. “You look very sad all of a sudden.”

“It was just a fleeting thought, but it’s gone now.”

“You deserve to be happy, Patty.”

“Oh?” she said, smiling. “You believe that, of course, because you’ve known me so well for so long.”

“Laugh if you like,” David said, looking directly into her eyes, “but while I don’t even know at the moment how I like my eggs cooked, I do know that you are a very special, very rare and wonderful person who deserves to be happy.”

“I’m happy,” Patty said softly. “I have two children, two miracles, and I cherish my role as their mother.”

“But what about Patty the woman? Is she happy?”

“I don’t separate the titles, David. Patty the woman is a mother and I am happy.”

“Mmm.”

“What does that mean, that ‘mmm’?”

“That even an empty-minded moron-at-the-moment like me knows that isn’t how it’s supposed to be,” David said decisively. “Nope. Now, according to what I’ve been told I’m a father and I’m an attorney. However, I am also a man who, when I can remember what they are, has wants, needs, desires as do you, Patty the woman.”

“Wrong.”

“No, I’m not,” David said, with a burst of laughter. “And I’m beginning to have no difficulty believing that I’m an attorney because I’m obnoxiously sure of myself when I take a stand.”

“That’s for certain,” Patty said, smiling.

“Ah, Patty, thank you,” David said. “You actually made me laugh right out loud and the way I’ve felt all day I wondered if I’d ever do that again. I owe you so much for so many things, the most important of which is your willingness to take care of Sarah Ann until I can get out of this place.”

“No more thanks are necessary, David.”

“Well, I do want to say that I’m very glad that you came into my life when you did, Patty Clark. Very, very glad.”

Chapter Four

Just before dawn the next morning, Patty crawled back into bed after feeding Sophia. She wiggled into a comfortable position, closed her eyes and waited for sleep to come, knowing she needed all she could get to provide energy for the busy day ahead.

But just as they had after she’d returned from the hospital the previous night, David’s words spoken in a voice ringing with sincerity echoed in her mind.

I’m very glad that you came into my life when you did, Patty Clark. Very, very glad.

Oh, drat, she fumed, why was she being haunted by that statement? It was very clear what David meant when he said it. She was caring for his daughter during a stressful crisis in his life. Also, because of his amnesia, she was the only person he felt a link to, someone he sort of knew, and that helped his anxiety a tad considering he didn’t even recognize Sarah Ann from her picture. So, yes, at the moment, David Montgomery was glad that Patty had come into his life. It was very simple really.

But…

She couldn’t forget the warmth that had suffused her when David said what he’d said. She’d felt special and important and…and womanly. The very essence of her femininity had seemed to come alive, emerge from the dusty corner where she’d pushed it after Peter had left her. A virile, masculinity-personified man was very glad she had come into his life and…

“No,” she said, pressing her palms to her temples. “Just stop it right now.”

She wasn’t in David’s life in that context, not even close, nor would she want to be. No. She was finished with man-and-woman relationships, with having to once again face her inadequacies in that arena.

She was staying where she belonged, where she excelled, in the role of mother, and that was what David had meant by what he had said.

“Have you got that yet?” Patty said. “Go back to sleep while you can and knock off the nonsense, Patty Sharpe Clark.”

But sleep wouldn’t come and she finally left the bed when she heard Tucker and Sarah Ann giggling down the hall. Her day had officially begun.

In the middle of the afternoon, after naps, including one taken by Patty, she asked Sarah Ann if she would like to talk to her daddy on the telephone.

“No,” Sarah Ann said, folding her little arms over her chest. “I want to go get my daddy right now.”

“I know you do, sweetie,” Patty said, “but he can’t leave the hospital yet because of his boo-boos. Wouldn’t it be nice to say hello to him, though?”

“Guess so,” Sarah Ann said, nodding. “’Kay.”

“I want to talk to him, too,” Tucker said.

“Well, we’ll see,” Patty said.

A few minutes later, David answered the telephone in his hospital room.

“Hello?”

“David? It’s Patty. I have a lovely little girl here who would like to say hello to her daddy.”

“Really? Oh, geez, wait a minute, Patty. What do I say to her? I don’t know how I chat with her. Have you ever heard me call her a nickname that she’ll be expecting to hear? Like princess? Or pumpkin? Or whatever?”

“No.”

“What do I say?”

“Yes, you’re right,” Patty said, glancing at Sarah Ann, “that was a pretty picture she colored for you and I’m sure she’ll be pleased to know you liked it.”

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