LITMIR.BIZ

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She smiled and then took the card. The company was a well-known construction firm that built large-scale buildings, dams and roads worldwide.

      For a moment Susan wanted to give her number to this stranger. She’d run into him briefly yesterday and then again today. She didn’t know him from Adam, but he had helped her yesterday. He didn’t know where she lived, so couldn’t be following her. If he were staying around here, this park was a nice place to sit in the sunshine.

      He interested her in a way a man hadn’t in a long time.

      She felt suddenly alive around him.

      Blinking, she looked away. For some reason he seemed more confident and secure than the men she usually saw on a daily basis—without being overbearing or arrogant.

      She checked on Danny again and then looked around at the other benches occupied with parents and others visiting the park. She always kept watch to make sure Danny was safe. Today she’d forgotten to pay attention to Danny every second. He was fine, but it was unlike her to forget him even for a second.

      Being with Zack stirred her senses and made her more curious than warranted. And had her offering to help where no help was asked for. Maybe he liked living in a hotel. Why had she opened her mouth and made such an impulsive offer? It was unlike her. Or at least the her she’d been the last couple of years.

      Susan waved to Danny when he yelled to her. He ran over, eyeing Zack suspiciously.

      “Come and have a drink of water. You’ve been running around so much,” she said, drawing a bottle of water from her tote.

      “Who is that?” Danny asked, staring at Zack.

      “The man who helped me look for you yesterday, remember? Zack Morgan,” Susan said.

      Danny drank his water and then smiled. “Hi,” he said.

      “Hi yourself,” Zack replied. He studied the child for a moment then smiled. “You like the slides I can tell.”

      “Yes. I can climb up all by myself and then go down. Watch.” Danny thrust the water back at Susan and ran back to the slide, waiting his turn to mount the stairs and slide down. He looked at Zack with pride.

      Zack made a thumbs-up sign.

      “He’s so proud of his accomplishments,” Susan said. “I keep hoping he’ll adjust to his father’s death. He keeps looking for Tom whenever we go out.”

      “Tough break for both of you,” Zack said.

      Susan nodded. “And scary if he runs off like yesterday.”

      Zack stretched slowly and then rose. “I have to get moving. I’m stiffening up,” he said. He reached for the paper and looked at Susan. “Want this or shall I toss it?”

      “I’ll take it if you’re finished with it. Are you okay?”

      “I will be, just need to keep moving. Nice to talk to you.”

      “We’ll come tomorrow, you can give me your phone number and I’ll let you know if I hear of a sublet.” She watched as he walked away. She could tell he was in pain. She hadn’t noticed a limp yesterday, but he definitely was favoring his left leg as he slowly walked on the path through the park. Once he reached the sidewalk, it wasn’t long before he was lost from view.

      Susan studied his card. Zackary Morgan, engineer. He was as different from Tom as any man she knew. His hand had been callused and hard. He was tanned and rugged. He lived in foreign countries and did work only a very few could handle. Yet their paths had crossed and Susan was glad for it.

      She may have been a tad pushy about offering to find him a place, but she wanted to do something for him. He’d offered her help yesterday. Now it was her turn.

      Was that all? To repay his offer? She refused to dwell on why, but she hoped she had not seen the last of Zackary Morgan.

      CHAPTER TWO

      SUNDAY it rained. Susan was disappointed. There would be no going to the park that day. After breakfast, she stood at the window for a little while, watching the water trace down the pane. It was not a quick shower that would end soon. She had wanted to take Danny out.

      And maybe run into Zack.

      Sighing softly, she turned and went to gather the laundry. It was a chore she never relished. The dark basement that housed the two washing machines for their building gave her the creeps. She wished it could be painted and more light added. At least she didn’t have to go to a public laundry and wait. So far no one had taken her clothes when she had left them in the apartment laundry.

      It was early afternoon when the phone rang. Susan answered quickly. Danny was sleeping and she didn’t want him to waken.

      “Hi, darling,” her mother greeted her.

      “Hi, Mom.”

      “Your father’s napping, so I thought I’d call.” Her mother usually called once every week or so from Florida. Susan missed her parents and relished their chats on the phone.

      “Danny’s sleeping, too,” Susan said, settling down on the sofa.

      “How are things?” her mother asked.

      “Okay. Danny scared me to death on Friday.” Quickly Susan gave her mother a recap. “I don’t know what to do with his chasing after men thinking they are Tom.”

      “He’ll grow out of it sooner or later,” her mom said.

      “But in the meantime, I could die of fright if he disappears again. Or he could seriously get lost or abducted.”

      “What he needs is a father figure. That’s what he’s missing. I wished we lived closer. Your father loves the time he spends with Danny.”

      The image of Zack Morgan rose. She frowned. Why had he sprung to mind when her mother spoke of a father figure? He was the last person who would be interested in children. He said he hadn’t been around them. His job would not be good for any kind of family life.

      But she could fantasize. That he’d ask her out. That he’d like to spend time with Danny. The bubble burst. The only dates she’d had in the last two years had not ended well. She resigned herself to her single status—at least for another ten years or so.

      “I worry about you two living in that neighborhood,” her mother was saying.

      “We’ve been through this, Mom. It’s the best I can do.”

      “You could move down here. It’s less expensive.”

      “And do what?”

      “Teach.”

      “I love my job. It’s exciting and keeps me up on all the world events.”

      “But you are so far away and we miss seeing Danny.”

      Susan refrained from reminding her mother they had moved away three years ago, not her. Florida offered a better climate for her father. She missed them, even more after Tom had died. But she did not want to move there herself. She’d miss New York too much. Besides, she was managing fine.

      “I’ll send more pictures,” she offered.

      “It’s not the same. I’ll call back later and talk with Danny,” her mother said.

      “He’d like that, Mom.”

      They chatted a few more minutes. Susan hung up and leaned back on the sofa. It was still raining. She might have chanced the park had it been warmer. Just to walk over in case Zack had walked there for exercise. She could tell he had been in pain yesterday sitting on the bench. She wished she knew more about his injuries and if he would completely recover. She hoped so. He looked too virile and active to be satisfied with a desk job when he could be out building mammoth structures.

      The rainy weather continued until Friday and by Saturday morning, Susan was anxious

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