LITMIR.BIZ

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really.”

      Cricket leaned back and smiled. “You’re going to have to tell me a bit more about what’s going on. Does Tilda want to search for him? Is that what’s bringing all this up?”

      “No, but I expect she will soon.” Ginny shrugged. “If for no other reason than she’s getting to be at that age, you know?”

      “How old is she now?”

      “Fourteen. I have pictures if you want to see them later,” Ginny said, grinning proudly.

      “Your daughter’s a teenager? How is that even possible?”

      Ginny chuckled. “You never were very good at math.”

      “All right, come on, let’s see the pictures.” Cricket thought back to her first visit home after graduating from college. She’d run into Ginny at the local supermarket. It had startled her to discover Ginny had a kid, which certainly explained why she’d left Julliard. All Cricket had been able to think was how horrible it must be for her. Her friend had shown so much promise. And Ginny was a smart girl, it seemed impossible that she’d have unprotected sex. Yet she couldn’t have planned the pregnancy either...

      Ginny handed over her phone. “Scroll through as many as you want. I’ve got a million of them.”

      Cricket smiled at the dark-haired preteen striking a goofy pose. The girl didn’t resemble Ginny, but maybe the father. “She’s a doll,” Cricket said, continuing through the photos. “She seems to have such a sweet disposition.”

      “Ah, you must be looking at the ones before she hit puberty.”

      “Ha. I bet she’s not half as bad as we were.”

      Ginny sniffed. “As you, maybe. I was a good kid.”

      Cricket glanced up and glared. Then she sighed. “Okay, you’re probably right.”

      “Probably?”

      “All right already.” Cricket couldn’t resist a few more pictures as it occurred to her that she was actually feeling a twinge of envy. Where was that coming from? She hadn’t thought much about kids, not for a while. That’s why she’d been okay hooking up with Grant. Her whole world was her job, although that might be changing in the very near future.

      Just as she was about to hand over the phone to Ginny, a deep, raspy voice stopped her short.

      “Sorry for the wait, ladies. What can I get you?”

      Cricket looked up into a pair of gray eyes. He was even better looking up close. His jaw was dark with stubble, which normally would’ve been a turnoff for her. But with his lean, tanned face and firm mouth, faintly curved as he held her gaze, he was the best-looking man she’d seen in a long time.

      Ginny cleared her throat. “I’ll have a frozen margarita, easy on the salt.”

      He turned a smile at her. “Got it,” he said before looking back at Cricket. “And you?”

      “Um, I guess the same.”

      His sudden frown came out of nowhere. He whipped a look toward the entrance. “Hey, what are you doing here?” he barked at two young kids who’d just stepped into the bar. “Back up. Now. Both of you.”

      “Mom said you’re supposed to watch us.” The boy tilted his head back and stared at the ceiling, his gaze bouncing from one colorful papier-mâché animal to the next. He pointed at the blue pig. “Is that pintana new?”

      “That’s not how you say it,” the little blonde girl, who looked to be about seven or eight, told the boy. “It’s called a pinta.”

      “Rose, Josh...” The man gave them a stern look. “What did I just say?”

      “That we can have an ice cream cone?” The girl flashed him a dimpled smile that he seemed to be having trouble ignoring. Guess who had Daddy wrapped around her little finger?

      “If you’re good, and you listen, then maybe.” He gestured toward the door. “Now, scram.”

      Josh wrinkled his freckled nose. “But...”

      “I mean it. You go around to my office and stay there till I tell you otherwise. Nothing less than a real emergency, like we talked about.” He swore quietly under his breath. “Damn kids... I’m gonna lose my liquor license.”

      “What’s a licker li—”

      “Come on, Josh.” A waitress cut him off and grabbed his hand. “Rose, you, too, let’s go,” she said, leading them outside.

      “Thanks, Tiffy,” he called after them, then rubbed a hand over his face and sighed. Just as he turned back to Cricket and Ginny, a tall, slim woman with strawberry blond hair rushed in.

      “Oh, my God, Wyatt, I’m so sorry. We were on our way over and I turned my head for only a second—”

      “It’s fine, Becky. I know how it is. Tiffy is taking them around to my office.”

      “I saw her. Look, I’ll only be gone a couple of hours...” She trailed off, studying his face. “Did you forget? You did, didn’t you? You said you’d keep an eye on them while—”

      “I didn’t forget,” Wyatt said.

      Cricket was willing to bet the farm he was lying, but he was damn good at it, she’d give him that.

      “I thought you were off today,” the woman, probably his ex-wife, looked confused.

      “I was. We got busy. Don’t worry about it. I’ll make sure they have dinner.”

      Becky made a face, clearly not thrilled with his offer.

      Wyatt gave her a wry smile. “Believe me, I’m not gonna do that again. Now, go.” He turned to Cricket. “Sorry about all this. Tell me again what you wanted. It’s on the house.”

      At this point she wasn’t sure she remembered. “Tell you what,” she said with a slow smile, “why don’t you surprise me?”

      He raised a questioning brow. “You sure?”

      “Positive.” His dark good looks accompanied by that sexy rasp in his voice were enough to send a little shiver down her spine. When was the last time that had happened? God, she really hoped Becky was an ex.

      “Uh-oh. That sounds too much like a dare,” Ginny said, laughing. “Bring her a margarita. You can surprise her another time.”

      Cricket glared at her. “What are you, my mother?”

      “I know you, Cricket. We have a function to attend tonight, and you aren’t weaseling out of it. You promised to be my date.”

      She knew what Ginny was getting at. Frank Geary, who had more money than brains—or anything else including class—was one person neither of them wanted to see. As luck would have it, he was hosting the welcome reception in a couple of hours and Ginny didn’t want her using the excuse she was sick.

      “Cricket? That’s your name?”

      “No,” Cricket said and Ginny said, “Yes.”

      “Interesting.” He extended his hand. “Wyatt.”

      Cricket responded in kind, liking his firm grasp, then felt greedy and petty when he let go to offer his hand to Ginny. It hadn’t even occurred to Cricket that her friend might share an interest in the guy. Although she seemed to have a lot on her mind concerning her daughter. And here Cricket was flirting instead of being the friend Ginny needed.

      “Coming right up with those margaritas,” Wyatt said, and turned with a grimace at the high-pitched voice of the kids coming from somewhere in the back.

      “Hubba hubba,” Ginny said, the second he was out of earshot.

      “Are you interested?”

      Ginny

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