Daddy 101 (American Romance) Read Free Page A

and he’d gotten a rather startling number of propositions from younger ladies. Many with photos attached. Keys, too. And of course there was that one memorable day when a busty blonde at the gym had asked him to autograph her left breast.
    He had the feeling the waitress would not be asking him to sign any body parts, and for that he was grateful. However, he wished she would quit staring. It was damn hard to concentrate with gazes poking him, and he knew, also from experience, that once one person had recognized him, soon everyone in the immediate vicinity would feel the need to gape. Luckily the diner only had a few patrons and two other waitresses.
    Ted answered the phone, and the staring was forgotten as Alex filled him in on his current situation. As predicted, Ted went ballistic when he found out about the delay. First, he wanted to send a jet to get Alex and Pete and fly them to New York. But Alex didn’t want to move the old dog. Besides, he had no intention of cutting his trip short. Then Ted wanted to fly the Los Angeles vet out to Pete, but Alex put the kibosh on that plan, too. He had a good feeling about Dani Jacobson, and he’d learned to trust his instincts. Pete was in capable hands.
    Ten minutes into the conversation, the waitress came back with his food. When Alex looked up to thank her, he saw that a few more tables were taken and the counter was getting crowded. But then Ted brought up Toronto, and Alex was instantly back to the matters at hand. He did, however, eat. He’d been right. It was an outstanding hamburger and the fries were damn good.
    Soon the business with Ted was over, and Alex hung up. He didn’t put the phone down, though. There were several matters that needed his personal attention, the first of which was calling his man in Canada. He dialed, then brought up a spreadsheet on his computer. It wasn’t until the third ring that he noticed the quiet.
    His stomach clenched and he felt a sudden chill. It was too quiet. There was no low murmur in the background, no orders being placed, no cash register jingle. Warily Alex raised his gaze.
    The diner was packed. Every counter seat, every booth, every table occupied. Maybe twenty people stood by the back wall. And every pair of eyes was focused on him.
    He was vaguely aware that someone on the phone said hello. His thumb moved to the disconnect button and he pressed it. The line needed to be clear for his call to 911.
    What had he stumbled into? All he could think of was that old movie The Birds. That’s what they looked like. The ravens and the finches lined up on the rooftops and the phone wires. At any moment, Alex expected to see Hitchcock himself. No one spoke. No one moved. They all just stared at him as though he were an exhibit...or a target.
    He slowly, very slowly, moved his arm down. The gazes of a hundred people followed that arm until it was hidden below the table. Then, as one, the stares shifted back to his face. He leaned to his right, just to see. Sure enough, everyone there moved with him. All of them leaned just a bit. He straightened. They straightened. The theme music from the “Twilight Zone” echoed in his head.
    If he got up and walked outside, would they follow? Or would they stop him before he cleared the door? Why wasn’t anyone blinking, for God’s sake?
    Just then, the door to the diner opened. No one bothered to look. They all just kept staring at him. He risked it, though. He turned his gaze to the door and saw that it was Dani. He instantly felt relieved. Until she stopped. Turned. Stared. For one crazy moment, he pictured her leading the charge. Shouting, “Get him!” and the whole damn crowd lunging forward. But then...
    “Oh, for heaven’s sake,” she said, her voice cutting through the silence as if it were a heavy blade. “Don’t you people have better things to do with your time?”
    She put her hands on her hips, and let her gaze rake the crowd. “Stephanie, you get back to school this