Wife and Mother Wanted Read Free

indentation between his brows slipping into place with ease. While nothing short of disastrous plastic surgery could mar his good looks, he appeared so much friendlier when he wasn’t glowering at the world.
    ‘Yeah. Though it’s the kids I feel for. They’ll be terribly disappointed if the Easter Bunny doesn’t show tomorrow.’
    And nobody could relate to how they’d feel better than her. The nuns at the orphanage had talked up Santa’s impending visit for an entire month before Christmas, and though she’d been barely old enough to grasp the whole concept she’d looked forward to his arrival with the fervent passion of a child who had nothing else to look forward to.
    Of course the man in the red suit with his treasuretrove of presents had never arrived, and she still remembered the acute emptiness that had made her sob her little heart out.
    ‘Anyway, enough of my troubles. It’s not like you’re going to volunteer to help me out or anything.’
    Okay, so she was being more than a tad cheeky—but, hey, she was desperate, and if laying down a challenge to her grumpy neighbour in the hope that he would run with it could get her out of a fix, she’d do it.
    His frown deepened as he fixed her with a surly stare. ‘You’re right. Seems like you’ve got me all figured out. So, on that note, I’ve got a lunch date with my daughter.’
    Molly! She’d almost forgotten the whole reason behind this conversation, what with meeting the ogre—the very ogle-worthy ogre.
    ‘Speaking of Molly, I’d love it if she came over to play. She seems like a lovely little girl, and I’ve got loads of stuff she can check out in my garden—plus lots of stock from the shop.’
    He shook his head. ‘I don’t think so. Now, if you don’t mind, I really must go in.’
    She did mind! What was with this guy? Didn’t he know when to loosen up? When to let his daughter have a little fun?
    Granted, he didn’t know her, but anyone in town could vouch for her.
    And, just like that, an answer to the placate-the-dad-help-the-daughter problem popped into her head.
    ‘Okay, I won’t keep you, but why don’t you bring Molly along to the Easter pageant? All the local kids will be there, and you can witness my kid-friendly skillsfirst-hand. It’s at my shop in the main street, eleven o’clock tomorrow morning. It will give Molly a chance to meet and mingle with some new friends.’ And it might give you a reason to chuckle . Though, seeing the intense frown which deepened at her words, she doubted it.
    ‘I don’t know. I’m probably busy tomorrow.’
    For Pete’s sake—Ouch! Poor choice of P word. Would she ever get through to him?
    ‘Eleven o’clock. Fey For Fun. Molly will love it.’ She wanted to add be there or be square , but didn’t think he’d appreciate a bit of high-school frivolity. In fact, she had a feeling her brooding new neighbour wouldn’t go in for frivolous at all.
    ‘Now I need to find me an Easter Bunny. See you tomorrow.’ She sent him an airy wave and walked away, biting back a grin at the final glower he sent her way.
    So Brody Elliott was a grumpy grouch? She’d handled worse—like her adoptive father—and come away unscathed. She just hoped he’d do the right thing by Molly.
    Though she’d only just met the little girl, it looked as if Molly could do with some TLC—and she’d happily volunteer to inject some fun into her life.
    Now all she had to do was hope big, bad Brody would come to the party. Literally.

CHAPTER TWO
    ‘D AD ! Wow, look at all the fairies and stuff. Isn’t this shop the coolest?’ Molly bounced through the front door of Fey For Fun and Brody followed reluctantly, wondering what on earth had prompted him to do this.
    He had enough to worry about without wasting time with a bunch of kids he’d never met. Maybe he should be using the time to figure out how to raise his own child rather than secretly enjoying the brief taste of freedom from responsibility that the day