Julianna Morris - Bachelor Protector

Now he knew that he’d given up too easily. Lizzie’s actions had embittered him, and for a while he’d become the hardest-living son of a gun in the army. Instead he should have done his best to be a good dad.

“You hardly ever let me do anything to help around here,” he complained.

“That isn’t true,” Sarah shot back. “You shop for me every week, and you’re always finding something else to do. And that isn’t even counting all the work you did remodeling the two kitchens. Twice.”

“That’s nothing. I like being involved and knowing what’s going on.”

Kurt just wished he’d known more about Sarah’s troubles with her louse of a husband.

A timer buzzed and Sarah hurried to remove loaves of bread from the ovens.

Kurt went to the front counter and got a cup of joe, then ambled down the short hallway to the office to visit with Rosemary.

“Good morning, Kurt. Don’t you want something to go with your coffee?” she asked. “Sarah made poppy-seed muffins earlier. I’ve never seen anyone get as much done as she does.”

“That’s my girl. But I’d better not indulge, I already had her egg and ham pie when I brought over a batch of green onions from the greenhouse.” He patted his stomach.

* * *

ROSEMARY TRIED NOT to laugh. Sarah had confided that her father, along with the rest of the male half of Glimmer Creek, wouldn’t eat anything called quiche, so she’d put a puff pastry crust on top and called it egg pie.

“Working here is terrible for the waistline,” Rosemary admitted. “I haven’t tasted a single thing that isn’t delicious.”

“You’ve got a long way to go before you need to worry about your waistline,” Kurt assured her. “Me, I’ve got a linebacker build, unlike my brothers. I’m glad Sarah didn’t get my shape.”

Kurt’s large family intrigued Rosemary. Nine siblings, and most of them had several children, as well. It was sad that he’d never found someone else after his divorce, but she understood how difficult it was to risk loving again. After all, while her husband’s death had been devastating, the grief had also renewed an old, wrenching sorrow...the loss of her first child.

One-year-old Kittie had been the light of their lives. Bright and full of fun, she’d brought joy to everyone. It was only after her death from spinal meningitis that they’d moved to Washington, DC, and Richard’s dedication to his career had turned into an obsession. Rosemary hadn’t handled the loss any better; she’d dived into fund-raising for nonprofit organizations. They’d even decided not to have more children, only to discover Tyler was on the way.

“Sarah has your eyes,” Rosemary said, hoping her voice wouldn’t break. It wasn’t that she loved Tyler and Nathan any less, but it was wrenching to remember her daughter.

“Except they’re pretty on Sarah.” He grinned and drank a gulp of coffee.

Rosemary thought Kurt’s eyes were nice on him, too. He was an attractive man, not classically handsome like her husband had been, but good-looking, with a reassuring manner.

“Do you ever think about grandchildren?” she asked wistfully. A year earlier, she’d had high hopes of becoming a grandmother. Nathan had been engaged and looking forward to fatherhood, then his fiancée had decided she couldn’t handle being a soldier’s wife.

“I’d love them,” Kurt said, “but Sarah’s marriage was pretty bad. I don’t know when she’ll be ready.” He finished his coffee and got up. “Better get going. I wouldn’t want my daughter to think I’m interfering with your work.”

After a moment, Rosemary heard him in the kitchen saying goodbye to Sarah. She envied their close relationship. She’d seen it from her first day at the bakery when Kurt had delivered a load of supplies.

A thoroughly nice man, Rosemary had concluded after watching father and daughter together. She was glad for them, but it was a reminder that she didn’t have a similar relationship with her own children.

Maybe that was why she’d gone along when Nathan insisted on leaving the rehab hospital...because she’d hoped it might bring them closer.

* * *

GREAT-UNCLE MILT came into the shop to see Sarah shortly before the lunch-hour rush.

“Hey, Uncle Milt, how about a sandwich?” Sarah nodded to Aurelia, who began packing his favorite meal into a bag.

“I should say no, but I won’t. Just put it on my account. I mostly came to tell you about that fellow from yesterday.”

“Oh?” Sarah said cautiously, hoping he didn’t know Tyler had shown up again. “Let’s go for a walk.”

Aurelia handed Great-Uncle Milt his lunch, and they headed down the street.

“I spoke to Zach and he did a standard background check at the police station,” Great-Uncle Milt explained as they strolled toward the city park. “It turns out Tyler Prentiss is connected to an investigation in the Chicago area.”

Sarah nearly tripped. She didn’t have a high opinion of Rosemary’s eldest son, but she didn’t think he was a criminal.

“What sort of investigation?”

“Earlier in July a building under construction collapsed and injured several workers. Prentiss was the original architect, though another architect took over the project in February and made changes. Nonetheless, the owner is blaming Mr. Prentiss. The investigation could take months to resolve.”

Sarah wasn’t surprised that Rosemary had been silent about the incident; it wasn’t something you’d casually discuss. “It doesn’t sound as if he could be responsible if changes were made to his original design.”

“I realize that, and Prentiss’s work is highly regarded, which I’m sure the authorities are keeping in mind. Other than this, his record is spotless. Not even a speeding ticket.”

“I appreciate the update.”

Sarah wasn’t sure what to make of Great-Uncle Milt’s revelation, though it actually made her feel more sympathetic toward Tyler. She knew what it was like to be to be exhausted and not thinking straight.

Within just a few months, his father had died and his brother had been seriously injured, and now his career was under siege. What did they say about trouble coming in threes?

Rosemary had talked often about her sons since starting to work at the bakery, and a picture of Tyler had emerged as an extremely cool and measured man.

Sarah had begun to think of him almost as a hermit crab, toting around an oversize shell into which he could withdraw. The mental image still fit what she’d seen of his personality—except for the bad temper he’d shown—but she hadn’t expected his “shell” to be so...mouthwatering.

With a sigh, Sarah glanced at the clock tower on City Hall. “Sorry, Uncle Milt, but I have to scoot,” she said. “See you on Sunday.”

Sarah hurried back toward the sweet shop, and as bad luck would have it, ran into Tyler Prentiss going into the newly relocated Valentino’s Pizza Pizzazz. In such a small town, encounters were to be expected. She just wished it could have happened on a different day.

He gave her an inquiring look. “I thought you weren’t taking lunch.”

“I don’t take long lunches, though in this case I was discussing something with a relative, not eating.” Sarah resisted the temptation to say she had the right to do whatever she wanted, regardless of what she’d told him. “Uncle Milt is the former Glimmer Creek police chief.”

Tyler’s expression didn’t change. “Mom mentioned you have family in the area.”

“That’s right.”

Grandma Margaret called their family an embarrassment of riches. Sarah thought that was apt. She was fortunate to have so many people who cared about her.

Of course, she hadn’t always felt lucky when she was a teenager and couldn’t get away with a tiny bit of rebellion—too many relatives to see it.