She let the drapes fall back across the window. Her mother had been right about one thing, there was no turning back, and things would never be the same. Now she’d seen Emily she wanted to be part of her life forever. Not that she didn’t think that Flynn had, and was doing a wonderful job with Emily, but knowing that her daughter had special needs and would for the rest of her life, Natalie couldn’t turn and walk away.
Sitting down, she pushed the hair from her eyes. Her mother had obviously known about Emily having Down syndrome, but hadn’t said anything. Not that she’d expected her to. She’d whisked away the baby and by the time Natalie had left the hospital, she’d already delivered the baby to her adoptive parents. What little information she’d been able to get from her mother, had just netted her the baby’s new home which she’d said was somewhere in South Dakota. Had Flynn and his then wife been living there at the time? Obviously that had to be the case.
Natalie leaned over and grabbed her laptop computer. She opened the lid. She’d chosen a motel with Wi-Fi so she could check her work e-mails. She told them she was taking an extended vacation. While she didn’t have any active cases, she had promised to check in now and then. Natalie clicked on the Internet icon and typed in Down syndrome in the search engine. She didn’t know the first thing about it and didn’t know anyone who had a child with it, so she had some catching up to do. Had she done something wrong before she’d gotten pregnant? If she had another baby would it be at risk of having it? Did it run in families? She knew her side of the family didn’t have anyone with it, but maybe Jon did. Her mind was spinning.
Maybe she could find a forum and ask questions of other parents. Maybe a doctor…
She was getting so ahead of herself here. She’d come to Timber Creek for the sole purpose of finding her daughter, keeping her promise to Jon, giving their child the letter he’d left, and then leave. But life wasn’t that simple and once a mother saw her offspring, maternal instincts kicked in.
Now she was making plans for a future that included her being in Emily’s life. What if she didn’t want that? What if Flynn wouldn’t allow it? And Flynn. She had to admit part of the sudden attraction of sticking around in Timber Creek had as much to do with him as it did her daughter.
She slapped shut the cover of the laptop.
Nothing in life was ever simple.
Chapter Six
Flynn hummed along to the music as he made his way to the motel to collect Natalie. He had a surprise for her. He and Rory had already pulled her car out of the ditch and it was waiting for her at the ranch. Apart from a little scratch on the paint close to the right headlight, it was damage free.
The sun was shining, and for the first time in ages, he felt sort of happy inside. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but he knew it wasn’t just the bright blue sky that was lifting his spirits. He’d met someone he found attractive and he was on his way to see her.
He glanced in the rearview mirror, checking his appearance one last time. In all honesty, it had been too long since he’d worried about how he looked. Even Emily had picked up on it this morning at breakfast when she’d pointed out that he was wearing one of his best shirts.
Flynn laughed. She’d even splashed aftershave on him. Yeah, just about everyone would be able to smell the sandalwood from miles away. He’d asked Rory to take Emily off to her school. That journey usually took him thirty minutes there and back, but today he wanted to treat Natalie to breakfast at his mother’s café. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been alone in the company of a lady who wasn’t his mother or sister-in-law.
Speaking of which, he slowed up when he saw his brother, Shane, getting in his truck at the convenience store.
“Morning Sheriff,” said Flynn.
“You going on a date or something?” asked Shane.
Hard as hell to keep anything to yourself in the Malone family.
“Just helping out a lady who got stuck in the ditch outside our place and thought she might like breakfast at Mom’s café.”
Shane leaned against the truck and smiled. “That’s how things began with me and Lacey. So when do I get to meet her?”
“I’m not sure she’ll be in town long. She’s from Florida but looking for a vacation home here.”
“Isn’t that supposed to be the other way around?” asked Shane.
Flynn shrugged. He didn’t care. She was here and she might be in town a lot if she found the right house.
“I’d love to chat more but I have to get these crackers to Lacey. She’s got the worst case of morning sickness and Doctor Croft said these should do the trick.”