only two blocks. If we take it slow, maybe you can make it that far. " He bent his head and craned his neck to see her face. "Is my arm hurting you?"
With the thick coat to provide cushion, the pressure on her bruises was painful but not unbearably so. His support also helped to ease the ache across her lower back. Shaking her head, she said, "Did you hear me? I have to find a job so I can send for my little sister. Will another train leave here this morning?"
Without offering a reply, he set off, keeping a slower pace this time and supporting her weight against him. Finally he said, "You can leave tomorrow morning. " As he spoke, he drew her inexorably along the sidewalk. Maggie felt like a condemned prisoner being dragged to the execution chamber. "At the motel, you can eat a little something and get some sleep. Right now, you couldn't work to save your soul, and you know it. What do you do, anyway?"
She blinked, wishing the air weren't so cold. It hurt to breathe. She cast another worried glance at her baby. "Is Jaimie's face covered?"
"He's bundled up like an Express Mail package. "
He drew to a stop on a curb, puffs of vapor forming
BABY LOVE 47
with his breath as he glanced up and down the empty street. The building fronts were a blur to Maggie, but even so, she noted the absence of automobiles at the parking meters that lined the sidewalks. "Where is everyone?"
"When I walked into town earlier, I saw a sign that says the population inside the city limits is only a little over four thousand, and if that clock inside the bank is right, it's only nine-forty, which is still pretty early.
This is largely a ranching community, and ranchers don't usually come to town until they've finished morning chores. "
What bank? Maggie blinked again, feeling oddly separated from reality. "Do you do secretarial or assembly-line work?" he asked as he guided her across the icy asphalt to the opposite curb. "Prior's not that big a town. I can't imagine its being a hub of opportunity. "
"Waitress, " she managed to reply.
"Ah. " He sounded none too impressed.
Maggie tried to straighten away from him, but the circle of his arm around her was as unyielding as forged steel. "I know it's a dead-end job, but I make—really good tips. A better monthly take-home than any secretary, that's for sure. Prestige takes a second seat when you have a family to feed and bills to pay. "
He glanced down at her, the shadow cast by his hat brim concealing the expression in his eyes. "A family to feed, huh? Does that mean you're married and have other kids besides Jaimie?"
"No, I—" Maggie caught herself before she said too much. She angled him a look. "Fishing for information, Mr. Kendrick?"
He smiled. "And getting nowhere fast. Unfortunately for you, mysterious women have always fascinated me. So... you make good tips?" He nodded. "I can believe it. "
She wondered what he meant by that, but she was too weary to pursue it. The sidewalk ahead of her seemed
48 CATHERINE ANDERSON
to stretch for a thousand miles. Her legs felt heavy and rubbery. "How much farther is it, anyhow?"
"Not very far. " He drew to a stop, cradling her against him. "We'll just rest here a minute. There's no fire, right?"
His broad chest was there, offering a perfect spot to lay her cheek. Maggie tried to resist, but she couldn't.
With numb arms, she hugged the package and nestled in beside Jaimie to lean against him. As if he understood how weak and woozy she felt, he supported nearly all her weight. "I'm sorry, " she grated out.
"I'm afraid you struck a poor bargain. I feel sort of sick. "
"Sick?" he repeated sharply. "Where?"
"All over. Like I've been run over by a truck, and I'm kind of nauseated. "
She felt the steamy warmth of his breath on the crown of her head. "If the pain in those ribs doesn't ease up, I'm taking you to the hospital. "
"No. " Maggie tried to push away from him, only to be foiled by his hold on her. "I told you, I can't go around a bunch
With the thick coat to provide cushion, the pressure on her bruises was painful but not unbearably so. His support also helped to ease the ache across her lower back. Shaking her head, she said, "Did you hear me? I have to find a job so I can send for my little sister. Will another train leave here this morning?"
Without offering a reply, he set off, keeping a slower pace this time and supporting her weight against him. Finally he said, "You can leave tomorrow morning. " As he spoke, he drew her inexorably along the sidewalk. Maggie felt like a condemned prisoner being dragged to the execution chamber. "At the motel, you can eat a little something and get some sleep. Right now, you couldn't work to save your soul, and you know it. What do you do, anyway?"
She blinked, wishing the air weren't so cold. It hurt to breathe. She cast another worried glance at her baby. "Is Jaimie's face covered?"
"He's bundled up like an Express Mail package. "
He drew to a stop on a curb, puffs of vapor forming
BABY LOVE 47
with his breath as he glanced up and down the empty street. The building fronts were a blur to Maggie, but even so, she noted the absence of automobiles at the parking meters that lined the sidewalks. "Where is everyone?"
"When I walked into town earlier, I saw a sign that says the population inside the city limits is only a little over four thousand, and if that clock inside the bank is right, it's only nine-forty, which is still pretty early.
This is largely a ranching community, and ranchers don't usually come to town until they've finished morning chores. "
What bank? Maggie blinked again, feeling oddly separated from reality. "Do you do secretarial or assembly-line work?" he asked as he guided her across the icy asphalt to the opposite curb. "Prior's not that big a town. I can't imagine its being a hub of opportunity. "
"Waitress, " she managed to reply.
"Ah. " He sounded none too impressed.
Maggie tried to straighten away from him, but the circle of his arm around her was as unyielding as forged steel. "I know it's a dead-end job, but I make—really good tips. A better monthly take-home than any secretary, that's for sure. Prestige takes a second seat when you have a family to feed and bills to pay. "
He glanced down at her, the shadow cast by his hat brim concealing the expression in his eyes. "A family to feed, huh? Does that mean you're married and have other kids besides Jaimie?"
"No, I—" Maggie caught herself before she said too much. She angled him a look. "Fishing for information, Mr. Kendrick?"
He smiled. "And getting nowhere fast. Unfortunately for you, mysterious women have always fascinated me. So... you make good tips?" He nodded. "I can believe it. "
She wondered what he meant by that, but she was too weary to pursue it. The sidewalk ahead of her seemed
48 CATHERINE ANDERSON
to stretch for a thousand miles. Her legs felt heavy and rubbery. "How much farther is it, anyhow?"
"Not very far. " He drew to a stop, cradling her against him. "We'll just rest here a minute. There's no fire, right?"
His broad chest was there, offering a perfect spot to lay her cheek. Maggie tried to resist, but she couldn't.
With numb arms, she hugged the package and nestled in beside Jaimie to lean against him. As if he understood how weak and woozy she felt, he supported nearly all her weight. "I'm sorry, " she grated out.
"I'm afraid you struck a poor bargain. I feel sort of sick. "
"Sick?" he repeated sharply. "Where?"
"All over. Like I've been run over by a truck, and I'm kind of nauseated. "
She felt the steamy warmth of his breath on the crown of her head. "If the pain in those ribs doesn't ease up, I'm taking you to the hospital. "
"No. " Maggie tried to push away from him, only to be foiled by his hold on her. "I told you, I can't go around a bunch