McKettrick's Heart by Linda Lael Miller

“Hey, there, handsome,” she said. “What’s your name?”
    â€œIt’s Lucas,” Molly told her.
    The little girls clomped over to inspect him.
    â€œI’m Rianna,” the smaller one said. “And this is my sister, Maeve. We’ve got a dog, but he’s at the vet, getting neutered. He has to stay there till Tuesday.” She looked up into Molly’s face, her expression earnest. “Does Lucas like dogs?”
    â€œI don’t know,” Molly said.
    â€œOur dog’s name is Scrappers, and he doesn’t bite. Dad got him at the pound when Snowball had to go home with her real owners.”
    Scrappers. Snowball. There was obviously a story here, but Molly couldn’t guess what it was.
    She didn’t know any children. Was this the kind of thing they liked to talk about? She glanced hopefully at Emma, who was still on her haunches, admiring Lucas. Her pink skirt fluffed out around her in a spill of soft material. “That’s really nice,” she said.
    Before Molly could figure out what was really nice, the conversation hit a snag.
    â€œHow come you don’t know if your own little boy likes dogs?” Rianna asked, clearly concerned.
    â€œLucas and I are…just getting to know each other,” Molly said awkwardly.
    â€œEnough questions,” Emma told the child gently, straightening. Her expression was solemn as she regarded Molly. “How about that coffee I promised?”
    Molly nodded gratefully. “Thanks,” she said.
    â€œDo you take sugar and cream?”
    â€œBlack, please,” Molly answered.
    Rianna and Maeve went back to their shoe pile.
    Lucas fidgeted, wanting out of the stroller.
    Emma went up the back stairs.
    Molly was just standing there, minding her own business and waiting for Emma to come back with the coffee, when the shop door banged open behind her.
    A girl-child dashed in, long butternut hair flowing behind her. “Shoes!” she yelled.
    Molly smiled—until she saw the man coming through the doorway in the little girl’s wake.
    Keegan.
    McKettrick.
    â€œI do read, you know,” Molly said defensively, to explain her presence.
    Keegan’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t say anything.
    Molly flushed, furious with herself. It was free country, for Pete’s sake. She didn’t need a reason to be in a bookstore.
    Keegan crouched in front of the stroller, much as Emma had done a few minutes before. “Hey, buddy,” he said.
    â€œHey, buddy,” Lucas echoed.
    Keegan smiled at that, and Molly was thunderstruck by the effect of it. The man’s whole countenance changed when he wasn’t being a judgmental hard-ass. There might even be a human being in there somewhere, behind all that attitude.
    As if he felt her gaze on him, Keegan looked up.
    The second Ice Age arrived instantly.
    â€œDoes Psyche know you’re here?” he asked, rising to his full height.
    Molly’s face heated. “No,” she snapped, keeping her voice down because of Lucas and the three little girls parading around in Emma’s high-heeled shoes. “I thought we’d make a break for it, Lucas and I. I plan to push his stroller overland. We’ll travel by night and sleep in trees during the day.”
    He chuckled, and the sound was even more disconcerting than the smile had been.
    Molly was still getting over it when Emma returned with the coffee.
    â€œKeegan!” she cried, and stood on tiptoe to kiss his cheek.
    â€œTell me you’ve come to your senses,” Keegan teased. “You’re dumping Rance and marrying me.”
    Molly, standing on the edge of the encounter, wondered what it would be like to know this other Keegan.
    Emma handed Molly a ceramic mug filled with fresh coffee, but she was looking at Keegan. Smiling. “You’re a shameless flirt,” she accused.
    The little girl who’d come in with Keegan high-heeled it over to Molly.