Lover's Lane (37 page)

“You can do this yourself,” she suggested. “You can hook up with a service on the Internet, run a search and eventually track down Amy Simmons, if not her child, maybe in a matter of hours.”

Ty shook his head. “I bought a book on how to find anyone anyplace, and it’s not as easy as it sounds. I have Amy’s parents’ last known address, but that was a dead end. I can’t devote round-the-clock time to this because the new owner of Kamp Kodiak has asked me to stay on until the end of the year and help make the transition as smooth as possible. I built up a lot of repeat visitors and he doesn’t want to lose them.”

“So where do you live now?”

“I moved back here for good. I’m hoping that Amy’s child . . . that our child, is somewhere in California. I run the Kamp Kodiak Web site and guest registration from here, but I’ve already had to make three trips back to Alaska in the past couple of months. So,” he shrugged, “I’m anxious as hell, but the search has been slow going. It’s definitely not as simple as it looks in the book.”

“Hey, that’s why I make the big bucks.”

“Really?”

When she laughed, he realized she was joking and finally smiled again. It was such a slow, steady smile that it warmed her in places she hadn’t been warm in a long, long time.

Ty Chandler spelled trouble. She felt it in her bones. More specifically, she felt it in her heart—a heart that, despite her best efforts not to notice, was letting her know that it hadn’t turned to stone after all.

Maybe it was her imagination, but whenever Ty Chandler looked at her, she got the feeling he might be interested in more than just her investigative skill.

She’d have to be blind not to be aware of his good looks, but it was his story and his desire to find his child that moved her most. Still, the worst thing she could do was take his case based on an emotional reaction to his situation.

She rubbed the bandage on her hand, reminded of what happened the night she let herself feel sorry for Sandi Kline.

She held up her injured hand, waved it back and forth in front of him.

“I’d have to use the Internet, and I can’t type right now.”

His smile intensified into the eye-crinkling, heart-stirring smile that made certain actors major box office material.

“No problem. I took first place in the Twilight High typing contest.”

Maybe it was the beautiful June day, or the fact that the sun was shining and the birds were singing. Maybe her brain wasn’t used to all this pure, smog-free air. Maybe it was the thought of all the peace and quiet that really scared the hell out of her. Or the echo of Jake’s words—“You need more in your life than work, Kung Fu videos, and one-night stands.”

She wished Ty Chandler’s eyes weren’t shining with as much unrelenting hope as they were warmth.

“You’re not lying about the typing, are you?”

He shook his head. “Nope. Besides, if I’m part of the search, I won’t have to keep bugging you about how it’s going.”

“You’re absolutely
sure
you want to do this?” She might very well be asking herself the same thing about having to work with him.

“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my whole life.”

She wished she could say the same.

“So when do we get started?” He was up and out of the chair and raring to go.

“Started?”

“Searching.”

“Did I
say
I was taking the case?”

“You haven’t said you wouldn’t.”

She couldn’t help but laugh. “I just got up. I need a shower and a cup of coffee in the worst way.”

“But you will take the case?”

“Against my better judgment.”

No doubt women weren’t in the habit of turning him down.

She looked at her left hand again, a painful reminder of the last time she let her emotions get wrapped up with a client’s needs and wants. But she was a big girl and when it came to protecting her heart, she could be tough as nails if she had to be.

“I call all the shots,” she warned.

“Right. You’re the boss.”

“Before we do anything, I’ll go over my retainer fee.”

“Great.” He actually looked thrilled to be spending his money.

Jake was going to throw a fit when he found out she’d taken on a client.

“How about I go get some coffee started?” Ty suggested. “How do you like it?”

“Strong and hot.” She didn’t realize how that must have sounded to him until she looked up and caught him smiling.

“I think I can handle that.” He stepped aside to let her pass.

That’s just what I’m afraid of.

As she walked into the house, she hoped he hadn’t noticed her blush.

Look for these exhilirating historical romances from JILL MARIE LANDIS

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RANCHER SEEKING WIFE. For Kate Whittington, the modest words of a newspaper ad are the answer to her prayers. But when Kate arrives at the Lone Star Ranch eager to meet her new husband, she is greeted by the news that Reed Benton has never heard of Kate, never wrote the searing letters that charmed her heart. Reed Benton doesn’t want a wife. But he does need someone to look after the wild child who may be his long lost son. It will take a miracle to heal these two damaged souls—or the faith of one woman with nothing left to lose but her heart.

MAGNOLIA CREEK

Sara Collier marries the dashing Dru Talbot, just before he rides off to join the Confederate army. But fate cuts short their chance for happiness when Dru dies tragically on the battlefield. As a widow, Sara rises above her grief, refusing to mourn her life away. A year after the war’s end, battle-scarred surgeon Dru Talbot surprises everyone when he returns home, clinging to the dream of starting over with his bride. Yet nothing could have prepared Dru for the truth that awaits him in Magnolia Creek.

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Lover’s Lane
is a work of fiction. Names, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

A Ballantine Book
Published by The Random House Publishing Group

Copyright © 2003 by Jill Marie Landis

This book contains an excerpt from the forthcoming edition of
Heat
Wave,
copyright © 2004 by Jill Marie Landis. This excerpt has been set for this edition only and may not reflect the final content of the book.

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. Published in the United States by The Random House Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York, and simultaneously in Canada by Random House of Canada Limited, Toronto.

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