Protecting Peggy by Maggie Price Page A

died.
    He knew too well what happened to a child when it lost the only parent who loved them.
    â€œYou can have a cookie, too, Mr. Rory.”
    His chin lifted. Peggy sat at the table, giving him a mild look while taking the first bite from the frosting-laden cookie balanced on her fingertips. Samantha, still clad in the hot-pink romper from that morning, looked at him, eagerness glowing in her dark eyes.
    â€œJust one?”
    â€œWell, one at a time,” Samantha said, giving him a stern look.
    â€œUse both hands,” Peggy cautioned as her daughter retrieved the paper plate off the table.
    Rory walked around the island, crouching when Samantha reached him. “Thanks.” He flicked a meaningful look at Peggy. “There’s nothing better than having a beautiful woman make me dessert.”
    Samantha giggled. “I’m not a woman.”
    â€œNo, but you’re a looker.”
    â€œWhat’s a looker?”
    â€œYou.” Rory tweaked her nose, took the plate, thenrose and placed it on the island. He selected a hopelessly deformed cookie, then bit it. He blinked as his system absorbed the punch of sugar.
    â€œWhat’s in there?”
    He glanced down. Samantha was now standing on sneaker-clad tiptoes, peering over the edge of the counter into the sack he’d carried home from the hospital’s gift shop. He had intended to check with Peggy before giving Samantha the gift. Too late now.
    â€œIt’s a present for you.” Reaching into the bag, he pulled out the fuzzy pink rabbit, then stooped down until he and Samantha were eye to eye. “I spotted her in the window of the hospital’s gift shop. She looked lonesome. I decided you were the right person to keep her company.”
    â€œA new Bugs!” Samantha squealed as she engulfed the rabbit in her arms. “Momma, Mr. Rory bought me a new Bugs!”
    Peggy’s eyes were warm when they met his. “I see.”
    â€œThank you, Mr. Rory!” Samantha threw herself at him, wrapping a thin arm around his neck. The hug went straight to Rory’s heart.
    With a stranglehold on the rabbit, Samantha dashed back to Peggy. “Now Bugs has a friend. Her name’s Bugsy. Momma, can I take them to the arts festival tomorrow night?”
    â€œI think they’ll both fit in your backpack.”
    â€œâ€™N Mr. Rory, too?”
    With a laugh, Peggy ruffled her daughter’s dark curls. “I don’t think he’ll fit in your backpack.”
    â€œI know,” Samantha said with exasperation. “Can we take him with us to the festival?”
    Peggy looked up, met his gaze. She had a beautifully expressive face. He could read every emotion. He knew without a doubt she was as uneasy as he was about the attraction that drew them like divining rods to water.
    â€œMr. Sinclair was just telling me about all the work he has to do tomorrow. I doubt he has time to go to the festival.”
    â€œI’ll make time,” Rory said quietly. Folded in his pocket was Blake Fallon’s list with the names of everyone who stood to gain if he lost his job as director of Hopechest Ranch. On a second list were the names of people who might take revenge on Blake for his father having made two attempts on Joe Colton’s life. Not only would attending the festival give Rory a chance to meet some of those people, he would also get a flavor for Prosperino and a lay of the land. That might come in handy later if it turned out someone had purposely contaminated the ranch’s water.
    â€œJust let me know what time I need to be ready,” he said, then took another bite of cookie. The fact that he found himself anticipating spending more time with the intriguing mother and daughter who currently gazed at him from across the kitchen was something he chose not to examine too closely.

Six
    T here is no Mrs. Sinclair.
    Peggy blew out a breath as she arranged Rory’s lunch on a white wicker tray.