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Even as she asked herself the question, images of the attractive, warm-eyed man she’d seen in photos didn’t match the bill. Neither did the few memories her mother had shared with her.
Allegra Ellis and Ace Colton might have had an unintended consequence of their teenage romance while both on family vacations at a resort up in Montana, but from all her mother said he was a good person, even then. She’d spoken of his talk of his family and the warmth with which he spoke of his siblings, Ainsley and Grayson, his adoptive brother, Rafe, and his half siblings, Marlowe, Callum and Asher.
In her own way, Allegra had made it all sound so magical, and it was only as her story went on and on that she shared what Ace had told her on their last night together. While he hoped for a bond with his family, there were cracks in their relationships. His father’s multiple marriages and the sheer number of siblings weren’t quite as problem-free as it seemed. Yes, he loved them, but things weren’t quite as easy as he’d made it all out to be.
And then he’d told Allegra the biggest secret of all. That he had a girlfriend back home. One he was likely being groomed to marry.
Although she was well past childhood, Nova had listened to her mother’s story with a mix of shock and envy and, at the evidence of Ace’s youthful choices, sadness. How much time had been lost?
And what would her life have been like if he and her mother hadn’t been inexperienced teenagers?
Questions that had no bearing on her current reality.
Allegra had talked of other things, as well, all more evidence that the fleeting days she’d spent with Ace had meant so much to her. Ace’s future at Colton Oil and his love for the family home in Mustang Valley, Arizona: Rattlesnake Ridge Ranch. Allegra had smiled as she’d spoken of it, her desire to have had a chance to see it—the “Triple R,” she’d said with a smile—had been clear.
Nova shook her head, willing those memories to offer more clues about her father than the latest shocking headline in the Mustang Valley paper. Ace Colton had to be a good man.
She was betting her future on it.
Which, she well knew, flew totally in the face of the harsh lessons that had come from her relationship with Ferdy.
Her gaze caught on a wooden bench on the main thoroughfare through Mustang Valley and the image of that breakfast bar shimmered in her mind’s eye once more. She was hungry and it was important to keep up her strength. And despite thinking of it all through her drive out to Arizona, she was no closer to understanding how to approach her real father.
Hey Dad, I’m here. The kid you never knew you had. Pregnant and alone and on the run from a possible criminal. Aren’t you happy to meet me?
Shaking off the grim thoughts, she dug out that breakfast bar and opened it up, forcing herself to take small bites instead of devouring it in four like she really wanted to. It was all she had for a while and she’d better make it last. Plus, hadn’t she read somewhere that eating slowly made you feel more full?
Doubting that was at all possible, she took a small bite anyway and chewed, thinking about the tiny human she carried inside.
She was going to be someone’s mother.
In her more vulnerable moments the idea was scary beyond measure. In her quieter ones, like now, she considered what it all meant. Yes, she would be totally responsible for a defenseless human, but she’d also have a beautiful child to raise and watch him or her grow up.
Pride swelled within her at the thought and she laid a protective hand over her stomach. She could do this. If the past five months had taught her anything, it was that.
She was capable and not nearly as helpless as she’d allowed herself to believe in those alone and adrift days after her mother had died. And she refused to ever be that vulnerable again. She had two capable hands and wasn’t afraid of work. Somehow she’d find a way.
If she found it with the support of her birth father, then she’d be thankful and grateful. And if he didn’t want her and the baby in his life, she’d still be thankful and grateful she’d found out, and move them both on.
“Nothing but upside,” she whispered down at her stomach. “Because we’ll have each other.”
The baby gave a swift kick, as if in agreement. Which was silly—it was most likely due to the sugar content in all that strawberry filling that had hit the baby’s bloodstream—but Nova could allow herself the quiet moment to believe it was agreement, anyway.
A soft breeze whipped up, swirling the ends of her hair in the warm spring sun and Nova’s gaze caught on a building across the street.
Nikolas Slater, Private Investigator.
Nova considered the sign and the tagline beneath his name—Results. Period.—and wondered if this Mr. Slater might be able to help her. She had no money and no earthly idea if this man would even listen to her, but it couldn’t hurt to talk to him. Who knew, he might take some pity on her and at least answer a few questions for free.
Maybe?
Besides, if he was a resident of Mustang Valley he might at least know about the town grapevine and any news traveling on it about her father.
The idea took shape and form, the breakfast bar forgotten in her hand.
Did she dare?
It was a leap to let someone in but this PI might be the answer to her prayers. At the very least he might have some pull in getting her an introduction to her father or a few answers to all the questions that had dogged her since she’d left New York.
