Page 227 of Santa Daddies

“I should call the hotels and motels,” Anson said. “See if she’s booked in anywhere.”

“They won’t tell you that.”

“They will if they think she’s my wife. It’s that or drive past them all and see if her vehicle is there.”

Joey rushed into the room. “She’s not up there. I saw Caldwell and he said he hasn’t heard from her and that he’splanning on renting the place out to someone else. Asshole wouldn’t give me her phone number.”

“He can’t do that,” Anson growled. “Alice said she paid for it until past Christmas. I need to talk to him.”

“Maybe do that after you find her,” Miles said. “Call around, but I never heard you say that you were going to pretend to be her husband. It’s my day off, so I’ll drive around town and see if I can see her vehicle. We’ll find her.”

They better.

Because now that he had decided that he wanted her in his life . . . nothing else was acceptable.

Chapter Ten

Alice ignored the knocking on the motel door.

She didn’t feel like talking to anyone. She’d fully regressed in an effort to protect herself. She was holding onto Lola tight and she had her pink fluffy onesie on. It had a cute white-lace tutu that was attached to the waistband.

She also had her thumb in her mouth and was sucking hard. George had hated when she sucked on her thumb. He’d actually put that gross-tasting stuff on her nails in an effort to stop her from sucking on her thumb or biting her fingernails. Another habit he’d hated.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Why wouldn’t they go away? She’d prepaid the room. She’d put up aDo Not Disturbsign. Why would anyone need to speak to her?

Alice hugged Lola tighter.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Go. Away.

The pain of Anson’s words had buried themselves like barbs in her body. She couldn’t believe how much it had hurt. Was still hurting . . .

But she didn’t blame him for the conclusion that he’d come to. It was her own fault. What was she doing taking notes about his life? About him?

So stupid.

She shouldn’t have put him in her book. But mostly she’d written notes to remember him.

She hadn’t expected to be shoved out the door after having the best sex of her life. Her body still tingled when she thought about the way he’d touched her, the feelings that he’d brought out of her.

Why had the best moment of her life been followed by one of the worst?

That seemed to be her life.

Nothing good was allowed in it. Nothing good happened to her.

Still, even though she knew that she would never have a shot at forever with Anson, she’d hoped to leave on good terms. To take away some good memories.

She wouldn’t have used his real name, but she might have developed an injured character with a tortured past. A hero who lived alone and pushed everyone away. Maybe a mountain man with a beard and big muscles and a strong protective streak.

A piece of Anson could have appeared in all of her heroes. But she would never have told anyone about him.

How could he think that?

She sniffed. Great. Now, she was crying. Just what she needed to make her life better.