Page 14 of Small Town Prince Charming

“The football captain?” The Will Nadler she remembered had been a jock, big jerk, and bully around campus.

“That’s him. I thought I loved Carol.” The muscle in his jaw twitched. “I got out of the relationship, but never got over the guilt. Sasha is loved, so there is that, but then the situation with Jessica happened. I bailed her out a few times, but then she got busted for selling, and before she went to trial, she overdosed.”

“Ryan.” She had no idea. “I’m sorry.”

“She wasn’t sorry.” He chuckled without mirth. “She couldn’t get out of the grip of her addiction. Her daughter, her family...none of it mattered. Then she overdosed. Maisey had no one but me.”

“Maisey got lucky.”

“Sometimes I wonder. People see her and remember Jess. They look at her like she’s Jess all over again and that’s not fair. The little comments about her being a Greene, and how that means she’ll be a hellion keep cropping up.” Ryan situated himself between her thighs. The worry lines at the corners of his eyes deepened and his shoulders slumped. “I found out how much money my sister owed to credit card companies, and I about shit myself. A hundred thousand dollars’ worth of debt. Then there were the legal bills. I’ll still be paying this stuff when I’m forty.”

Tracey shook her head sadly. “That’s not right.”

“I’m not a bad guy, but there are days when I feel like I’m not doing anything right. Like I did let everyone down.”

She hugged him and held him tight. “You’re not alone, and you’re not a bad guy. Maisey loves you and I’m here. We’ll figure something out. We will.”

Ryan, all six feet of muscle and bone, melted into her embrace and sighed again. “I hope you’re right.”

He’d given her the truth, so she decided to share a bit herself. “I know I am. I didn’t come back to Blakes Creek to make a mark on the local theatre scene. I came back because I hated the energy and chaos of the city. I never belonged there.”

“And you belong here?” He opened his eyes. “Trace?”

“I do.”

He let go of her hands and cupped her jaw. Her skin sizzled under his palms. Yearning stirred within her, and she licked her lips. She’d waited for this chance for years.

“Daddy?”

Ryan let go and hopped backward. “Maisey.”

Tracey hadn’t heard the little girl come into the kitchen. “Hi.” Oh God. She had to say something to Maisey. “Uh...”

“Are you checking her for ticks, too?” Maisey shook her head. “We didn’t go to the park, Daddy.” She rolled her eyes. “Grown-ups.”

Ticks? There had to be a story here. Tracey checked her phone. “The food is here. I should run down and pick it up, but I want to know about the ticks.”

Ryan scrubbed both hands over his face. “I’ll tell you—after we eat.”

“Deal.”

Chapter Four

Ticks...why did Maisey have to mention the ticks? Ryan swallowed his embarrassment, but not by much. His daughter knew how to interrupt a moment.

Tracey hopped off the counter and hurried from the room.

Maisey shrugged. “Is it time to eat?”

“Soon. Miss Tracey is getting our dinner.” Ryan knelt in front of his daughter. “I wasn’t checking her for ticks.”

“Good. I don’t like those gross things.” Maisey folded her arms. “I like Miss Tracey. She talks to me.”

“And she has TV, too.” He smoothed the wrinkles in her shirt. “She is a nice lady.”

“You like her.”

“We’re friends.” Tracey was a friend who made it hard to think straight. She fried his brain. Jesus. Between Maisey’s tick comment and seeing Tracey, then the almost kiss...he needed a second to breathe. His heart soared, despite his worry he wouldn’t be enough for Tracey.

---