Read Accidental Father for Free Online Page A

Marissa died, it had been three years since Julianne had seen her sister. They were both busy. Marissa had her work; Julianne had just landed the position with the orchestra. They talked often, e-mailed more frequently. They’d fully intended to see each other—for the holidays or one of their birthdays. Or when Liam was born…
    The wind whipped her hair across her face, making her eyes water. She stopped and pretended that something had blown into her eye.
    â€œAre you all right?” Alex asked.
    â€œYes, I’ll be fine. Just give me a moment. Let me close my eyes and see if it’ll water itself out.”
    Actually, no, she wasn’t fine. She was a coward. That was the long and short of it. She’d been too afraid to venture to war-torn Afghanistan to be with her pregnant sister when Marissa needed her most, when she was giving birth. Julianne hadrationalized it—written it off with valid excuses. Perfectly valid, rational, reasonable excuses.
    She had performances. Her orchestra mates needed her. She couldn’t just up and leave. They were planning this European tour, rehearsing night and day…and even though she wouldn’t be there when Liam was born they could meet in Paris when Julianne was here with the orchestra. Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah…as if they had all the time in the world.
    Three years since she’d seen her sister. Three years. And now it was too late. Julianne realized, as she stood there with Marissa’s baby in a stroller and the man who’d fathered the child standing beside her, that even though she thought she and her sister were close, she really hadn’t known Marissa at all.
    And now she never would.
    â€œHere, let me have a look.”
    â€œNo. I’m okay.” Julianne waved him off and turned away from him again. She sucked in a deep breath, summoning her composure.
    A moment later, she felt stronger and swiped away the remaining tears that somehow had managed not to brim over.
    She walked closer to a storefront window to check her reflection in the glass hoping her mascarawas still in place. But it wasn’t her own face that caught her eye—it was the old, battered flute haphazardly tossed in with the rest of the junk in the so-called antique shop window.
    It was a Bundy. Identical to the one she’d started with in junior high school. It was an oldie, but certainly not an antique. And not very valuable. In fact, she’d seen similar models on eBay for as little as $5.00—though flutes at that price were few and far between and she grabbed them up as soon as she found them. It would certainly be worth checking this one out. There were always more kids who needed a chance to make music than there were instruments.
    She glanced at Liam, who was still sound asleep, snuggled down into his blankets.
    Yes, it would definitely be a find for one of the kids who received help from her A World of Music foundation. She turned to Alex. “I know this is crazy, but would you mind staying out here with Liam while I go inside? I want to check on this flute in the window.”
    He looked confused. “For you?”
    She laughed, feeling more like herself again. “Oh, no, not for me, for one of my students. Liam seems comfortable and I’ll only be a moment.”
    Alex nodded. “Sure, take your time.”
    Â 
    Alex knew about Julianne’s charitable foundation, A World of Music. The investigator had given him a brief outline of it in Julianne Waterford’s dossier when Alex had ordered the background check. No wonder she was so good with kids, he thought as he watched her through the shop’s glass door.
    Anyone who was talented enough to play with a symphony orchestra that toured the world, anyone who cared enough to round up musical instruments and volunteer teachers had to be good with children. And have a heart the size of the globe.
    Liam was lucky to have an aunt like Julianne.
    At least