A Cold Creek Baby. RaeAnne Thayne

week. He suspected abuse and asked me to look into it, so I was passing on the results of my investigation.”

      For just a moment as she looked into his warm green eyes, Easton wanted to smack Cisco for coming back just now. She and Trace had been on five dates and he clearly wanted more. She liked him very much, more than any other man she’d dated in … well, ever.

      What wasn’t to like? He was a good conversationalist, he cared about her opinions, he was reliable and safe and spent his days helping other people. Everyone in town liked Trace and his brother Taft, who served as the town’s fire chief.

      Easton had nursed secret hopes that maybe she could fall for him. She had been trying, had given him far more of a chance than anyone else she had dated.

      Wasn’t it just like Cisco to blow back into town just when she was working so hard to forget him with someone else?

      She sighed. “Actually, I’m glad I ran into you. I’m afraid I have to back out of our plans for Friday. I’m so sorry. I was really looking forward to it.”

      He looked gratifyingly disappointed. “No problem. We can always reschedule. There will be other movies and it’s no big deal to cancel the dinner reservation in Jackson Hole. What’s going on? Everything okay?”

      Not even close. For one crazy moment she wanted to cry at the quiet concern in his voice and his expression. For all his rugged masculinity, he was a nice person who genuinely cared about his community.