Adopted: Family in a Million. Barbara McMahon

let you know if I hear anything,” she said. “How can I reach you?”

      Zack started to say just look for me here every day, but thought better of it. He reached into his pocket for his wallet, withdrawing one of his business cards. He stared at it. He couldn’t remember the phone number of the hotel and if he told her the name she’d know it wasn’t that close.

      He looked at her. “I don’t remember the hotel number. Tell you what, I’ll get a cell phone later today and if you’re here tomorrow, give that number to you.” He held out his card to her. “In the meantime, this is information about the company I work for. In emergencies, they can always contact employees. They know where we are.”

      “Okay.” She smiled and then took the card. The company was a well-known construction firm that built large-scale buildings, dams and roads worldwide.

      For a moment Susan wanted to give her number to this stranger. She’d run into him briefly yesterday and then again today. She didn’t know him from Adam, but he had helped her yesterday. He didn’t know where she lived, so couldn’t be following her. If he were staying around here, this park was a nice place to sit in the sunshine.

      He interested her in a way a man hadn’t in a long time.

      She felt suddenly alive around him.

      Blinking, she looked away. For some reason he seemed more confident and secure than the men she usually saw on a daily basis—without being overbearing or arrogant.

      She checked on Danny again and then looked around at the other benches occupied with parents and others visiting the park. She always kept watch to make sure Danny was safe. Today she’d forgotten to pay attention to Danny every second. He was fine, but it was unlike her to forget him even for a second.

      Being with Zack stirred her senses and made her more curious than warranted. And had her offering to help where no help was asked for. Maybe he liked living in a hotel. Why had she opened her mouth and made such an impulsive offer? It was unlike her. Or at least the her she’d been the last couple of years.

      Susan waved to Danny when he yelled to her. He ran over, eyeing Zack suspiciously.

      “Come and have a drink of water. You’ve been running around so much,” she said, drawing a bottle of water from her tote.

      “Who is that?” Danny asked, staring at Zack.

      “The man who helped me look for you yesterday, remember? Zack Morgan,” Susan said.

      Danny drank his water and then smiled. “Hi,” he said.

      “Hi yourself,” Zack replied. He studied the child for a moment then smiled. “You like the slides I can tell.”

      “Yes. I can climb up all by myself and then go down. Watch.” Danny thrust the water back at Susan and ran back to the slide, waiting his turn to mount the stairs and slide down. He looked at Zack with pride.

      Zack made a thumbs-up sign.

      “He’s so proud of his accomplishments,” Susan said. “I keep hoping he’ll adjust to his father’s death. He keeps looking for Tom whenever we go out.”

      “Tough break for both of you,” Zack said.

      Susan nodded. “And scary if he runs off like yesterday.”

      Zack stretched slowly and then rose. “I have to get moving. I’m stiffening up,” he said. He reached for the paper and looked at Susan. “Want this or shall I toss it?”

      “I’ll take it if you’re finished with it. Are you okay?”

      “I will be, just need to keep moving. Nice to talk to you.”

      “We’ll come tomorrow, you can give me your phone number and I’ll let you know if I hear of a sublet.” She watched as he walked away. She could tell he was in pain. She hadn’t noticed a limp yesterday, but he definitely was favoring his left leg as he slowly walked on the path through the park. Once he reached the sidewalk, it wasn’t long before he was lost from view.

      Susan studied his card. Zackary Morgan, engineer. He was as different from Tom as any man she knew. His hand had been callused and hard. He was tanned and rugged. He lived in foreign countries and did work only a very few could handle. Yet their paths had crossed and Susan was glad for it.

      She may have been a tad pushy about offering to find him a place, but she wanted to do something for him. He’d offered her help yesterday. Now it was her turn.

      Was that all? To repay his offer? She refused to dwell on why, but she hoped she had not seen the last of Zackary Morgan.