Broken. Debra Webb

where pets had lived before her.

      His gaze fixed on the eyes and the lips that he knew so intimately and that had helped to convince him that this woman was his wife.

      He should have known the whole concept of Lori being alive was too good to be true.

      He’d made a mistake coming here.

      Chapter Five

      “It’s him.”

      “You’re certain?”

      Ted Stewart checked the screen of his smartphone a third time, then glanced across the room to the table where Mia sat with the stranger who’d been hanging around watching her for two days. “I’m certain,” he muttered under his breath. “And I checked the register at the bed-and-breakfast. It’s him. Lincoln Reece.”

      Ted kept an eye on Mia as the man on the other line silently contemplated the news. This stranger was trouble. Ted couldn’t ever recall Mr. Lopez calling three times in twenty-four hours about a situation involving Mia. He watched out for that girl as if she were his own daughter. Of course, she was his goddaughter. She called him her uncle but he wasn’t really. He’d made a promise to his best friend on his deathbed that he would see that she was protected and cared for the rest of her life.

      In Ted’s opinion, Lopez went a little overboard. Even a straight-up guy like Ted couldn’t get close to Mia. Old man Lopez guarded her like she was some kind of saint that no mere mortal was allowed to go near, much less touch.

      “Keep an eye on him,” Lopez ordered, dragging Ted back to the here and now. “I’m out of the country and I won’t be able to get there for a few days. I want to know every move he makes.”

      Ted gave Reece a long, thorough look, something else he’d already done several times. “Who is this guy?” Ted asked quietly. The hum of conversation was plenty loud enough to cover his voice but he wasn’t taking any chances. One of these days, if Ted had his way, Mia would belong to him. In small towns like Blossom a guy had to stake his claim early on. Most men his age moved to Nashville or Murfreesboro for better jobs. Not many stayed in this one-horse town where fabrication and industry were frowned upon. Green and all-natural were the only buzzwords these folks understood.

      “An old enemy of Mia’s father. He must be watched closely.”

      “Is this dude dangerous?” Apprehension nudged Ted. He’d never carried a pistol. He owned a shotgun but it hung on the rack inside his truck. Other than the time he’d had to run off that coyote, the rack was where the shotgun stayed.

      “Suffice it to say, he’s potential trouble.”

      “All right.” Teddy tossed back a swig of his iced tea. “I’ll keep an eye on him.” He could use the extra bucks. Lopez always paid well. Not to mention he liked that the old man trusted him. Besides, spending time watching Mia was no hardship, and Ted had a feeling that keeping up with Reece’s comings and goings would probably include seeing a lot of Mia.

      “Do not underestimate Reece,” Lopez warned. “He is not your average Joe.”

      Enough already. “Got it. I’ll use extra caution.”

      “Contact me if anything changes.” With that, Lopez severed the connection.

      Ted tucked the phone into his pocket and dug into his supper. The gravy on his chicken-fried steak had turned cold but he wasn’t wasting good money or good food. It ticked him off that Lopez had harped on just how special Reece was. Lopez should know by now that Ted knew how to handle himself. This wasn’t the first time he’d taken care of unwanted attention on Mia’s behalf.

      He could handle this. Easy as the cherry pie he was going to have for dessert.

      Lincoln Reece had better watch himself.