Marci was going to put her in charge of this—if the idea got the board’s endorsement.

And in light of the Herald editor’s enthusiasm, she’d be able to convince the members it had merit.

But did it?

While it had definite potential, pulling it off would require extensive planning and scheduling plus stellar pre-event publicity. Without a ton of favorable advance press, the festival—or whatever term they ended up using for it—could fall flat on its face.

And if it did, not only would everyone in this community she now called home end up with a negative impression of her, she’d have one more failure to add to her already long list.

How could it be this hard to find someone to watch a ten-year-old?

Expelling a breath, Jack jabbed the button on his cell and shoved the phone back in his pocket as two gulls soared past the porch of his apartment.

All the day care places among his rapidly dwindling options either didn’t have space or catered more to younger children. The few that took older kids had long waiting lists.

So barring a miracle in the next thirty-six hours, when his Thursday morning patrol shift began, the one facility he’d found in Coos Bay that fit most of his parameters was going to have to suffice—even if the long drive was less than ideal.

Hannah may have stayed by herself while her mom worked, as she’d claimed, but that wasn’t happening on his watch. At least not yet.

Yawning, he twisted his watch toward the fading light. Eight twenty. Much too early to be this tired.

Unless you were trying to befriend a daughter you hadn’t known about until two weeks ago, catching up late into the night on word count for your next contracted novel, and reorganizing your life to accommodate a ten-year-old.

The transition had been stressful for Hannah too, though—and hers had been compounded by grief. It was no wonder she fell into an exhausted slumber before the sun set every night and often thrashed and cried out in her sleep until the wee hours.

He wiped a hand down his face and sighed. May as well admit the truth.

Despite his many professional credentials and competencies, he wasn’t equipped to raise a child alone.

But Erica hadn’t been the best choice either.

So he and Hannah would have to muddle through together and figure out—

Frowning, he peered at the vehicle approaching from the far end of the long, low apartment complex.

Was that Christi’s Nissan?

Yeah, it was.

Had she stopped by to see Beth again?

Whatever the purpose of her visit, if he didn’t retreat fast, she’d spot him. Perhaps stop. Attempt to engage him in conversation. Maybe ask about the loan again.