Alex moved out of the booth, and Maisey moved in.
Bothering the man on his break didn't seem right, but desperate times and all that. He drifted toward the corner booth.
"Excuse me, sir. Are you the town doctor?"
"Parker," the man laid down his paper and held out his hand. "I'm Doc Parker, but everyone calls me Doc. What can I do for you, son?"
The way he called him son scratched at his insides like sandpaper. He was no one's child, especially not the two people who procreated him; he was more of a child of the world. His parents were merely a vessel and a paycheck. How he made it to adulthood was a surprise.
"I apologize for interrupting your solitude, but I have a dilemma."
"There isn't much quiet in a diner with the clanking of silverware, the bell above the door, the grill's sizzle, and that jukebox playing in the corner. Spit it out."
He glanced over his shoulder to look at Maddie. "That little girl was dropped off by a woman who says she's mine."
Doc furrowed his brows to the point the bushy bits touched in the center. "Her mama just dumped her in the diner?"
Alex shook his head. "Do you mind if I sit?"
Doc shoved his paper to the side. "Sit down before you fall down. You're as pale as a moonbeam."
He scooted onto the bench. "Her mother didn't drop her off. I'm told her mother died, and her mother's friend was fulfilling a final wish."
"You're one of those musicians from Samantha's band, right?" He rubbed the white whiskers on his chin. "Does this kind of stuff happen to you guys a lot?"
"First time for me, and I'm not sure what to do. I mean, I've had women tell me they wanted my child, but this is the first time I've seen my name on a birth certificate that wasn't my own."
"Have you talked to Sheriff Cooper? He could confirm the story about the mother's death."
"Right now, I'm in shock. I'm not even sure she's mine. Can you do a paternity test?"
"Is there a possibility she's yours?" He shifted his eyes toward Maddie.
"Yes, sir. While I always used condoms, I suppose there's a failure rate to take into account."
Doc cleared his throat. "The CDC lists the failure rate at thirteen percent. In my book, those odds aren't all that good. The best way to not have a baby is not to have sex."
"That's not realistic." He could go without a lot of things, but sex wasn't one of them. Not only did it feel amazing, but it relaxed him. Sex was a part of a healthy diet, just like vegetables, sleep, and exercise. "Talking about my sex life is not why I'm here."
"Isn't it? Seems to me that's exactly why you're sitting in my booth." He jutted his chin toward Maddie. "You don't get one of those without sex."
He couldn't argue the logic. "Can you do the test?"
"Yes, I can. It takes up to a week or so for the results to come back, but I've got a test in my clinic." He picked his paper up. "Give me ten minutes to finish Dear Abby, and I'll meet you there."
Alex moved from the booth, "Thank you, Doc."
"You should visit the sheriff first."
"I will." He took a step back.
"Son, just remember, she didn't choose you either, but you can choose how you handle it."
"Is that from Dear Abby?"
"Nope," Doc tapped his head. "That's from experience, and what you do today will follow her forever."
Alex trudged toward Maddie. Each step he took slowed with the weight on his shoulders.
"Hey, Maddie," he sat on the edge of the red bench beside her. "Those are some beautiful fish." He looked at Maisey. "Thank you for keeping her busy."
"You don't need to thank me. She's a pleasure. After you two get settled, you'll have to take her to meet Sosie. She's a local artist." Maisey held up one of Maddie's fish. "Your daughter has an eye for color."
Her words hit him so hard in the chest he sucked in a breath. There was an excellent chance she was his. Deep inside, the truth danced in his cells; Maddie was his, but what was he going to do with her?
He wasn't father material. He was on the road more than he was home. She stared at him, and he looked deep into her eyes. Eyes that somehow told him not to screw this up.
"Maddie, we need to pack up. We're going to visit the sheriff's office and then Doc."
Her eyes bugged. "No shots."
"That's right, no shots." He hoped he was right. He wasn't sure if they did swabs or blood samples. "Let me pay Ms. Maisey while you clean up your fish and crayons."
He stood and took out his wallet.
Maisey handed him the bill for his and Maddie's lunch. He paid it and gathered the folder and Maddie's suitcase. Never in his life had he considered he'd have a five-year-old.
Maddie followed Poppy around the office while Sheriff Cooper dug into the whereabouts of Layla Baker. He made a few calls, hung up, and took a deep breath.
The sheriff looked around. "Did they go in the back?"
Alex nodded. "Poppy took her to see the cells."
"Kids are fascinated with them. My daughter Kellyn loves to lock up her dolls when they've misbehaved." He set his hands on his desk. "Layla Baker died of a drug overdose a little over a month ago. The coroner couldn't say if it was accidental or on purpose."
Alex's hands shook. He was an adult when his mother died, and it still tore him apart. Could he have changed anything if he'd been there? That would always be the question in his mind. Then again, did his mother have much of a life? She drank and slept.
"Thank you for going
