Page 3 of The Bachelor's Dilemma

“No. I don’t know. If he thought he saw his father across the street he might, though I’m always careful to make sure we stop and look both ways even when the light is green. But he’s only four.”

And always after tall dark-haired men thinking they were his daddy. Ever since Tom died, Zack had been searching. Children his age didn’t understand death, she’d been told.

How could the preschool have let him get away? The play yard was fenced and the front gate should have been monitored by an adult. Had the teacher turned her back? For how long? Where was Zack?

Were they going in the wrong direction? Had he turned right when exiting the preschool? Or left?

She’d opted for left because it was toward their apartment. Familiar territory to a little boy. But what if he’d gone the other way? If he’d darted out to follow some stranger, He wouldn’t have cared about direction—only his goal to find his father. She could increase the distance between them, instead of closing it. Panic closed her throat. Fear seized her heart. Her precious son was out on the sidewalks of New York and could get into who knew what kind of trouble.

Anna stopped and looked ahead, then behind her. Indecision. Seconds were ticking by. Where was her child? Fear increased. New York was a dangerous city. And her son was adorable. What if someone snatched him up? What if she never saw him again?

She moaned softly at the thought.

Her child was missing. Was there anything worse for a parent to face?

“What?” the aide asked.

“I’m thinking he could have gone the other way. Tell me again how long ago it was until you noticed he was missing?”

Anna had been given all that information when she’d arrived at the preschool. But she’d scarcely listened, dashing out to find her son.

“Less than five minutes before you showed up. Mrs. Savalack was busy with the little boy who had a bloody nose. She didn’t know Zack would leave before you arrived. She went the other direction as soon as one of the other teachers came to watch her group. If he went that way, she’ll find him.”

“Maybe,” Anna said, her eyes searching.

She didn’t see a child anywhere.

Glancing around, she noticed a man sauntering along the sidewalk. He looked out of place in the midday crowd—ambling along when everyone else was hurrying, with places to go.

Tall, with dark hair and a deep tan, he looked competent and reliable. His casual attire blended in with the men and women on the sidewalk at the lunch hour, but were of higher quality than the cheaper clothing more common in this neighborhood.

What a stupid thing to notice, she thought as she approached him.

“Excuse me. Have you seen a little boy? He’s four and should not be out on his own. We don’t know if he came this way, but we need to find him.”

He shook his head.

“I haven’t seen any kids. Wouldn’t they be in school at this time of day?”

“He’s in a preschool and wandered away.”

Anna bit her lip. Her heart pounded, fear increasing with every heartbeat.

“Maybe I’m going the wrong way,” she said again.

“Which way is that?” he asked, glancing at the aide and then scanning the sidewalk behind him.

“No one saw him leave, so we didn’t know if he came this way or went the other way. The preschool is back there.”

She pointed to a small building near the end of the block.

“I just hope he didn’t try to cross the street.”

The traffic was lighter than midtown, but still heavy. A motorist in a hurry might overlook a small boy until it was too late.

“Someone would have stopped a small boy from dashing into danger,” the man said. He glanced at the aide. “Is someone looking in the other direction?”

“Yes, the teacher.” She glanced back up the street. “I don’t see her, so I guess she hasn’t found Zack.”

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