Page 25 of The Cowboy's Miracle Baby

As she began going through back receipts, adrenaline kicked up Cami’s heartbeat. It had to be her. Maybe at least she could get a description of Lolly’s mother. Hannah pulled out the receipt and nodded. “Just as I said. She paid in cash. I’m sorry.”

“Can you remember what she looked like?”

Hannah glanced at her daughter. “Well. She was a small thing, not more than five two. And she had blonde hair, but I’m not sure it was natural. There was some pink at the ends. But what I remember about her most is her eyes. How sad they were. Blue. Nearly turquoise. Does that help at all?”

“So much,” Cami said. “Thank you. I really hope I can find her to return this bracelet. I have a feeling it must have been very precious to her. If she should return, looking for it, will you please tell her to contact me?”

“I sure will,” Hannah said. “Say hi to your mama for me, will you? Tell her to stop in and I’ll take her to coffee.”

“I will.”

Cami headed out of the store and the little bell over the door jangled again.

Outside, she stood there for a moment, unsure what to do next. So, she just started walking. Past the Christmasy window displays in the shops, past shoppers loaded down with bags. With less than two weeks left before Christmas the shopping frenzy, both here and in not-so-close Billings would reach a fever pitch and if she didn’t get her shopping done soon, there’d be little for her to choose from for her family gifts. Not to mention a wedding gift for Will and Izzy who were marrying out at the ranch soon. She’d hardly had time to even think of what to give them.

But her thoughts kept returning to Lolly’s mother, putting a rush on the engraving of her bracelet. Clearly, she had thought this whole thing through. It hadn’t been an impulsive move to leave her on that church pew beside Cami’s things. She intended to keep her identity secret, but did she also mean to disappear from Marietta? Where was she now?

As she passed people on the street, it wasn’t lost on her that any of the young women who looked passingly like her description could be Lolly’s mother and she assessed each one for a random look or telling eye contact. But it wasshewho was the weirdo staring at people. No one seemed the least bit interested in her.

She passed a man in a Santa costume, ringing a bell for the Salvation Army bucket and she pulled out a five-dollar bill and stuffed it in the red grate and started to walk away.

“Bless you, ma’am,” the man in the Santa suit said. “Hope you find what you’re looking for.”

That stopped her and she turned back to him. He had a gaunt face, under that Santa beard, but kind. He looked too young to play Santa. He was probably in his twenties. “How did you know I was looking for something?”

He shrugged with a smile. “Isn’t everybody?”

“I suppose. I’ve seen you here before haven’t I?”

He tugged his Santa cap lower. “I’m here this corner most days of this holiday season.”

“I am looking for someone, actually. You wouldn’t have—in your time here—happened to see a young woman about”—she drew her hand just under her chin—“this tall, blonde hair with maybe pink ends? Maybe with a baby or recently pregnant?”

He rubbed his bearded chin. “You must mean Tara.”

Tara?“Youknowher?”

“Don’t reallyknowher. Small town, you know? I’ve seen her around though. Spoke to her a couple of times. I haven’t seen her in a while. Why?”

“I—just need to find her. I have something she lost. Do you know her last name?”

He shook his head. “No. Just Tara. Sorry.” He rang the bell again as another couple walked by and dropped some coins into his bucket. “Bless you,” he called after them. “And Merry Christmas!”

She pulled a card from her purse and handed it to him. “If you see her again, or hear anything, would you call me?”

He studied the card. “Must be something pretty special she lost, huh?”

“Very special, yes. I’m Cami. And your name is—?”

“Coby. Coby Strickland. Yeah. I can ask around but can’t promise anything.”

“Thanks, Coby. I appreciate anything you can do.”

She left him behind as she walked down the street, barely able to contain her excitement, she impulsively dialed Gus’s number on her cell. He picked up on the second ring.

“You’re not in the middle of birthing a calf, are you?” she asked walking toward the intersection of Main and First Street.

“Uh, not at the moment, no,” he said, and she thought there might be a smile in his voice.

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