Hired by the Single Dad

Single Dad of Seattle Dr. Mark Herron can't believe anyone would celebrate their divorce. The dissolution of his marriage left him and his son with a huge hole to fill in their home--and their hearts. So when he overhears a lovely stranger and her friends celebrating the end of her marriage, he's mystified--and then intrigued--by her determination to put the past behind her. But when he learns that Tori Jones needs a job, he knows this can't be a coincidence.

“To
divorce!”

“Hear, hear!”

“Goodriddance!”

Didsomebody groan?

MarkHerron’s interest piqued at the numerous cheers of the women behind him.
Glasses clinked and giggles echoed around the big booth table at the posh bar, The
Ludo Lounge, in downtown Seattle. He didn’t dare turn around, at least not yet,
but he tuned out the rest of the bar and zeroed in on the intriguing
conversation going on just one table over.

Whocelebrated divorce?

Certainlynot him.

It had been one of the most horrible, gut-wrenching things he’d ever gone through.
Not to mention the toll it had taken on Gabe. No, Mark’s divorce from Cheyenne
had been brutal.

But yet, these women appeared to be in celebration. At least some of them did.

It was certainly the place for it. Dark, big, deep booths, rocking music, a small
dance floor and a price tag on even a glass of house wine high enough to keep
out the hooligans who came just to get shit-faced and laid. It was a classy
bar. But that didn’t mean you couldn’t have a good time at a classy place, and
that’s exactly what these women sounded like they were after.

“Come on, Tori, celebrate,” one woman encouraged. “He’s gone for good.”

“Yeah …” came a breathy, almost hesitant voice. “Gone for good.” She didn’t sound nearly
as enthusiastic as the rest. “We’re not technically
divorced yet. I just filed for separation.”

“Well, it’s a start!” a third woman cheered.

“After he kicked me out,” she murmured.

“Come on, you’ve got your whole life ahead of you now,” came another friend. “Plenty
of hot, single men in Seattle.”

“That’s right. Take life by the balls, chica.” This woman sounded incredibly drunk.
Mark could just picture her pantomiming grabbing a scrotum that hung
precariously over their table. “The world is your oyster … speaking of, we
should get some raw ones brought over to the table. They’re an aphrodisiac, and
we need to get Tori here laid!”

Mark cringed. Whoever this Tori was, his heart went out to her.

“I’m okay, guys, really,” the same hesitant voice from earlier affirmed. “No
aphrodisiacs needed. Nobody … at least not me … is going to be getting laid
tonight. I’m taking a break.”

 “I don’t think Ken is taking a break,” the obnoxious oyster-loving friend said. “He couldn’t even be faithful during your marriage. What makes you
think he’s taking a break now?”

“He’s not. I know that he’s with Nicole, the dental hygienist he was cheating on me
with. His sister confirmed that Ken moved her in a few months ago.”

“See! See! All the more reason for you to jump back on the horse.”

“Stallion! Find a stallion this time. Ken was no more than a lame pony with one ball.” Oh,
that oyster-loving drunk chick was a piece of work. Mark was itching to get a
peek at her.

“He had testicular cancer.” Her voice was quiet and, although not meek, she
definitely didn’t sound as enthusiastic or keen on being there as the rest of
them. She sounded tired, sad.

“Okay, so he’s a half-gelded lame pony. Whatever. Ditch the kiddie saddle and find a
stallion you can bareback.”

“Can we ditch the equestrian references please? They’re creeping me out,” Tori said
with a groan.

“Look, Tori …” Oh good, this friend sounded significantly less drunk and far more
on the level. “We know Ken did a number on you.”

“I filed for separation. I’m the one who called it quits.”

“And rightfully so. You worked three jobs to put that bastard through dental school.
He promised you once he finished, he’d put you through grad school, only instead
he cheated on you with some little hoochie and left you high and dry.”

“Yeah …”

“Yeah?”

“But …”

But what? Mark fought the urge to spin around. His instinct to protect overwhelmed him. Who on earth did that to a person? To their wife no less? He hadn’t even met this woman, and yet the desire to find her ex and give the bastard a real
piece of his mind was damn near all-consuming.

“But … he was my husband. We took vows. For better or worse.”

“Yeah, but Ken was beyond worse. Ken was
despicable. And the shit he pulled is downright unforgivable. You did nothing
wrong. Don’t beat yourself up, and celebrate instead.”

“That’s right!” Oh shit, not the drunk friend again. “To divorce!” This cheer again?

Glasses clinked again, and more women cheered.

Call it stupidity, curiosity, and definitely the rye in his system, but before he knew what he was doing, Mark was up and out of his seat. Holy shit, there were more of them than he thought. A quick count said at least six women sat around
the table.

He cleared his throat. “Excuse me, ladies, but I couldn’t help overhearing—”

“Couldn’t help?” The obnoxious one cut him off.

“Shut up, Mercedes, and let the handsome man speak,” another woman scolded, slapping Mercedes on the shoulder. “Go on … you
were saying?” She flashed Mark a bright white smile, and heavily lashed brown
eyes blinked at him.

Fighting not to roll his eyes, Mark offered the women a big smile instead. “Thank you.
Yes, well, I was sitting right behind you and couldn’t help but overhear that
you’re celebrating a divorce.”

“That’s right,” Mercedes said with a nod, tossing her poker-straight blonde hair behind
her with the kind of attitude you would expect from a moody teenager. “Tori
here just separated from Ken, King of the Asswipes, and we are cel-e-brating!”
She pointed to the cringing brunette in the corner with bright blue eyes and
the color of absolute embarrassment staining her high cheekbones.

“Well, I’d like to offer to buy your table a round of drinks,” Mark went on. “I’m no
stranger to an ugly separation and divorce and being hurt, and I wish I’d had a
group of friends to rally around me like this when it all went down.”

Tori’s eyes pinned on him. Jesus, she was a stunner. It didn’t even look like she was
trying, and the woman had the girl-next-door look down pat. Big pouty lips, long feathered lashes and, when she finally bestowed him with a smile, although small and demure, it stole his breath clear from his lungs.