The daddy clock

the long version

Meet Charlie Feldman. An almost-handsome, neurotic Chicago sportswriter whose biological daddy clock is ticking loud and clear. At forty-four, he's been an uncle, a babysitter, a buddy, but never what counts most of all - a daddy. Charlie Feldman - all-around good guy who goes to sports events for free and leads a life most guys would kill for - wants more than anything to be a dad. There's only one catch. He needs a woman. And for Charlie, who would rather have root canal than a blind date and who's been out of the dating game for several seasons, finding a woman poses a major problem. Enter Lacy Gazzar. Sexy, feisty, thirtysomething assistant to the Advice Ladies at Charlie's newspaper. A mother herself at eighteen, Lacy's about to say good-hye to her college-bound daughter and finally dive into a grown-up life all her own. But she is more than happy to help Charlie navigate the dicey dating scene in his frenetic search for the perfect mommy. Though she doesn't quite understand Charlie's all-out assault on fatherhood, she's ready to lend an ear. She's even willing to aid and comfort him through a hilarious and sometimes humiliating round of personal ads, relentless blind dating, and absolutely appalling encounters. The one thing Lacy isn't willing to do is have Charlie's baby. No way. Not a chance. But a funny thing happens along the way in the great mommy search.