by J. H. Croix
Chapter Nine
Graham
It was getting late, and Allie still wasn’t home. Snagging my phone off the kitchen counter, I sent her a quick text.
Me: ETA? I thought you said you’d be home in time for dinner.
I opened the refrigerator, sighing when I recalled I’d meant to swing by the grocery store on the way home today. It was one thing to forget to feed myself, but I had Allie to consider. Just then, my phone rang, and I lifted it to see my mother calling.
“Hey, Mom.”
“Hi, Graham. I was wondering if you and Allie wanted to come over for dinner tomorrow night.”
“Of course,” I replied.
That was an easy yes. My mom was a fantastic cook, and I actually liked my parents. Maybe tonight, I’d just drive back to town to pick up a pizza.
“Excellent. How are things with you?”
“Busy, but what else is new?”
She laughs softly. “You’re always busy. I heard Alison canceled another trip. Did Allie know she was coming?”
“Unfortunately, yes,” I said, leaning my hips against the counter and running a hand through my hair.
“How did she take it?”
“She cried, and then I made spaghetti.”
“Smart man. You’re a good father.”
“I try. I forgot to go grocery shopping this week, though, so I’m zipping back into town to get some pizza for dinner.”
“By the way, I heard you have a new neighbor.”
I chuckled. “News travels fast. I’m glad Harold’s house isn’t going to sit vacant.”
“I’m sure his granddaughter is nice.”
“She seems nice enough,” I said, keeping my tone nonchalant. My mother was the equivalent of a bloodhound following a scent when it came to picking up on things from me.
“Oh, have you met her?” my mother asked, her voice lilting. This was her nosy voice. I knew it well.
“You didn’t hear the whole story? Rex called me because he got a report about somebody seeing the lights on there. Janet was the only one who knew his granddaughter was showing up, but she didn’t know when. I ended up checking on the place. I don’t think she loved me showing up like that, but she handled it. I didn’t even know Harold had a granddaughter, but Allie did.”
My mother laughed warmly. “Your daughter knows how to get the scoop, and Harold had a soft spot for her. Tell me about your new neighbor then.”
“I just told you she seems nice.”
“That’s it?”
“Mom, I’ve met her three, I mean, two times. I don’t know much more.”
“Three times!” She practically barked in my ear.
“Two times,” I corrected. I was lying, but I wasn’t about to fill my mom in on my encounter with Madison before she landed in Willow Brook. “We ran into her at Firehouse Café too. Allie’s over there now. I’m gonna have to check on her because she’s running late.”
“Well, be nice to Madison. It’s not easy to move to a small town.”
“Jesus, Mom. I’ll be nice to her,” I insisted, thinking in the back of my mind that my mother probably didn’t equate being nice with kissing.
That kiss was a one-time deal, and I was blaming it on Madison. “I will absolutely be a good neighbor. We’ll see you tomorrow night.”
After getting off the phone, I pocketed my keys and jogged out to my truck, calling into Alpenglow Pizza to order two pizzas once I started driving. Allie still hadn’t replied to my text. If she didn’t reply soon, I’d stop by Madison’s place on the way home.
In short order, I had pizzas in the truck and still hadn’t heard a peep from my daughter. This wasn’t like Allie. She was usually record fast with her replies because her phone was practically an extension of her body.
I didn’t want to blame this on Madison, but I was disgruntled when I got to her house. I recognized Wilbur’s sharp bark when I knocked on the door. I could hear Allie’s laughter in the background. I had to knock a second time before I heard footsteps approaching.
Madison swung the door open, looking way too pretty. Her hair was pulled up in a messy knot with loose tendrils dangling around her cheeks and along the sides of her neck. Her cheeks were pink, and she was wearing sweatpants and a T-shirt. My eyes dipped down, taking in the way the shirt stretched across the generous curves of her breasts.
I yanked my gaze up when she said, “Well, hi there, Graham. Allie just checked her phone.”
I nodded, almost not trusting myself to speak to her since my body felt too charged. “Allie,” I called.
Allie came into the entryway looking relaxed and happy. She held up her hands and wiggled her fingers. “Look, we did our nails together. What do you think?”
Madison unsettled me, and I was annoyed that my daughter couldn’t be bothered to check in with me. I didn’t mean to be snappy, but I was. “I think you should’ve checked your phone and let me know you weren’t going to be on time for dinner.”
Allie set her chin in a mulish line. “It’s not a big deal, Dad. My phone died, and I didn’t have my charger. I didn’t even think about it until just a few minutes ago.”
“I let her use my charger as soon as she told me,” Madison said, her tone placating as she glanced back and forth between us.
“It’s fine,” I said, probably too sharply. “You ready?”
My daughter looked like she wanted to cry, which frustrated me further because I didn’t want any of this to happen in front of Madison. I was always working to be a halfway-decent father, and now I probably looked like an ass.
“You don’t have to be so cranky about it,” Allie said as she spun away. She would have stalked, except she was wearing socks, so it didn’t have much impact.
Wilbur circled my feet excitedly, and I finally leaned down to greet him. Madison’s tone was low when she spoke. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t paying attention to the time. You could have texted me.”
“It’s fine,” I replied.
Allie had been an easy kid for most of her childhood. In the past year or so, I felt like I was fumbling and screwing up over and over. I didn’t know how to deal with her having an attitude, and her emotions could shift in a blink. Her doctor told me hormones were the reason, but that didn’t make me feel any better when I didn’t handle things well.
A moment later, Allie returned, shrugging into her jacket and stuffing her feet into her boots. She looked toward Madison. “Thank you. It was nice to visit. I’m sorry my dad’s a jerk.”
“Allie,” I began.
She slid me a look, and I stopped. As it was, I didn’t even know what else I meant to say.
“Good night,” I managed.
As we left, Allie paused to stroke Wilbur’s head, and then we were gone. I felt Madison’s eyes boring into my back as we walked down her stairs and crossed the drive to my truck.
Allie gave me the silent treatment on the way home. I decided that was better than the alternative, which was an argument. When we pulled up in front of our house, I said, “I have pizza for dinner.”
“I thought you were going to the grocery store.”
“I forgot.”
“Oh, sort of like how I forgot to charge my phone and didn’t pay attention to the time. So, it’s okay for you to forget, but not me?”
I turned to face her. “Allie, I don’t ask much. You could have checked the time and just sent me a text. No biggie. I’m sure Madison would’ve let you use her phone.”
Allie pressed her lips in a line. “Next time, I won’t forget. I’m glad you got pizza, but we don’t have any oatmeal or yogurt for breakfast.”
She flounced out of the car. After we ate, the tension settled. I apologized for being cranky, and she apologized for forgetting to let me know when she’d be home.
The following morning, it was Saturday, and I didn’t have to work. Allie was sleeping in. Even though every fiber of my being protested it, I knew I needed to apologize to Madison for being cranky in front of her.
After a cup of coffee, I sent Allie a text, letting her know I’d be back shortly. I figured I wasn’t required to notify her that I was going to apologize to Madison. A subtle tension spun inside me that I wasn’t telling her where I was going, but I would go to the grocery store after that. Technically, I wasn’t lying completely.
Chapter Ten
Madison
I was in the kitchen after a shower, wearing my robe and looking forward to some fresh coffee. Wilbur let out a bark, and I heard tires on gravel. I had no idea who would be showing up on a Saturday morning. I only hoped it wasn’t another neighbor wondering who I was. I walked from the kitchen toward the entryway, peering toward the door only to see Graham standing in the window. He lifted his hand in a wave.
I darted back quickly. Fuck. Graham unsettled me every time I saw him. My traitorous hormones went wild whenever he was nearby, even last night when he’d been all grumpy.
Answering the door in a robe wouldn’t be the end of the world, but still. Wilbur looked at me curiously. He was excited to see Graham and ran to the door, his little butt wiggling like crazy.
“I don’t exactly have a choice,” I said to myself in the hallway. “He already knows I’m here.”
I tightened the belt on my robe as if somehow that would protect me. After a deep breath, which did next to nothing to slow my rampaging pulse or quell the heat swirling through my body, I walked into the entryway. My eyes landed on my bare feet, reminding me of Allie’s request to paint her nails. She’d been so excited about it. She’d also mentioned her mom had canceled a visit, and it broke my heart a little bit. I’d stumbled into that conversation without any context. She’d shown up with nail polish. What was a girl to do? I couldn’t say no.
Lifting my eyes from my feet, I opened the door, and my pulse took off like a horse out of a gate at the sight of Graham. His brown curls were damp, and his deep blues landed on mine. My belly did several spinning flips, and my skin felt hot and prickly all over.
“Hi,” I said, my voice coming out all breathy.
“Morning.” He dipped his chin in acknowledgment.
Wilbur was ecstatic, letting out little yips as he circled Graham’s ankles. I bet even his ankles were sexy, and I’d never paid attention to anyone’s ankles.
Graham knelt to pet Wilbur, and my ovaries swooned. “Morning, Wilbur,” he said in that low gravelly voice he had. “He sure knows how to make someone feel welcome.”
He straightened, and his eyes landed on mine again. As soon as our gazes made contact, it felt like a sizzle sparked through the air. I cleared my throat. “He does. It’s always good to see him at the end of a long day. He thinks I’m the best person ever.”
Graham chuckled, and that sent a prickle down my spine while my belly shimmied and swooped. “I wasn’t expecting you here this morning,” I said inanely.
Wilbur barked and started to dash off the porch. Graham’s reflexes were lightning fast as he leaned down and scooped Wilbur into his arms. We looked out to see something dart into the trees.
“What was that?” I asked.
“I think it was a coyote. I just saw the tail, but that’s my guess. Can I come in?”
Wilbur was wiggling like crazy in his arms, but Graham had a good hold on him. “Of course.”
I stepped back, opening the door wider as he walked through. He didn’t release Wilbur until I closed the door firmly. Wilbur gave him an affronted look once his paws were on the floor before scurrying to look out one of the windows that flanked the door.
“Do I have to worry about coyotes too?” I asked when I looked up at Graham.
He nodded. “It’s Alaska. There are plenty of coyotes around, and you might see the occasional wolf, although those aren’t as frequent. It’s fall, so the coyotes are pretty well fed. If you’re around next spring, you’ll definitely want to be careful because they’re looking for easy food. Do you let him out much on his own?” He nudged his chin toward Wilbur.
I shook my head. “He only goes out when I go out. I don’t usually keep him on a lead because he’s a good boy, but I should probably be careful.”
“Definitely.”
“Would you like some coffee?” I heard myself asking.
What are you doing offering him coffee? my brain screeched. That means he’s going to be here long enough to have coffee, and our hormones can’t handle that.
My hormones were all, Hell yeah, we can! We can take a nice long look at Graham.
Graham looked surprised, but he nodded. “I always say yes to coffee.”
He followed me into the kitchen. “Have you been in here before?” I asked.
“Not many times, but yes. Harold spent about six months of every year here. He wasn’t huge on having visitors, but I would stop by and check on him.”
Graham’s gaze whisked around the space. “Looks the same. Janet took good care of it for you.”
“She did. I’m grateful he had someone checking on the place.”
I crossed over to the counter, fetching a mug from the cabinet and filling it with coffee. “Cream or sugar?” I asked.
“Neither.”
I gestured to the table by the windows. “Have a seat.” I did have manners. I wasn’t going to kick him out now that I’d offered coffee. He sat down and took a swallow of coffee. His eyes lit up. “Good, you like it strong.”
“I don’t see any point to coffee that isn’t strong.”
Wilbur had lost interest in the front door and entered the kitchen, plopping down beside my feet when I sat down across from Graham. “So, what brings you here this morning?”
He took a swallow of his coffee, and my eyes lingered on the motion of his throat. I blinked, trying to focus. Sweet hell. I even thought his throat was sexy.
Oblivious to my state, Graham commented, “I’m still getting used to having a teenager. Allie can get annoyed with me real fast.”
“Most teenagers can,” I offered gently. It was downright endearing to see the sheer worry in his eyes about his daughter.
Graham shifted his shoulders, looking slightly uncomfortable. An uncomfortable Graham didn’t dim the brightness of his hotness wattage. “Look,” he began before pausing to clear his throat and take another swallow of coffee. “I was rude last night, and I apologize.”
“You don’t need to apologize to me,” I said, shaking my head.
“But I do,” he insisted. “Allie frequently loses track of her charger. Sometimes, I think her phone is actually an extension of her body, but the charger isn’t.”
I couldn’t help the laughter that slipped out. “She is a teenager.”
Graham rolled his eyes. “That she is, and it isn’t easy sometimes.”
“Like I said, no need to apologize to me, but thank you. I can’t imagine trying to raise a teenager on my own. Talk about difficult.”
My heart squeezed a little for him. This tough guy firefighter looked so uncertain. It was downright endearing to see him apologizing for being a grump. “Yeah. Kids don’t come with an instruction manual. I figured that out when she was a baby. Unlike other things, every phase needs a new manual.”
“She’s a great kid. Obviously, you’re doing a good job.” He looked uncomfortable again and lifted a hand to run it through his rumpled curls.
My hormones got even more excited. I was on the verge of handing over my ovaries.
“She is a great kid. Here’s hoping she doesn’t hate me by the time she hits eighteen.”
“She won’t,” I said confidently.
He shrugged. “She hates limits, and I’m not cool, and I can’t paint her nails with her.”
“Well, you could,” I teased.
“I did let her paint my toenails once, but she said it wasn’t the same as doing it with a mom.”
“She’s kind of a girly girl, and you’re not a girly guy,” I offered softly.
“I’d let her paint ’em again if she wanted, but she wants a mom.”
“Oh.”
There wasn
’t much more to say to that. I had so many questions, but I didn’t feel like I knew Graham well enough to pummel him with my nosiness about why Allie’s mom wasn’t around. Her dad was all Allie mentioned, and she thought he hung the moon. Until he came over and gave her a little hell for not bothering to text him.
“Just so you know, if you’d rather her not stop over, all you have to do is say so.”
“That’s not how I feel. It would break her heart if I said she couldn’t. She’s a social kid. She used to like to come over and visit with Harold.”
“How about we agree that when she does come by, I’ll text you to confirm what time you can expect her back? I’m pretty good at keeping an eye on the clock, and I never let my phone die.”
He nodded slowly. The sound of his rough chuckle sent goose bumps chasing over my skin. This Graham—whew. He was going to make me crazy. I was busy trying to tell my hormones to chill out, and they were blowing me off.
“Thanks for the coffee,” he said a few minutes later as he stood.
Of course, it was only when I stood from the table that I realized I was still wearing a bathrobe. Gah! I was practically naked, and I’d forgotten about it. He followed me over to the sink.
“Shall I wash my mug?” he asked.
I looked askance at him. “No, I don’t make company wash their own dishes.”
His fingers brushed mine when he handed over the mug. It felt like fire sizzling over my skin. My belly flipped, and my pulse raced. I knew my cheeks were hot, and I prayed it wasn’t too obvious. Unfortunately, that was a futile hope.
I turned to say something after I rinsed his mug and discovered he was still right there. The feel of his lips fitting over mine flashed through me. The memory was like a loud clap of thunder on the heels of lightning.
When I met his eyes, my breath caught in my throat. His gaze was intense. He lifted one of his big hands, passing his knuckles lightly over my cheekbone.
“You’re dangerous, Madison,” he murmured.
