by J. H. Croix
I could see the questions swirling in people’s eyes about me. I was curious about my new town and uncomfortably inquisitive about Graham. Since he’d hurried over to chase off that moose, I hadn’t seen him. Allie had stopped by for a visit again. As agreed, I’d texted him. She was a sweet kid. I didn’t need any reminders that Graham was a good man, but his daughter was also one of them letting me know how great her dad was.
A few minutes later, Janet was smiling at me. “What can I get you today?”
“I’ll take your mint chocolate latte. I’m kind of in love with those,” I replied with a sheepish smile.
“Well, they’re delicious.”
After she prepped my coffee, she opened a drawer under the counter and handed me a card. “This is for Jasmine. She’s an artist at the gallery. Ethan and Jack own several galleries here and in Seattle. They’re really nice people and are looking for an accountant. You do that, right?”
I looked over at Janet, and tears almost sprung to my eyes as emotion crested high inside. This woman, who’d only known me for weeks at this point, actually cared. “I do that. Thank you. I didn’t expect this.” While I was technically an actuary and dug deep into financials and other information to assess risk, I was also a skilled accountant. After what I’d just gone through by putting all of my eggs in one basket, I was thrilled to keep my options open.
Janet’s eyes were warm. “You’re welcome. I had a soft spot for your grandfather, and I know he loved you. We take care of each other around here.”
“I can see that,” I said slowly.
Just then, another customer arrived at the counter. “Thanks again.”
I stepped away, taking a sip of my mint chocolate latte. The sweet flavor slid over my tongue, and I let out a happy sigh as I crossed over to sit at a table. I looked out over Main Street, smiling at the sight of the tiny town. I was starting to think maybe I could make my new life work.
When I was back at home later that afternoon, I was surprised when my phone vibrated with a text. Not many people sent me texts. When I saw Graham’s name flash on the screen, I was even more surprised. I tapped to open it.
Graham: I need a favor. Can you pick Allie up at the high school? I’m out on a fire call, and I forgot to ask my mom to pick her up. My mom’s at a doctor’s appointment so she can’t go get her.
Me: Of course! Can you tell me where the high school is?
Graham: At the end of Main Street. Just follow the signs. I’ll be out of cell range for a while. Should be home in a few hours. Thanks.
Me: No problem, I’ll pick her up.
“Wilbur, I’m going to get Allie. Do you want to come?”
Wilbur wagged as he looked up at me. He trotted by my side after I tossed on a jacket and grabbed my purse. I quickly texted Allie to let her know I was on my way. She replied almost instantaneously.
Allie: I know.
Once I got to Main Street, I drove past the cluster of shops before I saw the promised sign for Willow Brook High School. A few minutes later, I was waiting in a line of cars. I chuckled to myself. This was the kind of thing many parents complained about—the drop-off and pickup at school. It was a novelty for me, though, so I didn’t mind.
Wilbur was excited, pressing his nose against the passenger seat window as he looked outside. It was a full five minutes as we inched ahead in line. Once we got close to the front of the school, I scanned the area to find Allie. A moment later, I saw her lifting her hand and waving. She adjusted her backpack on her shoulders and started jogging toward the car.
“Wilbur. Get in the back.” I patted the seat, and he turned, hopping onto the console and jumping into the back seat.
Allie slipped her backpack off her shoulders quickly as she slid into the front seat. “Hi.”
Wilbur leaned forward and licked her cheek when she turned to greet him. “He’s very excited to see you,” I commented.
Allie stroked his face. “Do you take him everywhere you go?” she asked.
I shook my head. “I don’t like to leave him in the car. Should I take you straight home?”
Her eyes took on a gleam. “Can we go to Firehouse?”
“Is that okay with your dad?”
“I’ll text him.”
“Don’t text him. He’s out on a call,” I said quickly. “I’m sure it’s fine. You’re not allowed to have coffee, though.”
Allie let out a put-upon sigh, but when I glanced sideways, I could tell she was amused. “I’m allowed to have chai tea or hot chocolate.”
“I might have to get one of those hot chocolates with you. I saw the specials menu for those the other day.”
“The mint chocolate is the best.”
Allie scrunched her nose. “Actually, it’s a tie between that one and the caramel. So good.”
A few minutes later, we were on the way to Main Street. “How was school?” I asked.
“Fine. I’m a freshman, so I’m on the bottom of the social totem pole,” Allie offered matter-of-factly.
I laughed softly. “Oh, high school. It can be rough.”
“I bet it wasn’t rough for you.”
I glanced her way as I slowed at a stop sign. “What do you mean?”
“You’re pretty, and you always look put together. I’m not so great at that.”
I shook my head as I turned. “That’s not true.” Allie had brown curls paired with her big blue eyes. She was a lovely girl.
Allie sighed. “It is. I don’t know how to style my hair, and I don’t know how to do makeup.”
I recalled that I’d wanted to wear makeup at her age. My mother hadn’t allowed me to wear any until my junior year in high school.
I didn’t even know if that made sense, and I didn’t know what the rules were about this kind of thing. “You don’t need makeup,” I countered, and I meant it. Allie was adorable.
“Of course you’re gonna say that. Dad hates talking about looks, and my grandparents tell me I’m the best thing ever. Everybody’s trying to make up for my mom not being here. She’s beautiful. She was the homecoming queen in high school.”
“She was?”
I slowed, turning on my blinker as we approached Firehouse Café. I glanced sideways quickly to see Allie’s ponytail bouncing as she nodded. “She was. I’ve seen her pictures. She was beautiful. She still is.”
“Where does your mom live now?” I couldn’t help asking.
“Not here.”
I parked and looked toward her. Allie was staring out the window. Even though I couldn’t see her face, I knew she was upset. “My mom’s parents live here, but I’m not as close to them as I am to my other grandparents. They’re awesome.” She turned to look at me, and the pain I saw in her eyes hit me like a punch in the chest. “My mom left when I was only a month old, and I’ve seen her—” She held up her hands and started counting with her fingers, stopping at the ninth. “Nine times. She always says she’s going to visit every year, but she doesn’t. She just canceled a visit last week. Dad felt bad, and that’s probably why he let me go over and see you. He feels bad and sad because I’m kind of a girly girl. He’s kind of a guy-ly guy.” Her mouth twisted, and the sadness faded. She laughed softly. “If you know what I mean.”
“Guy-ly guy. I like that. He definitely is pretty guy-ly,” I offered.
Allie giggled and moved to climb out of the car. I wasn’t thinking when I reached over and placed a hand on her shoulder. “I’m sorry about your mom,” I said quietly.
She turned back, her eyes holding mine for a long moment. “Thanks. I can’t complain. I have an awesome dad, even if he gets on my nerves sometimes.” Her lips curled into a smile, and I squeezed her shoulder.
We climbed out of the car together and started walking into the café. “It’s obvious he loves you. Didn’t you tell me he let you paint his toenails once?”
Allie burst out laughing as we walked into the café, the little bell giving a cheery welcome when we crossed the threshold. We approached the co
unter and waited in line. This place was starting to feel comforting to me. I didn’t know that many people in town, but everyone was always friendly here, and it was warm and cozy. A cool gust of air blew in as another group of customers entered.
A moment later, we were at the front of the line, and Janet smiled between us. “Hi, ladies. What can I get you?”
“I’m going for the caramel hot chocolate,” I offered before glancing at Allie. “What about you?”
She scrunched her nose. “Mint hot chocolate.”
“Where’s your dad?” Janet asked as she began getting our drinks ready.
“He’s out on a call, and Gram had a doctor’s appointment, so Dad asked Maddie to pick me up. Isn’t it awesome that she’s our neighbor?”
Janet handed Allie her drink, smiling at us again. “Of course, and she’s lucky to have you and your dad as neighbors.”
“I still miss Harold,” Allie said hurriedly. She glanced at me.
“I do too, and I’m glad to have y’all as neighbors. It’s nice.”
“Why do you say y’all?” she asked after taking a sip of her hot chocolate.
I shrugged. “It’s a Southern expression, an abbreviation of you all.”
“I like it. It’s gender-neutral, so I’m going to start saying it, but I don’t think I can do it with your accent.”
Janet chuckled as she handed over my caramel hot chocolate. I paid for both of our drinks and mouthed, “Thank you,” as Janet began waiting on the next customers.
Allie stopped to greet a couple, a tall man and a small petite woman with blond hair, as we were walking out. “Hey, Jasmine,” she said. “Nice to see you, Donovan. Maybe I can come work on some pottery with you next week?” Her voice lilted with a question when she looked back at the woman.
“Anytime,” Jasmine said. “Like I told you, Saturdays are when I’m doing cleanup. It’s a good time for you to stop by.”
The woman’s eyes landed on me curiously, and Allie gestured to me. “This is Maddie. She lives in Harold’s old place. She’s his granddaughter and our new neighbor.”
Jasmine smiled. “Nice to meet you.”
“You too,” I said, feeling a little shy.
The man with her glanced at me, dipping his chin. “Welcome to Willow Brook.”
“Thanks.”
Jasmine glanced at Donovan before looking back at me. “You know Graham then. He works with Donovan.”
“Oh, you’re a firefighter too?” I asked.
Donovan nodded. “Sure am. I’m off this week, but I hear Graham’s crew is out dealing with a fire at one of those abandoned cabins a few hours north of here.”
“Is that where they are?” Allie asked.
“According to the scanner,” he replied.
Jasmine gave him a dry look. “Even when he’s off, he likes to know what’s going on and has to listen to the scanner.”
Allie giggled. “We have one too. Dad does the same thing when he’s off.”
“Nice to meet you,” Jasmine repeated as Janet called out a greeting to them.
“You too. I’m sure I’ll see you around town,” I replied.
Unlike Houston, that was highly likely. I was discovering that while I might be a city girl, I could get used to the cozy social world of this small town.
Chapter Fourteen
Madison
Not much later, I was on autopilot and had turned down my own driveway. It was only when I stopped that Allie asked, “Can we go over to my house?”
Glancing sideways, I said, “Oh! I wasn’t thinking.”
She shrugged. “I want my nail polish so we can do our nails together. Let’s just walk through the trees. I promise it’s only a few minutes.”
“Um…” I began because I hadn’t considered this.
“I need to refresh my nails. You can pick a new color too,” she offered.
“I don’t want to leave Wilbur alone for too long.”
“Oh, you can bring him inside. I promise it’ll be fine.”
“Are you sure that won’t be a problem for your dad?”
Allie’s brows hitched up as she rolled her eyes. “It’ll be fine. Come on.”
The next thing I knew, I was walking with Allie through the trees along a path while Wilbur trotted beside us, sniffing madly. I hadn’t even taken the time to explore the woods around my new home. I was still adjusting to the fact that this was my home. I also wasn’t particularly comfortable tromping around the woods by myself. I knew from the paperwork on the property that I’d inherited over thirty acres.
The distance from my house to theirs through the trees, as the crow flew, was roughly a ten-minute walk. It gave me comfort to know that I wasn’t completely alone out here. I scanned the area once we reached the edge of their driveway. The home was a single-story ranch set amidst a cluster of trees. Off to the side was a view of the mountains in the distance.
“Pretty,” I commented.
I stepped onto the porch that ran the length of the house and looked around curiously as we entered. The door in the center led to a small entryway. Through an archway were a living room and kitchen area with a small hallway off to one side, but that was it. I presumed that led to their bedrooms. The space felt masculine. It was decorated in charcoal gray and beige tones with a few splashes of color.
“I’ll be right back.” Allie kicked her shoes off, and I followed suit.
She gestured me toward the kitchen table. I crossed over to sit down as Wilbur began investigating the house. “Should I put him on a lead?” I called just before she began walking down the hallway.
She glanced back, shaking her head. “He can look around.” She smiled down at him before looking back up at me. “I’ve been trying to persuade Dad to get a dog for a while. Our dog Banana passed away a while ago.”
“Oh, I’m sorry!” I pressed my palm to my chest.
“Me too. Dad says he’s too busy for us to get a puppy right now, but I’m working on him. Be right back,” she repeated.
I looked around while I waited, sipping the delicious caramel hot chocolate. The combination of flavors was decadent. A few minutes later, Allie returned, setting down colors for me to choose for my nails. She also brought a bag of cotton balls and nail polish remover. I opted for a bolder shade—a rich plum—while Allie alternated bright blue with pearly white.
“What do you think?” She held her hands up and wiggled her fingers a little while later.
“They look great!”
I was starting to feel antsy, but not because I felt like I was doing anything wrong. I enjoyed spending time with Allie, but Graham had only asked me to pick her up because he didn’t have any other option.
I knew our last explosive kiss was something he regretted. I didn’t know how I knew he regretted it, but I just did. I also knew he didn’t think we should be involved. Not that I was looking to be involved, but my confidence was so banged up. Sensing his hesitance about me only added to the uncertainty I felt about myself.
Long story short, I wasn’t sure how wise it was to spend much time here with Allie. Before I could sort out what to do, Wilbur let out a bark when the front door opened. A moment later, I heard Graham’s low voice as he greeted Wilbur and prayed that he wasn’t upset that Allie had invited me in, along with my dog. He stepped through the archway from the entrance and looked over toward us.
My belly swooped at the sight of him. His dark curls were mussed, and he had a smear of dirt on his cheek. He was clearly in his work clothes, and he was so sexy, it took my breath away. Apparently, I had a thing for men looking roughed up and dirty. Or maybe I just had a thing for Graham.
His arms swung as he crossed over to us. “Allie invited me in. She said it was okay for Wilbur to come in,” I said quickly.
He grinned as he looked over at her. “I figured. Wilbur’s no problem. Thanks for picking her up. Where’s your car?”
“I wasn’t thinking and automatically drove to my place. Allie wanted to paint our nails
.” I held up my hand. “She showed me the path here.”
Graham nodded. “I need to take a shower because I’m filthy, but I can drop you off after that.”
“Don’t forget I have a slumber party tonight,” Allie called as he angled toward the hallway.
He glanced over his shoulder. “Right. Okay, I’ll drop you off after I take Madison home.”
“Dad, you promised we could go to Wildlands for an early dinner before you drop me off.” She paused, her eyes bouncing from her dad to me and back again. “Can Maddie come with us? Please.”
Chapter Fifteen
Graham
It was obvious Madison was trying to stay out of this. She was inspecting her nails carefully and then began closing the bottles of nail polish. She also stood and put the empty hot chocolate cups in the trash.
I couldn’t say no to Allie’s pleading look. It was just dinner with my daughter and our neighbor. That’s all it was. Riiii-ght.
I chuckled silently, my own mind taunting me. I wanted a lot more than dinner with Madison. I’d barely been able to shove thoughts of our last encounter out of my brain. Every single free minute I had, I remembered the lush weight of her breast in my palm and the way her nipple tightened to a peak. Her flushed skin and her passion-hazed eyes were vivid in my memory.
“We need to see if Madison can go,” I finally said, forcefully kicking those inappropriate thoughts to the curb.
“Madison can go.” Allie spun to her. “Come with us, please.”
I bit back a laugh. Back when Allie was little and we’d practiced the manners song, I hadn’t counted on her using her manners to sweet-talk me and others into what she wanted.
Madison’s eyes shifted from Allie to me. When I saw the question swirling in hers, I nodded. It was fine for Allie to invite her, and I could keep my hands to myself. She looked back to Allie. “Sure. That’d be nice. I need to drop Wilbur off first, though.”
