by Laura Pavlov
“You let her get in bed with you? I thought you hated dogs?”
She reached for the hose, and once again, the hard stream hit him right between the eyes before turning the hose back to Daisy. Maverick shook his head like a dog, water splattering around him.
“Focus, Wallace. Why in the hell do you think I hate dogs?”
He put his hands up in surrender. “You didn’t strike me as an animal lover yesterday.”
“I didn’t like being knocked on my ass when I stepped out of the car. But I love dogs. Daisy here is the sweetest, but she smelled bad enough to gag a maggot.”
Her Southern accent grew stronger, which never failed to amuse him. She turned off the water and towel dried the mutt. Daisy charged toward him and he bent down to greet her. She smelled like honey and coconut.
“What shampoo did you use?”
“Mine. She’ll smell good, and her hair will be nice and shiny.”
Damn, now his dog smelled like the woman who filled every dirty thought he’d had over the past year.
“Come on. I’m starving. Let’s make something to eat before we meet with the contractor.”
He pulled eggs and bacon out of the refrigerator and handed her a bottle of water. She crossed her arms in front of her chest, her gaze moving between him and the door. Holding the bacon up, he shook it in front of her face. “Come on, everyone loves bacon.”
“Yeah, I don’t eat it often, but I do love it. But um, I’ll hit a market today and stock the fridge in the guesthouse. I don’t expect you to feed me.”
“Lighten up, Peaches. You’re helping me out with the house, we’re both here, no sense making meals in separate kitchens. We can share a meal, can’t we?”
She narrowed her gaze, watching him. “I suppose so. It does makes sense.”
Stepping around the island she moved beside him, reached for the eggs, and cracked them into a bowl before asking him where he kept the whisk.
“Third drawer on the right, but FYI, four eggs for the two of us won’t cut it. You can go ahead and crack open four more.”
“You’re going to eat six eggs? You know that’s half a dozen, right?”
“I’m pretty sure everybody knows six eggs is half a dozen, Einstein. And yes, I can easily put down six eggs.”
She smiled, and an unfamiliar feeling resided in his chest. What the fuck was it about this girl that caused him to react like a little bitch? He noticed it the first time they met, and every time since. Maybe it was because she constantly shut him down. Women didn’t reject him often. And this one in particular, not only rejected him, but his mere presence bothered her.
“Do you have siblings?” she asked, whisking the eggs with the intensity of a world-class chef.
“I have twin sisters. They’re two years younger than me, and both pains in my ass,” he said.
“Twins. Wow. What are their names? Are y’all close?”
He covered the bacon with a lid and turned on the burner. She poured the egg mixture into the skillet and added a few seasonings before letting it sit on the heat for a bit.
“Yeah, we’re close. Marley and Gigi. Marley got married last year, but Gigi’s holding out for Mr. Right. How about you? Do you have a big family?” He set the silverware on the table, and she grabbed two plates.
“Nope. I’m an only child. Always wished for siblings.”
Something vulnerable flashed in her eyes. It was gone as fast as it came.
“Your parents still live in Savannah?”
“My mama and stepfather, Winston, live in Savannah. My dad lives in San Francisco.”
“He’s a firefighter, right?” He remembered her mentioning him. He realized he didn’t know much about her at all aside from being great at her job, and hearing something about her being some big pageant queen back in Georgia.
“Yep. I love going to the firehouse to hang out. It’s like one big family.”
“It’s cool he lives close to you. Did he move out there after you did?” Flipping the bacon, he put the lid back on quick to stop the grease from splattering.
She didn’t answer at first. Biting down on her bottom lip, she moved the eggs around in the pan.
“My dad lived in San Francisco first. We didn’t find out about one another until I was eight years old. He moved to Savannah after he learned he had a daughter, and we’ve been close ever since. He went back to the West Coast when I graduated from high school, and I moved there after college.” She blinked a few times.
He leaned back against the counter, stretched his legs out in front of him, and locked onto her golden topaz gaze. “It must have been tough, finding out who your dad was at eight years old. Tough for both of you. Why’d your mom keep it a secret?”
She swiped her tongue across her bottom lip, looking anywhere but at him. “Um, we both got over it, I guess. But yes, it was a bit of a shock. It was also hard on Winston, my stepfather. He thought he was my dad for the first eight years of my life. But honestly, it all made sense.”
She’d been through something shitty, yet she stood there stirring the eggs, and spoke about it like it was a bump in the road. She was a hell of a lot tougher than he thought.
“How did it make sense?” He placed the bacon on a few layers of paper towels to absorb the grease, while she plated the eggs.
She sat down and set her napkin in her lap before continuing. “Well, I never felt like I fit in with Mama and Winston. I was the odd man out, you know? Winston is the sweetest man, and he really tried to be a father to me, the only way he knew how. He’s very generous, always spoiling me and encouraging me to pursue my dreams. But the day I met my dad, it was like finding the missing piece of a puzzle. Ya know? We just clicked.”
“Wow, that’s amazing. Do you think Winston knew or suspected?”
“I think he subconsciously knew. I mean, she was a month along in her pregnancy on their wedding day. She’d obviously strayed during their engagement because she boasts about her Southern values and how she saved herself for her wedding night with Winston. She forgot it also meant you couldn’t be with anyone else either.” She paused to laugh. “Winston empathized with me, but he never goes against Mama. He’s quite a bit older than her, and truly the kindest man. He loves us both in spite of everything,” she said with a forced smile.
“And he and your mom stayed together after he found out she lied to him?”
“Yes, sir. You haven’t met Caroline Humphries. Somehow, she was the victim in the whole thing. I don’t know why I’m rambling on about this?” She shook her head, lips pursed, and tried to portray a girl unfazed. He didn’t buy it. She was more complicated than he’d thought.
“Because I asked.”
The phone rang and startled him from his thoughts. His grandmother’s name, Mimi, lit up the screen.
“Sorry, I need to take this call.” He put the phone to his ear, and took a swig of orange juice while Elle continued eating.
“What’s up, Mimi.”
“Mornin’ sunshine. Can you come by and change out my air conditioning filters this morning? I tried to get on my step-stool, but I can’t reach it.”
“Jesus. What did I tell you about getting on a ladder? Call me or Dad, for fuck’s sake.” He knew the minute the words left his mouth he’d pay for it. He and his grandmother shared a very close relationship. Always had. He adored her. But she had no problem bringing the wrath of God on him when needed.
“Since when do you talk like a scoundrel? Don’t make me sic your sisters on you. I can have Marley at your house in less than fifteen minutes.” He heard the smile behind her voice.
“Sorry. I’ll jump in the shower and head over. You can meet my designer. You’ll love her, she’s from your favorite city,” he said, with a wink when Elle looked at him with a questioning gaze.
“She’s from Savannah? You know that’s where I met Poppy.”
“You can tell her all about it. See you soon.”
He took a few bites of eggs before speaking. �
��We need to swing by my grandmother’s place so I can change her filters before we meet Tommy at the house.”
“Does she live nearby?”
“Yep. One block over. You’ll love her. Prepare to get your ear talked off.” He stood and grabbed their plates and placed them in the sink before they both headed for quick showers.
Not together. Unfortunately. He wouldn’t mind covering Elle Fiore’s naked body in suds.
****
“It must be nice to just walk to your grandmother’s house. Do you have other family livin’ in Tahoe?”
He couldn’t help but stare at the way her jeans hugged her ass just right. She wore a crisp white blouse tucked in, and some sort of fancy gold belt and matching shoes. At least she had on flats and not heels. They’d be on their feet most of the day.
“Yep. My parents live one block over and my sister Marley and her husband Cage, have a place less than a mile away. Gigi’s in San Francisco, but she comes home often.”
Taking the three steps up to Mimi’s front door, he waltzed right in. It had been a few weeks since he’d last seen her.
“Where’s my favorite lady?” he called out.
“Are you sure it’s okay if we walk in?” Elle said, just above a whisper.
“She’ll swat me on the head with a newspaper if I knock on the door, so yes, I’m positive.”
“Where’s my sunshine?” Mimi said. It was their shtick they always said to one another. She stepped out of her bedroom in her favorite white housecoat splattered with little pink roses. Her gray hair styled in tight curls close to her head, and ridiculous fuzzy pink slippers covered her feet.
Lifting the tiny woman off the ground, he hugged her tight, twirling her a little before he set her back down. She laughed, fixed her hair, and turned to Elle.
“Well, aren’t you darling. What’s your name?”
“Mimi, this is Elle. I’m going to go grab the new filters from the garage and let you two visit.”
“Nice to meet you, Elle, please come sit down. I’ve a fresh pitcher of sweet tea,” She said .
Still reeling from their conversation over breakfast—she’d surprised him with what she shared. In the past she’d always been closed off where he was concerned. Maybe he was making some headway with her.
He stood on the ladder and heard a loud ruckus down the hallway. His mother and sister, Marley were there, greeting his grandmother and Elle. Mimi must have called and told them he was coming over with his designer. Traitor. God forbid they didn’t know his every move. As much as he loved his family, they were nosy as shit.
He finished and walked to the living room to find the four women drinking tea and laughing. His grandmother’s gaze grew wide when she noticed him standing there.
“Look who popped over.” Mimi patted her curls in place around her face. A habit whenever she was up to no good.
“Hey, Mom. Hey, Mar. I was going to stop by after I met with the contractor today. Is Dad golfing?” He wrapped his arms around his mother and pulled her into a hug. He talked to his mom and grandmother most days, and his sisters almost as often.
“Hi, sweetie. You didn’t tell me Elle was staying in the guesthouse. I’d be happy to bring cookies over and load her refrigerator with snacks.”
Elle smiled wide as she took it all in.
His sister punched him in the arm, before giving him a side hug. “You told me you’d be home tomorrow.”
“Changed my plans and came up yesterday. I wanted to get the house started as soon as possible. I didn’t find out Elle was going to be here until yesterday. She was in France on vacation and just got back.”
“Ooooh, I love France.” Mimi rubbed her hands together.
“You’ve never been anywhere you didn’t love,” he said.
“Well, Miss Elle knows the story of how Poppy and I met in Savannah now.” Poppy passed away seven years ago, but the love between his grandparents lived on through her.
“What a relief. I didn’t know how I’d make it another minute if we didn’t fill her in,” he said, and all four women chuckled. “We need to get going. The contractor is waiting at the house.”
Elle jumped to her feet and hugged his mom and his sister goodbye. When she reached Mimi, she hugged her the longest. “Thank you so much for the tea and the romantic story about your husband.”
“You’re always welcome here, dear.” Mimi beamed.
Marley typed her cell number into Elle’s phone. “I want to show you where all the good shops and boutiques are.”
“I’ll bring cookies over later,” his mother insisted.
“Come by for tea in the morning,” Mimi said.
He rolled his eyes at how quickly his family inserted themselves into one’s life. They’d never met a stranger—and they took a particular liking to his designer.
“Your family is amazing,” she said, as he led her down the street to the new house.
“They are, for a bunch of nosy-ass hens. Still a few you haven’t met, but they’re equally impressive,” he said.
She giggled. “They’re keeping you in line.”
His family was such a presence in his life. Yes, they pushed the boundaries when it came to personal space, but he wouldn’t have it any other way. It must have been lonely for Elle growing up as an only child, in a house full of secrets. Though he wasn’t born a Wallace, they’d never treated him any different, and he’d be forever grateful. Maybe knowing that nobody’s life is perfect would comfort her. He didn’t share his personal life often, but somehow telling Elle about his, after what she shared, seemed like the right thing to do.
“Are you wondering why there’s not much of a family resemblance?” he asked with a laugh. His mother and sisters were fair-skinned, with blonde hair and blue eyes. He stood out among the rest of the Wallace family like a sore thumb with his tanned skin, dark hair, and dark eyes.
She bit her bottom lip and looked up at him with a smile. “I thought maybe you resembled your dad?”
Running a hand through his hair, he chuckled. “Nope. My parents adopted me from an orphanage in São Paulo, Brazil when I was four years old.”
She nodded. “Do you know who your birth parents are? Or how you ended up in an orphanage?”
“My biological mother was a prostitute. She overdosed when I was pretty young. My parents, the ones who raised me, were on a medical mission in São Paulo and somehow found their way into my orphanage. My mom said she knew I was hers from the moment she laid eyes on me. The rest is history.”
Elle stopped walking and pulled her sunglasses from her face. “That’s incredible.”
“Looks like we have something in common after all, Peaches.”
“What?” she said, her gaze glossy and full of emotion.
“We both found our families a little bit later than everyone else.”
The corners of her mouth turned up, and he resumed walking, with Elle in tow.
“The way your grandparents met is so sweet. She was a nurse, and he was a marine. It sounds like somethin’ out of a movie.” She sighed and trailed behind.
“He was a few years older than her. Did she tell you he asked her out a dozen times before she finally gave in?”
“Yeah, she may have mentioned it.” Elle laughed.
“It’s her favorite part of the story. Apparently, it’s a Wallace trait.” He slowed until she walked beside him.
“What is?”
“Perseverance.”
He watched her out of the corner of his eye, and she didn’t hide the smile as it spread across her beautiful face. That feeling he got when he threw a winning pass to his receiver, a mixture of pride and satisfaction—it’s what he felt right now. Why the hell Elle Fiore’s smile was as good as a fucking touchdown, was a mystery.
And Maverick didn’t care much for mysteries.
Chapter Five
Elle’s Tip of the Day
Beware of handsome manwhores!
A loud bark outside the guesthouse startled h
er from sleep. It took a moment to get her bearings. She’d never slept better than she had this past week. The fresh air, the break from the hustle and bustle of the city, and the long hours they put in at the house left her collapsing into bed at the end of each day. Plus, having the world’s sweetest dog wake you up every morning was—comforting.
Edward had returned to San Francisco, and she was glad she’d opted to stay in Tahoe over the weekend. Dani and Peyton missed her but understood. Edward not so much. He texted saying, —I want to discuss things—
She texted back, —There’s nothing to talk about— They were through.
—Take care of yourself, Edward, I hope you find someone to make you happy, but it isn’t me—
Having time to reflect, she knew without a shadow of a doubt it had been the right decision to end things with Edward. Sure, attending fancy parties and dressing up like a princess every time they stepped out together was fun. But it didn’t constitute a relationship. Sadly, and maybe most importantly—dating Edward had impressed her mother, which still meant something to Elle, even now.
Astonishingly, she didn’t mind being in Tahoe one bit and looked forward to spending time at the lake over the weekend. Maverick wasn’t nearly as bad as she’d expected, and they worked surprisingly well together.
When he chose not to annoy her.
He’d opened up about his adoption, probably because she told him about her mother lying to her about who her father was. She didn’t know why she told him something so personal. She rarely shared her childhood secret with anyone aside from her two best friends, but for some reason it was easy to talk to him. He’d somehow become more human to her over these past few days—but the man was still an egotistical, selfish manwhore. She hadn’t realized he had a few redeeming qualities outside of his good looks.
She’d shared sun tea with Mimi, Maverick’s grandmother, every day this week and looked forward to their daily conversations. Mimi reminded her of her own grandmother, Estelle, who had passed away a few months before Elle relocated to the West Coast.
