“Nope. But your mom’s cooking is awesome and a big treat.”
Mouse stared at her plate, mystified. “Treat? It’s meatloaf.” She poked at the meat, pursing her lips. “A treat is a chocolate bar.”
I laughed and helped myself to more of the meatloaf from the platter on the table. “Not for me, Mouse. I live alone, so meatloaf is a huge treat.”
Her eyes grew even bigger. “You should eat here all the time, then. Mom makes stuff like this every night.” She sighed. “My best friend Sharon’s mom doesn’t cook. They order in every night.” She whined. “It’s so cool.”
Liv grimaced. “And unhealthy. Not to mention expensive.”
I leaned toward Sammy. “You know what, Mouse? I bet if I asked Sharon, she’d think having a mom who cooks is better than ordering out all the time. I know I do.”
“Really?”
I wiped my mouth. “Yep. Cooking is a talent. One of your mom’s many talents.” I winked at Liv. “I’d be happy to eat here anytime.”
She stared at her plate, then broke off a piece of meatloaf with her fork. “Yeah, Mom is pretty cool. And I like meatloaf.”
I locked my eyes on Liv. “Yeah, she is.”
Elly watched us, clearly amused. After dinner, she kept Mouse busy giving her a bath, while Liv came downstairs and helped me carry up the bookcase I’d made for Mouse. We got it into her room, and I stood back, brushing my hands on my pants.
“Damn glitter. Even sealed, it attaches itself to me.”
Liv agreed. “It goes everywhere. I live in a state of perpetual glitter.” She ran her hand over the bookcase, inspecting it. I plugged in the lighting I had added, making the glitter sparkle.
“This is beyond anything she ever dreamed of, Van. She’s going to go crazy.” She stepped back and placed her hand on my chest. Her eyes were tender and glowing as she spoke. “I can’t thank you enough for making it for her.”
I covered her hand with mine. “I wanted to. She’s an awesome kid. I like her, Liv. I like her a lot.”
“I know.”
“I like her mother too.” I snaked my arm around her waist, pulling her close. “I really like her mother.”
She rose up on her toes, brushing her lips over mine. “She likes you.” She wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled herself tight to me in a warm hug. Her breath on my neck made me shiver. She felt so right nestled in my arms, fitting to me perfectly. “She likes you so much.”
I held her close, acutely aware of two things. How much closer I wanted her, and the fact that her mom and Mouse were ten feet away and would appear at any moment, so I couldn’t. But I held her tight, enjoying the sensation of her body pressed to mine. From down the hall, I heard Elly telling Mouse to go to her room.
Liv eased back, running her fingers across my jaw. “Are you ready for the squeals?”
“Bring them on.”
Liv chuckled. “You have no idea.”
I rolled my eyes. Sammy was a little girl. How bad could it be?
Mouse tripped in, her long nightgown trailing on the floor behind her. Her hair was damp, already curling into ringlets around her face. She beamed at us, then stopped, her gaze riveted to the bookshelf beside me. Her dark eyes widened to the point of hilarity, and she clasped her hands in front of her in delight but remained silent.
“Is it what you wanted, Mouse?”
I thought Liv was being funny when she warned me. But I swear, the sound that came from Sammy’s mouth could shatter glass. A shriek pierced the air, and she lunged toward me. Bending, I caught her, still reeling from the sound she’d made. She was laughing, pointing, talking, and somehow, still squeezing my neck at the same time. Even her voice was a higher pitch.
“Mr. Van! Look at the turrets and the lights!”
“Mommy, the glitter! All the glitter!”
She turned her head, calling loudly for Elly. “Grammie! Come see my bookcase! Mr. Van made it for me like our drawing!”
She turned to face me, her face anxious. “Is it really for me?”
“Of course it is, Mouse. It’s all yours. I made it for you.”
A thousand little kisses were plastered on my face before she kicked away, sliding down my torso and rushing over to her bookcase, running her hands over the turrets and shelves, excited and showing Liv everything she had asked me for.
“Can we put my books on it now, Mommy?”
Liv looked at me, almost pleading. I cleared my throat. “It needs to dry one more night, okay, Mouse? You can load it up tomorrow.”
“Okay,” she acquiesced easily. “May I leave it on for a bit to look at, Mommy, once you read me a story?”
Liv ran a hand over Sammy’s head affectionately. “Yeah, baby, we can do that. I think Mr. Van added the lights exactly for that reason. But you have to sleep soon. You’ll need to be well rested to fill it up tomorrow, right?”
Mouse touched the glitter on the turrets with adoration. She looked at me, her eyes shining in the light. When she spoke, her voice was as serious as I had ever heard Mouse.
“This is the best present I ever got, Mr. Van. Thank you for making it for me.” She darted forward, wrapping her arms around my legs. “You’re my favorite aside from Grammie and Mommy.”
I had to swallow a thickness that rose in my throat.
Shit, this kid was gonna kill me.
“You’re my favorite too, Mouse.”
Elly leaned against the doorframe watching us, her arms crossed. “I think Mr. Van needs another piece of cake and some coffee while Mommy reads your book, don’t you, Sammy?”
Sammy nodded hard.
“Say goodnight to Mr. Van,” Liv said.
Sammy held up her arms, and I lifted her, letting her wrap her arms around my neck.
“Goodnight, Mr. Van. Thank you for my bookshelf. I love it.”
“You’re welcome, Mouse.”
She pressed her lips to my cheek, her quiet voice a whisper in my ear.
“I love you too, Mr. Van.”
She slid down to the floor and took Liv’s hand, leaving me reeling once again, for a very different reason.
“That’s quite the bookcase,” Elly stated, peering at me over the rim of her mug.
“It’s wood and glue. That’s what I do.” I shrugged. “She’s a great kid, and I enjoy making things.”
“You’re having quite the effect on my daughter and granddaughter.”
Thinking of Sammy’s whispered words, I had to shake my head. “They’re having an effect on me too.”
“I see that.” She tilted her head, studying me. “They are both”—she stressed the word carefully—“vulnerable in their own way.”
I swallowed some coffee before replying. “I am aware of that. I’m not playing games here, Elly. I’m aware of Liv’s past and how easy it is to break a child’s heart. I have no plan for hurting either of them.”
She was quiet for a moment. “Liv’s father was a selfish, arrogant man. I never saw his cruel nature until it was too late. I was young, pregnant, and alone other than him. I stayed in a relationship that was toxic. It took me a long time to find the courage to leave. I took Liv and left when I realized he was going to do the same things to her as he did to me. Belittle and knock her down until she didn’t even know herself anymore.”
“That took guts.”
“I should have done it sooner. I don’t think I was ever prouder of Liv as when she walked away from Chris. It was a difficult time for her, but it was the right decision. She was far braver than I was. I never liked him. He was even worse than my ex.”
“Insidious, Liv called him.”
“Yes. He was awful. I’m grateful he wanted nothing to do with Sammy. I shudder to think of his influence on her.”
“Liv has done an amazing job with her.”
She studied me briefly. “I’ve gotten good at reading people, Van. I like you. I like how Liv looks when you’re around.”
Unable to resist, I teased her. “How does she look, Ell
y?”
A smile played around her lips. “If I were someone other than her mother, I would say sexually fulfilled. But since I am her mother, let’s just say happy. Happier than I have ever seen her. I want her to stay that way.”
I laughed, feeling a punch of pride at the fact that Liv was sexually satisfied. God knew I wanted to satisfy her—as often as possible.
“So do I.”
“Good. Now enough of me intimidating you. I want to interrogate you. I want to know about your parents, your job, where you live, and your tax bracket.” She winked. “And how you managed to get me in to see Phil for my migraines. He is a wonder!”
“Interrogate away.”
I drained my coffee and glanced at my watch. “Are they always this long?”
Elly grinned and stood. “Follow me.”
We went down the hall, stopping at Mouse’s door. Elly peeked in with a knowing smile.
“I thought so.”
I peered over her shoulder. The room was dim, the only light coming from the bookcase. Liv was stretched out beside Mouse on the bed. Sammy was curled into her mother. A book was open beside them, and they were both asleep.
“She often falls asleep reading to Sammy,” Elly mused. “I’ll wake her.”
“No,” I protested, my heart doing strange things in my chest as I watched them slumber. “I know Liv is tired. Let her sleep. Maybe we can cover them up?”
Elly peered up at me with a frown. “And what will you do?”
“Drive you home and head to my place.”
“I think Liv wanted to spend some time with you this evening.”
I glanced back toward the bed. I had wanted to spend some alone time with Liv, too, but they both looked so peaceful, and I had thought earlier Liv looked tired. She needed the rest.
“We’ll spend some time together this weekend.”
She pursed her lips. “I was thinking I would take Sammy overnight for a sleepover before I left to go see my sister. Maybe Friday night would work.”
I gently squeezed her shoulder. “Sounds like a plan.”
She winked. “There’s a blanket on the sofa.”
I hurried down the hall and grabbed it, returning to the room and carefully placing it over their sleeping forms. I gazed down at them, thinking what a pretty pair they were—mother and child.
My girls.
My heart skipped a beat in my chest.
My girls. I liked that.
Mine to look after. Mine to care for. Mine to…love?
Sammy’s little voice whispered in my head. “I love you too, Mr. Van.”
The words sank in. I swallowed.
Love.
Was that possible?
Glancing at them one last time before I left, I realized the answer.
Yes, it was entirely possible.
I was in love with both of them.
Van
The next morning, Bentley closed the file he was studying and looked up, smiling. “This is great work.” He tapped the folder. “I love all the ideas for the cabin. It will be spectacular.”
I chuckled at his enthusiasm, wondering how much of it had to do with the plans and how much had to do with the high due to the birth of his daughter. I had never seen Bentley so animated. He practically beamed—an odd occurrence for him. His usual stern expression was relaxed, and he was fast to pull out his phone and show off pictures of Addison to anyone who expressed any interest. Or even if they didn’t. He was a very proud dad.
“Thanks.” I offered. “Liv’s talent brought it all to life.”
Liv scoffed beside me. “Van had as much to do with it as I did. He had some brilliant ideas. I simply put them to paper.”
Bentley lifted his shoulders. “You’re a great team, and you only get better every time you work on a project. I’m truly in awe of what you’ve come up with. You’ve surpassed my expectations.”
“And my budget,” Maddox added dryly. “But I agree. If these plans are approved, this will be spectacular, and the profit will be through the roof, even with the added costs.”
Jordan flipped through some papers. “I’ve got all the paperwork you need to sign, Bentley. Once the plans are complete and drawn up, I’ll submit to the council. It’s going to take time and patience to get it all approved. I expect some pushback on a few issues, but I know Liv and Van have backup plans.”
“Yeah, we do,” I agreed. “But we adhered to all the guidelines and rules, even if a few were pushed a bit. We’ll figure it all out.”
Bentley leaned back, steepling his fingers under his chin. “Great.” He swung his gaze back to Jordan. “Now the remodel on the buildings.”
“Right.” Jordan opened a thick file. “I went through a lot of bids. Some I rejected outright. Way too high, or so low I knew we’d regret it. I narrowed the choices to the top two. One we’ve worked with before, the other a newer company. Good reputation, seems to be a well-run organization, and they are willing to work within our guidelines.” He grimaced. “In fact, they seemed eager to do so.”
Bentley frowned. “Something bothering you, Jordan?”
Jordan was quiet as he mulled over his thoughts. It was something I liked about him. He never rushed with an important decision, and he always thought every angle through completely.
“I met with the owners of both companies. Able Construction was slightly higher in the bids, but we’ve used them before and they were good. Not great, but good. This new company, WIN Construction, opened an office here two years ago. Their first place was out west, and all the reports I received had nothing but good things to say…” His voice trailed off, and he rubbed a finger across his chin.
“But?” Bentley prompted.
Jordan shrugged. “But, nothing. I met with the owner, John, and his foreman, Nolan. This is their specialty—providing crews. In and out—all the work, none of the end responsibility. They said all the right things and put it in writing to back it up. If I’m being honest, I think perhaps it was simply a personal thing on my end. I didn’t really like either of them, especially the foreman, much. I got the feeling he was going to be difficult to keep in line. But again, I could be wrong.” He lifted one shoulder. “Not that it should matter. I can work with them, and I did like some of their ideas.”
“What didn’t you like about the foreman?” I asked. Jordan was insightful and smart. If there was something off about this guy, I trusted Jordan.
He thought about my question. “That’s the thing. I have no idea. Maybe his arrogance or his over-the-top bluntness. Or maybe,” he added, “it was my mood that day. The bottom line is, his crew is the right size, the guarantees for deadlines are backed up with penalties John has written himself, the references are good, so there is no reason not to use them.” He smirked. “We won’t be going out for beers after work, but I have you for that anyway, Van. You’ll be the one dealing with Nolan way more than I will be. You too, Liv.”
I chuckled.
“Nolan knew your work, Liv. He mentioned the magazine spread you were featured in a few months ago.”
“Arrogant, but he has good taste,” I teased.
Liv rolled her eyes.
Maddox spoke. “The numbers are solid. Actually better than Able, the way they outlined the various aspects. I checked the references too. All came back positive.”
“Are you sure you can work with him, Jordan?”
“Yeah. As I said, it may have been my mood that day. I want the best for this building, and I think they might be it. The other projects they have done have certainly been successful.”
Bentley nodded. “Okay, I guess we’ll meet with him and finalize a deal.” He stood. “Once that’s done, you, Jordan, and Liv can have a meeting and start the final planning stages.”
“Sounds good.”
“You are going to be very busy for the next while,” Bentley stated.
“Try to hold back from adding to that, okay?” I asked with a laugh.
He chuckled. “I think a certai
n little miss is going to keep me busy for a while, so you’re safe.”
“Good.”
We moved to our own offices, Jordan stopping first to grab a thermos of coffee from the main break room. His addiction to caffeine was scary—far worse than mine. When I had teased him about it, he only grinned.
“Even my doctor gave up. I have cut back over the years, but it is really my only vice. My wife used to tease me about it all the time.” He sat back, contemplative. “It was one of the things I missed about her the most when she passed. The last thing she did every night was set up the coffeemaker, so it was ready when I got up. She made the best damn coffee I ever tasted.” A sad look passed over his face. “Mornings were the hardest part of the day for me for the longest time. She wasn’t beside me when I woke up, and there was no coffee to share with her.”
It was rare Jordan got personal.
“I’m sorry,” I offered.
He nodded. “I learned to live again. Took a long time—but thanks to my kids and grandkids, I kept going and life was okay. Not the way it was, but okay.” He glanced around. “This place helped. The people. The routine. And Sandy’s coffee. Next to Anna’s, it’s the best.” A glimmer of a smile crossed his face. “Next to Anna, she’s the best.”
I left that remark alone. I had wondered more than once if Jordan felt something for Sandy. His gaze followed her around, his attention mainly on her in meetings. He was always the first to offer her a hand, or to help if she needed it. When her husband died, he had been a great friend to her, but I had a sense his feelings had grown and changed. How she felt, I had no idea, since she was as intensely private as Jordan. And I knew better than to ask him. When he was ready, he would talk to me. We respected and knew each other enough to know when the time was right to confide in one another.
I hadn’t even sat down when Liv came into the office. She was smiling, her hands empty.
“No decoy?” I asked with a chuckle.
“Figured there was no point.”
I nodded in agreement. I had told her what Jordan said and assured her he would be discreet. She knew and trusted him to know he would keep his word, although she was insistent we still keep our relationship private.
Van: Vested Interest #5 Page 14
