Sabrina sighed dramatically, and he had to hold on to his napkin to make sure it didn’t blow away. “It’s just that I know the women you usually go out with and I worry.”
“I haven’t introduced you to anyone,” he said, frowning.
She waved her hand. “I may have picked up a tip or two from my summer job at your PI firm. But details, details. Besides, I knew your ex-wife and she was the biggest mistake of your life. The important thing is that Ms. Abbott is awesome. So cool. She doesn’t even seem old. Everyone loves her.”
Of course Sabrina would mention his ex. He didn’t want to think about her. He’d rather think about Kate, the woman from the bar and the woman jogging by herself at five in the morning on the pier. Matt broke his sister’s intense gaze and stared out the window for a few moments.
“Hello? Are you listening?”
Matt looked over at his sister. “I’m glad you like her, but I don’t think there’s anything more to discuss,” Matt said, relieved when the waiter arrived, placing their food and drinks in front of them. He wasn’t about to engage in any more conversation about Kate, or his ex-wife, especially not with his kid sister.
Sabrina stabbed her salad at least a dozen times before looking up at him. “Lots to discuss, like where did you meet her? What happened? Why didn’t you get her number earlier? How come you didn’t know she was a teacher?”
Matt swallowed hard. He wasn’t going to tell her he’d tried to pick up her teacher at a bar. He didn’t say anything. He was always telling Sabrina never to fall for a guy’s pickup lines.
“Oh, is this the part in the conversation where you shut down and refuse to talk about your personal life?”
He purposely took a large bite of his sandwich and then pointed to his full mouth. His sister’s pretty face lit up like it usually did right before she yelled at him. He sat back in his chair, chewing slowly, and stretched out his legs.
She stole a handful of his fries. He thought it wasn’t the best time to mention that she should order her own damn fries since every time they went out together she ordered a salad and then ended up eating all his fries.
“I think she’s the perfect woman for you.”
He sat up straight. “Whoa, back it up. I’m not looking for the perfect woman. I’m just looking for someone…” He let his voice trail off. He wasn’t about to say exactly what he was thinking about when it came to Kate. There were certain topics of conversation he didn’t want to share with his little sister. The fact that he thought her teacher was hot and that he was mostly interested in the amazing chemistry they had was not something he’d admit out loud. So he took another monster bite of the sandwich while his sister glared at him.
“Listen,” she whispered, leaning forward, blue eyes narrowed into tiny little slits. He stopped chewing. “If you think you can have a quick fling with my social studies teacher then you are sorely mistaken. It’s time you grew up and out of your shallow existence.”
He placed the remainder of his sandwich on the plate with a sigh. “I get that you’re trying to help, Sab, but I don’t want commitment. I don’t want marriage or kids. Not for me. You can do that, after I run a full background check on the guy, and then mom can have grandchildren. I’m going to be the kid who could never settle down. Besides, you can’t tell me to grow up. You’re too young for that.”
His sister grabbed more fries from his plate, glaring at him. He shoved the plate in her direction.
“I know Michelle did a number on you. I know you have a hard time trusting people. I get it, she cheated on you and now you think you can’t trust anyone ever again,” she said, waving a fry in front of his face, her nose scrunching up. He looked away when tears filled her eyes. This was why he didn’t discuss women and dating with his kid sister. She was a softy and an endearing sap. “But you need to move on,” Sabrina said, patting his hand.
Matt pulled his hand from hers. “I have. Michelle is in the past. Just because I don’t want to get married again doesn’t mean I haven’t moved on. I know for a fact that marriage, kids, the white picket fence, and all that crap isn’t for me. I don’t want it. I love my work, my business. I don’t want anything else.” He picked up his drink, wishing it was hard liquor.
His sister gave a little humph and then took a few more of his fries. He shoved the bottle of ketchup her way. “Thanks,” she mumbled, pouring some on the side of her plate.
“How do you know you don’t want kids?”
He ran his hands down his face with a groan. “I don’t know. They…I don’t have anything in common with them.”
She put down the fries and looked up at him. “Really? I think you have a lot in common with children.”
“You’re funny,” he said, grabbing one of the stolen fries from her plate. It wasn’t kids personally, because he didn’t know any kids. And heck, he’d done his own part in raising Sabrina. He knew how much emotional and physical support kids needed. He also knew what a crazy, screwed-up world it was, and having to worry about his own child would add way too much stress to his life. He’d seen horror and he’d witnessed things he wished he could erase from his memory, things he’d never dare share with his little sister, but they were all things that kept him from truly contemplating kids. Right now, things were uncomplicated. Perfect.
“So what do you know about this fundraiser of hers?”
“Not that much, just that she and her sisters are working on this project. It’s a great cause, don’t you think? I should have thought of you right away when she first mentioned it last week. I mean with our history, with mom…” she said, her voice trailing off as she swirled a fry around the ketchup.
Matt glanced at the streaks of rain on the window. Yeah, it was a good cause, and yes, it was close to home, to his heart.
The low vibration of his phone against the tabletop pulled him from his thoughts. He glanced down at the screen. “I’ve got to answer this call, Sab,” he said, rising. “You finish lunch and I’ll be outside.” He slapped a few bills on the table before walking out the door.
“Matt Lane,” he said into the receiver, even though he already knew whose voice would greet him on the other end of the line. Finding good people to fill positions in his growing company was difficult. He’d been waiting for this call. He’d asked a retired police officer to join his PI business. Derek Stinson had been his mentor, one of the best men he’d ever met. Today was shaping up to be a pretty damn good day.
…
Matt pressed the worn doorbell and took a step back from the door, staring at the cutouts of black cats and pumpkins on the front door. Kind of odd for an adult to be taping handmade decorations to their door. Maybe Kate was into Halloween. Seconds later screeches and laughter erupted from inside the home. He frowned at the sound, internal alarm bells going off. He rolled his shoulders. Just because he heard high-pitched feminine laughter didn’t mean it was kids. Or maybe she had guests over. Guests with kids.
He turned to look out from the covered porch. Two large pots of mums flanked the top of the porch steps. The street was quaint and charming, a mix of two-story homes and bungalows. The yards were oversized, impeccably kept, and the sidewalks were lined with old-growth maple trees. It was picturesque, appealing, and idyllic if you were into the family type of thing. Still Harbor was one of those towns that had remained immune to massive growth and change. One of those towns you didn’t associate with modern-day America anymore. It had been the perfect place for his mother, Sabrina, and him to relocate to after they left the city.
The door swung open and three curious faces greeted him. Not friend’s kids. Three little girls, dressed in orange pyjamas that said “Boo!” were standing there, staring at him as though he were the most interesting person they’d ever seen.
The tallest one yelled out, “There’s a man here!”
Matt blinked. The girls were still there. He had no idea Kate had a kid. Or three kids. Dread formed in the pit of his stomach. Kids made everything complicated.
He stared at the little girl wearing the glasses for a moment longer, but tried to plaster a smile on his face for all of them.
Kate’s blond friend who’d been at the bar the other night appeared from a doorway at the end of the hall. Relief oozed through him. Thank God. Maybe they were the sister’s kids. She approached quickly, wiping her hands on a dishtowel.
“Girls, you know you’re not supposed to answer the door by yourselves,” she said. She flashed him a smile and then opened the screen door.
“Hi, come on in. I’m Cara, Kate’s sister,” she said, extending her hand as he stood in the doorway. The little girls still stood, clustered around him and peering up in a way that reminded him of Sabrina when she’d been little. Funny how he’d lost his ability to relate to kids. Now he saw them as complications in a relationship. This was why he adhered to a strict no-single-mom policy.
“Sorry, it gets really loud in here at bedtime and no one heard the knock,” she said. She was pretty. Looked nothing like Kate, but she was attractive.
“No problem,” he said, stuffing his hands into his pockets. He never really knew what to do around kids. When his sister had been small, he’d quickly taken on the role of the protector, and moments of laughter and silliness hadn’t been very frequent.
“Kate,” Cara called from the bottom of the stairs. She turned around to look at him, smiling. “She’s usually on time for everything, but she’s having a few wardrobe issues tonight,” she said with a little wink.
Matt smiled. That piece of information was a nice little indication that Kate was interested in more than just a fundraiser donation. Matt glanced around the entryway, taking in the school bags, books, and rain gear. It was looking less and less like these were all her sister’s kids. Cheerful yellow walls and homey rugs in the hall made the place feel like a family home. There were pictures lining the staircase wall—black and white pictures of the girls, Kate, and her sisters. Matt swallowed past the lump in his throat. He was already feeling stifled.
Seconds later, Kate made her way down the stairs, and he forgot most of his claustrophobic thoughts. She’d made a pretty good wardrobe decision. Then again, he was pretty damn sure that Kate could make anything look good. The dark fitted jeans and an ivory, probably cashmere, scoop neck sweater looked delicious, hugging every curve. Her dark hair was shiny and loose and, from where he stood, she wasn’t wearing a lot of makeup. Her lips looked faintly shiny, very inviting.
“Hi,” she said, smiling slightly as she made her way down the staircase.
He smiled at her, liking the way her green eyes sparkled. “Hi.”
“You’ve met everyone?” she asked, slipping into the same pair of boots she’d been wearing at school. They were the kick-ass looking boots that he found insanely hot, especially on a woman like Kate. He tore his gaze away and tried to concentrate on the conversation that was playing out.
“We met him! Is this Mr. Art Zibbits?” the little blonde girl asked.
Matt frowned. She was expecting someone else? Kate’s eyes grew wide and her sister covered her face with the tea towel, shoulders shaking.
“No, this is Matt,” Kate said in a high-pitched voice.
The little girl frowned. “Oh. So when’s Art coming?”
“He’s not coming,” Cara said, shooting him a wan smile. He had to wonder about this Art guy. Kate didn’t seem the type to book two men on the same night, or date two guys at the same time. But then again, maybe she really wasn’t viewing tonight as a date at all.
“What about Mr. Zibbits?” the brown-haired girl asked. The little girl with glasses was frowning, looking back and forth between the others.
“There is no Mr. Zibbits,” Kate squeaked. Matt had no idea what was going on.
Kate glanced at him quickly, before giving each of the girls a hug. He was intrigued when she stopped a little longer, crouching down to speak with the girl wearing glasses. “Mommy will be home in a little while, okay? Go to bed nicely for Auntie Cara.”
Matt schooled his features. It was confirmed: Kate was a mom. To one, or possibly all of them. The little girl’s lower lip shook and she wrapped her small arms around Kate’s neck. He could see Kate squeezing her tightly. Seconds later, Kate stood. “Okay, see you later. Have a good night.”
“Bye girls, nice to meet you. Bye Cara,” he said, holding the door open for Kate.
They stepped out onto the porch and Matt was very aware of the eyes focused on them as they walked down the steps. “I feel like I’m in a fish bowl,” he murmured.
Kate smiled and turned to wave. “Yeah, I’m actually thinking we need to hurry up and get out of here before they come tearing after us.”
Matt’s mind was spinning. What the hell had he gotten himself into? Kate was a mother. Well, one date wasn’t going to hurt him. He could sign up for the donation and then never see her again. He paused before getting into the SUV and pretended to glance down at his phone. He hadn’t made any commitments. It was a working date, nothing more.
He opened the door for her and he could read the surprise on her face when he did. “Uh, thanks,” she said, but then paused, not stepping into his SUV. Instead, she turned to look at him, crossing her arms in front of her.
“I just want to be clear,” she began softly. “I’m not looking for anything other than a donation. I can tell you’re surprised that I have a daughter.” Her head was tilted back so that she could look at him squarely in the eye.
He cleared his throat. “So only one is yours?”
Kate surprised him by smiling, and he found himself smiling in return, then looking at her mouth. She was not what he’d expected, and his attraction to her was only increasing instead of diminishing. That should have sent off some warning bells.
“Yes. The little girl with glasses, Janie, is my daughter. She has Down’s syndrome. I adopted her. There is no father, no husband, no anyone,” she said softly, but in a voice that was filled with conviction, slightly defensive.
He stared at her, speechless, impressed. She made him think of all the good women in his life, the ones who had sacrificed and loved him. She made him think all the naïve thoughts he’d once had about people when he was little, before he learned how horrible they could really be. Her expression reminded him of himself when he’d defiantly look up to his father, hoping for acceptance, but bracing himself for the worst.
He swallowed, hard. “Why didn’t you introduce me to your daughter?”
Her eyes narrowed. “I read the expression on your face. I saw the shock and I have no intention of introducing my daughter to someone who won’t be around tomorrow. Don’t worry, I’ve gotten used to it. I also know that I’ve had to choose my…friends wisely. I don’t put up with crap from people, so if you want to donate, it will be greatly appreciated. If you were after something else and now want out, that’s fine too. Just don’t waste my time and don’t bother acting all charming if you’re after a quick screw. I don’t work that way,” she said, backing up abruptly.
Matt grabbed her hand, finding his voice. “Don’t do that, don’t assume I’m like everyone else.” He didn’t know what the hell he was doing, or what he was promising, but he didn’t want to be that guy she was describing, and he didn’t want to say good-bye to Kate.
Chapter Four
Awkward. Totally, completely, awkward.
She’d just insulted the man who was about to donate cash to a cause he didn’t know anything about. Maybe she had judged him prematurely. She didn’t like the idea that she was being judgmental, but she was still reeling from the expression of shock on his face when he realized she had a daughter. And yes, she was jumping to conclusions that he had reacted that way because of Janie. She had learned the hard way to assume the worst and it was easier like that, rather than getting hurt later on. How many times had people asked her why? Why would she adopt a little girl “like that”? Why would she do that to herself? So, yes, she’d assumed the worst about him, but now he was sitting beside her, not looking li
ke he was trying to get out of their date or looking uncomfortable. When he’d grabbed her arm, there had been something in his eyes that told her he was for real.
So maybe his reaction was because he didn’t know she had a child. Any child. She couldn’t hate him for that. Besides, it’s not like this was going anywhere. Guys who looked like him were perpetual bachelors. Walking into bars, picking up women, going home with them. And really, hadn’t she led him to believe the same thing about her? She met him at a bar, and then fled like some manic Cinderella, and now she expected him to be all, oh I love kids? Of course not.
“Why do I get the feeling you’re plotting my murder?”
Kate whipped her head around to look at him. His eyes were still on the road, but that mouth of his had turned up into an alluring half smile. He was teasing her.
“I’m not. I promise. Well, I’m not anymore.”
He laughed, and the sound was so good that she had to curl her toes. It was low, deep, and so masculine. She obviously needed to date more. “You’re all wrong about me. While I did enjoy the ‘you’re not getting into my pants’ threat, I’m now going to have to go to great lengths to prove you wrong.”
She crossed her arms and looked out the window as he drove them through the scenic streets of Still Harbor. “So that means an evening that’s strictly professional.”
“I can’t lie. If that were all I was interested in, I’d have handed you a check. You have to admit, you’re kind of interested in me.”
She tried not to laugh. He had the charming routine down pat.
“And for the record, the look you saw on my face was shock, that’s it. The kid thing took me by surprise.”
He didn’t say anything about Janie, and yeah, many people wouldn’t directly say something, but then again many people did and had to her face. He was honest and that appealed to her on many levels. “What did I strike you as?”
Falling for the P.I. Page 4
