by Hart, Emma
He said nothing. He simply gave me a way-too-sexy side grin, and his eyes flashed with laughter…and something that looked a little bit like desire.
I looked away, cheeks flaming, and got back in the passenger side so I could apply the Band-Aid.
Me and my big mouth.
Why the hell did I say I could kiss him? Aside from the fact I could—and that was before the Band-Aid.
Ugh. Ten idiot points for me.
I crumpled up the Band-Aid wrapper and gingerly stepped out of the car. It wasn’t perfect, but it was sure as hell better than it had been before.
“Sssh,” I heard Brantley whisper from the other side of the car. “I’m taking you to bed, El. It’s all right.”
“Mmk,” she groaned.
I turned and peeked over the top of the car just as it rocked when he shut the door. Ellie was draped over his body, her head flopped on his shoulder. Her plaits hung down her back, and she had her mouth open like she was catching flies.
Brantley had one arm under her butt, holding her up, and secured her with his other arm. The stuffed monkey hung with its tail wrapped around Brantley’s pinky finger.
I smiled as he carried her in. Eli was still fast asleep in the backseat, and I watched him through the window. Although I knew he would be fine, I didn’t want to leave him, especially with the front door open and the car unlocked.
So, I hovered awkwardly outside the car, probably looking far creepier than I ever intended to. After all, it wasn’t every day you had a nicely dressed woman in heels staring at a four-year-old through a car window.
Not one who wasn’t their mom, anyway.
Eli rolled his head to the other side, scrunching his face up. He tried to stretch, but the confines of his child seat didn’t allow him to, and apparently, this was the end of the world, because he started to cry.
I stilled. I didn’t know how to deal with a crying child. Especially not an exhausted, half-awake, crying child. My gaze flitted between Eli and the open front door, but when he cried louder and Brantley still didn’t come back…
I muttered, “Shit,” and set my purse down so I could open the door.
“Hey, Eli,” I said softly, brushing his crazy hair away from his eyes. “Sssh. Daddy is just putting Ellie to bed. Hey.”
His eyes, just a shade darker than his dad’s, opened wide and stared at me, glassy with tears. It was almost as if he was looking at me without seeing me, because the tears carried on falling.
“Kawi,” he whispered thickly, sleep clouding his voice. “Out.” He tugged at the straps that kept him safe in the seat. “Pwease.”
Uhhhh.
“Okay,” I said, I think more to myself than him.
Like, woohoo, Kali! You got this! It’s only a child! Go get ‘em, Tiger!
I was a mess.
I leaned into the car and pressed the little clip to undo the straps. Eli wriggled out of them before I had a chance to move, and with a tight grip on his dinosaur, he grabbed hold of me and hung off my neck.
Awesome.
Now what was I meant to do? I was wearing four-inch heels for a start. For a finish, what did I do?
See, I really needed a cousin or someone to pop a baby out so I had some idea of how to cope with a child.
I was woefully underprepared for this awkward turn of events.
“Okay.” Again, who was I talking to? Me or Eli? We’ll never know. One of life’s greatest mysteries.
I steadied myself on the sloped driveway and used the momentum with which he was trying to escape the car to pick him up. The second we were clear of the car, he curled himself around me. Arms tight around my neck, legs wrapped around my waist as far as his tiny ones would go.
All I could think as I stepped back was that I was glad he’d evenly balanced his weight. And that I had only drunk one glass of wine with dinner.
Thank god for small mercies.
I nudged the car door shut with my elbow, holding tight to Eli, and carefully made my way up the drive to the front door. Another small mercy I realized: the driveway was clearly better made than the windows in this house, because it was perfectly smooth and there was no way I could trip.
After my day, this was a total silver lining.
I’d just stepped inside the house when Brantley came down the stairs.
“Oh, crap. I’m sorry. She was fussing.”
“It’s fine,” I whispered scratchily. “But I can’t breathe.”
He dipped his head with a quiet laugh and came to my side. “Hey, buddy. Come here.”
Eli shook his head and curled right into me.
Aw, shit.
Now what?
“Come on, let me put you up to bed,” Brantley tried again. “Let Kali go home.”
Again, he shook his head, this time burying his face in my neck.
I sighed. “Help me.” Leaning against the bottom of the banister, I kicked a leg up. “Take off my shoes.”
He looked at me funny for a moment before grabbing the heel and pulling it off.
“Oop,” I breathed when I put my foot down and shrunk several inches. “Other one.”
Another kick up, another heel grab, another tug.
Barefoot, I padded up the stairs with Brantley behind me.
“He’s in my room,” he said. “Left, the end door.”
Sweet hell. Now I was going to see his bedroom?
I readjusted my grip on Eli when Brantley passed me and opened the door.
Thank God, this room was a lot closer to the rest of the house, just how I’d hoped it’d been. Boxes were piled everywhere, but there was a clear space where his kingsize bed was next to a small, single bed with Batman bedding.
I walked around the large bed with bedding in shades of gray and black to Eli’s. “Here you go, buddy,” I said softly, laying him on the bed.
He released me, finally, and curled up into a ball on his side, hugging the dinosaur close to his chest. I pulled the cover up over him, and he muttered something unintelligible before a tiny snore escaped him.
I covered my mouth with my hand, stifling a tiny giggle at the adorable sound.
Brantley smiled, leading me out of the room and shutting off the light. I went down the stairs before him, breathing out slowly and running a hand through my hair.
“Thank you,” he said softly, joining me at the bottom of the stairs. “It’s been a long time since someone but me put one of those two to bed.”
I smiled, sliding my feet into my shoes. At least I didn’t wince when the back of the shoe hit my blister… “You’re welcome. I’m not used to kids, so let’s say that was a first for me.”
The smile that stretched across his face was genuine and warm and damn my heart for picking up on that and skipping a beat. “You’re a natural.”
“In everything but my patience, I’m sure.” I grinned. “Ah, crap, I left my purse outside.”
He stepped past me and went outside. When I joined him, he was holding it up, staring at it. “It’s not really my color,” he noted of the scarlet-red clutch. “But it’s definitely yours, I think.”
I laughed and took it from him. “Thank you.” I peeked inside. “Everything is here. Thank god for our almost non-existent crime rate.”
“I doubt anyone will be trolling this neighborhood for purses to steal.”
“I don’t know. Anything’s possible. We did have a suspected murder a few years ago.”
“Was it murder?”
I pulled out my phone. “No. Not even suicide. The guy wasn’t even from here. He just died in his rental apartment.”
“How thrilling.”
“Hey—you don’t move to Rock Bay for the drama. Actually, people just don’t move to Rock Bay.” I brought up my mom’s number and hit dial. “You’re an enigma, Brantley Cooper.”
He smirked. “Speak for yourself, Ms. Handywoman.”
I laughed right as Mom answered.
“Yes?” she said. “Do I need to rescue you?”
&nbs
p; “Not exactly. I’m at Brantley Cooper’s and have the worst blister on my foot. Can you pick me up?”
Silence, and then, “Why are you at your client’s house?”
“Long story,” I said. “Please?”
“I want a full run-down of the date and why the hell you’re at Brantley Cooper’s. Then you’ve got yourself a deal.”
I sighed. “Fine, fine. Deal.”
“I’ll be there in five minutes.” She hung up, killing the line with a click.
Brantley, with four grocery bags in his hands, stared at me. “You just called someone to drive you three blocks?”
“Uh, yes. But that’s my mom’s job.”
“Lord, I hope my kids don’t say that in twenty years.”
I grinned. “She only wants to know about my date.”
He laughed and nodded toward the trunk. “Well? If you’re waiting, make yourself useful and carry some of this in.”
“Uh.” I looked at my shoes. “I’m not exactly equipped for grocery carrying.”
Shaking his head as he passed me, he said, “Stand there and look pretty, then. But this is basically the corner of the street, and there’s every chance someone might get confused.”
“Damn you!” I tucked my clutch inside the truck and grabbed a bag.
That’s right. A bag. Just one.
I wasn’t going to take this crap sitting down.
When I walked into the kitchen with my one bag, he blinked at me several times. “My God,” he muttered, probably to himself. “I don’t even know what to say to you.”
I put the bag down, smirked, and folded my arms over my chest. “You asked me to help. You never said I had to carry more than one bag.”
His lips twitched. He pursed them, but the restrained laughter shone in his eyes. Those goddamn beautiful, bright, expressive eyes.
Shit, what was wrong with me?
“You are something else, Kali. That’s for damn sure.” He tugged on a bit of my hair as he walked past me.
I followed him outside. “Of course, I’m something else. I wouldn’t be nearly as interesting if I was the same as everyone else, would I?”
“I’ve never met anyone as confident as you,” he said honestly. “I don’t know if it’s arrogant or refreshing.”
I shrugged as the familiar rumble of my mom’s car sounded around the corner. I grabbed my clutch. “If I don’t believe in myself, is anyone else going to?”
“That’s a very good point.”
Our eyes met, and we shared a smile.
A smile that made a shiver dance its way down my spine.
“Hi!” Mom got out of her car.
Oh, no.
“Hi,” Brantley said, turning around. “You must be Kali’s mom.”
Mom beamed. “Portia Hancock. You have to be Brantley Cooper.” She held out her hand.
“It’s a pleasure, Mrs. Hancock.” He took her offered hand, but instead of shaking it, kissed it.
Mom raised her eyebrows in an “ooh, hello,” kind of way.
“Call me Portia,” she replied. “Mrs. Hancock is my mother-in-law.”
“And doesn’t everyone know it,” I muttered.
Mom laughed. “I hope Kali isn’t bothering you, Mr. Cooper.”
“Brantley, please. Or Brant if you like—I’m not picky. And no, she’s not bothering me at all.” He slid his gaze to me with a sly smile. “In fact, I think I saved her ass tonight.”
I rolled my eyes. “My very own superhero. Why does Eli need Batman when he’s got you?”
Mom looked between us questioningly, but Brantley only laughed meeting my gaze fully.
“I don’t have a mask or a cape. Or a Batmobile, for that point,” he replied. “When you figure that out…”
“I’ll keep it in mind,” I said dryly, stepping forward. “Mom? Shall we go?”
“Yes,” she said slowly, taking her gaze from me to Brantley. “It was lovely to meet you, Brantley. I’m sure I’ll see you around soon.” She gave him her most dazzling smile, which wasn’t hard considering she was one of the most beautiful people I knew, and turned to the car.
“I’ll see you on Monday,” I said quietly. “Did the twins pick their bedroom colors?”
He nodded. “I’ll text you their selections.”
“Thank you. I want to get that bought on Monday.”
“No problem. I’ll send it tomorrow.” He pulled a grocery bag out of the trunk. “I’ll see you Monday, Kali.”
I bit the inside of my cheek, smiling and nodding. “Oh, and Brant?”
He smirked, turning back to look at me. “Yeah?”
“Thanks for saving me tonight.”
His laugh was like all the best chocolates—rich and smooth and oh-so-satisfying. “You’re more than welcome, ma’am.” He finished with a wink, and walked inside.
I sighed, turning around.
Mom sat in the car, windows down, and stared at me. “Get in and tell me everything. Now.”
Chapter Ten
Rolling my eyes, I did exactly as she’d said. I recapped the date in record time, and when I got done, she groaned and said all the appropriate things as she pulled into my driveway.
“Well, thanks for the ride! Talk to you tomorrow!” I went to make a swift exit from the car, but she jabbed a button and— “I can’t believe you just child-locked me in your car.”
She grinned manically. “Oh no, Kali. If you think you’re getting away with this without talking to me about Brantley Cooper, you can think again, child.”
“I’m twenty-six.”
“And? You’re still a spotty thirteen-year-old who hates me in my mind sometimes.”
“I never hated you. You know that.”
“I know.” She curved her lips. “But it still works as a guilt-trip, doesn’t it?”
I groaned. “Fine, come in, have coffee, question me all you like.”
“And you’ll answer every one,” she clarified.
“Fine!” I rattled the car handle. “Let me go.”
Laughing, she turned off the child lock and got out with me. “God, he’s handsome, isn’t it?”
“Mom!” I laughed as I pulled my keys out of my purse.
“Well, he is!”
“Oh my god.” I blushed as I unlocked the door. Why was I blushing? Ugh, I needed a do-over for today.
Mom snorted and followed me inside. “He is very handsome, Kali. Just admit it.”
“All right, fine. He’s hot as fuck. There. Are you happy now, Mom?”
“Ecstatic.”
I turned on the coffee machine and ignored her laughter. I sighed. Sometimes having a mom-figure who was almost closer to a best friend wasn’t a good thing.
“Now, tell me more about him. And by more, I mean everything. Is he available? Single? His kids? Their mom?”
“Would you like me to Google his penis size while I’m here?”
“If it would help you, feel free.”
I pulled off my shoes. “Well,” I said, putting them to the side. “Yes, he’s single. Yes, he’s available. His kids are hilarious—four-year-old twins. Their mom died of cancer two and a half years ago.”
“Oh, dear,” she said softly. “How terrible.”
I nodded in agreement. “He said Rock Bay was a fresh start for him and the kids. He literally left everything behind to come here. No family, no nothing.”
“Why Rock Bay?”
I shrugged. “I guess he got a transfer with his work. He’s been doing some stuff the past couple days I’ve been there, and he said his boss was trying to get him to go into the office. They seem pretty flexible with him.”
“Are the twins going to Summer, then?”
“Of course, they are. Where else would they go?”
“Good point. Now, back to him being single…”
“Mom.”
She sighed and propped her chin up on her hand. “I know, I know. I’m messing with you. He’s a client and that’s not exactly an ideal situation for any w
oman to step into, is it?”
I looked down and fidgeted with my bracelet. “You did it.”
She held up a finger. “Honey, that was different in a million ways. One, you were thirteen. Two, it had been a lot longer than two years. Three, there was only one of you.”
“Would it have made a difference if I had a brother or sister?”
She got up and crossed the kitchen to me. She touched her hands to my face with all the warmth of a woman who deserved to be a mother. The gentleness of her touch made me meet her eyes.
“Kali, never.” Her gaze never wavered. “I adore your father—all his idiocies and all. And I love you, honey. It never would have mattered to me.” She kissed my forehead then stepped back, lowering her hands with a smile. “If you need to talk, call me. Okay?”
I nodded.
“Turn off that machine. The last thing you need is to spend your Sunday half-dead because you drank coffee way too late.” She blew me a kiss as she left. “Talk to you soon, honey.”
“Bye, Mom. Love you.”
“Love you, too!”
The door clicked behind her.
I let out a deep breath, locked it, and went up to bed.
She was right.
I needed to sleep.
If only to stop thinking about the hot, single dad who had somehow invaded my thoughts to the point of crazy.
***
Brantley: I need to ask a favor.
I frowned at my phone.
Me: …?
Brantley: Ellie has it in her head that she wants wallpaper. She’s demanding we go to the home store to look at it.
Me: I thought she wanted pink and purple.
Brantley: She does… plus wallpaper. She won’t let me talk her out of it.
Me: Are you at home?
Brantley: No.
Me: You’re at the store, aren’t you?
Brantley: Yeah.
I rubbed my hand across my forehead. I needed to go anyway to get the paint, but there was nothing worse than going to Harvey’s Home on a weekend. Mostly because that’s when everyone and their damn mother went.
Nobody went at nine a.m. on a Monday.
I sighed and hit reply.
Me: Be there in 20.
***
