by Jen Talty
“I’ll make sure I add that to the notes,” he said, waffling between frustration over his daughter’s sassy attitude as of late, and the sinking feeling in the pit of his gut that perhaps she was right.
Ding. Dong.
Elle wiggled her finger.
“Young lady,” he said, lowering his chin. “Don’t take that tone with me.”
“I’m sorry, but if you give that folder to Scarlet, she’ll be as angry as I am.”
“I doubt that. Now go get the door for our breakfast guests.”
Last night, after dinner at Hunter’s, he’d dropped Scarlet off at Mauve’s house, giving her an awkward hug good-bye at the door. The woman turned his brain to mush.
“Good morning,” Scarlet said as she breezed into the kitchen like the ocean lapping at the shore. “I hear we’re having pancakes for breakfast.”
He stood, holding the folder in his hands. “Do you want some coffee?”
“I do. But I can get it.” Stretching her arms up, her shirt lifted from her miniskirt, showing off her taut stomach.
Cartoons blared from the family room, reminding him of all the reasons he shouldn’t pursue another kiss.
“Here.” He held out the folder. “Just some information about staying with Elle for the night.”
He swallowed, watching Scarlet eye him over the mug, the steam from the coffee floating up toward her face.
She set the mug down, taking the folder between her fingers.
He kept telling himself he was just being a good parent. Elle was his world, and all he wanted to do was make sure she was well looked after when he couldn’t be there. So he went overboard with all the tiny details, like how she liked to have her towels warm when she got out of the shower. Of course, she did that herself these days.
“This is six pages long,” Scarlet said. “And at the end, you have a little test.”
He’d added that this morning.
“You’re seriously nervous about leaving Elle with me overnight?”
Jax took a small step back. The glare coming off Scarlet’s sapphire eyes was more like a raging hurricane than the calming of the ocean.
She shoved the folder, with his detailed instructions, against his chest.
“I did this for your aunt the first time—”
Scarlet poked his chest. “Would you be insulted if I didn’t trust you to take care of Rusty for one night?” She stormed out of his kitchen and into the backyard, slamming the door shut.
“Come on, Scarlet.” Tossing the papers on the counter, he followed her outside, the morning sun already tipping the temperatures well into the eighties. “I can’t help that I’m a detail-oriented person. I make lists. Wouldn’t you make me a list for Rusty?”
“No. Actually, I wouldn’t.” She planted her hands on her hips. “You’ve spent enough time with him for me to feel comfortable knowing you’d take care of him like you would your own.”
“You’d leave instructions if you left Rusty with Elle or say the teenager who lives next to Mauve.”
“I’m not a teenager.”
“I didn’t mean to offend you.” He couldn’t believe his daughter had been right.
“Well, you did.”
“And I’m sorry, but as a single parent, you have to be able to see why I’d be a little skittish.”
She laughed, but it wasn’t a ha-ha funny noise. More like a har-har, right asshole, noise. “The first day I came to babysit, yes. The second day, maybe. But now? Absolutely not.” She folded her arms. “I’m good enough to kiss, but not good enough to make sure your daughter is safe for twenty-four hours.”
He wondered if they’d ever get to the topic of their one kiss yesterday in Hunter’s kitchen. He knew Claire was up to her tricks, trying to push them together. The idea to kiss her hadn’t appeared in his mind until he stepped into the room, and she looked so sweet and sexy with her concerned expression. He loved the way her nose crinkled and her right eyelid twitched when she was nervous.
“Dad, we’re hungry,” Elle said, standing in the doorway with Rusty on her hip.
“Give us ten minutes.”
“Fine,” Elle said, rolling her eyes before turning and disappearing back into the house.
He swallowed. “Now that is scary,” he whispered.
“What is?”
“My daughter with a kid on her hip.”
Scarlet patted his shoulder. “She’s going to grow up someday and fall in love with a man and—”
“Don’t say it. Or might I remind you of your little man one day falling in love with a girl and…and…and…”
“Having sex.” She no longer shot daggers at him, but now her baby blues doused him with sarcasm.
“And you don’t have a problem with that?”
“What, that my son is going to grow up to be a man, and hopefully a good one, like you and not his fath…” She snapped her head toward the house. “Thank God he wasn’t standing there.”
“I don’t think he heard you.” He rested his hands on her arms, gently rubbing up and down. “Your aunt told me his father hasn’t been paying child support.” He wracked his brain for the details of that conversation as not to muck it up with what Tex had found out. He figured one mistake today was enough.
“He never wanted to be a dad. I kept thinking that as soon as I gave birth, he’d fall in love with his boy, but Daniel just looked at him and told me I needed to prove Rusty was his kid.” A tear rolled down her cheek. “How could anyone not love their own child?” She pointed to the house. “Rusty still asks when his daddy is coming back.”
“What do you tell him?”
She slumped her shoulders. “I just smile and tell him that his father thinks of him every day.”
He bit down on his anger and choked on sadness. “Rusty is a smart kid, that won’t work much longer.”
“I know. But how do you tell a kid his father doesn’t want him?”
“I wish I had an answer.” What Jax really wished for was five minutes alone with that weasel. He tipped her chin with his thumb and index finger. “Rusty will grow up to be a fine man because he has you for a mom.” He searched her eyes for a reason to pull away. Yesterday, he’d told himself that they would never share another kiss. Things were too complicated, and they both had children to protect.
“Thank you for staying that.”
“It’s the truth.” Cupping the back of her neck, he drew her closer. The bitter smell of roasted coffee flowed from her lips.
“Your neighbor is staring at us.”
“Is it Jessica?”
“Yes.”
“Good, let’s give her something to gossip about at the park today.” Before Scarlet could protest, he circled his free hand around her waist, crushing her chest to his, and molded his mouth on her lips.
She fisted his shirt as if she were going to shove him away, but instead she relaxed into his arms, resting her soft palms on his shoulder blades. Everything about her excited his body and his mind. He wanted to explore every inch of her skin and listen to her talk until the wee hours of the morning.
The revving of a motorcycle engine reminded him he had to leave for work, and he’d promised to have breakfast with his daughter.
“I don’t know about you, but I’m starving,” he said, kissing the side of her neck.
“We should go inside. I think Jessica just snapped our picture.”
He glanced over his shoulder, smiled and waved at his nosey, but harmless neighbor. “Beautiful morning, isn’t it.” Draping his arm over Scarlet’s shoulder, he guided her to the back door, leaving Jessica with her jaw wide open. “You might want to stay clear of the park today, unless you want to field a dozen or so questions about our relationship.”
“We don’t have one.”
“A second kiss puts us near that territory.”
“No, it doesn’t,” she said, though her smile said something else.
“We’ll talk about it when I get back from work.”
; He opened the door, and Rusty came running…to him.
“Jax!” the little boy wailed. “Don’t leave!”
He glanced from Rusty, to Scarlet, who stared at him with wide eyes. His heart raced as he bent over, lifting the toddler and cradling him in his arms. “What’s gotten into him?” he asked his daughter.
“I don’t know. I just said you would be gone all night. I didn’t know it would upset him. I’m sorry.” Elle chomped down on her fingernail.
“It’s okay,” Scarlet said, patting the boy’s back. “You had no idea he’d react this way. Come here.” She tried to pull him, but he wouldn’t let go of Jax.
“Why don’t you two start breakfast while Rusty and I go have a man to man.”
Scarlet shook her head, her hands still tugging at her son. He understood her concern, but Rusty had a death grip on his neck, and he figured if he didn’t handle it, Rusty would make the assumption this was just another man who was going to walk out of his life.
Well, Jax wasn’t going to do that.
“We’ll just be in the family room.” He leaned over and gave her a quick peck on the cheek, which caused his daughter to gasp and then chuckle. He wasn’t sure what to make of that, but he was going to have to talk to Elle anyway. He hugged Rusty, rubbing his back, trying to get him to stop sobbing so they could have a little chat, though having real discussions with three-year-olds were generally not too deep.
“Rusty? Do you know what I do for work?”
“No,” he said with a quiver in his voice.
“I’m a fireman.” Jax left out the details of being in a special unit called Fire Protection Specialists with the Air Force. No need to confuse the boy.
“Really!?” Rusty snapped his head up as Jax sat down on the sofa. “You ride in a red truck?”
Jax laughed. “I do, and you see if I don’t go to work and someone has a fire, who will be there to put it out?”
“But why all-night work?”
“It’s just the way we do it. I’ll be home tomorrow morning, and if it’s okay with your mom, maybe we can go fishing.”
Rusty nodded his head wildly as he wiped his own tears away. “I don’t want you to go away like my daddy where he only gets to think about me.”
Well, for fuck’s sake. Jax did all he could to not punch the wall. This kid deserved better and eventually he’ll figure out the truth about his father, but hopefully not until he’s ready and mature enough to understand this wasn’t his fault.
“How about we go get some pancakes?”
Rusty nodded.
Jax stood and made his way back to the kitchen with a heavy heart. Getting involved with a woman with a deadbeat ex and a toddler was going to be complicated as hell.
“Smells good in here.” He handed Rusty to Scarlet, who hugged him like an overprotective mother, which made Jax chuckle. Sitting down at the small, round table, he placed a napkin in his lap and a fork in a stack of fluffy pancakes.
“Daddy, wait for the rest of us.”
“I’ve got ten minutes, Butter…”
Elle put one hand on her hip.
“Fine,” he muttered. “Elle, I’ve got ten minutes before I have to be out the door, so let me stuff my face.”
Elle smiled sweetly, setting a couple more plates on the table. Rusty climbed up on his knees, waiting for his pancake.
Once Scarlet was seated at the table, Elle patted her father’s leg. “A nice, romantic meal, sort of,” she said.
He dropped his fork.
Scarlet choked on her juice.
Rusty covered his mouth, giggling.
“Come on, Dad. I saw you two kissing out there. And at Uncle Hunter’s place.” She smiled like she just won first prize in the spelling bee. “You’re dating.”
Chapter 5
The rich, hazelnut scent floated from the dark coffee. Scarlet inhaled deeply, letting the aroma fill her lungs, waking her up from what had been a restless sleep. Mauve always did the overnights at her house, but Jax suggested they stay at his based on Rusty’s meltdown, and she had to agree.
Only she hadn’t anticipated having to smell the combination of fresh palm trees mixed with a hefty dose of pure masculinity all night long while she tried to sleep in his bed. And when she did get a few moments of slumber, her dreams were filled with him climbing between the sheets, caressing her body, and his glorious lips sprinkling sweet kisses all over her skin.
Sipping the scalding dark liquid, she stared out the front window, with her feet tucked up under her butt on the sofa. The sun had yet to rise, but the sky had started to lighten from black to a cobalt blue.
“Scarlet, I don’t feel so good.” Elle stood at the opening between the kitchen and the family room, her hand over her stomach.
“Come lay on the sofa with me.”
But before Elle could take two steps, her face turned white. “I’m going to be sick,” Elle said with wide eyes just before she barfed all over herself.
Dropping the mug to the ground, Scarlet raced across the room, knocking over the lamp to get to the gagging child, side-stepping the vomit on the floor. “Let’s get you cleaned up.” She put her arms around Elle, her nightgown soaked with perspiration.
“I’m sorry,” Elle said with a weak voice.
“Don’t be sorry. You must have the stomach bug. I hear it’s going around.”
“My stomach hurts so bad.”
Scarlet lifted the gown off and rested her hand on Elle’s forehead. “You have a fever.”
Elle’s stomach made a loud gurgling sound as she dropped to her knees, clutching her stomach, throwing up once more, her body shaking as she rolled to her side.
Scarlet fumbled for the first aid kit in the linen closet. Jax had mentioned he had those strip things that would take her temperature across her forehead.
Elle moaned on the ground, her pasty body covered in sweat. This was no ordinary stomach bug.
The stripe read 104.6.
Fuck.
“I need to get my phone, okay, Elle? I’ll be right back.” Scarlet raced through the house, slipping on the puke twice, but she didn’t care. Her hands shook as she hit 9-1-1, sitting on the floor next to Elle, cradling her head in her lap.
“9-1-1, what’s your emergency?”
“I’ve got a ten-year-old girl with a fever of 104.6 and she’s vomiting and has horrible stomach cramps. It came on while she was sleeping…”
Elle’s body convulsed.
Scarlet did her best to get the girl to toss her cookies in the trash can.
“She’s throwing up non-stop, though it’s more dry heaving at this point.”
Elle screamed out in pain.
“Is her stomach sore to the touch?”
Scarlet rested her shaky hand on Elle’s belly, and she cried out again.
“Yes,” Scarlet said.
“We’ll dispatch an ambulance. Stay on the line with me until they arrive, okay?”
“Sure,” Scarlet gave the woman on the other end the address. She tucked the phone to her ear and lifted Elle into her arms. “Is there any way you can get a message to an on-duty Air Force Fire Specialist?”
“I can try,” the dispatcher said.
“It’s her father. His name is Jaxson Stravos. He’s stationed out of Patrick Air Force base.”
“I don’t want to go to the hospital,” Elle said weakly.
“I know, sweetie, but we need to.” Scarlet held Elle, rocking back and forth on the floor, staring out the window, willing the ambulance to come quicker.
Elle continued to moan, and the 9-1-1 operator continued to talk calmly.
Scarlet’s insides shook like a collapsing building. She did her best to soothe Elle, but the poor girl was in so much pain. She hadn’t eaten much for dinner, but Scarlet figured maybe she just didn’t like the fish.
Sirens blipped as a police car and an ambulance rolled to a stop in front of the house. Two men jumped from the emergency vehicle, opened the back doors, and pulled out a gurney.<
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“Ever been in an ambulance before?” Scarlet looked down at Elle, her face whiter than pure snow.
“Yes, but just with my dad for fun,” Elle said.
“I haven’t been in one at all. Looks like we get to do it together.” Scarlet bent over and kissed Elle’s forehead.
“Are you Scarlet?” One of the EMTs asked as he stormed through the front door.
“How do you know my name?”
“Jax heard the call come over and reached out to the first responder, which was my station house.”
“You know Jax?”
The man shook his head. “I’ve never had the privilege of working with him.”
“He’s on his way?”
The man nodded, then bent down and put a stethoscope against Elle’s chest. “Could she have gotten into medication? Alcohol?”
“No,” Scarlet said.
“Could she have eaten anything that could have been bad?”
“We had fish for dinner. She didn’t eat much, but my son and I had the same meal, and we’re not sick.”
“Does she have any allergies?” the EMT asked.
“She breaks out in hives if she uses cold cream.”
“Is she on any medication we should know about?”
“I gave her Tylenol before bed. She complained of a headache.” Scarlet mentally went through their entire day, trying to think of anything she might have missed.
“Let’s get her on the gurney, get an IV drip of fluids started, and transport her to the hospital.”
Scarlet nodded. “These nice gentlemen are going to put you on that bed and strap you in. I’m going to get Rusty and…” She glanced up as the man scooped up Elle. “I have a three-year-old upstairs. We can both ride with her, right?”
“Sorry, ma’am. You can ride with her, but your son can’t.”
She stared at the man, tears welling in her eyes. She couldn’t leave Elle to ride alone, scared out of her mind. But she didn’t have anyone to watch Rusty.
“I can bring him to the hospital,” a policeman said. He stood with his thumbs looped in his belt. “If you have a car seat.”
“I do. It’s in the garage.” Thank God she’d remembered to bring it this time just in case. “I’ll go get him.”
