“What if I wasn’t home?”
“You weren’t home,” Marco corrected her with a smile.
“This isn’t funny. What if no one was home? Who is this driver? Does he know child CPR? Does he have experience with kids? What if Pauly got motion sickness?”
“He did.” Marco pointed to the washing machine that had a cycle running. “His left leg was covered in puke.”
“I’m going to kill him. I’m going to kill—”
“Shhh,” Marco shushed her and motioned to the front room. “The kids.”
She knew he was right. She and Devon had made a rule never to speak about Paulo if they were in the house. But it irritated her that Marco was shushing her all the same.
“Why didn’t you call me?” she snapped when she knew she should’ve been thanking him.
He grinned, not seeming at all offended by her attitude. “I did. The call didn’t go through. I even tried Deanna, Tessa, Amy, and Nikki. No calls went through. I don’t think Karina has great reception at her house.”
“I’m sorry,” she apologized. “I was so freaked out when I saw them and then Paulo… and I just…I’m sorry. Thank you. Thank you for taking care of them.”
“It wasn’t just me. Pops had them doing pushups and jumping jacks to burn off energy after their car ride.”
She smiled, but she could feel the tears building. Since her sister’s accident, whenever anything unexpected happened, tears were her automatic reaction. She wasn’t a fan. She missed the days when she’d feel disconnected. She’d give anything to feel disconnected again.
Marco pulled her into his arms. She folded into him, absorbing his steadfast strength. She felt his lips kiss the top of her head. “It’s going to be okay. Everyone is fine. The kids are fine. You’re fine. It’s all fine.”
She nodded against his chest when she heard the doorbell. She jumped at the sound. “Who is that?”
“Pizza!” The kidlets chorused. “Pizza!”
“Pizza.” Marco grinned before kissing her on her forehead and going to answer the door.
She stood in the kitchen and watched as he handed the money to Pauly so he could pay the delivery man, telling him to say that the delivery person could keep the change. Pauly nodded his head before Marco opened the door and she watched her nephew give the teenager the money, and say that he could keep the change, before taking the pizza.
Isabella lifted her arms for Marco to pick her up and he didn’t miss a beat, he reached down and scooped her up. Sydney watched as Pauly proudly carried the pizza toward the table, Marco beside him and Isabella in his arms and she knew that her life would never be the same again.
She’d loved Marco almost her entire life, but never like this. Seeing him like that, seeing how natural and amazing he was with her niece and nephew, her heart and ovaries exploded.
Tears started to roll down her cheek as she stood in the kitchen in shock at the power of emotions she was feeling when she heard Pops’ loud voice booming, “Oh good, my pizza’s here. I don’t know what you guys are going to eat. Maybe you can find some tuna in the cupboard.”
Pauly laughed, and Isabella made her feelings for tuna known, “Eww tuna! Yuck!”
Putting on the bravest face she could, she wiped her tears and pulled herself together. She loved an amazing man, who she knew she didn’t have a future with. There were worse things in the world. Like having a shithead ex-husband that has a driver drop his kids off with someone he’s never even met.
She pulled out her phone and searched for the number for the resort where her sister was staying. She needed to deal with this situation first, then she could deal with her shattered heart and soul.
This was just like being on the triage rotation. One crisis at a time.
Chapter 18
‡
In his life, Marco had carried a lot of people. Being a firefighter, that was part of the gig. He’d carried all ages, from elderly to newborn. He’d even delivered two babies. So for the life of him, he couldn’t understand why carrying Isabella up the stairs was so different.
Maybe it was because, while they were watching a movie, the little angel had climbed up on his lap and fallen asleep. He’d never had a child fall asleep on him before he carried them. That could be the difference.
All he knew for sure was that he wanted to protect her from the world, to shield her from every hurt, to keep her safe.
Not just her, but Pauly, too. From the moment he’d opened the door and seen them on his doorstep, he’d been angry. Not at them, for them. He might’ve shushed Sydney, but she’d been expressing his exact sentiment.
What kind of father would send off his young children to a place they’ve never been, with a driver whose name they didn’t even know, without even making sure the person that they were sending them to, knew they were coming? The kind who abandons their wife and kids after their wife is hit by a car. That’s who.
Marco could feel his body tense with anger, so he put it out of his mind.
The kids were safe and didn’t seem at all traumatized. That’s what he needed to focus on.
He stepped as lightly as he could as he crossed to the bed and gently laid Isabella down beside her brother, whom Sydney had just finished tucking in.
“Okay, bud. I’m going to be right outside for a minute.”
Pauly yawned and nodded his head, his eyes shut, and less than a second later, he was snoring softly. Marco wished he could pass out like that. It was impressive.
Lady jumped on the bed and curled up between the kids at their feet.
It was one of the cutest things he’d ever seen.
He followed Sydney out into the hallway, and she shut the door quietly before turning to face him.
“Are you sure this is okay?” she whispered. “I hate that we’re kicking you out of your room.”
“You’re not kicking me out. I’m insisting.” The first six times he’d suggested the kids and Sydney take his room she’d refused. Finally, he’d had to pull out the “my house, my rules” card. He hadn’t wanted to play it, but she’d given him no choice. Changing the subject, he asked, “What did Devon say when you talked to her?”
When her sister called back after Sydney had left a message with the front desk, she’d taken the call in the backyard. He hadn’t had a moment alone with her since.
“She said that she was going to see if she could get a flight out of Palm Springs to either Sacramento or Lake Tahoe tomorrow, if not she’s going to rent a car. She wanted to leave tonight, but I told her not to drive while she was tired. So, she’s going to get here as soon as she can tomorrow.” Sydney started speaking rapidly as she explained. “And I have a call in to several services to get an emergency replacement that I will pay for until my sister can come get the kids. And we don’t have to stay here. I can take—”
“You’re not going anywhere, and neither are the kids. I’ll take care of a replacement. I’ll have someone here by nine a.m. tomorrow. It’s fine. Everything is okay.”
Her lips turned up at the corners, and for the first time since she’d come home tonight, the spark was back in her eyes. “You really have the whole, talk ’em off the ledge thing down. The calming tone. The eye contact. It’s impressive.”
“Thanks. I practice in the mirror.”
She chuckled and the sound washed over him like a breeze. He loved seeing her so relaxed.
“Auntie!” A sleepy voice called out. “Auntie!”
She closed her eyes briefly before cracking the door and poking her head in. “Be right there, sweet girl.”
She turned back to him and said, “Just let me get her back to sleep, and I’ll come down and clean up.”
“No. You take care of them. I’ll take care of the frat party cleanup.” He was only slightly exaggerating. Never in his life would he have imagined that two kids could make as big of a mess as fifty drunk frat boys.
To paraphrase Anchor Man, he wasn’t even mad. It was amazing.
�
�No. You’re not doing that. I just need to get them back to sleep, and I’ll be right down.”
“You’re exhausted—”
“I am not,” she countered defensively.
He didn’t want to point out the she had dark circles under her eyes. Or that Isabella hadn’t been the only one who’d fallen asleep during the movie. Sydney had nodded off several times. But he wisely refrained.
He continued as if she hadn’t interrupted. “And since I’m the one that exhausted you last night, I feel it’s my responsibility to make sure you get a good night’s sleep tonight.”
Her lips twitched as she fought the smile that was trying to lift on her mouth. “Don’t try and be cute.”
“I don’t try,” he replied with mock-sincerity. “It just happens. It’s a curse, actually, to be this sexy and cute.”
The smile won and spread across her face. “I’m serious. This is not up for discussion.” She pointed her finger at him and lowered her voice in what he was sure she thought was stern, but he thought was adorable and endearing. “I’m cleaning up. You are not. End of story.”
He thought about pulling out the “my house…” card again, but decided to go a different route that he was pretty sure would be more effective. “So it’s okay for you to spend the night in a recliner taking care of Lady for me, but I’m not allowed to return the favor? That’s quite the double standard you have there.”
After several seconds of what he was sure was an internal debate, she begrudgingly agreed, “Fine.” Then she lifted up on her toes and pressed a quick kiss to his lips. It was chaste and innocent, but the heat of the connection spread through him like a wildfire.
“Thank you, again.” She said as she slipped into the room.
When the door shut, he stared at it, frozen for several moments.
How had one night shifted everything he’d ever thought he knew about his life? What if he’d made all the wrong decisions? What if what he really wanted was what was behind that door?
A family.
He’d always thought he was doing the right thing by not bringing a child into this world when there was no guarantee that their parents would stay together. But he realized now, he was protecting himself. He was the one that couldn’t go through another broken family.
Fuck.
Lifting his arms, he ran his fingers through his hair and exhaled slowly. At some point, he was going to need to address that realization, but not tonight. Tonight all he needed to do was clean up downstairs and go to bed.
He headed down the stairs, careful to keep his size thirteen feet from stomping. It took him about a half hour to pick up the front room, dining room, and clean the kitchen. The whole time he was imagining Sydney doing all of this by herself and caring for Devon. By the time he was finished, he wanted to kick his own ass. He should’ve been there for her. He should’ve talked to her after the reunion.
He was still frustrated as he headed back to the guest room and he saw that Pops’ door was cracked and his light was on.
He tapped his knuckles, knocking lightly so as not to wake him if he was asleep.
“Yeah, come on in.”
He walked in to find his grandpa sitting up in bed watching something on his iPad. He’d gone to bed several hours ago and was usually out for the count by this time of night. “You feeling okay?”
“Just some aches and pains. Nothing too bad.”
Marco had to take Pops self-diagnosis with a grain of salt. He had to put it through the Pops filter. He’d describe a massive heart attack as a little chest pain.
“Did you need me to get you something?”
“Nah. I’m fine.”
“Okay, well, I’m bunking in the guest room. So, holler if you need anything.”
He started to leave, but Pops stopped him.
“Hey, son.”
“Yeah?”
“You did good tonight. With the kids and with Sydney. The way you handled it, made me proud that I had a part in raising you.”
Pops also had a compliment filter. As much as Marco’s grandpa was supportive and loving, he wasn’t big on praise and compliments. His philosophy was, if you’re supposed to do something, do it and do it well. No one needs to pat you on the back for it.
So, coming from him, this meant a lot. “Thanks, Pops.”
“You know this is temporary,” Pops stated ominously before lifting up his iPad again.
“What is? Life?” Marco guessed.
“That, too.” Pops chuckled. “But I was talking about a redhead being under this roof. If you want to make it a permanent situation, you’re gonna need to speak up.”
“It’s not like that.”
“Do you love her?”
He’d never had a conversation like this with Pops. They’d never talked about Marco’s relationships. Probably because one-night stands don’t count as relationships.
“It’s not a hard question,” Pops prompted impatiently.
Marco sighed. “It’s complicated.”
“No, son. Life is complicated. Love is simple. And it’s not something you throw away, no matter how complicated life gets.” Pops returned his attention to the iPad, indicating that the talk was now over.
As Marco got ready for bed, he was trying to figure out how he and Sydney could make things work, if that was even something she wanted. She lived in Sunset Canyon. With her sister. Who needed her. He lived in Hope Falls and had just committed three years of his life to his dream job here. And that dream job didn’t really allow for much else in his life.
He was sure that Pops had intended his mic-drop moment to make everything clearer for his grandson. But instead, Marco was now more confused than ever.
Chapter 19
‡
Sydney blew a stray strand of hair from her forehead as she stirred the pancake mix. At the moment, the house was calm and quiet. Marco was at work. Pops was snoozing in the recliner, taking his morning nap. And the kidlets and Lady were upstairs sleeping.
She’d tried to wake her niece and nephew before coming downstairs to let Lady out and give Pops his medication. She wanted to keep them on the schedule that she and Devon had worked so hard to implement. But they were both exhausted and neither wanted to get up. So, Sydney let them sleep in.
As much as she was enjoying this rare moment of peace, it was giving her mind ample opportunity to obsess about things she shouldn’t even be thinking about. Nothing useful or constructive could come from the things that were playing on a loop in her head.
She kept remembering the way Marco had carried her up to the bedroom. The way his kiss devoured her. The way his touch permeated her entire being. The way her heartbeat synced with his as they’d drifted off to sleep.
And when she forced herself to stop reliving those moments, her mind would automatically jump to how incredible he’d been with the kids. She loved Pauly and Isabella to death, but they were not the kind of kids you could put crayons in front of, and they’d be occupied for hours. They had questions about everything. They fought about everything. They had meltdowns over everything. Well, not everything, but a lot of things. And it was exhausting, both mentally and physically.
But Marco had not only kept his cool, he’d been a rock star. The kids worshipped him, though she was still his number one fan. Marco Reyes could diffuse a three-year-old’s meltdown in under thirty seconds. Watching the way he was around them, the ease, confidence, and patience had been the biggest turn-on imaginable.
Marco had always made it clear that he didn’t want to be a father. He’d never wavered on that topic. But that didn’t stop her from envisioning him with children. With their children. That didn’t stop her from fantasizing about being pregnant with his babies. Nope, it sure didn’t.
Clearly, she was delusional.
She wanted to clear her mind of any and all Marco-related fantasies, but every time she tried, her mind automatically went to Paulo and the stunt that he’d pulled. She’d known that he was a narcissist from the
first time she’d met him. And he’d revealed more of his true colors after Devon’s accident. But this was a new low, even for him.
The more she thought about it, the faster her wrist flicked the whisk. It eventually got so fast that the wire loops became just a blur of silver as she took out all of her frustration on the pancake mix. These were going to be the most lump-free pancakes in history.
When she’d finished annihilating the batter, she was out of breath but felt a little better emotionally. She’d had friends that had said that cooking was their therapy and she was starting to see they might be on to something.
She was pulling out a pan when she heard the pitter patter of little feet coming down the stairs. “Auntie’s in the kitchen,” she called out.
Two sleepyheads rounded the corner followed by Lady the Nanny dog. Other than to be let out to go to the bathroom, Lady hadn’t left their side. The kids climbed into chairs at the kitchen table. Isabella sat to Pauly’s left just like they did at home. And Lady curled up under the table.
“Where’s Marco?” Pauly asked, as he shifted back and forth to get comfortable in the chair.
“Yeah, where’s Marco?” Isabella parroted.
Yep. They were big fans.
“He’s at work.”
“When’s he coming home?” Pauly followed up.
Sydney had no idea if he was coming home for lunch, and she knew better than to tell the kids that he might be. Mights and maybes were wills and yeses in their little heads. She went with a non-committal, “I’m not sure.”
“I like Marco. He’s funny.” Isabella wiped her eyes before resting her head on the table. “I miss him.”
You and me both, kid.
Hoping to get the subject off of Marco, she asked, “Hey, are you guys hungry?”
They both nodded.
“Pancakes will be ready soon,” she announced cheerily.
After filling two cups of orange juice, one with ice for Isabella and one without for Pauly, she set them down in front of them.
Fire and Romance Page 18
