by Maren Smith
As he followed his daughter up the stairs, he wondered why Mrs. Grayson hadn't returned his calls. He hadn't seen a car in the driveway, but it could have been in the garage. After they looked around upstairs, he would let himself into the kitchen and check around to make sure nothing had happened to her. Of course, they were a day earlier than planned, so maybe she was just out and about. After all, she didn't have to be here when they arrived.
“This is fun, Daddy,” announced Andi, grinning as the steps creaked here and there beneath their feet. “It's a really old house, isn’t it? Do you think it's haunted?” Her voice dropped to a whisper as they neared the top of the stairwell and he reached around her to open the door into a dimly lit open area. Scrabbling for a light switch on his left, the room flooded with light as he flipped it on. He looked around in approval.
“Of course it's not haunted,” he scoffed with a grin. At least Ben hadn't mentioned anything about it being haunted. “It is really nice though, isn't it? Just look at that fireplace.”
Andi’s eye rounded into wide pools of excitement. “That’s how Santa will bring my presents, right Daddy?” She ran to the massive fireplace and stepped on the hearth. She was trying to bend down and look up the chimney when he caught her and pulled her back with a laugh.
“Oh no, you don’t, pumpkin. No spying on Santa allowed.”
“Okay, Daddy! So where’s my room then?” She danced around in circles staring at four different doors.
“I don't know, we'll have to open all the doors, won't we?” he teased. There were three doors on the left and one on the right near the end. It looked like the remodeling had consisted of taking out the right side of the hallway except for two structural beams and leaving a huge open area with a fireplace. Plenty of room in there for an office. There were supposed to be two bedrooms, so he surmised one door must be a bathroom and probably the middle door on the left was the main door to the downstairs. It would most likely be locked from the other side.
The living area was softly lit with an overhead light and ceiling fan combination and some overstuffed tan leather furniture that looked modern enough. The floors were hardwood and looked like the original flooring. It didn't come any more beautiful than that.
A huge plump area rug in browns and tans lay between the sofa and loveseat, adorned with a coffee table and side tables with glass tops and thick wooden legs. On the far right wall was a large-screen TV with a wooden entertainment center beneath it. The glass doors were stained with brown and gold leaves, giving the whole room an autumn country ambience.
He sighed in pleasure. It was as if whoever had designed the room knew him personally. He was sure that couch would hold his six-foot-four-inch frame perfectly on those cold winter nights with nowhere to be the next day and football on the screen. Kudos to Marlie Grayson! Ben had told him the apartment came furnished but he hadn't figured it would be this nice.
He followed Andi as she opened the door to the left and bounded inside then stopped dead in her tracks and wrinkled her nose. “I don't think this is my room, Daddy,” she stated matter-of-factly, pointing at the king-sized bed decorating the room. The bed sat on four wooden posts for legs, the polished dark wood squared and gleaming. No curly cues or frivolity on that bed. Its only adornment was a checked quilt in red, brown, black and gray squares. A matching chest of drawers stood at the foot of the bed. A large window was on the left wall and a door to a walk-in closet was on the right wall. There was a matching nightstand beside it. A modern overhead fan and light combination had been installed in this room as well and an oval braided rug matching the colors of the bedspread was on the floor.
“What? You don't like a king-sized bed?” he asked in mock-offense. He tickled her belly when she fisted her hands on her hips and shot him a scornful glance.
“This doesn’t look anything like a girl's room,” she announced, marching out of the door and down to the next one. She grabbed the doorknob but it only rattled in her fingers.
Max quickly pulled her hand off the crystal knob. “I think that goes downstairs,” he explained pointing her toward the next door. “Try that one.”
Andi looked confused. “I thought the stairs were back there, Daddy.” She looked over her shoulder.
“Our stairs are,” he assured her. “These would be the main stairs, which we won't be using. The rest of the house is down there and that's where the owner lives,” he explained.
“Okay,” she chirped cheerfully.
Max shook his head ruefully. Apparently, that was all the explanation Andi needed, as if Daddies were always right. What were the chances of her keeping that attitude when she was a teenager?
Andi opened the third door and walked in cautiously as if holding her breath. This bedroom was more her size, but it still didn't look like a little girl's domain. Max watched her face fall.
“The bed looks about right,” she offered tentatively, a question in her eyes.
Max looked quickly about, noting the full-size bed with the same frame as the other bedroom. It was pretty much the same setup but on a smaller scale and the color of the bedspread was purples and soft grays. More feminine but certainly not a child’s room.
“Remember, honey,” he reminded her gently, “we can't order the kind of furniture we want when we rent. We just use what's here for now.” He felt kind of guilty because the whole place so far was perfect for him.
The frown between the liquid blue eyes eased. “Okay, Daddy. Can we use my Paw Patrol blanket and pillow? And I’ll have my babies and toys, right?”
“Of course, you can,” he enthused. “And we'll go shopping for a bigger sheet to match the bed. How does that sound?”
She grinned back at him, then spun around the room, finally noticing the window seat. “Oh look, Daddy! I can sit in the window—I love this!”
Max walked over as she climbed up on the rounded window seat and looked outside with her. He could see the front of the house from this window and he was glad Andi had it in her room. It made it more special for her and would hold all her stuffed animals too. He was contemplating some pillows or a brightly colored child's cushion when he heard the muffled sound of a siren and saw a police car pull up in front of the house, its blue and red lights flashing. Two young officers sprang from the car and rushed up the front sidewalk.
What was going on?
Instinctively he headed toward the door. “Andi, stay here, okay? Lock the door behind me and I'll be right back.”
“What's going on, Daddy?” she quavered, her eyes like huge pools. “I'm scared.”
He bent down to pick her up for a hug when he heard the footsteps on the back stairs. He began to get an inkling of what was happening, so he set her down and pushed her behind him, then stepped out of the room just as the two officers dashed into the upstairs hallway, their guns drawn.
“Hold it right there,” he barked, raising both his hands in the air. “I have a child here and there is no need to scare her with those weapons.”
“Who are you and what are you doing here?” asked one of the officers, but they didn't lower their guns.
“I'm renting this place,” he explained impatiently. “And since I'm your new police Chief, I expect you to obey my orders. Now, put those guns away!”
A young woman stepped from the behind the officers, a baseball bat in her hands and her eyes flashing. And oh...those brilliant green eyes!
“My renter is supposed to be here tomorrow,” she snapped, maintaining her grip on the bat. “And... and he's a lot older than you are!”
The officers had lowered their guns, but hadn’t put them completely away. Max stepped toward them with his hands still up. “My ID is in the pocket of my jeans,” he told them. “I'm Max Quenton and I'm here a day early. I tried to call Mrs. Grayson all day but she never picked up.”
“I'm Ms. Grayson,” the petite blonde with hair the same color as Andi's snapped tightly. “And I don't answer numbers I don't know. Whoever was calling me today wasn't the
renter I signed a contract with.”
“I apologize, I changed my phone number a few days ago,” he explained cautiously. “I didn’t really have time to send you a formal notice.” His eyes narrowed. “Funny, but I thought you were a lot older, too.”
When her lips tightened with no response, his gaze swung back to the officers. It looked as if his old friend might have misled him as to the age of his landlady. He’d have to take that up with Ben.
One of the young officers piped up. “Who’s the lieutenant here in Buckeye, Sir?”
Getting impatient, he snapped the words out. “Lieutenant Ben Forrester. Wife's name is Karen. Two daughters named Allie and Courtney; one son in college in Denver named Kyle. We've been friends for years and he told me Pete and Marlie Grayson had an upstairs apartment to rent. I did come in with a key,” he prompted. “And if you had run the plate on my truck in the driveway, you would have known by my registration.”
“Ah... right, Sir,” the freckle faced officer with the red hair and a blush replied. “Can we still see your ID? Sorry, Sir, it's protocol.”
They put their guns away as Max took out his wallet and walked forward. “You are correct to be thorough,” he praised, although he felt like knocking their heads together. “Next time though, try peeking around the door before bursting in. If I were a burglar, and I had a gun, the first one in could have been shot.” He handed them his ID.
The taller one with the dark hair checked out his ID and handed it back. “Welcome to Buckeye, Sir,” he added with a sheepish chuckle and stuck his hand out for a handshake. “I’m Jim Canon and this is Freddy Masters.”
“Thank you, officers,” Max replied dryly, taking the proffered hand and then Freddy’s. I guess I’ll see you on Monday if not before.”
“Do you need any help moving in, Sir?” chimed in Freddy, eagerly. “We’ll be glad to help.” He eyed Marlie with an admiring grin.
Max noticed her stiffening under the young man’s perusals, and the antagonism in her eyes when his gaze met hers. For the first time since Leslie died, he found himself with a spark of interest in a female. But something had hurt this girl, making his dormant protective instincts resurrect. The aura surrounding her was pain and hostility and he wondered what, or who, had caused it.
CHAPTER TWO
“CAN I COME OUT NOW, Daddy?”
Marlie’s eyes raced to the young girl peeking around the doorframe, her breath catching in her throat. She’d lost track through the years of how many times she’d thought to herself, this could be my child. Yet here she was once more, painfully thinking the same thing all over again. Would she ever get past it?
“Yes, Andi,” responded her new tenant, his deep gravelly voice tickling her nerve endings. She wondered idly if he ever sang baritone in the church choir. She watched as the slender little girl with long gangly legs raced to her father so fast that she suddenly tripped over her own toes as the tip of one tennis shoe seemed to grab on the hardwood floor. Marlie’s heart lurched.
“Whoa there,” cautioned Max, grabbing her up in his long arms before she could tumble head over heels and sprawl on the floor. “What have I said about running, pumpkin? he scolded her lovingly as his arms held her close and for an instant, Marlie wished it was she who was wrapped in his long arms being held tight. Arms that would protect her from the world. Arms that wouldn’t let her fall. Pain squeezed her chest and the bitterness she tried to hide threatened to overwhelm her. There had been no one to catch her when she fell. Literally or figuratively.
Her relationship with her husband had been shaky ever since he’d found out she was pregnant. He hadn’t said much about children and she’d just assumed he would be happy about it. It was funny that she hadn’t known he was dead set against children before she married him. That was a costly and foolish mistake. As she looked back, she could see now that all Tristan had really wanted was a trophy wife. Eye candy on his arm to show off to his coworkers on his way up the corporate ladder. He’d been vague and dismissive when she had asked him about children and she’d just stupidly assumed it was in their future plans. That magical someday that she’d always planned for and figured would eventually happen.
She couldn’t have been more wrong.
“Are you our landlady?”
Another pair of eyes that seemed as big as the Pacific Ocean stared curiously up at her. Marlie couldn’t trust herself to speak so she simply nodded. She started when the little girl blessed her with a dazzling smile and scrambled out of her daddy’s arms to take her hand. “Can you show me where the bathroom is? I really like your house, especially the window in my room.” She danced around while holding Marlie’s hand tightly.
“Uh... sure... right this way,” croaked Marlie, trying to clear her throat. She turned the child toward the last door on the other side of the hallway. She glanced over her shoulder at the father, but he was talking to the officers. So, his name was Max. The thought flashed incongruously through her mind as the doll's face flashed into her vision. How weird was that?
She grasped the crystal door knob and opened the door for the little girl who released her hand and fairly skipped inside. “Do you need any help?” The question was awkward but Marlie felt she had to ask. The little girl looked to be about Misha’s age, but sizes could be deceiving in children.
“Oh no, I’m five years old! I can take care of myself,” she assured her. “I’m in kindergarten already.” Her big blue eyes shone up at Marlie, a huge smile on her face.
“Well... um... I’ll leave you to it then. My name is Marlie, so if you need any help, just holler.” Her voice cracked slightly as she gently closed the door.
“Everything all right?”
She jumped as the deep gravelly voice of the girl's father sounded behind her. She whirled around to meet the square jawed features of Max Quenton, her breath hitching slightly as his closeness. She took a step backward, her stomach quivering.
“I didn’t mean to startle you, I was just checking on Andi.”
He spoke gently as if trying to soothe a startled deer and Marlie tried to get a grip on herself. She hadn’t been this close to a man other than a few coworkers since Tristan and it was disconcerting.
“We were... she’s just fine,” she stuttered, feeling like a complete idiot. “I’ve been assured that she can take care of herself.”
He smiled then, a slightly crooked smile that lit up his face and brought out the gold flecks in his deep blue eyes. His dark blond hair was cut very short, similar to military style, and the late in the day shadow along his jawline was devastatingly attractive. There was no mistaking the pride on his face at the reference to Andi’s grown-up status.
“Yes, she is very independent,” he agreed. “Almost too independent, I have to really watch her. You never know what she’s going to get up to.” He chuckled wryly. “You have kids?”
The question blindsided Marlie and for a moment she couldn’t breathe, the pain and loss threatening to consume her once again. She stared silently up at him, her hands fisting into balls until she finally forced the words through her tight throat. “No. No, I don’t.”
“Hey, Chief, where do you want these boxes?” Officer Canon was carrying a load of boxes with tiny flower imprints on them.
“I’ll let you get moved in, we can discuss house rules later,” Marlie rasped, glad of the chance to escape. She hurried past the officer before Max could reply and made for the back stairs. She had to pause for the other officer who had just reached the top of the stairs with his arms full, but then she made her exit. She was close to the bottom before she awkwardly stepped crooked and had to grab the side railing to keep from falling.
“Hey, be careful, you could get hurt running down stairs.” The scolding disapproval washed over her, and she turned around to see Max at the top of the stairs with a concerned frown on his handsome face.
“Don’t worry about it,” she snapped. “I can take care of myself.”
He started down the stairs
, one eyebrow cocked high. “Just like Andi, right?”
She stiffened at the chiding tone in his voice. “Unlike Andi, I’m not a child and I really can take care of myself.” Her chin went up and she whirled to open the kitchen door and step inside. Her slender frame trembling, she slammed it for some unknown reason she couldn’t put a name to. She stalked to the table where the shelf elf lay in his box, his legs sprawled brokenly and hanging down each side. “Stupid elf,” she muttered, wishing she could compact it right now.
Her body tensed as she realized footsteps had stopped at the bottom of the stairs. She spun around, half expecting her tenant to come through the door, strangely disappointed when he didn’t. She heard the screen door slam on the outside door and realized he must have gone to his truck. Her breath left her body in a whoosh and she sat down at the table, her head dropping to her arms. What in the world had she gotten herself into? Suddenly remembering the kitchen was communal property, she jumped up and went into her living room, firmly closing the door behind her. She didn’t need any more run-ins with either Max or Andi until she got herself under control.
Curling up on her comfortable sofa, her thoughts were chaotic. She couldn’t let them stay, she just couldn’t. No way could she face that little girl every day and no way was she falling for the father. She’d learned her lesson three years ago, the hard way.
Men were not to be trusted.
Unfortunately, he had a contract. Not to mention the fact that he was the chief of police and there was no way she could just evict him. He would know the law better than she did and would see through any subterfuge. She scoured her brain trying to remember when Ben might have told her he was an older man. Max couldn’t be a day over thirty, if that. How could he have reached police chief status at such a young age?
She punched the pillow she was holding to her chest and tried to calm down. Slow deep breaths, it’s all good. It will all work out, just relax. She muttered her mantra over and over until she felt some of the tightness leave her body. So, until she could get rid of her tenants, she had to deal with them, and that meant sharing the kitchen for supper and chance laundry encounters.
