As she watched, the baby caught sight of her and grinned. Her heart stuttered in her chest. “He’s so adorable,” she said, unable to help herself.
“Thanks.” Eric looked at her, his expression curious. “Are you okay with going inside?”
“Are you?” she countered. “I don’t want to endanger Garth.”
“I talked to the fire captain again this morning. The building is structurally safe and, since the utilities are still turned off, there’s no danger from a gas leak or anything. He said it would be fine to go inside.”
She shot Eric a cross look. “Why didn’t you mention this to me until now?”
He shrugged, glancing at her. “Sorry. I figured you probably called, also. I heard you on the phone earlier.”
“With my insurance company.” She sighed. “I don’t mean to be snippy. I apologize. This is very stressful. I didn’t mean to take it out on you. I’m glad you called. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” He hefted his son’s carrier. “Come on. Let’s go inside.”
Once they entered, she stood in the foyer, undecided where to go first. “Let’s check out your place before we see mine. That way I’ll have some warning what to expect.”
Since his would be in better shape than hers, she figured she could build up to the worst.
She waited just inside his living room with baby Garth while Eric went from room to room, assessing the damage. She imagined he was really grateful his personal belongings and furniture had been delayed. All this stuff had belonged to an old lady and wouldn’t be even close to his taste.
Or hers, for that matter. But JJ had fled the city and her bad relationship with limited funds, and she’d been grateful for the gift of the house being fully furnished. She’d intended to use everything for as long as she could and gradually replace one item at a time.
Now, hopefully, the insurance would pay out enough for her to replace all the damaged furniture at once.
“Hey, there.” Eric reappeared, carrying a large, black trash bag. “I grabbed some more clothes for both me and Garth. I think once I wash them, I can get the smoke smell out.”
“Great.” She couldn’t help but glance apprehensively at the stairs.
Following her gaze with his own, he set his bag down near the door and picked up Garth. “Are you ready to go up?”
After taking a deep breath, she nodded. “As ready as I’m ever going to be, I guess.”
“After you.” He made a sweeping gesture with his free hand.
As she stared at him, there in the dim light of the sooty foyer, he looked dangerous for a moment. And unbelievably sexy.
Of course, she was only looking for a distraction. Something to take her mind off the mess her home would be in the cold light of day.
Chapter 11
As JJ opened her front door, the first thing that hit her was the smell. Smoke and soot and...ice. Shocked, she saw that her window had been broken and the cold outside air chilled the room.
“My pipes,” she said, unable to take the steps that would carry her to the sink to open the cupboard doors.
Eric’s hand came down on her shoulder, solid and reassuring. “It should be okay. They turned off the water when they cut the utilities.”
Some of the tightness in her chest eased, though she fought the urge to lean into his touch. Slowly, she turned to look at her things. They were ruined. Every single item. Soot stained, water damaged... She didn’t see how any amount of cleaning would be able to restore them. Her poor aunt would be turning over in her grave if she saw.
JJ felt as if she were wandering through the landscape of a bad dream. She went into her bedroom and stood, staring at the one piece of antique furniture she’d truly loved—the massive, four-poster bed.
Inching closer, she held her breath. While the comforter—and most likely the mattress—appeared unredeemable, she didn’t see any real damage to the wood itself.
“I think the bed frame itself is all right,” she breathed.
“I agree. And more stuff is probably salvageable than you think. They have restoration companies that specialize in this type of thing.”
Numb, she headed toward her closet.
“Here. I got another trash bag so you could grab some more clothes.”
Accepting it, she murmured a thank-you. She braced herself and slid the closet door open. To her surprise, all her clothing appeared untouched.
“Yeah, that’s what I thought,” Eric said, at her comment. “But smell it.”
When she did, the acrid odor made her sneeze. “I wonder if any amount of washing will get that smell out.”
“I don’t know. All we can do is try.”
Once she’d finished, she carried her bag down to the foyer. Her home, once cheery and slightly fussy, now looked grim and sad.
“At least no one was hurt,” Eric said, almost as if he read her mind.
“True.” She tried hard to push away the bleak feeling that had settled over her. “I’m sure as soon as the adjuster approves my claim and repairs are made, this place will look good as new.”
She wasn’t sure she really believed it.
Needing something to distract her, JJ glanced at the house next door. “I’m going to check in on Rhonda again,” she said. “She must be out of town. There’s no way she wouldn’t have been out here already.”
Sure enough, the ringing doorbell went unanswered, even though she could hear the chimes echoing inside the house.
“Are you going to call her?” Eric asked, when she got back to his SUV.
“Yep.” She already had her phone out. Punching the icon for Rhonda, she listened while the phone rang and rang. As it flipped over to voice mail, she left a quick and terse message, asking her friend to call her back.
“No luck?”
“Nope.” JJ slid her phone back into her purse.
“That stinks.” He grimaced. “Now there’s even more bad news. The radio weather report says we’re going to get another snowstorm. Come on, now. Are they serious? Does it ever end?”
Shaking her head, JJ shrugged. “I’m so sorry. This time, I’m with you. Normally, I love the snow. It always feels like a second chance. A new beginning. But there’s too much going on. Right now I really could use a break, until my house is livable again.”
“I like that,” Eric said. “I never thought about snow that way before. A second chance. A new beginning. Which we all need.”
“True. Just not right now. After my house is repaired and I can enjoy watching the snow fall from my living room, with a fire roaring in the fireplace, yes.” She blinked, surprised to realize she was on the verge of tears.
“There’s a lot of snow,” he continued. “I take it this weather is worse than normal? The way the TV forecasters are acting, it’s like the Armageddon of snow this winter.”
“They’re always like that. The weather people, I mean. Some years are worse than others. I imagine coming from sunny California, this must seem awful.”
“No,” he said thoughtfully, after a moment. “Not awful. Just different. It’s been a long time since I lived in Norway, as a child. I remember the winters were long and snowy there, too.”
Just then, a taxi pulled up, stopping at Rhonda’s. Her neighbor emerged, gaping at JJ’s house. She flung a few bills at the cab driver and ordered him to leave her luggage on the street by the mountain of snow on the curb. Rushing over, she enveloped JJ in a big hug.
“Oh, my gosh, what happened?”
Once she’d pulled herself free, JJ explained. “They still don’t know how it started. As soon as my insurance adjuster gets out here, I can get started on making repairs.”
“Of all the times for me to go to the city! I can’t believe I wasn’t here.” Rhonda’s gaze drifted from the h
ouse to JJ and past, settling on Eric. “Were both of you impacted?”
Slowly, Eric nodded. “Since the fire was upstairs, JJ’s place got the worst of it. But mine still has smoke and water damage.”
“Surely you’re not staying there?” Hand to her throat, Rhonda looked from one to the other.
This time JJ answered. “No. The firefighters cut the utilities, so there’s no electricity or heat. We’re staying at the Innbrook Motel on Sixth Street.”
“Well, go pack up and check out. You both can stay at my house. I have plenty of room.”
Waving his chubby fists, Garth made a warbling sound, drawing her attention. A brief frown clouded her bright blue eyes, but a second later it cleared and she smiled again. “And the baby, too, of course.”
Though this was what she’d hoped for in the beginning, now JJ hesitated. Something about the way Rhonda looked at Eric, as though she could eat him up for lunch, bothered her.
Telling herself to stop being ridiculous, JJ took a deep breath. “Are you sure? It might be a few weeks or more, depending on how much work needs to be done.”
“I’m positive.” Beaming brightly, Rhonda turned on her heel and went to collect her bags. “Give me an hour to get everything ready and the beds made up. I can’t tell you how happy I am to have company.”
They both stared after her as she disappeared inside her house.
* * *
Eric had a bad feeling. For no good reason, but still... It sat on his shoulders like a heavy weight. Though he hadn’t always, he was beginning to learn to trust his gut instincts. “I’m not sure about this,” he said, turning to face JJ. “You go ahead and stay with your neighbor. As for me, I think I’d rather just remain in the motel.”
“Seriously?” One corner of JJ’s mouth quirked in amusement. “You’re frightened of a tiny blonde woman?”
He had to chuckle at her choice of words. But then again, maybe she wasn’t far off. “I wouldn’t say frightened. Just...uncomfortable.”
“Whatever.” Plainly, she didn’t believe him. “Now we just have to kill an hour. Maybe I should go back to the hotel and pack up my things.”
He glanced at his watch, considering. “Come with me and look at commercial buildings for rent,” he suggested, smiling at her startled expression. “It’s something to take your mind off all this. I need to find somewhere to store my furniture. It should be here any day. And to be honest, I could use a second set of eyes.”
“Don’t you have a Realtor?”
“I do.” He couldn’t help but grimace. “His name is Greg Stenorio. I’m supposed to meet him in ten minutes. He’s kind of pushy.”
“I hate that.”
“I do, too, but I have to deal with him. I’m meeting him downtown, so I need to get going. You’re welcome to come.”
She eyed little Garth, wide-awake and playing with his colored keys. “I guess I could. I can keep an eye on the baby while you look around the various places.”
More pleased than he wanted to admit—or reveal—he nodded. “After we’re done, I’ll buy you lunch.”
“You have a deal.” Her smile stole his breath. “And while we eat, we can talk about why you really don’t want to stay with me at Rhonda’s.”
He couldn’t help but grin. “You’re almost as pushy as my Realtor. The two of you should get along great.”
In fact, once the real estate agent got a good look at JJ, with her lush curves, long mane of red hair and emerald eyes, he barely spared a glance for Eric. Normally, Eric would have found this amusing, but the quick, panicked looks JJ kept sending his way signaled that she was uncomfortable with the unwanted attention.
Greg wanted to use his car, but Eric didn’t want to transfer the car seat, so insisted they go in his SUV. Greg wanted to ride in the back seat with JJ and the baby, despite her repeated declinations. Eric settled the issue by reminding the other man he was the client and would need help with directions.
Luckily, the Realtor took the hint.
They had three places lined up to look at, but the instant they pulled up in front of the first, Eric knew this was the one. In an older, yet restored part of town, the building had already been used as a body shop. It had been shut down when the owner died in a freak car accident, according to Greg. Even the signs remained.
“You could even keep the name if you wanted,” he pointed out. “I’m sure there’s some legal stuff you’d have to do, but it would save you a fortune on signs.”
Eric didn’t bother to tell the other man he’d use his own name, one he’d imagined back when he was a kid and had dreamed of building custom cars. Before he’d become a college professor, of all things, and relegated that dream to “someday.”
After Garth’s birth, he’d decided to make “someday” now.
“I want to make an offer on this one,” he said, after they’d toured the inside. Both Greg and JJ looked at him in surprise.
“Let’s at least take a look at the other two,” the agent advised. “You never know.”
“He’s right,” JJ interjected, coming up with Garth to stand next to him. “After you see the others, if you still want this one, then you’ll know for sure.”
He already did, but their logic seemed inescapable.
After viewing the other two places—one still operating as an oil change business and the other some sort of warehouse, Eric knew his first instinct had been correct.
“And I’ll need to work out a lease agreement with them so I can store some belongings before closing,” he added, after hammering out the terms of his offer with the Realtor.
Greg, who’d been staring at JJ, returned his attention to Eric and nodded. “I’ll get right on it,” he said. “I should have an answer by the end of the week.”
“Perfect.”
“Listen, JJ?” Greg touched her lower back, causing her to start. Almost flinch, Eric thought, concerned.
“Would you like to have dinner with me sometime?” the agent asked, the confidence in his tone letting her know he expected her answer to be yes.
“I’m sorry, but I’m not interested.” Though she gave Greg a polite smile, Eric couldn’t help but notice the flash of panic in her green eyes.
The Realtor opened his mouth, apparently intending to press his point, but Eric’s hand on his shoulder stopped him. “She’s with me,” he said, surprising himself. And JJ, too, if her startled look was any indication.
“What?” The Realtor’s face grew mottled. “Why didn’t you say so?”
“Why would I have to?” Eric asked. “She and I met you together. She’s made it clear she’s not interested. And I’ll be honest, your behavior is making me wonder if I need to find someone else to handle this real estate transaction.”
Jaw tight, Greg shook his head. “My apologies.” His stiff, formal tone let them both know he wasn’t happy.
Eric didn’t really care. He’d hired the guy to help him find a shop. Once that was accomplished, Greg could collect his commission and move on.
“Let’s head to my office and write up the offer,” Greg suggested, a patently false smile on his face. “It shouldn’t take very long and then you two can be on your way. I’ll call you when I hear something from the seller.”
Once this was done, Eric and Greg shook hands. Noting the way the other man’s gaze kept flicking toward JJ, Eric made a point of putting his arm around her and drawing her close. She held herself stiffly, though she managed to send him a grateful smile.
Once they were back in his SUV, Eric took a deep breath. “Are you all right?”
She nodded.
“What was wrong back there, when Greg asked you out?”
She wouldn’t look at him.
“Come on, JJ. It’s me. I saw how you flinched, how something about his invitation pan
icked you. What’s going on?”
Her sigh seemed to come from deep inside her. “I told you I was involved with someone before I came here,” she finally said. “It was a bad situation. I left the city to get away from him. Your real estate agent reminded me an awful lot of Shawn.”
“Shawn.” Eric let the name roll out of his mouth, disliking it. “Were you—are you—afraid of him?”
She still wouldn’t meet his gaze. Her silent nod made his chest feel tight. He ached to hold her, but now he understood her unusual reticence. He wanted to tell her he’d never hurt her, wanted to promise her he’d protect her from any man who tried, but he hadn’t earned the right to say those words, so he didn’t.
“It’s going to be all right,” he promised, meaning it. “Now where would you like to eat lunch?”
Startled, she looked up, as if not entirely certain she’d heard correctly. One corner of her extremely kissable mouth quirked. “Thanks for that,” she said. “Quite honestly I was bracing myself for a barrage of questions I didn’t want to answer.”
“I wouldn’t do that to you,” he stated.
“I know.” Her smile widened. “And for lunch, there’s the Home Cooking Café on Main Street I’ve been dying to try. Let’s go there.”
When they pulled up in front of the little café, Garth made a snuffling sound.
“That’s his prelude to a full-out cry,” Eric informed her. “It’s time for him to eat. I warmed some formula in the motel microwave and put it in my YETI. It should still be the perfect temp.”
As soon as they were shown their booth, he dug out a bottle from his bag, poured the formula from the stainless steel cup and offered it to his son. Garth latched on eagerly.
“He was hungry,” JJ said, marveling. “Such a determined little face.”
“We Mikkelsons like our grub.” Eric grinned, gazing down at his son with adoration shining from his handsome face. JJ’s heart stuttered.
Her Guardian Shifter Page 11
