“Yes, I met him. He came over tonight to pick up Bum... Coco.”
“Oh no! He said he would drive over on Sunday! How did you look? Isn’t he yummy and so sweet? He has already volunteered to work with the Christian Athletic Fellowship. And that boy of his is too cute. Did you hit it off? Did you trade numbers? I was hoping to give you a heads-up so you’d make sure to look good, not that you could ever look bad. I mean, on your worst days, you still outshine the rest of us. He said he needed someone to watch his son after school.”
“Breathe, girl.” As much as all the matchmaking upset her, she couldn’t help but smile. Her sister had the best intentions, like everyone else in her life.
“Oh, sorry. So, did it go well?”
“He just came to pick up the dog. His son wouldn’t let up until they stopped by. Rio got upset and hid, but we worked it out and plan on setting up a playdate so we can visit Coco.”
“Wow, one meeting and you already have a date. I knew y’all would be perfect for each other.”
“It’s not a date.”
“Um...let me see. Prearranged time and place to meet with a man. Sounds like a date to me. I’d take it.”
“Then take it. Listen, I’m not sure about a man who waited so long to find his dog. I mean, it’s been over a month. They just now started looking for her?” She put the phone on speaker and started braiding her hair. It was nice talking to someone she didn’t have to overanalyze every feeling with.
Jewel continued. “They were down here looking for property to buy. You know, he’s a new athletic director for next year. They thought Bumper, or Coco, was asleep in her crate.”
One quick breath and she was still talking. “They thought they had lost her for good. But when they actually got down here, he did some more digging. Being a single dad and relocating can’t be easy. And you know that dog is crazy. So, I would say it’s not his fault.”
“Garrett didn’t even know he had kids a month ago and he still remembered to get their dog.”
“Oh, so that’s how it is. Garrett’s a better dad. I thought you were never going to date another man in uniform with a gun strapped to him, no matter how good-looking. And I quote.”
“That’s not how quotes work and I’m pretty sure I didn’t even say that.” Now she was starting to get a headache. “Anyway, I’m not interested in Garrett that way. His kids need full-time attention, and that’s all I have time for right now.”
“You might officially be a lost cause. You’re surrounded by great-looking men that love their children and you don’t have the time. I give up. You’re the one that says trust God’s will. Not sure you really believe that.”
Anjelica flopped back on her pillow. “You might be right, but I won’t rush anything.”
“I’m not saying to start planning a wedding or even kissing—I’m saying you could go on a date. No kids or dogs or any other animal, just you and an adult male.”
Anjelica groaned, thinking of the kiss she should not have been thinking about.
“Anjelica Ortega-Garza! You’ve been kissing someone. It has to be that gorgeous state trooper.”
“It was an accident. We both agreed not to go there again.”
“Accidental kiss? How does that happen? You fell and your lips landed on his? I know you. The only man you had ever locked lips with was Steve. So what happened, when and how was it?”
“All that matters is that it’s never happening again. I’m not strong enough to live with the uncertainty of his job.”
“He kissed you tonight? After you met the hot new coach? What a man thing to do.”
Anjelica closed her eyes and sighed. “I tell you what I’m worried about and all you heard was your theory of why he kissed me? I’ve got to get some sleep. I’ll see you Sunday.”
“I’m sorry, sis. You know we all love you, right?”
“Yeah, I do. Love you. Night.”
Anjelica put her phone on the nightstand and pulled the comforter down. No one got it. They all thought she was strong. They didn’t see her real self. She was one small heartbreak away from a total meltdown.
What she didn’t know was whether it would come from Garrett or his kids.
Chapter Eleven
Garrett stood on the balcony. Moonlight dusted his sanctuary. Two nights ago, he had experienced the most nerve-racking kiss in his life, and now they were pretending it had never happened.
He needed to start looking for a new place to live. Peace was more important now than ever. Living so close to her was not calming in any way. How much longer would he be able to stay here, anyway? Rio and Pilar would need more room as they grew.
Leaning on the rail, he took another sip of coffee. The light of her studio shone past her porch. She enjoyed listening to his music while she worked. He stepped inside to pick up a sax. The act of creating arrangements used to calm him; when did it become about her?
Before he could produce one note, a cry came from the nursery.
Picking the fussy baby up, he pressed his lips to Pilar’s forehead. An unnatural warmth came off her skin. She had a fever. Heat came off her little body.
He felt better equipped this time. Between the parenting classes and Anjelica, he knew he could take care of her tonight. Taking her temperature, he found it too high and gave her the liquid medicine like Anjelica had shown him.
In the rocking chair, she settled across his chest. That worked for a while, but she started crying again. She was dry and didn’t want her bottle. It wasn’t her teeth this time.
What if she was really sick? Should he take her to the emergency room, or would that be overreacting? Rio stayed by his side. His son somehow got wedged between Garrett’s leg and the edge of the chair. He was sound asleep. Pilar whimpered on his shoulder.
There was no way he would be able to move if he needed to get up. She kept coughing, and her breathing didn’t sound natural.
He leaned his head all the way back and looked at the ceiling.
Pilar coughed again. Now it sounded like there was something in her chest. She lifted her head and started whimpering again. Restless, she squirmed until she had wiggled out of his hold. It was hard to keep a gentle grip.
Pilar took hold of the bottle like she was starving when he offered it to her. They were supposed to stay on a feeding schedule, but if it would make her stop crying, he was all for it.
After a couple of pulls, she screamed and threw the bottle across the room. Rio woke up and went after it without hesitation. Rubbing his sleepy eyes with one hand, he offered her the bottle with the other. She slapped it, bowed her back and cried louder.
Garrett glanced at the door. Anjelica was just a staircase away. She would know what to do, but she wasn’t working now and he needed to learn how to do this on his own.
He tried to ease out of the rocker so he could get his phone, but Pilar threw herself back so hard he almost dropped her.
He held her with both arms, stroking her wild curls. “Shh...baby girl. We’ll figure out what’s wrong and take care of it.”
Rio followed him to the living room and watched as he called the nurse hotline Pilar’s doctor had given him. Maybe the boy was starting to trust him; he hadn’t run to Anjelica yet.
After he went through all the symptoms with the nurse, she recommended that he take her to a small bathroom and fill it with steam. She was having a hard time breathing, and now he knew to feel for the rattling in her chest.
The nurse also made him an appointment for the morning.
Sitting on the edge of the tub, he almost fell asleep. Rio put a hand on Garrett’s arm. The concern and old wisdom in the young eyes brought a wave of guilt.
Garrett forced a smile. “I’m fine, little man, just a little tired. The important thing is to get your sister comfortable so she can get s
ome sleep. Tomorrow we’ll take her to the doctor to see if she needs any medicine.”
Rio nodded. A soft knock on the front door had them both turning.
“Garrett? Rio? Is everything okay?” Anjelica had come up the stairs to them. “I thought I heard Pilar crying.”
The tension keeping his muscles coiled tight relaxed. Anjelica would know what to do. “We’re all in the bathroom. Pilar couldn’t breathe well, so I’m making steam.” He adjusted Pilar to his other arm. She was relaxing and her breathing was already easier. “Come on in.”
Anjelica eased into the small space. She smiled at Rio. “Selena is standing guard at the door.” She sat on the other side of the small tub. “Why didn’t you call me?”
“It’s your night off, and after all the extra time you put in the last few days, I wanted to prove I could do this myself.”
The steam in the room had Anjelica’s hair hanging in loose curls. “I didn’t do very well and ended up calling the nurse helpline. I’m not sure I’ll ever get this parenting thing down.”
With a soft laugh, she shook her head. “That’s what good parents do—they call for help when they need it.”
He nodded. If he kept looking at Anjelica, he would start thinking about that kiss again. It had been so long since he spent this much time with a woman. It had him off-kilter.
“I’ve got a doctor appointment for her in the morning. I need to call and get someone to take my shift.”
“I can take her.”
“No, I’m the one responsible for her. I’ll—”
“Garrett, no one expects you to do this all by yourself. That’s why I’m here. My family means it when they say to call them and ask for help. They know kids.” She reached for him. Tender fingers stroked his wrist before she wrapped her hand around his. “They probably knew about this steam shower trick. You have a whole team and these babies deserve that. Don’t deny them or yourself out of stubbornness or pride.”
“There are single moms that do this all the time. My mom somehow managed to raise me and my sister without any help.”
“That’s not how it should be, though. Everyone should have a mighty Ortega army.” She let go of him and moved to touch Pilar’s forehead. “Look, I think it worked. She’s fallen asleep and her skin feels normal.”
He adjusted her on his shoulder, pressing his palm against her back. “No rattling. We did it, Rio. We helped her feel better.” He sighed and stood.
Rio, leaning against Anjelica, smiled up at him.
“Come on, little man—let’s put y’all back to bed.”
As they headed to the nursery, Pilar gave a soft snore, followed by a hiccup from her crying. His heart twisted, and there was a horrible burning in his throat. It would be so easy to fail at parenting, and the stakes were too high. How could he be responsible for not only their well-being but their full development into adult life?
Laying her in the crib, he pressed his lips to her forehead. His hands looked so big as he tucked her in and said a little prayer. After making sure she would stay asleep, he picked up the rejected bottle and headed to the kitchen.
Anjelica poured milk into a pan. “I thought some warm milk would help us all get back to sleep. Rio, do you want chocolate in yours?”
With an energetic nod, his curls bounced around his face.
Garrett laughed. “Would the chocolate override the benefits of the warm milk? Rio, use your words.”
“Yes, please.”
Anjelica grunted with a smirk as she opened the pantry door. “Would you stir the milk?” she asked as she dug through the selves.
After checking the milk, Garrett turned his back to them and rinsed out Pilar’s bottle. Working with Anjelica made everything better. There was no way he could have tackled fatherhood without her.
A loud crash and a child’s cry had him spinning around to face the source of such a sound. He lunged at the small boy standing too close to the threat.
Arms wrapped, holding the warm body to his chest, he rolled up against the wall. The boy’s clothes were wet. Blood? Oh no! He was too late again.
“Garrett?”
Focus, Garrett. To keep everyone safe, you have to stay aware. The boy was crying. He was alive. Opening his eyes, he studied the boy. His son, Rio. Alive. Not... He blinked to clear his mind of the child he’d failed to protect in Afghanistan.
Garrett blinked. “Rio? Why does he have blood on him?”
“Garrett. It’s just milk. There’s no blood. Let me check him to make sure he didn’t get burned.”
Slowly getting to his feet, he checked Rio. “Did I hurt you?” He gently pulled the wet shirt off his son as he checked for any marks on the tender skin. “I don’t think the milk had gotten hot yet.” He ran his hand along the thin arms. “I’m so sorry, Rio. I didn’t mean to scare you. I thought you were in danger.”
Anjelica knelt beside them with a towel in her hand. “Come here, Rio. I’ll dry you off. Your dad has a hero complex and is always ready to jump in and save us. Even from a pan of spilled milk.” She looked the boy straight in the eyes. “Now, I do have a rule you need to follow so your dad doesn’t go all ninja on us anymore. Stay away from the stove and don’t ever reach up there and touch a pot, even if you’re trying to help. When you are tall enough, I’ll teach you how to handle the pots. Do you understand?”
Garrett closed his eyes. “I left the pot handle facing out.” He reached for his son and pushed the damp curls back. “I’m sorry about that, Rio. I’ll be more careful in the future.”
Big gray eyes blinked. “You’re not going to hit me?”
Anjelica stopped a soft gasp midway and covered her mouth.
“Rio, look at me. I will never hit you. If you do something wrong, we’ll talk about it and figure out the consequence.” How could a grown man treat a small child that way?
He stood and ran both hands through his hair. His heart and gut got so twisted he couldn’t think. “Anjelica, do you mind washing him off and putting him to bed? The consequence tonight is no hot chocolate for any of us. I didn’t put the handle in the right place, and Rio messed with something on the stove.”
Anjelica looked at him with her bottom lip stuck out. “I wanted hot chocolate.” She winked at him, and then her mouth eased into a smile.
Rio stood with his head down. “I’m sorry, Anjelica.”
“We want you to be safe, Rio. No more touching anything on the stove or in the oven, okay?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“I’ll wash him off and tuck him into bed.” With a tenderness and understanding he did not deserve, Anjelica nodded at him while she herded Rio to the small bathroom.
He went to the sink and splashed cool water on his face. With a drink in hand, he slid into a chair at the small table. The juice vibrated as he raised it to his lips. He set the glass back down and pressed his forehead into his palms. His elbows dug hard into the tabletop, trying to stop the shaking.
He couldn’t do this. Reality slipped too easily from his mind. The kids were already too fragile. They needed someone they could rely on, and it wasn’t him.
* * *
Anjelica helped Rio settle into his makeshift bed under Pilar’s crib. Leaving, she paused in the door frame.
The whispered notes of Garrett’s saxophone floated through the air. Eyes closed, she allowed the music to wrap around her.
God, give me the words to help heal all the hurts and confusion I know Garrett is trying to fight alone. Let him know You have him.
Moving all the way into the room, she listened. The pain and love moved from him through the sax and into the night. He stopped, setting the instrument back in its case, his profile highlighted by the moon.
“Sorry. When I don’t know what else to do, I play.”
“Don’t apolog
ize—it was beautiful. I do the same with my art. Getting my fingers in the clay helps me focus. Some of my best conversations with God happen in my studio.”
He nodded. There had to be a way to reach him but still keep her distance. After that kiss, she needed to move carefully.
“Are you okay? You had another episode. Was it the noise of the pot that set it off?”
His jaw went stone hard as he stared out into the night. That was not the response she hoped for. “Garrett.”
“I don’t think I can do this. Maybe she would be better off with her grandmother. We don’t know her. She might be perfect for Pilar.”
Anger surged through her veins. “Now you’re being an idiot.”
That got his attention. Tonight his eyes looked more gray than green as they narrowed at her. “That’s your pep talk?”
“It’s one in the morning. Being a parent is tough and you will make mistakes. You apologize, make it better and move on. You don’t give up on them, or yourself.”
She crossed her arms over her chest. The need to touch him, to soothe him, would only get her in trouble. God, I need You to lead this. “You know her place is with you and Rio. This is where she belongs. Are you going to give up Rio, too?”
Garrett turned from her and braced his hands on the railing. Clouds slid over the moon, engulfing the balcony in darkness.
Not able to stay away from him, she walked outside and placed her hand on his back. He tightened. “You are her father. Imagine packing her things and handing her over to them. People that didn’t want her a month ago. People that don’t want her brother. She’s your daughter now. Do you think you could really just hand her over?”
He had a restlessness about him tonight. The ends of his hair stood up in different directions from his hands repetitively fussing with it. She loved how adorable it made him.
Not able to resist, she brushed it into place with her fingers, bringing her closer to him. The contact warmed her whole arm and traveled to her traitorous heart. Stepping back, she looked into the apartment. “Where’s her sippy cup?”
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