by Hazel Gower
“The doctor should be around in half an hour.”
“How long have I been here, and what am I in for?”
The nurse blinked. “Sorry. I should have told you when you first asked.” She took a step back into the room. “You’re here because you have a bad chest infection and came in dehydrated and exhausted. You’ve slept for twenty-four hours straight, and we’ve given you fluids and antibiotics. I’m sure once the doctor sees you, if you promise you’ll rest for another forty-eight hours and keep up fluids and the antibiotics, he’ll let you go home.”
“My kids. I have twins. They’re four. Um…my mum was looking after them, and I’m wondering who’s with them now if my parents are here?”
“My parents.”
Luna darted her gaze up and saw Derick blocking the doorway. He looked even better than she remembered. He had a couple of days growth on his face, and the scruffy beard added to his rugged looks. His eyes were the brightest blue, and for a moment she lost herself in them.
“My parents are already in love with them. Rex and Layla have them wrapped around their little fingers.” He strolled in, and even his swagger was sexy. “You’re looking a lot better.” He came to her bedside and leaned over and stroked her cheek. “You have color back.”
His touch sent a shiver through her body, and it was a good one; something she couldn’t remember feeling unless she gave them to herself. “Thanks. Thanks for your help getting here, and say a huge thanks to your parents.”
Derick smiled, and Luna was sure for a moment her heart stopped as his dimple showed even with the stubble on his face. “No problem, they’re eager to meet my pretty neighbor.”
Closing her eyes, she tilted her face into his hand. It felt so good to be touched, Other than her twins and parents she hadn’t had affection like this in years. His fingers weren’t smooth, they had calluses on them. “Thanks again. You don’t even know me, and you’ve done so much for me.”
Luna was cautious. She’d learned from her ex; it was why she hadn’t dated since she’d separated from him. So far Derick had been an angel sent from heaven with everything he’d done. As he stroked her cheek, she had a moment of pure clarity—this man was a good one, and if he wanted to be friends, she would give him a chance. It was time she got back out there.
“Luna, honey, you’re awake.” Luna’s mother came into the room. She wore one of her hemp hippies skirts in a bright pink and a matching purple and pink tank top. She had chunky, colorful jewelry on her neck, fingers, and wrists. Her hair was a wild array of curls framing her frowning face. Luna would admit that the hippie look suited her, and the bright colors suited her mother’s black skin. She came to the opposite side of her bed from Derick.
“Hey, Mum.” Luna gave what she hoped was a smile at her.
“Honey, I’m glad you’re awake.” Luna’s father came in the room in his dress pants and short-sleeve, cotton shirt. He didn’t look like a hippie like her mother, but when he wrapped his arm around his wife’s waist and pressed a kiss on her head, there was no doubting their love. “No more, Luna.” He caught Luna’s gaze and furrowed his brows. “I’ve paid the debts. No more, honey. You’re working yourself to the bone.”
Shaking her head, she sat up more. “Dad, no. You and Mum work so hard, and you shouldn’t have to pay my debts off.” Guilt assaulted Luna. Her parents worked hard and put in long hours. They shouldn’t have to pay off debt she got into...well, her dead ex-husband had.
Luna’s dad huffed, and her mother rolled her eyes. “You’re our baby, and you didn’t get into debt, it was that idiot ex-husband of yours.”
Her mother tisked. “You know I don’t like to speak ill of anyone.” She leaned down and lowered her voice. “You know...karma.” She cleared her throat and eased up. “But that ex-husband of yours...well, I’m glad he’s dead and permanently out of yours and the twins lives.” She waved her hand in a shooing motion, and Luna knew that meant the subject of her ex was closed. “Actually, it feels good to help you out.” Mum winked before she continued. “And don’t argue about paying us back, think of it as payment for all the teenage years you worked at my shop and didn’t get paid, or how about when you go and help out your dad at his vet practice cleaning. So don’t even think about it anymore. You focus on getting better and spending more time with those gorgeous grandbabies of ours.”
Luna nodded and sank back down on the bed. She should argue more with her parents, but right now all she felt was relief.
* * * *
Derick
Luna’s parents were great. He was eager to get to know Luna more and meeting her parents only encourage his need.
The night he had pulled Luna over he had been coming off a seven-day work week, and he had four days off before he started another seven days, eight to ten hours with overtime work. He’d taken an extra two days off to help Luna; he was surprised they gave it to him with the Christmas holiday so close.
Since meeting Luna, he’d watched her any time he could, and from what he saw she was an amazing mother. She took her kids for rides on their bikes, and she always made sure they had on all the safety gear. Since the children had showed an interest in gardening she’d started one for them, and they had their own kid tools and gardening mats. Derick had become somewhat of a stalker; he could see her through the windows of her lounge room reading to her children and making food and sitting and eating with them. The more he saw her, the more he wanted to learn about her.
Luna was constantly on his mind. Derick knew she was special to him as he’d never thought of a woman as much as he did her. He wanted to get to know her, and not just her, but her children too. When she was better Derick was going to ask her on a date. If all went well, he hoped she and the kids would go to Christmas dinner at his work partner’s Alex’s parents.
First, Derick was going to spend the next few days helping to make sure she stayed rested.
Chapter 3
Luna
Luna laid on the sofa and watched her twins climb all over Derick. He was amazing with her children. He’d driven her home from the hospital yesterday and then came over early this morning. Her parents had stayed the night and left this morning when Derick came over. Luna’s parents loved him. They couldn’t get over how he was willing to jump in and help her.
Her mother was convinced them meeting was fate and that he could be Luna’s one. Luna wasn’t sure she believed in the one. She didn’t seem to have that great history with men, let alone decent ones. The guys before her ex-husband weren’t anything special either. Her parents hadn’t liked any of her boyfriends, so maybe that should have been a sign because they were pretty easy-going people. They liked Derick, so maybe she should give him a chance if he was interested in her, because she was sure interested in him.
Rex climbed up Derick’s back while Layla distracted him from the front. They were working together to get him on the floor. He’d been wrestling with them for a good ten minutes. He’d taken them outside to do some gardening and had brought them in and was playing with them for a few minutes before bath time.
Easing off the sofa, Luna was feeling a lot better, but she was still tired and her body ached a little. She knew with another day like today of resting, tomorrow she would be even better. She felt stupid for letting herself get so bad in the first place. Luna hadn’t wanted to miss anytime at work, but in the end, she was going to miss a week.
Smiling down at them, she stretched and then stepped away. “I’m going to start running the bath.”
Derick swooped his hand around and grabbed Rex, who squealed with joy. Layla giggled as Derick circled her waist and lifted her too. “Nope.” He placed both of them on the sofa she had been laying on. “I will run the bath, and while you’re sitting in with them I’ll start dinner.”
Closing her eyes, Luna sighed and for a moment she enjoyed the feeling of the amazing man before her helping her. Opening her eyes, she smiled at him. “Thanks, but you have already done so much for me. You go
home and relax. I’ve got it from here.”
His head shook as he made his way over to her and stood a foot away. “No way. All you’re going to do for the next two days is rest. I’ve spoken to both your parents and my own, and they all agree that you need rest, and they’re all willing to help when I go back to work.”
“But I h—”
“No.” Derick cut her off and put his finger to her lips. “Let me do this. I’m enjoying spending time with Layla and Rex.” He stroked her cheek before moving his fingers to tuck some of her hair behind her ear. “I like doing this too. I’m getting to know you and spending time with you.”
Luna’s heart skipped a beat at his words and the sign she needed to know he liked her too and that this could lead to a date...eventually. And he wasn’t doing anything too difficult. She would be sitting with Layla and Rex while they bathed and help dry them and get them in their PJs. She thought she could trust him. He was a cop, and her parents did like him. The twins had told her all about his parents, and they seemed lovely.
Nodding, she gazed at her children as they tickled each other, screaming and giggling their joy. “Okay. Thanks so much for your help.”
He winked and then headed down her hallway. “It’s the third door,” Luna yelled.
Apparently, Luna didn’t need to tell him, because he reached the door and stopped before she got out the word third. “I know. The kids showed me.”
Luna made her way to the kitchen, searching the fridge and cupboards for something easy to cook. Packet pasta. Luna chose two Alfredo packets, got all the extra ingredients needed, and turned on the stove. She added the packets to the pan and the milk and butter, then stirred. Derick came and took over for her, and she went down the hall and watched her children bathe.
Once they had finished she helped them out of the tub, not letting them have a long bath and play. Surprisingly, they didn’t complain, and once they were dried they ran out of the bathroom to their bedroom.
Luna drained the bath water and dried the floor quickly before she made her way out to see if Derick needed help. Her twins were old enough to choose their own PJs and get dressed, or so they told her.
When she entered the kitchen, she was happy to find bowls filled with pasta on the table and spoons ready, along with milk in Layla and Rex’s special cups and two glasses of water. Derick was good. This was a huge help.
Layla came running to the table in a pink unicorn nightie, and her son in just undies, or more precise little blue dinosaur boxers.
“Where’s the rest of your PJs, Rex?”
He stood before Luna and placed his hands on his hips, and she barely resisted the urge to smile. “I’m a man now, Mum. Men don’t wear PJs.” The mortification was clear in his voice, and she had to bite her lip to keep from laughing at how cute he was.
Raising her brow, she turned and stumbled back as Derick came toward them shirtless. “I hope you don’t mind. I got hot cooking in the small kitchen in this heat.”
Blinking, Luna hoped she wasn’t drooling. She shook her head, unable to speak for a moment. The man was perfection personified, with tan olive skin, muscles in all the right places, and his eyes...wow, those baby blues were weapons, so clear and beautiful. “I…I, yeah, um, yes…” Tearing her gaze away from the handsome man, she looked down at her son and couldn’t help a giggle slip free. “Okay, little man. You can sleep in your boxers.”
He nodded, sat down, picked up his spoon, and shoved pasta into his mouth.
Luna knew he was being cheeky, but he was young, and she loved her children with all her heart. They were her whole world. Times like this, when she was sick, they made life worth it when they did adorable things.
Layla went to Derick, took his hand, and dragged him to where she wanted him at a seat next to her. “You got to sit here, Derick, ’cause I’d loves yous.”
Gasping in shock at how easily her daughter had fallen, Luna darted her gaze up to the man, gauging his reaction, Derick sat beside Layla, then he reached over and stroked her hair. “You’re pretty easy to love, kid.”
Layla beamed at Derick, and Luna’s heart skipped a beat. How had she missed this? Her children craved a father figure.
“Mummy, whyded you crying?”
Shocked, Luna touched her cheek and felt the wetness. She gave Layla a shaky smile. “I just realized how lucky I am to have the two best children in the world.”
Their aha’s had her laughing as she sat down to eat dinner. Her children always knew just the right thing to say.
* * * *
Luna gripped her children’s hands in her own, but they didn’t want hers, they wanted Derick’s. She knew not to be offended. Derick was shiny and new. It was her last sick day, tomorrow she went back to work. Today she was doing things she wasn’t sure she’d have time to do before Christmas. Santa photos. Layla and Rex were dressed in their cutest and best outfits.
The line to Santa was four-family long, which wasn’t too bad; she’d seen it longer. She’d hoped that by coming in the daytime when a lot of people were still at work the line wouldn’t be long. The children in front—who all looked to be under the age of five—were running amuck. Luna could see Santa ahead on his throne-like chair, a crying baby in his embrace. He was smiling for the camera, but she could see in his eyes that the cries were grating on him.
Luna hoped this year her children wouldn’t cry and scream at the sight of Santa. She wanted a picture where she didn’t have to be in it. She understood that Santa was a scary guy, wearing red, a big, round body, and a huge beard. The songs didn’t help either. He sees you when you’re sleeping. He knows when you’re awake. This year, though, the twins were older and understood a little more about Santa and how he brings presents. Luna hoped this would mean no crying and a good picture.
Layla and Rex jumped up and down in excitement. She hoped when they got closer, they would still be in this good mood. The line dwindled down quicker than she thought it would, and when it came to their turn, she was pleasantly surprised that her twins happily went to Santa and sat on his lap. As they told him all the things they wanted, she listened and hoped that some of them wouldn’t be too expensive.
“Their list is long,” Derick whispered in her ear, and a shiver slid down her spine. The better she got, the more he affected her.
“Yeah, I hope they’re not upset when they don’t get it all.”
“I think they’ll be happy with whatever Santa gets them.” He leaned in closer to her, and she felt the heat coming off his body. He smelled good, like a woodsy outdoor pine tree.
The photographer told her children to smile, and she leaned back almost against Derick when for the first time they did smile. They took several photos, and when they were done she and Derick were ushered over to the desk where they looked at what was taken and chose a picture.
“You have a beautiful family,” the lady at the computer screen with the photos on it said.
Luna opened her mouth to say thanks, and to correct her that Derick wasn’t a part of it, but he butted in.
“Thanks. I think so.”
She darted her gaze over to him and studied his face. He had a smile on it as he looked at the images.
Luna’s little munchkins ran over to them, excitement still clear on their faces and in their bodies as they jumped up and down. “Mummy. Guess what?” Rex shouted.
“What, baby?”
“I told Santa everything I wanted. He sayed that he’ll try and get me someed of them, but I have to be good.”
“Yeahs, Mum,” Layla added. “He said that we wanted lots and he has lotted presents to get, so I might only get one or twos.” She nodded. “That right, Mummy?”
Luna nodded, grateful that Santa hadn’t said he’d try and get them everything. She was happy with how the day was going.
* * * *
Derick
Derick’s stomach whooshed as he watched Luna come down the hall. She was stunning. Her hair fell to her shoulders, and the jet-black,
curly locks shined. Her shapely body was incased in a clingy, black dress that rested at her knees, but the slit in it went right up her thigh. Her feet were in red, strappy sandals with heels, and she held a red clutch purse. The color of her shoes and purse matched her lips. She was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.
Her parents had the twins, and they were going on their first date. She had returned to work the other day at her day job. He wanted her to quit her bar job, but he didn’t know if she would. He intended to ask her tonight.
“You’re beautiful.” He went to her and felt like a teenage boy on his first date.
His arm came around her waist to guide her out of the door, and the instant he touched her, his whole body came alive. Tingles flowed through him and his dick became hard. This woman drove him crazy. Unable to resist, he tilted her head up and leaned down and brushed his lips against hers. She stilled for a moment before she became soft against him.
He stroked her cheek. “Gorgeous.” The blush that rose up her neck had his heart skipping a beat.
“Let’s go,” she said in a soft, husky voice.
He hooked his arm around her waist and together they walked to the car. The drive to the restaurant was done in a daze. He felt like a sappy idiot, but he was mesmerized by Luna. She drew him in from the very first time he saw her. His parents were a love match, and he’d always wanted what they had. After he settled for his ex-wife, he promised himself that he’d never do that again. That the woman he chose would look at him like his parents gazed at each other, how his work partner Alex stared at his wife. Alex’s parents and his brother Chad had the same utterly devoted look with their spouses too. They always got together for Christmas, and the last couple of years his envy for his parents and partner’s family love had grown. He hoped he could have what they had, and he knew he could get there very easily with Luna.
In the car, she was the one to talk, asking him about simple things like how long he’d been a cop and then a detective. He talked but didn’t really remember his answers. Now he was guiding her to their seats in the Italian restaurant, and giving himself a mental slap to get himself together and start engaging her and stop acting like a besotted fool.
