by Tl Reeve
From the small amount of news she’d seen and the rumors, she could agree with Kalkin’s assessment. However, what if Mackenzie went wolf on Abby? None of them believed he could hurt anyone, but scare the shit out of Abby? Yeah, it could happen.
“No lie, Aurora, I’m not sure why I didn’t think of Mac. He’s perfect,” Keeley said. “I know what happened the other night has you in knots, but he’d never hurt a hair on Abby’s head.”
“We’re all a bit surprised to see his wolf as well,” Kalkin added. “If anything, I think he’s starting to feel like his old self again.”
“Doesn’t he work, though?” Aurora asked.
Keeley’s gaze flickered to her mates, and Aurora sensed they were communicating somehow. It freaked her out, to be honest.
“He’s dealing with some personal issues right now.” Kalkin’s gaze moved to her. Even though she wasn’t a wolf or shifter for that matter, Aurora had a hard time holding his gaze. Somewhere, deep down inside of her, she wanted to break the contact. She didn’t do it, though, and it made her feel uneasy.
Keeley snorted. “That’s an understatement if I ever heard one. What Kalkin said is true, but Mac is stable. He works for Dryer Construction however, took a leave of absence while dealing with all of the outstanding legal issues.”
“You mean the trial and Holly Geithner?” Aurora glanced back and forth between the mated couple. “The, uh, what are they called...” She snapped her fingers a couple of times, trying to recall the group’s name. “Paranormal Bounty Hunters and what went down in Massachusetts?”
“Yes,” Keeley stated.
“There were others involved as well,” Kalkin added.
“Right. They captured the head of the Paranormal Bounty Hunters during an auction of shifters.” Her voice dropped to a whisper as she shivered at the thought of what crazy people would do to gain any kind of power. “I can’t even imagine.”
“It was—”
“Not our story to tell, sweet cheeks,” Kalkin said in warning. “If you mean, he assisted in bringing down the PBH’s leader, then yeah, he was involved.”
“The press has been all over him. It was getting to be too much. It’s why he took leave from his job; they were harassing him at his job sites.”
“And now? I mean, it’s really not good for Abby to be stressed.” Every day, she worried about her niece and what might happen to her. Abby had been a fighter. When push came to shove, the little girl clawed her way out of everything and though the doctor said the surgery would fix her niece, Aurora fretted over the waif-like girl.
“We’d never put a young child in that position. I’ve banned any paparazzi from the county. News reporters have been warned, if they’re caught around Mackenzie’s home or the middle school and high school Liam and Riley attend, they’ll be arrested,” Kalkin stated.
Keeley leaned across the table. “Listen, I wouldn’t steer you wrong on this. You need help, and Mac... Knowing him as well as we do, he’d be ashamed of his actions and also be willing to help you.”
“Maybe.” She glanced at both of them. “Why do I have a feeling this will be helping you out as well?”
“Because my brother is also a pain in the ass,” Kalkin grumbled. “He’s been a morose mother fucker for months.”
“I’ll talk to him,” Aurora said. “Even though you’re suggesting him, doesn’t mean he’ll want the added responsibility. Then there’s Abby. She’s very particular. She requires a routine. She’s cute, and she knows it. He might let her get away with murder. And…and this is a big issue, Abby doesn’t like a lot of people. She likes kids just fine, but adults...that’s a whole other situation.”
Kalkin mumbled something under his breath, and Keeley elbowed him. “Knock it off,” the other woman warned.
“Mac can handle kids. He’s experienced and he’s not afraid to take his grandkids when Charisma needs a break while Royce, Mac’s oldest, works. He’s good. Almost like a baby whisperer,” Keeley assured her.
Aurora took out her phone. “Give me his number, and I’ll think about it.”
Keeley rattled off Mackenzie’s phone number and address. “Look, if it doesn’t work out, you can always use me. I don’t mind the company, plus the kids love Abby, anyway.”
“Okay,” Aurora said. “It’s a deal.”
“Also, I wouldn’t call him,” Keeley added. “I’d just go. It’ll keep the weirdness out of it, especially since the party.”
So, the other woman had been thinking about the situation from the Halloween party, too. “Right, might be for the best.”
Two hours later, Aurora parked her beat-up sedan in the driveway of Mackenzie Raferty’s home. Her stomach churned and her palms were damp. She rubbed them on her dark jeans in an attempt to remove as much moisture as possible. After the party, she couldn’t get the sight of the giant wolf standing over her or the way he licked her out of her mind. She touched the spot where she swore, he’d nipped her, but all she found was smooth, sensitive skin. Not even a small bruise marred her flesh.
In her dreams, the vision of an ice-blue-eyed wolf crowded the darkness. He, how she knew it’d been a he, she didn’t understand, yet he calmed her. It was as if he protected her. Life for her and Abby hadn’t been perfect by any means. Perhaps it’d been her subconscious trying to give her a bit of safety or happiness? She didn’t know. The physical stuff, though...she could do without it. Sitting there, as she was, goosebumps formed on her skin. Her breasts felt swollen and if the throb in her clit didn’t go away soon, she’d die.
What the hell is wrong with me?
Aurora got out of the car with a huff then strode toward the front door. She knocked on it and took a step back. She didn’t do this—rely on other people. It’d been her and Abby for so long, asking for help was foreign to her. But she was way past desperate.
“I’m coming.”
The door swung open, and the breath Aurora was about to exhale got caught in her throat. She coughed, fighting for her breath as her eyes filled with tears.
“You okay?” His dark, rough voice had the hairs on her arms standing on end.
“Yeah. Sorry. I swallowed down the wrong pipe.” She couldn’t admit the sight of him again sent her body into an overload of arousal. The man had to be the age of her father, if he’d still been alive. No way in hell, she could ever imagine herself in bed with the man standing before her, especially after the incident at the party.
“Keeley said...” Aurora cleared her throat. “Keeley said that maybe you could help me out.”
“Fuck. This should be interesting. No good comes from her meddling ways.”
“Kalkin agreed with her,” Aurora said.
“Even better. The only good that comes from them are their pups.” He winked at her as he stood back, allowing her to enter. If he even remembered what had happened at Keeley and Kalkin’s home, he sure didn’t act like it.
Aurora stepped into the foyer. Boxes were stacked against the wall, labeled and ready to be moved. The place didn’t have a homey vibe to it. It was broken. Maybe Keeley and Kalkin were wrong. She rubbed her arm as she followed him into the kitchen. “So, about what I’m here for—”
“Want a cup of coffee? I just brewed a fresh pot. Was going to enjoy a cup before I got back to work,” he inquired. “That is if you’re old enough to have a cup.”
“I happen to be twenty-four. I’m old enough to vote, drink, or have sex,” she replied before slapping her hand over her mouth. Warmth bloomed in her cheeks. She couldn’t believe she’d said all that out loud.
He chuckled. “I take that as a yes then?”
“Actually, no. I’m not a fan of it.”
“How about a glass of iced tea? I always keep a pitcher in the fridge for when Keeley stops by.”
“That sounds lovely.”
“Have a seat.” He pointed to the table across from him. “If I knew I was having company today—” He lifted his chin in the direction of the boxes.
She
frowned. “Sorry. After the Halloween party, Keeley and I thought it would be best to just come by.”
“What happened at the Halloween party?” He handed her a glass of tea, before pouring a cup of coffee.
“Well... You, uh... Wait, don’t you remember?” She cocked a brow.
“Sure,” he said. “I went to the party, met you and Abby. Shot the shit with my brothers and friends, then went home. You and Abby were already gone by the time I got ready to leave, though.”
She took a giant gulp of tea. “Right. I guess, you know all those wolves and vampires and unicorns...”
He chuckled. The rough sound skirted down her spine and pooled low in her belly. “It’s something when we get together.”
“Sure is different. I think I got a crash course from Keeley, but somehow I feel like she didn’t tell me everything.”
“Probably won’t, either,” he grunted.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” She glanced up at him.
“It means, somethings around here, you need to experience for yourself. It’s just how this place is,” he answered.
“Oh...” She nodded. It made sense. Keeley and the others couldn’t spoon feed her all the details, she had to have the want to know it for herself. “You’re right.”
“So, what have my brother and mated sister set me up for now?” He placed the glass of tea in front of her then went back to the counter where he’d left his cup.
“I’m new to town,” she admitted.
“Figured, never seen you around before, and I knew everyone in the pack and town until the party.” Mackenzie took another sip of his coffee, while watching her over the lip of the cup.
Aurora sighed. “Fine, I’m just going to jump into this with both feet. Mackenzie, I need a babysitter to watch Abby while I work the night shift as a dispatcher at the Sheriff’s Department.”
Mackenzie leaned back against the countertop, his long legs crossed at the ankles as he cradled the mug between his palms. He looked calm, cool and collected, but somehow, she realized it was all a façade. This man he ran hot, and deep, and she’d bet he rarely, if ever, opened up to another living soul. Even his siblings. It made Aurora feel nervous and safe at the same time, which didn’t make a lick of sense.
“Listen, I know this is completely crazy, but Keeley and your brother suggested you as a possible candidate to watch Abby for me while I worked.”
“Jesus,” he mumbled.
“I thought it might be a bad idea,” she admitted. “I’m only here because it’s a last-ditch effort to find someone to watch Abby. I let Keeley convinced me this was a good idea. I should’ve known better. However, you have your own issues to sort through, and I don’t want to be a burden to you or your family.”
She stood then. “I appreciate the tea and your time. I’m sorry for intruding.” Aurora started toward the front door. She’d have to tell Kalkin she couldn’t take the job if she was going to be on night shift. He probably didn’t have a daytime position, so she’d have to quit. It was a blow to the gut for her, but they’d survived worse. Maybe, the grocery store would take her back. The pay would be shit. But she could swing it, and they could stay.
“She’s five, right?” he asked.
Aurora stopped midstride and faced him. “She’s five and she’s currently in kindergarten with Mikey.”
“How often would you need me to watch her?”
“Three days a week.”
He nodded.
“The days will change from week to week, and sometimes, the days I work will fall on the weekend.”
“I know how the shifts work at the Sheriff’s Department, star.”
Aurora’s cheeks heated with embarrassment at his endearment. What the hell? “Right.” Of course, he did. His brother was Sheriff, and his other two brothers were deputies in the department along with Royce, his son. “I’d be willing to pay you.”
He snorted. “How much?”
She frowned.
What an idiot. She hadn’t even thought about how much she’d have to pay someone or more to the point, him, to watch Abby. “Ahh. Hundred bucks a week.”
“You want to pay me under three dollars an hour to watch your kid? That’s slave wages, lady.”
She shrugged. The heat infusing her cheeks intensified at her faux pau. “I’m sorry. I’ve never done this before. I’m not sure what the going rate is for something like this. I didn’t mean any disrespect.”
“You’ve never had a babysitter?” Disbelief filled his tone.
“Well, yeah, Abby’s had a babysitter before. Mrs. Glasgow, the elderly woman in our apartment complex, used to watch her for me. She never took money from me. To pay her back, I made sure her fridge and cupboards were stocked, and on the weekends, when I’d do laundry, I’d do hers with ours because she couldn’t walk up and down the basement stairs. I’d also take her to doctors and hairdresser appointments on my days off. I’m not really sure if this arrangement would work for you.”
“Yeah. I’m very capable of doing all those things, and more by myself.”
“Listen,” she said. “I get this is totally out of left field, and I’ve caught you by surprise. If you need time to think about this, I totally understand. I don’t expect an answer from you now. But I also need to make you aware; Abby, she’s not like other five-year-olds. She’s has a lot of restrictions, both in diet and physical activity. She could die if she gets a cut or a bad bruise. And she needs to stick to a firm routine.”
“What’s wrong with her?” His cobalt gaze filled with worry.
“She has a heart condition. It’s called Patent Foramen Ovale.” Aurora rushed to get the rest of it out before he had a chance to change his mind. It was a lot to ask a total stranger to watch your kid while you worked the night shift, it was even more to ask them to watch your sick kid. “She had surgery a couple of months ago, they did catheterization to help correct it, but she still takes medication to keep her heart at an even keel. She’s better now, and her doctors suggested we move to a drier climate. Living in Washington, she’d been susceptible to bronchitis and pneumonia. Her doctors were worried another bout with both, could be fatal for her.”
Mackenzie pushed off the hallway wall. “I’ll watch her.”
“Really?” Had she heard him correctly? Maybe lady luck was turning her way. She’d play the lottery but didn’t have the extra money to spare nor did she think she’d win.
“Yeah.”
“Do you need to discuss this with anyone?” she probed. It’d been a year since Holly disappeared on Mackenzie, didn’t mean he couldn’t or didn’t have a girlfriend.
His eyes narrowed and a dark scowl flashed across his features. “No longer have to worry about anything of the sort.”
“Oh, okay. Well then, thank you so much!” she said. “I can’t tell you enough, how much I appreciate this. I don’t know what I would’ve done with Abby while I worked.
He ignored her praise, instead got right to the heart of the matter. “When do you start work?”
“Next week.”
“Did Keeley tell you about my arrangements here?” he questioned. “Riley and Liam and also my three grandchildren?”
“Yes.”
“Right. Well, we already know Riley likes her, so does Mikey. Liam is still getting used to the idea it’s just the three of us now, so it’ll probably take time with him. She should come over before you start working as well. It’ll give her a chance to get used to being here. I’ll also need to learn about all her medication, and restrictions.”
“She’s on a strict diet. I can supply you with the food for her weekly.”
Mackenzie waved his hand as if her suggest was inconsequential. “Give me a list of what she can and can’t have, and I’ll make sure I’m stocked up on the alternatives.”
“You sure?”
“Wouldn’t’ve said it, if I didn’t mean it,” he said.
Aurora nibbled at her bottom lip. “How much will you charge me a week?�
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“We can discuss that later.”
“Later?”
“Yeah, later,” he muttered.
Aurora blinked. She couldn’t believe it was that easy. “Okay.”
Mackenzie rubbed at his chin. “Might be a good idea to bring some of her stuff here. Clothes, toys, and such. It’ll make her feel more comfortable.”
Aurora fought to keep her face expressionless. They didn’t have a lot of extras, and to get what he was suggesting would cost money, and she didn’t have a lot to spare right now. Maybe she could locate a second-hand store in town or the surrounding counties where she could pick up some things that would be within her budget.
“Sure.” It was bad enough not being able to pay him a decent amount of money to watch Abby, but she sure as hell wouldn’t allow him to glimpse deeper into their poverty situation.
Mackenzie excused himself for a minute then returned with a pad and pen. “Now, tell me what she can and can’t eat. I’ll make sure what I have for tonight’s dinner works for her.”
“Tonight? Are you sure?”
“I didn’t stutter, did I?” Mackenzie cocked a brow.
She stared at him for a moment. “Anything high in vitamin K is out for her. She needs to avoid things like spinach, kale, brussels sprouts, and salads. Ohh…she can’t have cranberry juice, either.”
He nodded. “Seems easy enough.”
“What time?” she inquired.
“We normally eat dinner at six every night. Come over at five-thirty. It’ll give us all some time to mingle. Does she have a favorite book to read at night?”
Aurora nodded. “Goodnight Moon is her all-time favorite book.”
Mackenzie smiled, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. It made her want to wrap her arms around him and comfort him for some odd reason. “My kids loved it growing up. Riley would ask me to read it to her sometimes two or three times a night.” For a second, he got this peaceful faraway look in his eyes. It softened his features and turned the gruffy growly man in front of her, into a stunningly handsome man—not as though he wasn’t before, this had been different. “She still has her copy in her bookcase. I’ll pull it and have it waitin’ for Abby. After dinner, I’ll show her where she’ll sleep on the nights she’s here and read the book to her.”
