Hung By the Fire (Evergreen Lake: Under the Mistletoe)

Chapter 8

eight

BETHANY

By one o’clock in the afternoon, I’d come to two conclusions.

First, Joy may be the best baby ever. Not that I was at all surprised. Having spent time with her over the past few days, I’d realized she was always happy. She giggled and smiled, gummed the hell out of that teething ring or anything else she could get her chubby little hands on, and loved to stare out into the trees. My aunt had mentioned how she’d stopped over a few times when Cole had been dealing with a screaming infant, but there was no evidence of that baby in sight now.

The second was that Cole was a worrywart, as my mom would say. The man had texted and called no less than thirty times since I’d dropped him off. Was I okay? Was Joy okay? Did we need anything? Did I need him to come back early?

As if on cue, my phone vibrated on the counter, and I groaned. “Joy, your uncle is making me crazy. You know that right?” Her only response was a precious giggle. She was blissfully unaware as she bounced in the baby seat I had set in the middle of the kitchen table. I grabbed the device and looked down.

Cole

Crap. I don’t know if there’s anything in the house for lunch. I forgot all about it.

Cole

I can order you something. Delivery Dan can bring it over.

Cole

Damn, it’s already after one. I’m sorry.

The man was going to make me nuts, and it had nothing to do with lunch. I was already on edge from being around him this morning. He’d opened the door, and it took everything in me not to start panting. Joy had been cradled against his chest by his strong arms, looking comfortable and protected. His blue Evergreen Lake FD T-shirt strained across his chest and the dark blue pants accentuated parts I should not have been looking at or thinking about.

Fuck, he’d looked so hot.

I probably shouldn’t have read so many single-dad romance novels recently, but in my defense, I hadn’t planned on meeting a real life one who could have stepped right off the damn page.

I couldn’t even let myself go down the road of thinking about what happened in the car. I thought for sure he’d been about to kiss me, and I’d wanted it with a desperation I couldn’t deny. Except we’d agreed to one night. Now with me watching Joy, anything else would be a disaster waiting to happen.

Don’t worry about it. I nabbed one of your frozen meals. I’m good.

Almost immediately another message came through. At this point I almost hoped for a fire, only a small one, to break out so he would put the phone down.

Cole

Good. What about dinner? I could arrange that.

Cole

Are you sure she’s okay? What about that teething thing? I hope she’s not crying a lot. She does that with me, but she’s probably better with someone else.

I sat myself down and let his typed words play through my mind. It struck me that first day Aunt Nadine and I had come over, not to mention every day since, that Cole thought any other person would be a better caretaker of Joy than him. He berated himself for not realizing she’d been teething and that’s why she’d been crying incessantly. He’d make comments like what he just texted, when anyone with eyes could see he was wonderful with her. I didn’t discount that he probably had some missteps along the way. According to Aunt Nadine, everything had come as quite a shock to him, and he admitted he had no idea what to do with a baby.

Except Joy was thriving, and he couldn’t see he had everything to do with that.

Cole

Do you want me to stop texting? I don’t want you to feel trapped.

I don’t feel trapped. We’re doing wonderful, and if it makes you feel better, you can keep texting.

I leaned my face near Joy’s little head and quickly snapped a picture, adding the photo to the message chain.

See, she’s perfectly fine.

Dots appeared and I waited for the next comment, which would likely be how much better she is with me. I waited and waited until the dots came and went three times until finally two texts came through and it took everything I had to continue breathing.

Cole

You both are.

Cole

Gorgeous.

I didn’t know what to make of his comment. In only one morning, it felt like the lines we had established were starting to blur.

All of a sudden, sitting in his house didn’t really feel like a great idea. His presence was everywhere even if he wasn’t. The scent of his cologne clung faintly to the air throughout the house. In the living room, a sweater lay haphazardly over the back of the couch. It took everything in my power to not pull it over my head and imagine it was Cole’s arms around me. I didn’t go into his bedroom. Images of him in bed assailed me enough, I didn’t need any additional fodder. My mind’s eye envisioned him leaning against the counter, coffee cup in his hands and his eyes watching me over the rim. Every single time he looked at me, gold sparking in the depths of his hazel eyes, it felt as if he were touching me all over again.

Yup, time to skedaddle.

I plucked Joy out of her bouncy seat with a flourish and relished in her fit of giggles. “How about you and I go for a ride?”

“Mhmhmhmh,” Joy babbled, her fist firmly in her mouth.

“Excellent idea,” I responded. “Let’s go see some flowers.”

We padded off down the hall, Joy mumbling nonsense as I answered her.

In that moment, I felt as if I was exactly where I should be.

“Well, isn’t this a surprise,” Aunt Nadine exclaimed as I pushed the stroller through the door of Nadine’s Nursery.

I’d spent the previous few days at the store, helping her as had been my original plan. As was the way of fate, her full-time employee quit when her husband’s job transferred him, her part-time girl could only help around her school schedule, and the Christmas rush, including the holiday festival, was on. That had been my whole reason for coming, and here I was not doing it. But I couldn’t deny that what I was doing filled me in a different way.

“I thought we’d take a little visit into town.”

I didn’t mention that having thoughts of Cole running through my head essentially pushed me out of his house. Aunt Nadine knew nothing about what happened the other night, and I wanted to keep it that way. The firehouse didn’t sit all that far away from Nadine’s Nursery. In fact, it was just across the park and over a block, but I tried not to let my eyes stray in that direction.

“Well, I for one am glad you did. It’s been quiet in here, so I could use the company.” Aunt Nadine grumbled as she moved from behind the counter to come give me a hug. “Not that I’m surprised. Everyone and their brother are setting up for the tree lighting tomorrow night and getting the holiday booths together.” She leaned down to unbuckle Joy and picked her up. “How is my pretty cupcake?”

Joy cooed and made noises, a seriousness on her little face as if what she had to say was of the utmost importance.

Aunt Nadine nodded. “That’s right, sweet girl. You need to get your uncle to take you to the festival.”

“What do you think are the chances of that happening?” I had to ask, because it was something that had been on my mind lately. From everything my aunt said and what I’d observed of Cole from the night at the bar to now, he seemed to hold himself back, even from Joy. Sure, he was worried about her, and he treated her as if she was made of the most fragile glass, but I don’t know if he’d given her his heart yet. I had a feeling that was his default, the same way I’d thought in the bar.

The man did not trust easily.

“Not high, that’s for sure. I don’t think he’s ever been to the festival since he’s been in town.”

I pushed the stroller out of the way and followed my aunt behind the counter to the two stools.

“Unless you’ve turned stalker over the years, how do you know?”

“I have my ways.” She poked her head toward the door, and the three older women standing outside. “And looks like you’re about to find out.” The bell above the door jingled as it was pushed open and they strolled inside. “Morning, ladies.”

“Good morning, Nadine,” the first woman through the door said. “Are you all set for the festival? Did you know that I heard some of the booths weren’t ready, yet? It’s not like they had a year to plan or anything. Some people,” she groused with a very disapproving shake of her head.

“Now, Bernice,” the last of the three to walk in spoke up, “I told you some people just aren’t good at time management. They like that procrastination stuff. I’m sure their booth will be ready.”

“But will it be perfect, Mildred? That’s what I want to know,” the final woman of the trio chimed in. “The festival has to be perfect.”

I looked at my aunt, confusion and, I have to admit, amusement, probably clear as day on my face.

“I’m sure it will be, Sheila.” If my scorecard was right, I’m pretty sure this was Mildred, but at this point I had no idea. “They always do a fine job, and they are always running late. It’s like a theme with them or something.”

My aunt coughed, subtly but noticeable nonetheless, and all three of them abandoned their private discussion to focus on us. Or rather me, since three sets of eyes zeroed in on me, before turning to Aunt Nadine and Joy.

As one, they gasped.

“Sorry, Nadine. You know how we get when it comes to the festival.”

My aunt’s barely above a whisper, “or anything else,” had me biting back a chuckle. “Ladies, I do indeed, and to answer Bernice’s question, I’m all ready. We’ve got some last-minute decorating, but we can get to that tomorrow.”

The trio exchanged glances with each other and apparently settled on Bernice as the ringleader to plow ahead. Though it seemed like that was sort of her role regardless of any discussion. “Excellent.” Her gaze swung back to me. “And who is this we have here?”

If reading small town romance had taught me anything, it was that I had been expecting to find ladies like this the moment I’d set foot back in Evergreen Lake. All three wore their gray hair short and obviously newly done. They likely kept the local salon in business.

Of course, it also told me there’d be a smoking hot neighbor with a tortured past and a ridiculously large dick, but I hadn’t believed that part.

Fate sure proved me wrong, didn’t it?

Dragging all thoughts away from said neighbor, I smiled and responded. “Hi, ladies. I’m Bethany; Nadine’s my aunt. Since she’s down an employee, I’m here to help her out for a bit.” I rose and extended my hand.

“Bernice. Nice to meet you, sweetheart,” the ringleader introduced herself and shook my hand. “Sheila, Mildred…” She paused to let us get acquainted. “…and I like to keep an eye on things around here.” They all nodded and again, it took everything I had not to laugh. I didn’t think they meant only the festival. Between the discussion, their attitude, and the snazzy way they dressed, these women likely ran this town.

“Is that your cutie?” Mildred asked, nodding at Joy perched in Aunt Nadine’s arms, happily taking in the show around her. “She’s adorable.”

“She is, isn’t she?” I couldn’t help but enjoy the praise Joy received because she truly was a beautiful baby. “But no, she’s not mine. I’m just watching her today.”

“She’s Cole’s,” my aunt added, like the answer should be obvious. Except, knowing Cole, I don’t think much about the man was apparent. Aunt Nadine glanced my way, a sly smirk on her face, like she knew what the reaction from these three would be.

“Cole?” Mildred asked as she looked at her friends. “Who’s Cole?”

“Wait.” Bernice snapped her fingers and shoved her way to the counter. “Isn’t Cole that sexy firefighter? The one that lives next to you?” At my aunt’s nod, she turned to her cohorts and waved her hand around. “You know him. He’s got those tattoos up and down his arms and those remarkable gold-medal-colored eyes. Not to mention he’s built like he’d be able to go all night in bed and know exactly what to do with everything he’s got. I was thinking about starting a fire just for him to come to my house.”

A choked laugh/cough escaped from my mouth. What the hell had walked into the store?

“See.” Bernice pointed my way. “She knows.”

“What? No, I don’t.” I mean, I did, but I was taking that memory and information to the grave. At the very least, I wasn’t admitting it out loud, in the middle of my aunt’s store, with a bunch of dirty old ladies I’d met minutes ago staring me down.

“Oh, yeah,” now Sheila jumped into the conversation. “Now I remember. He’s yummy.”

There was something weirdly disconcerting about a woman in her sixties, at least, saying Cole was yummy, though I couldn’t disagree with her. He was definitely that and more.

“Bethany’s helping him out since he had to go back to work and Darlene had to back out at the last minute.”

“Poor Darlene.” All three shook their heads. “I saw her the other day, before she left. She was so worried about her mom, and she said something about leaving a friend in the lurch,” Mildred stated and her friends nodded in agreement. Then as one they turned toward me. “So you’re watching the baby? And spending time with Cole?”

These three were after dirt, and I didn’t really want to give it to them, but I had to admit, if felt exactly like dealing with my sisters. I missed the fun, the teasing, the insinuation about every word that came out of our mouths.

“Well, I’m watching Joy, not so much spending time with anyone. I came here to help Aunt Nadine, but when she realized Cole needed some help, we agreed I’d handle both.”

“I don’t think handling him would be a hardship.”

“Bernice.” The admonishment came from all three other women in the shop except for me.

“What?” She didn’t seem the least bit embarrassed. “I can’t help it if I’m a connoisseur of attractive men. It’s like a gift or something.”

“You’re nuts, Bernice,” Aunt Nadine spoke up, but I couldn’t ignore the smile on her face. She found them just as entertaining as I did.

“Maybe, but I’m sure as hell not wrong.” Then she pinned me in her stare. I’d been raised to respect and answer my elders, so I had no choice to respond to her unspoken question.

“No, you’re not.”

Bernice smiled at me as if she wouldn’t have accepted any other answer.

“Well, let us be on our way. We’ll see you tomorrow.” After waves and goodbyes, the three women left the shop and silence descended. A silence that spoke more than I wanted it to.

I felt my aunt’s gaze land on me. “What? Cole is attractive.” He was so much more than only that, but I was already skating on thin ice and didn’t want to give any more of my interest in the man away than I already was.

“I said nothing.” Aunt Nadine chuckled as she stood and placed Joy in my arms. “And I know you aren’t blind, so I wouldn’t expect less.” She nodded in the direction of the station. “He has to be going crazy being away from her. He’s been with her non-stop since bringing her home. I know he thinks he’s doing a terrible job with her, but this has to be tough on him.”

“I think it is, especially if the number of texts I received this morning were any indication.” I hadn’t checked my phone since leaving the house, so God only knew what I’d find waiting for me.

I glanced down at Joy and found her staring at a small red Cardinal ornament hanging from the decorated tree in the store. Over the past few days, I’d noticed more than a few of the birds came to rest on the patio railing or perch on a tree branch, their vivid color standing out against the green. I thought back to the one I’d seen before agreeing to come out here.

It didn’t surprise me. Looked like Joy and I both had people watching over us.

“Maybe you could bring Joy over to see him.”

I glanced out the window and decided I’d do just that. Maybe we could be the ones watching out for him.