Chapter 2
Chapter two
Emmett
"Em-It!"
I turn toward the little voice calling my name and grin when I see Brooks and Violet's daughter, Daisy, waving at me from the front door.
"Well, if it isn't Daisy Bell!"
I motion for her to choose a birdhouse from the stack on the table in front of me. Daisy looks at Violet, who nods, before running over. She selects a small birdhouse, and Hayes scoops her up to find her an open spot at one of the painting tables.
My phone pings, and I open the group chat to find a message from Jameson.
Archer and I have a few more hours of work at the site. Are you guys good, or should we stop and help?
Jameson owns DP Construction and has been one of my closest friends since middle school. With Violet and Brooks’ blessing, he gave us a few hours off while we wrap up the reception hall renovations so the crew could run a small building workshop for the kids at Cole and Miranda’s coffee shop.
We helped older kids build birdhouses in my workshop before school this morning. This afternoon is reserved for the younger artists to make them colorful. Tomorrow, another group is walking around town to hang them at the library, the rec center, and the senior housing complex.
I've done more community service in my two years of living in Duhring Park than I've done in my entire life, but something about this town makes me say yes every time someone needs help.
"Hey guys, this looks great." Violet greets Max and me with a huge smile as she watches Hayes help Daisy pick her colors.
"Mama!" Daisy calls out, holding up a small jar of purple paint.
Violet gives her a thumbs-up.
"You want to paint a birdhouse too?" I ask Violet.
She shakes her head. "No, you've got a whole crowd right behind us, and I'm supposed to meet someone." She cranes her neck toward the back of the store and lifts her arm.
I glance over to see who she's waving at and do a double-take as I lay eyes on the most beautiful woman I've ever seen.
"Who—"
I’m interrupted as a loud group of excited kids bursts through the front door.
Violet snakes her way through the crowd to give Daisy a kiss and motions to the curvy vision in a simple black sweatshirt and a knit winter hat. My heart skips a beat when the woman smiles as Violet walks over. My body responds with an almost feral need to make her smile at me that way.
Holy shit. What is happening?
"Hi, Mr. Emmett!" A kid with red hair grins up at me.
I let out a hard breath of air as I try to reorient myself. I open my mouth to respond, but find my eyes drawn back to the woman, who is now chatting animatedly with Violet.
Right. Violet knows her. She's not going anywhere.
Shaking my head, I grin at the little boy in front of me. "Let's get you a birdhouse. Jessie, right?"
After an hour of painting, the birdhouses are drying on one of the bookcases lining the coffee shop walls, and I'm frantically trying to clean up so I can meet Violet's friend.
"Abracadabra!" Daisy is still wearing her tiny painting smock, and her brow furrows in concentration as she mixes up a concoction in one of the water cups. My heart just about melts from the cuteness overload.
Hell, forget about community service being new since coming to Duhring Park.
The idea of getting married and settling down a few years ago would have been a hard no, but the people here look out for each other in a way that I didn't have in my hometown.
I'm close with my immediate family - mom, dad, and my sisters - but growing up, my best friends and I were practically feral.
Nobody was watching out for us. In Duhring Park, the connections are endless, and I'm here for it.
They say there's something in the Duhring Park water that acts like a love potion, but maybe it's just finding a place that finally feels like home that makes the males go caveman. I've started thinking more and more about what a family could look like for me here in this town.
I find myself gazing at the woman with Violet again, and my heart squeezes.
"Just ordered us some coffee."
Max's loud voice startles me, and I turn to stare at him. Max has dark hair, broad shoulders, and about two inches on me. He's the biggest flirt I know, which is fun on any other day. But not today.
"Max, I need you to leave." I shove him toward the door.
He turns to me with a look of bewilderment. "No, you said we could get dinner."
"I'll meet you somewhere for dinner later," I say, pushing my friend to get him out of this coffee shop immediately. "I need to go home and let Zeus out anyway."
"Then you leave," Max says, swatting at my hands as he shoves me off him.
"No," I growl, my eyes locked on the curvy beauty chatting with Violet.
"We just ordered coffee, Emmett." Max digs his feet into the ground and braces his full weight against me as I use my shoulder to move him. Realizing we must look like two boulders leaning against one another, I back off and look at him.
He glares at me, arms over his broad chest. "What's going on? And why doesn't Hayes have to leave?"
Hayes lifts his head at the mention of his name and walks over. "What's going on?"
"Nothing," I say.
"He's trying to kick me out." Max narrows his eyes at me.
I shake my head and sigh loudly. Of course, he's going to make this a thing. "I'm not kicking you out. I just want you to leave."
"What did I tell ya?" Max turns to Hayes.
Hayes chuckles and pulls up a chair. If he could bring popcorn out, he would. He loves it when Max gets going.
"Look, I'm gonna go over and talk to that woman sitting with Violet."
"What woman?" Max turns and lets out a low whistle.
I clench my jaw so hard my teeth crack.
"I'll go with you. I'm a great wingman."
"No. You're a great flirt. And if you hit on my future wife... I'm going to hurt you."
"Future what?" Hayes asks, leaning forward with wide eyes at this turn in the plot.
"Wife? Oh, buddy. I gave you all that bottled water." Max shakes his head in disappointment.
"Go."
"Yeah, okay."
I startle, surprised it was that easy. "Thank you, Max."
"No problem. What are friends for?" He claps me on the back.
I nod, grateful he's listening to me for once. Taking a deep breath, I run my hand through my hair. My heart races with anticipation to learn more about her.
Violet and the sexy siren look up and smile as I reach the table.
"Hi, Emmett. Hi, Max," Violet greets.
I tense, swiveling my head to look at my friend standing directly behind me with a toothy grin.
"Hi, Violet. Hi, Violet's beautiful friend." Max grins at the woman, my woman, who raises an eyebrow at him before giving a little wave.
Damn it.