Chapter 11
CHAPTER ELEVEN
S carlet rolled over and snuggled deeper into the warm, fluffy duvet, inhaling the sheets’ clean cotton scent. Then her eyes shot open. After two panicked heartbeats, she recognized her surroundings.
She was in Matt’s guest room with Dai?—
Another surge of panic whipped through Scarlet at the sight of the empty space beside her. No Daisy. No Mr. Slothy. No Baby Unicorn. She scrambled up to sitting, then froze, straining to hear...
Daisy’s faint giggle. Followed by a low rumble and her daughter’s full-fledged laugh.
Scarlet flopped back down on the plush mattress and willed her heart rate to return to normal. Glancing at the bedside clock, her eyes widened. Holy crap, it was nearly ten. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d slept in this late. No wonder Daisy wasn’t in bed with her anymore.
Worry brewed in her belly, and she hoped Matt was okay hanging out with Daisy. It still boggled her mind how her daughter had taken to the man. He seemed to like Daisy as well, but Scarlet knew lots of people could only tolerate kids for so long.
The thought prompted her to get out of bed and pull her bra back on. After a quick stop in the bathroom, she followed the soft voices down the hallway, past another guest room and a cozy sitting room.
In the kitchen, she came to a halt. Daisy sat at the large kitchen table, coloring. Matt was next to her with his own paper in front of him and a crayon in hand. Scarlet’s stomach did a little flip at the sight.
How she wished she could give something like this to Daisy...
A vise gripped her heart, and she wanted to slap herself upside the head. There was no use yearning for something that wasn’t possible.
“Mama!” Daisy squealed, noticing her in the entryway. She scrambled down from her seat and raced over, hugging Scarlet’s legs as if they’d been separated for weeks.
Scooping her daughter up, she kissed her noisily on the cheek. “Good morning, baby girl.” When Daisy started squirming, she placed her back on her feet and smiled as her daughter zoomed to her seat to resume drawing.
She met Matt’s gaze, and heat washed over her face. The man was barefoot and dressed in faded jeans and a white T-shirt. No one should look that good in such plain clothes.
“Good morning,” she said, shifting on her feet. She was officially waaay out of her comfort zone. “Um, you have a really nice place. Thanks again for letting us stay here.”
“Nothing to thank me for, remember? We’re friends.” He leaned back in his seat. “And as much as I’d like to take credit for this place, I can’t. It’s actually my brother’s.”
“You have a brother?” she asked, desperate for any kind of small talk. She usually excelled at small talk—she was a waitress, after all—but here? Right now? Standing with this man in his kitchen? She was floundering and nervous and at a complete loss.
Matt nodded, seeming unaware of her impending mini panic attack. “Jake. He and his wife live in Seattle.”
“Are you guys close?” Scarlet slapped a hand over her mouth. “Sorry. That was rude. And absolutely none of my business.” She glanced around the kitchen and spotted the coffee maker. “I think I need caffeine. My brain and mouth aren’t on the same page yet.”
He chuckled. “Not rude at all, Scar. And help yourself. Cups are above the coffee maker, and there’s flavored creamer in the fridge.”
“Thanks,” she said, grateful for something to do. She filled a mug three-quarters of the way, then topped it off with vanilla creamer.
“Wow,” Matt said, amusement in his voice. “I take it you like your coffee sweet?”
Scarlet took a sip, and the sugary deliciousness had her sighing. “My motto is the less it tastes like coffee, the better.”
The edges of his lips quirked. “So why drink coffee, then?”
“It wakes me up. You know, the whole gets-the-brain-and-mouth-syncing thing. For as long as I can remember, I used to drink a couple cans of Diet Coke in the mornings. But then”—she pointed at Daisy with her mug—“I didn’t want her to think that was okay. I know firsthand how hard it is to stop being a soda junkie.”
“So now it’s sweetened coffee and no more morning sodas?”
She shook her head and took a larger gulp. She needed the caffeine to kick in as soon as humanly possible. “No more soda at all .”
His eyes widened. “You gave it up for good?”
“After my morning coffee, I drink water now.” She grimaced, and he chuckled. “It’s g-r-o-s-s, but supposedly better for me. It also gets the munchkin drinking it, too, so that’s a plus.”
And water was free, unlike sodas and juices. Ever since Daisy’s birth, Scarlet had scraped by on a tight budget. When she’d been in Arizona, the water had tasted nasty, but water filters had still been cheaper than her multiple-cans-of-Diet-Coke-a-day habit. With her apartment in Hudson, she’d lucked out because not only did her fridge have a built-in water filter, but Mr. Wayland supplied her with replacement filters for free. Now, if only water didn’t taste so... blah.
“If it’s any consolation,” Matt began, “I didn’t drink water as a kid, either. It wasn’t until high school, when I got really involved in sports, that I started properly hydrating. Good for you for setting a strong example—and an early example—for the Otter Pop.”
“Thanks, but water really is...” She finished the thought by scrunching up her face.
Daisy’s head whipped toward Matt. “Can I have an Otter Pop, Mr. Matty?”
“Probably later.” Daisy’s face scrunched up like Scarlet’s had, and his brown eyes twinkled with humor. Looking back at Scarlet, he said, “Give it time, Scar. Maybe you’ll get used to the taste?”
She winced. “It’s been three years.”
“Well, at least you’re both well-hydrated.” He seemed to bite back a laugh. “But to answer your not-rude question, yes. My brother and I are close. Jake and his wife, Carmen, have crazy busy schedules, so we don’t see each other as much as we want, but we text and call all the time. We try to get together in person once a month or so. When I got hurt, he offered me this place. Knew the quiet and slower pace would help my recovery. He also knew Cade was here and that he’d watch out for me.” Matt shook his head. “Even though Jake’s my little brother, the guy’s a bit overprotective.”
“Of course he is. Didn’t you get shot ?” Again, she slapped her hand over her mouth and grimaced. “Sorry. Gossip train info.” She gestured between them with her mug. “I moved to Hudson a few months before you, and let me tell you, when you arrived, there was lots of tea going around about you.”
Matt frowned. “Tea?”
“Gossip. All the ladies were curious about who you were, what you were doing on the island, and what your whole backstory was. They didn’t think anything nefarious since everyone knew you were friends with Cade, but the theories were wild. Small towns, right?” She laughed at the look of horror on his face. “Someone mentioned that you’d been shot—probably for something heroic—and that you were here recovering.”
He chuckled, but there didn’t seem to be any humor in it. “Shot, yes. Heroic, no. When my brother offered up this place... I had a lot going on in addition to the physical recovery thing, so it was a no-brainer for me to take him up on it.”
Scarlet sensed he was uncomfortable with where their conversation was leading, so she pivoted. “Did it help?”
He tilted his head in question.
“You said your brother thought the quiet would help with your recovery. Did it?”
Matt remained silent for a moment, pondering his answer. When he finally met her gaze, a soft smile played on his mouth. “Yeah. It took quite a bit of time, but yeah. It did.”
That brief, solemn darkness in his eyes had eased, and she was thankful. Seeing it had hurt her heart. “And now you’re working at Hudson Security?”
He nodded. “After I recovered physically, I took some time off. Things had gotten... complicated over at the Seattle PD, and the longer I stayed away, the less I wanted to go back.”
Oh, to be a fly on the wall of his brain. Because there was a whole story behind that entire complicated bit. Scarlet was sure of it. But she didn’t know him well enough yet to press.
“Gavin was pushing hard for me to join his crew, and I figured why the hell—” His gaze darted to Daisy and then back to her. Her stomach did that flipping thing again. Stupid stomach. “I mean, why the heck not? Fresh start and all that.”
“Mama?” Daisy cut in, still picking through her small box of crayons. “Mr. Matty said we could see the kitty cats today if you said it was okay.” She glanced up. “Is it okay? Please?”
Scarlet couldn’t help but grin. Her kid was so stinking cute. “Yes, we can go visit the cats a little later this afternoon. But first?—”
The doorbell rang, and Matt rose from the table, patting Daisy on the head. “But first, that should be our breakfast.”
Scarlet gave him a questioning look, and he winked in response as he left the kitchen. Butterflies took flight in her belly. She tried her best to ignore them.
Seconds later, Matt returned carrying two bags of groceries. “Ladies, how do pancakes and bacon sound?”
“With chocolate chips?” Daisy asked.
Scarlet shook her head. “Daisy, we don’t?—”
“Yup,” he said, pulling a bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips out of one of the grocery sacks. “ And I have a box of these bad boys.” He held up a striped box—Otter Pops—and Daisy cheered. “But these aren’t until later, remember? You have to finish all your breakfast.”
Scarlet snickered when Daisy nodded. “Ohmygod, she’s gonna be in a sugar coma by noon.”
“You’re one to talk,” Matt said with a smirk, gesturing to her coffee. “Besides, they’re for bravery, remember?”
She rolled her eyes. “Oh yes, how could I forget?”
“Mr. Matty, look! I drawed you a picture!” Daisy held up a paper with blue, red, and green... things on it.
Scarlet had a hard time deciphering Daisy’s drawings on a good day. With Daisy using her left hand? Yeaaah, there was no hope.
“Wow, that’s beautiful, Otter Pop,” Matt said, reclaiming his seat next to Daisy. “Can you tell me all about what you drew?”
Scarlet suppressed a chuckle. Smart man.
Matt shot her another wink, and she grinned. This time, it was harder to ignore the butterflies.
“This is Mr. Slothy,” Daisy began, pointing at one of the blue figures on the paper. “And that’s me and Baby Unicorn and you ! We’re all holding hands!”
“Oh wow, that’s really pretty.” Smiling, he touched a lone blob off to the side. “And what’s this?”
“Oh, that’s just Mama. She’s taking a picture of all of us.”
Matt laughed. “Well, that’s really nice of your mom.”
“Mr. Matty, can you put it on your figyator?”
For a moment, he held Daisy’s gaze. A look that Scarlet could only describe as wonder flashed over his face. “It would be my honor, Otter Pop.” He bopped her on the nose as he stood, taking the picture and placing it front and center on his refrigerator. “What do you say you draw your mama a picture while I make us some pancakes and bacon?”
Daisy got busy with a fresh piece of paper.
“Can I help?” Scarlet asked.
“Any food allergies for you or Daisy?”
She shook her head.
“Then how about you hang out and keep me company?”
Was this guy for real? “Surely there’s something I can help with.”
“You can measure out how many chocolate chips you think would be best. I mean, you’re probably right that a sugar coma isn’t the wisest decision for a Saturday morning.”
They spent the next half hour making pancakes and frying bacon and the following half hour gobbling it all up. Matt kept the conversation flowing and light—which Scarlet appreciated. And what she appreciated even more was that he involved Daisy. When he asked Scarlet what shows she was watching, he asked the same of her daughter. He spoke to the little girl like a regular person, never talking down to her or outright ignoring her.
As they finished brunch, Daisy’s eyelids were drooping.
Scarlet wiped her mouth and set her napkin down. “Hey, baby girl. How about a nap?”
“No, Mama,” Daisy said with a pout.
Scarlet arched an eyebrow, causing her little girl to still. “Excuse me? Try again, miss.”
“I’m not sleepy,” Daisy grumbled.
She leaned back in her seat and crossed her arms, pinning her daughter with a sharp look. “If you don’t take a nap, then you don’t get to go with Mr. Matt to visit the cats.”
Daisy’s lower lip wobbled, and her gaze flew to Matt. “Mr. Mattyyy,” she wailed.
“I’m sorry, Otter Pop.” The poor guy looked heartbroken. “Your mom’s the boss on this.”
“What’ll it be, Daisy?” she asked. “Take a nap and visit the cats? Or no nap and no cats?”
“But, Mama, I’m not sleep—” Her words died on a giant yawn.
Done with the back-and-forth—because god knew it could go on forever—Scarlet stood. “Let’s go wash your hands. But first, please tell Mr. Matt thank you for breakfast.”
Daisy looked over at Matt, her blue eyes as big as saucers. “Thank you, Mr. Matty.”
He gave her a soft smile. “You’re welcome, sweet girl. Have a good nap, okay?”
“Okay.” Daisy climbed down from her chair and paused next to him. “Will you be here when I wake up? Will you take me with you to see the kitty cats?”
He twisted in his seat to face her, placing his elbows on his knees so they were eye to eye. “I’ll be here when you wake up, and I won’t go see the cats today without you.”
“Do you promise?”
He nodded and held out his fist. “I promise, Otter Pop.”
Giggling, Daisy bumped her fist against his. Then she launched herself at him, wrapping her arms tight around his neck. She pulled away, placed her small hands on either side of his face, and gave him a giant grin. “Thank you, Mr. Matty.”
Scarlet’s jaw hit the floor. Mostly because of how much her daughter adored Matt, and partially because of the syrupy handprints she’d left on the guy. The guy who had that look of wonder on his face again.
He patted Daisy’s back, then dropped a kiss to the top of her head. “Thanks for the hug, Otter Pop. Now go and wash up for your nap.”
With a wave, Daisy skipped down the hallway.
“Don’t touch the walls! And go straight to the sink and wash your hands!” Scarlet called after her daughter. Turning to Matt, she said, “Sorry about all the... sticky.”
“No worries, Scarlet. You know, if you don’t mind me saying... you’ve got a fantastic kid. You’re a great mom.” He touched his cheek and chuckled when his fingers stuck to his skin. “You weren’t kidding about the sticky, huh? I’m gonna go wash up, too.” On his way out of the kitchen, he paused and glanced back at her. “Don’t worry about the dishes. I’ll take care of them while you put Daisy down for her nap.”
Scarlet stood rooted as he left. She knew she should go make sure Daisy was washing her hands, but she couldn’t move. She could only stare at the space where Matt had been. Where they’d all spent the last hour making brunch and eating together. Like a family. Like the lazy weekend mornings she’d seen on television growing up. And holy shit, she’d never experienced anything remotely close to it.
God, what would it be like to have this life? With a man like Matt? Who was thoughtful and considerate? Who made freaking pancakes and bacon for breakfast? She’d never met anyone like him. But that probably had more to do with the company she’d kept than anything.
A tiny part of her desperately wanted to believe she could have this. Well, not with Matt, because there was no way in hell he’d be interested in anything like this with her —but something like this. The other part, though—the larger part that was based in reality—knew it wasn’t going to happen.
With a resigned sigh, she made her way to the guest room to check on Daisy. After rewashing her daughter’s face and hands, she tucked her in with Mr. Slothy and Baby Unicorn. Daisy was out like a light in minutes.
Lying beside her daughter, Scarlet tried to shake off her mood. For as long as she could remember, she’d relied on herself. Granted, with questionable success. But she was still alive and kicking, and Daisy was happy and healthy.
She cringed. Well, minus the broken arm.
She should be satisfied with that. It was pointless to want more.
The problem was that the more time she spent with Matt, the more she liked him.
Before this week, she’d been attracted to him because he was hot and growly. Hell, he’d perfected a smolder that could put romance novel heroes to shame. That kind of crush had been safe. Easy to move on from. But now her crush had transformed into something else entirely. She’d gotten to know Matt and discovered he was... kind. And compassionate. And attentive.
He’d gone from giving her short, one- and two-word replies to full-on conversations overnight. Okay, fine. Not overnight, but still...
Scarlet wasn’t sure what the catalyst was for that change in him, but she wasn’t going to question it. She enjoyed talking to him, getting to know him better. But she’d also entered dangerous territory. Because as much as those butterflies in her stomach had her excited to spend more time with him, she knew she was just setting herself up for disappointment. After all, when had any guy ever wanted to be with her for more than an easy fuck? Even as friends?
Her blood chilled.
Yeah. Never.