CHAPTER 1 #3
She gave Cort a quick rerun of the conversation, then explained, “I think he wanted me to know why he hadn’t met his daughter sooner. Does the military really keep fathers from being present for births?”
“Not deliberately, but being on active duty can make it tough to get away.”
“So, like, you think he was on a mission or something?”
Cort exhaled. “Word of warning, hon, most military guys don’t want to talk about their experiences—at least that’s true of the Marines and SEALs I’ve known. It’d be best if you put a lid on your curiosity.”
“Okay.” Guilt flushed her face, and she fanned a hand at herself. “I didn’t mean to pry.”
“No accusations from me. I know you, remember? Just cluing you in, in case you see the guy again.”
She bit her lip, then admitted, “I’ll see him again shortly. He had some questions about the town. You know, where to eat and shop, touristy stuff, things like that.”
The silence was damning.
And this time, it got to her. “What?”
“You’re a smart woman, Pixie, and a good judge of character. I’ll just say to tread carefully, okay?”
“You don’t like the idea of me being alone with him?” Funny, but she hadn’t even considered the risk. He was a renter. Like her, he obviously loved his child. Like Cort, he had a military background. “Andy and his daughter will be there, too.”
“Right. Just keep alert, okay? With Marlow and me gone, you’re there alone. In fact, I might ask Herman to keep an eye on things.”
“You mean keep an eye on me.” She rolled her eyes even as she smiled. It was nice to have people concerned about her and Andy. That hadn’t always been the case. Now that she had such terrific people in her life, she would never take them for granted.
“That too,” Cort said.
“I was going to suggest that Brogan try out his food anyway.” Herman ran the Dry Frog Tavern, and his burgers, pizzas, and appetizers were, in her opinion, the very best. Plus, the tavern gave newcomers a great feel for the town, and Brogan could meet a lot of locals there. “But, Cort?”
“Yes?”
“Thank you for caring.”
“It’s what family does. Hey, Marlow wants to say hi. Hang on.”
Marlow was nowhere near as quiet and contained as Cort. “Tell me everything.”
Laughing, Pixie teased, “Everything about what?”
“Not what, who. The new guy. I could tell by Cort’s posture that something’s going on.”
As she paced around the room, Pixie kept her eye on Andy. He sat in the playpen, stacking, unstacking, and rearranging his building blocks. The sight of him never failed to make her heart feel full.
Because this was Marlow, and Pixie could tell her anything, she whispered, “He’s gorgeous, but also a dad, and I don’t think he’s married, but he hasn’t actually said, so for now— really, I mean it, Marlow—I’m just being neighborly.”
“Say that all you want, but I hear it in your voice. You’re interested, and I’m cheering you on.”
“Hello? Did you hear a word I said?”
“I heard every word, smart-ass, and I know exactly what you’re thinking. But that whole debacle was a lifetime ago, and since then you haven’t shown the slightest interest in men. They’re not all bad, you know. They’re not all him.”
“Yes,” Pixie quietly admitted. “I know.” Cort was the perfect example. He was a dedicated husband to Marlow, a loyal friend to Pixie, and an amazing protector for Andy. “I guess … I am slightly interested?”
“You are.”
She was. After the debacle, as Marlow had put it, Pixie had sworn off men forever. Lived the disaster, learned from it, never planned to repeat it again.
That she’d been involved with a married man, even if she hadn’t known he was married, still shamed her.
But good things had come out of that awful ordeal.
She had Andy now, she’d met Marlow and Cort, and she’d found her independence.
Good things. Wonderful things. Yet she never again wanted to be that na?ve, or that gullible.
She’d met men she liked as friends, many of them in the small town where she now lived. But the very idea of risking her heart again … Well, it terrified her.
Somehow, with Brogan, she’d forgotten her fear.
“I think it’s that he’s so good with his daughter.”
“Always a great sign,” Marlow agreed. “So here’s what you should do.”
In the background, Cort said, “I already told her what to do. Caution, honey. We don’t know the man yet.”
Pixie grinned. “Tell Cort to enjoy his vacation instead of worrying about me. I promise, I won’t give him any reason to worry.”
In a whisper, Marlow said, “It’s good for him to worry every now and then. Keeps his instincts sharp.”
Cort said, “They’re razor sharp, and you know it.”
“He’s still listening,” Pixie informed Marlow, in case she hadn’t figured that out.
“I’m overruling him. When you see Brogan again, ask him flat out if he’s married. If he doesn’t have a quick, ready answer, then you’ll know not to trust him.”
Cort’s voice was louder now, indicating he’d moved close to the phone. “Liars always have their stories ready. Go with your gut, Pixie, but I can tell you, a military man won’t appreciate being pinned down. As much as I love my wife, and as intelligent as she is, she’s wrong about this.”
“Men always think women are wrong.”
“A truism? Really, Marlow.”
Since Pixie was used to the way they worked things out, she took a seat near Andy and just listened in.
It was awesome that Marlow never hesitated to speak her mind, and Cort always shared his perspective.
She’d never seen them actually mad at each other.
Irked a few times, sure. They had their disagreements.
But there was never any doubt about their love.
If she ever did have another romantic relationship—and Pixie doubted she would—she’d want it to be as open and loving as what Marlow and Cort shared.
In his usual calm tone, which sometimes riled Marlow, Cort said, “I’ll admit, with most people you’re spot-on. But we’re talking an elite military operator and that’s a whole different breed.”
“Hmm,” Marlow said. “You could have a point.”
Pixie heard the sound of a smooch, and then, “I do.”
“Don’t get cocky.”
“Wouldn’t think of it.”
Laughing out loud, Pixie asked, “Are you two done debating my next move?”
“I guess so, but I want you to keep me posted, okay? I agree with Cort about using caution. The new guy will be around for the entire summer, so you have plenty of time to see how it goes.”
“I approve that plan,” Cort said. “Now come on, Marlow. We’re running late.”
Pixie glanced at the time on her phone. “Oops. Actually, I am, too. Thanks for calling, and have fun.”
“Love you, sister.”
She and Marlow weren’t actually sisters, but hearing that endearment from a woman she admired so much never failed to affect Pixie. Meaning it from her heart, she whispered, “Love you, too. Both of you.”
The second she disconnected, Andy reached out to show her a block. “Boo.”
“Yes, blue. You’re such a smart little guy.” She picked up a red block shaped like a car, and asked, “What color is this?”
“Car.” He grinned, showing off small white teeth.
Pixie lifted him out of the playpen for a hug. “Red car.” Then she wrinkled her nose. “Let’s get your diaper changed and then take a walk.”
He jumped, smacking the top of his head into her chin. For her, it smarted. He barely noticed. “Wok, wok, wok!”
“You do love to be outside, don’t you?” Pixie led him to the bedroom.
This house, where Marlow had lived before marrying Cort, was bigger than the lake house, but still had only one bedroom.
She could easily make the dining room into a bedroom, and Cort had suggested it, but she wasn’t ready to have Andy on the other side of the house, where she couldn’t hear his every move.
Honestly, he might need to be in his teens before she was ready for that.
Glad that she didn’t have to worry about it yet, she got what she needed from the closet, then lifted Andy to the changing table.
After noticing that he’d gotten a little milk on his shirt, she decided to change his clothes, too.
She couldn’t—wouldn’t—primp over her own looks. Really, there was no point. But as a mother, she wanted her son to look his best.
While she hummed to Andy, her mind wandered to Brogan.
She guessed him to be thirty or so. With his bearing, the way he carried himself, she should have known right away he was military. Cort had the same presence about him, a calm confidence that drew people to him.
It was a remarkable sight to see a man so large and solid, with such a rock-hard physique, oh-so-gently cradling a tiny baby girl in his arms.
When she’d mentioned diaper rash, his gray eyes held a flash of strong emotion.
On a lesser man, it might have looked like pain, but Brogan wasn’t that easy to read.
Pixie badly wanted to understand what he was thinking and feeling.
Was it something about himself, the baby, or an experience they might have shared?
It would have been better if Cort had been here to get Brogan settled. Not that she wasn’t happy to do it for him. She owed Cort and Marlow her life. Without them, she didn’t know what she would have done.
It had taken her a year, but she could finally recall their first meeting without feeling smothering shame. She’d been at an all-time low, rock bottom with a baby to care for and nowhere to go, no way to survive.
They’d not only offered assistance, but they’d also accepted her, befriended her, and introduced her to a better way of life.
Because of them, she was able to be the type of mother Andy deserved. She could respect herself, and she was largely independent.
That meant she owed them everything.
For a year, she’d put her entire focus on being a mom, paying back her debts, and proving she could be more—more than the girl who had been duped, the girl who’d screwed up and ruined her life. Not once had she given any man a thought, at least not with any romantic interest.
Marlow had truly become a sister of her heart, and that made Cort a big brother. Family. Until they’d taken her in, that essential element had been absent from her life.
“Wok,” Andy demanded, squirming to get up.
“Shoes,” she told him, lifting him down to sit on the bed and quickly getting socks and sneakers on his pudgy feet. She managed, even though he draped himself over her, giggling and playing with her hair.
She playfully wrestled him down on the bed and blew raspberries on his tummy. Soon they were both laughing.
He wiggled away from her and took off, shouting, “Wok!”
Hoping he wouldn’t bonk his head or run into anything, Pixie ran to catch up. Once she had him, she grabbed her keys and the diaper bag. With the stroller packed, they were on their way to the lake house only a few minutes later.
At fourteen months old now, Andy loved being outside and often kicked his legs the entire time he was in the stroller. He also enjoyed hearing her sing, so she did, softly when she was in public so no one else would hear.
In her opinion, he was an incredibly beautiful little boy.
His blond hair often stuck up in adorable spikes around his head, like morning bedhead that could never be tamed.
His light blue eyes were sweetly curious, and he was forever grinning about everything.
Since learning to walk, he was always in a hurry, but he also enjoyed riding in the stroller.
And he dearly loved practicing new words, more so every day. She considered Andy extremely verbal for his age, but others reinforced that, too.
“Squir,” he said, pointing to a squirrel that scampered across the yard and into a tree. “Bird. Bird.”
“A lot of squirrels and birds,” she agreed; then she peeked around the stroller canopy to make certain he was protected from the bright afternoon sunshine. Only his little sneakers-covered feet showed, but living near a lake meant diligence with sunscreen.
Because they were near the lake house, she stopped singing, worried that her new neighbor might hear her. The house looked quiet, but the big black SUV was still in the driveway, and she trusted Brogan would be there for their meeting.
“Sing, sing, sing,” Andy demanded in his happy, high-pitched voice.
To distract him, she asked, “Do you want to meet a new friend?”
“Fend.”
That sounded like agreement to her. Rather than struggle with the stroller over the gravel driveway, she cut through the lawn and went up to the front door. It opened as she was turning around to drag the stroller over the single step to the small porch.
Brogan stood there in the entry looking like a top-caliber male model—for a fitness gym. For a second, she went blank. The man made a plain gray T-shirt and worn, faded jeans look really good. Then she caught herself and smiled.