Chapter 11
Nick hammered in another nail. They’d arrived at their job to find the client wanting yet more changes to plans she’d already adjusted twice. They’d spent an hour talking things through until she was happy and now would be putting in a long day.
“You know we could just get the boys to do this, right?”
“If you stopped moaning, we’d be done by now,” Nick said.
It was true he and Sam had made a success of their business and didn’t need to work the tools anymore if they didn’t want to, but both enjoyed it. Nick loved the physical side of building.
“How’s Poppy?” Sam asked.
“How should I know?” He’d gone to see Poppy three days after the accident, and she wasn’t home. He was going by again today after work. That woman needed a new phone, and he wanted her number.
“Em said you were pissed when she left the hospital before you arrived and that you went to see her.”
“If you knew that, then why are you asking me about her?”
His family had a grapevine that could spread quicker than smooth peanut butter, and Em was usually the one with her finger on everyone’s pulse.
“Yeah, but it’s more fun trying to get the story out of you.”
Nick glared up at his brother perched on the top of a tall ladder, he was grinning like an idiot.
“What story? For fuck’s sake, I helped a friend. Is that a crime in this family?”
“Em said you kissed her.”
“So what? She’s hot.”
“And that’s another thing,” Sam continued. “You’re angry, which means you’re invested.”
“How do you figure that?”
Nick knew he was making things worse. He usually ignored this kind of teasing, but he was hot and, yes, worried about Poppy and her sore body all alone in that house.
If it were him injured, his family would have started a roster system, and he’d have a fridge stocked with chicken dumplings and a dozen cakes by now. But Poppy didn’t seem to have anyone to look out for her but her aunt, and she was living in another state. It was just plain wrong.
He wanted to see her. It was that simple. A few kisses, and he couldn’t stop thinking about the woman.
Sam made several loud juvenile kissing noises that had Nick stepping closer to the ladder, intending to shake it hard so his brother fell. His phone rang, stopping him.
“You’re lucky,” he said, jabbing a finger Sam’s way. Pulling out his phone, he looked at the caller ID but didn’t recognize the number.
“Nick Atherton,” he answered.
“Nick.”
“Poppy?”
“Yes. I, ah?—”
“Are you okay? What’s going on?”
“I don’t know why I called you, but I panicked, and then I saw your card.”
“It’s okay. You can call me anytime. Tell me what’s wrong.” She sounded off.
“Someone broke into my house, Nick. It’s a mess,” she said, and he could hear her panic. “Could you call your cousin?”
“Are you inside now? Are they still there, Poppy?”
“No, they were gone when I got back. I’m at my neighbor’s.”
“Stay there. I’ll be with you in twenty minutes.” Jamming the phone back into his pocket, Nick watched his brother jump to the ground, face serious.
“Gotta go. Someone robbed Poppy’s house.”
“What! Shit, that woman has bad luck. What’s her address? I’ll send Billy over, then come and see if you need any help.”
Nick told him and then sprinted for his pickup. Throwing his tool belt in the back, he then jumped into the driver’s seat. In seconds, he was pulling away from the curb.
The traffic wasn’t bad, but it still took him twenty minutes to get there. He ran up her path and was pushing open the front door seconds after he’d parked.
“Jesus.” The house was wrecked. Furniture overturned; stuff dumped out of drawers.
Someone had come through here in a rage.
He shouted Poppy’s name but got no response, which told him she’d stayed with her neighbor like he’d asked.
Once he’d checked the lower floor, Nick ran up the stairs.
He found Poppy standing by her bed.
“I told you to stay with your neighbor.”
She spun to face him, clutching a huge tabby cat under her arm, the other one still in a sling. She was wide-eyed and vulnerable. The look punched him hard in the gut.
“Are you all right?” His voice came out raspy.
It surprised him to see anger, not fear, in her eyes.
“I went to the store and came home to this,” she said, her voice shaking. “Why would anyone want to do this to me?”
“I don’t think the type of people who did this needed a reason, Tinker Bell,” he said, moving to her side, where he lifted a hand and ran it slowly down her spine.
“They were probably looking for money or something to sell.” He pulled her into his chest for his own sake as much as hers, wrapping his arms around her.
“You want to drop the furball?” Nick said as he felt a claw dig into his stomach.
“Hercules,” she said when he released her to lower the cat to the bed. She then walked back into his arms and let him hold her, which told Nick just how scared she was.
“It’s all right now, Poppy. I have you.”
“Again.”
“Again,” Nick confirmed.
“You’ve been there for me twice now.”
“Superhero complex, remember?” His words were muffled because his face was in her hair.
She pushed back out of his arms. “Don’t take this the wrong way, Nick, but you stink.”
He laughed as she wrinkled her nose.
“I’m a builder, Poppy. It’s hot, sweaty work.”
She looked around her bedroom. “I don’t know why I called you.”
“I’m glad you did. How about putting on some shoes? There’s glass everywhere.”
He watched as she moved to the closet. When she reappeared, she was wearing rainbow-colored slippers with unicorns all over them.
“Nice.”
“My neighbor got them for me.”
“She’s got great taste.” He pulled her in for another quick hug, pressing his lips to her head. “It’s going to be okay, Poppy.”
She bent to pick up something.
“Touch nothing, because Billy will be here soon, and he’ll need to see it as it was when you came home, okay?”
“My home is about to be overrun with Athertons again, isn’t it?” She sighed.