3. THREE
THREE
Natalia
My stomach rumbles loudly, and I give Colton a grateful look.
“If it’s not too much trouble.” I can’t believe what a nice guy he is, taking me in off the street and putting me up like this.
He seems genuinely concerned over me staying alone in Abuela's cottage tonight, which makes me nervous. I probably should have thought harder about how musty the place would be and who knows what rodents and pests are there, not to mention years’ worth of dust and grime.
And if I’m honest with myself, I really don’t want to be alone, no matter how much I thought I did.
I’d rather be busy so I don’t have to think about the not-wedding.
Colton gets five chicken breasts from the fridge and some broccoli and sweet potato and starts cooking.
I take the opportunity to try to remember everything I’ve read about the Superleague star.
Not much. I mean I’m not much of a sports person.
I do remember reading a rumor that he was about to land a transfer to a really big team. Maybe somewhere out west?
I wonder if he’ll take it now that he’s a dad.
And what’s the story there? Who would walk out on a guy like this? Successful, family oriented, caring. Oh god, maybe she died. If so, it couldn’t have been long ago. If that’s the case, I hate to think about how casually I asked about his wife earlier.
He sets the chicken on the stove to fry, and the sizzle and scent of cooking meat makes my mouth water. My damp dress is still clinging to me and I shiver a little, though I have two towels wrapped around me.
He looks around. “Oh, I’m such an idiot. Let me show you where you can get changed. Do you want a hot shower?”
An embarrassingly loud moan escapes my lips before I can stop it. “Yes!”
Colton gets this strange, fixed expression for half a second before it disappears. “Here. Let me show you where the bathroom is.”
By the time I’ve finished my shower and put on the oversized sweater he leaves out for me I’m feeling toasty warm and very pampered.
I emerge into the kitchen and living area to find Colton has finished cooking and served us both an enormous plate of meat and vegetables.
“Sorry. It’s nothing fancy. I’m on a high-protein diet at the moment.
” He scoops a generous dollop of cottage cheese onto his broccoli and offers me some.
I join him at the table, stomach rumbling after a whole twenty-four hours existing off nothing more than whatever snacks I could grab at the convenience stores on the way.
“So you work with kids?” Jayden asks.
“I do—or I did. I’m on leave for a while...” I trail off, avoiding that subject. “And you’re a pro athlete! I can’t believe I’m sitting here talking to someone famous enough to be on TV just as casually as if you’re just a regular guy.”
He laughs. “But I am just a regular guy.”
I smile. “Did you always dream of being pro?”
He shrugs. “Not really. In college I was really good at sports and… not so good at class. I just kind of fell into it, you know? If I wasn’t doing football, I don’t know what I’d do.”
“Hmm. I understand. Childcare was a no-brainer for me too. I have three brothers and so many aunties and uncles and so many little cousins, so I was always looking after someone’s kid. I never really considered another career.”
“Well I can tell you’re great at it. You’re great with Jayden. The kids must love you.”
At his words of praise my chest swells a little and I beam. “Thanks.”
And then I remember.
There’s a pause in the conversation as we both eat. I really want to ask him about how he came to be a single dad, but I don’t want to be rude. In the end, I can’t think of anything else to say and curiosity gets the better of me. “So, ah… is it nosy of me to ask about Jayden’s mom?”
Colton finishes his mouthful, shaking his head. “Oh, I don’t mind. I hired a surrogate.”
“Oh wow. I was not expecting that. Sorry. No shade. I’ve just never met a single dad doing it by choice before.”
He laughs ruefully “Yeah? I think I see why now. A few months ago it sounded like a great idea, but I’m learning it’s harder than I thought to balance everything.”
“I bet. Do you mind if I ask why?”
There’s another silence as if he’s sizing me up. “Well, if you really want to hear about it, it’s no secret. I got tired of waiting for my fated mate to show up.”
“Fated mate?”
He hesitates with his fork halfway to his mouth. He’s already made a sizable dent in his food, and my stomach is protesting after only making my way through a quarter of what he put on my plate. I set my own fork down. “Was that the wrong thing to ask?”
His nostrils flare and his brows draw down again. “You’re not a shifter, are you?”
I shake my head.
“But your grandmother…?”
I shrug. “I never thought so, but why else would she live in Mosswood? She’s passed on now, so I can’t ask, but I have to wonder.”
“Hmm. Well there are some things you have to know about us shifters. Most of us believe there’s someone out there we’re destined to be with. A fated match who completes us. For those lucky enough to find their other half, there’s a special bond and a connection deeper than words.”
“Sounds amazing.” Imagine just knowing you were meant to be with someone and they were meant to be with you—forever. My throat gets a little bit tight, and I’m grateful when Colton continues.
“I always hoped I’d meet my mate and we’d raise a family. Only the older I get, the more I wonder.”
Here I have to stop him. “Wait, wait, aren’t you, like, twenty something? Not exactly an old man yet!”
He chuckles. “Twenty-six is edging on middle aged as a pro athlete. Sometimes I forget how normies see things.”
I snort into my broccoli. “Normies?”
He lifts his chin. “Yeah, you heard me. Anyway, you say that like you’re so much older and wiser. What are you, twenty-seven?”
“It’s usually not wise to ask a lady her age!”
His mouth drops open. “Oh shit. I’m sorry. I didn’t even think.”
“I’m teasing. I’m also flattered you think I’m twenty-seven. I’m actually thirty.”
He blinks. “No way. Well I hope it’s not inappropriate to say that you look great for your age—ah! I mean, for any age. I’m making a hash of this aren’t I?”
I laugh, glad for the excuse to break the tension or else his compliment was going to have me all emotional.
I wasn’t expecting to end today laughing and joking.
Then again, I wasn’t expecting to be locked out in the rain and rescued by a charming and handsome—I mean objectively handsome, since I’m definitely not thinking about him like that so soon after everything that’s just happened.
I shake myself, re-focusing on the conversation. “So you were telling me about your fated mate.”
He grows serious again. “Yeah. Except not every shifter finds his or her fated mate. What if I’m one of the unlucky ones?”
I nod slowly. “Yeah I can see how that could feel like a lot of pressure. So you decided to start your family anyway?”
He sighs. “Yeah. And now I wonder if I made the right choice—not that I’d ever give up on Jayden, but it’s been so hard. Maybe that’s fate telling me I made some kind of mistake.”
I give him an encouraging smile across the table.
“No. Definitely not. It’s hard for all parents.
Raising kids is hard. Doesn’t matter what you see in the movies or on TV.
They’re beautiful, but it’s tough. Especially by yourself.
In my culture family would be around to help out. It takes a village, you know?”
“Oh yeah. My parents would probably help more, but I feel bad. They’re getting on and I chose this.” He sighs.
“So your nanny quit?”
“Yeah. Walked out on me yesterday without even giving two weeks’ notice. The second one since he was born. I haven’t been able to replace her yet.”
“Terrible!”
“Yeah, but what can I do? I’m supposed to play a game this weekend, but with things the way they are, I might be nursing him from the bench.”
I perk up at this. I’d been wondering if there was a way I could repay his kindness. “I can help with that. I mean, if you’d like me to.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t ask that.”
“I’m offering. I’d like to help. To say thank you for putting me up tonight and helping me. What if I stand in as your nanny until you find someone permanent? I have experience. It would make me feel better about putting you out like this when you’re already under so much pressure.”
Colton beams at me. “You really mean it?”
“Sure. Do you want to check my references or anything?”
He shakes his head. “I’ve seen how you are with him. And I trust you. I have a good feeling about you. You smell right.” He colors. “Sorry. Shifter thing.”
I laugh. “I see I have a lot to learn about life in Mosswood.”
I like how thoughtful he is. How respectful. He’s so much more mature than his twenty-six years in so many ways. This isn’t how I pictured the day ending, but there’s an odd satisfaction in how grateful he looks to have me and the cozy meal we shared by lamplight.
Just then a wavering cry starts up from Jayden’s bedroom and Colton leaps to his feet. “He’s awake!”
I reach out my hand, making a gesture for him to pause. “Hang on. Maybe not. Lots of babies are noisy sleepers. Let’s just wait and see.”
He freezes, standing by the table with his plate in his large hands. There’s another fussy sound which turns into a murmur, and then nothing.
Finally Colton unfreezes and sits with a sigh. “You mean all this time I was going in to him when I didn’t have to?” He drags a hand through his hair. “Boy, I’ve got a lot to learn about babies.”
I chuckle. “I’m pretty sure all new parents think that. You’ll get there.” I’m about to say more when a tickle starts in my nose and I sneeze seven times in a flurry of explosions. The shivers are back.
Colton frowns. “Come on. Let’s get you into bed. Ah… I mean… I bet you’ve had a long day and you’re probably tired. Not because I’m trying to be creepy.” He flushes.
This makes me laugh. Colton is the opposite of creepy.
I don’t know why, but I have a good feeling about him too.
Maybe it’s my abuela’s genes coming out in me, because what he said about smelling right just sounded so natural.
He smells amazing. All warm cinnamon and woodsmoke and leather.
“You’re the last guy on earth I’d call creepy,” I tell him.
He shows me to a huge guest bedroom, handing me a glass of water and a hot cup of tea and an extra blanket before shutting the door behind him with a soft, “Goodnight.”
I feel a little like Snow White in the old Disney film when she stumbles on the dwarves, only in this fairytale I’m the dwarf!
Next to me Colton looks like a giant. I probably only come up to the middle of his chest. I wonder what kind of shifter he is.
I wish I had my phone so I could look him up, but it’s probably best I don’t.
I’m not sure I can face all the calls and messages I’ve been avoiding for the last twenty-four hours.
My eyes drift closed. The bed is comfortable.
I’m warm and safe. It might not be what I pictured, but for the first time in the hell of the last day I can say it could be worse.
That night I have strange dreams of running after short men through fields of grass that turns into sticky custard and traps my legs. I wake in the darkness with the feeling I was holding something, but my arms are empty.