Chapter 6
CHAPTER SIX
“ H ey, Scarlet. How’s it going?” Four Dumas gave her a friendly smile and placed a coaster down in front of her. He was the owner of Monty’s Tavern and also its head bartender. She knew the man fairly well as he was Poppy’s closest friend and honorary uncle to the twins.
Older, in fantastic shape, and ridiculously attractive—what was it with this town and all the hot older men?—Four was a bit of a grump. However, the man’s jet-black rockstar hair, dark-indigo eyes, and killer smile forgave a lot of his overall grouchiness. Sure, that was one thousand percent superficial. But it was also one thousand percent accurate.
“I’m good, thanks.” She wasn’t. Between getting jabbed countless times by her daughter’s feet and clobbered twice by her cast, Scarlet had barely gotten any sleep the night before. She was freaking exhausted.
She’d gotten up at six, dropped Daisy off at day care by seven, and worked the breakfast, lunch, and pre-dinner shifts. More than anything, she wanted to go home, take a hot shower, and crash. But that wasn’t in the cards. It was only five, and she had about two hours to kill before she had to pick up Daisy. The last thing she wanted to do was make herself dinner, so here she was.
“What can I get you to drink?” Four asked.
“Oh, just a water for now.” She wasn’t much of a drinker, and with how tired she was, if she had a sip of alcohol, she’d probably be out for the count. Besides, she wasn’t made of money, and dinner at this place was already a splurge.
“You got it. Menu?”
She nodded. “Please.”
“How’s Daisy?” He handed her a menu. “I heard she broke her arm.”
The corners of her lips twitched. Ahhh, you gotta love small towns. “She’s better, thanks. Honestly, if she didn’t have a bright-pink cast on, you’d never know anything was wrong.” She scanned the menu and found the least expensive appetizers. “Can I get a side of fries and cup of your zuppa toscana ?”
“Coming right up, Scar. Hey, man. What can I get you?”
Following Four’s gaze, her pulse quickened as she realized who had claimed the barstool beside her.
“The Wave Breaker Pale Ale, please,” Matt replied. “Hey, Scarlet. How are you?”
“Here you go.” Four placed a pint glass on the coaster in front of Matt. “Menu?”
“Thanks, and no on the menu. I’m waiting for the guys. I’m a little early.” Matt took a sip of his beer, then asked her, “How’s Daisy?”
Scarlet glanced between the two men, and she knew her eyes were wide. Outside the diner and Poppy, her social skills were a little rusty.
“Let me know if you need anything,” Four said, shooting her a wink and heading to the other end of the bar.
Facing Matt, she gathered her wits. Answer his question. There’s no need to be nervous, dammit. Right. “I was just telling Four that Daisy’s good. The cast hasn’t slowed her down one bit.”
He looked around, brow furrowing. “Is she here?”
“No. She apparently had plans tonight and wasn’t going to let a cast stop her.” Scarlet smiled, recalling her shy little girl’s determination this morning. “I was going to keep her home from day care today, but she insisted on going. She didn’t want to miss pool day.”
“Pool day?”
She nodded. “Flora and Katie set up a bunch of kiddie pools in the backyard and had a pool party with ice cream and treats. They have this calendar in the playroom and all the kids have been counting down the days. Daisy’s been looking forward to it for weeks.”
“Not gonna lie, that sounds like a damn good time. Wait.” He frowned, and a crinkle between his eyebrows popped. “Can Daisy get her cast wet?”
“No, but Flora somehow got her a special cast-covering baggie thing. It’s even pink. So Daisy’s all good. Then tonight, they arranged for a projector and screen to do a backyard movie thing for the kids with sleeping bags, endless chicken nuggets, and popcorn. Daisy really wanted to stay for that—and Daisy never wants to stay for those things—so here I am.”
“Wow, that’s quite the day. I’m glad she’s bounced back.” Matt stared at her for a moment, and it took everything she had to not squirm. “Are you doing okay? I imagine that yesterday was a roller coaster for you.”
Surprise had her thoughts scrambling, and she moved her gaze to her glass of water. “Um, yeah. It was quite the nerve-racking day for sure.” She peeked back at him with a bright smile. “But I’m fine.”
A complete lie. Yesterday had been horrendous. She’d used every bit of acting skill she didn’t know she possessed to hold it together. To not reveal her utter terror and heartbreak at seeing her daughter injured for the first time.
It had taken longer than usual to get Daisy settled last night, and after forty-five minutes of tossing and turning in bed, of crying that she couldn’t get comfortable, Scarlet had tucked Daisy into her own bed beside her. Once her daughter had finally fallen asleep, she’d carefully snuck out of bed, hopped into the shower, and cried her eyes out.
Hours later, as she’d lain in bed with her daughter kicking and whacking the crap out of her, her mind had raced. What if Daisy had been injured worse? What would she have done? What if she got injured? What would happen to Daisy then? Who would look out for her?
The rabbit hole she’d gone down hadn’t been pretty, but in the wee hours of the morning, she’d concluded that she needed to step it up and act like an adult. She’d avoided so many things for fear of getting her name in the system, but it wasn’t just about her anymore. She had to think about Daisy, and it killed her that it had taken her baby getting hurt for her to realize it.
Scarlet didn’t know anything about wills or stuff like that, but she needed to sort it all out. Because if anything happened to her, Daisy would be all alone. And that was unacceptable.
On top of her to-do list was talking to Poppy and Cade to see if, worst-case scenario, they’d be willing to take Daisy. If they declined, she wasn’t sure what she’d do. No other backup person came to mind. Aside from Poppy, Ray and Martha were the only ones who knew anything remotely about Scarlet’s past. They loved Daisy, but they weren’t an option. They were in their eighties.
It was Poppy and Cade or foster care. And while she didn’t know anything about Washington State’s system, she imagined they were all the same. She’d grown up in and out of South Dakota’s and wouldn’t wish that on her baby.
She would figure something out. She had to.
“Scarlet?”
She jerked, and her eyes flew to meet Matt’s. Ohmygod, what were we talking about? “I’m so sorry. I totally spaced out there.”
“You okay?”
“I’m fine,” she said, waving her hand like her brain lapse was no big deal. “But I suppose I’m a little more tired than I thought. I’m sorry, you were saying?”
“I asked what time you had to pick up Daisy tonight?”
“Oh.” She glanced at her watch. Just under two hours to go. “Seven.”
“Here you are, Scar,” Four said, setting a bowl of soup and a plate of fries in front of her.
“Oh, Four, I ordered a cup.” She gently pushed the bowl to him.
“Did you? Oh well, I’ll just charge you for the cup.” He shrugged. “You may as well eat that since it’s here. What kind of sauce do you want for your fries?”
She suspected Four knew exactly what he was doing. Embarrassment sprouted in her belly, but she ignored it. She hated the charity, the pity. However, she was a realist and had put her pride aside countless times to survive. If the man wanted to give her extra food, she wasn’t going to be an idiot and refuse it.
“Thanks, Four. And ketchup, please.” She flashed him that chipper smile she’d perfected at the diner, then took a sip of soup and bit back a groan. This was way, way better than the canned tomato soup that was on rotation at home. She turned to Matt, determined to converse like a normal human being. “What are you up to tonight?”
“We all figured we’d get one last dinner in to catch up before Cade heads out of town.” His chin lifted when Four refilled his water. “And we figured we’d do it here so we can harass this guy at the same time.”
“Dude, do you really want to harass the last person that touches your food?” Four winked at Scarlet as he set a small ramekin of ketchup next to her plate.
“The man makes a good point,” she said, munching on a fry. “By ‘we,’ you mean...?”
“Cade, Gavin, Joe, and Quinn.”
“Ahhh. Team Testosterone. Nice.”
“Team Testosterone?” Matt’s lips tipped up in a grin, and for a second, she forgot how to breathe. “I wouldn’t exactly say that.”
She chuckled and dipped a french fry in ketchup. Chomping down on the crispy, salty goodness, she smiled at him around her bite. “I would.”
His gaze shot to her mouth, and she stilled. “You, uh, got a little...” He pointed to the side of her mouth, his attention never leaving her lips.
Her tongue darted out and landed on a hint of ketchup. Matt’s brown eyes heated, and butterflies took flight in her belly. The sound of her racing pulse filled her ears.
He jerked back, clearing his throat, gaze flying everywhere but at her. “All good.”
Whoa. What the hell was that?
Unsure what to do with her hands, Scarlet grabbed her water and waved at her plate. “Feel free to have some fries while you wait.”
Matt took a gulp of beer and shook his head. “I’m good, kid, but thanks.”
Her spine straightened, and she narrowed her eyes at him. “I’m sorry, but by ‘kid,’ are you referring to me? Because we’ve established that Daisy’s not here.”
He winced. At least he had the decency to look contrite. “Shit, Scarlet. I’m sorry. That was rude. I know you’re not a kid.” He ran a hand through his hair and grumbled, “It’s just you’re a lot younger than me, you know?”
She pasted her diner smile back on her face and nodded. She understood. No one would ever accuse her of not being able to read a room. Matt’s silent message was loud and clear: Whatever that moment had been a second ago? He wasn’t cool with it. She was a kid . Too young and immature for him. Got it.
See... this was exactly why it was so much easier crushing on someone she didn’t actually know. It had all been harmless fun when he’d simply been the quiet, handsome friend of a friend who came into the diner. But now here she was, crushing on Matt Alvarez—who she now kinda sorta knew—and feeling like a goddamn idiot.
Before Matt could apologize again, Four was in front of him, nodding toward the entrance to the bar area. “The crew’s here,” he said, the three words curt.
Yeah... Matt could read the message on his friend’s face. And he wholeheartedly agreed. He was a fucking dumbass. A dumbass who’d just hurt Scarlet’s feelings. Fuck.
“I’m sorry again, Scarlet.” Standing from the barstool, he hesitated. Shit. He had no fucking clue what to say. “I’ll see you around, okay?”
“It was good to see you,” she replied with a bright smile before returning her attention to her soup.
It was good to see you . He’d heard her say those exact words, countless times, to various customers at the diner. All with that sunny—fake—smile. Holy fuck, he really was an asshole.
Regret weighed on his shoulders as he made his way to his friends, lifting his chin in greeting. He’d known Cade for forever and they were basically brothers, but over the last year, these other guys—Gavin Frazier, Joe Buchanan, and Quinn O’Conner—had become good friends, too.
Now that Matt was officially working for Hudson Security, he imagined he’d be getting to know the people working there as well. For the first time in a long, long while, he was looking forward to making new connections. That’s what he’d missed the most while being away from the force. That brotherhood, that bond, that solidarity.
“Long time no see, man,” Joe said with a grin.
Matt shook his head at his friend. He’d had a meeting with Joe and Gavin earlier that afternoon. Joe headed up Hudson Tactical, a joint venture between Gavin’s Hudson Security and Cade’s De La Rosa Gym, which provided hand-to-hand combat and tactical training for law enforcement.
Taking a seat next to Quinn, Matt said, “How’s it going, Sheriff?”
Quinn shrugged. “Good. Work is work, Alex is still putting up with my dumb ass, and Annie’s finally sleeping through the night. So I really can’t complain at all.”
Matt smiled. Quinn’s wife, Alex, was a wonderful woman, and their daughter was pretty cute. “How old is Annie now?”
“Almost seven months.”
“Wow, already?” When he pictured Annie, he saw a tiny little newborn bundled in pink blankets.
“I know, right?” Quinn rubbed his chin. “She hasn’t quite figured out the crawling thing, so she just kind of rolls everywhere.”
The proud grin on his friend’s face had a pang of jealousy socking Matt in the gut. If only his ex-wife... Nope. You’re not fucking going there! “That’s great, man,” he said, pushing those dark thoughts away.
“Thanks. I’ve been told by the gossip train ladies that we need to enjoy it now because once she starts moving, it’s apparently a whole other ball game.”
Matt tapped his pint glass to Quinn’s. Unwanted jealousy or not, he was truly happy for the guy.
After a waitress took their orders, the conversation shifted to Cade’s upcoming trip. Excitement buzzed around the table as his friend talked about the upcoming fights in London. Two fighters from his gym were getting their first title shots, and Cade was confident both would take home a belt.
Matt listened with half an ear. From where he was seated, he had a clear view of the bar. And of Scarlet. Her back was to him, but that didn’t matter. If anything, it allowed him to fully take her in. She wore jeans and a simple dark-gray T-shirt. Her long black hair, with its streaks of pinks, blues, and purples, was in some kind of intricate braid that fell to the middle of her back. She was petite—no more than an inch or two over five feet—so her Converse-clad feet barely touched the barstool rungs.
“Isn’t that right, Matt?” Gavin asked, pulling his attention away from Scarlet.
A brief scan of the table showed all eyes were on him. Shit . “Sorry, what was that?”
Gavin nodded toward the bar. “Scarlet. Xander was asking about her. She’s single, right?”
Matt’s hand tightened around his beer. Xander Bonetti was a personal security officer with Hudson Security. Good guy, somewhere in his mid- to late-thirties, former Special Forces. He was often assigned to clients who had families since he was good with kids. Fuck .
“As far as I’m aware,” Matt said through gritted teeth.
“Great. I’ll let him know.” Gavin smirked. The fucker. “That is, unless you have some kind of objection?”
“No objections here. It’s a free country.”
Xander and Scarlet would probably get along great. Which would be for the best. Even if the thought of seeing them together made Matt want to gouge his own eyes out.
He had no business being jealous. No business thinking of Scarlet in any non-platonic way. There were seventeen years between them. That was a ridiculous age gap. Hell, that was a larger age gap than Poppy had with her twin sons .
However, now that he had somehow found the ability to speak to Scarlet, he couldn’t seem to stop. Like he was trying to make up for lost time. Which was why he’d called her kid earlier. It had been his way of reminding himself that he needed to back off. But he shouldn’t have said that. It had been an asshole move. Shit, what a clusterfuck .
Since the day he’d laid eyes on Scarlet over a year ago, Matt hadn’t been able to figure out what it was about her that captivated him. She was just so damn alluring. Her warm smile, her slight but curvy figure, her soulful brown eyes?—
Holy. Fuck . Soulful brown eyes? What the hell was wrong with him? He needed to rein it the fuck in because nothing could come of this... thing... he had for Scarlet. Aside from friendship. Not that he was opposed to friendship. But he also wasn’t a complete idiot. He knew it was a terrible idea to be so attracted to someone he needed to stay friends with. Still, there was no excuse for being a dick.
“Christ, Alvarez,” Gavin grumbled. He glanced at Cade. “I thought he had a better poker face than this?”
Cade shrugged. “Usually, he does.”
“I agree,” Joe said, taking a sip of his beer. “I’d say this may be a case of extenuating circumstances.”
Matt glared at his friends. “What the hell are you guys talking about?”
Quinn chuckled. “You look like you’re about ready to devour the poor girl.”
“ She’s the extenuating circumstance,” Joe clarified with a grin.
“At least he’s speaking full sentences to her now,” Cade said. The traitor. “That’s a plus.”
Quinn elbowed him. “Well, you gotta start somewhere, I suppose.”
“You guys are dumb,” Matt grumbled, rolling his eyes.
Gavin barked out a laugh. “Nice comeback.”