Chapter 14
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
S carlet’s anxiety settled as they enjoyed a relaxing breakfast. It helped that Matt and Daisy carried the conversation, discussing various Disney movies and their favorite playground equipment. Swings for Daisy and slides for Matt. Once they finished eating and loaded the dishes into the dishwasher, Matt showed her his home office and the Department of Licensing website where she could replace her driver’s license.
When it appeared that he planned to stay in the office with her, she asked him to check on Daisy. To see if she wanted to color instead of watch a movie. A ridiculous request, since they’d just set her up with her stuffies and one of her favorite movies, Monsters, Inc . Which they’d watched the night before. By the wary look Matt gave her, she knew he wasn’t quite buying what she was trying to sell. However, he gave her privacy.
When Scarlet had decided to move to Hudson Island, she hadn’t been sure of the protocol, so she’d contacted her former handler to find out what the steps were. Deputy Marshal Bateman—or Bates, as he’d preferred—had simply told her to call him after finding a place to live. He’d said he would handle everything for her. So she had, and within a week of moving, she’d received a package from Bates with her new Washington State driver’s license and a stack of information about the state-provided discount healthcare program he’d signed her and Daisy up for. However, now that her driver’s license was missing, she—again—wasn’t sure of the protocol.
As she typed her information into the online portal, her fingers shook. She knew her documents were legit—they were from the US Marshals Service, after all—but what if there was a glitch? What if the system didn’t recognize her social security number? The last thing she wanted was to contact Bates again. Though she remained eternally thankful for all his help, she needed to put that entire chapter of her life behind her.
Progressing through the online form, she held her breath every time she clicked Next, convinced some sort of alarm would sound. The last screen was a payment portal. She entered her banking information and sagged into the office chair when her confirmation number and temporary license appeared on the monitor. While the document printed, she scrubbed her hands over her face. She’d come a long way since arriving on Hudson Island. But these last few minutes? Yeah, they’d proven she still had a long way to go before she could call her past buried.
Scarlet snagged her temporary license off the printer and went in search of Matt and Daisy. She found them on the couch with Mr. Slothy, Baby Unicorn, and two other stuffies between them. Sully and Mike Wazowski cracked jokes on the television.
Catching Matt’s gaze, she held up the paper. “Got it. A new license should be arriving in seven to ten business days. Do you mind swinging me by my place so I can pick up my car?”
“Not a problem.” He reached over and patted Daisy on the leg. “Let’s pause the movie, okay?” Daisy frowned, so he rushed on, “You need to change out of your pajamas because we’re going to go visit the cats. How does that sound?”
“Yay!” Daisy cried, scrambling off the couch and bolting down the hallway.
Scarlet chuckled. “Good save.”
“I don’t know how you do it, Scar. Once that bottom lip of hers pops out, I just can’t...” He shook his head as he rose from the couch and moved to stand beside her. “Hope you don’t mind, but it looks like we’re going to check on the cats before we head to your place.”
“I figured,” she said with a laugh. Then she patted his bicep and went to follow her daughter. “But you’ve got to be strong, Matt,” she said over her shoulder. “Don’t give in to the pouty lip.”
“Sorry, Scar.” He grimaced. “I don’t think I can.”
They’d only been at Poppy and Cade’s for twenty minutes when Scarlet’s phone rang. Answering, it was Mr. Wayland. He’d just returned to town and was at her apartment. After agreeing to meet with him and disconnecting the call, she eyed her daughter who was lying on the living room floor. Ripley was sprawled on Daisy’s chest, and Bishop was tucked in the crook of her good arm, purring loudly. And Matt was taking a picture of the blissed-out trio.
Battling a cringe, Scarlet called out, “Daisy, we have to go. I have to meet Mr. Wayland, so I need you to say goodbye to the cats.”
“But, Mama,” she whined as she sat up, her expression crestfallen. “I didn’t get to play very long with the kitty cats. They still miss me.”
By the way the cats circled Daisy, nudging her for attention, her daughter wasn’t wrong. “Sorry, sweetie. We’ll stay longer tomorrow. I promise. But we do have to get going.”
The second her daughter’s lower lip began to tremble, Matt made a strangled noise.
Glancing at him, Scarlet had to bite her cheek to keep from laughing.
“Hey, Otter Pop. How about I take you to the playground while your mom has her meeting?”
Daisy’s head shot up, her eyes wide. Before Scarlet could blink, Daisy wiped her tears on her good forearm, shouted a hurried goodbye to the cats, grabbed Mr. Slothy off the couch, and ran to the front door.
“Uh . . .” Matt’s forehead scrunched. “What just happened?”
She chuckled and grabbed her purse. Ensuring the lights were turned off, she motioned for him to follow. “The playground is one of Daisy’s most favorite places.”
As they neared the front door, Matt stopped dead in his tracks, mouth agape. “She’s waiting by my truck?”
Scarlet snickered. Sure enough, her daughter was standing in front of Matt’s passenger door. With a giant smile, Daisy hopped from foot to foot as she clutched Mr. Slothy to her chest. “Like I said, the playground is her favorite. Pretty sure she’d already be in the truck, but she’s too short to reach the door handle.”
“Holy shit, she’s so fucking cute,” he murmured, before ushering Scarlet outside. “Let’s go, slowpoke, we can’t keep her waiting, can we?”
Scarlet laughed. Yup, the man was definitely a sucker for Daisy’s pouty lip.
The drive downtown was quick, and now they stood in front of Hudson Island Antiques. Well, technically, they stood in front of the boarded-up door next to Hudson Island Antiques that led to her second-story apartment, but whatever.
“Are you sure you don’t mind?” she asked Matt.
He peered down at Daisy, then crouched so he was at her eye level. Scarlet’s heart pinged at the small gesture.
“What do you say, Otter Pop? You sure that you and Mr. Slothy want to go to the playground with me while your mom meets with Mr. Wayland?”
Daisy nodded in excitement, practically bouncing in her sneakers.
Thank you , Scarlet mouthed to Matt before eyeing her daughter. “Same rules, miss. You need to listen to Mr. Matt, and you have to hold Mr. Matt’s hand on the way to the playground. Okay?”
“Yes, Mama,” Daisy said, still nodding. She turned to Matt, and with Mr. Slothy clutched tight in her good hand, held up both arms.
It was on the tip of Scarlet’s tongue to remind her daughter that she could walk, that Matt, in fact, was not her personal carrier. But her words died when he immediately scooped Daisy up.
“I have my cell,” he said, settling Daisy on his hip. “Text me when you’re about to wrap up, and we can meet you back here.”
“Oh, that’s okay. I can just meet you two at the playground when I’m done.”
He shook his head. “Depending on how long it’s going to take to fix your place, you may need to pack more stuff for you and Daisy. I don’t want you to have to lug everything to your car by yourself.”
She cleared her throat, smothering a chuckle. “My car is just down the stairs from my apartment, Matt.”
“I know you’re a perfectly capable person, Scarlet, but I’d still like to help. Humor me. Please.”
The chuckle won out, and she nodded. “I’ll text you. Daisy can pick out a few more things to bring over, too. And remind me to pack her headphones.”
“Headphones?”
“They’re pink with sparkles,” Daisy chimed in. “They have a unicorn horn on it!”
“Wow,” Matt said, awe in his voice. “That’s the fanciest headphones I’ve ever heard of.”
“They sure are.” Scarlet grinned. “But trust me, Matt, you’re not going to want to listen to Bluey for the next however many days we’re with you.”
His brow furrowed. “That’s the blue Australian dog cartoon?”
“I love Bluey,” Daisy said. “She’s so funny, but my favorite is Coco. She’s pink and Bluey’s friend.”
“Okay, sweet girl,” Scarlet said, stepping toward them. “I’m going to meet Mr. Wayland. You be good for Mr. Matt and be careful with your arm, okay?” She popped onto her tiptoes and kissed Daisy’s cheek. A glance up had her heart thudding in her chest.
Matt was right there. She’d never noticed how his brown eyes, the color of dark chocolate, were framed by the thickest and fullest lashes. She was close enough to catch his woodsy, soapy scent again, and it did something to her insides. His jaw clenched at her attention, but she couldn’t tear her gaze away. For a split second, she wondered what it would be like to nibble on that spot...
Holy shit, the man is potent.
Daisy tucked her head into Matt’s shoulder, and Scarlet’s attraction only increased. Her ovaries were threatening to explode at any moment.
Dropping down from her tiptoes, her face heated, and she cleared her throat. “Thanks again, Matt. I’ll text you when we’re wrapping up.” She ran a hand over her daughter’s casted arm. “Have fun and be good, sweet girl.”
“Bye, Mama.”
She watched them stroll down the sidewalk, chest squeezing tight.
Matt Alvarez was completely unexpected. Who knew that behind the growly one-word answers was this wonderful man? One who lit up all her senses and grew more appealing by the second?
A loud creak had her spinning toward the door, which she’d thought was boarded up.
“Scarlet, perfect timing,” Mr. Wayland said, stepping onto the sidewalk. Somewhere in his sixties, he was a multi-generation Hudson Island local and one of the kindest people she’d met. His troubled expression had her frowning.
“I’m so sorry about what happened, Mr. Wayland,” she said. “I hope the damage to the apartments wasn’t too extensive.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I’m the one who’s sorry.” He awkwardly patted her shoulder.
Scarlet suppressed a smile. Mr. Wayland was definitely one of those this-is- my -personal-space-and-that-is- your -personal-space kinds of people, so his gesture was beyond sweet.
“I’m sorry that happened to you, and I’m just so thankful you and little Daisy weren’t hurt.”
“Thanks, Mr. Wayland. Me too.”
They went upstairs and entered her apartment. “I don’t know if you’ve ever met my son, Jim?”
She shook her head.
“Well, you just missed him. He’s a contractor over on Whidbey Island. He said he can get the front doors to your apartment and the rental changed out today and the main door downstairs by this Friday. Unfortunately, he checked around at multiple places, and your bedroom slider, since it’s not a standard size, is on backorder. Jim says the delivery is about two to three weeks out, but once it comes in, he can install it immediately.”
Two to three weeks? She closed her eyes in defeat. She’d known the repairs would take time, but she hadn’t expected them to take that long.
“I’m so sorry, Scarlet.”
Opening her eyes, she shrugged. “It is what it is, Mr. Wayland.”
He sighed. “In the meantime, why don’t you pack up? While we’re waiting for the new slider, I’d like to get a professional cleaner in here. At no cost to you, of course.”
“Oh, that’s okay. That’s not necessary.”
“I insist, Scarlet. There’s so much glass in your room, and after the door installations, there will be even more debris. Pack up what you and Daisy need, and I’ll take care of the rest. You do have a place to stay, right?”
“We’re staying with Matt Alvarez.” But holy crap, would it be okay for them to stay with him for two to three weeks ?
“Good, good.” He nodded. “Former detective, and I hear he’s just joined Hudson Security. Solid guy.”
Her eyebrows lifted, causing Mr. Wayland to smile. “News travels fast around here. Besides, you know Martha’s my aunt, right?”
Scarlet chuckled. “Enough said.”