9. Carla
CHAPTER 9
Carla
I leaned against the porch railing, soaking in the laughter that filled the yard. My eyes were drawn to little Joey, his chubby legs pumping furiously as he pedaled his miniature bike across the driveway. His face was the picture of pure, unadulterated joy – the kind only a two-year-old could muster on a sunny afternoon, even with a stocking cap tugged over his ears to ward off the chill.
“Careful there, speed racer!” I called out, more out of habit than any real concern. After all, what could possibly go wrong on such a perfect day?
The universe, apparently eager to prove me wrong, chose that exact moment to intervene. Joey’s front wheel hit a crack in the drive, where the concrete had settled an inch or so. It was just enough to send him toppling sideways. Time seemed to slow as I watched him fall, his laughter morphing into a startled cry.
My heart leaped into my throat, and before I knew it, I was sprinting across the yard. My instincts kicked in, pushing aside the panic that threatened to overwhelm me. I dropped to my knees beside Joey, my hands hovering over him as I quickly scanned for any serious injuries.
“Hey there, buddy,” I said, keeping my voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through me. “That was quite a tumble, huh? Can you look at me?”
Joey’s bottom lip quivered, his eyes wide with shock as he wailed, pointing to his knee. The kid could talk nonstop, but apparently words were too much work when he was crying.
I glanced down, my stomach clenching at the sight of blood through a hole in his sweatpants.. A lot of blood. Just what we needed to round out this babysitting adventure – an actual injury. But even as the sarcastic thought flitted through my mind, I pushed it aside.
“It’s okay, sweetie,” I soothed, gently brushing his hair back from his forehead. “We’ll get you fixed up in no time. Can you be my brave little monkey for a minute?”
At the mention of his favorite animal, Joey’s crying lessened. His face brightened slightly. “Ooh ooh, ahh ahh!” he mimicked, hiccupping through his tears.
I couldn’t help but chuckle, marveling at how quickly children could bounce back. “That’s right, just like a brave little monkey. Now, let’s see what we can do about that knee, shall we?”
As I reached for Joey’s leg, a shadow fell over us. I looked up, my breath catching in my throat as I recognized the broad-shouldered silhouette. I braced myself for the inevitable flip-flop of my traitorous heart as Eli crouched down beside us.
I watched as Eli’s expression shifted from his usual playful smirk to a look of focused concern. His dark eyes scanned Joey’s injury with a calm I couldn’t seem to muster, and I felt an unwanted twinge of admiration. I hated how good he was at this. Why did he always have to show up at moments like this? And why, oh why, did he have to look so infuriatingly competent while doing it?
“Hey there, little man,” Eli said, his voice warm and steady. “Mind if I take a look at that knee?”
As he spoke, my mind raced with thoughts of how to handle the situation. Should I take Joey to the emergency room? Was a first-aid kit enough? And why did Eli’s presence have to complicate everything?
Joey nodded bravely, but I saw the fear still lingering in his eyes. I found myself holding my breath as Eli gently examined the wound, his touch so careful, so... capable. “It’s a deep scrape, but nothing too serious,” Eli said, glancing up at me. “We just need to clean it and bandage it up.”
“I can handle this,” I muttered, more to myself than to him. “I’ve dealt with worse scrapes before.”
Eli raised an eyebrow, that trademark cockiness starting to creep back into his expression. “I’m sure you have, Carla. But two pairs of hands are better than one, don’t you think?”
I gritted my teeth, trying not to let his words get to me. But he was right—of course, he was. I couldn’t do it alone, not with Joey sobbing like that and my own nerves about to unravel.
When I returned with the first-aid kit, I knelt beside Eli again and let myself watch him. He was so focused, so good at what he did. Irresponsible? No. Careless? My chest tightened, the memories of our past—of what he’d done to me, of how he’d hurt me—flooding back. No, that wasn’t this guy.
As Eli opened the kit and began cleaning Joey’s wound, I turned my attention to the little boy’s tear-streaked face. His bottom lip quivered, threatening a fresh bout of tears.
“Hey, Joey,” I said softly, brushing his hair back from his forehead. “Did I ever tell you about the time I fell off my bike and thought I’d turned into a superhero?”
Joey’s eyes widened, momentarily distracted from the sting of antiseptic. “Really?”
I nodded, launching into an embellished tale of my childhood mishap. As I spoke, I watched Eli out of the corner of my eye. His hands moved with practiced efficiency, cleaning the cut with gentle precision.
“...and that’s why I thought I could fly for a whole week,” I finished, earning a giggle from Joey.
Eli chimed in, his voice light. “Well, if anyone could pull off being a secret superhero, it’d be Miss Carla here.”
I cleared my throat, suddenly aware of how close Eli and I were sitting. “Good job, buddy,” I said to Joey, ruffling his hair. “You were so brave.”
Eli nodded in agreement. “Tougher than some of the guys at the fire station, that’s for sure.”
As Joey beamed at the praise, I caught Eli’s eye. I looked away quickly, my mind a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. This unexpected teamwork was dangerous territory, and I wasn’t sure I was ready to navigate it just yet.
As Eli carried Joey toward the porch, I trailed behind, my mind reeling.
“You coming, Carla?” Eli called over his shoulder, that familiar smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. “Or are you just enjoying the view back there?”
I rolled my eyes, grateful for the chance to slip back into our usual banter. “In your dreams, Wells,” I shot back, quickening my pace to catch up. I had most definitely not been enjoying the view. Even if his jeans were slightly dusty from where his shoes had pressed into his back pockets. I didn’t notice at all.
As we settled onto the porch, Joey curled up contentedly in Eli’s lap, I found myself stealing glances at the pair of them. Eli’s strong arms cradled Joey protectively, his usual cockiness replaced by a gentle tenderness that made my heart do somersaults.
I caught myself staring at Eli’s profile, noticing the way his dark hair curled slightly at the nape of his neck, how his brow furrowed with concentration as he gently adjusted Joey in his lap. This wasn’t the cocky, devil-may-care Eli I was used to deflecting. This was... someone else. Someone I found myself wanting to know better.
“You know,” I said suddenly, my voice almost too quiet, “I always thought your whole firefighter gig was just another way to show off. But seeing you in action today... I get it now.”
Eli’s gaze flicked toward me, a teasing grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Oh? Do tell, Miss Putnam. What exactly do you ‘get’?”
I rolled my eyes, trying to push down the fluttering in my chest. “That maybe there’s more to Elijah Wells than meets the eye.”
He paused, his playful expression shifting. For a split second, I thought I saw something flicker—something almost vulnerable—in his eyes. But then it was gone, replaced by that cocky smirk I was far too familiar with.
“Careful there,” he warned, “you’re dangerously close to giving me a compliment again.”
My heart skipped a beat. That wasn’t the point, but I couldn’t ignore the way my body was reacting to him. I wasn’t stupid. I knew the score. I knew the kind of man Eli was—he’d never stick around, never choose me, not when his family’s legacy was involved. He had his own world, one I didn’t fit into.
So why, in this moment, did I want so badly to just lean into the warmth between us? Why did my heart keep betraying me, reminding me of what could never be?
I looked away quickly, forcing a casual tone back into my voice. “Don’t let it go to your head,” I said, trying to make it sound light. But even I could hear the softness in my words, and that terrified me. I couldn’t let myself care. Not again. He was a playboy, irresponsible, someone who never let anyone get too close. I knew firsthand that he would never choose me over his family—over the life he had built around those old grudges. And yet, here I was, practically clinging to the warmth of his gaze.
For a moment, I allowed myself to imagine what it would be like if things were different. If we weren’t caught between feuding families and years of carefully constructed walls.
But just for a moment. Because reality couldn’t be avoided.
Joey, Linc, and Alex were already full of excitement before we even left the house. I had to remind them a dozen times to behave, to stop chasing each other, and to hold my hand when we crossed the street. It was always like this, a whirlwind of noise and motion. Joey and Lincoln were always in constant motion, and Alex—well, he was still young enough to not think before he ran off if he saw a squirrel or something interesting in the distance.
It was easier with Eli, but he was working today. By the time we reached the library, I was nearly winded, but I managed a smile. The library looked like something straight out of a storybook. The red brick building sat nestled between an old antique shop and a small office building that had been empty for years. It wasn’t anything fancy, but it had that comforting, homey feel. Its front door was heavy, and the boys fought over pushing the automatic opener button.
The bell above the door chimed softly as we stepped inside, and the musty scent of books washed over me, filling my lungs with nostalgia. It was a smell that always made me think of summer afternoons spent curled up with a good novel, the sun streaming in through the windows.
Samantha was behind the desk, sorting through a pile of books. Her daughter, Sophia, was sitting at one of the tables in the corner, reading her own book. Sophia was thirteen, but I didn’t have her in my class at school.
Samantha glanced up when the door chimed, her lips curving into a friendly smile. She was always warm and inviting. Today, her calm demeanor was a perfect contrast to the chaos the boys brought into the library. She was dressed in a cozy sweater and jeans, and her hair was tied up in a messy bun. I often wondered how she managed to juggle being a single mom and a full-time librarian. From the outside, she always seemed to have everything under control. But I knew better than to assume it was as easy as it looked.
“Hey, Carla!” she called over. “How are you today?”
I smiled back, my heart lifting at the sight of her. “Good, good. Just trying to wear the boys out before we head home. And maybe sneak in a little reading time myself.”
Samantha chuckled, and I could see her eyes crinkling with amusement. “I get that. I heard you were watching Rebecca and Nathan’s boys while they were gone. With that handsome brother of his. Elijah, right?”
I waved a hand, trying to keep the heat from rising in my cheeks. “Eli is working a lot. I’m happy to help,” I said, desperately hoping for a change of topic.
“Shame about Mr. Wells’s heart attack, isn’t it? Have you heard how he is?”
I forced a tight smile. Okay, was it too much to ask for a different change of topic? “He’s coming home the day after tomorrow, I believe.”
“That’s good. It’s really nice of you to watch these hooligans. What’s on the agenda today?”
“Books, hopefully,” I said, practically sighing with relief and giving Joey a pointed look as he was already racing toward the shelves of the children’s area. “But you know how it goes with them. They’ll probably end up running circles around the place. I’ll try to keep them quiet.”
“Don’t worry about it too much,” Samantha said, winking. “I can’t blame them. If I were their age, I’d want to burn off some energy too. And it’s practically a ghost town in here this week. They won’t bother anyone.”
I nodded, glancing over at Sophia. “She’s a good one,” I commented. She was completely absorbed in whatever book she was reading.
Samantha followed my gaze and smiled. “Yeah, she really is.” Her tone was wistful, almost sad.
I’d often noticed an especially deep bond between Samantha and her daughter—something special and strong. It made me wonder how much Samantha really had to go through to raise Sophia on her own. The town knew next to nothing about Sophia’s father, and I could never help but wonder what his story was. Samantha had always been so tight-lipped about it, and I respected her privacy, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t curious.
I didn’t pry, of course. That wouldn’t have been right. But it was hard not to notice that, while Samantha had a lot of friends in town, she often seemed like she was keeping people at arm’s length. I couldn’t imagine how hard it must have been for her to raise Sophia without the support of a partner, especially in a small town like this where everyone knew everyone else’s business.
“Boys,” I called out, grabbing their attention, “let’s take a look at the new books. I want you all to pick something.”
Joey was already rifling through a stack of board books, pulling them out of the bin and tossing them aside like he was looking for buried treasure. Linc, on the other hand, was fascinated by the animal encyclopedias. He loved learning about different species, his curiosity unending.
About twenty minutes later, and a hundred reshelved books, I wrangled all the boys. “Alright, boys, time to head out,” I called, clapping my hands together. The library’s quiet atmosphere had been a nice change of pace, but I knew the boys wouldn’t last much longer without creating some chaos.
Joey and Lincoln raced toward me, and I ushered them toward the door, giving Samantha a final wave. “Thanks for having us, Samantha. We’ll see you soon.”
“You’re always welcome, Carla,” she called after me, her voice warm and genuine. “Take care.”
As we left the library and the boys started their usual running-around routine, I felt a small pang of something in my chest. There was a quiet strength to Samantha that I longed for—something I wished I could carry with me when times got tough.
Maybe I wouldn’t be letting Eli’s presence this week send me into such a tailspin. Samantha sure seemed like nothing rattled her.