Chapter 2
“You made it!” Abby, Faith’s sister, waved Hunter, Faith, and Zoey over to the table in the backyard of the Townsend home. Their father was standing by the grill, wearing a Kiss the Chef apron, and waving a spatula as he chatted with Clay Garrison, Abby’s husband.
“Thank you for watching the triplets,” Faith said, scanning the group for their six-year-olds. “I hope they weren’t too much trouble.”
Abby chuckled. “They’re six. Of course they were trouble, but they’re cute enough to be worth it.” She waved to a bouncy house castle that was enchanted with shooting stars above it and singing sunflowers that were belting out the latest radio hits.
“Who is responsible for that magic fest?” Faith asked.
“Me and Noel,” Abby said. “It’s fun, right?”
“Looks like a blast,” Hunter said, watching as his three little girls, Amy, Meg, and Jo, ran out of the castle, chasing each other as their cries of delight filled the air.
“Not bad for a summer barbeque at the parents’ house,” Faith added.
Hunter loved the family events at the Townsend property.
Everyone always seemed so relaxed, but more importantly, it was the one place where Faith seemed to let go of all her tension.
Once she walked through her father’s front door, she seemed to put all her responsibilities aside and just enjoy being with her extended family.
She wasn’t worried about dinner or laundry or the spa or bills.
All that mattered was spending time with the people she loved.
He walked over to the beverage table, poured his wife a glass of white wine, got himself a soda, and retreated to the table.
“You’re the designated driver tonight?” she asked, giving him a grateful smile as she took the glass.
“Looks like it.” He winked and took the seat next to her.
Abby raised her own glass of wine and clinked her glass to Faith’s. “To good husbands who know how to take care of their wives.”
“I’ll drink to that.” Faith took a long sip and let out a contented sigh.
Zoey appeared beside Hunter with Xena, the brindled shih tzu, in her arms.
“Have a seat, honey,” Hunter said, pulling out a chair for her.
“Thanks, Dad. Grandpa was trying to feed Xena hotdogs.”
Everyone at the table groaned. Lincoln was notorious for sneaking food to the family’s dogs. Unfortunately, Xena had a delicate stomach, and every time she ate something she wasn’t supposed to, her digestive system produced toxic waste.
“Good thing you saved her,” Hunter said and gave the dog scratches behind her ears.
“I just hope I wasn’t too late,” she said with a shudder.
“Don’t we all,” Faith chimed in.
“Zoey,” Abby said. “How did it go today? Did you hit that note you were worried about?”
“I did,” Zoey said with a huge grin. “I wish you could have been there, Aunt Abby. You’d have been so proud.”
“No doubt about it. Next time I’ll be in the front row.” Abby held her fist out and Zoey bumped it with hers. Before Zoey could pull away, Abby grabbed her hand and turned it slightly. “That charm bracelet is gorgeous. Doesn’t Faith have one like it?”
“Not anymore,” Zoey said, giving Faith a shy smile. “She gave me hers for good luck along with this theater charm.”
Hunter’s heart swelled as he looked at his wife. The bracelet had been a gift from her father when she’d graduated high school. It had been for luck. Faith had given it to his daughter when she’d been nervous about theater camp. As far as he knew, she hadn’t taken it off since.
“That was sweet of you, Faith.” Abby’s eyes misted with tears, and she let out a small laugh. “Look at me, getting emotional.”
“You’re not pregnant again, are you?” their sister Yvette cried, appearing out of nowhere.
Abby nearly choked on her wine. She held up the glass for Yvette to see and shook her head. “Definitely no.”
“Just a sap then.” Yvette laughed.
“Food’s on!” Lincoln called.
Faith started to rise, but Hunter put his hand on her shoulder. “Don’t get up. I’ll get our plates.”
“You don’t have to—” Faith started.
Hunter’s phone rang, cutting her off. He pulled it out of his pocket, glanced at the caller ID, and frowned. “It’s our after-hours answering service.”
Faith made a face and then put her wine glass on the table, no doubt knowing what was coming.
He answered the call then listened intently.
“Sorry to bother you, Mr. McCormick. We’ve had a call for a water leak in a kitchen, and I can’t find a local plumber to send out there. The client says it’s flooding her kitchen, and she can’t even find her water shut-off valve.”
Hunter groaned. He could tell them to try an emergency plumber in Eureka, but he wasn’t the type to refuse helping a neighbor. “Send me the address. I’ll run over there and see what I can do.”
Faith stood and kissed him on the cheek. “Try not to be too late.”
“I’ll be back as soon as I can,” he said and then ruffled his daughter’s hair. “Help Faith keep an eye on the triplets, okay?”
“Sure, Dad,” Zoey said, petting her dog.
He waved and then strode out of the party.
Hunter pulled his work van down a gravel driveway and parked in front of a tidy-looking cottage that was surrounded by redwoods. Just as he turned the engine off, the front door opened and a platinum blonde stepped out on the porch, waving at him.
Summer Thomas.
Just his luck. Hunter let out a sigh and jumped out of the van. After retrieving his toolbox, he made his way to the porch.
“Oh, thank goodness,” Summer said when she spotted him. “I was really afraid the service would send some creeper with major plumber’s crack.”
“And here I thought you might be more worried about water damage,” Hunter replied.
“That, too.” She held the door open and waved him in.
As he brushed past her, she ran her hand down his arm. Hunter flinched as a shiver of unease left a bad taste in his mouth. If he’d known the appointment was for Summer, he wasn’t sure he’d have gone out of his way to help. The woman’s hands were worse than an octopus.
He walked into the kitchen, glanced around at the dry floors, and then frowned at Summer. “I thought your kitchen was flooding?”
“It was, but I finally found the shut-off valve,” she said, looking pleased with herself.
“The one in the kitchen or the main one?” Hunter asked, already opening the cabinet doors beneath the sink.
“The main one,” she said, grinning at him.
He did his best to suppress a sigh as he looked at all the drenched items under the sink.
She had dish soap and dishwashing detergent, cloth towels, and paper towels, as well as cardboard boxes of magic erasers and garbage bags.
All of it was waterlogged, and she hadn’t considered that everything would have to be removed before he could take a look at the pipes.
“Is it terminal?” she asked.
“We’ll find out.” Hunter went to work cleaning out the cabinet.
Forty minutes later, a seal had been replaced and the water was turned back on. “You’re back in business.”
“Oh, Hunter. You’re a modern-day hero,” Summer said as she threw her arms around him, giving him a tight hug.
Hunter awkwardly patted her shoulder and quickly stepped back. “I’ve got to be getting home to the family.”
“So soon? I’ve got a cheesecake in the fridge.
You have to stay long enough for a slice.
As my thank you.” She quickly opened the refrigerator and then leaned over, sticking her backside out, blocking Hunter in the kitchen.
She took her time digging in the fridge.
Finally, she looked over her shoulder and said, “Like something you see?”
“Pardon?” he asked, more than a little annoyed. “Summer, I—”
“Isn’t it gorgeous?” She turned around, holding a cheesecake that was covered in glazed strawberries and whipped cream.
He glanced at the dessert, his mouth suddenly watering. She was right. He did like what he saw. Cheesecake was his favorite. How had she known that?
“Mr. McCormick,” a young voice said. “Is Zoey okay?”
Hunter glanced past Summer, spotting her daughter, Autumn. The redhead was standing in the kitchen doorway, clinging to the doorjamb. “Yeah, she’s okay,” he said. “Is there a reason to think she wouldn’t be?”
Autumn shook her head forcefully and said, “Um… I heard some kids got sick. That’s all.”
“Oh, I see. No, as far as I know, she’s perfectly fine,” he said.
She nodded and then disappeared again.
“Here you go,” Summer said, thrusting a piece of the cheesecake at Hunter.
He practically drooled but forced himself to shake his head. “I’m really sorry, but I do need to get going. It looks amazing, though.”
“You can’t leave yet.” She took a step forward and promptly tripped. She lurched forward, the cheesecake smashing all over his shirt.
On reflex, Hunter reached out, grabbing her arms and steadying her. “Whoa. Are you all right?”
“Oh my gosh,” she said, pulling the plate off his chest. She placed it on the counter and then reached for a towel. “Let me help you clean that up.”
“I’ve got it.” Hunter reached for the towel, but he was too late.
Summer wiped up the mess and then just started unbuttoning his work shirt.
Hunter grabbed her hands. “Stop.”
She stared up at him, her dark brown eyes smoldering. “I’m just trying to clean you up before I send you back to your wife.”
“It looks like you’re trying to do a lot more than that,” he said sharply. “And I’m not interested. I’m sorry to be blunt, Summer, but I’m a happily married man.”
She pursed her lips as she studied him. Then she said, “For now.”
Hunter shook his head, grabbed his toolbox, and headed for the front door. Just before he left, he glanced over his shoulder and said, “For always.”