Chapter 14
Palmer
Isat in the kitchen, sipping my morning tea.
It was so early the sun was barely up, but I hadn’t slept well. When I set my mug down, I tugged at the sleeves of my sweater, making sure the scars on my forearms stayed hidden beneath the fabric.
I’d had a nightmare about the fire last night.
I hadn’t had one in a long time, but worrying about Roman running toward a fire himself probably brought it out. My fingers drifted to the buttons of my cardigan, fidgeting with them as I fought back the onslaught of memories threatening to resurface.
I closed my eyes, grimacing.
Don’t.
I tried to redirect my thoughts to Roman instead.
There had been something about him when he’d woken me from my nightmare. Something in his voice, in his touch, that tugged at an old memory I couldn’t quite place.
When I recalled the way he’d looked at me last night, my stomach flipped. Maybe I’d imagined it, I’d been half asleep, but I could’ve sworn there’d been something heated in his gaze.
I gritted my teeth, chastising myself for letting my thoughts drift there at all. Roman was my boss. He was Hailey’s father. Even if that wasn’t reason enough to shut down any soft, dangerous feelings trying to take root, there was no way he’d ever be interested in me.
He was thirteen years older. He had a life. A family.
I was a temporary nanny. Someone here to help him with his daughter and nothing more.
I raised my tea to my lips, but before I could take a sip, the back door burst open. I jumped so violently that the hot liquid sloshed onto the table.
I gasped as Roman froze in the doorway.
His dark hair was damp, and by the way his black T-shirt clung to his body, it was also wet. He breathed heavily, as if he’d been running. We stared at each other for a long, silent beat.
I shivered as the cold air from the open door hit me, and Roman moved, stepping inside and closing the door behind him.
“I didn’t know you’d be awake this early,” he muttered as he headed toward the fridge and took out a bottle of water.
I stared at him as he uncapped it and brought the bottle to his lips, taking a few long gulps.
“I…didn’t sleep well,” I said dully, watching his Adam’s apple bob with every swallow.
Roman made eye contact with me while he drank. Then he slowly lowered the bottle and used the back of his hand to wipe at his mouth.
Oh my God.
My stomach knotted in a way I didn’t recognize. I couldn’t read him. He was always so guarded. Maybe he didn’t have as many feelings as I did.
“Did you have more nightmares?” he asked.
I stiffened and fiddled with my buttons again. I shook my head.
Roman dipped his chin in a curt nod. “Good.”
I glanced away, focusing on the door he’d come through.
“Where were you?” I asked, curious. Why was he awake this early? He’d gone to bed later than me. He’d barely slept at all.
“I was doing my workout.”
I wasn’t surprised that he worked out. My eyes almost involuntarily raked up and down his perfectly muscled physique.
What I didn’t know was where he did these workouts.
As if he could read my thoughts, he said, “Hearthstone, the security company my brothers own, is on this property.” He nodded toward the back yard. “There’s a building over there, down past the trees. I might not be on my brother’s payroll, but there’s a gym in there that we’re all welcome to use.”
“Oh?” I perked up. “I didn’t know there was a gym nearby.”
I’d never had the money to afford a gym membership, but I did love to move my body. At my last job, Maverick’s parents had a treadmill in the basement that they allowed me to use. I loved going for a run on it when the weather outside was crappy. Which it had been for a while now.
Roman seemed to catch on to my interest, because he said, “Do you work out?”
I shrugged and used a hand towel resting on the table to wipe up some of the tea I’d spilled. “I like to run on the treadmill sometimes.”
Roman tilted his head to the side. “We have a treadmill you can use.”
My cheeks burned, though I wasn’t sure why. “It’s fine.” I shook my head. “The snow can’t stay forever, right? I can run outside when it melts.”
Roman gave me a disapproving look. “You know this weather could stick around for another month or two.”
He put the water down on the counter and headed toward the back door. “Come on.”
My spine straightened. “What?”
He paused, his hand on the doorknob. “I’m going to show you the gym. You’re welcome to it anytime. Come on.”
I gaped. I didn’t mean for him to let me use the gym in his brothers’ office. I glanced around the kitchen as if I were searching for a way out.
“Um…what about Hailey?” I asked. “We don’t want to leave her in the house alone.”
Roman narrowed his eyes on me. “She knows that I work out in the mornings, and that’s where I am if she wakes up. I keep a baby monitor out there so I can hear her if she calls out for me. The building isn’t far. It won’t take long.”
My heart was bouncing around my rib cage, but I ignored it. I really did miss my runs. If he was so insistent, why refuse?
I nodded as I stood. I slipped on my boots sitting by the back door and wrapped my sweater tighter around me as I followed him out into the cold.
The air bit at my cheeks, sharp and clean as I followed Roman across the snow-dusted yard. The bed-and-breakfast loomed behind us, while the bare branches of the trees ahead creaked softly in the morning breeze.
Roman walked a few steps ahead, his long strides purposeful. I focused on placing my boots carefully, the crunch of snow loud in the quiet. The farther we went, the more my nerves fluttered.
As the ground dipped downward, lights appeared through the trees before the building came into view.
“This is it.” Roman glanced back at me.
Hearthstone Security and Investigation was tucked behind the bed-and-breakfast, half-hidden by trees and shadow. It was a little bigger than a ranch-style home, and more square. The siding was an old, sturdy red brick, but the roof was black and metal.
Roman keyed in the code at the back door and the electronic lock clicked open. He held the door for me. Warm air spilled out, carrying the faint scent of coffee and cleaner.
We entered into a hallway that opened up into a larger space lined with glass doors. It was dim, but I could tell they were individual offices.
I gazed around as I followed Roman toward the left side of the building. The walls had exposed brick, and wooden beams lined the ceiling. The older rustic elements contrasted with the modern black metal accents and sleek glass.
We passed the break room—complete with a counter, fridge, and an espresso machine—and then Roman turned a corner.
“This way.” He opened a metal door.
The gym was tucked away from the offices. It wasn’t large, but it didn’t need to be. A treadmill sat by one wall, along with free weights, mats, and a few other pieces of equipment. Everything was neat and orderly.
I hesitated at the threshold.
Roman turned to face me, brows knitting. “What’s wrong?”
I shook my head. “Nothing. I just…” I trailed off, feeling ridiculous as heat crept up my neck. “Are you sure it’s okay for me to use this? I don’t want to trespass on your brothers’ space.”
His expression shifted, flashing with something sharper.
“There’s no one else using this place,” he said firmly. “You’re welcome to come here.”
I blinked at him.
“I mean it,” he added, softer but no less certain. “If the quiet bothers you, there’s a Bluetooth speaker over there.” He pointed to something large and rectangular mounted in the corner. “I can show you how to use it.”
Though a strange guilt lingered in my gut, I nodded. “Okay.”
I stepped farther into the room, my fingers brushing the railing of the treadmill. The idea of running—of moving, breathing, and letting my thoughts loosen—made something inside me lighter.
I smiled at Roman, a wide genuine one that reflected my gratitude. This gym was very nice, the equipment better than a public gym, that was for sure.
“This is amazing, Roman,” I said. “Thank you so much.”
I wasn’t expecting his reaction. His eyes darted away abruptly, jaw tightening as if he’d been caught off guard. A faint pink color bloomed along his cheekbones.
My heart skipped.
Then he turned away, and I almost convinced myself I’d imagined it. Roman Ramsey, the grumpy fire chief, did not blush, surely.
Still, warmth spread through my chest as I tucked that moment away.
Roman gave me a tour of the rest of the gym, explaining how to use the equipment I was unfamiliar with. I was already looking forward to the quiet hum of the treadmill, the steady rhythm of my feet, and the strange, unexpected comfort of knowing I had a place here…if only for a little while.