Chapter 5
Chapter Five
Lindsey
What did I just do?
Besides offer myself up as live-in help to a firefighter and his two girls when my own life is hanging together by a thread.
Too late now. I can't back out, especially when it's the difference between him going to a rehab or home.
If I put myself in his shoes, I'd certainly want to go home.
But I also acknowledge that if I do this, I need a plan.
A list. Much like the one Zoey and I came up with.
As I struggle to inhale and get my bearings, I nod. As far as solutions go?
It works.
I can't be constantly underfoot at Winnie's. Not when she and Gabe are in a new relationship. It's just awkward.
Winnie… Bronwyn—I have got to get used to her request to use her full name—was married to my brother. She deserves the very best when it comes to love, but I can't say I want a front row seat to watch it happen.
Especially not when my own life is such a freaking disaster. Rubbing salt in the wound and all of that.
"Please?" Dani begs.
"Dani-girl, give her a minute," Kace says.
To me he adds, "Are you sure you're awake, sweetheart?"
I laugh at that. But maybe I'm not, because if I am awake—why did I just get full body goose bumps at this man calling me sweetheart while pregnant with another man's baby? "Positive."
But despite my bravado, a wee bit of panic still lingers like a persistent gnat. Am I really going to play nurse to Tall, Handsome and Daddy?
His burns and dressings will need to be changed, and he can't put weight on his leg, which means he'll need help to go the bathroom like the doctor says. Can I do that?
Yes. Yes, you can.
"Is she having a stroke?" Madi asks with her typical teenage frankness.
"No," I stress, shooting the girl a look and a shake of my head. "I'm just thinking."
"Reconsidering," Kace says in a knowing tone.
"Planning," I shoot back at him. "I haven't been a caretaker before, and I'm thinking over what's expected of me. I like a plan."
Determination fills me. All my life my motto has been make a plan, work the plan.
Then pivot and adjust accordingly. Well, this is me—pivoting.
Adjusting. Making a new plan. "This will work.
I need a place to stay until I can figure some things out, and you need a driver and a cook and—yeah, I'm in. Do we have a deal?"
The smile that forms on Kace's lips draws my gaze, and those darn goose bumps return. I blame the AC blowing into the room. Thanks to the summer heat outside, the hospital has the air cranked to arctic. Yup, that's what I'm going with here.
"Okay then," the doctor murmurs. "Since that's settled, I'll let the nurses know to begin discharging you.
But"—he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a notepad to write on—"here's the hospital's direct number to reach this floor.
The nurses will get you sorted on how to care for his burns and walk you through how best to help him until the cast is switched for a more manageable one.
But in case you run into any problems or have questions, just call.
You can ask for me personally. I'd be happy to help. "
I glance at Kace and find him glaring at the doctor.
I'm startled by the expression because it's so…
I don't know. Protective? I mean, the doctor is just being helpful, right?
He's not flirting. Much. I kinda get the sense that he's interested, but with my hormones off kilter and me feeling like death warmed over, that's probably wishful thinking on my part.
Let's be real. Not to mention the good doc doesn't know I'm pregnant, and that fact would definitely put a damper on any supposed interest at all.
Since I can't not take the paper or things'll be even more awkward, I manage a slight smile and shove the slip into my pocket. "Thanks. I'll use it for emergencies."
The doctor smiles at me, and I swear I hear Kace growl. Like a grumpy, grumbly bear coming out of hibernation and food isn't readily available.
"Well," the doctor says, glancing at Kace. "I'll leave you to your visitors. Enjoy your lovely company."
The air huffs out of me at the smile the doctor flashes me before he makes his way out of the room. I see Madi smirking at me from where she remains in the doorway, sliding googly eyes at the handsome doctor when he walks by.
Dani rushes toward me and wraps her little arms around my legs.
"I can't wait for you to live with us! This'll be fun!"
I smile at the little girl and quickly hug her back, reveling in the embrace more than I probably should. But hey, humans need so many hugs a day to be happy, right? Something about dopamine levels? Well, here's one of mine, and I'm not rejecting it.
"I need a new doc," Kace mutters.
"You're just mad because he was obviously into Lindsey," Madi says. "He's super cute, too. Are you going to call the number and pretend to have questions? If not, I will."
"He's too old for you!" I'm appalled by the thought.
Kace growls again— It really was him earlier.
"And you can't date," he says to Madi.
"What? Why not? I'm almost eighteen."
"You're sixteen, and you're still settling in."
"Like that makes a difference?" Madi asks.
Kace looks ready to self-combust, so I bring us back to the topic at hand. "Um, so, me moving in. Are you sure you're okay with it? I didn't exactly give you a chance to protest."
Kace continues to give his niece a quelling stare I find both humorous and endearing. His protective instincts are showing, and it's sweet. And…more than a little appealing, too.
I stomp that thought immediately. Preggo, hello, I remind myself. Men? They are unavailable for the foreseeable future. Kace included. Kace especially. Want to screw up your new job arrangement? Find your employer attractive.
Been there, done that, I muse. I've learned from my mistakes.
"If I want to go home, I apparently have to have a babysitter."
His gaze narrows on me, and I see— No, I do not see what I think I'm seeing. I mean, I feel like all I've done around the man is hurl and sleep with a few hours thrown in there where I looked somewhat decent, but they probably weren't enough, you know?
"You are prettier than Sully," he murmurs.
I laugh outright then because Jack Sullivan is quite the handsome man.
Not that Kace doesn't measure up. Apparently Gabe expects a lot of his firefighters, and all of them are in peak physical condition, which only adds to their appeal.
But Sully? He's the guy on the front of a firefighter's calendar because he's that yummy.
"Yay!" Dani cries, hugging my legs again.
I smile down at the adorable little girl and wink at her.
I'm doing this. I'm a live-in caretaker. For the time being anyway. Just long enough to help Kace and myself get on our feet.
This buys me a few weeks to sort out my life.
I can totally do this.
I look up and find Kace watching my interaction with his daughter. Our eyes lock, and I feel those darn goose bumps again. Sort of like a surge of electricity shooting through me from a single flash of lightning.
But the thing is? I've felt that before. With him. The baby-daddy-that-doesn't-wanna-be. The liar and cheater and louse.
I'd survived one man who made sparks seem like love. I wasn't about to make the same mistake twice—even if Kace McCallum made it dangerously easy to forget that.