Chapter 4
Alaric was ready when Ms. Reynolds started after the new delivery person.
He’d been hoping for another chance to see the woman and was thrilled when he knew that he was going to have another encounter today.
Begging to drive the route he’d done yesterday had got him teased, but he didn’t care; she was beautiful, and he wanted to see her again.
“Ms. Reynolds, I have your mail right here. I’ve not put it in the box yet.
You tell me which pieces are giving you trouble, and I’ll have a look for them in the future.
” He took a step back when it looked like the postal worker had things under control.
“I know how frustrating it is to get your mail messed up. Even though I work for the service, they still, on occasion, mess mine up as well.”
“Let me see what you got there.” She handed over the flyers for the new pizza place in town, as well as a couple of pieces of mail he couldn’t see. “This is mine. See how it has my name on it, but the wrong address. Are you going to fix it?”
“I am. Right now. I’ll slide them into your mailbox or hand them to you.
Whichever you prefer.” She put out her hand, and Alaric could see that Ms. Reynolds was a little shocked and put off by the help.
“Good. Tomorrow, if you want to meet me right here, I’ll hand over your things that go to you, and that’ll be the end of it. ”
“I can’t be out here every day, you know.
I have things to do in town. You just make sure you get them right.
” She said that she would for as long as she was on the route.
“Good girl. That’s all I wanted in the first place.
” She turned to him. “See? All you have to do is be nice, and that’s the way to handle things.
We don’t need you today. You can go on about your business, officer, and we’ll be just fine. ”
“I’m glad to see that.” He stood closer to the postal worker and smiled. “I was wanting to talk to the young lady anyway. I was thinking about asking her out.” Ms. Reynolds laughed, and the postal worker stood there. “I didn’t introduce myself to you yesterday. My name is Alaric Dresden. You are…?”
“Anna Gibson. I don’t date. I have a little girl.” He smiled at her and said he didn’t mind if they went together. “I mean, I’m not available to date. I’m a widow.”
“I didn’t think you were married. I didn’t see any ring.
But I’d really like to take you out to dinner sometime.
I’m supposed to be something of a catch to some people around town.
You can ask anyone about me.” She looked nervous, and he backed away.
“I didn’t mean anything by it. I just thought you were beautiful and thought it might be fun to have some pizza together. You can even bring your daughter.”
“I don’t know.” She looked around, and he did too. “I don’t date. I haven’t been on a date since my husband died.”
“It’s all right. I just thought that I’d ask.” He took another step back and continued to smile at her. “No harm done.”
“Look, most men don’t want to have anything to do with me when they find out that I have a child.
It’s just the way things work out. Then, when they hear that I’m a widow, they usually turn tail and run in the opposite direction.
” He said he wasn’t like most men. “I can see that.” She looked around, and he watched her.
She was afraid, but he could also tell that she wanted to go out.
“I’m taking Harri to dinner tonight at the pizza place on Maple.
It’s our once-a-week tradition. If you want to meet us there, that’s fine.
But I’m not saying that I’m going to sleep with you.
I have enough going on in my life without complicating it with sex. ”
“No sex is fine with me.” He handed her one of his business cards and told her that his number was on the back.
After giving him her number, she looked cautious again.
“I won’t harm you or your daughter. I just wanted to get to know you on a personal level and thought that you two might enjoy a night out too. What time should I be there?”
“We go straight from school, so about five. I’m not saying that this is going to be a long-term thing, but I have a feeling that I can trust you for some reason.” He thanked her. “No reason for that. I don’t trust easily.”
“I can see that. I’m glad that you are willing to take a chance with me.
” He got back in his cruiser and decided that he was going to be on his best behavior.
He didn’t know why, but he felt a connection with her like he’d never felt with a woman before.
Perhaps she was his mate, and he had met someone who was going to finish him.
Unlike his brother, he wanted a mate in his life so that he could feel complete.
Going back to the station house, he told Aaron about what had happened with Ms. Reynolds.
They both got a kick out of how she was handled, and that made him feel good.
He told his brother that he knew she’d be out there every day until Anna left.
That made him sort of sad, but if she was his mate, then he was going to go with her.
He’d do whatever was necessary to make sure that she was happy.
Laughing to himself, he thought about Aaron and how foolish he’d been when he’d been around Mac.
And he couldn’t wait for things to be just the way that he wanted them.
For the rest of the day, he was finishing up paperwork that he’d been putting off.
As soon as it was about time for him to leave, he realized that he’d gotten nothing more done than the basics and was going to blame it on the fact that his mind had been elsewhere.
He decided to change, so running home, he was there in no time.
When his cell phone rang, he nearly didn’t answer the unknown number, but decided that he’d get to it.
As soon as he heard her voice, he knew that she was going to cancel on him.
“I want to go home and change so we’ll be there a little after five.
I didn’t think about that when I made the arrangements with you.
” He said that he’d gone home to change as well and would meet her there.
“I still don’t know why I’m doing this. I feel like I’m going to be in trouble, and I don’t know why. ”
“I won’t hurt you. Not at all if I can help it.” She didn’t say anything, and he wondered what she was thinking. “How about if I pick you two up and we can go in one car. I’m not sure where you live, but it would be worth the trip to hang out with you two for a bit longer.”
“I’d rather take my own car. That way, if things don’t work out, I won’t have to worry about getting home.
I’m not saying that things won’t work out for the three of us, but I want you to know that my daughter comes first in all things.
She’s all I have in the world.” He said that he’d never come between them.
“See that you don’t. I have no trouble at all defending myself if it comes to that. ”
“Again, I’d never come between the two of you for anything.
” When he got off the phone, he put her in his contacts so that the next time she called, he’d be able to know it was her.
Just as he was about to leave, she called him back.
He was laughing when she told him that she was going to have to cancel, as her car wouldn’t start.
“I can pick you up. I don’t mind at all.
Besides, you don’t want to disappoint your daughter.
She seemed to be looking forward to it as much as I am. ”
“Do you usually play dirty like this?” He might have thought that she was mad, but for the humor in her voice.
“All right. I’m at the post office now. I’m going to have to get myself something newer someday, but I don’t have the time to look.
I have to pick up Harri too. Is that going to be a problem for you? ”
“None at all.” He could hear the tension in her voice and wondered if it was just him.
As soon as he got off the phone with her, he headed to the post office.
He didn’t know what to think when he saw her car.
It looked to be about as old as he was. “I think you’re right, you do need to get yourself another car. How old is this one anyway?”
After she told him the year, he thought he’d been right on the money.
It was about as old as she was, but she explained that it had been her husband’s car and she couldn’t part with it.
He told her that he understood, and they headed to the school.
Harri looked just like a younger version of her mother and seemed to have her attitude, too.
She didn’t pull any punches when she asked him what he was doing with her mom.
“Her car broke down, and I offered to pick her up. If it’s all right with you, I’m going to join you for pizza.
I heard that you love it above all other foods.
” She just gave him the side eye and told him that all kids loved pizza.
He nearly laughed but caught himself in time.
She told him that he needed to have his own pizza, that her and her mom shared one together.
“That’s nice. I love mine spicy, so it might be too hot for you. ”
“You’d be wrong. Are you trying to get into my mom’s pants?” He couldn’t help it; he burst out laughing, and he could tell that Anna was embarrassed. As soon as she chastised her daughter for what she said, he hoped again that she was his mate. But he was also thinking that she wasn’t.
There were no clues to let him think that she was anything but a good friend. It saddened him to no end, but he thought he was right. She wasn’t his mate, and he was about as disappointed as he’d ever been about it.