Falling Into Love (Paradise Place Book 5)

by Natalie Ann

  “Do you need any help?” he heard himself asking. Normally that was his cue to leave, but he was acting like he didn’t want to leave her presence. All the more reason to exit as fast as he normally did from people.

  “They will bring it all in and set it up,” she said. “Or so they said they would.”

  “The movers are here,” Zoe said, walking in the door.

  “I see that,” she said. “We can show them the rooms to put the boxes in. They are all marked. Then we’ll figure out furniture placement after.”

  “Are they putting our beds together for us?” Jeffrey asked. “I don’t know how to do that.” The little boy looked up at him. “I’m the man of the house, but I need to learn these things. Aunt Zoe said you built this house. Could you teach me?”

  Shannon put her hands on her son’s shoulders. “We need to let Ryan get back to work. Yes, the movers are putting your beds together. All of ours. Then we’ll go get some food and try to settle in as best as we can.” She turned to look at him. “Thank you so much for everything. I’ve got your information if I have any questions. I’m sure I will.”

  “You know how to reach me if you do.”

  He left shortly after that, pulling his truck out as three guys climbed out of the tractor trailer and started to walk up the driveway toward Shannon and Zoe.

  Rather than go into the office like he’d told his sister he was going to do after, he went to a new build a few streets over. He needed to pound some shit with a hammer to get his mind back where it needed to be.

  5

  Find Some Fun

  “Whoa, he was hot,” Zoe said.

  “Shh. The kids can hear you.”

  “No, they can’t. What did you two talk about when we were outside?”

  “Nothing,” she said. “You can just put the boxes for each room in the middle of those rooms. We’ll start to empty them later.”

  “No problem,” one of the men said. “We unhooked the car from the back. Where do you want it?”

  “We’ll leave it in the road for now,” Zoe said. “I think we can. I didn’t notice too many cars in the street around here, but there weren’t any signs saying we couldn’t either. Maybe you can call Ryan and ask him.”

  “Stop it,” she told her sister. “I’m not calling him over something stupid like that. He went out of his way to walk me around today. Even if we can’t keep your car there, I’m sure anyone driving by will realize we are moving in and give us a pass.”

  “You’re no fun. You need to find some fun. You said that was part of this move. That you were going to stop hiding.”

  “I’m not hiding,” she whispered back. “And will you stop it? The kids will wonder what we are talking about.”

  “They aren’t even paying attention to us,” Zoe said. “They are watching the guys move the boxes in. Jeffrey is asking if each box is for his room yet.”

  “Which means I better make sure they aren’t just tearing through things. Their rooms should be set up first.”

  Zoe put her hand out and laid it on Shannon’s. “You always put them first and that’s great. But you are going to drive yourself into the ground if you don’t slow down. You’ve been stressed over this move and worried about everyone. I’m starting to get worried about you.”

  “There isn’t anything to worry about. This is a huge change in our lives. Not just for the kids or me, but you too. I wonder if you really wanted to do it.”

  “I wouldn’t ever let you do this alone. I’m not sure what I’m doing half the time with the kids and I’m thrilled you are around to help. Being Aunt Zoe for a few hours a week is a lot more fun than being the nanny. I’m not sure they are going to listen to me.”

  She laughed. “They will. We’ll figure it out together. I want you to be able to go out and meet people and have friends and a life here. You are only watching the kids for me while I work. But I’m not working for at least another full week. John is sending someone from IT here at the end of next week, so I’m kind of stuck until then.”

  “I love John. He did that on purpose so that you’d settle in,” Zoe said.

  “He did. I can check email and remote in if I need to, but not much more. I think he restricted my access until he knows everything is secure here. He wants everything set up just right and that means someone from IT has to come here.”

  “Do we even have internet?” Zoe asked. “I didn’t think of that. What are we going to do if we can’t watch TV or get on the computer tonight?”

  “There’s internet. Don’t worry. Ryan showed me where everything was hooked up. It’s all good to go. If not, then you and I will figure it out. I’ve been doing all of this on my own for a year. I can manage.”

  “I’m glad you can. I’m not so sure I could do anything that you have.”

  “Zoe, you aren’t giving yourself enough credit. You’re stronger than you think.”

  “Not as strong as you, though. I just can’t believe this is how your life turned out. Some days I’m still in shock. Tyler was like a big brother to me.”

  “Don’t you dare get me upset.” Zoe was more emotional than her. Shannon had shed plenty of tears, but she did it where no one was around anymore. She’d told the kids it was okay to be sad and cry over Daddy being gone, but the truth was, it broke her heart every time the kids did.

  She was getting better at talking with them about their father without crying, but it was hard. Sometimes she was just so tired of it all.

  But she wouldn’t let them forget their father. They’d only had a few years with the man she’d loved since she was fourteen. She didn’t even get half her life with him. They had thirteen years together. Thirteen years that she’d remember and hold onto forever.

  Forever. That was how long they were supposed to be together.

  But forever didn’t come and, as much as Zoe wanted her to loosen up and have fun, start to live again, she wasn’t sure she had it in her to consider going down that path again.

  “You’re back a lot later than I thought you’d be,” Whitney said to him several hours later. “Did something happen at Shannon’s?”

  “No. It was fine. I just stopped at a site on the way back and got pulled into working.”

  “I should have figured,” his sister said. “You know how much I wanted to know about Shannon. I’m dying to meet her. We’re going to try to meet for lunch soon. She said she’d call once she was settled in. I was thinking of stopping over and giving her a housewarming gift. It’s not like she’s that far from us.”

  “She’d probably like that,” he said.

  “What’s she like? How old is she? How old are the kids?”

  His sister always did want to know everything about people. Too bad she didn’t feel that way about her ex-husband. Maybe the shit wouldn’t have hit the fan and splattered all over her face if she’d paid more attention or asked more questions.

  And he had to keep that opinion to himself. It seemed he was sourer than her over it years later still.

  “She’s nice. Friendly. Young.”

  He didn’t want to tell Whitney that Shannon was cute. That she was sweet and calm and funny. That she looked tired but it didn’t stop her from being polite and caring with her children.

  “How young?”

  “Young,” he snapped. “Like my age or younger.”

  “Wow. What crawled up your ass? You’re angry for some reason. I mean that’s your normal personality with people but you said she was nice and friendly, yet you’re pissed off.”

  “I’m not pissed,” he argued. He’d been when he left her house though. First, for his reaction to her and then for her situation. A young woman with two small kids in a brand new house, a town she’d never been in before, and trying to learn it all.

  Yep, she didn’t seem naive or helpless, but his protective mode stood tall and ready to jump into action nevertheless.

  He hadn’t been that way about anyone other than a family member and it bothered him more than h
e cared to admit that he felt it for a stranger.

  “I want to say you could have fooled me, but I forget you are just being normal. So young kids, like babies?”

  “No. You said the one is in school. A boy, Jeffrey. He’s the oldest. Kindergarten, first grade, maybe. Maddie, the girl, she’s younger. Shannon mentioned needing to find a preschool for her. I said to ask you, you might be able to help.”

  “Of course. I’m surprised she didn’t say anything to me about it at all. Unless she doesn’t really work and it’s not a problem.”

  “She works. You know she has that big office. I’m not sure what she does, I didn’t ask, but her younger sister moved here with her to help her care for the kids.”

  “You got a lot of information for someone that doesn’t talk much.”

  “She made a few comments on things.” He wasn’t going to tell his sister how he stumbled and said he was sorry she was alone. That was the one time that Shannon wasn’t grinning.

  Whatever happened, it was still raw and he should have known better than to bring something up like that. He liked his privacy and for that reason rarely stepped into other people’s space.

  “I’ll find out more. Maybe I’ll reach out to her tomorrow to see if she needs help finding anything. I’ve sent her all the links to the development and the town. What activities that are going on, a map to find things in Paradise Place.”

  “Again, I’m sure she appreciated that. A big assed tractor trailer pulled up when I was leaving. They are going to be busy unpacking and getting set up.”

  “I wonder if she’d like plants? I’ll have to think of something for the kids too, being in a new place.”

  “I’m not sure what to do for the little girl, but the boy, bring him a tool bag and some tools,” he said. “One of those starter kits like Grandpa gave all of us.”

  She started to laugh. “You’re joking, right?”

  “No. Shannon will understand whose idea it was.”

  “Obviously yours, but I’m not doing it if you don’t tell me why,” Whitney said, crossing her arms.

  “Jeffrey mentioned he was the man of the house now but didn’t know how to put things together. He asked if I’d show him how since I built the house.”

  “Oh, Ryan, you’re such—”

  “Don’t,” he said, cutting her off.

  “Softie. You never let anyone see it.”

  “You didn’t just now either,” he said and walked into his office, slamming the door.

  6

  Extending Himself

  “Slow down, Jeffrey, you don’t want to tug the collar too much. Remember, he’s still a puppy.”

  The four of them were walking around the development and trying to learn their way.

  The newest additions to the family were being led by Jeffrey walking his puppy and Shannon walking Maddie’s. Maddie wanted to do it herself, but that wasn’t happening. Even at five, Jeffrey made her nervous about the way he held the leash, but Zoe was right there ready to grab it if she needed to.

  “But he wants to run,” Jeffrey argued.

  “He doesn’t want to run that fast. He’s just sniffing everything out. The leash is still new for them. They are used to running free in the yard.”

  She’d just decided it was time to put the leash on them and walk them around that way to get the two three-month-old French Bulldogs used to having the collars on their necks.

  In the past ten days the house was all set up. The kids were loving their rooms and she’d taken them shopping to pick out more decorations. She’d bought some furniture that the house needed too.

  Slowly their house was becoming a home and she was learning her way around the area.

  “Can we walk to the playground?” Maddie asked.

  “That’s in the other direction,” Shannon said. “And it’s too far to walk with the puppies. It might be too far for you to walk.”

  Though it did seem like the kids had endless energy, but the playground and pavilion, baseball fields and everything else that the development had was in the older section a few miles away. They’d driven there a few times and the kids loved it. She’d definitely made the right decision moving here.

  Of course she hadn’t told anyone that she’d been lying in bed crying and missing Tyler. She must have fallen asleep and the next thing she knew she was dreaming of Tyler like she always did when he was alive.

  She’d had dreams of them together and their future. But now it was dreams of him telling her what to do and to be brave.

  She was sure it was just her subconscious, but it got her through and she’d take anything she could get at this point. Just like her dream with Tyler was how she ended up here.

  Months ago she’d been dreaming of a trip she and Tyler had taken to Paradise Island in the Bahamas and she remembered how she’d always joked and said how fun it’d be to live in paradise like that.

  The next morning she’d woken up and just felt the urge to start Googling things. Paradise Place development popped up in Colonie, New York, just outside of Albany.

  At first she’d thought it was some kind of a joke, but the more she looked at it, the more she needed to know. And the more she knew, the easier it was for her to say that was the place she wanted to be.

  It was right about the time Walt started to come around again and that was the final push she needed to get away.

  “Can we go to the playground when we get back home?” Jeffrey asked. “Maybe I can play baseball.”

  “You’re too young, honey,” she said. “You saw how big the kids were playing games there. We’ll figure something out. Until then we can keep playing in the yard.”

  “I thought you liked playing catch with me,” Zoe said, trying to sound hurt. “I’m getting better. You just throw it so hard.”

  “You are getting better,” Jeffrey said. “But you’re not a boy. Boys play baseball better.”

  “We’ve had this conversation before too, Jeffrey,” Shannon said. “Girls are just as good as boys if they want to be. You better watch it because Maddie might grow up and kick your butt out there someday.”

  “I want to kick Jeffrey’s butt,” Maddie said and then giggled.

  “Language,” Zoe said, mocking her.

  “Mommy, look, a dog,” Maddie said.

  “Zoe, grab the leash,” she told her sister. The dog coming in the other direction was pretty big and looked kind of mean. Like a boxer. There was a large man holding the leash and a woman pushing a stroller, but she wasn’t taking any chances with her new puppies that could be chew toys for the dog in front of them.

  As they got closer to the couple, Jeffrey stopped and said, “Mom, that’s Harris.”

  “Who?” she asked. They hadn’t met that many people yet. Just their direct neighbors and Whitney Butler had stopped over to drop off a housewarming gift. A plant for her office, coloring books and crayons for Maddie, and a small tool bag with some child-sized tools in it for Jeffrey. That one touched her the most and she knew right away Ryan must have told his sister to do that.

  Ryan, the man she hadn’t seen or talked to since the day he walked her around her house.

  Zoe had been busting on her to break something and give him a call, but she wouldn’t do that.

  He was busy and as friendly or accommodating as he was that day, she got the feeling it wasn’t his normal routine. That he was extending himself more than he had before.

  The question was why?

  It didn’t seem like she’d find the answer anytime soon though since she doubted she’d see him again. Even if she was walking around hoping to see his truck somewhere since he lived in the development.

  The problem was the development was several miles long and she walked during the day when he’d be at work. Though she was positive she’d recognized his truck at a few new builds.

  But then she told herself to stop it.

  That she didn’t have time for a man in her life.

  She’d had one and she’d lost
him.

  She wasn’t ready to try again.

  Even if she was missing some male company and companionship.

  “Hello,” the man said. “Nicks won’t hurt you or the puppies. Do you mind if he sniffs them out? I’ll understand if you say no.”

  “It’s Harris,” Jeffrey said again. “Let him see Oreo.”

  “Harris who?” she asked her son again.

  “Mom! Baseball. He’s a pitcher.”

  The man laughed. “Your son does know my name.” He extended his hand out. “I’m Harris Walker. I used to be a pitcher, but I’m retired now. This is my wife, Kaelyn and our daughter, Scarlet.”

  “I’m Shannon, my sister, Zoe, son, Jeffrey, and daughter, Maddie. We are new to the area. My son’s dog, Oreo, and my daughter’s, Taffy.”

  “Cute names,” Kaelyn said.

  “We like cookies and candy,” Maddie said.

  “That makes me a bad mom. I know.”

  “No, it doesn’t,” Kaelyn said. “Scarlet might be too young for a cookie, but we’ve always got them in the house.”

  She eyed the woman’s dark hair and eyes that looked familiar. Kind of like Whitney in a way. “This might seem like a crazy question. Was your last name Butler?”

  “It was,” Kaelyn said.

  “You look a little like Whitney and Ryan.”

  “You know my cousins? Stupid question. If you are new here, you must have met them building a house?”

  “Yes. We moved from Washington.”

  “Oh. I know of you. Ryan mentioned your name to me. And you like baseball, right, Jeffrey?” Harris asked.

  “Yes, Jeffrey does. He remembers everything. I’m shocked he knew who you were if you’re retired. As I said, we aren’t from this area. Not that I knew where you played. I’m so sorry, I’m not into baseball. That was my husband’s thing.”

  “I was a pitcher for the Mets,” he said. “I retired a little over a year ago from an injury.”

  She remembered it now. It was right before Tyler died. He and John had been talking about how a car accident ended the pitcher’s career the night of his no-hitter.