Welcome to Pembrooke: the complete Pembrooke series

by Prince, Jessica

  My mouth dropped open and a gasp trickled out. “You’ve had to work on Christmas?”

  He laughed through the phone at my outrage. “Fires and accidents happen every day, baby. Someone has to take care of them. Besides, Thanksgiving and Christmas are two of our biggest days. You get overeager husbands who want to fry a turkey but don’t have the first fucking clue how. Might be a disaster, but it leads to some pretty entertaining stories. And at least we don’t have time to think about not being with our families if we’re constantly busy.”

  “I guess you have a point,” I pouted, hating that he was alone and working on the holidays and didn’t even get to enjoy all the delicious food.

  “Aw,” he said teasingly. “You’re worried about me. That’s sweet.”

  I let out an inelegant snort. “Please. I’m not worried. Just don’t want you to be jealous that I’ll be in a hardcore tryptophan coma in a few hours and feel like you missed out.”

  His gravelly chuckle did crazy things to my insides. “Believe me, I’d much rather be curled up next to you with a turkey hangover than here. But then I remember that I get you to myself tomorrow, no interruptions, makes it all worth it.”

  A quiver worked its way through my belly at the sinful tone of his voice, and I suddenly couldn’t wait for tomorrow. “Don’t turn me on when I have to spend the next few hours stuck in a kitchen with my mom and my aunt.”

  That got me another chuckle. “Well, don’t say something like that and turn me on when I have to go back into a room full of guys who’ll give me shit for sporting a hard-on.”

  I wouldn’t have giggled at the picture he painted if the thought of Quinn hard didn’t send a flood of arousal through my core.

  I must have let out a tiny moan, because he suddenly growled into the receiver. “Okay, I see I’m going to have to cut this conversation off here if you’re going to keep making sounds like that.”

  I giggled and shifted from foot to foot, the cold finally starting to seep into my bones. “I should get back inside anyway. Be safe, okay?”

  “Promise, baby. I’ll talk to you later.”

  We hung up, and I took a few more seconds to get my raging hormones back under control. I was just about to turn and head into the house when the back door opened and Dad walked through with my coat in his hands.

  “You’re going to catch your death out here, Lilly Flower.”

  I turned and slipped my arms into the coat he held open for me. “It’s not so bad.” I looked out at the expanse of snow-topped trees and mountains that provided a stunning view as far as the eye could see. “It’s so beautiful out here.”

  Dad threw his arm around me and pulled me into his side as we both stared out at the horizon. “Why do you think me and your mom refuse to live anywhere outside of Wyoming? Nothing but God’s country out here, baby girl. Beauty as far as the eye can see.”

  “I get it.” I nuzzled into him, taking in his familiar scent mixed with the fresh snow. “I’d never want to live anywhere else either.”

  “So…” he dragged out. “I’m taking it from that smile you had on your face when I came out here that you and your young man have found equal footing?”

  My head shot to the side, my eyes shooting up at him. He wore a grin on his face that told me he hadn’t forgotten our conversation from over a month ago. I hadn’t talked to my parents about Quinn since we started seeing each other. I felt like if I admitted it out loud, I’d somehow jinx it. I shouldn’t have been surprised that he remembered. I was his baby girl, and even sick he was still as protective as he’d always been.

  “We’re… working on it,” I answered slowly.

  He looked back out at the landscape. “Well, that’s better than nothing. What’s he up to today?”

  “He’s working. He’s a firefighter with the Pembrooke Fire Department so he’s on shift today.”

  “Honorable line of work,” Dad said.

  “Yeah, but it’s sad they have to miss out on days like today with their families.”

  Dad turned to me and grinned before guiding us back toward the door. “Then I guess you should pack up whatever leftovers we have so you can take them a bit of the holiday, huh?”

  I could have smacked myself for not thinking of that sooner. We stepped back into the house, and I lifted up on my tiptoes to place a kiss on my father’s cheek. “You’re a smart man, Dad. Anyone ever tell you that?”

  He chuckled and hugged me tight. “Don’t let your mother find out or she’ll start expecting more from me. All these years later I’ve still got the woman convinced I don’t have the first clue how to use a washing machine.”

  We laughed and made our way back to the family, and I was comforted by the fact that, even if this was my dad’s last Thanksgiving, at least it was a great one.

  * * *

  The sun had long since set by the time I pulled up to the fire station. I breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of the engine in an open bay, meaning they weren’t out on a call. By the time I pulled into my spot and cut the engine, Quinn and the guy I remembered as Carpenter — I couldn’t think of his first name — were coming out to see who’d just driven up.

  “Lilly?” Quinn’s voice carried with a threat of surprise. “What are you doing here?”

  I opened the back door to give him a good look. When I’d told Mom about the guys at the station not getting to have a proper Thanksgiving meal, she and my aunt had been all over helping me pack up the leftovers. And there had been a lot. There was enough food to feed twenty lining my parents’ table, and the six of us hadn’t even come close to making a dent in it. Needless to say, the guys at the station were going to be eating very well.

  “I figured since you guys were missing out on Thanksgiving, I’d bring a bit of it to you.”

  “Oh, hell yeah!” Carpenter hooted and threw his fist in the air. “Please tell me you’ve got sweet potato pie.”

  I giggled at the excitement on the grown man’s face. “Two, actually. We made three and couldn’t finish the rest off.”

  Carpenter scooped me up in a bear hug, lifting my feet off the ground and spinning me in a circle. “If I wasn’t afraid of getting my teeth knocked in, I’d kiss you,” he declared once he put me back down.

  “Smart man,” Quinn stated with a scowl on his face. “Now do you mind removing your hands from her before I have to break your fingers?”

  Carpenter threw his hands up and took a big step back, causing me to burst into laughter. “I’ll just… take some of this inside.”

  He grabbed as many containers as he could carry — which wasn’t even half — and booked it back into the station. I was still laughing when I suddenly felt Quinn’s fingers brush across my cheek. I opened my eyes to find him standing right there, less than two inches separating us. “Thank you, baby,” he said in a low, melodic voice.

  I beamed up at him and his gaze traveled down my face to my dimple. “No problem. There was no way we were eating this all. Seemed wasteful to toss all this perfectly good food.”

  He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me flush against him. “As long as you didn’t have a hand in cooking any of it, I’m sure it’s delicious.”

  I managed to get one swift punch to his gut in before he leaned in and planted a kiss on my lips while we both laughed. “Let’s get the rest of this stuff inside and get you boys fed,” I breathed once he pulled back, his kiss leaving my legs wobbly.

  The smile he gave me then came so close to meeting his eyes that I considered it a win.

  As we loaded our arms with containers and headed into the station I couldn’t help but think: One day I was going to get a real smile from this beautiful man.

  25

  Lilly

  “Okay, guys,” I called out, as my heels clicked along the wooden floor back stage. “We’ve been preparing for this for months. You know your steps forward and back. You’re going to do great. So let’s knock ‘em dead, yeah?”

  My students all let out cheers
of excitement. Some looked more anxious than others, but I had complete faith that each and every one of them was going to do amazing.

  The Winter Showcase was a big deal in Pembrooke. It was a community event, not just the parents of the students enrolled at the school. Almost the whole town came out to watch the kids put on a show, and as I peeked through the curtain that led to the front of the auditorium, my belly fluttered with nervous butterflies. We had a full house.

  I lived for moments like this; moments when my kids were front and center, the spotlight shining on them. For me, dancing wasn’t about showing off my talent; it was about teaching an art to others so they could pass along that gift.

  “Seven minutes,” Kyle announced, as he and Samantha scurried around, helping kids fix costumes, hair, makeup, or the like. He planted a quick kiss on my cheek as he passed by, and Samantha reached for my hand and gave it a squeeze.

  “Miss Lilly! Miss Lilly!” I looked down just as Sophia rushed me, wrapping her arms around my legs. I bent with a laugh and scooped her up. “Hey there, Little Miss. You ready for your number?”

  She nodded enthusiastically. “Yep! Does my bun look okay?”

  I set her down and examined her hair. Over the past few months, Quinn’s skill at putting his daughter’s hair in a bun had really grown.

  “It’s perfect, sweetheart. And you’re beautiful. Is your daddy in the audience?”

  “Uh huh,” she nodded. “With Meemaw and Papaw too. They can’t wait to see me.” I was about to agree with them when one of the other little girls called Sophia’s name. She offered me a distracted wave and bolted off in that direction. I grinned after her, then turned toward the gathered crowd.

  “All right,” I spoke loud enough for everyone to hear. “First number’s about to start. I need the intermediate ballet class to take their places.”

  The students scattered to all corners of the area backstage, some taking their places, some waiting in the wings to watch the performances they weren’t in. The air was a full of excitement and quiet chatter.

  “Five minutes,” called Samantha.

  I peeked back around the curtain, scanning the sea of faces for one in particular. I wasn’t sure why, but I knew seeing his face would help ease some of my nerves.

  “Lilly,” Kyle spoke, calling my attention from the audience. “You’ve got visitors.”

  I spun around and my face broke out into a bright smile at the sight of my mom and dad making their way up the stairs. “Hey! I thought you guys weren’t going to make it.”

  “Miss your biggest show of the year? Are you crazy?” Mom scoffed. She held onto my father’s arm, and I could tell she was offering him her support. He looked more tired today than usual.

  “Hey,” I said quietly, stepping up to kiss his cheek. “You okay?”

  “Right as rain.” He smiled, but I could see pain flicker in his eyes. This wasn’t a great day for him, but he was determined to be there for me.

  “And don’t you look so pretty,” Mom cooed, eyeing the pale pink, long-sleeved wrap dress I’d bought for tonight. I hardly ever dressed up, more comfortable in leggings and sweaters, or dance clothes than anything else, but I always tried to look nice for the showcase. I matched the dress with a pair of tan heels that were murder on my feet, but made my legs look fantastic. I was hoping Quinn would get a chance to see me in it before the night was through.

  I hugged her and took a step back. “Thanks, Mom. You two better find your seats. We’re about to start.”

  “Okay, honey,” she spoke. “We’ll be watching.”

  Dad leaned in for one last kiss. “Your kiddos will be amazing, Lilly Flower.”

  “Thanks, guys. Love you.”

  They waved and gave their love back before disappearing toward the front of the auditorium.

  The auditorium lights lowered and the ones on the stage brightened just seconds before the music for the first number began.

  As the program progressed, I ran around the backstage area like a mad woman, getting my students ready. It was a mix of modern numbers combined with classics to keep with the holiday spirit.

  I’d just finished getting Sophia’s class in place for their dance. The lights lowered and they filtered out onto the stage. The Dance of the Sugarplum Fairies began to play and I found myself stuck in place, watching Sophia move around with the biggest smile on her face. There were a million things I needed to be doing, but I couldn’t have made myself move from that spot if I’d wanted to. I was enthralled.

  She was so happy, so excited to be performing, and that radiated from her as she danced. Sophia was absolutely adorable in her dark plum-colored leotard and pale pink tutu, and whether or not she landed each step correctly didn’t matter. She owned that stage with personality alone, causing my chest to swell with pride and love, because I really and truly loved that little girl like crazy. It was impossible not to. I was so damn proud of her.

  I looked away from her and scanned the audience again, and when my eyes finally landed on Quinn my heart picked up the pace, beating frantically against my ribs. The look of his face was sheer awe as he watched his little girl. I hadn’t been lying when I said it was a turn on watching him with his daughter, but seeing that expression? Well, I fell deeper in love with him.

  I was crazy about Quinn and Sophia Mallick. I just hoped the feeling was mutual.

  * * *

  All the students — right along with myself, Kyle, and Samantha — were riding the high of another amazing Winter Showcase. I was so proud of each and every one of them. They’d finished the final number, where we included every class at every age level, and before the curtain dropped, the kids dragged Kyle, Samantha, and me onto the stage, giving each of us a massive bouquet of flowers. We all took a bow as the crowd cheered and whistled.

  The lights finally came up, and the crowd in the auditorium was slowly beginning to thin out as everyone rushed backstage to grab their stuff and come back out to meet up with their families. I’d shaken hands with several of the parents, reminded them of the lock-in we were doing at the school the next day to celebrate, when my folks came up to stand next to me.

  “Such a good show, honey,” Mom exclaimed happily.

  Dad looped his arm around her shoulder in a show of support, but I understood it was more his needing to rest on her than a show of affection. “Your kids are all so talented, Lilly Flower. You should be proud.”

  “I am,” I answered just as Sophia’s voice rang through the auditorium yelling my name in the way only Sophia could. I turned and instantly sucked in a deep breath at the way Quinn’s eyes were eating me up, the green depths turning dark with want. I could say with certainty that the feeling was totally mutual. I’d never seen him in a suit before, but damn did he wear it well.

  “Miss Lilly! Did I do good!?” Sophia came to a halt only after her arms wrapped around my legs. Quinn stopped two feet away, and I noticed he wasn’t alone. His parents were standing right behind him, both looking happy to have seen their granddaughter up on that stage.

  “You did amazing, Little Miss.” I smiled affectionately and leaned down to give her a hug. “And look,” I poked her bun with the tip of my finger. “Your hair stayed in place perfectly.”

  She beamed proudly. “That’s ‘cause Daddy used a whole canna hairspray!”

  I let a giggle loose as I looked at Quinn, but his eyes were darting back and forth between my parents, and he suddenly seemed to tense.

  “I wanna be a sugarplum fairy again next year, Mrs. Lilly? Can I, please?”

  From the corner of my eye I saw my mom and dad smile down at the adorable little girl. Yep, everyone who ever came into contact with Sophia was instantly smitten.

  Sophia looked from me to my folks and asked, “Who’s that?”

  “These are my parents. Mom, Dad, this is Sophia, she’s one of my best students.” Sophia sucked in a breath, the compliment I’d just paid her making her glow. She loved hearing that just as much as I loved watching he
r reaction.

  “You were a wonderful sugarplum fairy, sweetheart,” my mom told her, making that glow so much brighter.

  “Best I’ve ever seen,” Dad added.

  “Thank you,” she whispered.

  “Wonderful show, dear,” Mrs. Mallick spoke up.

  “Thanks.” I smiled and offered up introductions between the adults. “Mr. and Mrs. Mallick, this is Will and Elizabeth Mathewson.”

  The foursome shook hands then broke apart, allowing me to continue. “Mom, Dad. This is Quinn, my—”

  “Hi,” Quinn interrupted, his hand shooting toward my dad. “I’m a friend of Lilly’s.”

  Every muscle in my body grew tight. I did my best to school my features to hide the utter disappointment that was suddenly flowing through me, but judging by the quick glance my father gave me, I hadn’t masked it in time. A friend of Lilly’s. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do more, scream or cry. However, I couldn’t do either in front of an audience.

  The fact he’d cut me off hurt like hell, because not only did he not want anyone to know what was going on with us, but also he didn’t trust me not to throw a label on whatever we were the first chance I got. It was as if he’d expected me to just spit out that he was my boyfriend right there in front of his daughter. It was just another reminder, slapping me in the face that he was nowhere near letting me close. It was like he’d allowed me to include myself in every part of his life except his heart. Some days I felt like an integral part of his world, then something like this would happen and put everything into painful perspective.

  “Nice to meet you, Quinn,” my mother replied politely. Dad followed suit, holding out his hand to shake Quinn’s, but I could see the questions dancing in his eyes. Unfortunately, I couldn’t give him those answers, especially when I didn’t even have them myself.

  “We were just talking about going to grab a bite to eat at that fancy new steak place that opened up just outside of town,” Mr. Mallick stated. “Why don’t the three of you join us?”