“Husband?” Emma asked.
“Mac, Bernie’s husband, is the fire chief in Fairfield,” Laurie explained. Loaded down with goodies and goodbye hugs all around, Laurie and Emma left the shop.
They showed up with a basket of Bernie’s goodies and were immediately surrounded by hungry firemen. Emma liked being swarmed by a group of very handsome men of all ages. Suddenly there were lots of helping hands, taking the pastry baskets out of Emma’s hands and the coffee containers out of Laurie’s hands. Rob took the coffee from Laurie and passed it to another fireman.
“Here Pete, take this. I’ve got to hug my woman!”
The men led Emma into the firehouse kitchen that was upstairs and she helped set up the table. She saw a well-stocked kitchen, with a large industrial stove and refrigerator. In the center of the room was a huge table that could seat the whole company.
Right then, a large, barrel-chested older man, wearing navy pants and a navy shirt with the FFD logo stenciled over the pocket, walked in from the back office and bellowed, “Where’s my wife’s coffee?”
Emma jumped at the loud voice behind her and whirled around. His sparkling blue eyes settled on hers, and she once again found herself enveloped in a huge hug.
“Ah darlin’, you must be our Laurie’s Aunt Emma.” Mac was a big man, in very good shape with the good looks that made it easy to see why Rob was so handsome.
Emma loved hearing how Rob’s parents referred to Laurie as theirs. She had wanted Laurie to find love and acceptance in the world, and it seemed that Fairfield held it all for her. She couldn’t help but wonder if it would offer the same for her. A vision of a large, quiet, handsome police detective came into her mind. She had not spoken to him since the night at the bar and the swimming pool, but she had seen him occasionally in town. He always smiled and nodded his head at her, but she could not tell if he was interested or not.
“Earth to Emma,” Laurie giggled, waving her hand in front of Emma’s face. Emma blushed and looked around to see who may have seen her daydreaming. Everyone else seemed to be busy eating the last crumbs of the pastries and heading back out into the area of the firehouse that housed the fire trucks. Mac came up to her and thanked her again for bringing the treats for his men.
“Don’t be a stranger!” he boomed to her as he headed back into his office. Rob walked Laurie and Emma back to their car. Emma hopped in to give them a moment of privacy, which they immediately took advantage of. Laurie hopped in, smiling.
“You look like the cat that ate a canary,” Emma accused.
“Oh, it’s just that Rob and I decided to throw a cookout this weekend and invite all our friends and family. That way you can meet more people.”
“Is that all?” Emma asked. She knew when Laurie was up to something.
“Well, Rob mentioned how it would have made Jake crazy to see all the firemen surrounding you today. So I suggested that we see exactly how Jake will act when we have everyone over.”
“Laurie Rose Dodd,” Emma said in her best authoritative voice. Laurie knew that voice well. She assured Emma that they were going to have a cookout anyway, but that they just wanted to see confident Jake squirm. Emma shook her head – she knew when Laurie had her mind set on something, there was no changing it. And secretly, she would like to see how Jake would react as well.
Chapter 4
Emma was thrilled to meet with a realtor to help her find a house in Fairfield. She had talked to Laurie about wanting to buy a home, and with Laurie’s emphatic blessing, she was ready to settle down. And she couldn’t think of a better place to settle than near Laurie. Emma had been pinching pennies since she became Laurie’s guardian at the age of eighteen. She shopped sales, bought from warehouse grocery stores, kept expenditures to a minimum, saving most of her tips from her waitressing job and most of her salary from her counseling job last year. Having to work to cover the costs of housing, living expenses, her education, and the necessities for Laurie taught Emma the value of hard work and saving.
The realtor, Linda, assuming that Emma with a job in the Fairfield school system, would want to find a house in a nice community, and was surprised to learn that Emma dreamed of buying a small, fixer-upper with some land around it. Linda was determined to find just what Emma wanted, and with help from Laurie, they poured over possibilities. They looked at several properties, but Emma had rejected them all – too expensive, too much land, too much of a fixer-upper. Finally on Saturday morning, the realtor called with another property for Emma to look at. Linda was going to be gone over the weekend, but told Emma that since the property was abandoned, she could check it out herself. Emma took down the address and told Linda that she would go look at it on Sunday since Saturday was Laurie and Rob’s cookout.
She was looking forward to the cookout – Jake would be there. Each night at about ten when she went out to the hotel pool to swim, she saw his truck parked across the street. She would swim, then get out of the pool and give him a little wave as she walked back to her room. Once in her room, she peered out of the hotel window to see his truck pull away. Smiling to herself, she knew this was his way of trying to keep her safe.
Saturday afternoon Emma headed out of town to Laurie and Rob’s house. They lived outside of Fairfield, off a country road with a long driveway leading to a restored two story farm house. The house was painted white with green shutters and a wraparound porch. Laurie and Rob had fallen in love with the place and had spent the last several months working on the house and landscaping. Mature trees surrounded it. New flower gardens were planted along the front walk and around the porch. Emma made her way up the front steps, carrying her contribution to the cookout – her homemade cherry pie. Helen allowed her to use their oven that morning to bake it. To show her appreciation, she had baked two pies. One to take with her and one she left in their office with a little note, knowing Roger would love her gift.
“Come on through.” She heard Laurie’s voice yell from the back of the house. Emma made her way to the kitchen and set her pie down on the counter. “Emma’s here,” Laurie yelled out into the back yard.
“Laurie,” Emma admonished, “You don’t have to scream my arrival out to everyone.”
“Well,” Laurie grinned, “I happen to know one man out there that is very interested in your arrival.”
“And who would that be?” Emma questioned, while secretly wondering if it were a gorgeous mountain of a man who just happened to be a protective policeman.
“Oh, I think you know that Jake is interested in you!” Laurie insisted.
“Gee, and I didn’t think he liked older women,” Emma shot back.
Laurie rolled her eyes, still stirring potato salad. “Yeah, well, I have just started to forgive him for that blunder!” Laurie paused in her stirring and looked at Emma, concern on her face. “I know he really feels bad about how that evening went. What do you think of him, Emma?”
Emma thought for a moment, then sighed. “Laurie, I’ve been independent for the past thirteen years. I have never had time for a relationship, and the few times I tried, they failed miserably!”
“Emma, you were always trying to be with a man who needed you to take care of him like you always take care of everyone else. You need to find someone who is strong enough to take care of you.”
“Like Jake?” Emma asked. She felt conflicted about being with a man who liked to take control. On one hand it felt so nice to have someone want to look after her, but all she knew was how to do things herself.
Looking through the sliding glass door, she recognized Jake’s masculine profile outside with Rob. Khaki cargo shorts slung low on his hips and a tight navy t-shirt stretched tight over his chest and arms made him easy to see and easy on the eyes. Emma yearned to run her fingers through his sandy blonde hair….especially if those arms were wrapped around her as well. The sunglasses he was wearing kept her from seeing his expression. Sighing, Emma shook her head.
“Maybe I just don’t know how to be in a rel
ationship without giving up my independence,” she whispered.
Laurie enveloped her in a big hug and said, “Well for today, let’s just enjoy friends!” The two women hugged and then broke apart laughing and started carrying food out to the deck.
*
Rob and Jake had silently watched the interaction between the two women. “What do you think they are talking about?” Rob asked.
“Who the fuck knows,” Jake answered, rubbing his hand over his face.
Rob glanced over at his friend, knowing that Jake was interested in Emma. “I know that Laurie is the woman she is today not just because of her mom and grandparents, but because of Emma. Emma gave up her young adulthood to provide everything she could for Laurie. Jake, I know you’re interested in her, but be warned. If you hurt her, you hurt Laurie. And even though we are best friends, if you hurt Laurie, I will come after you.”
Jake looked over at Rob and raised his eyebrow. “I’m interested in her, but I don’t know if I have it in me to try to build a relationship, especially not with my track record of women who hightail it out of town when they find out I live with my mom,” Jake said.
Rob slapped him on the back and laughed out loud. “Yeah, I hear you, man. But I think you are just shittin’ yourself if you don’t think she has already gotten under your skin. And seriously, Jake, Emma doesn’t seem like the type to be concerned about you taking care of your mom.”
Tom came up in time to hear the last of their conversation and joined Rob in a high five. Jake shook his head at his friends as they walked up to the deck to help the women with the platters.
Jake looked over at Emma as she walked across the yard. Her simple red sundress was tight on top, flared out around her hips, and came to a few inches above her knees. There was nothing overtly sexy about her apparel, but Jake easily saw he was not the only man who had eyes for her. As Emma greeted people she knew and met others for the first time, he was aware of the smile that radiated from her. Jake wondered if she could turn that radiance toward him. Scanning the group, he saw the lust-filled eyes of one of the firemen following her, he decided it was time to step up his game.
*
The afternoon was fun for everyone. Rob and Laurie had invited many people that Emma knew so she already felt as though she was among friends, but there were enough new people that she had the opportunity to meet. Carol and Tom were there, as well as Helen and Roger. Also there were the owners of Smokey’s: Wendy, a knockout blonde, and her husband Bill, who looked like a mountain man with his bulky build and heavy beard. There were several men from the firehouse where Rob worked as well as some teachers from Laurie’s school. All in all, it was a good group of friends, and Emma was thoroughly enjoying herself. Jake had been quiet for most of the evening, but he always appeared at her back whenever one of the single men came over to talk to her. At first, she thought it was just coincidence, until a latecomer came in.
“Mike!” Laurie greeted. “Come meet my aunt Emma.”
Emma looked over at another good looking man approaching. Good God, does Fairfield just grow handsome men?
She remembered Mike was the person Laurie was going to call in to be Emma’s dinner partner when Jake showed up with Brandi. She looked at him striding over. Not bad at all! Mike was tall and built, although not in the same way that Jake was. Where Jake exuded raw masculinity, Mike seemed more dapper. Funny – she always thought dapper would be her preference, but Jake was the one that made her heart beat faster as she thought about being taken by him.
Mike walked directly towards her with a huge smile on his face. As he neared, his eyes went behind her and his smile faltered as Jake appeared.
“Mike, it is nice to finally meet you,” Emma said, putting her hand out toward his. He moved in closer and took her hand in his and raised it to his lips.
“The pleasure is all mine.” He flashed a sexy smirk on his face.
Before she could even think of a response, she felt her hand being jerked away from Mike’s lips as her arm was pulled back. Emma felt a huge presence pressed behind her back and knew who it was. As angry as she was at his presumptuous behavior, she couldn’t help but notice how her traitorous body reacted. At the contact, her nipples hardened, and she felt herself clinching her legs together to ease the ache.
Mike stepped back looking over her shoulder. “Jake.”
“Mike,” Jake replied. The two men just stood staring each other.
Emma knew they were friends as well as co-workers, but felt as though she was in the middle of a bad spaghetti western, where two men would square off with each other in the middle of town. Rob and Tom, taking pity on her, jumped in.
“Mike, glad you could make it!” Rob exclaimed. Tom shook Mike’s hand, and they walked over to the food-laden tables. Emma turned around and looked up at Jake. He was a foot taller, so she had to lean her head way back, but she was totally undaunted by this gigantic man.
She crossed her arms, cocked her hip, and began tapping her foot in irritation. “Just who do you think you are?” she hissed, not wanting to create a scene.
He looked down at her as though her question did not make any sense. “I told you that you now have someone to look after you.”
“By scaring away every single man that comes around?” she glanced around to make sure no one was listening.
He looked down into her deep brown eyes. She had no idea of the effect she had on the men around. While she was just being friendly, he knew other men were plotting how to get into her pants. It was a strange feeling to not only want to protect, but to want to be around her as well. They want a fuck buddy, he thought, they can go look somewhere else.
Jake replied, “I may be friends with most of these men, but that does not mean I would trust them with my sister.”
Oh, he thinks of me as a sister. Emma felt foolish for thinking that a man like Jake, who could have any woman in town, would be interested in her.
Jake saw a look of disappointment pass over her face, quickly replaced by a smile, but her smile did not reach her eyes as she stared up at him. Not able to interpret it, he found himself once again wanting to kiss that look off her face so that she would never feel disappointment again. Wanting to remove himself from further scrutiny, Jake stepped back. Emma suddenly felt cold at the loss, missing his contact.
*
The cookout was a success with everyone eating their fill. As evening descended, Rob started a fire in their large fire pit. Jake maneuvered his position to sit next to Emma. Casually resting his arm on the back of her chair, he was signaling to the others that she was his.
With Emma leaning forward in her chair talking, she was oblivious to the possessive position of Jake’s arm or the intention behind it. Tom and Rob shared a glance and a smile.
Everyone sat around, swapping stories, and Emma enjoyed herself more than she had in years. She realized that she had never had an evening like this one before. Eventually the conversation moved in her direction.
“Emma, have you found any houses you like?” Carol asked.
“No, not yet,” Emma sighed. “I haven’t looked at neighborhood homes because I would like a fixer upper on some land. Actually I am going to see a place tomorrow on my own. The realtor is out of town but said that since the house is vacant, I can go see the old Potter property.” The crowd around the fire became strangely quiet, and Emma looked around in confusion.
“The Potter place?” Carol exclaimed. “That place hasn’t been lived in for years… are you sure the house it still standing?” Rob, ever the fireman, noted that it may not be safe.
Mike added, “I’m sure it is not safe for you. I know of several other properties that you may want to check out. I’ll be glad to offer my personal assistance.”
Jake was furious. What is Mike playing at? Jake thought he had made it perfectly clear that Emma was off limits.
Several others began talking about the property, leaving Emma feeling daunted and a little defensive.
�
��Well, I’m still going tomorrow. Who knows, it may be perfect,” she stated trying to be positive. She was determined to go no matter what.
Jake wondered why she would want an old property instead of a little house in a neighborhood or a nice apartment in town. Not about to let Emma go to an abandoned property alone, he spoke, “She won’t be alone. I’ll go with her.”
Emma leaned back, looking over at Jake in surprise, feeling his arm on the back of her chair for the first time. “You will? You aren’t going to try to talk me out of it, are you?”
Jake leaned over towards her. “It seems important to you, and I want you safe.” He then leaned further and whispered in her ear, “and I want to keep taking care of you.” His breath washed over her softly. Emma closed her eyes momentarily, allowing herself to wonder what it would be like to have him whisper in her ear while making love. Her eyes snapped opened, as she shook herself out of her thoughts. He thinks of me like a sister, she reminded herself. Sitting up straighter, she plastered a smile on her face.
“Thank you, Jake, but you don’t have to watch out for me. I’ll be fine.”
He noticed that the smile, once again, did not reach her eyes. Leaning his large frame back in his seat, he kept his arm on the back of hers. “I’ll pick you up at one o’clock tomorrow at the hotel,” Jake said.
Emma had learned enough of Jake in the past week to know that he was not going to be deterred. “All right. I’ll see you then.”
*
The evening was winding down with everyone was saying their goodbyes. Emma’s good feelings returned. She was so grateful to have met so many friendly people. Walking arm in arm with Laurie, she headed out to her car.
“Emma, it is so good to be living close to you again,” Laurie sighed.
“I know, sweetie. I feel like I have been chasing dreams for so long, but now this feels like I am home.” Emma smiled back.
“So… what about Jake?” Laurie questioned. “It looked like he was doing a good job of claiming you whenever another man approached. And when Mike offered to take you around to some houses, Jake looked like he wanted to kill him.”
Emma's Home (The Fairfield Series) Page 4