The Fireman's Ready-Made Family

by Jules Bennett

  He focused on those dark eyes as they looked back up at him. “Can I ask you something?”

  Her gaze held his as she nodded.

  “Do I scare you?”

  “A little,” she murmured. “It’s nothing you did. It’s just...”

  Unable to help himself, he rested his hand on her shoulder, keeping his touch light when she started to tense. “I don’t want you uncomfortable around me, Marly.”

  “There’s a lot of stuff I’m working through,” she told him. “Sometimes it hits me harder than others.”

  Drake knew all too well about painful memories creeping up at random times, cutting you off at the knees when you least expected it. He’d be lying if he said he was over Andrea’s death, but he’d at least learned to conquer those demons when they threatened him. He was stronger than a year ago, and he wanted to help Marly build on her strength.

  “I’m a pretty good listener,” he said, giving her shoulder a slight squeeze, pleased when she didn’t pull away.

  “I’m sure you are, but I...” She shook her head and sighed.

  Drake stepped closer, fully aware that he was teetering on a thin line where her emotions were concerned. But that damn pull between them crackled in the air, making him want to hold her, to offer some comfort.

  His other hand came up to cup her other shoulder as he eased forward. “Sometimes it only looks as though there’s no hope,” he told her. “Trust me.”

  Damp eyes came up to meet his, and the punch to the gut was swift and unexpected.

  “My trust was shattered,” she whispered, keeping her wet eyes locked on his. “I can’t face this... I can’t get close to anyone, if that’s what you were thinking.”

  Shocked that she’d called him out, Drake slid his hands from her shoulders and let them drop.

  “I wasn’t looking for anything more than friendship, Marly. I want to help Jeremy and I’d like to be your friend.” He met her gaze, ripped apart at the sight of those big brown eyes brimming with unshed tears. “Before you can learn to trust others again, you need to trust your heart. What’s it saying about me?”

  With that loaded question, he walked from the lounge. His own heart beat fast in his chest as he made his way out to the parking lot and to his truck. Once he settled in behind the wheel, he took a deep breath, closed his eyes and leaned his head back.

  When he’d told her to trust her heart, he’d been talking to himself more than anything...but now he realized it was solid advice.

  Drake knew Marly was a strong woman, but someone had pushed that strength aside and had taken advantage of her. He intended to honor his promise of friendship and not press for more. Marly was special, she was worth being patient for, and Drake couldn’t wait to see what happened next.

  Chapter Four

  What had she been thinking, agreeing to this plan? Hadn’t she already mentally scolded herself for getting too close to Chief St. John? She should be steering clear of the man, yet when he’d looked at her with those mesmerizing eyes and offered compassion and support, she couldn’t deny him anything.

  Which was why she was now straightening her home like a maniac, picking up random toys and stray shoes while Willow ran the vacuum. Thankfully the rental home was small, so the cleanup wasn’t too hard—it was more the pressure of having Drake in her home that had her nerves on edge.

  The vacuum shut off and Willow wheeled it back through the hall and under the steps where the cleaning supplies were kept.

  “I better get extra pizza for all that sweeping,” Willow mumbled as she came back through the house.

  Putting away the last of the clean dishes, Marly smiled. “I’ll make sure you get extra. And maybe even dessert for all your help.”

  Willow’s smile widened. “Like brownie delights?”

  Marly shrugged. “I’m not sure if we’ll make brownie delights or not, but I’m sure we can come up with something.”

  Climbing onto a wooden bar stool at the small center island in the kitchen, Willow rested her head in her hands. “What’s the chief coming over for?”

  “We’re going to try to figure out a way to help Jeremy’s family,” Marly explained, hanging her plaid kitchen towel over the oven handle. “Medical bills can be expensive, and Jeremy will need a lot of extra special care to make sure he’s all better.”

  “We’ve been making him get-well cards in class. Jeremy likes trucks, so I drew him a big red truck on my card.”

  Marly reached across the island and smoothed stray strands from Willow’s forehead. This morning her blond mass had been tamed into two braids, but now, well, apparently recess had gotten the better of the hairdo.

  A tap on the front door jerked Marly upright. Heart pounding heavily, she knew the second Drake entered her home, she’d start getting all fluttery, and the last thing she needed was her daughter picking up on any vibes. Not that a five-year-old was very in tune with adults’ feelings, but Marly couldn’t take the chance. Kevin didn’t need more leverage in his attempt to get full custody.

  This was just an evening of acquaintances getting together to collaborate on how to make a family’s life a little easier. Any feelings toward Drake that wanted to take root would have to be removed before they could grow. Any type of relationship at this point, especially with a man, was not a smart move.

  When her doorbell rang again, Marly pulled herself from her thoughts. To assume Drake had feelings on his end was very presumptuous of her. Yes, he’d seemed interested, but did that mean he was going to act on anything? She was borrowing trouble when she had too much on her plate to keep her mind occupied already.

  “I’ll get it, Mama.” Willow ran by her and headed to the front room. “Can I let in the chief?”

  “Yes, and thank you for asking before letting someone in the house.”

  Marly smoothed a hand over her ponytail, then made sure her side bangs were covering the scar. Even though her hair was still in the same shape it had been in at work, she’d at least changed from her scrubs and put on her ever-dressy yoga capris and V-neck T-shirt. Hey, she wasn’t inviting him over for anything romantic, and this was the real her. Nothing fancy, no jewelry, no makeup, plain-Jane hair.

  The days of always worrying about her appearance had long since passed. And to be honest, she loved the Marly she was rediscovering.

  “Wow, pizza?” Willow jumped up and down. “You’re the coolest, Mr. Chief.”

  Marly stepped into the front room and smiled. The sight of Drake in a gray T-shirt pulled taut across his shoulders and faded jeans did nothing to help her motivational speech she’d just given herself about not having time to think of him as anything other than a friend.

  How could she ignore such a visually tempting man? And the fact that he was concerned about a helpless little boy only made her heart clench more. Oh, and the way he’d handled a parking lot full of kindergarteners... Yeah, the man was fast becoming more and more appealing.

  “How about you call me Drake?” he suggested to Willow.

  Drake’s lopsided grin and the way he ruffled her daughter’s hair had Marly crossing her arms over her chest. “Thanks for bringing the pizza.”

  He nodded his greeting and held the pizza box in one hand while closing the door behind him with the other. “I hope you guys like fish eggs on it.”

  “Fish...eggs?” Willow asked, throwing a worried look to her mother, then shrugged. “I guess I’ll try it.”

  “I’m teasing,” Drake said with a laugh that showcased his wide smile and white teeth.

  Darn him. Was there nothing about the man that wasn’t perfect? Joking with her child and not acting as though Willow was in the way like...

  No, she wasn’t pulling Kevin into this evening. He occupied enough of her waking hours between the texts, voice mails and her mind working overtime on when he would start looking for them.

  Right now, she just wanted a few hours of peace, away from her monster ex and away from her own worried thoughts.

  Ma
rly shot a smile to Drake and pointed to Willow. “This kid would try anything. She’s a tough one to scare.”

  Drake’s bold eyes went back to Willow, his brows rose. “Really? A brave girl? I like that. You sound more like a firefighter than a kindergartener.”

  Willow beamed. “When can I take a ride on your fire truck?”

  “Willow,” Marly scolded. “I’m sorry. She was really impressed the other day at the field trip. She’s hardly talked about anything else.”

  Drake moved through the living room and handed the pizza box to Marly. “I don’t mind at all, actually. What kind of chief would I be if I didn’t keep my promise to let such a brave girl take a ride on the truck? You may become a firefighter one day and you’ll need the experience.”

  “Me?” Willow squeaked, jumping up and down. “A firefighter? That would be awesome!”

  The man had been in the house for all of two minutes and had already captivated both women in the room, for totally different reasons.

  “Come on in and eat,” Marly suggested as she turned and headed toward the back of the house. “You two can discuss firefighter training over fish eggs.”

  Before long, paper plates were filled with chips and pizza. Marly pulled out two cans of soda and a bottle of water. They gathered around the small kitchen table and Marly resisted the urge to make everything perfect. The man sitting across from her was nothing like the man she’d left. Nothing.

  Marly highly doubted Drake cared if he ate off paper plates or fine china. He didn’t seem the type to need a linen napkin over a paper towel. She refused to bow down to a man’s every wish again. She would make Willow happy first, herself second, and if a man came along and could put up with being third on her list of priorities, then there was a slight chance that she would consider him in her life.

  To be honest, she doubted the yearning to want another man would come for a long, long time. Yes, she found Drake attractive and had those tingles in her belly when he was around, but she wasn’t ready for anything beyond that. How could she be? She was still recovering emotionally and physically from her last relationship.

  “Everything okay?” Drake asked, pausing as he reached for another piece of pizza. “You wandered off for a bit.”

  Marly took a sip of her soda and nodded, forcing herself to be in the moment. “Just thinking. So what have you thought of for a fund-raiser?”

  He slid the piece onto his plate and met her gaze. Those blue eyes could mesmerize a nun. She shoved a chip into her mouth to try to keep her mind on the task and not the man. Easier said than done when the man in question was as potent as Drake St. John.

  “We need something where the town comes together,” he told her, oblivious to the turmoil inside her. “The more people who pitch in, the more support Shawn and Amy will have. This isn’t just about monetary needs, they need moral support and people to lean on.”

  Rocked by his selfless declaration, Marly nodded in agreement. “You’re absolutely right. They will need assistance from all angles.”

  “How about a bake sale?” Willow chimed in around a mouthful of pizza. “The school had one the other day to raise money for books for the library.”

  “Honey—”

  “Willow.” Drake cut off Marly, giving her a wink. “I think a bake sale is a wonderful idea. Your mother and I were thinking of something really big for the entire town, but those people would love some treats, I’m sure.”

  Drake took a bite of pizza, took a full gulp of his soda before continuing, “What about something that incorporates several aspects of raising money? Maybe a dunking booth or three-legged races?”

  Marly’s mind started working overtime. Now, this was an aspect from her old life she was actually glad to have instilled in her. Planning, organizing a way to raise funds.

  “Like a festival?” Marly asked. “That’s great, Drake.”

  “A festival?” Willow smacked her hands on the table and jumped from her chair. “Can we have a Ferris wheel like the one we rode on a few weeks ago, Mama?”

  Marly laughed. “Oh, honey. It would be quite expensive to bring in a Ferris wheel. The whole point of this would be to make money, so probably nothing like that.”

  As the pizza was devoured, Drake and Marly volleyed back and forth various ideas. Some were good, some not so good.

  “I’ll get you a pen and paper, Mama.”

  When Willow ran out of the room, Marly shook her head and started gathering the paper plates. “That child has more energy than I can keep up with at times.”

  Drake came to his feet and folded the chip bags. “Where do these go?”

  “Oh, just leave them. I’ll get everything.” Marly tried to busy herself so she didn’t have to look in his eyes, didn’t have to talk about anything personal. “What do I owe you for the pizza?”

  Drake rested his hands on his narrow hips and shook his head. “Absolutely nothing.”

  “I need to pay at least half,” Marly told him, reaching for her purse on the counter.

  He laid his hand over hers. She hadn’t even seen him move toward her, but when she looked up and her eyes met his, she tensed. His hands were so big, totally blanketing her own. An image flashed in her mind of other large hands on her, hurting her. She forced herself not to completely seize up beneath his delicate touch.

  Between that intense stare and the heat from his hand, Marly swallowed hard, trying to reinforce that pep talk she’d had with herself earlier.

  Feeling anything toward Drake was a bad, bad idea.

  “You owe nothing,” he told her, keeping his eyes locked onto hers. “Maybe you can buy next time.”

  Holding her breath and praying her voice came out strong, Marly asked, “Will there be a next time?”

  Before he could respond, Willow burst back into the room. “I got paper and a pen,” she yelled. “Now, spell everything slow for me and I’ll make notes.”

  Drake’s hand slid away from Marly’s as she continued to stare at him. Willow was oblivious to the tension that had settled between them, but it left Marly...confused, intrigued...fascinated.

  What was Drake thinking? Flirting was one thing, but the way he looked at her, as if he was attracted and ready to act on it... How could she cope with a man who wanted anything from her? She truly had nothing left in her to give. But, she vowed, she would never be this low again. She would never allow another man to break her.

  Marly turned toward her daughter and concentrated on helping Willow write down some simple notes for the festival. If they were going full speed ahead with this plan, Marly feared there would most definitely be a next time she and Drake got together.

  And Willow couldn’t always pose as the chaperone.

  * * *

  What the hell had he been thinking?

  Drake picked up another nail, positioned it against the two-by-four and hammered it home with more force than necessary.

  “Whoa. Who are you pissed at?”

  Drake glanced over his shoulder to see Eli standing in the doorway to the addition Drake was adding onto the back of his house.

  “Nobody,” he mumbled.

  That wasn’t true. He was beyond mad with himself for allowing his hormones to control his actions. He knew Marly was skittish, yet he’d still flirted, hoping to see a reaction. Her deer-in-the-headlights look when he’d placed his hand over hers was all he’d needed to know that she remained very cautious and scared.

  “You’re mad,” Eli retorted, stepping into the room. He ran his hand along the already placed beams and glanced over the work. “Is it the mayor again?”

  Drake grunted, driving in another nail. “It’s never not the mayor.”

  “Something more than usual?” Eli asked.

  Carefully dropping his hammer to the subfloor, Drake shook his head. “Nothing I can’t handle. What are you doing here? Don’t you have a clinic to run, wife to love on or baby to feed?”

  Eli’s smile widened. As the oldest brother, Dr. Eli St. John had be
en busy lately with taking over their father’s clinic, marrying his high school sweetheart and becoming a father.

  Nora and Eli had drifted apart when Eli had gone into the military. Nora had married Eli’s best friend, but when Nora’s husband was killed in action, she had discovered she was pregnant. Now that she and Eli had found their way back to each other, Drake had never seen his brother so happy.

  “Actually Nora took the baby and went to visit Mom and Dad. I saw your truck when we passed by and since I hadn’t seen you in a week, I told her I’d check up on you and be right back.” Eli crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against a stud. “Care to tell me what’s wrong?”

  “Everything, actually.” Walking over to the sawhorses with plywood on top for a makeshift worktable, Drake twisted off the cap of his water and downed half the bottle. “Jeremy is still recovering from that damn fire, the mayor is the bane of my existence and now Marly is consuming my thoughts.”

  “Marly?” Eli’s brows raised. “Who’s Marly?”

  The St. John boys were known for being jokesters and hellions, but Drake was thankful for once that his brother didn’t razz him about saying another woman’s name.

  “She’s the nurse caring for Jeremy.”

  Eli continued to stare, as if weighing his words before they came out. “This is the first time you’ve mentioned any woman since Andrea.”

  Raking a hand over his head, Drake sighed and downed the last half of his water before tossing the bottle into the trash in the corner.

  “I’ve been on a few dates,” Drake commented. “Nothing has progressed beyond date one with anybody, so I never mentioned them.”

  “Is this nurse a serious thing?” Eli asked.

  With a laugh, Drake shook his head. “She’s skittish, she’s a single mom to an adorable little girl and she’s running from something. But as far as she and I go, we’re nothing. She consumes my thoughts and I don’t know if that’s the protector in me wanting to know more and help her or if I’m actually attracted on a level I didn’t think existed anymore.”