by Laura Ann
“Seriously! Stop calling me that! I’m not a little girl anymore!” Goldie stomped her foot.
Both of her brothers raised their eyebrows, looked down at her foot before looking back up at her face.
“Your actions would imply otherwise,” Sawyer mumbled.
“Ugh! You guys are impossible.” She threw up her hands in disgust.
“Good thing you have me then, huh?” Harlan threw his large arm over her shoulders and gave her a squeeze.
Goldie gave him an exasperated look. “You’re worse than the two of them combined, Har.”
Sawyer and Ridge chuckled as they ate. Ridge elbowed Sawyer and grinned, before looking back at Goldie and Harlan. Quickly, Ridge grabbed the bowl of eggs and dumped the rest of them on his plate.
“HEY!” Harlan lunged toward the table reaching for Ridge’s plate.
“Boys!” Goldie called over the chaos. And they think I haven’t grown up.
Ridge had stepped away from the table and was dancing just out of Harlan’s reach with the eggs as he scooped them into his mouth as fast as he could.
Sawyer watched his brothers wrestle with an amused smile on his face while he quickly downed most of the bacon.
Harlan’s scowl was enough to curdle dairy as he chased the youngest of the triplets.
Goldie sighed in exasperation. Her short stature made it difficult to handle her brothers Somehow, they had managed to get the tall genes from their great-great-grandfather. All three boys were well over six foot and thanks to their military careers, were built solid as rocks.
Goldie, however, managed to be an exact copy of her mother. Five-foot-three with enough curves for a woman a foot taller than her.
Finally, deciding she had had enough of the mess, Goldie walked over and grabbed the broom from the corner of the kitchen. She wasn’t big enough to get her brothers’ attention with just herself, but she had discovered that a good, solid whack to their sitters did wonders in getting them to settle down.
“Ouch!”
“Goldie!
“Don’t even think about it, Pint Size.”
Ugh! Goldie hated that nickname even more than the other one. “If you three will act like adults, I’ll stop whacking you like naughty children.” She stood the broom up next to her and narrowed her eyes as her brothers finally settled into their chairs.
“Harlan, I’ll make some more eggs. Now, can we all just get along?”
Three sheepish faces nodded at her.
Spinning around, she put the broom away and got the eggs out of the fridge again, before scrambling up another dozen. As irritating as the triplets were, Goldie was still grateful to have them in her life. When her parents had died during her senior year in high school, her brothers had jumped right in and taken over, not even missing a beat. She would never be able to repay them for setting their own lives on hold while she finished growing up. That’s probably why none of them are married. She thought with a frown. They really should find nice girls and settle down. After all, they’re in their thirties now.
Her beloved brothers were five years older than her. Her parents always said they waited that long to have another child because the triplets were such a handful.
Goldie turned from the stove with the prepared eggs to see two of her brothers chanting while the other one chugged down the last of the orange juice. Or maybe they’re not married because they still act like children. She snorted, then brought the eggs over to Harlan.
“Thanks,” Harlan managed to get out before he started shoveling food in.
Goldie rolled her eyes and shook her head. “I gotta get ready for work. See you guys later.”
A chorus of answers followed her down the hall as she went to her room. Since it was a Saturday, she didn’t have her normal teaching job at Middleton Prep. Instead, she changed into her worst clothes and headed out to the garage.
Her pottery wheel was covered with a tarp in one corner while an easel and a messy table of paints sat opposite it. Today is pottery day. Goldie threw off the tarp and cracked open her cabinets of supplies.
Once she had everything she needed she threw her clay onto the wheel and worked to center it. When the wheel hummed in a consistent rhythm, Goldie was lost. She loved the feel of the wet clay against her fingers and how it shaped and molded according to the slightest pressure of her hands and fingers.
Peace and contentment thrummed through her entire body as she pulled, pushed, tweaked and got lost in the art before her. This is where I belong. Who needs dumb boys, anyway?
A picture of Finley Gruffman suddenly came to mind. Speaking of dumb boys. Well, I guess he’s not a boy, but he is dumb. Her artist’s eye traced the fine features of his face. The strong jaw, the dark hair, the bottomless eyes, the aquiline nose. And who could miss the massive, chiseled physique of such a man? Even her larger-than-life brothers weren’t as big as Finley Gruffman.
The vase collapsed under Goldie’s fingers. “Shoot,” she huffed. Goldie wiped some stray ringlets out of her face, not caring if she left a streak of clay on her forehead. “See? Stupid boys. Making me mess up my project.” She snorted as she re-centered the block. “Who cares if he was good looking? I only noticed because I’m an artist. Artists notice things like that. We’re supposed to spot beauty. It’s our job.” She continued muttering to herself as she worked. “Even if he was a fake.” She pushed too hard and lost the vase again. “A dumb, fake.” Goldie threw her hands in the air, spilling droplets of clay and water all around her.
“Hey. What’s the deal?” Ridge called from the doorway.
Goldie quickly swallowed her frustration. “Nothing. Just having a hard time concentrating. Did you need something?”
“Yeah. We’re out of milk and Oreos.”
Goldie raised her eyebrows and looked at him. “Okay... ?” She tilted her head.
Ridge rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, the boys are coming over tonight to play and we were kinda hoping you would...“ His voice trailed off as he looked at her from under his lashes.
“You’re thirty-one years old. You’re not old enough to go get milk and cookies yourself?” She looked down at herself. “I’m a mess. I’d have to shower and everything.”
Ridge had the good grace to blush. “Har and Sawyer are both on their phones.”
“And you?”
“Please?” He put on his puppy dog face and clasped his hands under his chin.
Like I said. Stupid boys. Goldie sighed and covered her clay. It’s not like I was getting anything done, anyway. “Fine, you big baby. I can’t believe how lazy you are, you doofus.”
As she walked past Ridge into the house he grabbed her around the middle and gave her a bear hug, picking her clear up off the ground. “Thank you! You’re the best!”
“Put me down, you big oaf! You’re gonna get clay all over you!” Goldie squirmed but his firm hold was unrelenting.
“Don’t care!” He finally plopped her down, ruffling her ringlets and grinning like he’d won the lottery.
Giving him as much of a shove as she could, Goldie huffed and stomped to her room to clean up, hiding her grin as she went.
CHAPTER 3
Finley grumbled under his breath as he parked in the crowded parking lot of the grocery store. “I hate shopping. I hate crowds. I hate assistants who get sick.”
It was a rare day that Finley had to fetch his own groceries, but his personal assistant, Allen, had been in bed with a stomach virus for the last week and Fin was out of almost everything. At this point, it was either face the weekend crowd, beg food from his brother or starve to death by Monday.
If I didn’t think that Snow and Quentin would be all over each other, going to Quent’s would probably have been the best choice. He sighed. Shopping it is. Parking at the very back of the lot to avoid fender benders with his beloved luxury vehicle, he strode as quickly as he could into the large building.
Grabbing a cart, he maneuvered his way through the crowd and into the grocery ais
les. Despite his reservations, he found himself getting into a rhythm and making his way quickly through the task. As he rounded yet another aisle, his attention was caught on a head of bright yellow, bouncing ringlets. His breath hitched as he realized who stood in front of him.
The girl who got away. “Wait, what?” He shut down that line of thinking before it could conjure up anything else stupid. A smirk crossed his face as he watched the petite woman trying to get something off the top shelf of the aisle. Stepping off to the side, he parked his cart out of the way and leaned on his elbows to enjoy the show.
Goldie grunted and huffed as she looked at the package of cookies she wanted. Her fists went to her hips and drew attention to her small waist and subsequent curves. Fin found himself heating up as he stared and he quickly straightened up. Dude, what is wrong with you? He pulled at his collar, but it did nothing to bring his internal temperature back down.
He continued to watch Goldie for a few more moments, but when it looked like she was about to start climbing the shelves, he abandoned his cart and rushed to her side. It had absolutely nothing to do with that other guy eyeing her like a piece of meat. Nope. Nothing at all.
“Need saving again, Ms. Lockwood?” He leaned down and whispered in her ear. Oh dang, she smells like lilacs. He started to take a deep breath when she whipped around, her ringlets brushing across his face as she spun.
Her eyes widened and panic seemed to skitter across her features before she got ahold of herself. It took only a split second for her to be glaring at him. “What are you doing here?”
Finley raised an eyebrow at the irritated tone in her voice. “Saving you again, obviously.”
“I don’t need saving.”
Finley looked up at the cookies and back down at her. “It would appear that statement is false.” Reaching out, he snagged a package of cookie and held it out to her. “I thought you hated fakes.” He smirked.
Eyeing the treat as if it were a package of snakes, she cautiously reached out to take it from him. At the last moment, he pulled the package away. “What will you give me for it?” He teased, putting on his best smile, the one that had charmed hundreds of women.
Goldie folded her arms over her chest and cocked her hip. “Not a thing, you jerk.” Spinning on her heel, she grabbed her cart and started to stomp away.
Again? She’s leaving again? “You’ve got to be kidding me,” Finley grunted.
“Miss?” A masculine voice called out from behind Finley as he started to follow Goldie.
Both Fin and Goldie spun around.
“Is this what you needed?” The stranger held out another package of cookies with a charming smile.
Finley rolled his eyes. There’s no way she’ll fall for that. He’s as fake as I am.
Goldie put her hand to her chest. “Oh, thank you! What a gentleman.” Her eyes flashed to Finley and back to the stranger. “I didn’t think those existed anymore.”
Finley growled and watched her walked around him towards the man. “And what might your name be?” She said with a bright smile.
What the-? Finley watched a blush crawl up the man’s neck and into his baby face.
“Um... it’s Michael.” The guy ran a hand across the back of his neck and Finley wanted to vomit.
He’s totally faking that! Please, tell me you can see through it.
“Well, Michael, I really appreciate your help.” Goldie batted her eyelashes. “Maybe I’ll see you around sometime.” With a little wave, she bounced back to her cart, where she deposited the cookies and started sashaying her way down the aisle.
Finley couldn’t seem to tear his eyes away but after a few moments he realized Michael was watching Goldie’s every move as well. Putting on his most severe scowl, Finley cleared his throat and folded his arms over his chest. He knew he was big, and he liked it. Especially at times like these.
Michael’s eyes widened as he looked at Finley and his oversized arms. He mumbled a quick “excuse me,” then dashed back to his cart and out of the area.
“Better run,” Finley grumbled. His eyes went back to where Goldie had just turned the corner. “That woman is the most exasperating...” He blew out a breath and ran his hand through his hair. Why the heck do you care? A voice echoed through his mind. “I don’t,” he answered out loud. “It’s only because she keeps needing to be saved. She’s too naïve for her own good. Playing with fire,” he grumbled. “I guess I’m just a knight in shining armour.” He stood straighter and puffed out his chest. “Someone has to save women like her from herself.” With that thought as a semi-valid excuse, he grabbed his cart and began to chase her around the corner.
GOLDIE FUMED AS SHE continued walking through the store. Since she was coming anyway, she had decided to just do her weekly shopping, rather than just grabbing milk and cookies. Obviously, that was a mistake. Stupid, Finley Gruffman, showing up everywhere. Stupid Ridge who talked me into coming shopping for him. Stupid cookies that were on the top shelf!
She snorted as she put a few more things in her cart. “At least he isn’t following me,” she mumbled.
“Talking to yourself, huh? You know what they say about people who talk to themselves.” Finley’s deep, gravelly voice shot straight through Goldie’s core.
And stupid hormones that react to good-looking men! She wanted to scream, but she wasn’t about to give Finley the satisfaction of seeing her lose it. Slowly, she turned around. “I’m sorry. Did you say something?” She opened her eyes wide, holding onto the innocent expression she used on her brothers when she was trying to get something past them.
Finley smirked. “Ignoring me won’t make me go away, you know.” He leaned closer and his cologne filled her nose.
Good grief that scent should be illegal.
“You know as well as I do that you want me around. So why don’t we just dispense with the games?” He grinned and raised a brow.
Goldie felt her temperature rise and not in a good way. That’s it. Scowling, she walked the couple of feet separating them. Pointing a finger, she jabbed it into his hard chest. “I don’t know who you think you are, but I’m not impressed. Your fake smile and smarmy charm are disgusting.” She wrinkled her nose as if she smelled something rotten. “You think just because you’re rich and good looking that everyone should fall at your feet. Well, guess what buddy? Not happening! No amount of money or good looks can make up for kindness and being real.” She shooed her hands at him. “So, just take your fake self back to those fake ladies who fall for it and all will be well.” When she spun her ringlets spun out wildly from her head and continued to bounce as she stormed down the aisle.
It took approximately three-point-two seconds for her to feel bad about her little tirade, but she refused to look back and apologize. That man needs to be brought down a peg or two.
“You think I’m good looking?”
Goldie screeched to a stop. Aaaaand just like that, the sympathy is gone. Thank you, FInley. She turned. “Really? That’s what you got out of that lecture?”
Finley shrugged and gave a crooked grin. “I learned to tune out lectures a long time ago.” He winked. “My mama raised three boys. She could lecture with the best of them.”
“Well,” she shrugged one dainty shoulder, “two out of three isn’t bad.”
Finley frowned. “What?”
Goldie tilted her head and gave her best smile. “Obviously, your mother succeeded quite nicely with the other two. I suppose we should give her credit for that.”
Finley snorted. “You’ve got a wicked tongue there, Tiny.”
Goldie stilled. “Excuse me? What did you call me?”
Finley looked like he was holding in laughter. “Tiny.”
“You ever heard the expression, ‘it’s not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog’?” Goldie said through gritted teeth.
Finley pursed his lips and nodded.
“Well, that applies here.” She circled her finger around herself. �
��I may be small, but I pack a punch and I can take care of myself.”
“Ah, now see you’ve already proven yourself wrong. I’ve had to save you twice in the last couple of days. You, obviously, need a keeper.” Finley put his hands in his pockets and rocked back on his heels, smug in his supposed victory.
Goldie spluttered. “You haven’t saved me from anything! All you did was lie about our relationship, which I then had to correct. And a moment ago you were trying to get something from me before you would let me have the cookies. Heroes don’t require anything in return. They do good because it’s right, not because it will profit them.” She could feel the heat in her cheeks and knew she was flushed, but there was no getting around the anger he inspired in her.
A fire lit Finley’s dark eyes and suddenly Goldie couldn’t look away. He stalked toward her, his size was intimidating and she should have been scared, but somehow she knew he wouldn’t hurt her. “Everyone is out for themselves, Tiny. Everyone. And don’t you forget it.” Spinning on his heel, he walked away so fast that Goldie didn’t even have time to breathe before he disappeared.
There had been such raw pain and hurt in his eyes, it had taken her breath away. For the first time since meeting the moody man, Goldie worried she might have misjudged him. What in the world happened to you, Finley Gruffman?
CHAPTER 4
Goldie didn’t see Finley again as she finished shopping and drove home but their parting words wouldn’t leave her mind. Obviously, something happened to him. But what? Maybe he hasn’t always been an overconfident jerk. Is whatever happened the reason he puts on such a jerky facade? Her thoughts swirled in a million different directions and she couldn’t find a way to put the brakes on.
Goldie was so distracted that she didn’t even bother to go back out to her art studio that afternoon. “There’s no way I’ll be able to work,” she grumbled. She liked to get lost in her art and right now her mind was too full to create.