by Marie Harte
His house always appeared immaculate—he had landscapers take care of the yard while he was away—and he never seemed to have a hair out of place on that gorgeous head.
She sighed. She’d been infatuated with the man since the first time she’d seen him. Her parents liked him, mostly because he was never there. They’d moved to Bainbridge to get away from it all, then moved to Scotland two years ago to take care of her grandmother, where they fell in love with the village and the people.
Addy had happily moved into their home, treating it as her own. Not paying rent helped stretch her paycheck, which was minimal at best on a teacher’s salary. But she loved her kids, loved teaching, and loved not having to work summers.
“You going to wipe the varnish off that or what?”
Addy flushed and glanced up at her good friend Solene. “Sorry. A little preoccupied tonight.”
“Oh?” Solene sat next to her on a tiny chair meant for preschoolers. “What’s up?”
“He’s back.”
Solene blinked. “He, as in, Secret Agent Cavanaugh? Stripper to the Stars Cavanaugh? Ultimate Thief Cavanaugh? Or are we calling him Naughty Noel now? Because personally I’m going with the stripper persona. It’s more fun.”
Addy sighed. “I wish. Apparently, he’s Daddy Cavanaugh now.” She explained to Solene what had happened, ending with, “The weirdest thing was that the woman didn’t stick around. I mean, wouldn’t you want to see your child safely with his father before taking off? For all she knew, I was a psycho stalker. A white slaver. A baby killer. A—”
“Okay, I get it. But for all you know, she and Daddy Cavanaugh didn’t end well, and she wanted a smooth hand-off. Or she was afraid to tell him about the little guy. You said he seemed shocked about the baby.”
“He did. I felt bad for him. But it was the first time I’ve seen him have a personality, so that was kind of neat. He’s apparently not a robot. He even said ‘fuck’.”
“First they say it, then they do it.” Solene crossed her fingers. “You go, girl.”
Addy laughed. “Yeah, right.”
Solene knew about Addy’s hopes and dreams. The pair confided in each other, best of friends since Solene had moved back to the island a year ago. They’d been the only two people under the age of sixty in an old monster movie marathon at the local theater and bonded over a lively discussion about Mothra versus Godzilla.
“Seriously though,” Solene continued. “What’s the deal with your love life? I feel out of the loop. We haven’t talked since last week.”
Addy sighed. “I saw Brent on Saturday. We went to dinner.” The highlight of her evening had been the butter rolls and salad.
“Brent the barber?”
“No, that’s Brian. Brent the CPA.”
Solene winced. “Oh boy. You really are in a drought, aren’t you?”
“Unlike you.” Addy envied Solene’s easy way with men. Hell, her easy way with life. “I’ve never met anyone as self-confident as you. What’s your secret?” Besides being a blonde bombshell and former model?
“I don’t give a rat’s ass.” Solene grinned. “I’ve seen ’em all. The handsome, the ugly, the fat, the thin, the alpha types, the nerdy geeks. Men are men. Meaning, they all want something for nothing.”
“That’s a little harsh.”
“But true.” Solene shrugged. “Hey, I’m happy. I don’t need a man to complete me. Honestly, I hire out what I need.”
Addy raised a brow.
“Oh, not for sex. I can get that easily enough. I’m talking about fixing pipes or moving furniture. Hell, I had some guy stop to help me fix my tire last month, and I wasn’t even trying to flag down help.” Solene grinned. “I was wearing a pair of shorts and a T-shirt. What can I say? Men like blondes and boobs, and I’m both.”
“A boob?” Addy teased. “Come on, Solene. Not all men are that bad.” She’d started to worry about Solene. Her friend had ended a relationship and moved back to Bainbridge, but that negativity over men had yet to change.
Unlike Solene, Addy wanted to love and be loved. She wanted intimacy with a man to be more than a one-night stand. Sex, for her, had always been about more than her body, but her heart and mind as well.
Solene playfully knocked her in the arm. “You’re such a goof. A romantic goof. Stop looking at me like you pity me. I can hate on men all I want. Did you see how easy it was to get the maintenance guy to back down the price?” She snorted. “I stuck out my chest an inch more and he knocked the fix-up down to parts only. The labor’s free.”
“You don’t think much of men, do you?”
“No, frankly, I don’t.” She eyed Addy with interest. “You do, though, don’t you?”
“Men are okay.”
“Brent is boring. Noel is hardly around, and when he is, he’s antisocial. John dumped you when you wouldn’t put out on the first date. Mitch left you for that skank Melinda—but good riddance I say. Should I go on?”
“Sadly, no. But Bainbridge Island has a small dating pool. I’m thinking about signing on with a dating site and meeting some people from Seattle too.”
“Good luck with that. Talk about crazies…”
“They can’t all be that bad.”
“Yeah, right. I bet you twenty bucks that before you know it, your Mr. Cavanaugh, the same guy who barely gives you the time of day when he’s here, will be on your doorstep with a big smile needing baby help. Once you give it to him, you’ll be watching the kid while he’s out doing God knows what. Then he’ll be gone again, and you’ll still be alone.”
“I’ll take that bet.” Yet as she helped Solene clean the rest of the room, she wondered.
The weekend flew by in a flurry of chores and baking for the PTA fundraiser. Addy already loved her new batch of fourth graders. Thank God they seemed much better behaved than last year’s hell-raisers. She had a great feeling about the school year, and for once, the weather had stayed sunny and bright through Sunday evening.
But throughout her time spent cooking and cleaning, she kept an eye on the front door and her cell phone near her at all times.
Nothing.
Noel hadn’t tried to contact her for anything. She wondered if he’d left the island again. She thought he worked internationally. Something that accounted for all the traveling he did, as evidenced by the tags on his suitcases. She was never sure about his schedule, though she did occasionally overhear people talking about him.
Noel was a popular topic in town. So quiet, polite, and drop-dead handsome, he raised curiosity in the locals. Mostly in the women, she had to admit. But what woman wouldn’t be intrigued by a gorgeous man cloaked in shadow? Heck, he barely made any noise when he moved. Everything about him seemed to whisper.
Except he’d shouted the word “fuck”. And he’d held a baby in shock.
Monday rolled around, and she got down to educating. The day passed with ease. Still no word from Noel.
Maybe he’d been so overwhelmed with the baby he’d been unable to call for help. Or he felt that since they never spoke much, he had no right to call her.
And I should stop worrying so much about a man who doesn’t want to talk to me. Addy felt stupid for being so concerned. Noel had never called her before, never talked to her unless she instigated a conversation, and never seemed to care what she did as long as she stayed away from him.
Unlike the impression Solene had of her, Addy wasn’t dying for a man. She had a healthy respect for herself. Just because Brent and Mitch didn’t suit her, didn’t mean some other terrific guy wasn’t out there waiting.
Screw Noel Cavanaugh. Addy was pretty and smart. She’d find a man who at least liked her company.
* * * * *
Two days later, she couldn’t take the curiosity anymore. Noel hadn’t called. Sheila at the hardware store and Julie at the grocery reported no sign of h
er reluctant neighbor either. Not that Addy was keeping tabs, but she’d happened to mention seeing him to her friends. And they, as fixated on the mystery of him as Addy, had been on the lookout for him with no results.
“I am such a moron.” She grimaced down at the plate of cookies she held and rang his doorbell. This isn’t about him. It’s about the baby. It’s perfectly fine to be concerned about an innocent little boy. Besides, his house is amazing on the outside. Nothing wrong with wanting to get more than a peek of the interior.
The lovely one-level Craftsman looked like it should have graced the cover of a home and garden magazine. White with dark red shutters, an oak wraparound covered porch, a pristine lawn surrounded by landscaped flowers and shrubs, the place looked like a poster for the perfect American family. The only thing it lacked was a mother and two point five children.
Make that one point five, she mused.
The home had to be close to three thousand square feet in size, if not more. Plus, his attached three-car garage and all that space behind the house. Who knew what was out there?
She glanced back at the SUV in front of one of the garage doors and frowned. Noel typically parked his car out of sight, and the vehicle she’d seen in the driveway a few days ago had been a dark gray Mercedes.
That she knew that about him embarrassed her all over again. How pathetic that she paid so much attention to the man, and he could barely stir himself to wave if he saw her.
She decided to leave when the door opened.
“Hel-lo.” A roguish stranger with short, black hair and gray eyes smiled down at her. The guy looked taller than Noel, and unlike her neighbor, he actually seemed to enjoy seeing her there on the doorstep.
“Um, hi. I’m sorry to intrude. I just wanted to drop off some cookies for Noel and see how the baby was doing.”
“Come on in. I’m Deacon.”
She flushed. “I’m Addy. Here.” She handed him the cookies and let him tug her into the entryway. He closed the door behind her, and she gaped at the interior.
The black ceramic floor of the entry melded into dark brown hardwoods throughout the open floor plan. She spared a glance for Noel, who was arguing with a giant of a man over a spacious kitchen island. Knowing she’d likely never get another look at the inside of the house, she quickly took it all in. The leather furniture, crafted wooden built-ins, and landscaped paintings on the walls left an impression. She felt gauche and uncultured by comparison.
No wonder Noel had seemed to look through her the few times they’d met. He probably thought he was better than her because he had more money. A look at his house made her think he definitely outclassed her—money-wise at least.
Heck, her house had bits of her childhood artwork on the walls. Family photographs and cute-but-homey décor gave the house a warm feel. Nothing sophisticated or richy-rich, not like this place.
She tried to ignore not feeling good enough to breathe Noel’s air—You’re more than your paycheck, Addy, so much more—and glanced around for the baby.
“Where’s the little guy?” she asked.
“Noel Junior?” Deacon said with a grin.
“Still not funny,” Noel growled from her right.
She couldn’t help being startled. She hadn’t heard or seen him move. “Are you doing okay with the baby?”
He nodded. “It took minimal research to figure out how to care for an infant. He’s high maintenance, but not too difficult to handle.” Not like you, his gaze seemed to say.
“Noel, my man.” Deacon’s eyes gleamed with mirth. “Addy brought cookies. I think I’m in love.”
Addy did her best not to blush, but Deacon’s flattery soothed that part of her that worried she’d never be enough for a man. Her pathetic dating life aside, being friends with Solene would be hard on any woman’s self-confidence. How easy to pale in her beautiful friend’s shadow.
“I didn’t mean to disturb you,” she said to Noel.
He didn’t seem pleased to see her in his home. She swallowed a sigh. Time to forget about Noel and focus on getting a life of her own, away from men who didn’t like her. “Is your son doing okay?”
The giant by the kitchen island laughed and sauntered over. “Little Noel is good.”
“Shut it, Hammer,” Noel said, his voice cold enough to freeze hell over.
The large one named Hammer ignored him. “Addy, is it?” He took a cookie from the plate. “Oh man. Chocolate chip. My favorite.” He gently drew her with him into the living area. “Thanks. The little guy is fine.” He nodded down to the blanket on the floor, where Noel Jr. rocked on all fours and gurgled.
She melted and knelt by him. “Oh my goodness. You are too cute.” She smiled at him, enchanted when he smiled back at her. Someday I’ll have a baby of my own. A husband, a big family with the works: kids and pets and love.
She stroked the baby’s dark hair and sighed. Time to stop daydreaming about her mystery neighbor and get on with her life. The baby seemed fine. Noel had guests. Time to go.
She stood and found him right beside her. Off balance, she took a step back and nearly tripped over a large bouncy ball. But Noel caught her and frowned down at her.
His large hand remained on her waist and sent tingles up and down her spine.
“I guess I’ll head home now.” Her face felt hot. Geez. This guy turned her inside out. It was more than time to go. “Enjoy the cookies.”
He still hadn’t let go.
“Noel?”
Jesus. Not only did the woman turn him on just by breathing, she could bake too. The cookies Hammer and Deacon were wolfing down smelled delicious. But not as good as her.
“Save me a few,” he ordered, unable to look away from a blushing Addy.
“You can let me go now, Noel. I’m not going to fall.”
Deacon snickered. Hammer cleared his throat.
Much as he didn’t want to, Noel released his hold on her narrow waist. “Sure.” He didn’t step back, though.
She did. “Ah, I should go.”
“Not yet.” Noel felt frustrated. He’d been doing his best to get along with Thing 1 and Thing 2, but the idiots weren’t helping. Neither guy would admit to being the baby’s father, though they acknowledged what a great time they’d had in Mexico. The DNA results they’d sent in to a special lab would take a few weeks. Until then, he refused to let the guys go home.
The baby was not his problem alone. The dirty diapers, the feedings, the constant crying—they were annoying but bearable. The kid’s adorable smiles and laughter, admittedly, warmed that coldness inside him without even trying.
The two assassins crowding his private space, invading the schedules and normalcy of his home, however, gave him constant headaches. He’d ached to shoot at least one of them ten times a day, and they’d only arrived forty-eight hours ago.
He wouldn’t have minded Addy dropping by before now, and that surprised him. He’d actually wanted to go next door several times over the past few days, to see her pretty eyes and watch her smile. Silly, but the baby was making him feel more human than he liked to admit.
At least with Hammer and Deacon in residence, he wouldn’t be stuck playing babysitter forever. No matter how cute the kid was, a baby wouldn’t fit Noel’s lifestyle. Nor would a sexy, innocent neighbor who was looking way too good in that sweater and jeans.
Remember, Noel, she’s too good for you. Way out of your league.
“Hey, Addy, how’d you like to grab some dinner sometime?” Deacon asked out of the blue.
Noel should have poisoned the playboy years ago. He glared, his control once again shot to hell. “She can’t.”
“I can’t?” Addy sounded confused.
“She’s got a date with me later.”
“I do?”
He nodded and guided her toward the front office, where he pulled them both insid
e then closed the door. Now standing with her in a smaller space, just the two of them, alone, he felt himself relax.
“Um, Noel? What’s going on?”
She didn’t appear pleased. Crap. Probably should have asked her out instead of ordering her.
“I was thinking you and I could get dinner tonight, if you’re free. I’d like to thank you for being so nice about the baby.”
She blinked. “You don’t need to take me to dinner for that.”
“I’d like to.” He’d like to do more than dinner with her, but complications arising from sex wouldn’t work in his favor. Still, even knowing that, he couldn’t stop thinking about how he’d take her.
She turned pink again. “Well, I don’t know…”
“Think of it this way. We’ve lived next to each other for two years and I know next to nothing about you.” A lie. He knew everything about her…on paper, at least. And that was part of what scared him, his fascination for a woman with a background and lifestyle so different from his own.
“Whose fault is that?” she retorted, surprising him with a bit of backbone. “I’ve tried to be friendly.”
Addy had always seemed so pleasant, even a bit meek around him. He liked her sudden bite. A lot. “My fault entirely,” he admitted. “I’m always traveling, and when I get home, I’m so tired I’m normally not at my best.”
She bit her lower lip, and he swallowed a groan. “You are pretty crabby. But it doesn’t help that I probably seem pushy. It’s just that we’re neighbors, and I was hoping we could be friends. But Noel, we don’t need to go to dinner if you don’t want to. I swear the cookies was the last time I planned to bug you. I really did just want to see the baby.”
She was giving him an out. An easy way to avoid her. Yet he kept seeing Deacon flirting with her in his mind’s eye. “No, really. I’ve wanted to ask you out for a while, but since I’m always gone, I didn’t want to seem friendly then aloof when I left again.”