“That’s what I said. Ultimately, my editor agreed, although I had to argue with her about it too.”
“I’m glad you stood up for yourself.”
I smiled. “Thanks. Me too.”
A flash of my earlier fantasy came to mind, as did the knowledge that we were alone in my bedroom. Dad was at work, and it felt inexplicably naughty to have Gavin stretched out on my bed like that.
My eyes flicked to his groin. I couldn’t help myself. His jeans barely concealed the bulge in his pants, and I had to glance away quickly.
“I know you can’t come over and sit around every day while I write, but—”
“Sure I can.”
I laughed. “No you can’t.”
“Are you assuming I don’t have time? Because honey, right now I’ve got more of that than I know what to do with. But if you’re saying that because you don’t want me to, that’s another story.”
“I just can’t ask you to always be here when I need to write. That’s not really a solution to my problem. Not long term, at least.”
He shrugged. “Maybe you just need a jump start. How about I come over tomorrow and we see if it works again?”
“Really?”
“Yeah. But can I bring my kitten? I don’t think she should be alone too long.”
Oh my god, he needed to stop being so cute before I lost my mind and launched myself at him. “Of course. I didn’t know you had a kitten.”
“Yeah, Princess Squeaker. A squirrel led me to her and I rescued her.”
“That’s so cute.”
Our eyes met again and suddenly my tummy was a whirlpool. Why did I react to him this way? It was like he made my hormones go crazy.
“I should probably get back to my kitten.” He held up the book, his finger still marking where he’d left off. “Can I borrow this, though?”
“Really?”
“Don’t hold out on me, Sky. I need to know what happens.”
“Of course you can. You can keep it if you want. Let me get you a bookmark.” I found one in a box I had left over from a book signing and handed it to him.
“Thanks.” He tucked the bookmark between the pages, then closed it again.
I picked up his crutches and held them while he swung his legs over the edge of the bed and stood. “I can carry the book down for you.”
He went down first and I followed. I walked him out to his truck and waited while he put his crutches inside and hoisted himself into the front seat. Then I handed him the book.
“Thanks again for coming over.”
He grinned. “My pleasure. Glad it worked. I’ll see you tomorrow?”
“Yeah.”
We held there for a second, eyes locked, and I had the most inexplicable urge to rush in and kiss him. I could practically feel his lips pressing against mine. His hands pulling me close, finding their way beneath my clothes.
He looked away first, breaking the spell.
I stepped back before I made things more awkward than they already were. God, what was I doing? There was something seriously wrong with me.
He shut the door and started the engine. I took slow steps backward. It was like I was having a hard time pulling myself away from him. He winked at me and backed up out of the driveway.
God, that wink. It sent a tingle down my spine and made me want to giggle like a shy little girl.
I went inside, feeling rather bewildered. I wasn’t sure if it was the lingering effects of Gavin’s wink and dimpled grin combination, or all the writing I’d done today. Maybe both.
But a lot of it was Gavin.
I couldn’t remember the last time I’d eaten, so I went to the kitchen and poked around in the fridge. Before I’d settled on anything, there was a knock at the door.
My heart lurched and a heady mix of anxiety and excitement raced through my veins.
Was Gavin back? Had he forgotten something upstairs?
This schoolgirl-esque reaction was so silly, but the butterflies fluttering in my stomach didn’t seem to care.
I went to answer the door, but it wasn’t Gavin standing on the step.
It was my mom.
15
Skylar
Mom smiled and held her arms out. She was typically put together in a pretty white blouse, light gray slacks, and black stilettos. “Hi, honey.”
“What are you doing here?” I hugged her, smelling the familiar scent of her perfume.
“I thought I’d surprise you and see how you’re doing.”
“I’m definitely surprised. Do you want to come in?”
Her eyes darted around in a quick glance, like she was taking in the house. “I’d love to.”
“Dad’s at work,” I said, stepping aside and shutting the door behind her.
She followed me to the kitchen. “That’s probably for the best. Am I interrupting anything? Are you busy?”
“Not at all. It’s so good to see you.”
And it was. I’d always been close to my mom. It was strange to be far enough away that I couldn’t just pop over to her place whenever I wanted.
She looked around and I wondered what she thought of the home she’d once shared with my dad. She must have a lot of memories, although I assumed it looked a lot different from when she’d lived here.
“It’s good to see you too,” she said and took a seat at the table. “I’ve been worried about you.”
I sighed. Of course she was. That was what moms did. “I’m fine, Mom. Tea?”
“That would be lovely. So tell me how things have been since you moved.”
I put some water on and the first thing that sprang to mind wasn’t that I’d been writing or that Ginny was in town. It was Gavin.
I tried to push him out of my mind and focus.
“Things have been good. I’m pretty well settled here. There’s plenty of room and Dad just kind of does his own thing while I do mine.”
“That doesn’t surprise me. Do you have a place to work?” Her voice was hesitant, and I knew what she was really asking—are you writing again?
I got two mugs out of the cupboard. “Yeah, I have a desk upstairs and there’s a cute coffee shop in town. As for the question you didn’t ask, yes, I’ve actually done some writing.”
“Have you? That’s great.”
I decided not to mention the Gavin effect. Why was I able to write when he was around? It didn’t make sense, but I needed time to unravel that one.
“Yeah, more than I have in a long time. I’m kind of afraid to jinx it, honestly.”
“I think you were right about the change of scenery. How’s Gavin?”
The tea bag packet flew out of my hand mid-rip. How did she know? “What?”
“Gavin Bailey. He’s the one who stepped out in front of your car and broke his leg, isn’t he?”
“Oh, yes.” I grabbed the tea bag and took a breath to calm the fluttering in my stomach. “He’s okay. I’m sure it’s no fun to have a broken leg, but he’ll be fine.”
“Have you had the chance to talk to him since it happened?”
“Yeah, I have.” I poured the hot water, debating whether to tell my mom I’d been hanging out with him. I didn’t know why. Normally I told my mom everything. Well, not everything. Things like sex fantasies were outside the realm of our usual conversation.
Now I was just being silly. I could tell my mom I’d become friends with Gavin without mentioning that the mere sight of him ignited a flurry of arousing daydreams.
I brought our tea to the table. “Actually, I’ve hung out with Gavin a few times. He can’t work until his leg heals, so he has time on his hands. He showed me around town. And then… well, he kind of came over today.”
Mom raised her eyebrows as she pursed her lips around her mug. “Did he, now?”
“Mom. Stop.”
She put her mug down and her lips twitched in a subtle smile. “I just think it’s interesting that you made a friend so quickly. That’s unusual for you.”
�
��Gavin is… persistent. And I mean it when I say we’re friends. Don’t go getting any ideas.”
“The look on your face is giving me ideas.”
“What look?”
She smiled again. “The look that tells me I need to have a chat with your father about what kind of man Gavin Bailey turned out to be.”
I rolled my eyes. “Mom.”
“Okay, okay. I’ll stop pressing you about it. I’m just relieved.”
“About what?”
“The fact that the mention of another man is making you blush like that leads me to believe you’re not wallowing in distress about your breakup with the dipshit.”
I pressed my hands to my cheeks. “Am I blushing?”
“A little.”
“We really are just friends. I’m not wallowing because of Cullen, but I don’t think I’m ready to jump into anything either.”
“Nothing wrong with that. So have you heard from the dipshit at all?”
I laughed softly. “No. Apparently he’s too busy wrecking someone else’s marriage.”
“I’m sorry that happened to you, but I’m so glad you didn’t marry him.”
“So am I.” I blew on my tea and took a sip. “Is it weird that I don’t want him back, but it still hurts?”
“No. Anyone would be hurt by what he did to you. I can’t even imagine what he was thinking. You’re a beautiful, intelligent, creative, wonderful woman. He’ll never do better than you.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
“Any luck finding a new agent?”
“No, but I haven’t really tried. I will, but I think it would be better if I had a book ready to go before I start querying again.”
Mom opened her mouth to reply, but the front door opened and we both turned to look.
Dad came in, dressed in his TFD shirt and dark pants, and paused in the entrance to the kitchen.
Oh boy.
“Caroline.”
She smiled at him over the rim of her mug. “Norman.”
I held my breath while they eyed each other for a long moment. Sometimes my parents were civil to each other. Other times, not so much. They were so different—opposites, really—it was hard to imagine that they’d ever been a couple.
“I thought that was your car outside,” Dad said. “Hope you managed to keep under the speed limit in that thing.”
“I’ll drive like a grandma when I am one.” She pointed at me. “But not too soon.”
I laughed. “No danger of that.”
Dad leaned against the door frame and crossed his arms. “What brings you to Tilikum?”
“Our daughter, obviously.”
“Didn’t think I could cope on my own?” Dad asked.
“I’m not questioning your parenting abilities,” Mom said. “She’s been through a rough breakup. I want to make sure she’s all right. And before you say I could do that with a phone call, I realize that, but Skylar doesn’t like to talk on the phone.”
“Can’t blame her there,” Dad mumbled.
“The house looks like it’s holding up well,” Mom said, glancing around. “Although clearly it’s been a long time since a woman lived here.”
“Indeed it has.”
Was that a dig at my dad for still being single? It was hard to tell. As far as I knew, neither of them had been in a real relationship since their divorce. Mom had been on dates, but never progressed to anything serious—no one had ever earned an introduction to her daughter, at least. If my dad dated, he kept quiet about it. Although I was under the impression that he didn’t.
“Are you off for the night, or just making a pit stop before you head back to your firefighter slumber party?” Mom asked, her lips twitching in a smile.
“I’m off for the night. What about you? Taking a vacation day or two?”
“Not exactly.” She casually sipped her tea. “I’m temporarily without employment.”
“Are you serious?” I asked. “What happened?”
“It’s a long story.”
Dad cleared his throat. “We have time.”
“Well, after my surgery last year, I couldn’t go back to work right away. Apparently that was an unforgivable sin and I wasn’t exactly welcomed back with open arms.” She set down her mug and flashed her beautiful smile. “But you know me. I always land on my feet.”
Dad eyed her with suspicion. “And how long are you thinking you’ll be in town?”
“That’s the silver lining, isn’t it? I’m free to make my own schedule.”
“That doesn’t answer my question.”
“I’m keeping it open-ended. I think our lovely daughter had the right idea about a change of scenery.”
I blinked at her, my mouth slightly open, not sure what to say. It would be nice to have her close by, but it had been two decades since my parents had lived in the same town. How was this going to work?
“Plus this way you have both of us here to support you.” She stood and looked over at Dad. “Would you mind helping me bring some of my things inside?”
He narrowed his eyes. “And why would we bring your things inside?”
“Because I’m staying here, of course,” she said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “Don’t start with me, Norman, you and I can sleep under the same roof for a little while. It’s not as if you don’t have the space, this house is huge.”
“Space isn’t a problem, but—”
“If it’s really an issue, I’ll find a rental. But I thought this would be good for Skylar.”
I met Dad’s eyes and shrugged. Mom had always been a bit of a windstorm. She knew how to whip through and shake things up, leaving you wondering what had just happened.
Dad sighed. “I do have room and you’re welcome to stay. But Caroline, what’s really going on here?”
“I told you, I lost my job. And what can I say, Skylar inspired me. I think a fresh start is what we both need.” Her phone chimed and she took it out of her purse. “What good timing. They’re here.”
“Who?” Dad asked.
“The movers,” Mom said cheerfully and swept out of the kitchen toward the front door, her pretty black stilettos clicking on the hardwood.
“Caroline,” Dad called and followed her out.
Uh-oh.
I went out front and there was indeed a moving truck parked on the street.
“You’re moving back to Tilikum?” Dad asked.
“Is that so shocking?”
“Yes, it actually is.”
She crossed her arms and took a resigned breath. “I was out of work for longer than anticipated and my benefits were crap. I blew through my savings. Then I went back to a cut in hours and pay, so I got behind on my house payment. The bank is foreclosing and I had to move out.”
“Well, shit,” Dad said.
“I don’t need a lecture on responsibility. I’ve been taking care of myself just fine. I’m just going through a challenging time.”
“I’m not going to lecture you.” With a sigh, he rested his hands on his hips and glanced at the house. “There are two empty bedrooms upstairs. Take your pick.”
She flashed him a smile. “Thank you, Norman.”
Mom was moving in? Oh dear god. I pulled out my phone. I was going to need some best friend backup for this.
Me: Just a heads up, but my life just got slightly more complicated.
Ginny: Uh-oh. What happened now?
Me: My mom rolled into town. With a moving truck.
Ginny: No way. What?
Me: Yeah. She lost her job and had to move.
Ginny: And she’s moving where? To Tilikum?
Me: Not just Tilikum. She’s moving in HERE.
Ginny: Here as in your dad’s house?
Me: Yes. Here as in my dad’s house.
Ginny: Holy shit.
Me: I know. This is going to be complicated.
Ginny: Wow. Okay, keep me posted.
Me: I will.
Mom greeted the movers and started
directing them while Dad watched. I wondered what he was thinking. Probably wondering how on earth this had happened.
I went back inside to get out of their way, wondering if Tilikum was big enough for both of them.
16
Gavin
Princess Squeaker purred against the back of my neck. She was nestled in my hood—one of her favorite places to nap so far—while I drove to Skylar’s house. The tiny vibration tickled. She’d eaten all her food this morning and was using her litter box like a champ. I was ready to call this kitten rescue a success.
I pulled up outside and eyed the house for a second. There was a red car out front that I didn’t recognize. It didn’t look like something Chief would drive, and Skylar’s car was in the driveway.
Getting out of the truck with a broken leg and a kitten in my hood was slightly more complicated than without Squeaker. I didn’t want her to tumble out of my hood—or claw the shit out of my neck, which was probably more likely if I lost my balance. But I managed.
I went up to the front door and knocked, a smile already stealing over my face. I was getting too excited for this. Skylar hadn’t even opened the door, and I was already grinning.
Mellow out, Gav. Just friends. You’ve got this.
But Skylar didn’t answer.
The woman who did was a knockout. Sure, she was probably old enough to be my mom, give or take, but I could appreciate beauty regardless of age. Her dark shoulder-length hair had a streak of silver in the front. Deep red lipstick and heels to match gave her a don’t fuck with me vibe, as did her blouse and wide-legged slacks.
This had to be Skylar’s mom—Chief’s ex-wife—although I had no idea what she was doing here.
“Hi. Is Skylar here?”
Her eyes flicked down to my cast, then back to my face. “Gavin Bailey?”
“Yep.”
“Look at you, all grown up. I don’t know if you remember me; I’m Skylar’s mom, Caroline.”
I didn’t remember her—not really—but the resemblance was clear. “Nice to meet you.”
“Come on in.” Smiling, she stepped aside. “You must have been a kindergartner the last time I saw you.”
“Probably something like that.”
Rushing In: A Small Town Family Romance Page 12