Chapter Two

 

ZACH STOOD SPEECHLESS on the veranda. The heat of his attraction, along with sympathy at the shards of sadness and pain he’d glimpsed in her stunning hazel eyes, hit him square in the gut. Torn between giving her the privacy she so clearly desired, and intruding to see if he could help, Belle made the choice when her sticky fingers pulled his face around. “I have to pee, Daddy! Now!”

Zach dropped a kiss on his little girl’s forehead and reluctantly turned away, loping down the steps and heading for his back door and inside to the closest bathroom before she left a wet spot on his hip.

He knew the basics of what had happened to Natalie, but wondered if something recent had occurred? She seemed shaky, was limping, and more emotionally fragile than at the hospital with Cal, although her loss was so recent back then, maybe she’d just been numb. He’d spend a week around her when they’d been taking turns keeping watch over her cousin. Although a cloud of sadness hovered over her during that time, he’d become reluctantly enamored of her.

She was brave and loyal, and her sense of humor would creep out when she tried to keep Cal’s morale and mood up. It hadn’t been the right time, though, since he’d been struggling as a single father, and knew there was no way he could pursue anything with Natalie. The veritable two ships in the night.

He hadn’t been able to stop thinking of her since.

Turning his attention back to his daughter, the flood narrowly averted, he held her hand as she hopped and skipped down the hall toward the kitchen.

“Daddy, why didn’t the lady want her pretty lights turned on? She was mean at first, but then sad.”

“She was, wasn’t she? Hop on board and let’s have lunch, sweetie.” He hoisted her onto his shoulders and strode into the kitchen, ducking through the doorway. “You’re right, she was kinda mean and sad, but she looked like she was sorry she wasn’t nice to you. I bet you didn’t know she’s Uncle Calum’s cousin, did you? The grandma lady next door was her real grandma.”

Zach didn’t think Belle was old enough to deal with an explanation of Nat losing her son, so he settled on reminding her not everyone was interested in decorating for the holiday.

“I know you want the neighborhood decorated for Christmas, but we won’t bother her, okay?”

Belle leaned over and patted one cheek with her chubby hand. “Maybe we should just decorate her house for her? That would make her feel better.”

Zach settled her in the captain’s chair and quickly slapped together a PB&J. “Well sweetie, if she’s really as sad as she looked, maybe she doesn’t feel like having pretty decorations. Sometimes people just want to be left alone when they’re sad. We’ll give her another week or so. Then we’ll see about going back and inviting her out for lunch or dinner.”

That mischievous glint in her eyes set off his radar, knowing she was plotting instead of listening. “You don’t go anywhere but in this house or backyard, right?”

She shot him her best innocent look, the glint not fading one iota, and said around a mouthful of peanut butter and jelly, “I know, daddy.”

Positive he’d had the wool pulled over his gullible eyes, he let the matter drop. The more he went on about it, the more interested his little munchkin would be in getting that house decorated.

She was already hounding everyone else on the block to decorate pretty-please—it was almost Christmas! His little girl was independent and smart as a whip, but it came with a price. He had to watch her like a hawk.

Zach rinsed and put their dishes in the washer, then scooped Belle up from her chair. “Let’s get you settled in your room with a book. Your favorite program will be on soon, and I need to get a few things done in my office before we can head to the park.”

“Okay, Daddy. But I still think we should at least turn on the pretty lights next door.”

Her guileless look didn’t fool him for a minute.

“Absolutely not, Belle. We are not going to bother her, understood?” Zach pinned her with his you better listen to me look, turned and left the room to head back downstairs, swinging by the front door to check the deadbolt, set high enough to evade little fingers, to ensure he’d locked it. He’d already checked the back door, and the backyard was almost as secure as Fort Knox. He wasn’t taking any chances with her safety.

After Zach settled into his office, he tried to concentrate and put Natalie out of his mind, to no avail. Her vulnerability, pretty face, and sexy body appealed to the purely male part of him, and her inner sweetness and kindness when she wasn’t on the verge of losing her shit pulled at his hardened heart. He shook his head, determined to tamp down the attraction, like he’d done for the past couple of years. Been there, done that, had the loser’s ribbon to prove it.

He needed to concentrate on his little girl’s happiness and wellbeing, and try to suppress the protector genes running through his veins. And that damned attraction that came roaring back the minute he’d seen her face, and sexy, curvy body again.

But first, he was going to give Calum a ration of shit for not telling him Natalie was moving in next door. He pulled his phone from his pocket, swiped to unlock, tapped to see recent calls, and hit Jock to call his buddy.

 

❄ ❄ ❄

 

NATALIE COULDN’T turn off the waterworks now that they’d burst the dam of her control. She limped through the parlor into the hall as tears streamed down her face, almost mowing down the movers as they made their way out of the kitchen.

“Oh!” Fiercely scrubbing her wet cheeks, she peered at them through tear-spiked lashes. “I’m sorry. Ah, are you finished?”

They both fidgeted and looked anywhere but her face, the older man finally responding. “Yes ma’am, we’re done. Do you need anything before we head out?”

“No, but just a sec.”

She turned and limped back through the parlor, the men all but on her heels now that escape from the weepy female was possible. She reached into her purse to get their tip and extended her hand.

“Thank you so much for your hard work today.”

She tucked the money into the bear-sized palm of the older, grizzled mover, then stepped back so they could make their escape.

The older man pulled open the door, turned and touched the brim of his hat in an old-fashioned gesture. He surprised her by looking her in the eyes, a kind twinkle in his. “I knew your grandma, miss. No finer woman to be found in our little town. I want to say how sorry I am for your loss. If there’s anything you need, you just give us a call.”

She stood frozen, dumfounded by his kind words and offer of help. Guilt crept in as she remembered her earlier, unkind thoughts that they couldn’t wait to get away from her. If they knew her grandma, maybe she’d sensed worry, and they weren’t being critical.

“Thank you for your help, and your offer.”

She closed the door behind them and knew she’d really made a muddle of things. First with the movers, then with Zach and his daughter. She cringed, thinking about how she’d reacted to his little girl, snapping like a shrew at her. And what a shock to look up from that sweet tyke to see his handsome face glaring at her, before he realized who she was.

If she didn’t watch it, she’d end up alienating everyone her first week back in town, and Zach nor his little one deserved her attitude. Her grandma had raised her to be stronger and kinder than that.

With a shake of her head, she entered the old kitchen, immeasurable comfort filling her to see nothing had changed since her last visit. Since her childhood, really. When she was little, the kitchen was where her grandma brought her for comfort.

She sighed. “A plate of warm, homemade peanut butter cookies and a cold glass of milk always seemed to make everything better, grandma. I sure do miss you.”

“I loved those times with you, too, sweetie, and Lord do I miss you. But I’m not gone yet.”

Natalie covered her cheek, where it felt like a soft kiss had dropped, her heart racing as she whipped around to see who’d spoken. Why, it sounded just like her grandma and felt just like when the older woman gave her an affectionate peck on the cheek! No, not possible. She didn’t believe in ghosts or the afterlife, although Beacon Bay was famous for just that—along with magic. She was just missing her grandma so much she was imagining things.

Willing her heart to slow, she turned and picked up the old copper teakettle, the weight of it, along with those wonderful memories, a balm to her soul. Her grandma had believed the routine of preparing tea was settling. Natalie agreed.

The pain clawing at her heart finally reduced to a low, manageable hum. Her mind finally settled and her pulse slowed. She calmed enough to remember her cousin Calum had been expecting a call with her flight information that morning so he could pick her up. She’d just wanted to get settled by herself without him hovering, so she’d taken a cab.

He’ll be worrying for sure, and I’ll get one of his lectures for not calling. Calum in lecture mode was not a fun time.

Resigned to be scolded but good, she pulled her phone from her purse and scrolled to his name. It rang once, and she cringed when he lit right into her in lieu of a greeting.

“My spies say you’re already at Grandma’s house. You’re going to re-injure your leg if you aren’t careful. The only thing keeping you safe from my wrath is that I understand. I’m on my way over. Have tea ready.”

Natalie, used to her cousin’s autocratic ways, knew his bossiness was cover for the deep love he felt for her. She was also used to his deplorable phone manners, and wasn’t the least bit surprised he’d hung up without letting her get a word in edge-wise or saying goodbye.

That was just Calum’s way of ensuring she didn’t dredge up excuses to keep him from arriving on her doorstep. He would insist on seeing with his own eyes she was truly holding up against the dark memories. Against the depression she’d fallen into after she’d lost Matty, and then again and again after each painful surgery.

When in truth? She felt buried alive by the depression. It just about crushed her—every damn day. She couldn’t come to terms with her new reality. That after all this time, she was still alone, unable to recover from the agony of her empty arms.