Chapter 10
Building had been in Kean’s blood ever since he could remember. Playing with Legos and with building blocks made from chunks of wood his grandpa discarded had been his favorite pastime as a kid. So he’d always enjoyed helping out with the festival or any other town event where building skills were required.
This year, when Ellie informed him that Charli would be helping, he’d been tempted to find an excuse to bow out. If at first the reason might have been because she was a pain, now it was because he’d developed a kind of uncomfortable attraction he had no business feeling. For two weeks he’d managed to stay away from the sexy brunette, helping with whatever task would keep him from having any interactions with her, but when two weeks before the festival Sophie all but ordered to help paint the fairy trees, he hadn’t been able to say no—even though this would mean being around Charli for a whole afternoon.
As soon as they’d reached the community center where half the town was helping with the props, Sophie had assigned him and Sammy, her quiet friend, the task of painting trees that would go on an Irish-themed float, while she and Charli would decorate the wings of butterflies and fairies.
Sophie’s giggles at something Charli said brought his focus back to the tree he was supposed to paint. He hadn’t done much painting in the last twenty minutes, seeing as he’d been too busy throwing furtive glances at Charli when she wasn’t looking. He couldn’t stop himself. She was so beautiful today, he’d had a hard time tearing his eyes away from her. She wore a loose sweatshirt and a pair of jeans that hugged her shapely legs and her round bottom—that bottom that had haunted his nights with sexy dreams more than once lately—and her long, dark hair was in a messy braid that Sophie had helped style. His niece had developed an obsession with braids these days. She’d even braided his hair once, and it had been a painful experience when he’d had to untangle the locks afterward. As much as he loved his niece, he was glad she’d found Charli and her long hair to practice her braiding skills on.
Charli looked up from her butterfly, a smile lingering on her glossy lips, and his mind blanked out. He didn’t know why he had this reaction to a woman who clearly couldn’t stand the sight of him, and who’d soon be leaving his town because she hated it. He’d seen her perusing job ads on the Internet and he knew once she found a job, she would leave. Probably even sooner. But that didn’t stop him from feeling some kind of rush flow through his body whenever she was near, whenever she smiled, or whenever she said something nasty to him. He was an idiot.
Sophie climbed into his lap, effectively interrupting his daydreaming. “Uncle Kean, I fink you should paint the twee pink.”
He laughed. “Pink? I don’t think I’ve ever seen a pink tree. Have you, Sammy?”
The boy looked up, his brown eyes staring at him as if willing Kean to find the answer there. He blinked then went back to his task as if he’d said it all.
Sophie took Kean’s face in her hands and forced him to look at her. “It’s a faiwy twee, Uncle Kean, and faiwies are all kinds of colors!” There was no need for her to add she thought he was dumb for not knowing such an important fact—her tone said it all.
“Shame on you for not knowing that fairies are all kinds of colors, Uncle Kean,” Charli teased, with a mischievous grin that was supposed to be annoying but was actually quite sexy.
“Fine. We’ll paint the trees pink then.” He picked up his paintbrush and directed it at Sophie. “If anyone has something to say about it, we can always say it was Charli’s idea.”
Charli glared at him. If looks could kill, this one would have sent him to an early grave. But, wow, was it hot.
“I think we should stick to standard trees,” Charli told Sophie in an even tone. His niece’s face fell and she stuck out her bottom lip in her trademark pout. Charli paled and fumbled with the paintbrush in her hand. She was kind of cute. “But… um… we can paint some pink flowers and then stick them on the trees, so fairies can hide inside the flowers at night. Would that work?”
“Yay!” Sophie clapped her hands. “I fink that’s a gweat idea, Auntie Charli. I’ll tell Mommy and Daddy.”
She jumped off Kean’s lap and ran toward the exit door. He shot to his feet, ready to run after her before she went out. He’d been asked to babysit and he doubted his brother would be happy if his daughter ran out on her own. But he stopped when Adam and Ellie walked in hand in hand, looking as happy as two newlyweds should. Damn, the way his brother looked all lovey-dovey, as if he were still on his honeymoon, made him wonder if he’d ever get to experience something like that in his life.
Sophie ran toward Adam and launched herself at him. He picked her up and lifted her to his face, planting a big kiss on her cheek. He listened to her excited chattering, then put her back on the ground. As he and Ellie approached them, with Sophie tagging along, he smiled at Kean.
“Well, it’s good to see the two of you can cooperate without pulling out guns,” Adam said with a smile.
Charli cut a sideways glance at Kean and smirked. “I can’t really complain. He’s been the perfect Bob the Builder today.”
“I like Bob the Builder,” Sophie piped up, making everyone laugh. Then she picked up her paintbrush and sat next to Sammy, inspecting his tree and offering suggestions on how to paint it. The boy looked at her without uttering a word, then let her take the brush, which she all but snatched out of his hand, so that she could paint the rest of the trunk. She was definitely going to give Adam grief when she grew up; she was already a bossy and feisty little thing. Kean didn’t want to think what she’d be like in ten years.
Adam wrapped his arm around Ellie’s waist and pulled her into him. “Honey, we should probably go. I don’t think the paint fumes are good for you,” he whispered, but not low enough that Kean and Charli didn’t hear. Kean watched as Charli’s face transformed, first into a frown and then, as realization hit, her eyes widened, her jaw dropped and she let out a gasp.
“Oh my God. Seriously?” She shot to her feet and flapped her hands in front of her as if she were fanning her face, while she jumped from one foot to the other, like an excited little girl who’d just received the best present ever. “You can’t already… Are you kidding me?”
Adam’s face wrinkled in a guilty expression. Ellie shrugged as she looked at her husband and patted a reassuring hand on his arm.
“Charli, calm down,” Ellie said, lowering her voice a bit. “We don’t want Sophie to know yet.”
“So is this what I’m thinking it is? The paint fumes not being good for you? Are you… pregnant?” She whispered the word out of the corner of her mouth, as if it were a bad word she couldn’t say around kids.
Ellie’s cheeks colored a pretty shade of pink and her smile was all the answer Charli and Kean needed.
“No way,” he said, looking at Ellie first and then at his brother.
Adam smiled sheepishly. “Please guys, let’s not make a big deal out of this. We haven’t told anyone yet.”
“Omigod, omigod, omigod!” Charli squealed. Ellie laughed and put a hand on Charli’s mouth.
“Please, keep it down. We don’t want anyone to know yet. You weren’t supposed to know either, but someone can’t keep his big mouth shut.” She looked at her husband with what was meant to be a glare but that, to Kean, looked very much like a woman in love staring at the object of her affection.
Adam chuckled and scratched the back of his head. “Yeah, well, what can I say? I’m excited.”
“I can’t believe you’ve kept this from me. I’m your best friend,” Charli said, her tone slightly offended.
“We only just found out. Like, an hour ago. My period was a week late, so I took a pregnancy test out of curiosity. We actually agreed we wouldn’t tell anyone until I saw a doctor and got confirmation, but I obviously overestimated my husband’s ability to keep a secret.” Ellie smiled as Adam pulled her closer to him and wrapped his arms around her from behind. His hands rested protectively on her belly and she leaned into him. An unexpected and unwelcome feeling of envy crawled up Kean’s chest. His brother had been so lucky to find love twice. He already had an adorable daughter and now he was going to have more, while Kean was still looking for someone who’d want to spend her life with him.
“Ah, whatever. I’m too excited to hold a grudge.” Charli wrapped her arms around Ellie, including Adam in the hug, seeing as he didn’t seem to want to let go of his wife. “This is awesome. I can’t believe you’re going to be a mother at last.”
“Well, I already was a mother.” Ellie pulled back and looked at her stepdaughter, who was busy with her paintbrush.
“So, when are you due?” Charli asked, forgetting she was supposed to keep her voice low.
“End of November.”
“Wait, that means… you got pregnant on your wedding night?”
Ellie blushed again. “Most likely during our short honeymoon, I think. We didn’t want to use protection since we wanted to start a family.”
“We just didn’t think it would happen so soon,” Adam added with a lovesick smile. It was clear he didn’t regret getting his wife pregnant so soon after their wedding. Adam was a family guy, always had been. He’d been a great dad to Sophie and he would be to all the kids he and Ellie would have. Because Kean was pretty sure his brother wouldn’t stop at two, if he had a say in it.
“Come on, baby girl. Time to go home.”
Sophie glanced up at her father for only one second, scrunched up her nose and finally shook her head. “I want to paint more butterflies, Daddy.”
“You can do it tomorrow.” Adam offered her his hand as he bent at the waist to be at her level. “And we need to take Sammy home, too. His grammy is waiting for him.”
Sophie stuck out her bottom lip in the dramatic way she was so good at. Her pouts might win her an Oscar if she decided to pursue an acting career. “But we need to prepare the flowers or the faiwies won’t have anywhere to sleep tonight.”
“Fairies can sleep in the trees tonight. It’s not that cold, they’ll be all right.”
She shook her head again. “No, Daddy. I want to paint them now.”
His niece was as stubborn as her mother had been. His brother had his work cut out for him if she’d inherited half of her mother’s stubbornness.
“I can drive her, if you want. I’ll have to drive Charli anyway.”
Wait a minute. Why had he said that?
“You will?” Charli frowned. “And when exactly did we agree upon that?”
“Uh, I saw you walking here so… I guessed you’d need a ride—”
“Well, I’m perfectly fine walking home by myself,” she said, her tone sour as if he’d just said something offensive.
Gee, the woman snapped like a mouse trap. Feisty City Girl was back with a vengeance. It had seemed too good to be true.
“Sorry, I forgot you’re armed.” His joke earned him one of her trademark death glares. Ellie chuckled, but her laughter died in her throat when Charli aimed a glare at her, too.
“I think you should let Kean drive you, since he’ll be bringing Sophie home anyway.” Ellie used the soft tone she reserved for his niece when she wanted her to do something Sophie didn’t want to. It always worked. “Spring isn’t a dangerous town, but I’d feel better knowing you aren’t walking all by yourself.”
Charli threw her hands up in the air and let out a huff. “Fine, okay. I’ll let him drive me home. There, you happy?” She turned to him and crossed her arms, pouting like a child. That stuck-out bottom lip made all kinds of crazy thoughts swirl in his head.
He shrugged and looked away. “Whatever. I was just trying to be polite.”
Infuriating her had become his favorite pastime and the only way he knew to make sure his mind stayed focused on clean thoughts. Because lately it seemed like his brain could conjure nothing but improper—actually, indecent—thoughts when it came to Charli. He should probably organize a guys’ night out in Gold Beach this weekend, meet new people, maybe even find a woman he could start dating. That should be enough to keep his mind off her.
“Fine. You can stay here with Auntie Charli and Uncle Kean. But be a good girl, okay?” Adam ruffled Sophie’s hair and she rewarded him with her dimpled smile, nodding.
“I’m always a good girl, Daddy.” The unspoken duh was loud and clear, and everyone laughed at her cheeky tone.
“And you two”—Adam pointed his finger at Kean first and then at Charli—“behave. I don’t want to get a dispatch call for public disturbance. Nor do I want to bail you out—either of you.”
Charli rolled her eyes. “Don’t look at me. It’s him you should worry about.”
“Oh, shut up now. I’ve been nothing but nice to you today.”
“Yeah, you said it. Today.” She pointed her paintbrush at him. “But the day isn’t over yet.”
“Are you sure we should leave them alone?” Ellie frowned. Adam took her hand and pulled her toward him, wrapping his arm around her shoulder.
“They’ll be fine.” He turned back and narrowed his eyes as he stared at Kean. He didn’t need to say the words of warning that flashed in neon letters in his eyes: don’t make me regret this.
Yeah, well, if Charli didn’t go back to being an annoying pain in his side, he wouldn’t screw up. Hopefully.
* * *
Once they finished painting the decorations for their Irish float, Charli went to speak to Jocelyn, the owner of the flower shop who was one of the coordinators of the festival. She pulled out her notepad, ticked off some tasks and told Jocelyn what needed to be taken care of tomorrow. The woman nodded and thanked her for helping out, for what had to be the twentieth time since she’d agreed to assist. She had to give it to them: these small-town folks genuinely appreciated her help and were happy to follow her directions, looking up to her as if she were the president.
When she went back to Kean, he had his niece on his shoulders, while Sophie’s shy friend hugged his stuffed purple dinosaur to his chest and looked up at them. To say the boy was quiet was an understatement, but it worked well for her. When she’d reached the community center and found out that not only would she have to be around Kean, but two kids instead of one, she’d realized her nightmare was coming to life. But then Sammy had turned out to be the kind of kid Charli could get along with: a silent, calm boy who seemed more than happy to sit in silence and paint, instead of screaming at the top of his lungs, stomping his feet, and kicking everyone in the shins. Sophie, on the other hand, had been excited enough for both of them, but she’d been pestering her uncle, so Charli had been safe for most of the time.
“Huwwy, Auntie Charli! We’re waiting for you.” Sophie waved her hands in the air as if her life depended on how quickly Charli would reach them. Kean laughed and tugged on her feet.
“Calm down, Squirrel,” he said, his tone sweet but firm.
She’d started to like his endearment for his niece. When he was with Sophie he morphed into a cute, mellow version of the annoying man he was with her. She had no doubt he would make a good father one day—and his wife would be a lucky woman. Not that she cared.
Yes, you do.
Ah, shut up.
She winced inwardly. She should really stop having conversations in her mind.
Charli approached the trio, and Kean let her walk ahead as they headed out to his car. He’d already fixed the car seats before Adam left, so he pulled Sophie off his shoulders and expertly put her in her pink seat, while Sammy waited for his turn. She didn’t trust herself with helping out, so she waited by the side of the car until Kean was done.
“Do you need me to buckle you up, or are you okay?” He turned to her with a cheeky grin that made her blood boil.
She huffed and opened the car door with so much force she thought she’d pull out the handle. He chuckled as he got behind the wheel and pulled out onto the street.
Sophie immediately became engrossed in a chat with Sammy which, as usual, was a non-stop monologue, while the adults stared in silence at the road ahead.
“So, the news about Ellie and Adam… well, wow,” Kean said a moment later.
“Yeah, wow. I knew they wouldn’t wait long, but this is fast.” Ellie had shared her and Adam’s plan to have a big family, but seriously, this was fast by any standards. Well, at least Charli could be sure they’d made the most of their short honeymoon.
“Did you see their faces, though? Not a hint of regret. Adam’s met his match.” He smiled as he spoke. “I have no doubt they’ll end up with a football team in their house.”
Charli chuckled. Yeah, her thoughts exactly. She’d loved seeing the glow on her friend’s face, the adoration in her eyes when she looked at her husband, and the way Adam was already ultra-protective of her and the baby.
Kean pulled into the driveway of a tiny bungalow that had seen better days. He killed the engine and looked at her. “Can you stay in the car with Sophie while I take Sammy inside?”
Charli nodded. She still didn’t feel at ease being left alone with Sophie, but since she was buckled in her car seat she couldn’t possibly do any harm, right?
Sophie said goodbye to her friend, then launched into a monologue that made Charli slightly dizzy. She was happy when Kean finally got into the car.
“Hey, Squirrel, has Auntie Charli been a good girl?” he asked, smiling at his niece. Sophie nodded, and he turned back in his seat, grinning at Charli. “Good. Let’s go home then.”
He focused on the road, but the quiet in the car was causing her brain to work overtime, thinking all kinds of unwelcome thoughts she wasn’t supposed to.
“Thanks for helping us today,” she said eventually, unable to come up with a better topic for conversation. “I suppose painting fairy trees wasn’t in the curriculum in architectural college.”
He smiled. “It was fun. I always help out with the festival, but I’d never painted fairy trees before. I can add that to my résumé now.” He took his eyes off the road just long enough to wink at her. “So, are you going to stay for the festival?”
She shrugged. “Not sure. It depends on whether I find a job in the meantime.” Because, even though she’d enjoyed spending the last couple of weeks organizing this event, her plan still included leaving this place and going back to city life.
“It would be a pity if you left before you saw the results of your efforts though.” Kean’s tone wasn’t accusatory, just very matter-of-fact, but it was enough to annoy her. And to make her wonder why she cared about what he thought, anyway.
“Well, I’m not exactly a fan of small-town life, in case you hadn’t noticed.”
He chuckled. “Yeah, I’d sort of figured that out.” He glanced briefly in the rearview mirror, before settling his eyes on her. “But if you’d only give our town a chance, you might change your mind.” His grin wasn’t the usual ultra-annoying one he seemed to reserve just for her. It was a genuine, friendly, even cute smile that reached all the way to his eyes. She hated that she actually felt that smile down to her stomach. It was just the remnants of that dream, but sooner or later they’d fade and she’d be okay, right?
“What, do you have a second job at the tourism office and get paid a commission every time a tourist decides to stay?” Being sassy and snarky seemed to be the best antidote to the funny feelings the memory of that dream still caused her.
He chuckled and, dang, she felt it all the way to her toes. She’d had quite enough of all this nonsense by now, thanks very much.
“Is it so wrong to like my hometown?” His tone was serious and slightly incredulous, as if he found it impossible that someone could not understand his love for Spring Harbor.
Charli shrugged. “I like the city I grew up in, but I don’t go around singing its praises to everyone I meet.”
“Maybe that’s because your city”—he said the word scrunching up his nose—“can’t hold a candle to our town.”
She rolled her eyes. The guy had obviously never been to San Antonio—or quite possibly to any other place outside his town.
“So what, are you suggesting I should hire a guide and take a full sightseeing tour of your town?” She puckered her lips and pretended to think. “’Cause I might have thirty minutes to spare tomorrow.”
“Ha ha, that’s a funny one,” he said without a hint of humor in his tone. “But no, I was thinking about showing you the best spots of our town atop a saddle.” He chuckled when Charli tilted her head to the side and widened her eyes. “My father has two horses, which have sort of become mine now. He took them in when their owners decided they weren’t worth the vet expenses. But since he hardly has time to look after them during the day, I take turns with my grandpa at playing cowboy. So, would you like to join me on an adventurous tourist ride tomorrow?”
The challenge in his tone was all it took for her resolution to stay away from him to snap. Maybe it was because of growing up with three older brothers, but she never backed down from a challenge. “Fine, I’ll let you show me the beauties of your town.”
He grinned. “I’ll wait for you at my parents’, around ten?”
“I’ll be there, Bob.” Even though she had a feeling accepting this stupid challenge was going to come back and bite her in the butt.