Chapter Seven
To celebrate the last day of school, Charlie’s performance, and to make up for the fact that Adam was missing something that mattered so much to his son, Megan planned a surprise.
“Can you give me a hint?” Charlie bounced in his seat, his smile making the car feel brighter.
Megan turned at the three-way stop that led to the outskirts of Brockton Point. It wouldn’t be long before Charlie recognized the road to Stella’s. Situated on acres of land, her house was far more remote than Adam’s, nestled in the thick trees, overlooking a bluff. It was beautiful, and Megan had taken Charlie there before, but Stella recently made a purchase that she knew was going to excite the little guy beyond reason.
“This is the way to Dr. Lane’s house,” he said, looking out the window.
“It is.”
His lips formed a pout. “Are we going to see puppies?”
“Nope.”
“Megan,” he said, drawing her name out in a pained voice.
“She got a new animal, and I thought you’d enjoy meeting her.”
“I’ve met Dr. Lane.”
She laughed. “The animal, silly. It’s a her.”
They continued down the windy road, passing older-style homes and land that stretched further and further between. There was a grandeur to it that overwhelmed, but Megan wouldn’t want to be isolated the way Stella was. Technically, it was only ten minutes from town proper, but it felt much farther once the trees started to shadow the drive.
When they pulled up to the two-level farm house that had been in Stella’s family for three generations, Charlie barely waited until she’d stopped the car before he was unbuckling and running out. Megan had met Stella’s father a few times before he’d passed when she’d brought Lemon to get shots. She wondered, now, if it was hard for Stella to be in the home where she’d not only grown up, but lost her parents.
Two of Stella’s dogs raced to greet Charlie with equal enthusiasm. Megan got out and laughed as he gave them as many rubs as his two small hands would allow. The dogs couldn’t get enough.
When one of them bounded over to her, Megan crouched down to say hello. Guard dogs, they were not. “Hi, girl. Look how happy you are.”
She scratched Nacho’s golden fur and extended her hand when Soda bounded over looking for love.
“All right, all right. I have enough for both of you.”
“There isn’t enough love to satisfy them. They would crawl inside you if they could,” Stella said, coming around the side of her house.
Her friend looked like a cross between a rancher and a warrior. In jeans, knee-high rubber boots, and a tank top that showed biceps toned by a combination of hard labor and working out, Stella could be a spokesmodel for the “Who needs a man?” campaign. Megan sighed wistfully. She could take care of herself, too, but unlike Stella, she wouldn’t mind some adult male companionship. More so the last few days since she’d been trolling the dating sites for Adam.
“Hey there, Charlie. I heard a rumor you’re all done with grade two,” Stella said.
“Yup. I’m going into third grade now. But not until after the summer. They gotta give us a break in between because we work so hard,” Charlie said, standing straight and patting Nacho’s head.
Stella laughed, and her eyes searched out Megan, who just nodded, used to Charlie’s brand of cute.
“Did Meg tell you how we’re celebrating?” Stella asked.
Charlie sent her a mock frown and put his hands on his hips. He looked so much like his dad, Megan could only stare as he answered. “No. She wouldn’t tell me anything.”
Megan pointed at Stella. “She told me not to. Said she wanted to surprise you. I’m not messing with her.”
He looked back and forth between the two women. “Yeah. She’s shorter, but she could probably take you.”
Both women burst out laughing. Megan mussed Charlie’s hair. “Thanks a lot, mister.”
Charlie wound his arms around her waist and snuggled his face into her stomach, making her heart liquefy. Adam seemed to be coming around about her staying in Charlie’s life, but she couldn’t help but feel once that door closed…she might not be able to pry it open again.
Stella waved her arm and turned, walking toward the back of the house. “Come on, then.”
The dogs, who’d belonged to her dad, followed after them, running in between their legs, creating a game. The property Stella had inherited from her father was breathtaking, ten acres of trees and greenery that had been added to over the years. In addition to the farm house, which had a homey feel despite needing some work, there were two barns and the vet clinic.
She didn’t know how her friend managed it all by herself but suspected that doing so was what kept the dark circles under the woman’s eyes. Brockton was big enough that there was no way to know everyone but small enough that chatter filtered in circles. Megan wished her friend would confirm or deny some of the rumors about whether the practice was in trouble, whether she was in trouble, but her friend was guarded. Private. Again, like Adam. Stella guided them to the newer of the barns. They heard the whinnying even as she slid the huge door to the side.
“You got a horse?” Charlie’s voice had gone up several octaves.
“I did. Not just any horse. A kid-friendly, sweet-as-chocolate-chip-cookies horse.”
The dogs circled a few times then lay down on the barn floor, unimpressed by their new resident.
Stella led with her hand out, letting the dark brown horse nuzzle her palm. Charlie mimicked the action and laughed when the horse snuffled in his hand.
“What’s her name?” Charlie’s eyes were wide with excitement.
Megan pulled her phone out of her purse, which she’d crisscrossed over her chest, and tucked it in her back pocket so she could remember to take photos of him.
Stella put a hand on Charlie’s shoulder. “Thought you could help me with that.”
His eyes teared up, tweaking Megan’s heart. “I can call her anything?”
Her friend gave him a pretend wary look. “I think so. Unless it’s something weird or gross.”
“How about Chocolate Chip? You know, ’cause you said she’s sweet like a cookie. Plus your other animals are named after foods.”
Stella nodded. “I love it. Hello Chocolate Chip. This is Charlie.”
It took some time to get the horse saddled up and out into the yard. With the patience of a well-practiced teacher, Stella showed Charlie how to mount, how to sit comfortably, and how to trot. Megan videoed Charlie turning the horse in circles, and the smile on his face was too good not to share. She typed a quick message to Adam and attached the video.
Her phone rang less than two minutes later. Charlie’s smile had transferred into Megan’s tone when she answered.
“Hey. Isn’t he great? Stella let Charlie name him. He’s calling her Chocolate Chip.” She leaned on one of the fence posts.
“Get him off the horse, Megan.”
She straightened. “Why? What’s wrong?”
Adam’s voice was tightly controlled. “There are almost as many horse-riding accidents per year as there are motorcycle crashes. Get Charlie off the horse.”
Stella clapped when Charlie pulled the horse to a stop. They were too far from Megan to hear the conversation.
Reminding herself she wasn’t a parent, she kept her tone even. “Adam, I promise you, he’s absolutely fine. He’s having such a good time, and Stella is walking right beside him.”
“Can you hear me? Is my voice breaking up?”
She frowned and pulled the phone away from her ear, checking the signal and seeing full bars. “It’s fine. I can hear you perfectly.” Was his side static?
“Good. Then I’ll only say it one more time. Get my son off that goddamn animal.”
She winced, feeling as though she’d been struck. The ice in Adam’s voice penetrated her skin, chilling her even with the sun blazing down on her back.
“Yes, sir. I’ll do that right now. Did you want photo confirmation of my following through with your orders?”
His deep sigh vibrated into her ear. “Megan. I—”
Megan cut off his sentence, worried tears might fall. “As I said, I’ll do that right this minute. By the way, I’ll send you the video of Charlie’s play from earlier today. This was our celebration.”
She hung up, her hand shaking. Charlie’s laughter cleared some of the upset but not enough to stop the quivering in her limbs. She called out from where she was now letting the post hold her steady. She waved her arm so they’d see her. “Hey!”
Charlie’s hand whipped into the air excitedly. He’d let go of the reins with one hand. Megan’s heart seized. If anything happened, Adam would never forgive her. “Hey, bud. Let’s move on to phase two of our celebration.”
Stella looked over her shoulder at Megan but was too far away for her to see her friend’s expression. She wasn’t Adam’s biggest fan to begin with, so Megan worked on getting her emotions under control. She walked over to them in time to hear Charlie muttering about having to get off the horse.
“Can’t I ride for a little longer, Meg?”
Not if I want to have my job until the end of the summer. “It’s time to go, bud. Stella’s probably got patients.”
Arching an eyebrow, Stella shook her head. “Not today. I booked today off because I have to go to the bank and run some other errands.”
Megan shuffled her foot along the grass. “Well, we have to go, too. We need to send your dad the video of you being the month of May.”
Charlie’s face lit up again. His teacher had written a play, and each of the children had been assigned a month to showcase what they’d done or learned over the school year. Megan didn’t see how, on top of lesson planning, teaching, and having a family, the woman had thrown in play writing. But she’d done an excellent job. The kids were fantastic.
“What’s stage two of our celebration?”
“You’ll see,” Megan said, feeling steadier.
Stella smoothed her hand over the horse’s flank. “I’ve got to put Chocolate Chip away. I’ll see you guys soon, okay?”
As they walked to the car, Megan handed Charlie her phone. “Once we’re in the car, call your dad, okay?”
“How come?”
Because he’s an ass who doesn’t trust me and I want to make a point. “I just feel like he’d want to say hi and hear your voice.”
Charlie took the phone, but as he was climbing into the backseat, he mumbled, “He could hear my voice if he wasn’t away again.”
Instead of shutting the door, Megan leaned into the car, one hand on the frame and the other on the car. “Look at me, bud. Your dad is working. He wouldn’t have gone if he didn’t have to.”
Charlie shrugged. “Still sucks.”
She couldn’t argue that. “I know. For him too, though. So call him.”
As she pulled out of the long driveway, she listened to Charlie tell his dad about the horseback riding with such enthusiasm that she was glad not to have sent the video until he’d at least gotten a taste of it.
Instead of giving her back her phone, Charlie played DJ in the backseat and treated Megan to some of their favorite songs. Probably not Adam-approved, but he didn’t need to know everything.
…
Typically, Megan had weekends off, but since Adam had been vying for associate partner, she’d been sleeping in the main house more often. He’d texted a few times the evening before, but other than perfunctory responses, Megan ignored him. She wasn’t sure why every time she thought about him lately, a tight pain settled into her rib cage, like a thorn nestling in under the skin. Keeping her answers short and her day busy were helpful. It was Saturday, a day she liked to get her errands done. Today, her Jeep was on the top of her list, and she had a partner in crime. Charlie put up a bit of a protest about having to get up early and run around on the first day of school holidays.
“I have to take my Jeep in to get an oil change, and the only time they had was this morning. So out of bed, mister. We have things to do.”
Hedging her bets, she yanked open his curtains, letting the morning sun fill the room. Charlie groaned and rolled onto his stomach. “I’m big enough to stay by myself.”
“Uh, negative. You are not. Come on. Out of bed.”
“I don’t want to,” he moaned, trying to squirm further under the covers.
Megan flopped down beside him on the bed. “Fine. I give up. We’ll just stay here for the day. Give me some covers, bed hog.”
Charlie turned his head and stared at her. “What about your Jeep?”
She curled on her side, tucked her hands under her cheek. “Who needs it? I should walk more anyway.”
He giggled. “You can’t walk everywhere.”
“Why not?”
Charlie sat up and sighed. “Because all the good stores are on the other side of town.”
“Good stores?”
His smile widened. “Yeah. Like the comic book store. It’s too far to walk to.”
Megan sat up beside him and poked him in the stomach, making him laugh again. “The comic book store? The one by the mechanic? How handy is that?”
Charlie bounced onto his knees and off the bed. “Pretty handy. We can wait for the Jeep there.”
“You should be a lawyer, kid.”
“No way. I’m going to be a Jedi.” He grabbed clothes out of his drawers and raced off to the bathroom.
“Or that. A Jedi is a good backup,” Megan said to herself.
The mechanic promised her car would only be about forty-five minutes, so Megan gave in to Charlie’s Jedi mind trick and took him to the comic book store. The doorbell jingled when they walked through and was still chiming when Charlie tugged on Megan’s arm.
He pointed to a guy leaning over a display case and shouted. “Declan!”
Adam’s best friend unfolded his long, lean, muscled body, and turned with a smile. “Hey, little man. Hi, Megan. What are you two doing here?”
Megan’s lips twitched. Not often she thought of tall, big-muscled men hanging out in comic stores. Not often she thought of tall, big muscled men at all. Though she’d spent a few sleepless nights tossing and turning over a tall, annoying account manager. “Charlie was hoping to talk me into spending his allowance on Archie books. And you?”
He leaned casually against the counter, folding his tattooed arms over his chest. He was lean, like a runner, but had the arms of a weight lifter. Not Megan’s type, but she could see the appeal in his chocolate brown hair and dimpled smile. What stood out most, in her mind, was that Adam’s friend was his polar opposite. She’d only met him a few times, as Adam rarely had time to socialize, but even when he did, she was off duty and usually tucked away in her own place, studying or planning lessons.
She could see why the women of Brockton Point were drawn to him. Successful and sexy, with a side of sweet.
“Nothing. Just, uh, checking things out.”
Again, she wondered why Adam didn’t just get Declan to set him up. As a bar-owning hot guy, he’d definitely have some connections. The slightly pink flush that rose on his neck and cheeks was curious.
“You getting more Legos, Dec?” Charlie asked, peering into the case Declan stood by.
The pink flush deepened. “Legos?” Megan asked. A smile tugged at her lips.
Charlie turned to look up at her. “Yeah. Dec has more Legos than anyone. You should see his Star Wars collection. It’s awesome.”
Megan bit her lip as Declan shrugged. “I just have a few sets. You know, collector stuff.”
The older gentleman who ran the comic store came through the curtained doorway behind the counter. “All right, Dec. I got the sets you were waiting for, but one is missing the instructions. You should be okay, though, I think. Oh, sorry. I didn’t hear the bell. Maybe my wife is right. I should get my hearing aids checked,” he said in a rambling way.
He set the two boxes of Legos down and smiled at Megan and Charlie. “Can I help you find anything?”
“My friend here would love some new Archie comics,” Megan said, charmed by the way Declan eyed the boxes the shop owner had brought out but didn’t touch them.
“Oh boy, are you in luck. Come on over here,” the guy said to Charlie, waving him to the other end of the counter.
Megan stepped closer to Declan. “Boys and their toys, huh? Though you look more like you’d collect Harleys than Lego sets.”
He grinned, flashing her a straight row of perfectly white teeth. “Looks can be deceiving.”
Ha. Didn’t she know it?
“Adam away again?” He picked up one of the boxes, his eyes lighting up much like Charlie’s had when he’d seen his dad’s friend.
“Yes. He’s been gone more lately because he’s trying for the promotion.”
“I know. He’ll get it. He’s too driven not to.”
“You know him well.” She shouldn’t mention the dating. It would be crossing a line. But she couldn’t help thinking that in order for Adam to really find someone, he’d have to let her get to know him. That couldn’t truly happen via computer, could it? Whoever it was had to realize that his completely anal, uptight tendencies could be endearing if given a chance. That once he let go of having to be in charge, he had a softness—a sweetness—that his son brought out in him. She couldn’t really write “More likable once you get to know me” on his bio.
“Best friends since kindergarten,” Declan answered, picking up the other box.
He could definitely provide some insight. Maybe something she could add to Adam’s profile. “Have you ever set him up on a date?”
Declan did a double take, and then his mouth dropped open slightly.
Megan was sure her cheeks were the color of apples. She hadn’t meant to blurt it out.
“Uh, no. But he’s got some pretty strict boundaries, and I think dating his nanny would be on his list of don’ts.”
Megan looked down, wishing there were a secret portal that could suck her into the earth and away from this conversation. As if she needed another reminder of how she didn’t meet Adam’s requirements. And why did that even bug her? It doesn’t, and he definitely doesn’t meet your needs in a man. Specifically, being 100 percent in love to even consider getting married. “Never mind.”
Declan lifted her chin with two fingers. The touch warmed her skin in exactly those two points but didn’t send sparks flying through her the way Adam’s thoughtless brushes of skin, or even his breath, did. “Besides, you’re not his type.”
I should just get a sign saying, “I know I’m not his type already,” and wear it around my neck. But why did Declan think that? She squared her shoulders. “Forget I asked. I shouldn’t have, and I didn’t mean for myself, thank you very much.”
Declan’s lips twitched. “No interest in Adam?”
She kept her eyes chest level. No need to see if he could read a lie in a woman’s gaze. “Definitely not.”
“Have you tried Tinder?”
Her brain froze mid-thought, and her eyes flew up to his. “I’m sorry, what?”
She leaned into him, and with an amused grin, he leaned down. Her words came out whispered. “You mean the booty hookup app?”
Declan straightened and laughed. “First, hooking up is not a bad thing. I’ve been trying to get my pal to do just that for a while. But there’s more to it. It’s a dating app more than anything right now. People actually find long-term matches there, if that’s your thing. But I’m confused. Are you looking for someone for you or for Adam?”
Why had she asked him anything? The heat pouring off her skin could probably keep a circle of people warm. Explaining what she was doing for Adam felt like betraying his confidence.
“Myself.”
One of his thick, well-groomed eyebrows arched. “Smart, funny woman like you doesn’t need an app. Come by my bar. Meet people. Hang out.”
Validation made her smile. She’d told Adam that was the way to do it, but it was too early in the morning to be having this conversation. She glanced over at Charlie, who was sorting through a stack of books, chattering away at the owner.
“I’m not into the bar thing. And I’m really busy. Like, super, don’t-have-time-for-anything busy. You think Tinder is a good option?”
Declan frowned and gave her his full attention, leaving his toys on the counter.
“I think as long as you make sure you’re safe and know what you want, it’s fine to explore different options. Listen, we don’t know each other well, but I have a few friends around town. Good guys. Nice guys. You want me to introduce you to someone? I don’t think Adam would feel very good about his sweet and innocent nanny scouring the internet looking for love.”
Holy hell on a stick. If Megan could press the rewind button, she would not even bother to get out of bed this morning, Jeep be damned. Of all the stupid, idiotic conversations to get herself wrapped up in.
Declan put a hand on her shoulder and gave her a brotherly squeeze. “Think about it, okay?”
She nodded, keeping her tongue between her teeth so she didn’t utter any more nonsense.
“Look, Meg!” Charlie came over with a stack of Archie books.
“Dec, there’s a special edition one,” he said, showing them both.
“Cool. I’ll get those for you, buddy.”
“You don’t have to do that,” Megan said. Her mind wouldn’t stop twisting and tangling her thoughts. It was exhausting.
“He’s my godson. I want to. Besides, then I get to read them after you, right?”
“Yup. Thanks, Dec.”
“No problem, pal.”
Megan’s insides whirled like the spin cycle of a washing machine as they waited for Declan to pay for the books and his Lego sets. Leaving the store together, she checked her own watch and saw that there was still time to kill.
“Let’s grab some breakfast,” Declan said.
She started to say no, but Charlie spoke for both of them. “Yeah. I’m starving.”
Megan rolled her eyes at him. “You ate two bowls of cereal before we left the house.”
Dec nudged him in the shoulder. “Hardly enough for a growing boy.”
Despite her embarrassment, she laughed at Charlie’s enthusiastic nod of agreement. “Fine. But I’ll buy.”
It was the least she could do for making a fool of herself and letting him pay for Charlie’s books. Adam gave her an allowance for things like that, but she was pretty sure he wouldn’t mind his closest friend buying his son some books. But then again, she thought he’d enjoy seeing Charlie on a horse. So what did she know?
“Mmm. I’m getting extra pancakes then,” Declan said. He brushed off the time in the comic book store with surprising ease. Again she wondered how two such different men could be lifelong friends. And why hadn’t Declan’s easygoing nature transferred to Adam even a little bit?
They’d just ordered pancakes, bacon, and juice at a small diner down the strip from the mechanic and comic book store when Megan’s phone buzzed. Adam’s number appeared on the screen. Declan grabbed it before she could.
His eyes twinkled. “Let’s mess with him a little.”
Charlie colored his place mat while they waited for their pancakes. Megan held her breath. She was torn between trying to grab for the phone and wondering what Dec had in mind.
“Hello?” He answered the call with a wolf-like smile. And not the reformed wolf. The big bad one.
Megan couldn’t hear Adam’s side of the conversation but could imagine his reaction to Declan’s misleading words.
“No. It’s the right number. Megan’s phone. Have you ever dialed a wrong number in your life? You probably double check the digits before pressing send. No. We’re having breakfast together. You know how I love pancakes and pretty women.”
Megan closed her eyes and shook her head. When she opened them, Charlie was smiling. “Dec’s funny, huh, Meg?”
“I’m sure he is sometimes,” she said through gritted teeth. She reached out for her phone.
“Cool your jets, man. I ran into her and Charlie at the comic book store. Remember when you used to be more fun? Dude. I was messing with you. Yeah, well, you’re an uptight—”
The waitress came with their drinks, cutting off Declan’s words and giving Megan a chance to grab her phone. She scowled at him, wishing she’d stayed home this morning like Charlie had wanted. Adam was already pissed at her.
“Hi, Adam. Funny friend you’ve got there,” she said into the phone.
“Hilarious. Sorry about that. He thinks he’s funnier than he is.”
Megan smiled at Declan. “Most boys do.”
Declan winked at her, but Adam’s voice held her attention. “I wanted to let you know I’ll need you at the main house again tonight. I bumped my flight to a later one so I could grab drinks with a prospective client.” He paused, and Megan wasn’t sure what she was supposed to say.
Before she could fill in the conversation gap, he continued. “So. You’re having breakfast with Declan. That’s a bit of a surprise.”
To both of them. More surprising was the hint of curiosity in his tone. Who she had breakfast with had never concerned him before. Maybe doing so was another point in the “Why Not Megan” column. Stop thinking like that! You don’t even want it to be you. She didn’t. But she wanted to keep Charlie in her life.
Irritation made her spine itch. What did he care who she was out with as long as she was taking care of his son, and why would he think she was out-out with anyone? As if he left her enough time for a date of her own lately.
Taking a deep breath, very aware of Charlie, she responded calmly. “I’d scheduled my Jeep for an oil change before you booked this trip. I try to do things like that on my days off, but I haven’t had one in a while, so I adjusted.”
“I’m sorry.” His voice softened, and unfortunately, so did the stupid, traitorous organ she called a heart. “I’ve asked a lot of you. I need to find a way to make it up to you.” The thoughts that swirled in her brain would have caused Adam’s face to turn apple red. Probably hers as well if she’d said them out loud.
“Can you stay tonight?”
Those were words she hadn’t heard in a very long time. A sharp twist of longing hit her right in the solar plexus, stealing her breath. “Yes. Do you want to talk to Charlie?”
“I can’t. I have to get to a meeting. I know I’ve asked a lot of you lately. I appreciate it.”
Well, that was something. “It’s my job.”
“Doesn’t mean I can’t thank you.”
“Yet you haven’t.” She angled herself away from Declan while he and Charlie played tic-tac-toe.
“I just did.”
“Sort of.”
He huffed out a breath, and she was sure she heard amusement in his tone when he said, “Thank you, Megan.”
“You’re welcome, Adam.”
The pause changed the itch between her shoulder blades to one of…awareness. Had his voice actually been playful? Sweet?
“I’d like you not to date my friends. It’s never come up before, but when Declan answered your phone, I realized it wouldn’t be all that comfortable for me.”
Megan sighed and straightened in her chair. She started to respond with something along the lines of, “It’s none of your business,” but stopped. Was he…jealous? Why would he feel uncomfortable with her dating anyone, even a friend, if he had no interest in her? She was confusing herself and probably making something out of nothing.
“Duly noted.”
Another pause, this one drawing on Megan’s patience.
“Was that out of line?”
Their waitress was walking toward their booth with their pancakes. Her stomach growled; her thoughts tripped over themselves and tangled up with too many emotions. He was driving her crazy in several different ways.
“Does it matter? See you when you get home.”
She winced at the way those words sounded. Saying goodbye, she hung up and realized Declan was watching her with curiosity.
“Here you go, sweeties,” the waitress said, depositing the delicious-looking breakfasts in front of them. “Anything else I can get for you folks?”
“No, thank you,” Megan said.
“No thanks,” Charlie answered, poking his finger into the whip cream and licking it off.
“We’re all good,” Declan answered.
When the waitress walked away, Dec helped Charlie cut his pancakes before Megan could tell him Charlie could handle that on his own. He eyed her as he completed the task.
“You know how sometimes things work out in ways you never could have imagined?” He cut through his stack and shoved a huge bite into his mouth.
Megan removed the whip cream and spread the butter evenly. “I guess. Why?”
He winked at her and spoke around his bite. “No reason. Just an observation.”
Megan frowned. It wasn’t even ten a.m. yet, and she wished the day was over. Better yet, she wished it was actually her day off so she could spend it with Garrett and Parks. Men who didn’t confuse or fluster her constantly.
“What are we doing next, Meg?” Charlie asked with a whip cream moustache.
She sighed. “How about a nap?”
Charlie laughed while Megan worried about what else the day could bring.