The Fireman's Ready-Made Family

Chapter Four (#ulink_2a79b292-3784-5ada-8471-98c8862c2c8c)

What had she been thinking, agreeing to this plan? Hadn’t she already mentally scolded herself for getting too close to Chief St. John? She should be steering clear of the man, yet when he’d looked at her with those mesmerizing eyes and offered compassion and support, she couldn’t deny him anything.

Which was why she was now straightening her home like a maniac, picking up random toys and stray shoes while Willow ran the vacuum. Thankfully the rental home was small, so the cleanup wasn’t too hard—it was more the pressure of having Drake in her home that had her nerves on edge.

The vacuum shut off and Willow wheeled it back through the hall and under the steps where the cleaning supplies were kept.

“I better get extra pizza for all that sweeping,” Willow mumbled as she came back through the house.

Putting away the last of the clean dishes, Marly smiled. “I’ll make sure you get extra. And maybe even dessert for all your help.”

Willow’s smile widened. “Like brownie delights?”

Marly shrugged. “I’m not sure if we’ll make brownie delights or not, but I’m sure we can come up with something.”

Climbing onto a wooden bar stool at the small center island in the kitchen, Willow rested her head in her hands. “What’s the chief coming over for?”

“We’re going to try to figure out a way to help Jeremy’s family,” Marly explained, hanging her plaid kitchen towel over the oven handle. “Medical bills can be expensive, and Jeremy will need a lot of extra special care to make sure he’s all better.”

“We’ve been making him get-well cards in class. Jeremy likes trucks, so I drew him a big red truck on my card.”

Marly reached across the island and smoothed stray strands from Willow’s forehead. This morning her blond mass had been tamed into two braids, but now, well, apparently recess had gotten the better of the hairdo.

A tap on the front door jerked Marly upright. Heart pounding heavily, she knew the second Drake entered her home, she’d start getting all fluttery, and the last thing she needed was her daughter picking up on any vibes. Not that a five-year-old was very in tune with adults’ feelings, but Marly couldn’t take the chance. Kevin didn’t need more leverage in his attempt to get full custody.

This was just an evening of acquaintances getting together to collaborate on how to make a family’s life a little easier. Any feelings toward Drake that wanted to take root would have to be removed before they could grow. Any type of relationship at this point, especially with a man, was not a smart move.

When her doorbell rang again, Marly pulled herself from her thoughts. To assume Drake had feelings on his end was very presumptuous of her. Yes, he’d seemed interested, but did that mean he was going to act on anything? She was borrowing trouble when she had too much on her plate to keep her mind occupied already.

“I’ll get it, Mama.” Willow ran by her and headed to the front room. “Can I let in the chief?”

“Yes, and thank you for asking before letting someone in the house.”

Marly smoothed a hand over her ponytail, then made sure her side bangs were covering the scar. Even though her hair was still in the same shape it had been in at work, she’d at least changed from her scrubs and put on her ever-dressy yoga capris and V-neck T-shirt. Hey, she wasn’t inviting him over for anything romantic, and this was the real her. Nothing fancy, no jewelry, no makeup, plain-Jane hair.

The days of always worrying about her appearance had long since passed. And to be honest, she loved the Marly she was rediscovering.

“Wow, pizza?” Willow jumped up and down. “You’re the coolest, Mr. Chief.”

Marly stepped into the front room and smiled. The sight of Drake in a gray T-shirt pulled taut across his shoulders and faded jeans did nothing to help her motivational speech she’d just given herself about not having time to think of him as anything other than a friend.

How could she ignore such a visually tempting man? And the fact that he was concerned about a helpless little boy only made her heart clench more. Oh, and the way he’d handled a parking lot full of kindergarteners... Yeah, the man was fast becoming more and more appealing.

“How about you call me Drake?” he suggested to Willow.

Drake’s lopsided grin and the way he ruffled her daughter’s hair had Marly crossing her arms over her chest. “Thanks for bringing the pizza.”

He nodded his greeting and held the pizza box in one hand while closing the door behind him with the other. “I hope you guys like fish eggs on it.”

“Fish...eggs?” Willow asked, throwing a worried look to her mother, then shrugged. “I guess I’ll try it.”

“I’m teasing,” Drake said with a laugh that showcased his wide smile and white teeth.

Darn him. Was there nothing about the man that wasn’t perfect? Joking with her child and not acting as though Willow was in the way like...

No, she wasn’t pulling Kevin into this evening. He occupied enough of her waking hours between the texts, voice mails and her mind working overtime on when he would start looking for them.

Right now, she just wanted a few hours of peace, away from her monster ex and away from her own worried thoughts.

Marly shot a smile to Drake and pointed to Willow. “This kid would try anything. She’s a tough one to scare.”

Drake’s bold eyes went back to Willow, his brows rose. “Really? A brave girl? I like that. You sound more like a firefighter than a kindergartener.”

Willow beamed. “When can I take a ride on your fire truck?”

“Willow,” Marly scolded. “I’m sorry. She was really impressed the other day at the field trip. She’s hardly talked about anything else.”

Drake moved through the living room and handed the pizza box to Marly. “I don’t mind at all, actually. What kind of chief would I be if I didn’t keep my promise to let such a brave girl take a ride on the truck? You may become a firefighter one day and you’ll need the experience.”

“Me?” Willow squeaked, jumping up and down. “A firefighter? That would be awesome!”

The man had been in the house for all of two minutes and had already captivated both women in the room, for totally different reasons.

“Come on in and eat,” Marly suggested as she turned and headed toward the back of the house. “You two can discuss firefighter training over fish eggs.”

Before long, paper plates were filled with chips and pizza. Marly pulled out two cans of soda and a bottle of water. They gathered around the small kitchen table and Marly resisted the urge to make everything perfect. The man sitting across from her was nothing like the man she’d left. Nothing.

Marly highly doubted Drake cared if he ate off paper plates or fine china. He didn’t seem the type to need a linen napkin over a paper towel. She refused to bow down to a man’s every wish again. She would make Willow happy first, herself second, and if a man came along and could put up with being third on her list of priorities, then there was a slight chance that she would consider him in her life.

To be honest, she doubted the yearning to want another man would come for a long, long time. Yes, she found Drake attractive and had those tingles in her belly when he was around, but she wasn’t ready for anything beyond that. How could she be? She was still recovering emotionally and physically from her last relationship.

“Everything okay?” Drake asked, pausing as he reached for another piece of pizza. “You wandered off for a bit.”

Marly took a sip of her soda and nodded, forcing herself to be in the moment. “Just thinking. So what have you thought of for a fund-raiser?”

He slid the piece onto his plate and met her gaze. Those blue eyes could mesmerize a nun. She shoved a chip into her mouth to try to keep her mind on the task and not the man. Easier said than done when the man in question was as potent as Drake St. John.

“We need something where the town comes together,” he told her, oblivious to the turmoil inside her. “The more people who pitch in, the more support Shawn and Amy will have. This isn’t just about monetary needs, they need moral support and people to lean on.”

Rocked by his selfless declaration, Marly nodded in agreement. “You’re absolutely right. They will need assistance from all angles.”

“How about a bake sale?” Willow chimed in around a mouthful of pizza. “The school had one the other day to raise money for books for the library.”

“Honey—”

“Willow.” Drake cut off Marly, giving her a wink. “I think a bake sale is a wonderful idea. Your mother and I were thinking of something really big for the entire town, but those people would love some treats, I’m sure.”

Drake took a bite of pizza, took a full gulp of his soda before continuing, “What about something that incorporates several aspects of raising money? Maybe a dunking booth or three-legged races?”