I glance up at my work schedule where it’s taped to the refrigerator. I really can’t wait for my day off, but with the way the week’s been going, I’m not sure I’ll make it to Friday morning.
There’s a knock at the backdoor. I startle and upend my coffee cup. “Crapsters!” Liquid caffeine races across the table.
With shrieking laughter, Callie grabs her coloring book and crayons out of the way as I toss a kitchen towel onto the mess.
I see Diana standing on the back steps. A familiar face. I barely keep from collapsing into her arms with relief when I open the door.
“Hello, dear.” With squinted eyes, she observes my haggard expression as she edges through the doorway, overflowing cloth bag in hand. “Are you okay?”
Before I can answer, Callie abandons her drawing at the table and leaps into her grandmother’s arms. “Nana!”
“Oh, my baby!” The woman kisses the child. “How is my sweet girl?”
Although we only left the Kingston’s home just yesterday, the two of them nuzzle each other like they spent half a decade apart.
While they enjoy their reunion, I busy myself cleaning up the spilt coffee. Callie shows Diana the butterfly drawing she was coloring and the older woman gushes with pride.
I’m at the kitchen sink rinsing out the soiled towel when Diana comes up and sets down the cloth bag next to me. “We had tons of leftovers from dinner last night and I know how excited you were about the chicken curry,” she says as she starts taking containers out of the bag. “I figured I’d bring you guys some lunch since I wasn’t sure if there was any food over here.”
“Eli had some groceries delivered,” I say as I refill my coffee and pour Diana a cup.
“Delivery, huh?” she throws me a glance. “I’m assuming he isn’t too excited about getting out and about in town. People gossip so much around Crescent Harbor. I know that’s going to be hard for him.” Callie comes up and clings to her grandmother, those little arms draped around the woman’s waist.
I scoff bitterly, thinking about the way he’s treated me so far. “Yeah, he’s not the biggest fan of ‘people’, it looks like.”
Sighing, Diana leans on the counter and picks up her coffee cup. “He’s really not so bad. He’s just been through a lot,” she tells me as she absently strokes her grandchild’s hair. “He’s actually the sweetest of my boys. The most thoughtful, considerate, principled. And so loyal. That’s why it was such a shock to his father and me when he did the things he did. It was just so…out-of-character for him, y’know?”
I nod, thinking back to the way he spoke in the letters he wrote to me. I could read between the lines—the crimes he was convicted of did seem out-of-character for the kind of man he appeared to be.
Diana purses her lips, the weight of the whole world on her shoulders. “But everybody deserves a second chance. I just hope he can forgive himself and he can surround himself with people who are willing to give him a chance.” She watches me meaningfully, silently begging me not to judge her son.
I don’t want to judge. Jumping to conclusions and making hasty character assessments is out-of-character for me. But it’s kind of hard to keep looking for the best in him when all he’s shown me since the moment we met is a cold, hardened man.
The approaching sound of footsteps booms from the staircase. My heart thuds so hard.
All morning, I’ve been awaiting this moment with nervous anticipation. Because after what happened last night—me, flashing my boobs at my employer. (No, I’m still not over it)—I know that seeing him again will be beyond awkward.
But when I dare to shift my gaze toward the hallway, when I dare to steal a peek at my boss…
I whimper. Out loud.
Eli Kingston is in a suit.
It’s charcoal gray and a little rumpled with a white button-down underneath. He’s missing his necktie and his shirt is unbuttoned at the collar which only adds to his sexy edge. Wide shoulders, strong chest, long legs. Like the photo on Callie’s nightstand come to life. Only sexier. Because his hair is a little messy and his beard is unshaven and he’s wearing a frown like it’s the perfect accessory.
“Morning.” The word is curt and deep and it fills the air.
When Eli’s penetrating gaze lands on me, I swallow hard. I squirm in my skin. “Morning.” Reaching for my coffee mug, I take a gulp of the too-hot liquid, wishing I could just sink down inside the cup.
I can’t make eye contact. Trying to figure out what he thinks of me right now is borderline painful. He probably thinks I’m an incompetent fool and that I don’t belong anywhere near his daughter.
Thank god for Diana, though. She smiles kindly at her son. “Good morning, dear. I just came by with some lunch. I thought you might like some—”
“I’ll pick something up on the way to the office,” he states flatly.
“You’re going to the office?” Both her eyebrows pop upward. After all, she did just say that she pretty much expected him to hide out a bit before facing the townsfolk again.
There’s the slightest edge of defensiveness in Eli’s voice when he speaks. “Things have got to get back to normal, Ma. So, yes, I’m going to the office.”
Diana gives a hesitant nod. “Okay. Okay, that’s good. Getting back to normal is good.”
The man crouches down in front of his kid who has sandwiched herself in between Diana and me. “Hey, Cal. Did you sleep okay?”
“Yes.” She nods timidly.
“Good.” He gives the smallest smile and touches her cheek before straightening to his full height. His body language says he wants more out of her but he doesn’t want to push it if she’s not ready.
Diana steps forward and wraps her arms around her son. All her
