“Are you gonna eat all that?” Sammy asked, her eyes wide with awe.
“Sammy!” I admonished her.
Van only laughed as he lifted his sandwich. “I eat a lot, Sammy. I’m a big guy.”
She lifted her sandwich, biting into it, looking thoughtful. “I’m just a little girl.”
He threw me a wink. “Yep. A little mouse.”
She giggled, dipping her sandwich into the ketchup I added to her plate. “Mommy says I eat like a horse sometimes. They are way bigger than a mouse.”
He winked. “That they are, Sammy. Do you like horses?”
She nodded enthusiastically. “Mommy took me to ride one once. It was awesome!”
He chewed slowly, then wiped his mouth. “Maybe we’ll go one day.”
Sammy’s face lit up. “Yeah!”
I sighed remembering how happy those words made her. I thought about his remarks as we sat on the bench. How nice it had felt to sit beside him—his sheer size made me feel safe, and his gentle demeanor was both appealing and sexy. My body had responded to him when he lifted me into the truck as if I weighed nothing. Being in his arms, even for a moment, had felt so amazing. I thought of the way he hovered over me, his warm breath drifting across my face as he tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. Despite the fact that Sammy was behind me, I wanted him to kiss me. I wanted to feel his mouth on mine and taste him. To know how it would feel to be in his arms for longer than a minute. Sammy’s giggle had broken the moment, which was a good thing. Another second pressed so close to Van, and I might have lost my head and kissed him. We both would have been embarrassed.
In the park, the way he spoke, how he kept an eye on Sammy while talking to me was unexpected. His quiet words and the flash of anger when he asked about Sammy’s father surprised me.
I still couldn’t believe I had told him about Chris. Only a few people knew my history. I was a very private person, especially at the office, yet with Van, I opened up. He made me feel as if it was okay to tell him.
He was a good man, but what I had said was true. We could be friends and nothing more. He seemed fine with it, and it was for the best. I could work with him, admire his talent from the dark corner of a bar, and stay focused on what was important.
Giving Sammy a stable home and keeping her happy.
Still, my heart ached a little as I stood and dumped my cold coffee in the sink. I ignored the little voice in my head that asked what would make me happy.
In the grand scheme of things, I didn’t really matter. Only she did.
Liv
“Fine,” I said into the phone, frustrated. “I’ll be there as soon as possible.”
“Make it fast. I need a decision,” Ben Campbell snapped and hung up.
I dropped my head into my hands, overwhelmed. I felt the stirrings of panic begin, but I had to shake them off. I ran through my list of options in my head, and as much as I hated to do it, I knew I had no choice. I stood, grabbed my purse and laptop, and hurried out of my office, strategizing as I rushed down the hall. I was so deep in thought I never saw the person headed toward me until I ran straight into him.
A hard, thick torso that belonged to Van Morrison stopped me in my tracks. I gasped an apology as I slammed into him, my purse and laptop clutched to my chest. His arms snaked around me, keeping me from falling.
“Whoa, Liv. Where’s the fire?”
I had to tilt my head back to meet his gaze. His deep brown stare was amused and curious. He frowned as he took in my expression, his voice changing, becoming concerned.
“Hey, what’s the matter?”
The urge to drop my purse and laptop and fling my arms around his neck was so strong it shocked me. To seek his comfort and feel the sense of safety he invoked when close. With a sigh, I shook my head.
“I’m sorry, Van. I didn’t see you.”
He chuckled. “That in itself is telling, Liv. I’m sort of hard to miss.”
I had to chuckle at his words. He was correct.
“I need to go get Sammy then head to the Miller place. There’s a huge issue, and the foreman is insisting I go in person before they proceed.”
He furrowed his brow, confused. “And Sammy is going with you because…?”
I stepped back, realizing I was still in his arms. I felt the loss of his warmth right away, my panic beginning to seep in again.
“My mom is unwell again. She has chronic migraines and is in the middle of a bad run. She called me a while ago to let me know she couldn’t get Sammy from day care. I was going to head there and get her, when the foreman called, demanding my presence.” I passed a weary hand over my face. “I have to get Sammy, and I have to get to the house.”
“Hold up,” Van said, reaching into his pocket. “Campbell is the foreman, right?”
“Yes.”
“Stay here.”
He disappeared into his office. I shifted on my feet, looking at my watch. With traffic, I was going to be late getting Sammy. The day care by my place was good, but she was a stickler for pickup times. Then I had to get across town to the house and sort out the problem. I would also need to stop and get Sammy something to eat.
Ben Campbell was a crusty, demanding foreman, and he wasn’t going to be happy about being delayed. Sammy wasn’t going to be happy about being dragged around, and I wasn’t happy about the constant migraines my mom kept getting. I needed to convince her to go back to her doctor. It had been getting worse lately, and her meds no longer helped.
I slung my purse over my shoulder and began to hurry down the hall. Whatever Van was up to would have to wait.
“Hey!” Van’s voice bellowed.
I turned, shaking my head, still walking. “I have to go. I’m sorry.”
His long legs covered the distance between us easily. He wrapped his hand around my arm, stopping me. “You’re going the wrong way, Liv.”
“I need to get a cab. The main road is out front.”
“My truck is out back.”
“I’m sorry?”
He stopped, gently ceasing my steps.
“I called Campbell and told him to chill. I’ll drive you to get Sammy, drop you at the house, then I can take her home and look after her while you deal with him.”
I gaped at him.
“No, you can’t.”
“Yes, actually, I can.” He tugged me with him down the hall toward the back of the building.
“I-I can’t ask you to do that, Van.”
He flashed me a grin. A wide, wicked grin that told me he wasn’t going to listen to any of my arguments.
“You didn’t. I offered.”
“But—”
He stopped. “Do you trust me with Mouse?”
There was no hesitation. I had seen the way he acted with her on Saturday. I knew his responsible nature from the length of time I had worked with him. I trusted him completely.
“Yes.”
“Then let me do this. You can give me all the instructions on the way. If you need references, you can call my buddy AJ, and he’ll tell you how often I take his son, Jesse, for the night. I’m good with kids, Liv. Sammy will be fine, and you can take care of whatever you need to.”
Shocked at his plan, I let him guide me to the truck. He opened the door, and before I could move, lifted me into the cab again, and handed me the seat belt.