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“I get it,” he says, “and I’m not trying to downplay what happened because you’re right, fires are scary as hell. But I don’t go into them without my team of men, and we’re always dressed in our bunker gear. I’m a trained professional. You don’t have to worry about me.”
“Only I will,” I tell him. “You’re already too far under my skin for me not to worry about you.”
“I like the sound of that,” he says. “Me under your skin. But before that can happen, you’ll have to let me take you out on an actual date.”
“As nice as that sounds, right now isn’t the best time. Jordan’s home and—”
“You got me off track,” he says with a chuckle. “Jordan is the reason for my call.”
“Oh?” I say curiously.
“I imagine you have to go to work tomorrow, so I’m calling to offer my babysitting services.”
“You’re offering to watch Jordan for me tomorrow?” I ask in shock at the turn of events. I went from thinking he was calling to ask me out on a date to him offering to watch my daughter so I could go to work.
“You’d actually be doing me a favor,” he says. “My niece said I’m boring, and she’d be thrilled to spend the day with Jordan.”
Well, when he puts it like that… “That would actually be great. Thank you.”
“Wow, did you just agree without argument?”
“I did,” I reply with a laugh. “The truth is, I was dreading calling out from work, and I was just thinking about what I would do when you called, so you’re saving my butt.”
“Anytime, Kels,” he says. “Are you okay with us hanging at your place? I planned to take them to the ranch in the morning to see the animals but figured we could go back to your place in the afternoon. That way, the girls can play in Jordan’s room.”
“Of course. I’ll give you my key in the morning.”
My lack of concern over allowing him to be in my home and watch my daughter makes me realize how much I already trust Pierce—which is both comforting and frightening.
After we go over what time he’ll pick her up, we say good night since we both have to get up early tomorrow.
When Jordan wakes up, and I tell her she’ll be spending the day with Tilly and Pierce, you’d think I told her she’s going to Disney she gets so excited.
Once Pierce arrives, I remind Jordan to behave and take off to work. The day flies by. Aside from the few pictures Pierce sent me of the girls with the horses and then one more text letting me know they’re at my house and will see me when I get home, I haven’t heard from him.
As I’m about to clock out from my shift, I overhear Dorothy mention that Nancy, who works the afternoon shift, caught a bug. I hate to take advantage of Pierce watching Jordan, but if I can snag this shift, it would compensate for the one I missed yesterday. I send a text to Pierce asking if it’d be okay. When he texts back, telling me they’re all good and he’s got everything under control at my house, I sigh in relief.
“Thank you so much for covering for Nancy,” Dorothy says when I clock out several hours later, beyond thankful to Pierce for watching Jordan. Not only did I make back what I lost yesterday, but apparently, the afternoons are busier than the mornings, so I made double what I usually make.
“You’re welcome. See you tomorrow.”
The walk home is quick, but when I arrive at my house, I do a double take, wondering if I’m at the right place. When I left this morning, there were no lights on my house or my yard, but now, the entire place is covered in Christmas lights and decorations.
And not just any decorations—it looks like Disney threw up all over the yard. Several of the Disney princesses are on one side, with the characters from Frozen on the other. Mickey and Minnie are on the roof, sitting in a sled with Pluto pulling them. My door is decorated like a giant present, and there are more princesses with snowflakes in the windows. Even the sidewalk has lit-up candy canes trailing up both sides.
I’m still staring at it all in shock and awe when the front door opens, and the girls run out, followed by Pierce.
“Mommy! Mommy! Did you see all the decorations?” Jordan exclaims.
“They’re kind of hard to miss, Bug,” I say with a small laugh. “You guys were busy.”
“Pierce let us help, and it was so much fun! I got to pick out all the stuff, and he said tomorrow he’s gonna enter us in the battle.”
The battle of lights. I completely forgot about that. The chances of us winning are small, but he spent the day decorating our house so Jordan could enter the battle. Because she’s hoping to win the money for me to pay our bills.
