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“Dad, you don’t have to worry. I have no interest in the guy. He’s not as cute as he thinks he is and Derrick always manages to appear out of thin air whenever Clay comes around.” Liza finished her milk, got up to throw her paper plate into the trash and put her glass in the dishwasher.
“That’s good. Glad your brother is looking out for you. Saves me from having to pay a visit to school.” Race got up to dispose of his trash and refilled his coffee mug.
“Oh my God! You wouldn’t!” Liza’s eyes were huge at the prospect of her dad showing up at school and embarrassing her.
“If I feel it’s necessary, you bet your ass I’d come to school.”
“Dad,” she whined.
“Keep the dickheads away from you and it won’t be an issue.” He leaned down and kissed the top of her head. “Learn from your sister’s mistakes, Shannon.” His baby girl rolled her eyes and laughed at him.
Liza put the lid back on the box of uneaten doughnuts and placed them on the counter. She was always the mother hen when they were at his house. She looked out for the others and if he’d let her, she’d be all over taking care of him, too.
Race followed the other two into the living room, watching as they came to a stop at the window with the view of Bellamy’s house. The same window he watched her through as he sat in his comfortable chair, in the dark, sometimes with binoculars. No. That didn’t sound creepy at all, now, did it? Seeing as it was Saturday morning, he was surprised he hadn’t heard Bellamy leave for work by now.
Heading for his favorite chair—maybe he should call it his spying on Bellamy chair or his perv chair—he noticed Shannon staring out the front window, her focus on something outside. “Whatcha looking at, baby doll?” Coming up behind her, he pushed the curtain a little farther aside and discovered what had drawn her attention.
Bellamy was outside trying to shovel the snow at the end of her driveway. It appeared sometime during the night the county road crew had been through plowing and ended up creating a two-foot barricade that her car wouldn’t be able to get through at the end of her driveway. He knew she drove a Hyundai Palisade and it had front-wheel drive, but it also had low clearance. No way she’d get over that.
As he watched, he saw her load her shovel then toss it over her shoulder. She would load it pretty full, struggle under the weight, dump half off so she could toss it, then do it all over again. At the rate she was going, it was going to take forever and she’d be late opening her store.
“Derrick. Get the snow shovel out of the garage while I grab my coat. We’re going to help the neighbor clear her driveway before she kills herself.” His son moved in next to him, assessed the situation and was off to the garage.
Race set his mug of coffee on the side table next to his chair and quickly pulled his coat on. He was just grabbing his sunglasses by the time Derrick came back with the shovel.
“Come on. Let’s go finish it for her so she can get to work.” Race led the way across the yard, making a mental note he’d have to clear the end of his driveway as well.
He’d cleared his porch and sidewalk of snow yesterday and seeing Bellamy’s porch and sidewalk now, he thought maybe he should have shoveled hers, too. He tried to stay on top of clearing her driveway after each snow, telling himself he’d do it for any single woman living next door to him. Plus, he rationalized, he was her landlord and it was the responsible thing to do.
She went to work early and didn’t get home until after dark. He doubted she had the time to do it herself. And she shouldn’t have to. He didn’t know why it never crossed his mind to shovel her porch and sidewalk before now. He supposed it was because she pulled into the garage every night and entered the house through there and he hadn’t given it a second thought. Maybe after they finished with her drive, he and Derrick could knock the porch and sidewalk out really quickly.
Bellamy had her back toward him as he tapped her on the shoulder. She squealed, jumped and tossed the shovel full of snow over her shoulder, hitting him in the face and chest. Before she realized what she’d done, she’d spun around, her shovel whacking him in the chest and knocking him backward into the snowbank. Derrick immediately lost it. He doubled over laughing his ass off. His son thought it was hilarious and he’d give him that because if it had happened to Derrick, he’d be laughing, too.
“Oh my God, Race! I’m so sorry! I didn’t know you were behind me.” She pulled ear pods out of her ears and dropped them in her coat pocket. It would seem she hadn’t heard him approaching and he’d scared the shit out of her. He hated those fucking things everyone was shoving in their ears these days. He never knew if people were ignoring him or if they had those pods in their ears. Drove him nuts.
He motioned for Derrick to help him to his feet before the snow completely soaked through his jeans. He had half a mind to pull the little shit down next to him. Once he found his footing again, he spit the snow out of his mouth, removed his sunglasses and wiped them on the shirt underneath his coat.
“It’s okay. We’re all good. I didn’t mean to scare you and I didn’t realize you couldn’t hear me coming up behind you with those,” he motioned toward her, “things in your ears.” They’d been completely hidden under her hair and knit cap.
Bellamy’s gloved hand covered her mouth, trying to hide her smile. She wore a navy coat, white gloves, a white knit cap and a white scarf. Her cheeks were already pink from being outside in the cold and she was fucking adorable as she fought not to laugh outright in his face. “I’m so sorry. Did you need something?”
He shoved his gloved hands in his pockets. “Don’t you have to be at work this morning?”
“Yes. That’s why I’m trying to move the snow. So I can get my car out.” She was still struggling with not laughing as she rolled her lips inward.
“Just laugh and get it over with, babe.” She was too damn cute.
Like a dam breaking, the prettiest laugh he’d ever heard broke free. It was light and carefree. Like a spring morning with a clear blue sky. It drew you in, urging you to come explore. It hit him in the balls so hard, he had to drop his hands to cover the fact his dick was getting hard.
“Feel better?” he teased.
“Yes. Sorry. I shouldn’t have laughed at you getting snow thrown in your face. Especially since it was my fault.”
He hitched a thumb toward his son and introduced him. “This is my son, Derrick. Derrick, this is Bellamy.”
“Nice to meet you, Derrick.” She extended her gloved hand in greeting.
“Same.” He leaned forward and shook her hand in return. “Nice job hitting Dad.”
