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“Of course. Just point me to your veggies,” she replied, a smile settling on Brett’s face. He opened the refrigerator, and she was greeted with a healthy-looking food stock, one that surprised her slightly for a single dad and daughter household. She grabbed what was needed, bringing it all to the cutting board that Brett set out.
For the next half hour or so, Carol and Lacy worked on their tasks while Brett cooked the steaks, which had been marinating overnight.
In no time, the three of them were sitting at their dining room table, enjoying the delicious meal that they’d made together. As usual, Lacy dominated the conversation, but Carol and Brett talked as well. Carol offered a few small anecdotes of her life that she hoped wouldn’t get her into trouble from the man in the trench coat.
Carol noticed throughout dinner that Brett would look at her with a soft gaze, looking away quickly when she’d meet his eye. It made her blush, the attention of such a handsome man, and she did her best to keep her somersaulting stomach under control.
After dinner, she could tell that Lacy’s eyes were getting heavy. “Alright, kiddo, time to wash up for bed,” Brett said in a stern voice, only having to raise his eyebrows once when Lacy began to argue.
“Good night, Carol,” Lacy said, giving her a hug before running off down the hallway to her room.
“I’m, ah, going to get her tucked in. Just… hang out here?” Brett asked, his nerves seeping through his voice.
“I’ll be here, Brett,” she affirmed, making him smile before he followed Lacy. She stood, deciding that she could begin cleaning the table before Brett came back. Carol had all the dishes in the sink and was rinsing them off carefully when Brett appeared at her side with a bottle of beer.
“Drink?” he asked, looking hopeful. So he didn’t want her to leave, apparently.
Carol nodded and took the bottle, leaving the dishes in the sink and following Brett into the living room. He busied himself with an old record player in the corner of the room so she wandered toward the mantle, looking at the pictures there.
Soft rock music filled the air and she recognized the record as Air Supply. The music put a smile on her face and she took another sip of her beer. Brett came across the room to join her, kneeling down to light the logs in the fireplace.
“You and Lacy are so great together,” she commented, starting the conversation on a topic Carol knew Brett would be proud of. “She loves you very much.”
She picked up a picture from the mantle, one of Brett and Lacy in a park. The smiles on their faces were contagious, she realized, her reflection in the glass smiling back.
“Yeah, she’s a great girl,” Brett replied, reaching for another picture frame. “She’s not mine, though, not by blood.”
She looked at Brett, surprise obvious on her face. The topic never came up while she was working on the party; this was personal to him and Lacy. He continued his explanation. “My best friend growing up, Wade, she’s his.”
Brett handed her the frame he’d picked up, her eyes drawn to the image. Her breath caught in her throat as she recognized the people in the picture.
Brett, a much younger Brett, had his arm around a man in a trench coat—the same man in the trench coat whom she had met in the park, the same man who had sent her on the mission to help Brett Carlington and his auto shop as her unfinished business.
Luckily, Brett wasn’t looking at her as he continued his story, so he missed seeing her recognition and surprise. “Wade was an incredible father, and I was—am—Lacy’s godfather. When she was just a little tyke, not even a year old, Wade and his wife Meg went out for a show in the city… They were in a horrible accident and didn’t make it home.”
Carol’s heart clenched at the story, her eyes drawn to Brett’s face even though he was staring into the fire in front of him, not at her. “I promised Wade I’d take care of Lacy-bear, so I adopted her. There wasn’t any question about it; she just became mine.”
He took the picture frame from her and put it back in its place on the mantle, swiping his thumb across the image gently before he turned away. “It’s a blessing and a curse to have such a huge reminder of Wade in my life every day, but I wouldn’t give Lacy up for anything.”
She followed Brett across the room to sit next to him on the couch, setting her beer bottle down. “It’s amazing of you to take her in, Brett. It shows how strong your character is and how big your heart is, even if you don’t like to show it.”
Brett’s eyes found hers, vulnerability in them. “I guess you’re right, Carol,” he said simply, not looking away. Time seemed to stop as she and Brett stared at one another, both of them leaning closer.
“Brett…” she whispered, terrified and thrilled at what was happening. Instead of answering, Brett leaned the fraction of an inch to close the gap between them, his lips soft and plump against hers. Any and all resolve broke as she leaned further into him, his hand cradling her cheek.
Brett angled her head so that he could deepen the kiss, his tongue caressing hers as her heartbeat sped up. She’d never been kissed like this before, with so much emotion and desperation, making it intense and incredible. She lost herself in Brett, in his smoky scent and lips tasting of the dinner they’d eaten and the beer they’d drunk. He was intoxicating and she was sure to become addicted in no time.
Brett’s strong hands grasped at her shoulders before sliding down her back, pulling Carol closer to him. “Carol…”
That one word snapped her out of the spell she was in, making her pull away. She couldn’t do this; she was going to leave soon. Once the party was done, her unfinished business would be over and she’d be going on to wherever the man in the trench coat—Wade—took her.
Brett had enough hardship in his life. He didn’t need to get attached to Carol just to have her gone in a couple short weeks.
She stood quickly and abruptly, Brett following her to his feet. “Carol?” he asked, obviously confused at her actions.
“I’m so sorry, Brett, I need to go. This has been wonderful. You’re wonderful,” she said quickly as she reached for her coat, pulling it on and grabbing her purse. “I’ll see you tomorrow at the shop. We’ve got a party to put on!”
Brett couldn’t get a word in as she headed for the door, stopping her only when her hand was on the knob. “Did I do something? Too fast? I’m so sorry, Carol,” he said, trying to understand why she had a sudden change of attitude.
