Charming the Firefighter. Beth Andrews
to the cut on the side of his mouth. Tasted blood. “You deserve a broken thumb for that sucker punch.”
She wrinkled her nose in faux concern. “Looks like it hurts. A lot.”
“It does.”
“Great. Then my job here is done. Now maybe you’ll stop being such an ass.”
“I doubt that,” James murmured.
Leo bit back a snarl and kept his focus on Maddie. “If I need stitches, I’m going to be pissed.”
“It’s a scratch. Suck it up. Although it would be a real shame, messing up that pretty, pretty face with an unsightly scar.” She edged closer and lowered her voice. “But nothing less than what you deserve for trying to antagonize my boyfriend all the freaking time.”
“Just because you’ve forgotten what he did, how he treated you, doesn’t mean I have.”
“Yes, I’ve completely lost any and all memories from the past thirteen years,” she said drily. “Look, Neil and I both made mistakes. It’s not forgetting. It’s forgiveness.”
He couldn’t believe someone as smart and self-assured as Maddie was willing to put herself in the same situation she’d been in at sixteen. Loving Neil Pettit. Trusting him to be there for her and Breanne, their twelve-year-old daughter.
“Maybe I’m not in a forgiving mood,” Leo said.
“You don’t have to be. Neil didn’t ask for your forgiveness. And if you don’t stop acting like such a jerk, Neil, Bree and I will be forced to skip these family get-togethers.”
“Blackmail, Maddie? That’s beneath you.”
She nodded, not looking the least bit guilty. “And you acting like some overprotective brother is getting old. It’s awkward and irritating to listen to your snide remarks and put-downs to Neil every time we get together. Don’t think Bree hasn’t noticed, too. Or that it doesn’t bother her.”
Leo’s shoulders wanted to hunch so he jerked them back. But he couldn’t stop himself from glancing toward the deck, the last place he’d seen Bree. She was still there, her chubby legs curled under her as she read a book, the sun glinting off her short cap of dark hair.
Though many, many women had fallen hard for him, there were only three he could truly say he’d ever loved. His mother and his sister were near the top of that list. But the number-one spot was held by the only female who’d ever had him wrapped around her little finger.
His niece, Breanne.
Ever since he’d held her as a red, squalling newborn, he’d been hooked. He’d been eighteen and she’d been his first in many ways—first baby he’d ever held. First bottle-feeding and diaper change. First time losing his heart.
He’d do anything for her.
Too bad she didn’t need him any longer. She had her father back in her life.
For now.
“Do you really think Neil’s going to stay this time?” Leo asked harshly. “Just because he’s stuck it out this long doesn’t mean he won’t change his mind or take off again.”
It had been over a year since Neil and Maddie had reconciled, but nothing had really changed. Neil still played professional hockey. Sure, he’d recently been traded to the Blue Jackets, but they were based in Columbus—a three-hour drive from Shady Grove.
“I know he’s going to stick,” Maddie said.
Leo shook his head sadly. “I feel sorry for you for believing that.”
Her eyes got all squinty. Never a good sign. Swear to God, if she hit him again, he was dumping her crazy ass in the pool. Luckily, she kept her hands at her sides.
“I trust him and what we have,” she said. “Neil and I are together and we’re going to stay together so I suggest you grow up and get over this stupid, adolescent rivalry or whatever it is you have with him. Or be prepared to lose me and Bree.”
She stomped off, headed directly to Neil and into his arms. He kissed the top of her head.
Leo wanted to punch something himself.
“He abandons her and Bree,” Leo muttered when James joined him, “and I’m the one she socks in the jaw?”
“Quit whining,” James said. “It’s a scratch.”
Leo jabbed a finger at his injury. “Does this look like a scratch?”
“Yes. Rub some dirt on it and we’ll start another game. Get some of our pride back.”
“Easy for you to say.” Leo carefully ran his tongue over his bottom lip, wincing when he reached the gash at the corner. He bent and retrieved his T-shirt from the grass. “You’re not the one bleeding.”
“You deserved it.”
Leo snagged James’s water bottle and took a drink. Swished it around his mouth while Eddie joined them.
Leo spat onto the grass. “Deserved to be viciously attacked?” Eddie rolled his eyes. Leo narrowed his own. “You have something to say?”
“It was a foul,” Eddie said, like some freaking Zen master brushing aside Leo’s dark scowl and low growl with his own calm expression and quiet tone. “Not a mugging.”
Leo’s free hand fisted. “Who asked you?”
“What are you?” James muttered. “Thirteen?”
Eddie’s mouth turned down, his shoulders rigid. Maybe not so Zen, after all. “You asked, you idiot.”
Stepping between them as he had so many times in their lives, James made a tsking sound. “Name calling.” He faced Eddie, tossed him the ball. “Just walk away. You know this isn’t about you.”
“Maybe not,” Eddie said, “but he’s obviously jonesing for an ass-kicking. I’m happy to oblige.”
Leo shifted to the left, but so did James. He peered around James’s shoulder. “You want to go, Eddie?”
“That really something you want to do in front of Max and Cassidy?” James asked Eddie.
Eddie glanced at Max, who sat cross-legged on the grass raptly watching the unfolding scene, one small, grubby hand petting Zoe, James’s German shepherd/husky mix, the other holding a dripping red Popsicle.
“Cass is in the pool with Harper,” Eddie said, the latter being his girlfriend, Cassidy her three-year-old daughter. He spoke in his usual irritatingly slow way, as if thinking through each word before letting it out of his mouth. “And I could always send Max into the house for a few minutes.”
Max scrambled to his knees, and the action had Zoe jumping to her feet as well. “You always send me somewhere when you fight with Uncle Leo. Why can’t I watch?”
“Because you’ll lose respect for your uncle when you see him cry.”
Leo stepped forward. “We’ll see who ends up crying.”
Though he was honest enough with himself to admit there was a chance it would be him. Eddie was built like a tank, had fists like bricks, and could take a sock to the nose and keep coming at you.
Without so much as a glance Leo’s way, James slapped the back of his hand on Leo’s chest, stopping him in his tracks. “I’ll talk to him,” he said to Eddie. “See what bug is up his butt.”
Frowning, Leo glanced at Max. “Did I suddenly turn invisible?”
Wide-eyed, his dark hair in a newly minted Mohawk, his mouth stained red, the boy shook his head. “I can still see you.”
With one of his laconic shrugs, Eddie turned and walked away.
Leo sneered. “Wuss.”
James