Page 75 of Perfect Imperfections

“The more the merrier.” Ellie tried to smile through the embarrassment at getting caught not only by Sullivan’s daughter, but by his brother as well. Might as well tattoo it on her forehead. I’m sleeping with Sullivan Green.

“Hooray! Zoo day, zoo day, zoo day!”

Charlotte jumped up from her chair to perform an adorable little shimmy dance around the kitchen table. Ellie laughed at the small girl’s enthusiasm, noticing the matching looks of love and indulgence on the faces of the Green brothers. Charlotte might not have a mother in her life, but it was clear the rest of her family adored her.

“We should probably clean up, and then I have to go home and change before we head to the zoo.”

She’d also need to call Tammy and get approval for an unscheduled behind-the-scenes tour. Not that she had any doubt her boss would give her the go ahead. Since Ellie had saved Charlotte, she’d become the zoo darling. She could do no wrong. And she was pretty sure anything Sullivan asked for, the zoo director would bend over backwards to give him. Public image was very important when you were a non-profit. The zoo needed funding and bad press could kill the donations they needed to keep the animals fed and the doors open. Sullivan already assured her he would not sue—he knew the zoo wasn’t responsible for what happened, and he wasn’t that kind of person anyway—but Tammy still would be more than happy to allow Ellie to give the Greens a private tour.

“Don’t worry about cleaning up, Ellie.” Sullivan nodded his head to his brother. “We got an extra set of hands now.”

“Oh, no. I couldn’t. I helped make the mess.”

“And now my brother is here to clean it up.”

“I come over to brighten up your boring day and you put me to work doing dishes?” Gavin shook his head. “You cut me deep, brother.”

“It’s not a boring day, Uncle Gavin.” Charlotte stared at him incredulously. “We’re going to the zoo.”

Gavin nodded his head with a smile. “Of course, you’re right.”

“Really, I don’t mind helping—”

Sullivan cut her off with a quick kiss. The way she chased his lips when he pulled away would embarrass her, but he was a fantastic kisser. Anyone with half a pulse would go after more.

“We’re fine. Go do what you need and meet us at the zoo in…say, an hour?”

Knowing she wouldn’t win this argument, she nodded. “Okay, an hour. Bye Charlotte, see you soon.”

“Bye, Ellie. I love you!”

Still unused to the freedom with which the young girl expressed affection, Ellie dabbed at her misty eyes.

“Love you too, sweetie.”

As she stood up to leave, she noticed Gavin staring at her, a strange expression on his face.

“Come on, Gavin.” Sullivan said, rising from the table. “You have wash duty.”

“In a minute,” he spoke to his brother, but his gaze still burned on her. “I forgot something in my car. I’ll walk Ellie out and grab it real quick.”

Well, that didn’t sound ominous at all.

Charlotte grabbed all the plates and walked to the sink with the precarious pile. Sullivan waved them off, distracted by saving his daughter from dropping the wobbly tower and shattering the ceramic all over the floor.

Ellie tried to calm her breathing as she walked out the front door, extremely conscious of the man walking just a few feet behind her. She resisted the urge to tug on her ear, but just barely. Once she got to her car, she turned, staring Gavin straight in the eye.

“Okay, let’s have it.”

“It?” he questioned, a half-smile tilting the corner of his mouth.

“I know you didn’t forget anything in your car.” She wasn’t naïve. “You wanted to talk to me about something without your brother present. So out with it.”

Sullivan had called her brave, so that’s what she was trying to be. But her heart took a nosedive when the smile left Gavin’s face. Somber reflection replacing the usual jovial humor she’d come to know Sullivan’s brother for.

“Sullivan doesn’t date. At all. Ever since Claire left, he’s been focused on two things. Work and Charlotte.”

She’d believe that. The man had a designated puzzle night on Fridays. She assumed he hadn’t been out hitting the club scene. Then again, she was thrilled with Friday puzzles nights, so what did that say about her social life?

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