Page 2 of Fire in My Heart

My gut tightened. I couldn't have this woman living so close to me. Her sunny demeanor drove me crazy. I couldn't understand how anyone could be so happy all the time. I was happy with my life—content, even—but I didn’t have to tell the world.

I didn't need anyone stirring up trouble, and I had a feeling this woman had the power to do that. But what could I say?I don't want to live next to you.I wasn't even that much of an asshole.

The sound of a pickup truck rambling down the lane reached us.

“That must be Al.”

We were the only ones living on the property at this point.

Dad's truck ambled to a stop behind us, and he opened hisdoor and stepped out. “Oh, good. You're here to help her move in.”

Charlotte moved to Dad and hugged him. “Thank you so much for letting me live here. It's absolutely delightful.”

Seriously. Who said words likedelightful?

“We're happy to have you.”

I ground my teeth together. There was noweabout it.

Dad nodded in the direction of the main house and barn. “I'll head back. I just wanted to make sure you were settling in okay.”

Charlotte beamed at him. “We're working on it.”

“Thanks for unloading her stuff for her. I appreciate it.”

Now, I was stuck. My dad had clearly stopped by to help Charlotte unload her things. I couldn't let him do that. “No problem.”

Charlotte rolled two suitcases to the porch. Once she was out of earshot, I said to Dad, “I'm not happy about her living here.”

“I figured that. But you're moving out as soon as your house is fixed.”

That was going to be longer than I wanted.

“And she needs a place to stay. She's been living at the inn.”

She had been working the counter at the Mathews Inn for a while. I didn't see what the problem was with letting her live in a hotel.

“They need to rent out that room.”

Why couldn't she find a place of her own? Why did she have to live here? And why now, when I was here too? It was like fate was fucking with me, and I didn't like it one bit.

Dad clapped my back. “I'll make some lunch. When you're done with this—” he nodded toward the front door of the cottage where Charlotte had already slipped inside”—stop by.”

“Will do.”

Dad moved toward the truck before he paused and looked over his shoulder at me. “Oh, and Teddy?”

“Yeah?”

“Try to be nice to her. I don't know what it is about you and her, but she's a nice girl.”

She wasn't a girl. She was all woman. I hadn't wanted to notice, but there was no getting around her curves. And I’d been trying to ignore them for almost a year.

“She's had a little trouble.”

My heart picked up, my police instincts going into overdrive. “What kind of trouble?”

Dad's forehead creased. “I'm not going to tell you things she told me in confidence. She'll be safe here.”

---