Page 3 of Elsie's Strong Shelter

Calvin glanced at his smartwatch. “Should be. She and Elsie were taking the boys to the park then heading this way with pizza.”

Straightening, he dropped his foot to the floor. “Elsie’s here?”

“Should be,” Calvin echoed and grinned.

The sound of giggling and of footsteps pattering down the hallway announced the two little boys before they burst into the office. Jenna and Calvin’s son, Oliver, ran to Calvin and jumped into his lap while Jimmy dropped next to Boo and threw his arms around his furry neck.

Calvin snuggled Oliver close. “Hey, buddy. Did you have fun at the park?”

Oliver nodded and his dark hair bounced with the motion. He’d grown taller in the time Dean had known him, the roundness of his baby cheeks softening and making him look much older than three. “Yep. We played ball.”

Jimmy settled on the floor beside Boo with his feet tucked under him. “Basketball,” he clarified. “And Aunt Elsie pushed us on the swings. Then we played tag. Aunt Elsie and Jenna didn’t want to chase us though.”

Dean couldn’t help but smile at the excitement that poured from every word. “Hope you two munchkins tired yourselves out.”

“You and me both.”

Elsie’s silky voice turned Dean toward the doorway and his heart leapt into his throat. She’d tossed her auburn hair into a messy bun and her long-sleeved shirt was just fitted enough to show off every curve.

“But I have a feeling they both have enough energy left in the tank to scarf down pizza and get some more playtime in,” Elsie continued. “You guys hungry? We brought enough food to feed a baseball team.”

“We were just finishing up for the day,” Calvin said. “Unless Dean wants to talk about opening an office downtown. I understand it’s crowded in here. Not to mention all the chaos that comes along with it.” As if to emphasize his point, Calvin tickled Oliver’s sides until he erupted into laughter.

Watching his best friend become a father was the coolest thing, even if it gave him a tiny twinge of jealousy. He glanced at Elsie from the corner of his eye, his chest tightening as she crouched beside Jimmy and Boo. She was like a second mother to the little boy, her kind heart and gentle soul at center stage whenever he saw them together.

Catching snippets of time with Elsie when she stopped by the house to see Jenna had rekindled a desire of things he thought he’d lost. Had shown him the type of future he wanted, and the kind of woman he wanted to spend that future with.

He wanted a woman to love. One he could trust to keep her word and love him back forever—to give him the family he always wanted.

Memories jolted him back to reality. He’d thought he’d found that forever love and had trusted his ex-wife with his entire being only to be burned. He’d be a fool to think another relationship would end any differently.

Clearing his throat, he pressed his lips in a thin line and dipped his chin. “An office downtown would be less distracting and better for everyone. We should find out if there are anyavailable spaces. For now, I need to get Boo home but thanks for the pizza offer.”

He tried not to overthink the flash of disappointment on Elsie’s face as he stood, called Boo to his side, and walked away from the cozy scene and the woman who could break his heart all over again.

2

Light snores broke through the pitter patter of raindrops playing on the sound machine, signaling to Elsie that Jimmy was fast asleep. She tiptoed into his room, careful not to wake him, and stared down at the sleeping child who had captured her whole heart.

Blond hair spilled across his forehead, and his gently rising chest moved the superhero-covered blanket. The one-eyed monster nightlight cast an eerie green glow across the room, highlighting the toys still cluttered on the navy-blue rug.

She’d help him pick them up in the morning, so Mila didn’t lecture about keeping his space tidy. By the time they’d returned home, and she’d steered Jimmy though his bedtime routine, she’d been too exhausted to go the extra mile.

And now, wine and girl talk called to her much more than tidying Jimmy’s room.

“Goodnight, little man. Love you.” She blew him a kiss then tiptoed out to the hallway.

A lamp on the end table in the living room lit her way to the kitchen. The open concept of their small three-bedroom home allowed her to keep an eye on the hallway and ears tunedinto any noise Jimmy may make while getting out two stemless wineglasses. She found her favorite bottle of chardonnay in the refrigerator, as well as a few snacks, and carried her bounty on a wooden tray to the coffee table.

Like her store, most of the furniture in her house was secondhand. Painted and tended to make each piece exactly what she and Mila wanted. The result was an eclectic mix of colors and patterns, anchored by the pale blue walls. Nothing matched completely, but the thick stripes in the couch complimented the distressed white of the end table. The bold colors of the framed prints on the walls were a perfect match for the busy pattern on the armchair tucked beside the fireplace.

Throw in baskets filled with solid-colored blankets placed close to the furniture and an abundance of decorative pillows, and no place in this world could feel more like home.

Wanting to chase the slight chill from the air, she built a fire then grabbed a burnt orange throw and tossed it over her lap as she settled into the corner of the sofa. She poured herself a glass of wine and sighed. She’d lied to her best friend earlier. Told her she had no feelings for Dean. But his odd reaction to her pizza invitation earlier hit her with a block of disappointment. Something she couldn’t ignore any longer.

She took a sip of the cool white wine. Whatever. She’d talk it all through with Mila and hopefully get the scoop on what her bestie had going on. Tomorrow she’d wake up lighter and with more clarity. Setting her glass on the end table, she opened a book on her phone and waited.

Elsie woke with a jolt.A touch of cool air skimmed her cheek. The light from the end table shone bright, and she blinked against its attack. The fire had gone out and the chill from the dark night outside rushed down the open flue.

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