Page 31 of Sweet Surprises

Charlotte shoved her clothing into her duffel bag as quickly as she could.

Tag was rounding up the kids, and they were all about to go back to his house. They had all decided that Charlotte was going to stay there until this place was up and running again.

Tag did his best to make light of it, but she was pretty sure it would take time to put the shop back together.

Tears prickled her eyes at the thought that she could have saved them from all of this trouble if she had just mentioned that the apartment was too cold. She was on the edge of sobbing again when Tag’s words echoed in her head.

You’re okay. I’ve got you.

Suddenly, even though she was alone in the frigid apartment, she felt that same rush of warmth she had when he’d wrapped his arms around her in the shop. Something about it had felt so good when he held her, so right, like pieces of her heart were fitting back together again.

Don’t think about it,she advised herself.

She’d already had enough bad luck with men to last a lifetime. And besides, Tag was practically her boss, and he was Allie’s brother. That had to be against the girl code or something.

And his kids had been through a lot with losing their mother. Poor Olivia certainly didn’t need some stranger mooning over her dad.

Once she had all her stuff more or less shoved into her bags, Charlotte headed down with the first one.

Tag was outside, standing by his truck with the kids by his side.

Chance was munching on what looked like a chocolate chip cookie, and Olivia was talking to Tag, her hands moving in the air, which Charlotte already knew meant she was excited about something.

Under the soft light from the streetlamps the three of them looked like a storybook family.

Would I even fit into that picture?

Charlotte shook her head and kept moving.

“Hey,” Olivia said when she came out. “Need any help?”

“Nah, I just have a duffel and another suitcase up there,” Charlotte said. “I can get it all on my next trip.”

But Tag was already moving past her, heading into the shop for her stuff.

“It’s a guy thing,” Olivia confided, rolling her eyes.

“I’m strong too,” Chance announced. “Look, Charlotte. Look at me.”

She watched as he flexed his muscles with a tough, grimacing expression on his cute little face that made her smile in spite of herself.

“Here we go,” Tag growled as he lifted her suitcase and duffel effortlessly into the back of his truck.

“Wow,” Charlotte said.

He held his hand out for her other suitcase and she handed it over, trying not to watch him, or even let herself think about his strength.

The man lost his wife,she told herself firmly.Have some respect.

“Charlotte, you’re going to live in theattic,” Chance yelled to her as Tag helped him into his booster.

“It’s a finished room,” Tag said quietly.

“There’s a bed and stuff,” Chance added. “Don’t worry, Charlotte. And the bed isreallygood for jumping on.”

“But we don’t jump on beds,” Tag said sternly. “Right, bud?”

“No,” Chance said sadly. “I might fall down and hit my head.”

---