Page 25 of The One Who Risked it All

As Joey beamed at the praise, I caught Eli’s eye. I looked away quickly, my mind a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. This unexpected teamwork was dangerous territory, and I wasn’t sure I was ready to navigate it just yet.

As Eli carried Joey toward the porch, I trailed behind, my mind reeling.

“You coming, Carla?” Eli called over his shoulder, that familiar smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. “Or are you just enjoying the view back there?”

I rolled my eyes, grateful for the chance to slip back into our usual banter. “In your dreams, Wells,” I shot back, quickening my pace to catch up. I had most definitely not been enjoying the view. Even if his jeans were slightly dusty from where his shoes had pressed into his back pockets. I didn’t notice at all.

As we settled onto the porch, Joey curled up contentedly in Eli’s lap, I found myself stealing glances at the pair of them. Eli’s strong arms cradled Joey protectively, his usual cockiness replaced by a gentle tenderness that made my heart do somersaults.

I caught myself staring at Eli’s profile, noticing the way his dark hair curled slightly at the nape of his neck, how his brow furrowed with concentration as he gently adjusted Joey in his lap. This wasn’t the cocky, devil-may-care Eli I was used to deflecting. This was... someone else. Someone I found myself wanting to know better.

“You know,” I said suddenly, my voice almost too quiet, “I always thought your whole firefighter gig was just another way to show off. But seeing you in action today... I get it now.”

Eli’s gaze flicked toward me, a teasing grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Oh? Do tell, Miss Putnam. What exactly do you ‘get’?”

I rolled my eyes, trying to push down the fluttering in my chest. “That maybe there’s more to Elijah Wells than meets the eye.”

He paused, his playful expression shifting. For a split second, I thought I saw something flicker—something almost vulnerable—in his eyes. But then it was gone, replaced by that cocky smirk I was far too familiar with.

“Careful there,” he warned, “you’re dangerously close to giving me a compliment again.”

My heart skipped a beat. That wasn’t the point, but I couldn’t ignore the way my body was reacting to him. I wasn’t stupid. I knew the score. I knew the kind of man Eli was—he’d never stick around, never choose me, not when his family’s legacy was involved. He had his own world, one I didn’t fit into.

So why, in this moment, did I want so badly to just lean into the warmth between us? Why did my heart keep betraying me, reminding me of what could never be?

I looked away quickly, forcing a casual tone back into my voice. “Don’t let it go to your head,” I said, trying to make it sound light. But even I could hear the softness in my words, and that terrified me. I couldn’t let myself care. Not again. He wasa playboy, irresponsible, someone who never let anyone get too close. I knew firsthand that he would never choose me over his family—over the life he had built around those old grudges. And yet, here I was, practically clinging to the warmth of his gaze.

For a moment, I allowed myself to imagine what it would be like if things were different. If we weren’t caught between feuding families and years of carefully constructed walls.

But just for a moment. Because reality couldn’t be avoided.

Joey,Linc, and Alex were already full of excitement before we even left the house. I had to remind them a dozen times to behave, to stop chasing each other, and to hold my hand when we crossed the street. It was always like this, a whirlwind of noise and motion. Joey and Lincoln were always in constant motion, and Alex—well, he was still young enough to not think before he ran off if he saw a squirrel or something interesting in the distance.

It was easier with Eli, but he was working today. By the time we reached the library, I was nearly winded, but I managed a smile. The library looked like something straight out of a storybook. The red brick building sat nestled between an old antique shop and a small office building that had been empty for years. It wasn’t anything fancy, but it had that comforting, homey feel. Its front door was heavy, and the boys fought over pushing the automatic opener button.

The bell above the door chimed softly as we stepped inside, and the musty scent of books washed over me, filling my lungs with nostalgia. It was a smell that always made me think of summer afternoons spent curled up with a good novel, the sun streaming in through the windows.

Samantha was behind the desk, sorting through a pile of books. Her daughter, Sophia, was sitting at one of the tables in the corner, reading her own book. Sophia was thirteen, but I didn’t have her in my class at school.

Samantha glanced up when the door chimed, her lips curving into a friendly smile. She was always warm and inviting. Today, her calm demeanor was a perfect contrast to the chaos the boys brought into the library. She was dressed in a cozy sweater and jeans, and her hair was tied up in a messy bun. I often wondered how she managed to juggle being a single mom and a full-time librarian. From the outside, she always seemed to have everything under control. But I knew better than to assume it was as easy as it looked.

“Hey, Carla!” she called over. “How are you today?”

I smiled back, my heart lifting at the sight of her. “Good, good. Just trying to wear the boys out before we head home. And maybe sneak in a little reading time myself.”

Samantha chuckled, and I could see her eyes crinkling with amusement. “I get that. I heard you were watching Rebecca and Nathan’s boys while they were gone. With that handsome brother of his. Elijah, right?”

I waved a hand, trying to keep the heat from rising in my cheeks. “Eli is working a lot. I’m happy to help,” I said, desperately hoping for a change of topic.

“Shame about Mr. Wells’s heart attack, isn’t it? Have you heard how he is?”

I forced a tight smile. Okay, was it too much to ask for adifferentchange of topic? “He’s coming home the day after tomorrow, I believe.”

“That’s good. It’s really nice of you to watch these hooligans. What’s on the agenda today?”

“Books, hopefully,” I said, practically sighing with relief and giving Joey a pointed look as he was already racing toward theshelves of the children’s area. “But you know how it goes with them. They’ll probably end up running circles around the place. I’ll try to keep them quiet.”

“Don’t worry about it too much,” Samantha said, winking. “I can’t blame them. If I were their age, I’d want to burn off some energy too. And it’s practically a ghost town in here this week. They won’t bother anyone.”

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