Page 16 of Raging Inferno

The dog plopped to his behind, his tail thumping against the blacktop and his tongue hanging out the side of his mouth. Presley scratched his ears, much to his delight.

Gia took a set of keys from her backpack and opened a door leading to the garage. They entered the house into a mudroom with a storage unit that contained hooks for coats. Gia plopped onto a bench and kicked off her shoes, stuffing them in a drawer beneath the seat. Through a doorway, Presley could see a laundry room with a dog washing station for Major, who had raced inside ahead of them while Presley brought up the rear.

The kitchen was next, with wood cabinets, white stone countertops, and stainless steel appliances. Vanilla, with a hint of wood smoke from the fireplace, scented the air. The showstopper was a wall of windows overlooking the distant lake. Though it was miles away, the view was majestic.

Gia tossed her bag on the bar while Major loped to his water bowl and slurped.

“Do you have homework?”

“Aw, man, I was hoping you wouldn’t think about it,” Gia groused.

She almost didn’t until she saw a schedule posted on the refrigerator.

“Does Mrs. Maxx usually stay with you while your dad is gone?”

“Yeah, or her daughter, Nelly. Then there’s Amber or Ms. Pringle when they aren’t available.”

That was good. Dominic had a cadre of people to watch his daughter. She didn’t know what hours he worked but suspected they were unpredictable.

While Gia tackled her homework and Major napped, Presley walked around the house. She told herself she wasn’t snooping, but the truth was, she wanted to know more about Dominic, the man, instead of the boy she remembered from years ago.

The house had been updated from the last time she’d been there. Green shag carpet had been replaced with a wide-planked hickory that gave it a farmhouse feel. The furniture was dark leather, undeniably masculine, but it looked comfortable. Mounted above a fieldstone fireplace with a chunky wood mantle was a colossal flat-screen television. Framed pictures of Gia were everywhere, documenting the years from infancy to present day.

The house was neat and uncluttered. There were no dishes piled in the sink, and the counters were free of pizza or takeout boxes, as she’d expect from a single father. No laundry scattered on the wood floors, either.

It was a beautiful house that felt like a home. Though she wanted to explore the rest of the rooms, she refrained. She wouldn’t like it if a virtual stranger prowled around her space, sticking their head in medicine cabinets and opening closet doors—not that she would do that. Still, Dominic deserved his privacy.

Presley sat on the couch and picked up a remote from a side table. She found an age-appropriate game show to watch while waiting for Dominic to return.

“Done with homework,” Gia announced a half hour later. Major jumped up from his padded bed and let out an excited bark.

Presley had checked the schedule before she sat down. “That means it’s bath time.”

“I know,” Gia grumbled as she stomped to her room with Major dogging her steps. “You are a taskmaster.”

Presley chuckled.

When Gia rejoined her, dressed in pajamas decorated with unicorns and smelling like strawberry shampoo, she held a box.

“Do you want to make friendship bracelets with me?”

“Sure.”

“Really? Yay!”

Gia dropped beside her on the couch and took out several plastic containers of beads, alphabet letters, and charms.

“Here are some of mine I made already.”

“These are pretty,” Presley said. “What are the slogans?”

“They’re the names of Taylor Swift songs.”

“So, you’re a Swiftie?”

Gia bobbed her head excitedly.

Presley knew little about the pop superstar but had heard about the bracelet swaps. She searched for song lyrics on her phone and decided on “Headfirst, Fearless” and “Not Your Princess.”

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