Page 3 of Promises & Pumpkins
Maddie looked up at me, looking too mature for her age. “More bad guys?” she asked, blowing a loose red curl from in front of her face.
“Yeah, sweet pea. More bad guys.” I put my hand on top of her head, flattening the mess of curls.
“When you get back can we sign up for dance class?” A big smile pulled at her cheeks. She knew she could get anything she wanted from me at times like this.
I nodded. Where did one start with finding a dance class for a six-year-old? It was one of those things that would have been easier with her mother. “Yeah, when I get back, we can sign up for dance class.” I kissed the top of her head while she clapped excitedly, and my heartbeat raced to match her rhythm. “Now go brush your teeth so we can go.”
“Yes, Daddy.” Maddie danced off toward the stairs with her hands above her head. When she stepped up on the first step, she kicked her foot like she was already a professional dancer of who-knew-what style. I smiled and shook my head.
“Okay, okay, little miss ballerina. Get dressed. I’m going to drop you off at Grandma’s house on my way to the station.”
Chapter 3
Harper
“Okay, tell me again how you locked yourself out?” Bridget laughed, stacking bowls in my cabinet with a grin on her face. She was having too much fun.Just like a big sister to revel in my lingering embarrassment.
I sighed, snatching the empty box from the counter and tossing it into the pile on the floor. When I did, I ignored thesmaller box that fell out of the stack and onto the kitchen floor. I’d pick it up later. I just wanted to get the rest of these boxes unpacked—and maybe if I opened another box my too-nosy-for-her-own-good sister would let me get by without her making fun of me. Then she waved her hand, encouraging me to talk.
“Ugh.” I looked at the window Miles had helped me climb through. “I went to the store and forgot my keys on the counter. It reminded me of that time in high school when we snuck out and Dad left, and he didn’t know we had snuck out and didn’t have keys. Do you remember that?”
“Oh mygod!We broke in through the basement window. He was so mad when we bent the screen because he had to buy a new one.” She threw her head back, cackling while she held onto a stack of plates. “I totally forgot about that.”
“Well this time I couldn’t get the screen off, and all of the doors were locked, but the neighbor saw me struggling. It wasn’t nearly as smooth, and I almost got in trouble.” My stomach flipped thinking about Miles. He had mentioned being a cop. What if he had arrested me for trying to break into my own house?Thatwould’ve been one hell of a way to get to know a new town. “He helped me get in.”
Bridget put the plates she was holding in the cabinet and turned back around as Miles pulled up in front of my house. He climbed out of the car, and my eyes were drawn to his uniform. He really was a cop! “Hold on,” Bridget said, emphasizing both words.“That’sthe neighbor who helped you?Officer Sexy?”The excitement in her voice needed to be stopped before it snowballed.
“Stop it.” She wasn’t wrong though. He did look pretty good in his uniform—older, stronger, like he could definitely protect me but was maybe even a little bit dangerous.
Bridget saw my gaze glued to the window. “Not a chance.” She stepped up next to me, resting her hip against the counter andsmirking. “A handsome older man like that in a uniform?” She grunted with approval. “I’d let him arrest me.”
My eyes widened, and I looked at her. Had she forgotten about her fiancé already? “Oh mygod,Bridget! What about Wade?”
“I’m obviously kidding.” She rolled her eyes and then wiggled her brows at me. “But you… Maybe you should lock yourself out more often and see what happens!”
“Will you drop it?” I reached into the box, grabbing the last of the dishes and setting them on the counter before I tossed the box into the stack with the others.
Bridget leaned against the counter with her hands on her hips. “I’m just saying. Maybe it’s a good thing you’re not very graceful. You can let Officer Hottie save you all the time.” She winked.
“I am plenty graceful.” I closed the last cabinet, looking around at the empty counters and the stack of boxes I was already dreading having to break down. Bridget stared at me like she was waiting for me to continue. When I didn’t, she laughed.
“You?” She smacked her legs, and her laughter roared through the small kitchen. “You’ve never been graceful! Are you kidding?”
I glared at her and folded my arms over my chest. “I’m a dancer!” I shouted, throwing my hands in the air before crossing them again. “I’m theepitomeof grace!” She watched me walk away from her, half stomping until I tripped over the box that had fallen into the middle of the floor. When I stumbled another step before I regained my balance, she let out a dry scoff that told me she was biting back the urge to tell me she’d told me so. “Whatever, shut up.”
“You’re just upset because I’m right.” She looked out the window, stealing another glance before he disappeared behind his front door. “And because your new neighbor is hot as fuck.”
I shook my head. “He’s not my type.”
Chapter 4
Miles
How were there so many leaves already? I had just filled two bags with them two weeks ago, and the ground was already covered again. I dragged my rake across the grass, gathering them into several small piles around the yard. The more I raked, the more it seemed the leaves multiplied.
When I looked up, I saw Harper walking out onto her porch holding a pile of flattened cardboard boxes. She held them awkwardly, stretching to peer around the pile to find the edge of the stairs. A mildly entertained smirk tugged at my lips when she took the first overly hesitant step. But when she took the second and missed the stair, tumbling forward, the smile fell with her.
“Oh shit!” she shrieked, dropping from the step and landing on the cement amongst the now scattered boxes. Then she looked up. When she made eye contact with me, her face turned dark red and she scrambled to her feet while I crossed the yard.
