“It’s fine,” he said, his hand rubbing the back of his neck again. “We’ll figure out the details in the morning.”
“I’m off tomorrow, so we can talk,” Mia said. Her usual shift making bread, pastries, and doughnuts began early in the morning, which had proved challenging with the twins.
“Mom said you work at Hamman’s Bakery.” Kenton remained standing, making her wonder if he’d fall asleep instantly if he sat.
“That’s how I know your mom.” Mia had been reluctant to accept Margaret’s offer of a place to stay. For herself, she never would have.
For the girls, she’d do what she had to.
“We’ll talk in the morning,” he said again. “I’m going to lock up and get some sleep.” He moved toward the foyer but paused before leaving the living room. “Do you need any help? I mean, with…” He gestured to Emma.
“I’ve got it. Thanks, though.” She listened to him moving through the house, checking the front door that she’d already locked and going through the kitchen to the mudroom to make sure it was secure. “Well, little girl,” she said to Emma, whose eyes were looking heavy, “time for us to go to bed, too.”
3
Kenton cracked his eyes open. He hadn’t spent the night in his house often enough for it to feel familiar, but he liked the way the light reflected on the pale blue he’d painted his bedroom walls and the smell of pancakes cooking. It was homey.
Wait. Pancakes? He lifted his head off the pillow as memory hit him. He had guests. Was that the right word? Probably not. He had inhabitants. Before going to bed, he’d taken a few minutes to search online for an article about the fire that had left Mia homeless. Images of the blaze filled his screen, and he’d read the fire chief’s comments about how it had been miraculous no one was killed when an apartment on the second floor caught fire.
Mia and her nieces were lucky to be alive, so Kenton could see why his mother had offered his house. The problem was that he’d been looking forward to being alone. He wanted some quiet time to reflect on his recent mission and to start mapping out his future. Both of those things were going to be difficult with a woman, two little kids, and an unruly dog in his space.
He heard a scratching sound on the door to his room, followed by a whine. A second later the door opened and Eliot bounded in, leaped straight onto Kenton’s bed, and stood next to him.
“No,” Kenton said, but the dog cocked his head to one side and licked Kenton’s face. “Stop that.” Kenton pushed at the dog’s head, trying to get him to move away, but Eliot shook his head, causing his ears to flap and drool fly. And then, Eliot sneezed. Right on Kenton. “For god’s sake. Get down, you beast.”
Kenton sat up and managed to get the animal off the bed. “Now, sit,” he commanded. Eliot wagged his tail and panted as if that was the correct response. “No one has trained you, have they?” Kenton let out a sigh. “We’re going to have to work on that, after I have a conversation with your owner.”
Kenton dug through his drawers and pulled on some clothes before following the scent of pancakes through the house. Eliot beat him to the kitchen, sliding across the floor and into Mia where she stood at the stove. She laughed when the dog licked her knee.
“Good morning, Eliot.” Mia turned with the spatula in her hand to greet the dog and caught sight of Kenton in the doorway. “Good morning to you, too.”
“Hi,” he said, taking in the scene. The twins sat in high chairs that had been pulled up to the kitchen table. They were ripping apart pancakes and shoving chunks into their mouths. Kenton assessed the girls. Their features appeared to be identical. Exact same hair, eyes, and little noses. The only difference he could see was that one wore a blue shirt while the other had on purple. Both of them glanced up briefly. One met his gaze, but the other ducked her head and began eating again.
“Coffee is ready,” Mia said, “and this pancake is just about to come out of the pan. It’s in the shape of R2-D2, if you want to claim it.” She smiled at him. He’d only seen a hint of that the night before, or maybe he’d been too damn tired and shocked to notice. But it was bright enough to light a room.
“I have Mickey Mouse, too, if you prefer that.” She gestured with her shoulder to the pancake on a plate nearby. “I do flowers, birds, whatever you like.”
Shaped pancakes? “What about curious chocolate Labradors?” It seemed only right he have a dog pancake in Eliot’s honor. After all, Eliot had been his first kiss in quite some time.
Mia chuckled, pouring the batter in the pan. “One chocolate lab coming right up.”
Kenton glanced around his kitchen as he sat. The living room had looked… well… lived in. Messy and scattered with kid paraphernalia. But the kitchen was spotless and clutter-free. Since she worked in a bakery, that made sense, and he was grateful.
“He didn’t wake you this morning, did he?” She asked as she flipped the pancake.
“Wake is a mild way to put it.” His tone was playful.
She glanced over her shoulder at him. An embarrassed blush traced across her nose, reddening her face from cheek to cheek. “I am so sorry.” The color was endearing on her. His words faltered as he stared at her.
She was lovely, and he was oh-so-pathetic for the way he ogled her over a simple flush. “It—It’s fine. The kiss was a little on the wet side, but nothing I can’t handle.”
The color deepened, and her lips mashed together, holding in a laugh. “He is rather affectionate.” She plated the dog pancake and added a few sausage links before handing it to him. “Butter and syrup are already on the table.”
A minute later, she tossed the pan in the sink and joined him. Before beginning to eat, she cut up a sausage link into small pieces and put a few on each girl’s plate.
“Do they like the same things?” he asked, unsure of what to say about the kids.
“Mostly, but they are very much individuals. I like that about them.” She poured syrup over her pancake. “You met Emma last night.” She indicated the twin in blue. “And this is Ava. She’s the quieter one.” The little girl peeked at him from under golden eyelashes.
“Hi,” Kenton said, feeling uncomfortable. Kids were all new to him. As long as they never changed clothes, he’d be okay at telling them apart. “I looked up pictures of the fire,” he said. “Scary.”
“It was,” she admitted, lowering her voice. “I was terrified, but I had to react. In the moment, I couldn’t think about anything but getting them out. They’re the only family I have.”
“Grandparents?” Didn’t she have anyone to help her?
She shook her head. “My parents passed away when I was a girl, and their father’s family lives in Alaska. I video chat with them periodically so they can see their grandchildren, but my sister’s will was clear. The girls are mine to raise. That’s why I was so thankful for your mother’s offer. Finding another place to live on short notice with two kids and a dog seemed almost impossible.” She was speaking rapidly, as if she had to make her case to him.