Yep, totally ignored those things and only focused on his face.
“Makenna.”
That one word, my name, held so much. He didn’t say it like a question or with confusion, even though I didn’t make a habit of showing up on his doorstep before seven in the morning. Actually, I wasn’t sure I’d ever come to his house alone. He’d had a few cookouts, so I’d been there. But me seeking him out by myself? Didn’t think that had ever happened. Yet he didn’t make me second guess myself. It was all there in his one uttered word. My name. He said it with patience and the strength with which he did everything. The expectation of telling him why I was there was there too.
Safe.
That was how he made me feel.
Colt stepped back from his door, allowing me past him and into his house. I stepped through the door and stood in the entryway awkwardly, wringing my hands together. I’d been putting this off for two days and now I was out of time.
“Have you had your coffee yet?”
“I need to ask you something,” I blurted. My statement came out as almost a shout. I lifted my shaking hand to run it through my hair and blew out a breath.
“Think you need decaf,” Colt grunted and shut his front door. He was probably right; my nerves were already frayed. I hadn’t even had a cup of coffee that morning; my stomach was too nervous. He crossed his arms over his naked chest and stood there staring at me, waiting for the question. Colt didn’t seem to care that he was only in a towel, but I did. It took all my energy to focus on his face. Not that it wasn’t distracting as well, because it was. His face was wonderfully sculpted, with high cheekbones and strong features. The scruff on his strong jaw made my knees quake.
“I’m meeting Quinn today. And her…her parents,” I said. Every time I referred to them, it was like someone was poking a dull bruise, one that had never fully healed. Would never fully heal. I was grateful for them and knew I’d made the right decision for Quinn, but that didn’t make the rioting emotions pinging around my brain any easier.
Colt nodded. There was a flicker of understanding in his gaze and his body shifted slightly, angling toward me, but other than those small movements, he didn’t move or speak. Simply waited. “Her science class is having a competition. A scavenger hunt around town. She’ll have to find clues and also solve science things.” I put my hand against my forehead and groaned. “God, this is such a bad idea. I’m not good at science. I’m good with flowers and, sure, you can argue that’s scientific, but solving science problems? Conducting experiments? No, that’s not me. What if I can’t help her and she hates me?”
“Makenna,” Colt said, cutting off my ramble.
I had been staring off into space during my ramble, but now I was back to looking at Colt’s face. I blew out a breath. I was a chicken. I hid in the refrigerator when Colt came into the shop. I’m a thirty-year-old woman, and I’ve always prided myself on confidence, even if it was faked, and I ran and hid in the flower fridge. And now, since Quinn had asked me to bring along Colt and I’d promised I would ask, I’d found any task that would keep me from asking over the past two days. I was meeting her in a couple of hours and couldn’t wait anymore.
“Quinn asked if I could bring you along. She thinks you’ll be good at solving clues since you’re a police officer. Will you come with me, Colt?”
His intense stare bored into my eyes. I hated it when he did that. He would ensnare me in a trap and I’d be unable to look away. And he saw too much when he looked at me. He never said anything, but I knew. He saw past the smiles and the flowers. He saw past my bullshit and straight down into me. I hated it.
“When?”
“Today,” I said and glanced over Colt’s shoulder to the kitchen behind him and the clock on the microwave. “We need to leave in twenty minutes.”
One eyebrow arched. Again, he saw through the bullshit. If pressed enough, this man could probably nail down the number of hours I’d been putting off asking the question. I tried to smile, but I’m sure it came off as more of a grimace. “Let me get dressed. Coffee is set to brew around this time. Get some if you want it. Mugs are in the cabinet above the maker and cream is in the fridge.”
He strode away and I did not watch his ass move in the towel that hid nothing from view. I might have peeked, but I definitely didn’t watch him walk until he was almost out of view. I cleared my throat when he turned to look over his shoulder, catching me. “Better make it ten minutes, I haven’t eaten breakfast and need to get something.”
He scoffed. “Be right out, Mak. Make yourself at home.”
Colt stood behind me the entire time while we spoke with Jackie and Ted, Quinn’s parents. He stood so close I could feel his body heat, but he was never quite touching me. Simply standing there like a silent guardian, reminding me he was there and would continue to be there. I choked back tears the entire time we were there. The house was beautiful. Sun shining through the windows, allowing natural light to seep into every corner of the home. It was clean, but homey. The walls were brimming with pictures of Quinn and their family. It was stylish, but cozy. A family calendar hung from the fridge. It was all perfect, down to the well-groomed golden retriever. It was everything I’d imagined for Quinn. Everything I wouldn’t have been able to provide when I was eighteen and stuck in a black hole of grief.
The bouquet of flowers that were now in a blue vase on the center of the kitchen island said more than I could ever say. Jackie may not know the meaning behind every flower I painstakingly chose, but I knew. They said thank you. They said motherhood. They spoke of connection, love, strength, humility. Flowers could say so much and always found the perfect words even when I couldn’t. I sipped at coffee from a bright yellow mug and traced a vein through the marble counter on the island.
“Quinn has been looking forward to this all week.”
“I have too.” It was true. I’d been looking forward to spending time with her and getting to know her. It didn’t mean that there weren’t nerves mixed in there though.
“I know she’s going to be excited you brought Colt. She took a fast shine to him, which she doesn’t always do,” Ted said. “But I think it’s because he’s a cop. Quinn and I watch detective shows together, seeing if we can solve the puzzle before they can.”
I glanced over my shoulder. Colt grinned. “I grew up solving puzzles too. I was glad when Mak invited me.” His finger traced down my spine and I shivered from that little bit of contact.
“Thank you for answering every phone call,” Jackie said with a small chuckle and glanced over her shoulder at her husband. He ran a hand down her arm and smiled at her. Jackie had called me every day that week, asking questions about me, my life, my family. I answered every single question without hesitation.
“When it comes to y’all, I’m an open book. I promise. Ask anything.” I could sense their worry about letting Quinn and me bond, but I hoped they could sense that I would do anything for her. And I’d let Quinn guide the relationship. Even if that would be a challenge for me.
“We knew she’d have questions one day, but we never thought she would find the information on her own and seek you out,” Ted said.