Page 11 of Hearts and Hidden Secrets

“Thanks. Coloring with crayons is kind of for little kids, but it’s all they have here so…oh well.” She gave me another blinding smile, then went to work. “What’s your favorite kind of pizza?”

“The works.”

“That’s ours too.” She colored as she spoke. “Dad is a landscaper. Did you know that?”

“I did, actually.” Jeff’s gaze was waiting when I looked over. “What’s your favorite part about it?”

“Making someone’s yard their sanctuary.”

Great answer. “I bet you have an amazing yard, don’t you?”

“Ha.” Katy scoffed. “Dad spends all his time on other people’s yards and saves ours for last.”

Jeff just shrugged. “She’s not wrong.”

Something in my chest melted. Maybe it was the way she teased him. The way he took it. They were so comfortable together. We were all so comfortable, like people who’d been spending Friday nights at Village Inn Pizza for a decade.

Or maybe it was the fact that Jeff gave his energy to others. His daughter. Clients.

There wasn’t a self-important bone in his body, was there?

“Here you go.” The waitress appeared with a pan, sliding it to the center of the table. “Can I get you anything else?”

“Another round of waters, please,” Jeff ordered, handing out plates already on the table.

Three plates.

There were three plates. I hadn’t noticed before but…

Our gazes met. He’d asked for three plates in case I came tonight. My heart swelled, so full it threatened to burst.

When was the last time someone had hoped for me?

“Can I have two pieces?” Katy’s question broke the moment, snaring Jeff’s attention.

He took two slices of pizza from the pan, lifted them to her plate and used his fork to pick off the olives.

This man doted on his daughter. He didn’t spoil her, just loved.

“Thank you,” I said as Jeff handed me my plate loaded with two slices.

We ate in an easy silence, the noise from the restaurant a backdrop to the meal. Katy continued to color on her page as she chewed, then challenged me to a game of tic-tac-toe. And though I was full, I hated the sight of my empty plate. I wasn’t ready to go home yet to a lonely house.

“Should we head home?” Jeff asked her after paying the check—refusing when I’d offered to chip in.

“Do you want to come over for game night?” Katy clasped my forearm. “Pleasepleasepleasepleaseplease. It would be way more fun with three people. When it’s just me and Daddy we can only pick from like, four games and if I have to play cribbage again I might die. It’s his favorite but it’s boring.”

Jeff huffed. “Gee. Thanks.”

She ignored him. “Have you ever played Ticket to Ride? It’s this train game and it’s so much fun. Or we could play Settlers of Catan. It’s my other favorite.”

“Katy, I’m sure Miss Ad?—”

“I’m in.”

Reckless. Foolish. But I really wanted to go to game night. “Is that okay?” I asked Jeff.

“Yeah.” He looked like he was fighting a smile. “More than okay. Let’s go.”

“One thing.” I held up a finger. “Katy, it’s probably best that the other kids in your class don’t know I’m coming to game night.”

“Oh, because they’d get jealous.”

“Exactly.” And because I’d lose my job.

She pretended to zip her lips shut, then let out a giggle. “Ticket to Ride first. Then Settlers.”

“I’ll just follow you.” I slid out of the booth behind her, snagging my coat. Then I followed them outside, climbing in my Jeep as they loaded into Jeff’s truck.

What was I doing? This was far beyond a coincidental meeting. But I stayed close to his truck, not wanting to miss a single turn as he led the way home.

His house wasn’t far from my place, ten blocks at most. I parked behind him on the street, taking in the charming, cottage-style house with gray siding and white trim.

The front door was wooden with a large, marbled-glass inset.

The second floor had a peaked roof, a square window in the triangle’s face, and beside it a cute dormer.

The landscaping was simple with a row of hedges beneath the porch railing. But otherwise, it was just a yard, similar to his neighbors’.

Katy beat both Jeff and me to the porch, waving us to hurry inside.

“Want something to drink?” he asked, hanging up my coat.

“Water.”

“Make yourself at home.” He left me in the entryway, his boots thudding on the hardwood floors as he disappeared around a corner.

“We play in here.” Katy took my hand, dragging me through the first open doorway to my left into a dining room.

In its center was a table and six chairs situated below a glass and brass chandelier. Katy went to the buffet against the far wall, opening a cupboard that was stuffed with games.

As she rifled around, I spun in a slow circle, taking in their house. It was older with a classic layout, designed and built before open concept had become so popular. I loved that each room had four walls.

The floors were new—the home had been remodeled and updated—but there were still pieces that seemed original, like the intricate trim around the doorways.

Tacked to the wall adjacent the buffet was a framed chalkboard. Jeff and Katy had written out a list of their games on one side. Then they’d broken it into two columns, one for Dad and another for Dandelion . A scoreboard.

Jeff strode into the room with three glasses of water, setting them on the table.

“She’s kicking your butt,” I said, nodding to the scoreboard.

He winked. “Yeah, she’s cutthroat.”

“What does that mean?” Katy asked.

“Means you never let me win.”

“Why would I let you win, Daddy?”

He reached out and tugged a lock of her hair. “Don’t let me win.”

“I won’t.” Yeah, this girl was cutthroat. I loved it. I laughed. I could spend hours listening to these two banter.

So I did.

We played games until darkness had long fallen outside. Until Katy yawned too many times to hide.

“Okay, time for a shower and bed,” he told her.

“But—”

He cut her off with a pointed finger to the ceiling. “Say good night to Miss Adler.”

“You’re leaving already?”

“Yeah.” I nodded, even though leaving was the last thing I wanted to do. “I’d better get home.”

“Well, thanks for coming over.” Katy rounded the table, stopping beside my chair for a hug. “That was really fun.”

“Yes, it was. Thanks for inviting me.”

She smiled at her dad, then skipped to the staircase.

As we put away the games, the water turned on above us. “Thank you,” I told Jeff. “I haven’t had a fun Friday night in…a long time.”

“Better than cleaning?”

“Marginally.”

He chuckled, that deep, rich laugh I’d heard all night. It was addicting and unsatisfying all at the same time. Every time he laughed, I needed more. But he sobered too quickly, putting the lid on the game. “What’s the situation with the school? How big of a deal is this?”

“There are no rules against a friendship.”

“And what if I wanted more than friendship?” He relaxed in his chair, holding my gaze for a long moment. There was desire in his eyes. In his voice. Never in my life had anyone so clearly wanted me. Certainly not Luka.

Yes, I wanted more than friendship. I wanted it so badly I ached. But…

“It’s not allowed. Not while Katy is my student.”

“All right.” He leaned forward, elbows to knees. “Friends.”

“Friends.” I forced a smile despite my sinking heart. Standing, I made my way to the entryway, every step heavy like my shoes were wading through wet concrete.

Jeff followed, taking my coat off the hook where he’d hung it earlier. Then he held it open, but instead of sliding my arms inside, I inched closer.

“What if I wanted more than friendship?” I whispered.

What if I wanted him to kiss me? Right here. Right now.

No one in the world would have to know. Just…us.

His eyes flared, his arms dropping to his sides, my coat still clutched in a hand. “Della,” he warned. “You’re shredding my willpower here. You’d better go before it snaps.”

“Then give me my coat.”

He didn’t move.

So I closed the gap between us, feeling bold for the first time in my life. He made me comfortable enough to do that. To break the rules. To throw caution to the wind and just be desired.

His scent, citrus with woodsy undertones, invaded my nose. Damn, but he smelled good.

I was seconds away from rising up on my toes and pressing a kiss to the corner of his mouth when footsteps pounded down the stairs.

Jeff ran a hand over his face, stepping back.

I did the same, putting a foot between us as Katy appeared at the base of the staircase wearing Star Wars pajamas, her hair wet and combed.

“Bye, Miss Adler.”

“Bye, Katy.” My throat was dry, my voice scratchy. I reached for my coat, trying to take it from Jeff’s hand, but his fist clamped on the fabric, holding it for a long second before finally giving it up.

I put it on, hating its weight as it settled on my shoulders. Then with a wave, I turned and opened the door, stepping into the night.

Wishing I didn’t have to go home.