Page 8 of More Than Words (Trickle Creek: The Lyons #2)

Chapter Six

Ethan

“ Q uinn! You alive in there?” I tossed a blanket over the back of the couch and peeked down the hallway but there was still no sign of her.

“Almost done!” Quinn called from her bedroom.

Almost done likely meant she’d stuffed everything under her bed and called her room clean.

I smiled to myself, knowing I wouldn’t do anything to press the issue. I’d learned to pick my battles when it came to parenting, and an immaculate room was not a battle I was willing to go to war over.

I tossed a throw pillow aside and grabbed the remote to queue up the streaming app and my movie selection. It was my night to pick the movie, which meant Quinn would roll her eyes, mumble something about how old I was, and then get way too invested by the twenty-minute mark.

Besides, I knew she’d love my latest selection.

She finally padded into the living room wearing bright-green fuzzy socks and a hoodie that was at least three sizes too big—one she’d stolen from her Uncle Brody’s closet. I shook my head. As the only kid in the family, she had every single one of us wrapped around her little finger.

Her hair was piled on top of her head in some sort of messy knot, and she was already munching on something loud and aggressively neon-orange colored.

“Okay.” She flopped down next to me. “I got the snacks. Movie night rules.”

I peered into the bowl and shook my head. “That doesn’t look like food.”

“They’re delicious.” She held an orange thing out at me before biting into it with a grin. “What oldie are you torturing me with tonight?”

She grinned because we both knew how much we loved our little tradition.

I’d started it when she was young and the two of us found ourselves alone on Saturday nights while her mother was wining and dining clients or away at conferences or whatever else Polly was out doing that was more important than her family.

When she was little, Quinn would choose the latest Disney film to hit the streaming services, while I chose the cartoon classics from my youth.

As she got older, so did our selections. It had become a fun game to see what the other would come up with.

We’d been so busy since moving back to Trickle Creek, but I always made time for Quinn and our special moments together.

“You’re going to love it,” I told her. “It’s a classic.”

Quinn groaned. “Classic is code for old. ” She dragged the word out, and I laughed as I queued up The Breakfast Club .

“Are those gummy bears in there, too?” I gave her the side eye as she dug into the bowl and tossed a little bear into her mouth.

“Delaney said they’re movie night must-haves.”

Something in my gut tightened at the mention of my bookshop neighbor. “Did she?” I tried to sound casual, but Quinn must have noticed something in my voice, judging by the sidelong glance she gave me.

“Yeah. Right before she told me she was going out tonight.”

“Oh?” Once again, I struggled to sound neutral when I felt nothing of the sort at the thought of Delaney out with some guy. “A date?”

“Nice, Dad.” My daughter laughed and stuffed a strange mixture of bright-orange cheese snacks and gummy bears into her mouth.

“What? I can be curious.”

“You’re being nosy,” she informed me. “But no, she’s out with the girls. Trivia night at the Wildflower. Whatever that is.”

Interesting.

I tried not to look like I cared, but I wasn’t hiding it well.

“She said she doesn’t even like trivia night. Apparently, it’s all about the wine and the meat.”

I almost spat out my soda. “The meat? ”

Quinn shrugged. “Meat and cheese and grapes or something. Some kinda board.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “A charcuterie board?”

“Whatever.”

I hit play on the movie, but I was too distracted to pay any attention to the opening scene.

All I could picture was Delaney sitting at one of the high-top tables, laughing with her friends.

Was she dressed up? Or wearing the big, knitted cardigan she always seemed to have on over those tight T-shirts that made it increasingly harder to keep my thoughts friendly?

Which meant, other men probably thought the same thing. For some reason, the idea of any other man looking at Delaney the way I looked at her stirred up something suspiciously close to jealousy deep inside.

“So, wait, they’re all in detention?” Quinn’s question jarred me from my thoughts.

“What?”

“The movie, Dad.” She jabbed a finger toward the screen. “They’re in detention? On a Saturday?”

“Oh. Right.”

I took a breath, pushed the thoughts of Delaney aside, and focused on the movie and my daughter, reminding myself that the best part of my night was already sitting right next to me.

Delaney

“How did you not know that one?” Kat stared at me as if it were my fault we were currently in last place for trivia night.

Sure, I should have been able to answer the last question, but we sucked as a group. It took a real team effort to do as badly as we were doing.

I was starting to regret accepting Lauren’s invite to trivia night. I told her I was no good at trivia, but she promised me an amazing charcuterie board, which it was. Besides, it was long past time I got to know some more people.

“I mean, you do own a bookstore.” Lauren shot me a look. “How did you not know who wrote The Handmaid’s Tale ?”

“I know it’s Margaret Atwood.” I reached for a cracker and put a dollop of fig jam on top. “I did warn you that I ‘m not good at this. I blank when the question is asked.” I popped the cracker in my mouth.

Lauren laughed because she knew it was true. “If they asked what color the sky was, I think she’d still get it wrong.”

“Exactly.” I reached for a grape. “I don’t know why I am the way I am. But I am totally useless at this.”

“Lucky for you,” Avery chimed in, “it’s not about getting the questions right.” The woman smiled in my direction. “It’s about the snacks.”

“I couldn’t agree more.” I grinned as I stacked a piece of peppered salami with a slab of brie. “And I do appreciate the invitation. Despite the fact that I’m not a lot of help.”

“We’re happy to have you,” Kat said. “I’m just happy to get out of the house for a few hours.”

I’d run into Kat a few times since we both owned businesses in the plaza.

Kat Carlson, soon to be Kat Fisher, ran the hair salon in town, Strands, and had lived in Trickle Creek her entire life.

She was the youngest daughter of the town savior, Michael Carlson, who passed away a few years ago after being credited for single-handedly saving the town by bringing in more tourism after the mining industry closed.

She was also a new mother of a baby boy, and cherished her rare nights out.

Avery Walker was even newer to town than I was, having moved back recently after inheriting the Tamarack Inn. She’d married Reid Lyons, Ethan’s brother, in order to keep her inheritance. In a town the size of Trickle Creek, everyone seemed to be connected in some way.

I was thankful for the opportunity to get to know them better. Especially considering they were both warm, friendly, and incredibly easy to talk to.

“I hear you’re working with Ethan on the Fall into the Plaza event.”

The change of subject was so abrupt, I almost choked on the candied almond I’d been chewing.

“I was sorry to miss the meeting the other day, but I heard Tilley didn’t give you much of a choice,” Avery added.

“She sure didn’t.” I shook my head.

“Not that it’s too much of an imposition to work with a sexy brewmaster, though, is it, Delaney?”

I shot a glare toward my best friend, but Lauren either didn’t seem to notice or didn’t care. She grinned back at me.

“I don’t know about sexy.” It was a full-on lie.

“Yeah, right.” Kat pretended to fan herself. “Ethan has always been a sexy beast. Even when we were kids.”

“Kat!”

“What?” The redhead feigned innocence. “Just because I have Andy, who, I might add, is the hottest man in this town, especially when he holds baby Billy.”

“Aww,” Lauren said. “That is so sweet.”

“It is,” Kat agreed. “But to the point.” She looked at me again. “It doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate a good-looking man when I see him.”

I sat back in my chair and lifted my glass of pinot noir. If we didn’t change topics soon, I was definitely going to need another glass.

“He is pretty hot, don’t you think, Delaney?”

There was no way I was answering that. Especially considering I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about Ethan and exactly how hot I thought he was, or how in recent days I’d become a lot less annoyed by him and had actually looked forward to bumping into him, or the quick exchanges we’d shared for planning the Books and Brews table we’d be hosting together in a few days.

“He’s not nearly as annoying as I used to think he was,” I said instead.

Kat laughed so loudly, the woman hosting trivia night shot us a dirty look. Clearly, our own efforts to win had been abandoned in favor of gossip.

“Ethan’s actually a great guy,” Avery said. “And an awesome dad.”

My smile was genuine. “Quinn is a great kid. She spends a lot of time in Plot Twist.”

“That’s what I hear. Reid told me she couldn’t stop talking about you and the books you’ve been lending her at their last ice cream date.”

That made me smile. “I really enjoy her.”

“What about her dad?” Kat asked with a cheeky grin. “Do you enjoy him, too? He’s very charming.”

“Ha.” I reached for more snacks. “He definitely is that.”

“You say that like it’s a problem.” Avery tilted her head in my direction.

I took my time chewing my snack before responding. It didn’t seem like the ladies were going to let this go. “It is,” I said after a moment. “The thing is, I don’t go in for that charming-and-knows-it kind of thing. Nothing good can come from a charmer.”

Lauren gave me a knowing nod. I hadn’t told her much of my history, but she knew enough.

“What do you go in for?” Kat grabbed a cracker from the plate. “I know we don’t know each other very well yet, but I don’t think I’ve heard about you dating since you moved to town.”

“Because I haven’t,” I said simply. “I’ve been there, done that. The whole long-term relationship and even marriage thing. Fool me once…” I shrugged before continuing. “I don’t feel the need to lose myself in some man, only to have my heart and my whole life smashed to pieces. No thanks.”

Kat let out a low whistle.

Avery grimaced. “Wow,” Avery said. “That’s actually kind of a cynical way to look at things.”

“Not cynical.” I drained the rest of my wine. “Just realistic. The shop is my focus right now. It’s more than enough. I like my life fine just the way it is, thank you.”

Lauren nudged me gently. “No one’s saying your life isn’t fine, Delaney. But it’s okay to be interested. Just because you had a bad experience doesn’t mean you should never trust again.”

I didn’t respond, and for a beat, no one pushed.

And then Kat said, “And who said anything about a relationship? Get that man into bed.”

“Kat!”

“What?” She held up her hands. “No woman should live without a healthy dose of orgasms. I bet Ethan could?—”

“Kat!” Avery cried again. “That’s my brother-in-law you’re talking about.”

She shrugged. “Just calling it like I see it.” She winked at me, and I laughed.

“You know, Delaney,” Avery said, ignoring Kat, “Ethan’s not a bad guy. I know he seems like a smooth-talking charmer, but I promise, he’s not like that. He’s solid. He’s had to be.”

Avery’s comment settled into the space between us. I actually couldn’t disagree with her. Ethan had been showing up, at least when it came to our Books and Brews event. He was treating it seriously when I’d been worried he wouldn’t.

Even I had to admit that ever since our shared cookie, he’d been different toward me.

Or maybe it was me who had been different toward him.

Either way, something had shifted between us.

Something I was trying very hard to ignore.

“I don’t know if you all have a future as matchmakers.” I forced a lightness into my voice. “But I sure do appreciate your commitment to meddling.”

They all laughed again, the mood once more changed, and I let myself smile a little too, ignoring the little voice in the back of my head that wondered what it might be like to put myself out there again.

The girls kept laughing as a new round of trivia started. Finally, the attention moved away from me and my love life. But I let myself drift for a bit.

Could I do it? Could I let someone in again?

What if this was different? What if Ethan was different?