up in Niall’s chair and thought about Hatch. He was everything Niall wasn’t. Niall had a nerdy confidence and I thought he was handsome and sexy, but in a different way than Hatch. Niall was certainly the smartest person I knew, but it was a brain smarts kind of thing. Ryan used to joke that if we got jumped somewhere in Portland, I’d probably be the one to fight our way out… Niall would be screwed.
Hatch, on the other hand, would probably take on several assailants at one time. The man was big… tall and muscular… and commanded a room when he walked in it. Where Niall was clean cut and the type to bring home to your parents, Hatch had long hair and a scruffy beard, and he used the f-word in regular conversation. It was sexy as hell. It shouldn’t be. In my circle, it would be offensive, but for me, it made me want to strip down to nothing and offer myself up as a sacrifice.
I shook my head. What the hell is wrong with me?
I couldn’t get involved with a man like that. I couldn’t get involved with any man, really. I had a daughter to think about, and I needed to make good choices so she’d grow up and make good choices. I needed to steer clear of the sexy as hell Hatch. And this was what I told myself as I climbed into bed.
I awoke the next day feeling groggy, but still resolved to my decision. I had no business chasing after a man who ran in totally different circles than me. He was gorgeous, yes. He was sexy… oh, hell, yes. He seemed like he took care of his family, yes. But I reminded myself I was a single mum and I needed to focus on my daughter and my business. I didn’t have time to date, and a man like Hatch was a distraction I couldn’t afford. Even if he would be a lovely distraction.
I leaned into the hallway. “Poppy, time to rise and shine. We’re a bit late.”
“I’m up, Mum,” she called from her bathroom.
“Will you hit the button for the coffee while I shower, please?”
“Sure.”
“Thanks, love.”
I lost a little resolve when Hatch left a voicemail later that day, and I really lost my resolve when he left another one two days later, but I finally felt like I could relax when two days after that, his third voicemail said, Hey, babe. It’s all good. Won’t be callin’ you again. Have a nice life.
I was sad, but at least I could move on.
Hatch
S UNDAY AFTERNOON, CRICKET walked into the kitchen with a case of beer and a box of cupcakes. Hatch grinned, taking the beer from her and setting it in the fridge. “Just a case, huh?”
“Well, since you blew up my job prospects, I can no longer afford more than that,” she quipped.
“Nice, sis.” Cade grinned, pulling her in for a hug. Cade was thirty-nine, divorced with one kid, and an Army vet. As soon as he’d turned eighteen, he’d headed for war… it was a hell of a lot calmer than home at the time. He and Cullen worked construction, helping out at Hatch’s shop when the weather was bad. “How’s my favorite sister?”
“I’m jobless.”
“Yeah, we get it, Cricket,” Hatch ground out. “Not gonna change, so off the subject.”
“So you didn’t think about the Blush thing,” she accused.
“Thought about it, the answer’s ‘no.’”
“Kinda harsh,” Cullen said. Cullen was thirty-five and had married his high-school sweetheart as soon as she turned eighteen. She’d died two years later.
“His jaw’s tickin’, Cull,” Cameron pointed out. “Maybe drop the subject.” Cameron was thirty and fucked anything with a skirt. The only problem with that was Cam wasn’t good at figuring out sane pussy from crazy, and Hatch was pretty sure crazy was acomin’.
“Maybe you three could back me up once in a while,” Cricket countered.
“Maybe we don’t like your ex beatin’ the shit out of you.” Cameron hugged her gently, ending it with a noogie, which in turn, earned him a punch to the gut. “Fuck, Cricket! Did ya have to hit me that hard?”
“Next time, I’ll aim for
Hatch, on the other hand, would probably take on several assailants at one time. The man was big… tall and muscular… and commanded a room when he walked in it. Where Niall was clean cut and the type to bring home to your parents, Hatch had long hair and a scruffy beard, and he used the f-word in regular conversation. It was sexy as hell. It shouldn’t be. In my circle, it would be offensive, but for me, it made me want to strip down to nothing and offer myself up as a sacrifice.
I shook my head. What the hell is wrong with me?
I couldn’t get involved with a man like that. I couldn’t get involved with any man, really. I had a daughter to think about, and I needed to make good choices so she’d grow up and make good choices. I needed to steer clear of the sexy as hell Hatch. And this was what I told myself as I climbed into bed.
I awoke the next day feeling groggy, but still resolved to my decision. I had no business chasing after a man who ran in totally different circles than me. He was gorgeous, yes. He was sexy… oh, hell, yes. He seemed like he took care of his family, yes. But I reminded myself I was a single mum and I needed to focus on my daughter and my business. I didn’t have time to date, and a man like Hatch was a distraction I couldn’t afford. Even if he would be a lovely distraction.
I leaned into the hallway. “Poppy, time to rise and shine. We’re a bit late.”
“I’m up, Mum,” she called from her bathroom.
“Will you hit the button for the coffee while I shower, please?”
“Sure.”
“Thanks, love.”
I lost a little resolve when Hatch left a voicemail later that day, and I really lost my resolve when he left another one two days later, but I finally felt like I could relax when two days after that, his third voicemail said, Hey, babe. It’s all good. Won’t be callin’ you again. Have a nice life.
I was sad, but at least I could move on.
Hatch
S UNDAY AFTERNOON, CRICKET walked into the kitchen with a case of beer and a box of cupcakes. Hatch grinned, taking the beer from her and setting it in the fridge. “Just a case, huh?”
“Well, since you blew up my job prospects, I can no longer afford more than that,” she quipped.
“Nice, sis.” Cade grinned, pulling her in for a hug. Cade was thirty-nine, divorced with one kid, and an Army vet. As soon as he’d turned eighteen, he’d headed for war… it was a hell of a lot calmer than home at the time. He and Cullen worked construction, helping out at Hatch’s shop when the weather was bad. “How’s my favorite sister?”
“I’m jobless.”
“Yeah, we get it, Cricket,” Hatch ground out. “Not gonna change, so off the subject.”
“So you didn’t think about the Blush thing,” she accused.
“Thought about it, the answer’s ‘no.’”
“Kinda harsh,” Cullen said. Cullen was thirty-five and had married his high-school sweetheart as soon as she turned eighteen. She’d died two years later.
“His jaw’s tickin’, Cull,” Cameron pointed out. “Maybe drop the subject.” Cameron was thirty and fucked anything with a skirt. The only problem with that was Cam wasn’t good at figuring out sane pussy from crazy, and Hatch was pretty sure crazy was acomin’.
“Maybe you three could back me up once in a while,” Cricket countered.
“Maybe we don’t like your ex beatin’ the shit out of you.” Cameron hugged her gently, ending it with a noogie, which in turn, earned him a punch to the gut. “Fuck, Cricket! Did ya have to hit me that hard?”
“Next time, I’ll aim for
Similar Books
