15. Griffin

Chapter Fifteen

Griffin

I stared at the text I'd just sent to Tish before I forced myself to push my phone away. I wasn't usually the kind of guy to dwell on a woman. I had other priorities, including a job that took me away often, family, and more.

And yet, Tish lingered along the edges of my thoughts and had ever since the first time I met her. I'd thought she'd remain a distant, passing memory in my life. Until it turned out the job that brought her to Alaska was for my family's company. Just when I thought I might have a chance with her, she'd moved and I'd heard she was pregnant. Questions swirled in my thoughts about who the father was.

"Hey," a voice said from the doorway.

I glanced over from where I sat on a bench in the locker room at Willow Brook Fire & Rescue. I had more than one reason to take this position here. I could've told myself it was because I had family here. When I'd learned they were relocating the hotshot crew to Willow Brook with the other crews here, I'd jumped on the chance. Because Tish was here.

There was that and the opportunity to take over managing the brewery location our corporation was starting here when I was ready to call it quits with firefighting.

"Yeah?" I stood from the bench and reached for my jacket in the locker behind me.

"Want to catch some dinner?" Hudson Fox asked.

I hesitated because I didn't know if Tish would reply to my text. But then, I could always dip out if she did.

"Sure."

Hudson flashed a smile. "Excellent." He ran a hand through his shaggy dark hair, his green eyes bright in contrast. "You've been to Wildlands before, right?"

"Sure have. I've stayed there when I visited family before."

I fell into step beside Hudson as we began walking down the hallway.

"You've probably been to Willow Brook a lot, huh?" He stepped through the door into the parking lot before me, holding it open as I walked through.

"We've certainly visited plenty," I began.

My brother Chase chimed in, "Hey there."

"Hey, hey," I returned as we exchanged a quick hug.

Chase had been a firefighter for years. He had a baby at home now and had shifted over to the local crew so he wasn't traveling as much.

"Thought I'd try to catch you. Figured you'd be walking over to Wildlands," Chase said.

"Good guess," Hudson commented.

Not much later, I was enjoying a beer and a burger with a few fellow firefighters and Chase. "Not on toddler duty tonight?" I asked after I finished the last bite of my burger.

My brother chuckled as he shook his head. "I will be tomorrow though. Hallie's got an event at the gallery tomorrow." His wife was a professional photographer. He leaned back in his chair. "So, what's the plan for you long-term? You think you'll stay in Willow Brook after you're done firefighting? Can't do that forever, you know."

"That's the plan. I signed a two-year contract for this position. I'll see how I feel at the end of that. Rhys and Blake are hoping I'll take the same role here that Wyatt has at the brewery in Fireweed Harbor," I explained.

Chase took a swallow of his beer as he nodded. "It's a good plan. You can do like me. Settle down, get married and get your adrenaline fix by filling in when they need extra help."

I chuckled, just as I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. Slipping it out, I glanced down to see a text from Tish. Chase was replying to something Hudson said from his other side, and I tapped to open the text.

Tish: It would be good to see you. If you haven't heard, I have a baby now.

I noted the time on my phone. It was still fairly early. Maybe I was showing my cards too soon, but I was impatient to see her.

Me: How about tonight? I can stop by. With a few nieces and nephews, I've got skills at putting a baby to sleep.

As soon as I sent the text, I forced myself to put my phone back in my pocket. Maybe I didn't know Tish all that well, but I sensed she wouldn't reply immediately.

When Hudson stood from the table, I followed suit, clapping Chase on the shoulder, and leaning down to say, "I'm gonna head out for the night. I'll see you soon."

Chase glanced up with a nod. "Absolutely. Glad to have you here in town now."

Just as I reached my truck, I felt my phone vibrate again.

Tish: Ok, if you don't mind. I don't have dinner or anything.

I was surprised she didn't dissuade me, but we were definitely overdue for a conversation. It wasn't that I thought Tish owed me the story of her life, but I was curious about what happened. I knew a little bit from Rhys, but I tried not to ask too much because I didn't want to pique his curiosity about my questions and wonder what the hell was up.

When I eventually began working at the brewery here, I knew I'd see her often. Even though it didn't make sense that I was sort of hung up on her after all this time, I was. Something about her had slipped through the cracks of my defenses.

After she texted me her address, I tapped it into my GPS, arriving there a short drive later. The days were getting shorter, but it was still light when I rolled to a stop at the end of her driveway. Although her house wasn't too far out of town, the area was largely surrounded by trees.

Moments later, I knocked lightly on the door. My heart felt squeezed tight by a fist when I met Tish's eyes.

Her hair was pulled into a messy ponytail. She was clearly stressed. She had a baby in her arms, and he had his fingers curled around some of her falling-down hair. His cheeks were pink and round and he wiggled mightily in her grip.

"I'm sorry," she said immediately. "I thought he'd be asleep by now."

I wasn't even thinking as I reached over. "I'll take him."

Tish's eyes widened in surprise, but she didn't hesitate to pass the baby over to me. Maybe it was pure surprise, or maybe it was that she was clearly tired.

"Hey there," I murmured as I held the plump baby in my arms and adjusted him against my shoulder.

"What's his name?" Maybe I was making assumptions about his gender, but this guy gave off serious boy energy.

"Teddy."

"Hey, Teddy." He wiggled and fussed a little. "Can I come in?" I asked.

"Oh! Of course." She stepped back, holding the door as I walked through.

Whether it was because he was simply shocked to be in someone else's arms, or that I held him in a way that worked for him, Teddy settled after a moment.

I glanced around the place. The door led into a small entryway. The ceilings were high, so the space felt open and airy. The entryway shifted from tiled flooring to hardwood into an open living room and kitchen area. The sun was setting now, leaving streaks of fading gold in the sky above the mountains. I rocked Teddy in my arms and he curled against my shoulder, letting out a weary sigh.

"Are you magic?" Tish teased as she looked at us.

"Don't think so. I learned the knack of comforting a fussy baby with one of my nephews. I'm convinced most of it is not being a tired parent," I offered with a shrug.

Tish let out a soft laugh. "True. Do you want to walk with me to his bedroom?"

"Lead the way."

We walked across the living room to a short hallway. We passed a bathroom on one side, and another room strewn with toys, a playpen, and a desk in the corner. Across the hallway was another door that Tish led me through. It appeared to be her bedroom with a queen-sized bed against the wall and a bathroom beyond that. She led me into a small room off to the side where there was a chair beside a crib.

Tish held her fingers to her lips and gestured toward the crib. "Want me to get him?" she whispered.

I shook my head. I had done the transfer of a sleeping baby into a crib enough that I thought I could pull it off. I knew the less we moved Teddy, the better. He didn't stir as I carefully placed him in the crib. Tish tucked a blanket around him.

We tiptoed out. She left the door ajar and reached for the baby monitor remote on a small table by the bed as we walked out. She didn't say a word until we had made it back down the hallway into the kitchen. She sat down on a stool, letting out a big sigh. "We made it!"

I chuckled and lifted my palm to slap hers with a high-five.

"You are magic. It's obvious you've put more than one baby to bed." She smiled at me, looking almost giddy.

"I wouldn't say it's magic, but I have put more than one baby in a crib. I babysit for my family here and there."

Tish rested her elbows on the counter. "Have a seat."

I slipped onto the stool across from her. "How are you?"

She held my gaze for a long moment before slowly shrugging, looking almost as if she didn't even know the answer. "Pretty good," she finally said. "How are you?"

"Pretty good." I paused, studying her for a moment. She looked tired, but peaceful. "It's really good to see you, Tish."

She held my eyes, her gaze thoughtful. "Is it? I'm sure you have a lot of questions. I want to clarify that when I kissed you, I hadn't seen Teddy's father for about two months. I didn't even know I was pregnant. I'd only dated him for a few months before that."

"You don't owe me an explanation, Tish." Although I had plenty of curiosity about the situation, I meant what I said.

She leaned back, her fingertips tracing along the edge of the counter. "I want to explain." Her shoulders rose as she sucked in a deep breath. "Like I said, I'd only been dating him for a few months. We only had sex one time." Her cheeks flushed a deep shade of pink. "I can't believe I'm even telling you this, but he stealthed me."

"Stealth? Excuse me?" I prompted.

I could see her jaw tighten. "He took the condom off while we were having sex. He was so fast, I didn't even notice. I confronted him on the spot when I realized what had happened. That was the last time we talked. I've never been too regular, so I got a little worried when I missed my period, but I didn't panic right away." She swallowed audibly. "I can't even believe I'm telling you all this."

Anger crashed through me in an abrupt, unexpected wave. "What the fuck? What an asshole. Not you, him."

Tish rolled her eyes. "I was furious too. Even though I didn't plan any of this, I decided I wanted to keep the baby. Paul— That's Teddy's sperm donor," she clarified. "He hasn't responded to me since. I did text him that I was pregnant. I don't even want him to be involved. I figure I'll probably never hear from him again. He's a commercial fisherman."

"Fucking asshole," I muttered.

Her lips curled in a wry smile. "I appreciate your anger on my behalf. Anyway, that's what happened after we kissed. I found out I was pregnant. When Rhys asked me to write the posting for the job here, I realized it was a great opportunity for me, with better pay, and so on. With everything that happened, I kind of wanted the fresh start." She looked at me uncertainly.

"It all makes sense. So, how are you?" I repeated my earlier question.

Tish stared at me and let out a wondering laugh. "I'm great some days, I'm exhausted other days. Every minute of sleep I get is like pure gold. Teddy's five months now. He recently started sleeping up to six hours a night, which is fucking amazing. I went back to the office today. I thought I might freak out and run to the daycare and get him, but I didn't. I've been really lucky. Rhys helped a lot when I moved. He connected me with your brother Chase and your cousin Archer. I stayed in the garage apartment at Archer and Phoebe's place for a month. Through Phoebe, I met Madison and Graham. They rent this house, so when the last tenant moved out, Madison let me know. It has more space than the garage apartment, so I jumped on it."

"I'm staying in that same apartment right now. This is definitely a better fit with a baby," I offered.

She smiled back at me as she nodded. "So, here I am. I was kind of surprised you even wanted to see me. I thought maybe you would assume, I don't know, that I was seeing somebody else when we kissed."

"It's okay, Tish. You were worried about getting involved with me because you worked for my brother anyway."

"It's not like Rhys is the boss of my life. He was my boss," she corrected. "And I guess he's still my boss, but it's more distant now. I just worried it would be awkward."

"Maybe." I shrugged, trying to ignore the thrum of my heartbeat.

She laced her fingers together, twisting them nervously. I reached across the counter, catching her wrist in mine before I slid my hand down to curl around one of hers. "What are you so nervous about?"

She easily curled her hand into mine. "I don't know. Life has been a lot. You keep showing up when I never expect it."

I took a slow breath as my heart kicked along hard and fast and true. There was something about Tish for me, something startlingly true. I gathered my courage.

"I think what I'm about to say might scare you away, but I feel like I should say it anyway," I began.

"I don't scare easy," Tish said. "And, I'm sitting down, so I'm not likely to faint on you."

I chuckled. "Well, that's good. I don't know how to explain this, but I feel like something is supposed to happen between us. I've felt that since the first time we met."

"When you saved me from face-planting on the gravel?" she teased softly.

All I could do was nod. Quiet fell between us. I could hear the sound of a clock on the wall ticking and my heart echoing in rushing beats.

Eventually, she tipped her head to the side. "Maybe so, but I have a baby. Having a baby is… Well, really, most of it is just a lot of work." She paused, letting out a soft sigh. "My life is a mess these days."

I didn't know what the hell had come over me. Every time I thought about Tish, I recalled the very first time we met when she fainted. I didn't even know what I wanted. I just wanted, for once, to have a chance with her not to slip through my fingers.

"I get that. Let me clarify. First, I met you and you fainted. When I asked for your number, you said maybe you'd give it to me if we ever saw each other again." Her lips twisted to the side and she rolled her eyes a little. "Imagine my surprise when I saw you at my brother's wedding and came to find out you were Rhys's assistant. I might've known that sooner, except I didn't go to the office much and I didn't live in Fireweed Harbor." I pressed my tongue in my cheek as I considered my words. "And, now you're here."

"So are you," she said softly.

"Before you go thinking I'm some kind of creep and followed you here, they decided to relocate the whole hotshot crew here. It was either move here, or make a career decision. At some point, I will work for my family's company, but not yet. It turns out what they want me to do is handle the brewery here in Willow Brook when it's up and running. I won't pretend I didn't think about you and didn't wonder about you, but I promise I didn't chase you here."

She squeezed my hand. "I know. You're not that kind of guy."

"You trust me that much?" I teased lightly.

She lifted one shoulder in a small shrug. "I guess I do. I trust Rhys and he trusts you. But more than that, it's a feeling."

Just then, there was the distinct sound of a stomach growling. Tish's cheeks flushed a delightful shade of pink. "That's me. I forget to eat a lot. Babies do that to a person."

"I won't pretend I have a big repertoire in the kitchen, but I'm a solid cook. I can whip up some dinner if you have anything for me to work with."

"These days, I pretty much live off anything I can put in the microwave. I don't have a lot of options." She cast a sheepish smile at that.

I gave her hand a quick squeeze before reluctantly releasing it to stand. "Can I see what our options are?"

Her laugh was a dry rustle before she waved a hand in an arc. "Go for it. I literally have nothing to hide. I'm too tired to be embarrassed about the state of my kitchen."

A quick glance through her cabinets and refrigerator revealed that she liked macaroni and cheese and she had a few frozen meals. Otherwise, the pickings were slim.

Resting my hips against the counter, I curled my hands on the edge. "The situation calls for macaroni and cheese. I'll make it fancy."

Tish giggled. I was pretty sure it was the first time I'd heard her giggle. The sound was like a little lasso, catching my heart and cinching tight.

"You're going to make me some macaroni and cheese?" Her brows rose as a smile played at the corners of her mouth.

"Absolutely. It's not just for you. I'm always hungry, and I love mac and cheese."

"I can help," she said.

I held a hand up. "Nope. I'm on it. There's a baby asleep and you are going to sit right there and not worry about dinner. Just tell me where everything is."

Knowing from Rhys that Tish was very much a do-er kind of person, it said something about how tired she was that she really did let me take over. She showed me where the saucepan was and filled it with water. When I redirected her to sit down, she did.

She didn't have anything to drink other than water. In short order, I had made a double batch of mac and cheese from boxes and added tons of extra cheese, along with a dash of chipotle seasoning.

A few bites in, Tish smiled over at me. "Thank you. This is absolutely delicious."

After we finished eating, I refused to let her clean up, although she nudged me out of the way and insisted on putting the dishes in the dishwasher after I rinsed them.

"You're here in Willow Brook for real?" she prompted at one point.

"For real. I go by the station to pick up the HR paperwork tomorrow. I still work for the state, but it's a new location so that means new forms. That's always fun," I said.

"Paperwork is totally my jam," she said solemnly.

I burst out laughing. "It is, isn't it?"

Her eyes crinkled with her smile as she shrugged. "It is." She looked toward the clock mounted on the wall above the stove.

"Am I overstaying my welcome?"

She shook her head quickly. "No! It's actually nice to have an adult in the house. Don't get me wrong, I love Teddy. Even though I didn't plan any of this, I'm pretty sure he's the best thing that ever happened to me. I have mixed feelings about it, but I'm really ready to be back at work. Being home all the time with a baby, mostly by myself, is not really a life I want. I feel kind of alone a lot."

"Just tell me when to leave. We can hang out here in the kitchen and you can talk about whatever you want. Or we could watch a show? Your call."

She had one hand curled on the edge of the counter, and the other was spinning her hair around her fingers. At some point, while she was eating, her ponytail had fallen. Her silky brown hair was in a messy tousle around her shoulders.

I was standing across from her, leaning against the counter beside the sink. There were maybe two feet between us. Her eyes were soft as she looked at me. In a fiery second, she stunned the hell out of me by pushing away from the counter and taking two steps to stand immediately in front of me.

"We have unfinished business," she announced.

When her palm landed on my chest, it was as if she had slapped a magnet against it. My heart was the opposing force, yanked suddenly forward toward her touch.

This woman muddled my thoughts and grabbed any semblance of control straight out of my hands. I scrambled to think. "We do?"

"Yes, firefighter, we do. I've been thinking about it since you mentioned earlier that it felt like there was something there for us."

"You've been thinking this whole time?" My brows hitched up.

A delightful pink flush rose on her cheeks again as she smiled with the tiniest hint of bashfulness in it. "I have. You kissed me, and it feels like another planet, another timeline entirely because so much has happened in my life since then — babies will do that. That night, after you left, I had seriously mixed feelings because I wanted a lot more than a kiss. I had wished that I didn't work for your brother. Not that he has a say, but it's your family's company, and…" She shrugged.

"I get that part. Could be awkward for you." She seemed a little surprised at my easy acceptance of that. "I don't like it," I added. "But it is what it is."

"It is, but it's different now. I don't work directly for Rhys."

She moved just a little closer and her soft curves pressed against me. "Maybe it's been too long for me to ask if we can pick up where we left off?"

When her eyes darkened and she slid her tongue across her bottom lip, there was no way in any universe I could've done anything other than kiss her. I slid an arm around her waist and dipped my head. The need slicing through me was so sharp it was almost painful. Yet, I wanted to savor this moment. My forehead fell to hers, and I forced myself to take a slow breath.

She smelled a little sweet and salty. I brushed my lips over hers again, intending to take this slow. Tish was having none of that. She made this little raspy sound in the back of her throat before she arched up and curled her hand around the back of my neck to pull me closer. When her lips opened underneath mine, I was gone.

When she arched closer against me, and I felt the taut little peaks of her nipples through the thin cotton of my T-shirt, I let out a ragged groan. On the heels of a gulp of air when we briefly broke apart, I tightened my arm around her waist and slid my hand into her hair as I angled her head to the side and claimed her mouth.