8. Madi

Chapter 8

Madi

When I returned to the apartment, I ran a bath. Coffee and a bubble-filled soak in the tub sounded like the perfect way to spend the rest of my morning before heading to Gigi’s to work the counter and keep an eye on things.

But was I in the bathtub right now?

No.

I was up a tree.

Literally.

Let’s rewind to about ten minutes ago, and the decision now ranked somewhere in the top five of the running list of bad choices I’ve made in my life.

I’d gone into the kitchen after the tub had filled to pour my coffee, and while I was in there, Kenny managed to wedge his fluffy orange butt through the window I’d left open to let the steam out.

I’d returned to the bathroom to find the window flung wide open, then heard him yowling from the big branch that brushed against the side of the building.

How he’d done it, I would never know. He was a fat cat, and it had been, at best, a three-inch gap with a dang screen that he’d somehow knocked to the ground.

“Come on, Kenny. Come back inside where the cat treats live.” I tried coaxing him back through the window, but he was terrified and stayed stubbornly stuck in place with his butt against the trunk and his big golden eyes locked to mine.

He yowled at me, and I jumped, sloshing my coffee on the pink and white tiled counter. I set it down, trying to determine if I would fit through the window. I decided I wouldn’t. Plus, getting stuck halfway through a window would be way more embarrassing than someone seeing me climb a tree to save a cat.

“Fine, have it your way. I’m coming to get you. I have to go down to the sidewalk and climb up. Don’t move.”

He meowed plaintively, digging his claws into the bark.

“Damn it,” I muttered. I grabbed my backpack and dumped the contents on the wing chair by the fireplace, wincing when Sage and Victor jumped up to start pawing through it. Whatever, that was future Madi’s problem to deal with.

I made it to the sidewalk and managed to climb the tree. Lucky for me, there were plenty of sturdy branches to use; it was almost like a ladder. It was precarious, but I wasn’t worried I would fall—not yet, anyway.

But Kenny was stubborn and scared. He refused to budge, so I was now straddling a branch about two stories off the ground, wondering what the hell to do.

I was way too high to look down. I tried not to panic while also trying to convince Kenny to get into a backpack so I could strap him on and climb down, but he was not having it.

Gigi was right. This cat was an idiot. But I’d fallen in love with the fluff-brained little demon, so I was not about to let him yowl his way into an early death stuck up in this freaking tree.

“Come on, Kenny. I won’t let you fall,” I singsonged while trying to inch close enough to grab him and stuff him in my backpack.

I hadn’t adequately thought this through. I had one hand on the branch above me for balance. How the heck was I supposed to climb down with him, let alone get him into the damn backpack?

“Need any help?”

I slammed my eyes shut.

It was Cole.

Because, of course, it was.

I was a makeup-free, hair in a ponytail, sweaty mess. And my cute Lululemon set had gotten filthy on my way up the tree; I’m pretty sure I snagged it on something, too. Pale pink and dirty tree bark did not mix.

I was joking when I said his rescuing me was our thing. Lesson learned. No more jokes are allowed.

Still, I managed to shrug slightly before looking down to find his brother Tate and friend Pace standing at his side.

I had an audience.

Even better. Damn it.

“Cat up a tree. This is classic,” Tate joked. “Who’s going up to get them?”

Pace slugged his arm. “We’re happy to help. Can I go inside? One of you can pass me the cat through the window.”

“Good thinking, thank you,” I shouted down. And yes, it’s unlocked. Go right in.” Over the last couple of weeks, I’d met the entire Cozy Creek Fire Brigade. They were all good guys, but that didn’t mean I wanted them to see me in all my calamitous glory.

“I’m coming up to get you. Hang tight,” Cole announced before hopping up to grab a branch and rapidly scaling the tree until he was suddenly straddling the branch across from me and a little above.

“Hang tight.” Tate chuckled at his accidental pun. “It’s going to be okay, Madi. I’ll stand right here and catch whoever falls first.”

“This is so not funny,” I hollered down to him.

“It’s a little funny,” he countered. “One day, we’ll look back on this day and laugh our asses off.”

“Doubtful,” I muttered.

“Ignore him. I find it best that way,” Cole said. “I’ve got you both, I promise.”

“Okay…” I looked down, then quickly shut my eyes, squeezing them tight as I tried to stay calm.

“Madi. Hey. Look at me, and don’t look down. It’s going to be fine.”

A surge of courage steeled my spine. “You’re right,” I agreed. “I got up here with no problems, and now that I have help with Kenny, I can get down too.”

“That’s the spirit.”

I sucked it up and tried to find my sense of humor. Making jokes would be better than acting like a wuss about the situation.

“You’re rescuing me again, Sutter. We’re going to have to stop meeting like this,” I teased as I looked up to find him staring at me. The tenderness in his expression surprised me.

“You have freckles,” he blurted.

My eyes whipped to his. “Yeah, I usually cover them up.”

“Why would you do that? I mean—you’re so beautiful. I⁠—”

“Thank you,” I murmured as a surge of warmth turned my cheeks red.

“You’re welcome. Uh, pass me the backpack.”

“I don’t know what I was thinking by climbing up here like this,” I confessed once he had taken it from my outstretched hand.

His gorgeous blue eyes met mine, and I smiled back when they crinkled at the corners, and his lips tipped up in a grin. “It’s obvious to everyone who’s met you that you have a good heart. When you love something, you don’t think. You do whatever it takes to help them, and that includes cats. Right, Kenny?”

“I—don’t know what to say.” Tears stung at the back of my eyes. It was like he saw straight through me to my heart and liked what he saw.

“You don’t have to say anything.” He smiled softly. “Can you help me hold the backpack open? I think I can reach him.”

“Yeah, I think I can.” I let out the breath I’d been holding. “Give me a second.”

“Don’t let go of that branch.”

“Okay.”

He locked his thighs around his branch and wedged his feet on either side of the trunk. Gently, he took hold of the scruff of Kenny’s neck and shoved him into the backpack, zipping it up tight as I held on to it with my free hand.

“Thank you,” I whispered.

“Yup. Don’t let go, Madi. Grab it, Pace.”

From the corner of my eye, I saw Pace leaning out the window, ready to take the wiggling backpack from Cole’s outstretched arm.

I looked down and saw Tate observing as if he really would catch me if I fell.

“Don’t worry. I got you, Madi, I swear,” he confirmed. “We’ll both most likely need medical attention if you fall, but I won’t let you hit the ground. I promise.”

“Thank you.” The words were almost inaudible, but he shot me a grin and a mock salute anyway.

“Look at me, Madi.” I met Cole’s eyes. He was calm. He was cool. I would be okay. “Do you think you can climb down with me? If not, Pace can help you get through the window.”

“I can climb down. Believe it or not, I used to be great at climbing trees as a kid, back when I wasn’t afraid to fall. Trying to back through the window feels more daunting. Plus, it’s a small window, and I have a booty on me. I doubt I’ll fit through it. How embarrassing would it be to require the jaws of life in addition to this impromptu rescue mission?”

“No way, you have a great ass. You’ll fit through just fine,” he earnestly protested before slamming his eyes shut with an apologetic grimace. “Ah, shit, never mind. That was inappropriate. I’m so sorry. Sometimes, stuff comes out of my mouth before my brain can filter it.”

“Hey, it’s okay. Never tell me you’re sorry for complimenting me,” I joked to cover the riptide of emotions that were about to pull me under. “Shit happens, right? It’s all good.” I was off my game. Okay, I had no game. I was going out of my mind for so many reasons I couldn’t seem to focus on one at a time. Cole overwhelmed me in all the best ways. Add my newfound fear of heights, and I had become an utter mess.

“Nice.” He nodded his approval at my use of his dad’s words. “I’ll start down first and spot you. Feel free to grab on to me if you need to.”

There was nothing more I wanted now than to grab him, anywhere, everywhere. I couldn’t mentally choose a spot since every inch of his body was perfection.

Dirty replies butted against each other in my brain at his unintentionally loaded statement. Instead, I reassured him that I wasn’t offended as we slowly climbed down, with him going first to keep me steady if I faltered.

The drop to the ground from the lowest branch was more intimidating on the way down. I hesitated.

“I got you.” He held his arms up to me.

My hands landed on his big shoulders, and he held me above my hips, so close to the underside of my breasts that I inhaled a sharp breath. Our eyes widened at the contact as I slid down his front until my feet were on the ground again.

He took a step back.

I dusted off my hands.

No big deal.

Once they confirmed we were okay, Tate and Pace took off, leaving me alone with Cole. They were on shift soon; they explained after Pace assured me Kenny was okay. He’d drained the tub for me, and the window was now closed and secured.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Cole asked. “You look pale.”

“I’m fine, I think.” My whole body was trembling, from my fingers to my toes, from a mixture of undiluted fear and pure adrenaline. I was not okay. My head spun, and my breathing was choppy; black spots danced before my eyes. “Oh, crap. I’m not fine. Nope.”

My body erupted in tingles from head to toe as he swept me up like a groom would a bride. My arms encircled his neck as he held me close. Our eyes met, and he whispered softly. “I got you. You’re okay…”

I shut my eyes, burying my nose in his neck. I didn’t mean to, but I breathed him in. He was warm and steady and smelled so good, like clean laundry and fresh air.

He carried me through the outdoor entrance to my apartment. I stifled a gasp as he continued carrying me straight up the stairs and to my front door.

His chest was rock hard, nothing but solid muscle. He carried me like I weighed nothing at all. I felt like I was being held against a wall. But walls weren’t warm. Walls didn’t ruffle your hair with their breath as they walked or whispered in your ear, telling you that you would be okay, they wouldn’t let you go, and how brave they thought you were.

I could feel his biceps flex against my waist, and if I wasn’t already swooning from the triple threat of mental exhaustion, worry for Kenny, and lack of food, being this close to Cole would have done it all on its own.

From beneath the backs of my knees, he twisted the doorknob and kicked it shut behind us after he strode through my living room, not stopping until he was at the side of my couch, where he placed me down gently and covered me with the yellow throw blanket I kept on the back.

“Have you eaten anything today?” he demanded. His brow furrowed in concern as he studied my face.

He wasn’t even breathing hard. His stamina was incredible. I imagined what it would be like to go to bed with him and felt myself turning red.

“No, not yet. I was going to grab a late breakfast downstairs. I had just run a bath when Kenny decided to make a break for it. I was halfway up the tree before I thought better of it. Then it was all, in for a penny, in for a pound, you know?”

“Pretty brave of you. Do you realize how high you were?”

“No, and I don’t want to.”

“Fair enough.” He chuckled.

Speaking of Kenny—he let out a plaintive meow, then jumped from the windowsill adjacent to the couch to land in the center of my chest. I let out an oof as he spun around on my boobs before settling down to rest with his head against my neck.

“He owes you a huge apology. Don’t you, Kenny?” Cole moved aside a stack of books and sat on the ottoman in front of the couch. He reached out to scratch beneath Kenny’s chin, grazing the side of my cheek with the backs of his fingers.

I let out a soft hiss as sparks shot between us, and our eyes met and held.

“Yeah, he sure does, but I’m afraid this is the best I’ll get out of him. Too bad he can’t make me a cup of coffee to replace the one I spilled all over the counter, clean up the mess in the bathroom, or anything else useful.”

He laughed softly as Sage and Victor cuddled against my side. “He’s pretty cute. You’re lucky you’re adorable, Kenny.” His tone was something I’d never heard from him before. It was light, filled with humor and warmth. “Are you sure you aren’t a Disney Princess?” he teased. “You resemble Belle right now with all these books everywhere and your pretty brown hair,” he murmured. “Plus, everyone seems to have fallen in love with you since you got here. Natalie talks about you every morning after she gets back from walking with you and Basil.”

My heart fluttered to a crescendo of giddiness that almost overwhelmed me. “That makes me happy to hear. I just adore her.”

“It’s mutual. I’m glad you’re in town, Madi. She needs positivity and fun so much right now. And I’m⁠—”

“Hey, it’s okay.” My heart broke at the concern for his daughter shining in his eyes. “Divorce is hard on a kid. I know all about that firsthand.”

“I’m so sorry. Thank you for being there for her—today, especially. It meant a lot.”

“You’re welcome. However, spending time with your sweet girl is no trouble at all. She’s good company.”

He cleared his throat, and I watched, entranced, as his eyes grew lazy on mine, crinkling at the corners, while his lips tipped up in an intimate smile. “I’m pretty good with a coffee maker. Can I make you a cup before I head to the station?”

“Oh, you don’t have to do that,” I protested. “I can get another one when I get to the bakery.”

“We both know Gigi’s coffee is crap, even she won’t drink it. I insist. Plus, you need something to eat before you go down. I’ll fix some toast too. Do not move a muscle.”

“Okay. I can’t believe I got lightheaded like that. I’m so sorry.”

“It happens to the best of us, sweetheart. No apologies.” He reached out and ran his finger gently down the bridge of my nose where, for all my life, I’d mistakenly thought I had been cursed with freckles. “So cute. Stay put, you hear? Let me take care of you so I don’t have to worry about you passing out later.”

I nodded. “Okay, yes. Thank you, Cole. It’s good to know I was right about you.”

He turned back to face me. “Oh yeah? How?”

“You’re a hero. Are you sure you aren’t a Disney Prince? Wait, you’re already a firefighter; that’s even better than a prince, except for Prince Eric because he has a dog.”

His cheeks turned pink above his stubble. I watched, entranced, as he drew his lower lip between his teeth and looked away. “Are you sure you didn’t hit your head on something while you were up that tree?” he murmured.

“It’s funny how we never see ourselves as others do. Gigi says that all the time. Kenny and I owe you big time.”

“You don’t owe me a thing. But I could say the same about you. I bet she tells you things you don’t see about yourself, too, doesn’t she?”

My eyes drifted toward the window. “Maybe she does.”

“Maybe you should listen to her. You’re wonderful, Madi. Believe it.”

My lips parted as I inhaled a sharp breath of disbelief.

I had no words to answer him. But he was gracious enough to head into the kitchen and let me off the emotional hook. Or maybe we both needed to be let off the hook.

“How do you take your coffee?” he called out.

“I have vanilla creamer in the fridge. Would you like some too? You could join me.”

“I wish I could. But I have a meeting I can’t miss in about half an hour.” I could hear him rummaging around in the fridge. “Found it. Hey, I drink this one too. Anyway, planning for the station’s fall fundraiser starts today.”

“Oh! How fun. That’s what I do back home. I’m an event planner.”

He popped his head through the kitchen entrance. “I know. I heard you’re pretty good at it, too.”

“Gigi talks about me a lot, doesn’t she?”

“Yup.”

“Is there anything you don’t already know about me?” I closed my eyes, not wanting to see his face as he answered.

“I only know the facts. She doesn’t gossip about you. She’s proud of you. I know you just turned thirty. You’re an event planner. You love books and cats. You bake amazing brownies—which my kids and I devoured in one day, by the way. And today, I discovered you are fearless, have a face full of adorable freckles, and can climb a tree if the need arises.” He punctuated that sweet statement with a wink, and I’m pretty sure I almost died.

“Oh. My.” The words left my mouth with all my breath because he had taken it away.

“Be right back.”

“Okay.”

He bustled around in my kitchen while I ran over everything he had just said in my mind.

That was flirting, wasn’t it?

The winking? The compliments about my freckles and tree-climbing skills? He thought I was brave and not dumb for climbing that tree—that was the best part.

I heard the coffee start bubbling as it brewed into the pot. Then the toast popped up. The scratch of the knife across the bread told me he’d be in here again real soon.

Nervously, I bit my lip.

Cole Sutter was totally flirting with me, and I didn’t know how to feel about it.

Lie.

I was thrilled that the sexy Cole Sutter had flirted with me and was already contemplating how to get him to do it some more.

He liked my freckles?From now on this girl lived in freckle city—no more concealer.

I should bake him another batch of brownies. No, a strawberry rhubarb pie was my specialty. I’d bake him one of those, I decided, while mentally preparing a grocery list.

Warmth surged through me when he appeared in the living room carrying a steaming mug and plate of toast. “I noticed some grape jelly in the fridge. I could add some if you like?”

“No, thank you. Just butter is fine.”

It wasn’t quite breakfast in bed, but it felt almost as intimate because of the way he looked at me as he set the toast on the coffee table and handed me the mug. His eyes were warm on mine, crinkling at the corners as he smiled at me softly, saying without words that he was worried.

“Here you go. I want you to eat every bite of that. You need to get your strength back up.”

“Thank you.” I breathed.

He sat on the chair perpendicular to the couch. “My pleasure. Make sure you’re feeling one hundred percent better before you go downstairs.”

Reaching out, he placed his hand against my forehead and drew it back like it was on fire. “Oh god, I’m sorry. It was a force of habit. I check for a fever when my kids don’t feel well.”

“It’s okay. Your dad instincts are strong.”

“Yeah. Usually, when I’m delivering food to a coffee table, it’s for a sick kid laid up on the couch watching cartoons. My mind must have subconsciously forced my hand to your forehead.”

“My dad was not like you at all. If we were sick when it was his turn with us, he’d ship us off to Gigi for her to deal with. My mother was like you, but she kissed our foreheads to check for fevers. Then, after, she’d get the thermometer to make sure she was right. Um…” My voice trailed off when I realized how much I had given away about my life and the fact that I had some major daddy issues I was still dealing with. “She read somewhere that lips are more sensitive to heat or something like that. Uh, not that I expect you to kiss my forehead or anything. I mean, obviously, I’m not sick or feverish, and that would be um…”

His watch started beeping, distracting him. “I’ve heard of that.” He flicked his wrist to turn it off. “I have to get to my meeting. Please make sure you’re back to one hundred percent before you go downstairs, okay?”

“I will. I promise.” I took a bite of toast and chased it with a sip of coffee. I held the mug aloft for emphasis.

“Good. Don’t make me rat you out to Gigi. We both know how she can get. Unless you’d like to spend the day in bed being fussed over with chicken soup, Sprite, and a stack of Good Housekeeping magazines.” He paused to grin at me. “That sounds pretty good right now, not gonna lie.”

“I’m already feeling better. I’ll save a sick day for later.”

“I’ll see you soon, Madi.”

After he left, I finished getting ready for the day, forgoing a bath for a quick shower. It was funny how, since arriving here, my accident-prone ways had led to good things rather than eye rolls and annoyance.

While contemplating my face in the mirror, I used a light touch with my makeup so my freckles would show through. Then, I chose my prettiest yellow sundress and a pair of high-heeled strappy sandals. I wanted to look like Belle if we ran into each other again today, a sexy Belle who wasn’t afraid to show a hint of cleavage. I wanted him to remember our moment on the couch, so maybe I’d get another one.

And if I didn’t see him, I felt beautiful and needed to feel good about myself again. I’d spent the last few weeks before arriving in town doing some serious moping and lying around in my apartment. I think I’d watched almost everything that existed on Netflix and was on a first-name basis with every Door Dasher in Colorado Springs. It was time to pick myself back up again.

I fed the cats and ensured the windows were closed tight before heading down to the Confectionery to work.