Mike knocked on the door of the B and B the next evening. He was dressed a bit more casually than the night before. He had decided that dark jeans and a polo might make her feel more comfortable if she went with jeans herself.
"Hi," she said with a smile as she opened the door.
"Bree, you look very pretty," he told her, squeezing her hand. She had a white floral dress on with brown sandals.
"Thank you. I found it in my things. I had forgotten all about it." She kissed his cheek. "You look great too."
"Shall we go?" he asked, gesturing to the door.
"I'm almost ready. Just need to say goodnight to the boys."
He nodded and followed her further inside the entryway, stopping when Jack walked in.
"Hey, bro," Jack said, shaking his hand.
"Hey. I meant to tell you yesterday. This entry looks nice. The whole place does."
"Thanks, man. It's almost done. About another six weeks or so."
"Thanks for watching the boys tonight. Bree needs a break."
"That's the idea I get too. We are happy to do it, Mike."
"Alright, I'm ready," Bree said joining them. "Thanks, Jack."
"You're welcome. Have a nice time."
Mike held her hand as they walked to his Prius. He opened the door for her and closed it once her legs were safely inside.
"So, do you want Italian, Bree, or something else?" he asked as he got in the driver's side.
"Italian sounds great actually."
"Alright. Luigi's is pretty good."
She smiled at him. "I start work at the station, tomorrow," she told him.
"My station? I mean, the police station?"
"Yeah. Jack said you all need a secretary and that as long as I can type, use Excel, and talk on the phone, I'm hired."
"That sounds like Jack."
"You do need a secretary, right?"
"Well, it would make things easier."
"You mean, there wasn't a position open?"
"Not that I'm aware of."
"So he invented a job for me? I don't know whether to be angry or grateful."
He offered his hand and smiled when she took it. "Let's concentrate on grateful for at least the next few hours."
"Alright. Good idea."
As they sat in a high back booth a little later, she decided it was time to learn about him.
"Tell me about you, Mike. I want to know everything too."
"Okay. I'm the oldest of four boys."
"Their names?"
"Miles is next oldest, then Judah, then Liam is the baby. He's ten years younger than me."
"Are you close?"
"Yeah. I was kind of a father figure to Liam. My dad left when Liam was a baby so I helped my mom with him and my other brothers."
"Have you seen your dad since?"
"No. I don't even know where he is. I'm not sure I want to know. My mom raised us well. She did amazing and I admire her strength, like I do yours. I know, if and when I get to be a dad one day, I'm not going to be like him. I'm going to pour my whole heart into making sure my children know I love them and always will."
"Your mom had to be amazing."
"Why's that?"
"Four boys? I think I'm going to go insane with two. I can't imagine four," she said with a laugh.
He laughed along with her and took her hand as they turned to looking at their menus.
Jack watched as the boys jumped on their mom's bed, yelling and laughing, no end to their energy in sight.
Jack was wondering if he and Tom ever had this much energy. "Boys, time to stop jumping," he said gently. They kept it up, as if they hadn't heard him. "Boys!"
They laughed. "We're not tired!" Xavier told him.
"No sleep!" Tate said, plopping on his bottom and laughing.
"Come on guys. It's getting late."
After five more minutes, he had no ideas on how to get them to stop. Elizabeth walked in.
"Boys!" she said, in a no-nonsense tone. "Time for bed."
They stopped and immediately got off the big bed and crawled onto the air mattress in the corner. "Story, Aunt Beth?" Tate asked, yawning.
"One and then, lights out."
"Okay."
Jack watched from the doorway as she sat between them and slowly read "Horton Hears a Who" to them.
When she closed the book, both boys had been lulled almost to sleep so she carefully extricated herself from the bed and followed him down the stairs and into the kitchen.
"What's your secret, Beth?"
"What do you mean?"
"I tried for twenty minutes to get the boys to stop jumping and go to bed. They kept saying they weren't tired. You walk in, tell them once, and they listen. What's your secret?"
"Maybe it's your tone."
"My tone?" She walked over and slipped her arms around his waist and snuggled close.
"Yeah. You are a gentle, loving man, Jack, and that is wonderful. But sometimes, if the situation calls for it, you need to be more forceful. Make them know you mean business."
"But they're little."
"And they are boys which combined means they need direction. Guidance. It's our job to provide that."
He held her tighter and inhaled her fruity shampoo. "How did you learn so much about kids?"
"I've babysat a lot. For these two especially. I know how they are."
"You're going to make a great mom one day, Beth."
"Because I know how to get the boys to listen?"
He smiled and kissed her lips twice. "Yep."
"Thanks. Do you want some tea?"
"Isn't this where you tell me that I'll make a great dad one day?"
"Ask me again after the next time we babysit."
"Haha."
When Bree walked in the kitchen, Jack was gone but Beth was sitting at the counter, sipping tea and using her laptop. "Hey," she whispered.
"Hey, Bree. How was your date?"
"Perfect. Mike is the perfect guy."
"Good. You deserve perfect after everything. Oh, but Jack is the perfect one."
Bree laughed. "We will just have to agree to disagree on this one."
"Deal."
"How were the boys?"
"Just fine. No problems."
"With my boys? Are you just not wanting to tell me they broke your aunt's favorite vase or something?"
"No, really. They were fine."
"Huh. Okay, well, I'm glad. Thanks again." She gave Beth a hug and headed upstairs. Bree got ready for bed and just laid there. She couldn't sleep. She couldn't stop thinking about Mike.
She heard her phone buzz so she turned it over and smiled. "Sleep well, Bree," he had texted.
"You too, Mike." Just knowing he was thinking of her too helped her fall asleep faster, plus the knowledge that she needed to be at her first day at work in a few short hours.
At six, her phone alarm went off. The boys stayed asleep so she rushed in to take a shower and do her hair so that by the time they were up, she was ready for work and could feed them breakfast.
They were not in their bed when she came back out so she got dressed and headed downstairs. She breathed in the heavenly scents of coffee and bacon. "Mm, something smells so good," she said, kissing the boys on top of their heads.
"Hi, Mama," Tate said with a big smile.
"Morning, bud."
"I eat eggs!"
"I see." He lifted a piece of bacon up to her mouth and she took a bite. "Thank you, love."
She headed over to get a cup of coffee. "Morning, Bree."
"Hey, Beth. Thanks for making the boys breakfast."
"I made you some too."
"Maybe just toast. I'm a bit nervous this morning."
"You will do great. I know it."
"It will help seeing Mike, I think."
Bree took a piece of toast from the plate and added butter to it. "Alright, guys, I need you to listen to me." She waited until they were looking at her with their big brown eyes. "Aunt Beth is going to watch you today while I go to work. What does that mean?"
"Listen," they told her in unison.
"Yes, and…."
"Obey."
"Very good. I love you both so much and I will see you before dinner, alright?"
"Bye, Mama."
She hugged Beth and grabbed her keys, her purse, and slipped her shoes on. "You got this, Bree."
Beth and the boys walked into town around lunch time. They headed into the diner where they picked up burgers and fries and then they walked to the park to eat. Beth texted Bree to see if she wanted to eat with them and she said she would be there shortly.
They were sitting at a picnic table and putting food out when Bree walked up.
"Mama!" Tate yelled, getting up an running over to her. "I miss you, Mama."
"I miss you too, sweetheart."
"I eat fries!"
"Oh yeah? Can I have one?"
"Yup!" He took a fry and held it to her mouth. "Good?"
"So good, thank you, Tate."
"Welcome."
"How's your first day going?" Beth wondered.
"Good for an invented position. I'm pretty sure they went out and got me a desk and computer."
"Sounds like Jack."
"He didn't have to do that. I could search for a job like everyone else."
"Of course you could but he saved you the trouble."
"I'm sorry if I sound ungrateful. I've just never been handed a job and a place to live. It's weird."
"But nice?"
"Yes. Very."
"Hey, everyone," Mike said as he and Jack walked over to them.
Jack sat down next to Beth with a sack of food for him and Mike. "Hey, beautiful," he said, kissing her temple.
"Hey." Beth noticed her heart did a little dance when he sat down in his uniform. And he smelled so good. "Its good to see you."
Mike handed Bree a chicken sandwich and a lemonade. "You got this for me?"
"You mentioned you didn't have a lunch so I took a shot that you like chicken."
"Thank you. Chicken's good." Bree smiled at him, a bit embarrassed that he bought her food, but again grateful.
Beth made a mental note to make her a lunch the next day.
When they were done eating, they still had about twenty minutes of their lunch hour so Jack and Beth went for a walk over toward the pond.
She slipped her fingers into his hand and squeezed. "I've been missing you today," she said quietly.
"I missed you too."
"I was thinking that after the B and B is up and running that I might want to build a cottage in the back of the property."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah. Then the housekeeper can use the master or I can use it as a honeymoon suite or something."
"That sounds like a good idea."
"I was wondering if you might be willing to build it."
"I could do that. How big are we talking?"
"Maybe two or three bedrooms, a nice kitchen, one and a half bathrooms. Not too big."
"Three bedrooms? For just you?"
"Well, people can stay with me and I can even use one as an office."
"People?"
"Yeah and I have Ginger and Bella too."
"True, yes. Do these people include people like your sister?"
"Yep."
"Anyone else?" He had a feeling she was teasing him but he wanted to hear it from her. He wanted to know that she wanted the house for them. Their future family.
"Yeah, maybe someone else."
"Come on, Beth. Don't make me beg."
She turned and slipped her hands over his shoulders, linking behind his neck. "Of course I want you there. You know that, Jack."
"I want to be there."
"Good." She stood on her toes and pressed her lips to his. "I love you," she mumbled, her lips still on his.
He held her closer, moving his hands to her lower back and deepening the kiss. "I love you too but I should go back to work."
"Just one more kiss." She couldn't get enough at this point. He smiled, kissed her once more and then they walked back to the group.