Page 36 of Shattered Secrets
The thought prompted her to get out of bed and pull her bra back on. After a quick stop in the bathroom, she followed the soft voices down the hallway, past another guest room and a cozy sitting room.
In the kitchen, she came to a halt. Daisy sat at the large kitchen table, coloring. Matt was next to her with his own paper in front of him and a crayon in hand. Scarlet’s stomach did a little flip at the sight.
How she wished she could give something like this to Daisy...
A vise gripped her heart, and she wanted to slap herself upside the head. There was no use yearning for something that wasn’t possible.
“Mama!” Daisy squealed, noticing her in the entryway. She scrambled down from her seat and raced over, hugging Scarlet’s legs as if they’d been separated for weeks.
Scooping her daughter up, she kissed her noisily on the cheek. “Good morning, baby girl.” When Daisy started squirming, she placed her back on her feet and smiled as her daughter zoomed to her seat to resume drawing.
She met Matt’s gaze, and heat washed over her face. The man was barefoot and dressed in faded jeans and a white T-shirt. No one should look that good in such plain clothes.
“Good morning,” she said, shifting on her feet. She was officially waaay out of her comfort zone. “Um, you have a really nice place. Thanks again for letting us stay here.”
“Nothing to thank me for, remember? We’re friends.” He leaned back in his seat. “And as much as I’d like to take credit for this place, I can’t. It’s actually my brother’s.”
“You have a brother?” she asked, desperate for any kind of small talk. She usually excelled at small talk—she was a waitress, after all—but here? Right now? Standing with this man in hiskitchen? She was floundering and nervous and at a complete loss.
Matt nodded, seeming unaware of her impending mini panic attack. “Jake. He and his wife live in Seattle.”
“Are you guys close?” Scarlet slapped a hand over her mouth. “Sorry. That was rude. And absolutely none of my business.” She glanced around the kitchen and spotted the coffee maker. “I think I need caffeine. My brain and mouth aren’t on the same page yet.”
He chuckled. “Not rude at all, Scar. And help yourself. Cups are above the coffee maker, and there’s flavored creamer in the fridge.”
“Thanks,” she said, grateful for something to do. She filled a mug three-quarters of the way, then topped it off with vanilla creamer.
“Wow,” Matt said, amusement in his voice. “I take it you like your coffee sweet?”
Scarlet took a sip, and the sugary deliciousness had her sighing. “My motto is the less it tastes like coffee, the better.”
The edges of his lips quirked. “So why drink coffee, then?”
“It wakes me up. You know, the whole gets-the-brain-and-mouth-syncing thing. For as long as I can remember, I used to drink a couple cans of Diet Coke in the mornings. But then”—she pointed at Daisy with her mug—“I didn’t want her to think that was okay. I know firsthand how hard it is to stop being a soda junkie.”
“So now it’s sweetened coffee and no more morning sodas?”
She shook her head and took a larger gulp. She needed the caffeine to kick in as soon as humanly possible. “No more sodaat all.”
His eyes widened. “You gave it up for good?”
“After my morning coffee, I drinkwaternow.” She grimaced, and he chuckled. “It’s g-r-o-s-s, but supposedly better for me. It also gets the munchkin drinking it, too, so that’s a plus.”
And water was free, unlike sodas and juices. Ever since Daisy’s birth, Scarlet had scraped by on a tight budget. When she’d been in Arizona, the water had tasted nasty, but water filters had still been cheaper than her multiple-cans-of-Diet-Coke-a-day habit. With her apartment in Hudson, she’d lucked out because not only did her fridge have a built-in water filter, but Mr. Wayland supplied her with replacement filters for free. Now, if only water didn’t taste so... blah.
“If it’s any consolation,” Matt began, “I didn’t drink water as a kid, either. It wasn’t until high school, when I got really involved in sports, that I started properly hydrating. Good for you for setting a strong example—and an early example—for the Otter Pop.”
“Thanks, but water really is...” She finished the thought by scrunching up her face.
Daisy’s head whipped toward Matt. “Can I have an Otter Pop, Mr. Matty?”
“Probably later.” Daisy’s face scrunched up like Scarlet’s had, and his brown eyes twinkled with humor. Looking back at Scarlet, he said, “Give it time, Scar. Maybe you’ll get used to the taste?”
She winced. “It’s been three years.”
“Well, at least you’re both well-hydrated.” He seemed to bite back a laugh. “But to answer your not-rude question, yes. My brother and I are close. Jake and his wife, Carmen, have crazy busy schedules, so we don’t see each other as much as we want, but we text and call all the time. We try to get together in person once a month or so. When I got hurt, he offered me this place. Knew the quiet and slower pace would help my recovery. He also knew Cade was here and that he’d watch out for me.” Matt shookhis head. “Even though Jake’s my little brother, the guy’s a bit overprotective.”
“Of course he is. Didn’t you getshot?” Again, she slapped her hand over her mouth and grimaced. “Sorry. Gossip train info.” She gestured between them with her mug. “I moved to Hudson a few months before you, and let me tell you, when you arrived, there waslotsof tea going around about you.”
