April Embers_A Second Chance Single Daddy Firefighter Romance Read online

  I heard shuffling on her end, and her heavy sigh. Something was clearly wrong.

  “The dress! My boss told me he needs it first thing and I’ll have to clean it before tomorrow. Since the cleaners won’t be open I have to do it myself.” I gasped.

  I didn’t want her to get fired or anything for this.

  “Oh no, I’m on my way back right now! Are you still at my place?”

  “Yeah, I’m here.”

  “Okay, see you soon.”

  I took off for the back, trying to remember the way I came. Once there, I had to scour the cars to find the driver. I didn’t know his name either. What was with me and not getting people’s names?

  But I finally found him, after searching through many driver’s windows. I knocked softly, and he rolled the glass down.

  “Finished already?”

  “Excuse me?” My mind was in the gutter, but I quickly recovered. “Oh, yeah I have to go home. There’s an…emergency.” I made something up. Even though I probably didn’t really need to.

  “Sure, let’s go.”

  He got out and opened my door for me. It wasn’t until I was buckled in, and we were halfway home that I remembered the man I left back at the party. I couldn’t lie and say my heart didn’t sink a little from some disappointment. I didn’t know his name, didn’t have his number. And this wasn’t my social circle at all. He was as good as lost to me now.

  The rest of the ride I was dejected. He was arguably the best sex of my life. Now I would never see him again. Once we were at my place, it was like stepping into my old life again. One where I don’t have killer sex with hot strangers.

  “Hey, I’m so sorry.” Ivy opened up my door and ushered me inside.

  “Don’t sweat it, I don’t think I’m really missing anything.” I lied.

  I quickly shrugged the dress off and got in the shower as she cleaned it. She had a certain cleaner for it and she used my steamer. It was the nicest piece of technology I had.

  I kept thinking of him in the shower. How could I not? The man was dashing, and perfect. Huge too, I could remember the feeling of him inside of me. Stretching my walls, hitting my core every single time. He knew what he was doing and made sure I knew it too.

  I could give him a name by myself. Since I didn’t have his real one. But everything escaped me. The hot water ran out, signaling my shower was over. I dressed in sweats as always and found Ivy furiously steaming the dress.

  “Hey, you okay? You seem off. I’m really sorry I had to cut your night short.”

  I shook her off, warming up a much-needed frozen pot pie. I really need to stop eating this stuff.

  “Oh, no that isn’t it at all. Really, it’s fine.”

  She scolded me with her eyes. “Emilia, tell the truth.” She stopped steaming and cornered me at the microwave.

  “I met this guy.” Her eyes widened as she smiled in response.

  “Uh huh, and?” I shook my head as I bit my lip, not believing I was about to tell her. Or that it even happened. But I recalled the memory and it oh so did happen.

  “I…we had sex. Against the garden wall.”

  She stared back at me, probably thinking I was telling a joke. But she saw that my face never changed, and then her eyes widened in shock as her jaw dropped.

  “Oh shit, no way!” she nudged my shoulder a bit hard.

  “Uh, way.” She gasped and then started laughing.

  “Oh wow. Who was it?” she asked me.

  “I have no clue.” Her brow furrowed in confusion, her head cocked to the side as she studied me.

  “Are—are you joking?” she giggled.

  “No. I didn’t get his name or anything. It just sort of happened.”

  “Whoa, that’s wild…and you weren’t drinking? You don’t usually do stuff like this.”

  I giggled a bit.

  “Nope, I was not. And you’re right, I don’t usually do stuff like that.” I agreed. The microwave dinged with my pot pie. I got it out to cool down.

  “Well tell me more! What did he look like?” She started steaming the dress again. It was like looking at it brought everything back, even the stirring inside of my belly.

  “Um, a god.” I giggled, grabbing a glass of sparkling water from the fridge.

  I sat on the counter and ate.

  “Deets, Emilia. Don’t hold off on me! I have had the worst dry spell, so I need to live vicariously through you.”

  “Relax, this was a one-time thing. And he was hot,” I remembered his face, “dark blonde hair, green eyes. I didn’t really see his body, but he felt really muscular. And firm, I guess. He was…amazing.”

  “How amazing?” Ivy made a face. Sometimes I give people too much credit, but not this time.

  “I came twice.”

  “Holy shit!” She squealed.

  I smiled and stuffed my face with pot pie, so I wouldn’t get so hot and bothered.

  “Yeah. And he seemed nice, I mean, we didn’t talk much at all. But he actually looked like he belonged there, so I doubt we’ll even be running into each other again.”

  I very briefly thought of asking Sasha about him, but that wouldn’t go over too well. Hey, do you know an incredibly handsome—no dangerously sexy, blonde haired god with green eyes?

  Yeah. It wouldn’t go over very well.

  “Are you okay about the whole thing?”

  I shrugged.

  “I don’t think I regret it. I think I just want to see him again, and I know I can’t cause I don’t know his name or anything. And I just left him there. He had gone to get us drinks and I left before he got back.” I explained.

  “Oh no, see I knew I ruined something!” She stomped her foot like she was throwing a tantrum.

  “You didn’t! I promise. It’s just one of those things that happen once, and I get to look back on.”

  “I guess. But what about everything else, did they like the arrangement?” I couldn’t help but smile.

  “Yeah. Sasha had come up to me shortly after I got there, gushing about much she loved it. I was so relieved, I wasn’t sure what anyone would think. Even the guy commented on the flowers.”

  “That’s so good! Just watch, your phone will be ringing off the hook soon.”

  She stopped the steamer and sprayed the dress down, then she packaged it neatly inside of the garment bag. It was almost like she was sealing off the night and all the memories I had.

  A lot of people commented on the flowers, Sasha told a few people who I was but after a few conversations, I was tired of talking about myself, so I had to escape. It was why I went outside in the first place. The water fountain was peaceful, the moonlight serene. And I had to admit that the arrangement did look good, I was just so glad to have done a good job.

  I wished my mother could have seen it. Maybe not the other events of the night, but the ones where people told me I was an amazing florist. That I had a keen eye for design, and that they would love for me to do one of their events. I hoped it were true, I loved doing this one.

  And it felt so good to really know what I want to do. I wanted to run that flower shop and design the arrangements for events and weddings. It would be like putting my mother where she always wanted to be, showing people something beautiful.

  The man from the party was just an odd bonus. One that was still running through my veins.

  “You’re off somewhere.” Ivy said to me.

  “Oh, I’m just thinking. I have to turn in.” I got off the counter and hugged her.

  “Thanks so much for the dress.”

  “No problem. I’ll lock up on my way out.”

  I got under my covers, the sound of her finishing up wasn’t loud enough to keep me awake. Of course, I went to sleep thinking of him, remembering our little tryst.

  What was unfortunate was that it was the only memory I had of him.

  Chapter Ten

  Tristan

  I should be more of an asshole.

  But Mom didn’t raise me that way.
If someone needs your help, help them. Right.

  Levi and I had been friends for years, but I didn’t even know he was engaged. Maybe I was an asshole; but in my defense, the past few weeks had been hectic. The divorce, Vivian dragging me into court, and that woman from the party.

  The woman in the blue gown.

  It had been a month and I still thought about her every fucking day. My head and my cock hadn’t gone back to normal since they met her. I thought about asking around about her, but I never did. Part of me didn’t even want to get involved with anyone else. Especially after what Vivian did.

  Levi thought he could get her to sign four weeks ago, but that was a complete failure. She still dragged me into court, drove up the lawyer fees and did everything but humiliate me since she lost. I had proof she cheated on me. Emails, texts, even security footage of that dickhead optometrist leaving my fucking house numerous times.

  She still took a large sum of my money, though even ten million wasn’t much of a dent. And I let her keep the damned house, she had tainted it enough. I was fine in my new bachelor pad. But I was tired, mentally and physically.

  Then, out of the blue, Levi dumped a wedding in my lap. Not mine, of course. He started dating Gabriella back in college, ten years ago. So, I was surprised it took them this long to get married. Apparently, she wanted to be finished with her residency and into her fellowship before she agreed to marry him. I had only met her once because she was a very busy dermatology resident for the past few years.

  “When was the last time we did this?” Levi and I were out at the greens. I thought back to months ago.

  “I don’t know. Almost a year I think.” I took a swing. I was definitely losing this round.

  Levi stepped around the tee. I was surprised he even liked golfing; he was a refined country boy pretty much, who worked his way up the ranks. I think it’s why Gabriella stuck around for so long.

  “Any word from Vivian?” he asked before his swing. I shook my head, picking up the tee and my club bag.

  “No, and she shouldn’t be saying anything. I thought that was in the clause.” We moved on to the next green in the golf cart. The sun was beating down on me, sweat beading at my neck. But it was still relaxing somehow. Sometimes we played racquetball, but the weather was nice today.

  “Yeah, it us. Just checking. She doesn’t seem like the type to listen.” He laughed. That was for sure.

  “How is Natalie?” He asked. We stopped at the next tee and got set up.

  “You still have the hots for my sister?” I accused, he laughed off the joke. It was a running joke we had for years.

  He came home with me one year for Christmas, I think our sophomore year. When he met Natalie, he was all flustered and nervous. Made me mad, because she was my sister. But he never did anything about it.

  “Nope. Way out of my league. Plus, I am engaged you know.” I furrowed my brow in confusion.

  “Engaged?” I thought of his girlfriend from a while back, but I didn’t know if they were serious or not.

  “Yeah, Gabriella. Don’t you remember?” He shook his head and swung, easily making it in the close tee.

  “Yeah, I remember. But haven’t you been engaged for like eight years?” I chuckled. If he was, he has horrible game.

  “Ten.”

  He answered. I took my turn and made it in too, so we moved on. The course was pretty packed today, and I ignored the wandering glances of all the women. Most of them were with their boyfriends or husbands, and that still wasn’t deterring them. It was kind of a shame.

  “That’s a long time, man.” I shook my head as I laughed. He shrugged in response.

  “She wanted to wait until her fellowship started. She got a good spot at the hospital a few weeks ago so she finally decided to start planning it.” There was happiness in his voice, and it was good to see him happy.

  At least someone still had faith in love and marriage. Maybe I just needed some time, but right now I didn’t even want it. I hadn’t even had sex with anyone since that woman at the gala. I didn’t expect her to even have that much of an effect on me, but she did. I couldn’t stop thinking about her, she was the first thing on my mind every morning.

  Her soft, creamy skin, her tight pussy, those lips, her taste…God, it was maddening.

  “That’s awesome man. When will it be?” I asked him.

  “Two weeks…”

  I coughed in surprise. “Two weeks?”

  “Yeah…that’s why I actually need your help.” I arched my brow. He never asked for help.

  “What’s up?” I went for the last tee. He was quiet as we packed up, must be a big favor.

  “I just got this new case at the last minute. And I have to impress the senior partners, so I can finally move up from partner to senior partner too. And the case is already taking a lot of time, I won’t able to make all the appointments and what not for wedding planning.”

  He stalled the golf cart at the clubhouse. The valet took it back and we walked inside.

  “Sounds serious. What do you need my help with?” I glanced at him.

  He gestured to the bar. A few drinks sounded really good right about now.

  “Everything.”

  “Everything?”

  He nodded once. What the hell did that mean?

  “Yeah, I mean I want you to be my best man.” I was a little shocked, and honored too. He had other friends he could have asked. “Can you?” He asked.

  “Yeah.” I ordered a neat scotch and he got a vodka soda. “I’d be honored.” I added.

  “Thanks. And uh, would you mind planning the wedding with Gab?” I nearly spat my drink out.

  “I’m…not sure what that really means.” He chuckled nervously and scratched the back of his head.

  “There are a lot of things I’m supposed to go to. I’ve got the cake tasting, choosing the menu, and then the florist just quit on us because of how short notice it is.”

  “You want me to do all that? Isn’t that a little odd considering I am not the one marrying Gabrielle?” I laughed. He just tried his pleading face with me, the same one he would use to get me to do his science and math homework in college.

  “Yeah. Since you’re my best man and all…” I groaned and sunk into my bar stool.

  It wasn’t that I didn’t want to help him, honestly. But if it were anything other than planning a wedding, I would be fine. I knew it would just remind me of Vivian and the shit she put me through. But I didn’t want to divulge all that with him. He didn’t need that negativity around his wedding.

  “Will you do it?” He shoved me, and I feigned a glare before downing my second scotch. The bartender was on point with the refills.

  “Buy me dinner, then I’ll decide.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Emilia

  Every morning was different since that night at the ball. I found myself checking my phone every morning for more than my email. I kept hoping he had somehow found me and had sent me a message saying he wanted to see me. But I was stuck in some impossible fairy tale.

  I would get up and sulk over my coffee, wishing something remotely exciting would happen to me, but of course it never did. Then I would eat a sad bowl of oatmeal, go for a walk or run and then pull myself out of it. Because good things had come of that night as well.

  My business.

  I laced up my new shoes to go into work. Yeah, I had bought new shoes for the first time in months. It had been four weeks since that ball, one month and I had already done three other events. An anniversary, graduation ceremony, and a commencement address for the local college. Sasha was mostly to thank, she told me when anyone asked about the arrangement, she would direct them right to me.

  “It was so beautiful, I knew you would do a good job. But that was amazing! I think it’s how I got so much money.” She laughed softly. Sasha had stopped by the next Monday, somehow looking at her made me think of that man and then I was blushing.

  “Thank you. And thank you so muc
h for the opportunity.” I smiled back at her.

  She was walking through the new array of sunflowers; their bloom was pretty much perfect this time of year. She looked like she belonged in a garden with her fuchsia sundress on, and her long hair flowing on its own.

  “Oh, please. You deserve it. Oh, I hope you don’t mind but a few of my friends asked about you and I gave them your number.”

  My eyes widened in shock. That meant connections, people know about me. Of course, I didn’t mind!

  “No, not at all. That is very kind of you.”

  She grabbed two bundles of the flowers and came over to the check-out desk. I rang her up, but she always gives me the same amount; a crisp one-hundred-dollar bill. I learned a long time ago that protesting it wouldn’t do anything for me.

  “It’s no problem. I loved that arrangement, I almost didn’t want to take it down.” She smiled, the corners of her mouth only slightly wrinkling.

  “Was the event a good turnout though?” I asked her.

  “Oh yeah, we surpassed our goal. Bryan and I were very pleased.” Bryan was her husband and partner in crime. When I saw them together, I envied her but in a good way. I wanted that; to one day be so happy next to the love of my life. It was obvious how much he loved her, the way he looked at her with such adoration.

  “That’s amazing.” I wrapped up the flowers and tied them off with ribbon.

  “Please, let me know if they call you. I’ll be back soon.” She waved over her shoulder as she headed out.

  “I will, see you!”

  She always came every week. The next time she came, I was preparing for the anniversary for a sweet, older couple. They said they were at the gala that night, and that the lilacs reminded me of their wedding. Of course, that brought my mind right back to that stranger.

  I was currently free; all my events were finished. I hoped for another of course, but the last three exhausted me so I kind of just wanted to slow down. I took a long lunch and went to meet Ivy in the city. She worked in an office building and the design firm took up about ten floors. But there was a nice sky café we always went to there.

  “Anything new today?” She asked me, furiously stabbing her salad with her fork.