SEXY BEAST (Single Dad's Club #3)

Chapter 2

2

Charlie

I tap my shoes along the linoleum floor to the beat of the song that was on the radio when I drove into work. All’s quiet in c****x Cove Middle School at the moment since class is in session. I don't know why the former counselor, Mrs. Quentin decided to leave her husband and run off with Mr. Ashland, the town fix-it man, and although I feel horrible for Mr. Quentin, having a permanent counseling job after floating between schools on a part-time basis is awesome.

The problem is, Mrs. Quentin must have been too busy tending to her affair because she's kept no records of the kids she's talked to. There are no notes anywhere regarding the students who need special assistance. For the last two days, I've sat at my desk, scouring every inch of her office and come up empty.

My phone rings, saving me from finalizing my fifth paperclip chain.

“Hey Lori,” I answer, seeing on the screen that it’s the secretary from the front office calling.

“Miss Rose, there's a father up here.”

I sit up straighter in my chair like I'm a puppy and Lori's holding my leash. Practically salivating for something to do.

“I'll be right there.” I hang up but hear her saying something else.

She can tell me in two minutes when I reach her.

The main office is like a fishbowl-windows on three of the four walls, which makes it easy to see the big strapping, Garrett Shaw talking with Lori and holding a bag at his side. The mere sight of him sets my entire body on fire.

Garrett Shaw has been my brother's best friend since, I don't know, maybe birth. I think I've loved him since I was old enough to crush on a boy, but to him, I'm like a little sister. Not that it matters—after Garrett lost his high school sweetheart wife, he's never been the same. Not at all like the boy I fell in love with. When she died, that wild and funny piece of him was buried, too.

I open the door to the office.

“Here she is, Mr. Shaw,” Lori holds out her hand in my direction. “I think you remember Charlotte Rose, right?”

Garrett slowly turns round, the plastic bag in his hand crinkling as he squeezes it tighter.

“Charlie,” he says my name like I'm still twelve.

“Hey, Garrett.” My eyes shoot to the bag, assuming it must be something for his daughter.

“Garrett needs to deliver something to Sydney,” Lori says when Garrett stands there unspeaking.

I got called away from my world record paperclip chain to be a messenger. Great way to put my Master’s degree to work.

I hold my hand out for the bag. “Sure. I think Sydney is in Science right now. I can bring it to her.”

Garrett doesn't so much as move a muscle in an effort to pass me the bag.

“I'd like to give it to her myself.”

My hand falls back down to my side. “Lori, can you page Mr. Trickle and tell him to send Sydney down?”

Lori nods and picks up the phone.

Garrett stands there in his jeans and flannel shirt, looking like the lumberman he is. The man has earned the respect he gets in this town after starting and managing a log cabin building business that’s kept many men and women in this town working. Sometimes he sells them to rich folk and others he keeps and rents out.

Lori hangs up the phone and then scratches her head with a pen. “So, Garrett, all the cabins booked for Christmas?”

Garrett smiles but it doesn't quite reach his eyes. He's stressed about something and I hope it isn't about the cabins. Shaw's Cabins are one of the businesses that keep the town afloat during the after-summer slump. People travel down from Portland and up from San Francisco to rent his cabins throughout the winter. Rumor is that the owner of Hart’s Desire Products and her husband are one of Garrett's biggest clients, but since it's Garrett, his lips always remain sealed.

“We are.”

Silence commences and I rock back on my heels, my hands shoved into the pockets of my slacks.

I spot Sydney walking down the hall a few minutes later, doing some sort of strange waddle to the office with her legs locked together from the knees up.

I'm not bragging but my counselor skills assess the situation quickly, figuring out exactly what Garrett is bringing her.

A laugh slips out of me, but my hand flies up to my mouth. No chance.

The rough and gruff Garrett Shaw is bringing his daughter maxi pads.

When the door opens and Sydney walks in about to burst into tears, my laughter subsides. As funny as it is that Garrett has to deal with this situation, I’m sure Sydney is terrified.

“Dad,” Sydney says with relief.

“Hey, Syd.” He wraps his arm around her and she seems to find refuge in his embrace.

“Would the two of you like to come to my office?” I suggest to get them away from Lori and the other office ladies and so I can see if Sydney has any questions she needs answered.

“No, I'll be fine.” Sydney pulls away, grabbing the bag from his hands.

I glimpse into the bag as it passes in front of me and what I find leaves me wide-eyed and wanting to laugh again.

Garrett, Garrett, Garrett.

“No, I really think you should both come with me.” I walk to the door, not willing to take no for an answer, holding it open for both of them.

Surprisingly, they follow without further argument. What little I know of Sydney is that she’s very much like her father—no one tells her what to do. Just two weeks ago, she kneed a kid in the nuts for some reason she refused to divulge to the principal.

We reach my office a couple of minutes later. “Please take a seat. I'll be right back.”

I head to the nurse’s office a few doors down. Nurse Wendy called in sick today and since this is a small school district, I’m responsible for filling in for her where I can. Rifling through her cabinets, I pull out a few maxi pads and head back into my office.

The two are sitting there in silence.

I take the bag from Sydney's hands and pass the maxi pads to her. She rewards me with a small smile.

“Charlie, I already got her what she needs,” Garrett says, sounding a little annoyed.

I pull the package he brought out of the plastic bag. “Garrett, adult diapers are not what women use for their period.”

“Ew,” Sydney cries out, her head twisting in her dad's direction with a horrified look on her face. “Seriously, Dad?”

Garrett's cheeks redden along the line of his beard. He shrugs. “I thought that was the right thing to get.”

Sydney stands and tucks the pads into her pocket. “I have to get to Science.”

“I can take you home,” Garrett offers. “Shouldn't you be resting?”

I bite my lip.

Professional counselor, not barmaid. Don't mix my daytime and night time job up.

By some miracle, I manage to hold in my sarcastic comment.

“I'm fine,” Sydney bites out.

Garrett stands, towering over his daughter. “I don't know Syd, maybe you should just come home so you can lay on the couch the rest of the day.”

Sydney completely disregards his comment and focuses on me. “Thank you, Miss Rose. I'll see you at home, Dad.”

Then she leaves.

She leaves me alone with Garrett.

I'm not sure when the last time I was alone in a room with him was…that fateful night when he came home with my brother? When I thought for sure he saw me as more than just a baby sister?

He turns his attention to me and all the air rushes from my lungs. Many people are intimidated by Garrett Shaw—whether it’s because of his gruff nature, his six-foot-six statue, or his muscles stacked upon muscles—I’m not sure. But for me, it's the opposite.

He doesn't intimidate me, he brings out my school girl crush, which is just as terrifying.

He runs his hands down his beard, a habit I've noticed he does when he's upset. “I can't do anything right.”

“She's a preteen. Get used to it.”

I round my desk and put the adult diapers back into the bag, handing it to him.

“It seemed to happen overnight. One day I was pushing her on the swings and the next she's slamming her door in my face.”

He accepts the bag, although I doubt he's going to return them to the store.

“Well, be patient with her. Hormones make girls crazy.” I giggle, remembering that night when he blamed my actions on hormones.

“You don't really want me. It’s just those girly hormones making you think you do,” he’d said to me.

His gaze shoots to mine, a smile peeking through the beard surrounding his luscious lips.

“You're right. It’s almost like you’re not yourself?” He poses it as a question and I lean against my desk, quickly grabbing a pen to fiddle with.

Does he want me to say no? Hormones were part of me wanting him of course, but I decide the better thing is to ignore his question altogether.

“She'll grow up just fine. You've done great this far, keep it up, big guy.”

He stares at me for an uncomfortable minute and then nods. “Thanks for your help, Charlie.”

“What about that cabin?” I throw the question out there because I don't want him to leave. I like having him here.

Garrett shakes his head. “Let me know when you want it, but I paid the grand to Dane already.”

Now him leaving doesn't upset me.

“You what?” I ask, my voice rising. “I told you I'd pay it.”

He turns on his heels, his frame taking up the entire height and width of my door.

“I told you, I'd pay it. You don't need to spend your money on that. We're practically family.”

“Just because you're best friends with Vance doesn't make us family. Here.” I round the corner of my desk, pulling out my purse and my checkbook.

“I don't want the money, Charlie.” He stays in the doorway with his hands above his head holding onto the door frame and jeez, the way it makes the muscles in his arms bunch and stretches the flannel shirt he’s wearing is really distracting.

But no. I’m annoyed with him right now. He’s acting like a stubborn mule.

I scribble out the check, tear it off and I'm on way toward him when he turns around and walks out of my office, down the hall.

“Garrett!” I chase after him.

He shakes his head, those long strides increasing the distance between us.

Principal Hayes picks that exact moment to exit the office. “Mr. Shaw, how nice to see you again,” he says.

Principal Rich Hayes, Richy Rich as people refer to him because his family was the founders of this town. They live in the biggest house downtown and they're always on floats in every parade.

Garrett holds out his hand. “Hey, Rich, gotta run. Call me.”

Rich glances over to me from the corner of his eye.

“Mr. Shaw please wait,” I say, disregarding Principal Hayes.

Garrett goes through the doors and I follow, catching him outside.

“Seriously, Garrett, what are you eight?”

He stops and spins around.

“Charlie, I don't want your money. I made a promise to Vance years ago when he left that I'd take care of you. This is me sticking to my word.”

My f*****g brother, Vance and his notion that his baby sister can't take care of herself.

I fold the check up and stick it in his front pocket.

“I don't need you to take care of me. I'm a grown woman.” I stick out my breasts for him to see how serious I am. “Or hadn’t you noticed?”

His gaze dips down to my cleavage and his chest rises and falls with a deep breath. Then, a mask of indifference washes over his face. He nods and walks toward his truck, throwing the adult diapers in the bed of Principal Hayes’ pickup truck before he gets into his vehicle and speeds away without a backward glance.