Charmed (Contemporary Romance) by Inés Saint

other were now serious about starting an official league, and he would’ve loved to be a part of the process. After all, he and Justin had started the first two teams, years ago. But he was leaving in a couple of months, and it wouldn’t make sense for him to start something he couldn’t finish. He rounded a bend, and Jamie’s house came into view.
    He decided to stop by for just a moment, stay at the door, pick up his tools, and leave. It was nine, and the kids were probably asleep, so he parked at the end of her driveway instead of pulling all the way up.
    As he made his way up to her door, he could see she was in the kitchen, pouring some batter into a bowl. He was about to knock, but stopped short when he saw her pour what he was sure was Bailey’s Irish Cream into the bowl, too. He knocked.
    “Nick?” Jamie seemed surprised to see him when she opened the door a minute later. Her hair was pulled back, she wasn’t wearing any makeup, and he was caught by her fresh face and pretty smile. It was mid-October, and the night air was cool. She wrapped her arms around her chest and said, “Um, come in.”
    “I just stopped by to pick up my tools and see how you were.” He peered into her face. “Last time I saw you, you were looking a little pale.”
    “Oh. Well, your tools are right over there.” She pointed to a corner in the family room and rushed back into the kitchen. “Sorry, I’m making pancakes. And if you’re talking about Friday afternoon’s little scene with Timmy, I’m fine now. You handled that very well.”
    “Good. And are you aware that it’s not breakfast time?”
    “It’s comfort food. I get in the mood for it once in a while.”
    “And you put alcohol into your comfort food?”
    “I like a shot of comfort liquor on the side.”
    “Jamie, I saw you pour it into the bowl — which reminds me, you should close the drapes at night.”
    “I’m up on a hill, and you can’t see inside unless you’re sneaking up the driveway.” She looked at him pointedly.
    “I wasn’t sneaking up the driveway, I just didn’t want to wake the kids, and you should close them anyway.” Nick looked out the window, the thought of some weirdo watching her bothering him. “Seriously, Jamie, you should close them. You never know who could be hiding behind those pine trees out front.”
    Nick walked back over to her door and studied the locks. Three of them, he nodded in approval. He then walked over to the windows and made sure they were all locked before closing the drapes. A picture of Scott Sullivan on an end table made him stop for a moment — it seemed like Scott was glaring at him. Hey, you should thank me, I’m just keeping your wife and kids safe, and I’m leaving now, Nick silently defended himself.
    Jamie watched him, her dark eyes sparkling. “Are you about done now?”
    “Yes, I’ll leave you and your intriguing spiked pancakes to yourselves in a moment.” Looking around one more time, he saw a picture of Justin on the buffet table. It was easy to forget Jamie was Justin’s sister. He waited for her to turn around before picking the picture up and placing it face down, not wanting Justin’s ugly face staring at him in disapproval.
    “You know, if you want some pancakes, all you have to do is ask,” she called from the kitchen just as he picked up his tools.
    “That sounds like an invitation.”
    “It sounds like you were fishing for one. But you’ve got to help. Get me another plate. They’re above the sink, second cabinet to the left.”
    “Yes, ma’am.” It wasn’t like anybody was waiting for him at home. Evenings had been especially boring since Emma had gone off to college. Nick strode over to the kitchen and handed her the second plate. She flipped the second pancake, waited a bit, flipped it again, and then slipped it onto a plate.
    Nick reached around her to pick up both plates, just as she turned around, and he thought she leaned in to him a little and breathed in, but