Page 6 of Letters From Home

He fiddled with his tool belt and wondered how mad Jessica would be about the card. But if he lied about it, she’d be even more angry. “It was me,” he admitted, nodding his head. “I wanted to welcome you and Jack to the neighborhood.”

“You do this for all your customers?” she asked, raising her eyebrows.

Gosh, the woman looked even more stunning when she was annoyed. How was that possible? Nick held back a grin as he realized that his attraction to Jessica hadn’t faded with space and time. Instead, it was growing stronger each day. She was intelligent and beautiful, and would do anything for her little boy. Jessica was something special—and worth risking his heart.

“Not every customer,” he said, smiling as he leaned against the wall. “Just the ones I’d like to know better. What do you say? I could take you both to Scoops and Cones after lunch. Or we could grab a meal there, too. They’ve still got burgers and hot dogs, and lots of kid-friendly food.”

He held back a laugh as Jessica’s eyes widened with surprise. What had surprised her more—that he admitted to leaving the card? The invitation to lunch? Or that he wanted to include Jack? Jack seemed like a great kid, and any guy who got close to Jessica should know her son was the most important thing in her life.

Jessica bit her lip and glanced over at Grant, then shook her head. “I shouldn’t keep you from work. Jack and I will figure lunch out when we get home. Besides, hot chocolate is enough of a treat for one day.” She hesitated, a small smile tugging her lips into a curve. “Thanks for the offer, though.”

Nick felt his heart stutter. She hadn’t said “no”—that was a start. But as Jack rushed back into the room, his confidence wavered. Was he ready to pursue a woman with a child? As much as he liked Jessica, this was way more complicated than matchmaking. This was tyingthreepeople together instead of two.

“Mommy! My zipper broke again.”

Jack stood in front of his mom with the zipper askew, making Nick chuckle. Who was he kidding? He was ready for this—the mom, the kid, the entire package. If Jessica accepted him, they’d be a ready-made family. That might make him the luckiest guy in town.

He watched Jessica struggle with the jacket for a moment before kneeling down to join them. “Can I try? I’m an expert at fixing things.” Nick heard Jessica’s soft snort of laughter as he eased the zipper back down its track, breaking it free from a snag. He hooked the teeth back together and tugged upward, sliding the boy’s coat shut. “See. Most things can be fixed with a little time and patience.”

He turned to smile at Jessica, but the mom wasn’t smiling back at him. Instead, she watched him with a curious look.

“Thanks for fixing his coat,” she said. “We’re stopping by the town’s daycare after coffee, but we’ll be back around noon. I can’t do Scoops and Cones today, but we’ll see what happens later this week. Jack keeps my schedule full.”

Nick could read between the lines. No lunch or ice cream today, but hopefully soon—and her boy came first. He could respect that. If Nick was lucky enough to have a child, he’d always take care of his family first. He couldn’t expect anything less from Jessica.

Nick grinned as he watched the pair walk out the door. He was falling hard for the pretty mom and her little boy. Who knew they would claim his heart so quickly?

Grant walked up beside him and cleared his throat. “Anything you want to tell me? What happened there?”

“Not much to tell. Like I said before, I’m husband material. I’m going to marry that girl one day. I’ll be a great dad for that little boy.”

Grant raised his eyebrows in disbelief. “You’re moving too fast, Nick. Jessica’s life is complicated right now. And to date someone with a kid?” He shook his head, his lips twisting into a frown. “Be careful. This isn’t a game. There won’t be any winners if you walk away.”

Nick nodded as he walked toward his bag and pulled out another card and envelope. “I know. But Jack’s not a complication. He deserves to be treated well—just like Jessica.”

He set the card on the counter and began to write.

Chapter four

Jessica

Jessica dragged her bagsthrough the doorway, clutching Jack’s little hand. The house was silent, but she knew they weren’t alone. One of Grant Construction's trucks was still in her driveway.

It had been nice spending time with an old friend. Brook Reed’s bright smile and cheerful optimism filled Jessica with hope. Maybe moving back to Sunset Cove had been the right choice.

Brook was facing a few transitions of her own. She worked at Seaside Catering and seemed to enjoy her job, but the owner was retiring soon. Brook had some difficult choices to make. Did she buy the catering business? Focus on her passion for baking? Or look for another restaurant that might need an experienced worker?

Jessica shook her head, amazed that she had friends considering their own business. She was struggling with her part-time job at Sunset Market, and couldn’t imagine taking onso much responsibility. But it wasn’t like Brook was alone in her ambitions—Grant had started his own construction company.

Her friends had moved on from high school. They’d built their own lives and were doing great things.

Jessica settled her sleepy son into bed for his nap, leaning down to kiss his forehead as his eyes fluttered shut. Jack was snoring by the time she walked out the door to get the mail.

One card in her mailbox didn’t have a stamp or return address. She shook her head, knowing that Nick had left her another note.

“This town was empty without you. I’m glad you’re both here. Be my Valentine?” Jessica read out loud. She snorted as her eyes skimmed over the cutesy card. It was covered in hearts and glitter—not the type of message she expect from a hard-working guy like Nick.

Her heart softened as she read over the card a second time. She thought about how kind Nick had been to her son today. He could have told Jack to scram, that a construction site wasn’t safe for a child—even though it was Jack’s home. And these cards? Nick might be a meddler, but he seemed determined to show his sweet side.

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