Page 37 of Shattered Secrets

Matt frowned. “Tea?”

“Gossip. All the ladies were curious about who you were, what you were doing on the island, and what your whole backstory was. They didn’t think anything nefarious since everyone knew you were friends with Cade, but the theories were wild. Small towns, right?” She laughed at the look of horror on his face. “Someone mentioned that you’d been shot—probably for something heroic—and that you were here recovering.”

He chuckled, but there didn’t seem to be any humor in it. “Shot, yes. Heroic, no. When my brother offered up this place... I had a lot going on in addition to the physical recovery thing, so it was a no-brainer for me to take him up on it.”

Scarlet sensed he was uncomfortable with where their conversation was leading, so she pivoted. “Did it help?”

He tilted his head in question.

“You said your brother thought the quiet would help with your recovery. Did it?”

Matt remained silent for a moment, pondering his answer. When he finally met her gaze, a soft smile played on his mouth. “Yeah. It took quite a bit of time, but yeah. It did.”

That brief, solemn darkness in his eyes had eased, and she was thankful. Seeing it had hurt her heart. “And now you’re working at Hudson Security?”

He nodded. “After I recovered physically, I took some time off. Things had gotten... complicated over at the Seattle PD, and the longer I stayed away, the less I wanted to go back.”

Oh, to be a fly on the wall of his brain. Because there was a whole story behind that entirecomplicatedbit. Scarlet was sure of it. But she didn’t know him well enough yet to press.

“Gavin was pushing hard for me to join his crew, and I figured why the hell—” His gaze darted to Daisy and then back to her. Her stomach did that flipping thing again. Stupid stomach. “I mean, why the heck not? Fresh start and all that.”

“Mama?” Daisy cut in, still picking through her small box of crayons. “Mr. Matty said we could see the kitty cats today if you said it was okay.” She glanced up. “Is it okay? Please?”

Scarlet couldn’t help but grin. Her kid was so stinking cute. “Yes, we can go visit the cats a little later this afternoon. But first?—”

The doorbell rang, and Matt rose from the table, patting Daisy on the head. “But first, that should be our breakfast.”

Scarlet gave him a questioning look, and he winked in response as he left the kitchen. Butterflies took flight in her belly. She tried her best to ignore them.

Seconds later, Matt returned carrying two bags of groceries. “Ladies, how do pancakes and bacon sound?”

“With chocolate chips?” Daisy asked.

Scarlet shook her head. “Daisy, we don’t?—”

“Yup,” he said, pulling a bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips out of one of the grocery sacks. “AndI have a box of these bad boys.” He held up a striped box—Otter Pops—and Daisy cheered. “But these aren’t until later, remember? You have to finish all your breakfast.”

Scarlet snickered when Daisy nodded. “Ohmygod, she’s gonna be in a sugar coma by noon.”

“You’re one to talk,” Matt said with a smirk, gesturing to her coffee. “Besides, they’re for bravery, remember?”

She rolled her eyes. “Oh yes, how could I forget?”

“Mr. Matty, look! I drawed you a picture!” Daisy held up a paper with blue, red, and green... things on it.

Scarlet had a hard time deciphering Daisy’s drawings on a good day. With Daisy using her left hand? Yeaaah, there was no hope.

“Wow, that’s beautiful, Otter Pop,” Matt said, reclaiming his seat next to Daisy. “Can you tell me all about what you drew?”

Scarlet suppressed a chuckle. Smart man.

Matt shot her another wink, and she grinned. This time, it was harder to ignore the butterflies.

“This is Mr. Slothy,” Daisy began, pointing at one of the blue figures on the paper. “And that’s me and Baby Unicorn andyou! We’re all holding hands!”

“Oh wow, that’s really pretty.” Smiling, he touched a lone blob off to the side. “And what’s this?”

“Oh, that’s just Mama. She’s taking a picture of all of us.”

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