That rundown place in Lower Manhattan where we met Chelsey and Kelsey .”
Another mentioned a bar called The Tin Anchor where Keats drank body shots off a brunette.
I took down the messages and then cursed under my breath when I hung up the phone.
I can’t expect anything from Keats but a good time.
I was worried about falling for him and trapping myself in the same situation I was six years ago when I dated Kollin Raiken, my supervisor at a radio station. He was two years older than me, handsome and charming.
I fell in love. He said he did too, but when things got complicated, I was dumped. The call from HR telling me I was fired came hours later.
I was dismissed from my job and his apartment on one of the worst days of my life.
Taking a deep breath, I climb the steps up to Keats’s front door. I press the bell and hope that I’m not making another mistake.
Chapter 42
Keats
You never know what is waiting around the corner for you.
Tonight, I’m dressed in my tuxedo, my niece is wearing a pink dress with a hem that skims the floor, and I’m about to open the door to a woman I’m falling hard and fast for.
I look down at the doorbell app on my phone to see the live stream of Maren standing on my stoop.
She’s wearing a white dress that stops just below her knee. It’s buttoned up the front with a lace collar.
She’s clutching a bunch of fresh flowers in her hand. The stems are tied together with a pink ribbon.
I didn’t think to give Stevie flowers tonight. I’m glad Maren did.
I want this night to be perfect for both my niece and Maren.
Stevie comes skipping towards me, wearing flat white shoes. “I heard the doorbell. Are you going to open the door, Keats?”
Glancing over to where my brother is standing, I wink. “It seems that our special guest has arrived.”
“It’s Maren.” Stevie jumps up and down in place. “She’s our audience.”
“What am I?” Berk shoves his hands into the front pockets of his black pants.
“The best daddy ever.” Stevie blows him a kiss.
He does the same in return before he looks at me. “Get the door, Keats.”
I do.
I walk across the floor and swing open the door.
A quiet sound escapes Maren as she takes me in. I slicked my hair back tonight, put on my best cologne, and tied my bowtie perfectly.
“You look great,” she says quietly.
I smile. “You look better than great.”
She fists the skirt of her dress. “The ticket said to wear a fancy dress, so I did.”
“You sure did.” Stevie peeks around me. “You look beautiful.”
Maren takes a step forward, holding out the pink and white flowers in her hand. “You look like a princess. I brought you these.”
“For me?” Stevie’s voice quakes. “Really?”
Berk steps in place beside her. He strokes his hand over her hair. “That was very kind of you, Maren. Thank you.”
“Yes.” Stevie’s head bounces up and down. “Thank you.”
Maren sucks in a deep breath. “You’re welcome.”
“Come and sit.” Stevie grabs hold of Maren’s hand and yanks her forward. “I set up two chairs by the piano. One for daddy and one for you.”
Maren glances back as she’s pulled toward the living room.
“You’re falling hard, Keats.” Berk chuckles.
I don’t argue. How the hell can I argue with the truth? I look at him. “She’s different, Berk.”
“I see it.” He nods. “Stevie does too.”
I turn to face him. “Maren is scared.”
“Why?”
I shrug. “I don’t know, but I sense it.”
“If you like her, it’s your job to find out why and then chase those fears away.”
I can do that. I’ve chased my own fears away since I met Maren. Tonight, I start showing her that there’s nothing for her to be afraid of when it comes to me.
***
Maren and Berk jump to their feet at the same time for a standing ovation.
Stevie beams in the adoration. She should. She hit every note on the mark. I’ve never heard Mary Had a Little Lamb played at that slow of a tempo, but dammit, it doesn’t matter.
My star, and only, pupil made me proud.
“I did good?” She glances up at me. “Did I do it right?”
I pat the top of her head. “I couldn’t have played it better myself.”
Her smile tells me that she knows that’s a fib. I’ve been playing the piano since second grade. I was forced to at first. Berk was too, but he switched over to the guitar.
Since Sinclair doesn’t