Warnings and Wildfires

“Now, push your arms up but maintain your position against the wall.”

Across from us, the door to Sully’s office opens and closes with a soft click.

“What are you doing?” Sully asks. His voice is low, but I don’t need to glance over to sense his irritation.

He stalks over to us. “Get your hands off her,” he says, slapping Jake’s arm.

“Chill, bro. I was helping her with something.”

“Help from a distance.”

That’s enough of that. “Sully, knock it off.” I drop my arms and pull away from the wall. “My shoulders were bothering me. Jake was showing me some exercises to help.”

His expression softens when his gaze lands on me. “Sorry.”

“Why are you apologizing to her? I’m the one you snapped at,” Jake grumbles, brushing off his sleeves.

“Shut up,” Sully growls without looking at his brother.

“Maddy busy with homework?” Jake asks.

“Yeah, don’t bug her.”

“I won’t. Geez,” he grumbles, walking away.

“As a younger sibling, let me give you some advice—you shouldn’t pick on your little brother,” I say once we’re alone. “It’s not nice.”

“Pick on him,” he echoes, shaking his head.

I reach up and rub his shoulder. “You seem tense.”

He shrugs, and his gaze searches the room before finally landing on me. “I don’t like hiding what you mean to me.”

There’s that swoony-swoop in my stomach again. “It’s not about you or me. Do what you think is best for Madison. I’m okay with whatever feels right to you.”

He stares past me as if he’s considering his options. “Maybe next visit. You can hang with us. Let her adjust to the idea?”

I lean up and give him a quick kiss on the cheek. “I’d like that.”

Aubrey’s understanding means everything to me. It also helps me relax, knowing she’s at the gym this afternoon. Although I’m still irritated with my brother and not all that thrilled about leaving him alone with her. Which is stupid. Jake’s done plenty of shitty stuff over the years, hitting on a girlfriend has never been one of them.

“If it’s slow tonight, just close early,” I say to Aubrey.

She salutes me and gives my hand a quick squeeze before letting go.

I stride over to the office and tap on the door, pushing it open. “Ready to go?”

Maddy spins around in my chair a few times before answering. “We can’t stay here?”

“Grandma’s waiting to see you.”

“Oh!” She hurries to pack up her stuff, which somehow in the last half hour ended up everywhere. Finally, I get her in the Jeep and headed toward home.

“Are you dating Aubrey?” Madison asks once I leave the parking lot.

“What?” I turn and give her a quick look. “Why would you ask that?”

“She’s pretty.”

“Yeah,” I answer carefully. “She is.”

“You should have a girlfriend.”

“You and Grandma are the only ladies I need in my life right now.” Shit, that feels awful. I don’t like lying to my daughter or denying what Aubrey means to me to anyone. Even if I think it’s the right thing to do at the moment.

“Dad,” she says in her dramatic-breathless-eye-rolling way. “At some point don’t ya think you should get married?”

“Why are you worried about me getting married all of a sudden?” My relationship with Maddy is so important to me. I see so little of her, I don’t ever want her to feel like I’m neglecting her or that I’m distracted by someone else.

“Mom’s got Robert. And you’re like, all alone up here when I’m in Florida.”

“I’m not alone. Uncle Jake’s like lice, I can’t shake him.”

She giggles then turns serious again. “You know what I mean.”

“Grandma lives right next door.”

“Daaaaaad. You’re not taking me seriously.”

“Yes, I am.”

“So you’ll think about it?”

“Think about what?” I tease.

“Daaaaaad. Ask Aubrey out. Old people still do that, right?”

“Careful who you’re calling old, little miss.”

“Well, Aubrey’s not old. Robert is like old enough to be my grandfather.”

Inside I’m laughing, but I force myself not to say something inappropriate about her stepfather. “I don’t think he’d appreciate that. And it’s not really true.”

“Maybe if you guys got married,” she says in an excited rush. “I could come stay with you more often.”

Hold up. What?

I wait until I pull into my driveway and shut the Jeep off before addressing that last part. “Madison, what makes you say that?”

“I dunno.” Her eyes shine with unshed tears. “I just miss you. I only get to see you like once a month.”

Shit, shit, shit. I haven’t messed with our custody arrangement in years, because at the time I’d been granted visitation, I’d been lucky to carve out the time I had. As a young, single father half a country away, the court had made me jump through hoops back then. Honestly, I don’t have the money to battle Lauren again. The last time we went to court, it took every last penny I had.

But obviously, I need to figure out something.

“I miss you too, sweetheart. You want me to talk to your mom about maybe having you come visit another weekend a month?”

Her eyes widen, and I wonder if she already tried to talk this out with Lauren and got shot down.

“You’d do that?” she asks.

“If that’s what you want. I’d love to be able to spend more time with you, Maddy. I don’t want to disrupt your life though.”

“It’s not disrupting my life,” she says. “I love visiting grandma and Uncle Jake. None of my friends have a cool uncle like mine.”

I bark out a quick laugh. “Make sure to tell him that.”

My mother’s front door swings open and Madison jumps out of the Jeep, racing across the lawn to say hello.

I reach into the back and grab Maddy’s stuff. “I’ll be over in a few,” I call out to my mom, who just waves at me.

By the time I make it to my mom’s, Madison’s busy chattering away and helping in the kitchen. I sit back and watch them, thinking about Madison’s request to visit more often.

Owning the gym means I pretty much work there seven days a week. Jake helps alleviate a lot of that burden, but he has his own stuff. Without my mother’s help, I’d be screwed. Can I really ask her to give up another Sunday every month to help me out? Maybe I don’t need to. It was harder when Maddy was younger, but she’s old enough to come with me on Sunday mornings. Hell, she’s suggested I start a kid’s self-defense class a couple times now. Maybe that’s something she and I can work on together.

I wait until after Maddy’s asleep to bring it up with my mom. “Madison told me today she wants to come visit more often.”

My mother raises an eyebrow. “Did you talk to Lauren?”

“Not yet. I don’t want to call while Maddy’s here in case we get into an argument.”

She rests her hand on mine. “You’re a good father. I’m proud of you.”

“Thanks, Ma.” The corners of my mouth lift in a tired smile. “She asked me if I was dating Aubrey.”

“Really? I’d think at her age she wouldn’t want you dating anyone.”

“She’s worried I’m lonely.”

At that, my mother scoffs. “I’m smart enough to know neither of my sons are ever lonely. Even if I don’t want details.”

I give her the side-eye. “Says the woman who asks what kind of birth control I’m using at the dinner table.”

She flashes an unapologetic smile.

“How does Aubrey feel about Madison? Is she upset you’re occupied this weekend?” she asks.

“I told her I wasn’t ready to tell Madison about us yet. She was fine with it.”

My mo

ther nods, clearly impressed. Not many people impress this woman. “That’s a very mature response. When do I get to meet Aubrey?”

“Maybe next weekend? We can do dinner?”

“I’d like that. The sooner, the better. The weekend after, I’m going to Cape Cod with Jenny.”

“Ugh. You know I’m going to worry about you the whole time, right?”

She laughs and pats my cheek. “I’m the parent. I do the worrying.”

I grab her hand, giving it an affectionate squeeze. “I’ll never not worry about you, Mom.”

Jake and I close down the gym together. Celia picks me up, but Jake’s so eager to see his niece, he doesn’t stick around for one of their flirty-arguing conversations.

“Aw, that’s kind of cute,” Celia admits once I explain. “So you met Sully’s daughter?”

“She breezed in like a little tornado.” I chuckle, remembering how nervous I felt under her scrutiny. “She’s kind of intimidating for twelve.”