The Soldier's Bride (34 page)

Anika smiled, started to lean forward, but then she pulled back abruptly. “Thanks for your help. I’d better get back to work.” She gave her head a little shake, reminding herself that
all
men were off limits no matter how closely they were related to Enrique Iglesias.

“The store’s closed. Aren’t you about finished?” Carlos glanced around the empty department store.

Anika followed his gaze to the flickering light above the toys and strollers in the back of the store. Beyond that light in the back offices, Cecilia was probably still hard at work, and Anika couldn’t afford to be caught sitting around. “Yes, I’m just putting in some overtime to get this tree set up.”

Carlos crouched next to the tree and fiddled with the cords. “This must be new. I don’t remember seeing a tree set up in this department last year.” When Anika gave him a curious look, he explained. “I’ve done a lot of the remodeling in this store over the past few years.” Carlos thumbed behind him. “I’m finishing up some shelves over in the children’s section this week.”

“Oh, I noticed those. They look really nice,” Anika said. She forced herself to turn her gaze from Carlos’s muscular shoulders to the remodeling of the children’s section. There were three rows of new shelves against the wall, the light oak wood spanning a length of about five feet. She could imagine how nice it would be to display different items.

“Thanks,” Carlos’s voice was muffled. “Now, let’s see if that works.”

He flipped the switch and the tree lit up with twinkling white lights.

“You fixed it,” Anika said. She hopped closer to the tree and touched one of the white lights. “Thank you.”

Carlos chuckled. “Glad I could help.” He straightened the tree and turned to Anika. “How’s your ankle?”

“It’s a little tender, but I think it will be fine.” Anika held herself carefully so as not to put too much weight on her foot. Her curiosity motor was spinning rapidly over the fireman who’d just saved her and the Christmas tree. The way he stood there with that bit of coarse stubble lining his jaw made her want to reach out and touch it. No, wait. She clenched her hands into fists. She most certainly did not want to touch him, or any man for that matter.

This was Kenworth’s and she was an employee, she needed to focus. She wiped her hand over her mouth, straightened her shoulders and said, “Thanks again for your help. I’d better finish up now.”

“How much work do you have left tonight? I’ll probably be here for another hour.” Carlos smiled at her and she could almost see the wheels in his mind turning. He looked like he was on the verge of asking her out. She didn’t have time for this.

“Well, I’m hoping to be finished soon because my daughter—” Anika stopped talking and turned toward the cash register. “Megan!” She hadn’t heard a sound from her daughter for the past several minutes while she was caught up ogling forbidden territory.

Anika scrambled around the counter. Megan wasn’t there. She looked up and met Carlos’s gaze, his eyes searched hers, and she could see her panic mirrored there for an instant.

“Your daughter?” he came around the corner and scanned the floor littered with Megan’s toys.

“She was right here playing. She’s four, with brown hair and blue eyes— looks just like me. I’ll check the break room.” Anika moved to pass Carlos, but he stopped her, putting a hand on her arm.

“Wait, what’s that?” he pointed to the corner of a pink and white polka-dotted blanket hanging out of the cupboard under the register—Megan’s blanket.

Anika’s breath caught in her throat and her heart double-timed, pounding against her rib cage. She crouched and opened the cupboard. The breath whooshed out of her when she saw Megan curled up with her blanket, sleeping in the cramped space among rolls of receipt paper, sacks, and cloth shopping bags. Anika sat back on the floor and squeezed her eyes shut. “Thank goodness.”

She felt a hand on her back and looked over to see Carlos crouching next to her. “She’s cute. That’s quite a hiding place.”

“My word, that scared me to death. I’m so glad you saw her blanket. Thank you.” Anika moved to stand, but her ankle didn’t cooperate and she stumbled into Carlos.

His arms moved around her, quickly righting her and then letting her go. “Do you need help getting her to your car? I don’t mind carrying her.”

Anika opened her mouth to say no, but with her ankle she’d have to accept his help. Her mind was still a few seconds behind, feeling the strength of his arms as he caught her, the solid muscles of his body holding her upright.
Focus, Anika!
She glanced at the clock. It was already past ten, she was exhausted. “I guess I’ll finish the tree tomorrow night. Are you sure you don’t mind carrying her?”

Carlos grinned. “Not at all. A fireman is trained to complete his rescues.”

“Well, you’ve saved me twice tonight,” Anika replied. She was gushing, and thanking this guy way too much. He was just being polite. She needed to get a grip and quit smiling at him. But every time she smiled, he would smile back and it made her stomach do a little flip that she was sure meant trouble.

“It’s my pleasure. Do you think she’ll wake up when I lift her?” he crouched next to Megan’s sleeping form.

“I would be very surprised. She sleeps like a rock. Her name’s Megan.” Anika said. “Let me just grab my things here.”

“You might want to turn off the tree for the night. Cecilia warned me not to overload the circuits. I guess the electrical wiring in this building is pretty old.”

Anika nodded and flipped off the lights. She watched as Carlos gently knelt next to her daughter and lifted Megan into his arms. The child sighed and pulled her blanket tighter. Carlos held her tenderly and smiled, lifting his eyes to meet Anika’s. The way he held her so carefully did something dangerous to Anika’s heart. It was like the moment a match slides across the side of the box igniting an explosion of heat that pops and sizzles. And she couldn’t afford to play with fire.

C
ARLOS NOTICED THE WAY ANIKA’S
throat tightened and then relaxed when he lifted Megan from the cupboard. She kept a close eye on him, as if she wasn’t sure whether to trust him or not. Her blue eyes were full of stories. Stories he would have liked to hear, if she’d let him. Something about the tightness around her eyes and the stiffness in her movements told him she was on guard. There were snippets of interest in her glance and it was enough to give him the encouragement to hang around.

She pointed. “I’m right out front today.”

He nodded and followed her out to the beat up Nissan Sentra with a crappy red paint job and no hubcaps. She hurried to unlock the door, still favoring her ankle, and moved a few items out of the way. She stood by the door of the car and smiled at him as he moved to place Megan in the car. He hesitated for a second, meeting Anika’s gaze. She was stunning in the soft glow of the street light with a few strands of her light brown hair curling softly around the nape of her neck where it had escaped the bun. He wondered how long her hair was, and if it was as soft as it looked. Carlos had noticed her earlier from across the store and wondered if he should try to strike up a conversation. Lucky for him, the Christmas tree had provided the perfect introduction.

He tucked Megan into the car and buckled her seatbelt. “You’re right. She is a heavy sleeper.” He stepped back from the car, closing the door quietly. He lifted his eyes to Anika’s and nodded.

She adjusted the straps on her bag. “Well, I’d better get her home. Thanks so much for your help.”

He didn’t want her to leave. He wanted to stand there for a few more minutes and talk, but it would have to wait. Anika moved to open her car door, but Carlos opened it for her. The way she stood so straight made her appear tall, but when she ducked into her car, Carlos guessed she was about five foot six. “Maybe I’ll see you tomorrow night.”

Anika hesitated, and then gave him a tentative smile. “Maybe.”

Carlos rubbed a hand along the back of his neck as she pulled out of the parking lot. The evening was cold with clouds threatening snow. He shivered as her tail lights disappeared around the corner. Tomorrow he’d come in a bit earlier to get started and see if there might be another opportunity to chat with Anika.

He hurried back inside to clean up his tools and get ready for his next eight hours on call in the Echo Ridge Volunteer Fire Department. The town was small so they operated on a tight budget which meant that all of the firemen had other jobs. For Carlos, it kept him busy, sometimes too busy because he hadn’t been on a date for two months. His madre had pestered him last time they talked, “Twenty-seven is too old to be single. You should be giving me grandbabies by now.” He smiled thinking of her rapid Spanish and the thick accent that accompanied her words when she spoke in English.

Five years ago his mother had moved from Puerto Rico to sunny Florida. She didn’t understand why her son wanted to live in a cold climate such as upstate New York. But Carlos loved Echo Ridge, the town was small enough that he waved at several people on his way to work each day, but big enough that he’d been able to keep his own business afloat. The smog steered clear of Echo Ridge and the buildings had character, with old-style architecture that would continue to be in need of his carpentry skills. Even though people seemed busier than they used to, he liked the slower pace compared to some of the bigger cities he’d visited.

With his tools tucked safely inside the back of his pickup, Carlos drove a mile east of the store, up a slight hill and pulled into the three-bedroom bungalow he called home. The front porch leaned to one side, but new shingles covered several parts of the roof. He hadn’t started replacing the windows yet, which were all aluminum frames, but the new front door was locked and secure. He’d purchased the home last year just before foreclosure. Every paycheck he bought more supplies to fix up the place and it was looking better, but wasn’t anything to be proud of yet. Who was he kidding? There was a reason he wasn’t married. Who would want a college dropout who lived in a rundown house, even if it was close to Parley’s Way and its posh residents?

Carlos had picked up a few good clients from the Ice Money population that flocked to Echo Ridge during ski season but it wasn’t steady enough to support a family yet. He thought of the woman he’d met tonight. She had a daughter and would need someone stable. Carlos pursed his lips. Maybe it’d be better if he didn’t bump into her at the store. He pulled open the new kitchen cabinets he’d installed last summer— the white paint gleaming under the recessed can lights above the sink. Maybe he should take his mother’s advice and sell this place for a profit, move closer to family, and the sunshine of Miami. He shook his head, halting the negative train of thoughts. The desire to fix up the place still burned inside, and he couldn’t ignore the visions he had of the newly remodeled home, perfect for a little family. It might not be his family, but he would keep working until he finished this place. He had that much time at least to make up his mind about his future in Echo Ridge.