“I’m choosing both, but reconfigured.” I clicked on another listing, added it to my growing collection of possibilities.
“Well, good on you.” She straightened, eyeing the cupcakes skeptically.
“No need to look like that, Em. They look amazing. It’s a lovely way to welcome our new neighbor.”
“Yeah?”
“Absolutely. Are you taking them over right away?”
“Yes, but not by myself.” Her expression turned more guarded. “You’re coming with me.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Sure, okay, but why can’t you go on your own?”
“Because I caught a glimpse of him yesterday. He’s intimidatingly attractive.”
“Oh really?” I stood, suddenly more interested. “Tell me more.”
“Tall. Fit, but not in an obvious way.” She shrugged, aiming for casual but missing by a mile. “And he has kids. Two little girls.”
“A hot single dad?” I gasped. “Say no more. I’m absolutely coming with you.”
Emily rolled her eyes. “Don’t go making a thing of it. I’m not in the market and I bet neither is he.”
“Sure sure.”
Five minutes later, we stood on the front porch of the house next door, Emily balancing the cupcake carrier while I rang the doorbell. The sound of small feet pounding against hardwood floors echoed from inside, followed by a deeper voice calling out something unintelligible.
The door swung open to reveal a man who matched Emily’s description and then some. He stood well over six feet tall, broad-shouldered in a faded gray t-shirt, with light brown hair that curled slightly at the temples. But it was his eyes that caught me off guard. They were a startling green that reminded me of sea glass, framed by the kind of thick lashes women paid good money to replicate.
Those eyes narrowed slightly as they took us in, his expression hovering somewhere between suspicious and exhausted.
“Hi. I’m Emily from next door, and this is my cousin Mia. We live next door. We brought welcome cupcakes.” Her voice was higher, breathier than usual.
For a moment, he just stared at the offering as if trying to decode a foreign language. Then two little heads peeked around his legs. One had a messy blonde ponytail, the other had pigtails coming loose.
“Are those for us?” the older one asked, her eyes widening at the sight of the cupcakes.
The man’s face softened almost imperceptibly.
“They sure are.” Emily held out the container.
“Alice, Audrey, what do we say?”
“Thank you!” they chorused, though the younger one was already reaching for the treats.
“Thank you,” he said, his voice a low rumble as he gently pulled his daughter’s hand back. He cleared his throat. “I’mCameron. Cam. Thanks for this, but you really didn’t have to go to the trouble.”
“It’s no trouble,” Emily replied, her voice still high as her fingers tightening slightly on the carrier. “I just thought it would be a nice welcome.”
“Well, we appreciate it.” He hesitated. “I’d offer for you to come in, but we’re still unpacking. It’s a disaster zone.”
“No, that’s okay. We understand.”
The older girl bounced on her toes. “Daddy, can we have one now?”
Cam closed his eyes briefly, the look of a man who’d learned that six-year-olds have no filter. “How about we use our manners first.”
“Oh, yeah. Thank you for the cakes.” Then she stared at Emily for a long moment, looking almost awestruck “You’re very pretty. She’s very pretty, isn’t she, Daddy?”
