I felt a connection to her since she'd lost her mother, even if it happened at different times in our lives. "Good night, you two. Thanks for your help."
"Sofia, go upstairs and get your pajamas on. I'll be up in a minute."
"Okay," Sofia said, running off.
I wondered if he'd tell me not to get close to him or his daughter. Like I needed the reminder.
"I'll walk you out," Maddox said.
We walked the few steps to my SUV, which was parked in the driveway. "I can pick her up and take her to the tasting appointment if you're too busy to do it."
He rocked back on his heels. "It's not that."
"I overstepped. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have told her about tasting desserts at Sweet Dreams. I just got excited and thought it would be fun." When he didn't respond, I continued, "She lost her mother, and I did too. It feels like we connected."
He finally nodded. "Let me know when you're able to schedule it, and I'll make sure she's there. I'll get her there."
I took a chance and squeezed his arm. "She's going to have fun."
"She hasn't had much to look forward to lately. I worry that even Christmas is a negative time for her because her mother can't be here."
I swallowed over the lump in my throat. "It can be a tough time of year. I'm happy to give her something to look forward to."
"Drive safe."
"Thanks for dinner, Maddox. It was good, and so was the company." I spent most evenings working alone in my cottage. Now I saw how other people lived with home cooked meals and the laughter of a child. Maddox had a warm, inviting home filled with love.
"Good night, Eve." He closed the door and stepped back.
I put the SUV in Reverse and backed out. I didn't look back. The grumpy firefighter and his daughter were getting to me. I hadn't expected to feel so much just from one dinner.
No more intimate meals or in-person planning sessions at his house. I could handle his daughter, but her father was out of the question.
He wasn't looking for someone to date, and I shouldn't want to be the woman who pulled him out of his funk.
I wasn't going to fall for a challenge. I'd connected with the daughter because of our shared loss, and that was it. We weren't meant to be in each other's lives for any other reason.
It was all about Sofia and the fire department. Maddox was just the link between the fire department and the town. After the parade and the party were over, I wouldn't need him anymore.
I'd see him and his daughter in passing, but I wouldn't be close to them. It was for the best. Maddox was incapable of even being a good friend right now, much less anything more.
I felt a little crazy as I pulled up to my cottage. Inside, I got out my tablet and got to work on everything we'd discussed. The best way to ignore something was to work harder. There was always something to do. And with Natasha focused on the renovations at the inn, I needed to be on top of the events for the town.
This was my job, and everyone was depending on me. The pressure should have been crushing, but I thrived on it. I'd make the town a success, and we'd get more reservations at the inn than we could handle. Everything would be fine.
This was our dream, and we were going to make it a success. I could do that much for my older sister, who'd always looked out for me.
Natasha thought she needed to be more than just a sister since our parents passed, but that wasn't necessary. I could handle everything just fine.
An hour later, I got a text.
Maddox: Thanks again for helping me with the planning. I have no idea what I'm doing.
Eve: No worries. I love this stuff.
I kept repeating the mantra to myself. I needed distance. No cute texts or follow-up jokes. Nope. It was all business from now on. I wouldn't let Maddox's grumpiness or his daughter's sweet ways sway me.
I was a professional. I could handle this.
