Man Down: An Everyday Heroes World Novel (The Everyday Heroes World) by BJ Bentley & KB Worlds

Author:BJ Bentley & KB Worlds [Bentley, BJ]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: KB Worlds LLC
Published: 2021-02-11T00:00:00+00:00

16

Poppy

I rinsed the conditioner from my hair, feeling like I’d just successfully dodged a bullet. Okay, maybe I hadn’t come away completely unscathed, but I’d managed to cool Vance’s jets.

And even that was probably temporary, but he had no idea, being in the boys club, what it was going to be like for me if word of our…affair?… got out. He’d no doubt get a pat on the back and a round of celebratory drinks at Rizzo’s. I, on the other hand, could face disciplinary action or ridicule from my brothers in blue. Likely, even both.

I shoved aside the shower curtain and wrapped myself in a plush towel before I noticed the steaming cup of freshly brewed coffee adorning the counter on the far side of the sink. I smiled at the thoughtfulness of the simple gesture, and that smile only grew when I took my first sip and realized it was doctored just the way I liked it— sweetened with a shot of the caramel syrup I kept stocked in the kitchen cupboard and plenty of cream. I closed my eyes and savored my second sip.

Once I was dressed in a pair of black yoga pants and a heather gray tank top, I took my coffee and ventured downstairs in search of my houseguest.

“She’s fine, Maxie, I promise,” I heard Vance saying for what I assumed was not the first time.

“I just want to see for myself.”

I stopped in the doorway to the kitchen and took in the scene. Vance stood, shirtless and casual as could be, against the counter, his own coffee mug raised to his lips. Maxie stood just off to the side with what looked like a chocolate layer cake held aloft in her hands.

Vance noticed me first and shot me a wink and a smug grin.

I fought against rolling my eyes. “Hey, Max.”

“Oh! Poppy!” Maxie whirled around like a mini tornado, nearly dropping the cake in the process.

“Whoa!” Vance and I both yelled, lurching forward to steady her.

“Why don’t we set this down, Max.”

She obliged, letting the cake rest in the center of my small two-seater kitchen table.

“Looks amazing,” I said. “Is that chocolate on chocolate?”

“Actually it’s chocolate raspberry on chocolate. Four layers of it, in fact. Topped with chocolate ganache.” She spoke of her baked goods with confidence, as she should, because everything she made was delicious. But she was trying to hide the fact that she was wringing her hands in the folds of her jersey dress. “I just wanted to say thank you.”

“Nope.” I shook my head. “No way do you need to thank me for anything. If anything, I should be baking you something as an apology for last night.”

“You bake?” Vance asked.

I declined to answer.

“No, Pop. Seriously. Thank you for stepping in when you did. I’m afraid things would have gotten ugly if you hadn’t. Or, more ugly,” she corrected, almost to herself.

I shot Vance a questioning glance, but he only shrugged in response.

“You’re welcome,” I conceded, if for no

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