From the Start by Melissa Tagg Read Free Book Online

Charlotte leaned over to kiss Colton’s cheek and then wrapped her arms around his neck. He responded immediately, pulling her the rest of the way to him. “It’s okay. You’ll talk when you’re ready. Besides, we’re already simpatico, you and me, words or no words.” He tapped her nose, then shifted her around to his back. “Piggyback ride to the table, m’lady.”
    Kate hugged her arms to herself, a disconcerting warmth wiggling through her, along with the realization that she couldn’tgo into the kitchen looking like this. She still wore the clothes she had slept in—baggy blue pants that didn’t quite reach her ankles and a T-shirt. Her brown hair spilled from a messy ponytail, and her glasses kept sliding down her nose.
    “Oh, hey, I know what we forgot,” Colton said, snapping his fingers as he rose from setting Charlie down at the table. “Whipped cream.” He moved toward the fridge, jeans and bare feet visible now.
    Uh, yeah, she’d come back for coffee later. Like after she’d dressed properly. Put in her contacts. Traded bedraggled for at least halfway put together.
    But Charlie picked that moment to look away from Colton, her jade eyes hooking on Kate’s peeking around the corner. Next thing she knew, Charlie was clambering from her chair and hurling herself toward Kate.
    Instinct opened her arms for her niece, knees bending. When she rose, she brought Charlie with her. “Charlie Walker, my favorite girl in the world.” Over Charlie’s shoulder she saw Colton’s expression move from surprise into a half smile that carved dimples into his cheeks.
    Okay, so maybe there were worse things than being seen in her pajamas. She tightened her arms around Charlie, gaze roaming around the room—stainless steel appliances, a collection of pots hanging over the center island, swirls of beige, copper, and brown in the floor’s ceramic tiling. Granite counters and cherry cupboards wrapped around the room.
    Streaming rays through the patio doors filled the open space. In the distance, the sun lit the rural landscape that embraced the spot Mom and Dad had picked to build their house—a few miles outside Maple Valley, a rolling ravine covered with a tangle of blue ash, buckeye, and shagbark hickory trees descended into a twisting creekbed.
    Her gaze pulled back at Colton’s cough. He stood in front of her now, can of whipped cream in one hand, damp tips of his hair evidence he’d recently showered. But hadn’t shaved. A perfect five o’clock shadow covered his chin and cheeks. “Hey.”
    “H-hey. Hi. Morning. Good. I mean, good morning.”
    He reached forward to ruffle Charlie’s hair. “Let me guess: The talking thing—doesn’t work so well pre-coffee.”
    “Astute.” She repeated the word he’d used last night.
    Oh, that smile . No wonder he’d landed on as many entertainment magazine covers as sports mags—a tidbit she’d learned from Raegan as they had stood around the kitchen munching on cookies with Logan and Seth into the wee hours of the morning. She’d heard all about how Colton had turned into the NFL’s media darling in the past few years, landed a starting spot when the Tigers’ former QB got injured. How he’d been the stuff of Super Bowl predictions.
    How it all ended with an injury last season. Apparently he’d just announced his retirement earlier this week. Is that why he’d come to Iowa with Logan?
    Instead of joining them in the kitchen last night, Colton had insisted on clearing out of Kate’s room. Once he’d transferred his stuff into Beckett’s old room, he’d never come back out.
    Kate lowered Charlie to the floor now. “You know Logan would develop a permanent tick if he saw what you are feeding his daughter.”
    Colton’s nose wrinkled as he cast a guilty glance toward Charlie’s plate. “It’s not that bad of a breakfast.”
    “It is if you’re planning to top it with that.” She nudged her head toward the canned whipped cream.
    “What’s wrong