Page 19 of Falling for the Grumpiest Protector

"I won."

"You moved the piece."

"You weren't looking."

"That means you cheated."

"That means you should've been looking."

Noah laughs. A real laugh. I haven't heard enough of those lately. Something inside my chest shifts. This man knew Lily. He knows Noah. And Noah clearly adores him.

Javier looks at me. The teasing is gone from his expression. For one quiet second, I remember him at the funeral. Staring. Except now I wonder if maybe Julian was right. Maybe he wasn't staring at me at all. Maybe he was seeing Lily.

"Come on, Noah," I say softly. "We should finish Grandma's list."

Noah's face falls.

"Already?"

"We still have things to buy."

He gives Atlas one final scratch before standing. "Gotta go, Martinez."

"See you later, bud. Be good."

Noah takes my hand. I look at Javier. He looks back. Neither of us says goodbye. I walk away with my nephew beside me.

I came to Oakridge to settle Lily’s affairs. I’m staying because she asked me to be here for Noah. That’s all. I’m not here to build another life. And I am certainly not here to be intrigued by an infuriating vegetable grower, or farmer, or whatever he is, who calls me Your Highness.

I make it halfway across the market before stopping. Noah looks up at me.

“What?”

I glance back toward the vegetable stand and sigh.

“Nothing.”

But it isn’t nothing. Because apparently I dislike Javier Martinez considerably more than I dislike his vegetables.

***

Chapter Three

Madison

“Oh, no.”

Noah looks at me. “What now?”

“We forgot the tomatoes.”

“Martinez has tomatoes.”

“I’m aware.”

“Really good ones.”

“I’m also aware of that.”