Wilde Blue (Wilde Brothers Book 4) (2 page)

Chapter One

Dave Wilde had only been back in town a few hours, but the walls of his home were already closing in on him. After days of constant meetings, panel discussions, and networking with other officers from across the country he should be welcoming the quiet solitude of home. Instead, he felt isolated and alone.

He turned off the television, grabbed his jacket and headed out into the Chicago night. There was one sure cure for what he was feeling. After a few hours spent with whichever of his rowdy younger brothers were hanging out at the family’s pub tonight he’d be longing for a little alone time.

It was a Sunday night, but the parking lot behind Leo’s Bar and Grill was still more than half-full and Dave recognized several of his family’s cars parked around the lot. If he were lucky, it would only be Jared, who ran the pub, and his parents tonight. If his brothers were there, they’d have their wives and girlfriends in tow, and that was more company than Dave was looking for. Not that he disliked any of the new additions to the family. They were all amazing women, far too good for his disreputable array of brothers. It was just that there were so many of them, and they’d all shown up within the last year.

It was enough to make a happily single man a little paranoid.

Despite the fact that spring had officially arrived several weeks ago, the night wind was still chilly and the clouds overhead were threatening another deluge of rain. Dave made the short walk to the back door of the pub and let himself in, immediately finding himself in a different world. The dank darkness outside was replaced by warm light and the heady scent of food that had his stomach growling a reminder that he hadn’t eaten since before his flight home.

Dave headed to Jared’s office, knowing that his brother would either be at his desk or behind the bar, serving customers and keeping tabs on everything. The office door was open and he could hear someone moving inside, so Dave walked in without knocking.

“Hey, bro. Why did I know I’d find you—uh, you’re not Jared.”

A little girl with golden skin and big blue eyes looked up at him from behind Jared’s desk.

“Of course I’m not Jared. He’s much bigger than I am. He’s not as big as you, though. You’re super tall. Mom says I’m going to be tall someday, but I have to be patient. I’d rather be tall now. I’m Carla. Who are you?”

Dave wasn’t sure what had him the most off-balance. The fact that there was a young girl parked happily in his brother’s office, or the cheerful flow of words that had washed over him before he’d even had a chance to say hello. It had been a few weeks since he’d been to the pub, but surely he’d have heard if Jared had suddenly expanded his family.

“Hello, Carla. My name’s David and I’m Jared’s big brother. Do you happen to know where he is?”

“Holy cow. Jared’s got another brother? How many kids did Nana Meg have?”

Dave’s brain melted a little around the edges. Had Carla just called his mother Nana Meg? “I’ve got four brothers. I’m the oldest.”

“I’m the oldest, too. Well, I’m the only one, so I’m the oldest and the youngest at the same time.” She gave him a dazzling grin and held out a blue pencil crayon in his direction. “Want to help me color this police car? Jared is with my mom in the kitchen, talking about food. She’s a cook. She talks about food all the time.”

He glanced down at the drawing Carla was working on. It was definitely a police cruiser, right down to the red-and-blue light bar across the top. He looked at the crayon and shook his head. “Chicago cruisers aren’t that shade of blue.”

She frowned at him, then looked down at the paper and studied it intently. “You sure?”

Dave grinned. It wasn’t often anyone questioned him on anything. “Very sure. I’m a police officer. I should know.”

Her eyes widened and she gave him a broad smile. “I’m gonna be a police officer when I grow up. Maybe have a police dog like Chase. Chase is so smart he even knows tricks! What kind of police officer are you? Do you have a dog, too?”

He moved closer and leaned over the desk to select the pencil crayon the closest shade of blue he could find. “Try this one,” he said, offering it to her. “And to answer your question, I don’t have a dog. I’m a detective. But yes, Chase is very smart. I sometimes think he’s smarter than my brother.”

She giggled. “Your brother Nicky said something like that, too. Are you all mean to each other?”

“Well, yes. That’s what siblings do. We tease each other. Of course, we’re the only ones allowed to do that. Anyone else tries it, we get mad and protect each another. If your parents give you any little brothers or sisters someday, you’ll see what I mean.”

She shook her head, sending her caramel curls bouncing. “It’s just my mom and me. My dad left us. I’m pretty sure I’d need to find a daddy before I could have any brothers or sisters.”

It was hard to imagine any man walking away from a child, especially one as sweetly charming as Carla. If he’d been given the gift of children, it would have taken nothing short of death to make him leave. He would never understand how someone could abandon their family.

“Well, maybe your mom will find a new daddy for you someday. And if not, then you’ll never have to deal with having baby brothers or sisters. Trust me, they’re a pain the neck.”

Somehow, he found himself pulling up a chair and sitting down across from Carla, who grinned and handed him a fresh piece of paper.

“Can you draw ponies?” she asked.

“I can do better than a pony. How about I draw you a police horse?”

Her gleeful squeals were all the confirmation he needed. He started to draw, still not sure how his evening had turned out this way, but not at all sorry it had. He’d come here looking for company, and Carla was more entertaining and less judgmental than any of his family were likely to be.

****

Dani waited while her new boss, Jared, sampled the dishes she’d put together. He’d already approved two new appetizers, and now he was trying the pulled pork sandwich she wanted to add to the menu. It was a variation of the one her parents served in their restaurant, but she’d changed some of the ingredients to add her own personal spin to it.

“Hell yes, we’re putting this on the menu. This is incredible, Dani. Remind me to thank Tag the next time I see him. Suggesting I hire you was the best idea the big lug ever had.”

“I should be thanking all of you. You and your family have been so helpful these last few weeks.” She meant every word of it, and so much more besides. The journey from Seattle to Chicago had taken two weeks as they moved from one shelter or haven to another.

By the time she and Casey had arrived in their new city, they were both exhausted. When Tag had met them at the bus station, she’d looked right past him in her search for their contact. The last thing she’d expected was to be met by a tall, dangerous-looking man with his arm wrapped around a laughing and clearly pregnant red-headed woman. Tag and Jo had greeted them with open arms and welcomed them into their home and their lives. Within days “Danai Walker” had a new job at the Wilde family’s bar and grill, and Casey, who now called herself Carla, had practically been adopted into the Wilde family as one of their own.

Jared gave her a lopsided smile. “I know your reasons for moving to Chicago weren’t happy ones, but I’m glad you’re here, Dani. If for no other reason, your daughter has done a fantastic job of distracting my mother from her mission of finding me a nice girl to marry.”

Dani laughed. “Your mom is not that bad. And you’re not her only target. Apparently your big brother, Dave, is due back from some out of town convention and she’s hoping he met someone there.”

“If that’s the case, I should phone Dave and warn him. He hates it when Mom starts poking into his personal life.” He pulled his phone out of his pocket, then glanced up at Dani. “Put all the new stuff on the specials menu starting next week. If people love your dishes as much as I think they will, we’ll add them to the permanent menu next month.”

“Will do. While you call your brother, I’m going to check in on Carla. Thank you again for letting me bring her tonight. I promise to find someone reliable to babysit her soon.”

“You take as long as you need. She’s my best defense against my mother, remember?” Jared winked at her, then starting dialing.

“Grown men afraid of their own mother.” She shook her head. “It’s sad, really.”

With that parting shot, Dani left the kitchen and headed for Jared’s office, only to spot Meg Wilde standing outside the door, peering inside with a smile on her face. Dani recognized the look in the older woman’s blue eyes. It was the same one she got when she was watching Casey. Dani took a few more steps and Meg turned toward her, pressing her finger to her lips, then pointing back inside the office.

Curious, Dani made the rest of the journey as silently as she could, though once she got close enough she realized she shouldn’t have bothered. Casey was babbling loud enough that she’d drown out anything short of a fire alarm.

But who was she talking to?

She joined Meg and peeked in to find her daughter still at Jared’s desk, which was now covered by a number of drawings. Seated across from Casey was a stranger. He had short, blond hair and a big body that barely fit in the chair he was perched on. He was bent over the desk, with the same focus as Casey, sketching intently as her little girl peppered him with a nonstop barrage of questions and commentary.

Dani raised an eyebrow in question, and Meg nodded toward the blond man. “My son. David,” she whispered.

So this was Dave. He was the only one of the brothers she hadn’t met yet, but she’d heard enough about him from the others. He was the oldest and the most ambitious of the siblings, dedicated to his job and his family, usually in that order. The last place she expected to find him was sitting with her daughter, apparently having a lengthy discussion on why police horses weren’t blue.

She and Meg stayed at the door for another minute or so, two mothers watching over their children, and it occurred to Dani that it didn’t matter that Dave was a grown man; to his mother he was still her little boy.

“Are you going to stand there all night, Mom? Did you really think I didn’t know you were there?” Dave asked without looking up from his drawing.

Casey’s head snapped up in surprise. “How did you know they were there? Do you have eyes in the back of your head, too? Hello, Nana Meg. Hi, Mommy. Is it time to go home yet?”

It was Dave’s turn to be surprised. He turned around to face the doorway, and Dani got her first real look at him. There was no doubting he was a Wilde. He had the same strong features as his brothers, with his mother’s fair hair and his father’s hazel eyes. He looked even larger now, with broad shoulders that seemed to fill the room.

His gaze met hers, and for the first time since she’d divorced Bobby, she felt the first sparks of desire.

“Sorry about that. I didn’t realize you were there, too. I thought it was just my mother stalking me.” He got to his feet and held out a hand in greeting. “I’m Dave Wilde. I’m going to guess that you’re Carla’s mom and the new cook here at Leo’s. It’s nice to meet you.”

She walked into the room and took Dave’s outstretched hand, marveling at the way it dwarfed her own. “I’m Danai Walker. Everyone calls me Dani, though. I’ve heard a lot about you. It’s nice to meet you in person.”

Dave shook her hand, then released it with a groan. “I’d like to go on the record here and now and state that whatever my brothers have told you, it’s all a pack of lies and innuendo. I’m the only angel in the bunch. Isn’t that right, Mom?”

Meg laughed. “Out of all my boys, you were the one least likely to get caught when you were up to no good. I’m not sure that qualifies you for angelhood. It just means you were the oldest and had the best chance of getting away with things. Once you pulled a stunt, I was prepared when your brothers tried it.”

Dave clutched his chest in mock agony. “I’m wounded. Next you’re going to tell me I’m not your favorite son.”

Before Meg could reply, the distinctive warble of the
Muppet Show’s
Swedish chef started to play, filling the room with gibberish words followed by a familiar “bork, bork, bork!”

Dave pulled out his phone and switched it off with a chuckle. “That would be Jared warning me not to come to Leo’s because you’re hoping to hear I’ve suddenly developed a love life, Mom.” He held up the phone, grinning from ear to ear. “Want to read it for yourself? I bet he’s not your favorite now, is he?”

Meg rolled her eyes and looked at Dani. “Be grateful you had a sweet little girl and not a boy or five. I don’t know what I was thinking. I should have stopped after this one.”

****

Dave was doing his best not to stare at the stunning black woman standing beside his mother, but it was a losing battle. Even the utilitarian fit of her chef’s uniform couldn’t completely disguise her lush curves. Her hair was cropped short in a sleek, modern style that only served to emphasize her natural beauty.

Dani’s laugh was a beautiful thing, rich and sensual. It made him think of things he’d sworn to live without. Lazy mornings spent in bed with someone special, midnight conversations, and kisses wrapped in laughter. Standing there looking down at Dani, he had an uneasy feeling that she was a threat to his quiet, well-ordered life.