Daddy Diaries, Vol. 1

If you HATE clean enemies to engaged, swoony firefighters, strong sassy heroines, and surprise babies with a twist and happily ever after’s… this book isn’t for you!

Uh oh! The women in town are pulling out all the stops—lawns ablaze and cats stuck in trees—all just to catch a glimpse of Jack "The Looker" Decker. And who can blame them? With a firefighter who looks like he stepped out of a romance novel, it's no wonder hearts are sizzling all over the city!

But Jack has his sights set on a different flame—the feisty blonde firecracker next door, Jules. She's not one to be impressed by the town's heartthrob or HIS mommy-and-me group fan club that spans across three counties. Living next to the town's hunkiest hero feels more like enduring a non-stop frat party for Jules.

When a twist of fate knocks on Jack's door, he finds himself in need of Jules' help, and that's when the sparks really start to fly.

This is a fire even Jack isn't sure how to extinguish, especially when Jules starts questioning if his reputation is earned or just fueled by juicy rumors.

CHAPTER 1: “Someone’s car alarm is going off!” Jack yelled over the music. “Wait –– make that two car alarms. Hurry up before my neighbor gets mad… again.”
The only thing better than hot summer nights is hot summer barbecues at Jack’s house with the best company in town –– Firefighters, Cops, and Paramedics. First responders? Yes, please!
“Who would be dumb enough to try and break into cars here? Everyone knows this is your place and chances are those cars belong to cops and firefighters.” Jack’s best friend, Officer Felix Munoz added. “Dude, there’s more now. What the heck, you getting pranked?”
Jack shrugged, nothing seemed to bother him, he was as laid back and cool as they came. “It’s summer, man. Probably just a bunch of bored kids.”
With a little more urgency in his step, Jack went through the house and opened his front door, a pile of BBQ goers behind him and he grinned from ear to ear. He wanted to stop the noise before the warden next door started complaining about city ordinance and general decency as it related to respecting other people’s peace and quiet.
Too late. Standing in his yard, tight fists propped on half-cocked hips and a heated glare that could melt ice was his five-foot nothin’ blonde neighbor – and it appeared she brought her whole don’t mess with me attitude with her. Great, he thought, this ought to be good. He crossed his arms and leaned against the porch railing as people piled out behind him, clicking their keychain remotes to mute the noise.
Firefighter Jack Decker was an all-around decent guy – a local hero, a good friend to all, the town hero, and handsome as could be. Woman set their lawns on fire and stuck their neighbor’s cat in trees just to call him for help and get a look at him. Jack Decker, known as Jack the Looker Decker, wasn’t just Portland’s most eligible bachelor, he was also the most dreamy too. That is, to every woman in town, but… his next-door neighbor. Juliet Walker was a rule abider - Emergency Room Nurse, local legend, hero in her own right, kind to everyone but Jack, and the only woman in town immune to Jack’s dripping charm.
“You do this?” he asked of the fuming blonde while wearing an amused smirk, anxious to push Juliet’s buttons.
“Well, I tried knocking on the door. Twice.” She sassed, “Even hollered over the fence, but darn it… your party was just a little too loud.” She turned and looked at all the cars lining the streets, silencing one by one. “You left me no choice.”
He chuckled at the sickening sweet tone, shrugged shoulders, and how she tossed her hands in the air in defeat. Condescending much, he thought? This is the stuff he enjoyed most about living next door to a feisty firecracker.
“Too loud, huh?” he cupped his chin, rubbing his day-old scruff. “Huh.”
“Yeah,” she replied, sarcasm slipping into her sugary tone, “See, I just spent a fourteen-hour day, you know, saving lives and stuff. I would like just a little sleep before I have to do it all again. Can you cut the music down?” She pinched her fingers together, indicating a little bit while squinting one eye for good measure.
He didn’t buy the nice act, he knew she was just being a smart aleck, but that’s what he liked most about her, “I’m sorry ‘bout that. Didn’t think it was that loud.”
Two can play at this game, he snickered, “See, I couldn’t hear the music at all over all the talking going on back there.”
Juliet’s posture stiffened at his mocking jab. Her tongue swiped her teeth just before they clenched, and her lips puckered. That was new. “Look. Just turn down the darn… frat party. M’kay?”
Her tone was pitchy, her head rolled, and Jack was sure he saw her eye twitch. This was getting good. “Frat party? Oh, we’re not all frat boys… just a bunch of Portland’s finest first responders, ma’am.”
“I’ll pray for our city if this is its finest.” She fired back without hesitation.
Two girls in dresses some might consider too tight and too short, stumbled outside, tripping over one another, catching Jack’s shoulder.
“Oh good! The dancers are here! I won’t keep you.” Juliet rolled her eyes in disgust. This guy was a pig.
The car alarms had been shut off since the banter began, but the offended brunette in the I’m here to be seen dress, next to Jack decided to click her button anyway, sounding her alarm seeming pleased with herself.
When she started to dance to the sound of honking sirens, Juliet’s jaw dropped. “Tell me she’s kidding with that car alarm. She doesn’t seriously think it’s music, does she?”
“Oh, Twinkle Toes here is very serious. She’s a professional, it’s all music to her.” Truth be told, Jack didn’t know her, or what her name was. Heck, she may have been a pre-school teacher for all he knew, but dancer sounded better, and it seemed to rub Juliet the wrong way, so he rolled with it.
Juliet shook her head, caught off guard – she was really a dancer? “Twinkle… Toes?”
“Well, you said she was a dancer. Or,” Jack looked at the two women next to him, finger to his chin as if he was deciphering something, “Maybe that one’s Disco. Disco Dancerella. They’re twins.” He winked.
“Oh wow… this is… really happening.” Running her hands down her face in disbelief, Juliet’s eyes widened and steam all but came out of her ears. “It’s not music sweetie, it’s your alarm. Your car alarm.”
“Huh?” the brunette, Twinkle, or maybe it was Disco, tossed Juliet a twisted look of confusion, “I don’t get it. Oh, wait. Who’s messing with me? You guuuys…”
“It’s you. You’re the one that turned it on.” Juliet said with a beaming smile, her voice full of sunshine and bull. “See that little clicky thing in your hand with all the little button-y thingies on it? Yeah, that’s the on button. Push it again and it becomes… the off button. I know… my mind is blown too.”
The twins looked at it together and giggled, before pushing the button, silencing the alarm to which they both bounced up and down clapping to.
“Okay… well, I’d stop giving that one beer,” Shifting her focus from one girl to the other, she finished.
When the girl in question raised her brow and more of that chronic confusion pierced her expression while looking between Jack and his neighbor, Juliet tossed her a backhanded compliment because… why not? “Cute dresses. It’s not your fault you were blessed with long legs.”
Jack half snorted at Juliet’s wit and the fact that she didn’t care if she was kind of being a jerk to a stranger. “Sound advice, Doc. But there’s no beer here. Dry parties. We’re the city’s finest, most don’t drink at all.”
“Wow. So, they’re just… like that naturally. Cool. And it’s nurse.” She corrected.
Jack knew full well Juliet Walker was a nurse, he also knew how old she was, that she worked way too much, and needed to get out more, but she didn’t need to know that he knew everything he needed to about her. “Nurse?”
“Yes… Juliet Walker, RN. I save lives.”
“So, you do have a name and it only took you two years to introduce yourself. Jack… Jack Decker, accused Frat boy… when I’m not saving lives… firefighter.” Juliet’s name was no mystery. Again, he knew all about her. He wasn’t a stalker, that went through her mail and snuck in her house through open windows to sniff her clothes or anything. He had friends on the force who’d run plates on someone’s car for him and dish out everything he wanted to know. Not creepy. It’s important to know who your neighbors are these days. It was in the name of safety, after all.
Though Juliet put on a good front, her game wasn’t solid. She played that she was surprised by his introduction, but everyone in town knew who he was. He was Jack Decker, after all.
“Firefighter? No more candles for me.” She said under her breath, but loud enough for him to hear as she started to walk away.
“Hey, Jules.” Jack hollered.
She stopped abruptly and slowly turned like it hurt every cell in her body to face his direction and give him an ounce more attention. “It’s… Juliet.”
“Yeah…” he acknowledged, “so does it hurt?”
Through semi gritted teeth, she spat, “Does what hurt?”
As nonchalantly as he could, Jack dropped the evening closer, determined to win this battle, “That chip on your shoulder. Seeing how you’re a fancy nurse and save all the lives, I bet you know someone that can… I don’t know… take a look at that. Maybe even help you fix it.”
Laughter filled the air as the group of BBQ gawkers reminded them they had an audience, by appreciating Jack’s last jab.
“Oh… really. Cute. Yeah, I’ll look into that… thanks.” Juliet tossed a hand to her hip and threw a little shade of her own that would no doubt ruin the rest of Jack’s night, even if he was Jack the Looker Decker. “Don’t be a stranger around the ER now. I hope that rash is better, and it didn’t spread.”
When Twinkle Toes…or maybe it was Dancerella…took her arm off Jack and took a fumbling step backward, Juliet had won, and Jack was happy to give her the trophy.
With a deep throaty laugh, he said, “It’s great! I’d love to show you sometime. Get your advice.”
From over her shoulder, Juliet yelled, “I bet you would,” before walking up her steps and slamming her front door, chirping her own car alarm once inside.