I studied Nick carefully. “I appreciate what you’re saying, but more responsibility is the last thing either one of us needs right now. Don’t you have enough going on in your life without adding all these puppies to the mix?”
He gave me a sly smile. “That’s why I was hoping you’d take another one.”
“What?”
His grin spread across his face, and I knew he was joking. I smiled back at him and shook my head. “I’ll keep Yoda, but I’m not taking another dog, so don’t get any ideas.”
He nodded. “Look, if you don’t want Yoda, I’ll take him back. What’s one more puppy when you already have three?”
I sighed. “No, I told Travis he could keep him, especially since he insisted that means I’m no longer obligated to give him anything for Christmas, his birthday, or any other holiday for the rest of his life. And he promised to feed and take care of Yoda without my nagging.”
“It sounds like a good deal.”
I gave a grunt of disbelief. “We’ll see. But do you have any idea the amount of work a puppy requires, let alone
three
of them?”
My question caused Nick’s face to fall, making me regret offending him. But seriously, what kind of person bought three puppies when they were in the middle of a crisis?
“My father used that excuse whenever Ethan and I asked for a dog,” he said. “And the thing is I have no idea how much work a dog requires because I’ve never had one before. I’m sorry I gave Travis a dog without asking you, but I don’t regret buying them, so please don’t lecture me.”
“You’re right,” I conceded, remorseful. “I’m sorry.”
He looked at me with those penetrating eyes. “We had a rough weekend, and I wanted to make Hailey and Gabby happy. You should’ve heard them giggling on the way home. Hailey hasn’t giggled since the accident. And tonight, she fell asleep without me having to lie on the ground beside her bed.”
I pictured Nick keeping guard as Hailey slept. I could’ve used someone like that after Marcus died.
Even though buying four mutts was overkill, how could I fault him for trying to make his nieces happy? I smiled up at him. “Are you sure you’re in the military? You’re kind of a softie.”
He laughed, the sound rumbling in his chest and making my knees weak. “I’m not a softie. I’ve been called all sorts of insulting names, but when it comes to Hailey and Gabby, I can’t say no. There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for those girls.”
“I understand.”
We turned our attention back to the puppies and watched them play for a little bit. Then he asked if Travis had told me about Gabby’s ear infection.
“No,” I said.
“That’s why she’s been crying so much. I feel horrible I didn’t take her to the doctor sooner, but I thought she was crying because of her parents. I’ve never taken care of a baby before, and I didn’t know.”
“It’s all right,” I said. “She can’t tell you her ear hurts. Lots of parents would’ve missed that. Is she on antibiotics now?”
“Yes.” He exhaled and gave a hopeless look. “Taking care of the girls is overwhelming.”
“I’ll help you,” I offered before I could stop myself.
“You will?”
“Of course. That’s what neighbors do. They help out each other.”
He took my hand and gently squeezed it.
I looked down at our entwined hands, remembering this was exactly how our last kiss began. Why, why, why did I have to be so attracted to this man? “I better get back to Travis.” Reluctantly, I slid my hand from his and walked toward the front door.
I’d made my point, and now it was time to go home before I did something foolish. When Marcus died, I’d been so devastated that getting out of bed was difficult. With each day, my strength and courage increased, and I learned to live without him.
Now, here was Nick, threatening the independence I’d worked so hard to achieve. I couldn’t let him break down my walls and take me back to that place of vulnerability.
Nick followed me through the living room to the front door. “So, do you have any words of wisdom about what I should do regarding the girls?”
I turned to face him, diverting my eyes from the large family portrait of Ethan, Ivana, Hailey, and Gabby hanging above the fireplace. “Just follow your heart. As clichéd as that sounds, it’s the only thing that really matters.”
He exhaled deeply. “My heart says not to leave the girls with the Kempners, so that means finding someone else to take care of them.”
I nodded. “Do you have any ideas?”
“I do.”
The air between us filled with a tense silence I didn’t understand. Nick was holding something back. He rubbed his knuckles across his chest before speaking. “I’ve been in contact with an adoption agency in Houston.”
An
adoption agency
? That sounded so cold and sterile. Was Nick thinking about leaving the girls with strangers? Would they have to go through the foster care system?
“I know it sounds horrible.” He shifted his weight from one foot to the other. “But what other choice do I have? The lawyer I spoke to at the agency is confident she can find the perfect family for the girls. We’d arrange an open adoption, so I’d still be a part of their lives. They’d still know me as their Uncle Nick, and my father and I could visit anytime we wanted.
“You said you’d help me,” he continued. “Will you help me with this? I have an appointment tomorrow morning back in Houston. Will you come with me? Be my second set of eyes and ears and watch that I don’t make a mistake?”
“What about your dad?” I asked, thinking this should be a family decision.
“My father’s in Japan on business for the month.”
“Japan? Isn’t he going to help you with the girls?”
“No.” A pained expression filled his face. “My father has never been in the running for grandfather of the year. Or father of the year for that matter. He thinks I’m making a big deal out of nothing.”
I was appalled by Jack Peterson’s apathy and knew I couldn’t refuse Nick’s request for help. “I’ll have to reschedule my appointments, but yes. I’ll go with you.”
“Thanks.” His entire body relaxed, and he opened his arms for a hug. I walked into his embrace as if it were the most natural thing in the world. He pulled me close and rested his chin on top of my head.
With my arms around him, it would be so easy for this innocent hug to turn into more than a comforting gesture between friends. But friends were all we could be. We needed each other’s support right now. Anything more would only make things difficult when he left.
“See you tomorrow,” he said, letting me go.
“Okay. See you tomorrow.”
I
n the morning,
I straightened my hair and pulled on a baby blue sweater dress with black tights and boots. At Nick’s request, I hadn’t told Travis I was leaving the island today, and I felt guilty about that. On the other hand, I certainly understood why Nick didn’t want Hailey to know about the adoption agency.
Hailey believed she and Gabby would eventually move in with their cousins. Although she wasn’t pleased with the idea of living in a house full of boys, at least she was familiar with the Kempners. Finding out Nick was looking for another family might upset her.
When Nick pulled into the driveway, I placed the puppy in the kitchen behind the enclosure I’d bought at the pet store with Bianca last night. Yoda whined, but I gave him a chew toy, promising that Bianca would stop by later to feed him.
Felix sauntered into the kitchen, his tail raised in annoyance at all the commotion. The cat didn’t seem too impressed by our new addition to the family. Yoda, on the other hand, was obsessed with Felix, and he barked repeatedly until the cat curled up in the kitchen sink out of sight.
“It’s okay, boy,” I said, rubbing the puppy’s head. “Felix will play with you later.”
With the pets taken care of, I hopped into Ivana’s Tahoe. Would I ever come to think of it as Nick’s Tahoe? Probably not since he wasn’t planning on staying and would soon be selling the vehicle.
From the back seat, Gabby squealed. I turned around and tickled her sock-covered feet. “How are you doing this morning, Fancy Face?”
“I’m doing just fine,” Nick answered, not missing a beat. “What about you?”
I smiled. “I can’t complain. Any problems dropping off Hailey and Travis?”
“No flat tires or bike wrecks if that’s what you mean.”
“Ha, ha.”
He winked. “Everything went fine. I think Gabby really enjoys the morning bike ride, and she’s finally used to wearing the helmet.”
“That’s good. How’s her ear infection?”
“Better. The doctor said it might take a while for the antibiotic to kick in, but she slept all night and woke up happy.”
“What about the puppies? How’d they do?”
He groaned. “Please don’t say ‘I told you so,’ but the puppies were
way
worse than the baby.”
I laughed. “You must’ve given us the good one, because Yoda did better than I expected. Travis slept on the kitchen floor with him, and I didn’t hear them until this morning.”
“Lucky you.”
We exchanged a smile and continued down the road in companionable silence for a few minutes. I looked out the window at the ocean gently lapping against the sandy shore. I loved living at the beach. Loved the community, my church, and everything about Rose Island. While many residents developed
island fever
, I never felt a need to leave.
“So,” Nick said, tapping his fingers on the steering wheel. “You told me your father was stationed here at Fort Xavier when you were a kid?”
I nodded. “Twice, actually. Once when I was in the sixth grade and then again my senior year. After Marcus and I married, I stayed on the island working while he went through basic training. I joined him at Fort Benning where we had Travis, but our last tour was back here.”
“And you worked as a helicopter pilot out of the Rose Island airport?”
“That’s right. I was a flight instructor and also worked for a company giving sightseeing flights to tourists.” Suddenly, I was filled with the uncomfortable sense of dread that accompanied any mention of my previous career. Why had I been so forthright with my answer to Nick’s question? I should’ve given a simple “yes,” instead of revealing my life story.
Nick briefly took his eyes off the road to study me. “You haven’t been able to fly since your husband died?”
I shook my head. Everyone, including my parents and in-laws, had thought it foolish for me to quit flying after spending so much time and money on flight school. And the thing is, I agreed with them.
What disappointed me the most was the fact I’d given up on my dream. I tried telling myself raising Travis in a safe environment was my dream, but sometimes I wanted more.
“So, did Bianca and her sisters grow up here?” Nick asked.
“They did. Luella, my mother-in-law, vacationed here as a child. When she and Walter married, they came down for their honeymoon and ended up staying.”
Nick grimaced.
“What’s wrong?”
“Luella was the name of my father’s fifth wife,” he explained.
“Fifth wife? How many times has he been married?”
“Six. He’s engaged again and swears Gina is
the one.
”
I tried to suppress my judgment. “Has he ever found
the one
before?”
“Nope. But there’s a first time for everything, right?”
Before I could follow up, Nick asked where my in-laws lived on the island. I explained they owned a small hobby ranch on the mountain. The mountain was actually a large hill in the center of the island, home to many organic farms, free-range ranches, and a few farm-to-table restaurants.
While several species of wild roses thrived on the mountain, the island had actually been named for the Rose family who fled Mexico during the rebellion against Spain in the early 1800s. On the mountain’s highest peak, Franco Rose had built a mansion for his large family that currently housed the island’s historical museum in addition to operating as a quaint bed-and-breakfast.
“And you rent The Blue Crab from your in-laws?” Nick asked.
I nodded. “Luella and Walter lived there until their family grew, and they decided to buy a small farm. They used the beach cottage to generate rental income, but when Marcus died, they bribed me with it.”
“Nice bribe.”
I smiled, self-conscious that maybe I was talking too much. Usually, my dates droned on about their own accomplishments and past relationships. Not that I considered this outing to be a date. Regardless, I found being with Nick refreshing. He seemed genuinely interested in what I had to say.
As we drove over the causeway that connected the island to the mainland, I breathed easily. Usually, crossing the bridge bothered me, but today, Nick’s presence calmed me.
“So, why the bribe?” he asked.
I smoothed back my hair. “Part of it was their desire to have a solid relationship with Travis, and part of it was Luella’s guilt. I was a little nervous at first, but the arrangement has worked out nicely. I can’t imagine living anywhere else.”
“I can understand that. The island is beautiful, and you seem happy.”
“I am.”
A beat of silence fell, then Nick asked about Marcus’s mom. “You said your mother-in-law felt guilty? Why is that?”
Through the sideview mirror, I watched the island disappear. Although my problems with Luella were in the past, and I’d completely forgiven her, I felt compelled to answer Nick’s question. “Marcus and I weren’t married when I conceived Travis. Against his parents’ wishes, he proposed, dropped out of college, and joined the army. At the time, I thought the military was a good idea and my parents supported it.
“Jillian’s ex-husband was in the army. Actually, he still is. He tried to talk Marcus into finishing college in order to enter as an officer, but Marcus wanted to take immediate responsibility for me and the baby.”
“That’s understandable,” Nick said. “And honorable.”
“Yes, but you know what happened. He was killed in Iraq—”
“Wait a minute.” Nick’s eyes widened. “Sergeant Morgan? That was your husband? I didn’t realize . . . he was the soldier who saved Governor Williams and the reporter Lyla Gray. She wrote a book about the sacrifices of several soldiers and included a chapter on your husband, right?”