“
I don't have enough plates," Stephanie said, try
ing not to panic. "Or glasses."
“
Use plastic," Nash called as he walked through
the utility room and out to the garage where there
were several folding chairs.
“
Use plastic," she muttered. "Easy for him to
say." Although it was a pretty good idea. Did she
have plastic?
She stopped in the center of the kitchen and tried to figure out if she'd stored any extra plastic glasses
and plates after a birthday party for the twins. She
dashed to a cupboard and pulled it open. Three un
opened packages of plates sat on a top shelf she
couldn't reach. At least she was making progress.
Nash returned with four chairs. "There are a cou
ple more out there."
“
We've brought down the chairs from upstairs, plus the ones in the dining room." She grimaced.
"It's not nearly enough."
“Hey, stop sweating the details."
“
You call having a place for people to sit a de
tail?"
“
Sure. The kids will be happy on the ground." He put down the chairs and crossed to her. After
resting his hands on her waist, he kissed her.
"Thank you for offering to host the dinner."
Just being near him made her feel more calm.
"I'm happy to have your family over. Really. But I
need you to get those plates down for me."
When she took them from him, she happened to
glance at her watch. The time made her shriek.
"They're due back at any second. Get the chairs set
up. I'll start stacking flatware."
Nash did as he was told and Stephanie raced to
collect forks and spoons.
Kevin had called earlier to suggest another impromptu dinner for the family. Rather than cook, he'd offered to get Chinese. Stephanie had volun
teered her place as the location. Vivian and Howard
had taken the boys to meet Kevin and Haley at the Chinese restaurant, where they would buy enough food to feed the army that was the extended Haynes/ Harmon/Reynolds family.
“
Glasses," she murmured. "The sodas are al
ready cooling in the big tub outside. I have milk and juice for the kids. I made iced tea. There's a—"
A faint double ring caught her attention. She spun
in place. "Nash, your cell phone is ringing."
“
Can you grab it?" he called from the utility
room. "It's on the front desk with my keys." She ran to the front of the house. The ringing got
louder as she approached. When she saw the phone,
she picked it up and pressed Talk.
“Hello?"
There was a moment of silence before a man
asked, "I'd like to speak with Nash Harmon.”
“
Sure. Just a second."
She hurried into the hallway and found Nash car
rying in more chairs. "It's for you," she said. "I'll
take those."
“
They'll wait," he told her and leaned them
against the wall and reached for the phone.
She'd been about to politely retreat to the kitchen,
but he put his arm around her and drew her close.
“Harmon," he said into the phone.
She couldn't hear what the man was saying, so
she contented herself with relaxing against Nash's
strong, broad chest. She closed her eyes and
breathed deeply.
His chest rumbled as he spoke. "I thought you
didn't want me taking on any more assignments,"
he said.
After listening for a while longer he said, "I'll
think about it and get back to you." He chuckled.
"None of your business. Uh-huh. Yeah, she's gor
geous. Tough luck. Get your own girl." A pause.
"Okay. I'll let you know in a few days."
He hung up the phone.
“
Your boss?" Stephanie asked, trying not to
preen about the
Yeah, she's gorgeous
remark.
Nash nodded. "He wanted to tell me about a job
opening up that I might be interested in. Different
city, change of scene. He thought it would do me
good." She glanced at him. "Why do you need that?"
He tucked the phone into his shirt pocket and
wrapped his other arm around her. "I didn't have a choice about my vacation. My boss insisted I take
time off. He's been worried that I'm burning out." That surprised her. "Why?"
“I haven't taken any time off since Tina died."
Stephanie's retreat was instinctive. Before she
knew what she was doing, she'd pulled away far
enough to lean against the opposite wall in the hall.
She hated that Nash was no longer smiling.
“
You're burying yourself in work?" she asked,
knowing the question wasn't much of a stretch.
“Yeah, but not for reasons you think."
She didn't know
what
she thought. She only knew
she didn't want him still to be in love with his late
wife.
“
Then what are the reasons?" she asked, careful
to keep her voice neutral.
He sucked in a breath and stared at a spot well
above her head. "I told you Tina was killed in the
line of duty, by a bomb blast. What I didn't tell you
is that I was there. I'd been called in to negotiate a
hostage situation. I convinced the guys to give up.
When they came out, I knew something wasn't right,
but I couldn't figure out what. Later I realized things
had gone too easily. I told the team to wait, but Tina
didn't listen. She was her usual impulsive self.
About ten seconds after she ran into the building to
free the hostages, I found out why they'd given up."
Stephanie didn't want to think about it, didn't
want to imagine it, but she knew what had hap
pened. "The bomb went off."
He nodded, his face expressionless. "Tina, an
other agent and all the hostages were killed."
He blamed himself. She knew that because she
knew Nash, and because under the same circum
stances she might have blamed herself. Foolish, but
true. "No one else thinks it's your fault."
He looked at her. "You don't know that.”
“
Am I wrong?"
“
No."
“So you blame yourself and you bury yourself in
work. Now your boss is offering a different job,
thinking that the change will snap you out of it."
“Something like that."
“Do you need to be snapped out of it?"
His body relaxed. "Not right now. You're good
for me, Stephanie."
His words warmed her in a way that had nothing
to do with heat and everything to do with her heart.
He was good for her, too. He made her want to
believe in love and hope and the future. He made
her want...
She mentally winced. No, don't go there, she told
herself. Nash was temporary, remember? There was
no point in wishing for the moon. She would only
end up disappointed, with a crick in her neck.
“
I aim to provide a full-service establishment,”
she said lightly. "Don't forget to mention all this
on your comment card. It will impress the manage
ment."
He moved toward her. "I'm serious. Since I've
met you—"
Whatever he'd been about to say got lost in the
sound of car doors slamming. She was dying to
know what he'd been about to say, but they were
about to be invaded by the entire Haynes family.
“
Save that thought," she told him even though
she knew they would never discuss this topic again.
She knew because she was going to make sure it
never happened. Whatever Nash might want to tell
her, it wasn't the one thing she wanted to hear.
Namely that he'd decided to stay.
“
I could never do what you do," Howard said
the next morning.
“
Most of my job is paperwork," Nash reminded
him as they jogged through the quiet neighborhood.
“
But when it isn't, there are lives on the line. I
admire your ability to deal with that."
There was pride in Howard's voice as he spoke—
a father's pride in his child. Nash realized he'd heard
it dozens of times before. Maybe from the first time
he'd met Howard. Hell, he thought, feeling like an
idiot. He'd been so busy resenting his stepfather,
he'd never noticed the man cared about him. Loved
him.
“
You had a hard time when you started dating Mom," Nash said. "I remember Kevin and I mak
ing things tough on you."
Howard grinned. "You made me work for my
place," he said, his breathing slightly labored. "But
it was worth it. Besides, I was crazy about your
mother. A couple of my friends were worried that
she was only interested in finding a father for you
and your brother, but I loved her too much to care.
Of course they were wrong. I guess nearly twenty
years of marriage has proved that."
They reached the corner and paused to check traf
fic before jogging across the street. The morning was clear and still a little cool, although it would
warm up later.
“
We were twelve when you two started going
out," Nash said. "If she'd wanted to find someone
to be a father for us, she would have started looking earlier."
Howard glanced at him, then wiped the sweat
from his forehead. "You were heading toward being
teenagers. That's when boys really need a man
around. Your mother worried about you." Howard had mentioned something similar the day before. "Why me? I was the good kid."
“
Right. As the bad kid, Kevin got all the atten
tion. Vivian was afraid you'd get forgotten in all the
fuss. We talked about it a lot before we were mar
ried."
Nash felt as if he'd missed out on most of what
was going on while he'd been growing up. "Why
didn't I know about any of this?"
“
You weren't supposed to. You were the child."
They reached the edge of the middle-school playground and turned around.
Howard slowed to a walk. "Whew. I'm not get
ting any younger."
“You're still in great shape." Howard grinned. "You're lying, but thanks. Anyway, Kevin continued to get into trouble and you
continued to be the perfect child. When Kevin stole
that car, we didn't know what to do. The police were
the ones who suggested the military school. We figured they would probably be able to straighten him
out and with Kevin gone, you'd have a chance to
shine."
Nash didn't think there were any more surprises
to be had, but he'd been wrong. "I didn't think
you'd sent him away because of me," he said, oddly humbled by the information.
“
Not because of you. Kevin was hell on wheels.
But our concern about you swayed our decision."
Howard slapped him on the back. "You're both like
my own sons. I would have loved Vivian as much
without you two as part of the package, but just
between us, knowing you boys came along with the
deal made it irresistible."
Nash didn't know what to say. He felt awkward
and foolish. As if he'd been playing by one set of
rules all these years, when there had been a com
pletely different game in play.
“Howard," he began slowly. "I—"
The older man smiled. "I know, Nash. I've al
ways known. I love you, too."
In celebration of the kids all being out of school, the Haynes/Harmon/Reynolds family took over the
large back room of the local pancake restaurant.