“Hey, you,” she said softly. She lifted her hand and waved.
Then she heard the front door open.
Camo was on his feet, tail already wagging as he trotted toward the hall. He looked over his shoulder as if to say,Come on, Mom, Dad’s home. Arden turned away from the glass.
“Hey, California.” She took a step toward the hallway, dust cloth still in hand. “You’re home early. Come quick and look at this hawk on the…”
When she saw the look on Kyle’s face, she stopped.
Her husband stood in the mouth of the hallway leading from the front door to the kitchen and great room, Camo pushing a greeting against his hand. His jaw was set, ice-blue eyes serious.
She turned back to the glass doors.
The hawk was gone.
Arden looked back at Kyle. “What’s wrong?” She covered her heart.
Kyle crossed the room to her and gently wrapped his hands around her upper arms. “Baby, I need you to come with me.”
“What’s happened? Who’s hurt?” In her husband’s line of business that could mean anyone, or a number of people. It could mean someone was after all of them.
“No one’s hurt, baby.” Kyle shook his head. “Look, I’m sorry, I’m going about this the wrong way. Maybe you should sit down?—”
“Kyle, please stop treating me like I’m made of glass. Just tell me what’s happening.” Her mind flashed to the hawk she’d just seen on the deck, staring in at her.
He blew out a breath. “I don’t know how to say this, so I’m just gonna say it. You have a niece.”
Her eyes widened and she smiled. “Oh! I had no idea your sister and her husband were trying to have a baby. But what’s wrong?”
Kyle closed his eyes as he shook his head quickly. “No, it’s not Tess. It’s…Sean.”
Arden’s world tilted. At first, she thought she’d misheard Kyle. What was he talking about? Sean had been gone now for four years.
She felt a nudge against her leg and looked down. Camo leaned against her leg as he looked back up into her eyes. Sean had been special to him, too.
“What do you mean, Sean?” She realized she was breathing fast and forced herself to slow down.
“He has a daughter.”
Arden jerked away from Kyle and his hands dropped to his sides. He looked the way she felt—in shock. “A daughter? I don’t…I don’t understand. He’s gone.”
Kyle’s voice softened. “And he left behind a daughter.”
Hot anger suddenly flooded her. “How can you say that? Sean would never,neverhave a child and not tell me! He would never abandon a baby…” She felt her knees weaken as a horrible thought came to her. “Unless.”
Kyle sighed as he reached for her arms again. His blue eyes shone with tenderness. “She was conceived right before his last mission.”
“How doyouknow this?” Arden whispered.
“Because she’s here, Arden. She’s in the office right now.”
“What? She’s…here? Now? How do you know some woman isn’t lying about having?—”
“She has his eyes, Arden.” He brushed her cheek with his thumb, wiping away her fresh tears. “Same color as yours.”
“Lots of people have gray eyes.”
“Not like yours and Sean’s.” He stroked her hair. “I looked into that little girl’s face and it was like I was seeing a younger you.”
