She didn’t dare look at Colin, who shuffled his feet beside her.
“Perfect,” Shane said. “I’ll text you right before we leave.”
“Race you to the puppies!” Kevin shouted to Juni, all seriousness gone like it never existed.
They both stampeded back into the building.
“Oh dear.” Maren looked wide-eyed at Shane. “You still sure about this?”
Shane laughed. “Twice as sure. They’re getting along like a house on fire. I love it. Kevin will sleep well tonight after all the energy he’s burned off. Kid’s smart and gets bored easily.” His smile went soft. “That, and it’s been a pleasure getting to know Sean’s daughter. I…” He cleared his throat. “I can see him in her. So thank you.”
“Of course.”
Jodie was already coming around her desk. “Hang on and I’ll come with you. I need a puppy break,” she announced. “See you later.”
Shane gave a chin lift to Colin and a nod to Maren, then he and Jodie turned to catch up with the kids.
Without a word, Maren turned and headed out of the lobby, into the parking lot, and straight for Colin’s SUV. He was right beside her.
“You sure you’re okay with this?” he asked.
“Yes. Great. Perfectly fine.” She smiled while her insides turned to jelly.
Colin opened the passenger-side door and let her in, then circled the SUV and got into the driver’s seat.
He was quiet on the short drive back to the safehouse, which left Maren with her thoughts. Colin parked the car inthe driveway, killed the engine, and came around the front. He opened her door and helped her down out of the SUV, then took her shopping bags.
Suddenly, she burst out laughing.
Startled, Colin looked at her. “What’s so funny?”
“Just…” She tried to catch her breath. “Everything. I don’t know my sister at all. I left everything behind and met a group of strangers who act like they’re straight out ofMission: Impossible, and I’m turning into one of them, sending my car off to Iowa and spending the day in a full-blown James Bond-level disguise.” She wiped away a tear from laughing. “Everything is so absurd, it’s hilarious. I think it all caught up to me at once.”
She didn’t dare tell him what else she was thinking.
Now I’m going into an empty safehouse with the most beautiful man I’ve ever laid eyes on—who almost kissed me, God help him—a man I’ve only just met but who has quickly come to mean the world to meandmy dau…niece.
“Everything’sabsurd?” he asked, the ghost of a grin on his face as if he’d read her mind anyway.
And maybe…just maybe…liked what she was thinking.
“Almosteverything,” she said, looking at him.
Without another word, they went inside.
TWENTY
The safehouse feltdifferent without Juni in it.
Colin noticed it the second he closed the door behind Maren. The way her breath caught when she stepped into the living room and seemed to remember at the same time he did that they were alone.
Reallyalone.
No Mac in the kitchen making coffee with all the subtlety of a moose wearing tap shoes. No Juni narrating the emotional lives of two stuffed animals and a Blue Fairy and begging to go see Pretzel again.
Just the two of them standing in the safehouse living room, Maren looking too pretty in her ordinary jeans and flowy blouse, her hair a little mussed from the wig she’d worn all day, her eyes still shining from amusement and nerves.
“Here you go.” Colin handed the bags to Maren. He should have taken them straight to her room, but what if she followed him and they were in her bedroom together, no one else in the house? What if he set the bags on the dresser and then did something stupid with his hands like run them through her hair, or cup her face, or pick her up and lay her on the bed?
