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She elbowed him in the ribs, gently. “Stop.”
He laughed. “Why, Miss Castillo, are you thinking dirty thoughts?”
“Hush. This is my boss and all my—” She stopped and didn’t finish her sentence.
“All your…?” he asked.
“Behave.” She held open the kitchen door to Fitzgerald House, not answering his question.
People filled the large kitchen. He and Carolina walked into a sitting area. A couple stood next to two children playing a board game. More people milled around the large commercial-looking kitchen, while others set the table tucked into an alcove.
“Sage?” The man standing behind the young boy came and slapped Sage on the back. “Carolina, good to see you again.”
“Hey, Kaden.” Sage smiled. “Courtney.”
He would know someone other than just Carolina. Being a stranger never bothered him, but it was nice to see friendly faces.
“I’m Courtney.” Kaden’s fiancée held out her hand to Carolina.
Carolina shook it. “I know. Wouldn’t you think if we lived next door, we would see each other more?”
“It’s funny. And you’d think that with these two—” Courtney waved her hand between Sage and Kaden “—we could meet each other officially before this. You’ve been here almost a month, right?”
“Not quite three weeks,” Carolina said. “You run the day care?”
“I do. Do you want something to drink?”
Carolina nodded. The two women took orders from Sage and Kaden and left them alone.
“I got cleared to start exercising,” Sage said, trying to keep from fidgeting.
“I heard.”
“Is my doctor reporting to you?”
Kaden shrugged. “I keep tabs on my partner.”
Sage was trying to stay current at the Bureau, but people weren’t sharing much on active cases. Luckily, the department assistant liked to gossip. “I heard you were assigned a new partner.”
“It’s temporary.” Kaden tipped his head. “You’ll be back.”
Kaden had voiced his worst fear—not returning to the Bureau—like he’d been bucked off a horse and all Sage had to do was climb back into the saddle. A chill raced over his skin. Nothing was that easy.
Kaden nodded to Carolina as she poured a couple of glasses of wine. “So is this serious?”
Glancing over at Carolina warmed the cold that had settled in his bones. “It’s heading that way.”
“I always thought you were married to your work,” Kaden joked. “Let me introduce you around.”
Sage met Gray, Abby’s husband. He looked between Gray and Courtney. “So Courtney’s your sister?”
“The brat?” Gray grinned as he looked over at Kaden’s fiancée. “She’s my baby sister. If this guy screws up—” Gray pointed his wineglass at Kaden “—I’ll deal with him. I’m close friends with the Forester Construction family. They know where to bury bodies.”
“You just threatened an FBI agent.” Kaden slapped a hand on his chest. “I don’t plan on hurting your sister. Remember, I asked her to marry me.”
He met Dolley’s fiancé, Liam. Not hard to remember him with his Irish accent.
Carolina brought him a glass of wine, but then rejoined the women. He also met Nathan Forester, the father of the two kids playing in the sitting area. “Is your wife here?”
“She’s at the restaurant.” Pride filled his voice. “This is her first night running the kitchen on her own.”
“You know Abby will stop over just to check,” Gray said.
“That’s fine. I’m just so happy for Cheryl.” Nathan nodded as another man walked into the room behind a beautiful redhead. She had to be a Fitzgerald.
Sage turned. “Wait, you’re a twin?”
“All my life,” Nathan joked. “Daniel and Bess, come meet Sage Cornell.”
The couple came over. If the men weren’t wearing different shirts and shorts, Sage would have difficulty telling the twins apart.
Somehow the men ended up in one corner and the women in another.
Dolley, the sister with fiery red curls, turned and frowned. “Why are the guys all there and the women gathered here?”
Carolina and the three Fitzgerald sisters turned and stared at the men.
Sage blinked. When they’d all turned there was something about their facial structure that had him staring. Did Carolina have the same mouth and eyes as the Fitzgeralds?
Couldn’t be. Carolina was obviously of Spanish descent while the Fitzgeralds were as Irish as an American could be.
“Do you see it?” he asked Kaden.
