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“I said a lot of things.”
“That I’m not going to let him take my life away again, that he should be afraid of me. You stood up for me. It matters that I know I’ll stand up for myself, that you believe I can and will, and you’d still stand up for me. It matters.”
He said nothing for a moment, just watched her as she sat, the dog stretched out under her chair.
“Morrison had a good point. You should keep the dog with you. I don’t know if he’s much of a guard dog, but he’d make noise.”
“And give up that fancy doghouse?”
“I’m pretty sure he’d sleep out in the rain if you’d give him a pat on the head.”
Smiling, she gave Howl a rub with her foot. “You’re his home, and his roots. I know what it’s like to be uprooted, so no. But thanks. Those agents? This isn’t just a job for them. They want to stop him, and it’s not for a government paycheck.”
She paused, drank some of her lemonade. “I think I did dent his shield, the way they said. If what happened to me, and what didn’t, shakes him enough to help them find him, stop him… I’ll be good with that. More than. And I hope he knows that despite everything he took from me, I have a good life here, with more than I knew I wanted. I hope that shakes him, too.”
“I’m just going to get this over with.”
He surprised her by reaching out to take her hand. He rarely made gestures of casual affection or intimacy.
“Am I going to like it?”
“That’s not the point. I’m attracted to you. That’s obvious or we wouldn’t be here. I like being with you, and not just for the sex. For some strange reason I like the way you make a fountain out of a frog.”
“You helped.”
“I was just the muscle, and don’t interrupt. I’d enjoy watching you work behind the stick even if it wasn’t for us. It’s like a freaking ballet. I like your body, and I appreciate it has a good brain to go along with it. But all that aside, as they’re really just different aspects of attraction, I admire the hell out of you.”
Her earlier surprise shot straight up to stunned. “Oh, well. Wow.”
“Don’t interrupt,” he said again. “I don’t know how I’d have handled what you’ve had to. If I’d lost what you lost, and the way you lost it. If I’d had to face losing someone close to me, family, the way you did. Because that’s what Nina was to you. She was family. I sure as hell hope I never have to find out if I have that kind of courage.
“You can talk now.”
“I’m pretty sure I’m speechless.”
“That’d be a first.”
Howl stirred, muttered, then pushed out from under the chair.
“I think your ladies are home.”
Before he could draw his hand away, she tightened her grip, then reached out to take his other. “You’ve just turned a really hard knock around. I’ll think of more to say later, but right now, you turned it around.”
“Miles, how nice to see you!” Seriously pretty in pink, Audrey stepped out. “No, don’t get up. Don’t. Oh, and this is the sweet dog Morgan’s told us about. Aren’t you handsome?” Audrey all but purred it while she bent down to pet the wagging Howl. “And listen to you. I agree.” She laughed as he talked. “It is a beautiful day. And a busy one,” she added as she straightened. “We nearly… Oh, oh,Morgan! Where did you get that? It’s wonderful. A birdbath, a fountain. A yoga frog! It’s adorable. Mom! You have to come out here and see!”
Amused, charmed, Miles just sat and watched.
Morgan’s mother, pretty as a cupcake in her pink sundress, bounced on her toes with her hands pressed together under her chin.
Morgan had that chin, he realized, and those long, narrow hands with long, slender fingers. Then Olivia Nash came out, teenager trim in white linen pants, a sleeveless lipstick-red shirt. And he saw Morgan there as well in that same chin, and the cheekbones.
“What in the world, Audrey. Hello, Miles, and hello, Howl. Don’t you have the sweetest face?”
“Thanks,” Miles said, and earned a laugh.
“Both of you.”
“Mom, would you look?” To make sure of it, Audrey took her mother’s arm with one hand, pointed with the other.
