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“Let’s not worry about that just yet.” His voice was as warm as his hand, and both did things to her insides. “For tonight, let’s just be friends enjoying a fish dinner, okay?”
She nodded jerkily, breaking the contact between them. “Okay. Go on into the kitchen. I’m going to take Snick outside for a few minutes.”
She whistled, Snick came running, and she took the dog outside without looking back.
Carmel Valley, California
Wednesday, November 9, 7:30 p.m.
Sam hated that he’d put Kit in an awkward position. She’d returned from walking the dog, but she was far too quiet as she ate her fish. The girls made up for Kit’s silence, though, chattering about their day and drawing Georgia and Eloise into their conversation.
“We saw a yacht while we were coming back in,” Rita said. “It was huge.” She looked at Sam, her eyes widening. “Sam, why are you making that face?”
He hadn’t realized that he was making a face. “Not a big fan of boats. I don’t have a phobia, exactly, but going out far enough to see a yacht makes my skin itch. I’m more of a fan of the desert. It doesn’t move when you walk on it.”
Rita grimaced in sympathy. “You wouldn’t mind Akiko’s boat, though. She’s an amazing captain. She got us all to wave to the people on the yacht and they waved back to us when we passed each other.”
“I certainly am an amazing captain,” Akiko preened, and Sam laughed.
“Then we played ‘where are they going,’ ” Tiffany said. “That was fun.”
“And we talked about all the places we’d go,” Rita added wistfully.
Akiko smiled. “Remember when we used to do that, Kit?”
Kit smiled back, but it was a shade brittle. “I do. You always wanted to go to Japan.”
Akiko leaned into Kit for a moment before drawing away. That was the way everyone seemed to touch Kit, Sam noticed. No one held her for any length of time. Except Harlan. He’d seen the two hug each other and Kit seemed most comfortable in his presence.
Sam thought about the anguish on her face as she confessed the fear that she’d never be ready, and his chest physically hurt. He had no idea how to help her.
Or if he should even try.
“You never wanted to go anywhere,” Akiko said, still talking about Kit. “You got to sail the sea with the Coast Guard but you always wanted to be here.”
Kit’s smile became more genuine. “Still do. This house is home.”
“Where did you go, Kit?” Emma asked. She was less shy today, which Sam was glad to see.
Eloise had taken the two new fosters under her brightly colored wings, placing one on either side of her. She’d quickly established a bond with Rita, who’d loved that the elderly woman had dyed her hair blue.
Georgia was her usual taciturn self, sitting closer to Kit and watching, but she was enjoying the conversation.
I should have taken them out around other people a long time ago.
Sam was seated next to Betsy, who kept patting his hand in a motherly way, but Kit hadn’t looked at him since that moment in the living room. He wished he could leave, but Georgia and Eloise were having a good time so he stayed put, enduring Betsy’s encouraging pats.
“I was stationed off the coast of Texas when I finished boot camp,” Kit said. “I was with the Guard’s police unit and we caught all kinds of traffickers, smugglers, and general seafaring criminals. Luckily for me, I was transferred back to Coronado toward the end of my tour of service. I had friends who wanted to go to Asia and Europe and do all the traveling, but I just wanted to come home. The Guard was a way to pay for college, and college was a way to join the San Diego police force. I never wanted to be anything but a cop.”
“I’ve traveled a good deal,” Georgia said. “All over the world. And you’re right, Kit. I enjoyed the sights I saw, but I really loved coming home.”
Eloise smiled. “Remember when we went to Rome, Georgia?” She glanced at Sam. “That was back when Frankie’s Ryan and Benny’s Martha were still alive. It was an amazing trip.” Her grin was wicked. “I met this Italian hottie with his own yacht and—”
Georgia cleared her throat. “Eloise.”
Eloise tried to look demure, but it was an impossible task, and Sam’s heart swelled with affection. “Where did you go, Miss Eloise?” he asked.
“We toured the Greek islands and sailed around Sicily on his yacht. Then I rejoined the others in Rome and we flew home. It was a nice trip. A nice memory.”
