“Now Stephanie seems like a nice sort of woman," Howard said, resuming his unpacking. "It takes someone sensible to make a business successful. Vivian mentioned she's a widow. She was very young when her husband died." The not-so-subtle matchmaking got Nash's attention. "Don't go there," he warned. "My stay here is temporary."

“You could move. You don't have any ties to Chicago." He smiled. "Okay, I'll be quiet. We don't care what you do, Nash, we just want you to be happy."

“Thanks. I appreciate that." Howard mentioned something about how the Texas Rangers were doing that season. While Nash responded, he wasn't listening all that closely. Part of him was thinking about what the other man had said. About being happy. Nash couldn't remember the last time he could claim that. It had been well before Tina's death. Had it been before Tina? Did it matter? Wasn't the more important point that he was happy now…maybe for the first time in years.

“I don't have enough plates," Stephanie said, trying not to panic. "Or glasses."

“Use plastic," Nash called as he walked through the utility room and out to the garage where there were several folding chairs.

“Use plastic," she muttered. "Easy for him to say." Although it was a pretty good idea. Did she have plastic? She stopped in the center of the kitchen and tried to figure out if she'd stored any extra plastic glasses and plates after a birthday party for the twins. She dashed to a cupboard and pulled it open. Three unopened packages of plates sat on a top shelf she couldn't reach. At least she was making progress.

Nash returned with four chairs. "There are a couple more out there."

“We've brought down the chairs from upstairs, plus the ones in the dining room." She grimaced. "It's not nearly enough."

“Hey, stop sweating the details."

“You call having a place for people to sit a detail?"

“Sure. The kids will be happy on the ground." He put down the chairs and crossed to her. After resting his hands on her waist, he kissed her. "Thank you for offering to host the dinner." Just being near him made her feel more calm. "I'm happy to have your family over. Really. But I need you to get those plates down for me." When she took them from him, she happened to glance at her watch. The time made her shriek. "They're due back at any second. Get the chairs set up. I'll start stacking flatware." Nash did as he was told and Stephanie raced to collect forks and spoons.

Kevin had called earlier to suggest another impromptu dinner for the family. Rather than cook, he'd offered to get Chinese. Stephanie had volunteered her place as the location. Vivian and Howard had taken the boys to meet Kevin and Haley at the Chinese restaurant, where they would buy enough food to feed the army that was the extended Haynes/ Harmon/Reynolds family.

“Glasses," she murmured. "The sodas are already cooling in the big tub outside. I have milk and juice for the kids. I made iced tea. There's a-" A faint double ring caught her attention. She spun in place. "Nash, your cell phone is ringing."

“Can you grab it?" he called from the utility room. "It's on the front desk with my keys." She ran to the front of the house. The ringing got louder as she approached. When she saw the phone, she picked it up and pressed Talk.

“Hello?" There was a moment of silence before a man asked, "I'd like to speak with Nash Harmon.”

“Sure. Just a second." She hurried into the hallway and found Nash carrying in more chairs. "It's for you," she said. "I'll take those."

“They'll wait," he told her and leaned them against the wall and reached for the phone.

She'd been about to politely retreat to the kitchen, but he put his arm around her and drew her close.

“Harmon," he said into the phone.

She couldn't hear what the man was saying, so she contented herself with relaxing against Nash's strong, broad chest. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply.

His chest rumbled as he spoke. "I thought you didn't want me taking on any more assignments," he said.

After listening for a while longer he said, "I'll think about it and get back to you." He chuckled. "None of your business. Uh-huh. Yeah, she's gorgeous. Tough luck. Get your own girl." A pause. "Okay. I'll let you know in a few days." He hung up the phone.

“Your boss?" Stephanie asked, trying not to preen about the Yeah, she's gorgeous remark.

Nash nodded. "He wanted to tell me about a job opening up that I might be interested in. Different city, change of scene. He thought it would do me good." She glanced at him. "Why do you need that?" He tucked the phone into his shirt pocket and wrapped his other arm around her. "I didn't have a choice about my vacation. My boss insisted I take time off. He's been worried that I'm burning out." That surprised her. "Why?"

“I haven't taken any time off since Tina died." Stephanie's retreat was instinctive. Before she knew what she was doing, she'd pulled away far enough to lean against the opposite wall in the hall. She hated that Nash was no longer smiling.

“You're burying yourself in work?" she asked, knowing the question wasn't much of a stretch.

“Yeah, but not for reasons you think." She didn't know what she thought. She only knew she didn't want him still to be in love with his late wife.

“Then what are the reasons?" she asked, careful to keep her voice neutral.

He sucked in a breath and stared at a spot well above her head. "I told you Tina was killed in the line of duty, by a bomb blast. What I didn't tell you is that I was there. I'd been called in to negotiate a hostage situation. I convinced the guys to give up. When they came out, I knew something wasn't right, but I couldn't figure out what. Later I realized things had gone too easily. I told the team to wait, but Tina didn't listen. She was her usual impulsive self. About ten seconds after she ran into the building to free the hostages, I found out why they'd given up." Stephanie didn't want to think about it, didn't want to imagine it, but she knew what had happened. "The bomb went off." He nodded, his face expressionless. "Tina, another agent and all the hostages were killed." He blamed himself. She knew that because she knew Nash, and because under the same circumstances she might have blamed herself. Foolish, but true. "No one else thinks it's your fault." He looked at her. "You don't know that.”

“Am I wrong?"

“No."

“So you blame yourself and you bury yourself in work. Now your boss is offering a different job, thinking that the change will snap you out of it."

“Something like that."

“Do you need to be snapped out of it?" His body relaxed. "Not right now. You're good for me, Stephanie." His words warmed her in a way that had nothing to do with heat and everything to do with her heart. He was good for her, too. He made her want to believe in love and hope and the future. He made her want…

She mentally winced. No, don't go there, she told herself. Nash was temporary, remember? There was no point in wishing for the moon. She would only end up disappointed, with a crick in her neck.

“I aim to provide a full-service establishment,"she said lightly. "Don't forget to mention all this on your comment card. It will impress the management." He moved toward her. "I'm serious. Since I've met you-" Whatever he'd been about to say got lost in the sound of car doors slamming. She was dying to know what he'd been about to say, but they were about to be invaded by the entire Haynes family.

“Save that thought," she told him even though she knew they would never discuss this topic again. She knew because she was going to make sure it never happened. Whatever Nash might want to tell her, it wasn't the one thing she wanted to hear. Namely that he'd decided to stay.

“I could never do what you do," Howard said the next morning.

“Most of my job is paperwork," Nash reminded him as they jogged through the quiet neighborhood.

“But when it isn't, there are lives on the line. I admire your ability to deal with that." There was pride in Howard's voice as he spoke-a father's pride in his child. Nash realized he'd heard it dozens of times before. Maybe from the first time he'd met Howard. Hell, he thought, feeling like an idiot. He'd been so busy resenting his stepfather, he'd never noticed the man cared about him. Loved him.

“You had a hard time when you started dating Mom," Nash said. "I remember Kevin and I making things tough on you." Howard grinned. "You made me work for my place," he said, his breathing slightly labored. "But it was worth it. Besides, I was crazy about your mother. A couple of my friends were worried that she was only interested in finding a father for you and your brother, but I loved her too much to care. Of course they were wrong. I guess nearly twenty years of marriage has proved that." They reached the corner and paused to check traffic before jogging across the street. The morning was clear and still a little cool, although it would warm up later.

“We were twelve when you two started going out," Nash said. "If she'd wanted to find someone to be a father for us, she would have started looking earlier." Howard glanced at him, then wiped the sweat from his forehead. "You were heading toward being teenagers. That's when boys really need a man around. Your mother worried about you." Howard had mentioned something similar the day before. "Why me? I was the good kid."

“Right. As the bad kid, Kevin got all the attention. Vivian was afraid you'd get forgotten in all the fuss. We talked about it a lot before we were married." Nash felt as if he'd missed out on most of what was going on while he'd been growing up. "Why didn't I know about any of this?"

“You weren't supposed to. You were the child." They reached the edge of the middle-school playground and turned around.