Swallowing the rising bile, she eased into the kitchen. Angela was already making coffee.

“Look in the refrigerator for some cream cheese, would you, honey?”

Kate was going to kill Ryan; that’s all there was to it. Biting back the curses she wanted to mutter, she made her way to the gigantic stainless steel refrigerator and fished out cream cheese. When the coffee was done, Angela poured two mugs, then brought them and a plate of bagels to the table.

Kate sank into the chair beside her. The caffeine was the only thing that settled her nerves.

“Ryan tells me you’ve been having some trouble with Julia,” Angela said, sipping her drink.

Kate planned to have a chat with Ryan about the things he liked to tell. She shifted in her seat. “Some. This isn’t easy on her.”

“No, I don’t imagine it is. She was very young when you left. It was hard on both of them.”

Curiosity got the best of Kate, and she bit her lip, wrapping her foot around the leg of the chair. “Did Julia and I get along?”

“Oh, of course you did.” Angela smiled. “You were very close. Julia isn’t upset with you, honey. You have to understand that. She’s just afraid of going through all that again.”

“I would think most kids would be thrilled to have a parent back. But she’s fighting me every step of the way.”

Angela patted her hand. “Things were very hard for her. Ryan didn’t handle your leaving well.”

When Kate’s brow wrinkled, Angela eased back in her chair. “He loved you very much, more than he probably should have. Losing you broke him. He walked around in a daze for at least two years. I don’t honestly think he would have made it through without Julia.”

Kate’s eyes slid shut. If she weren’t already falling for Ryan Harrison, that one statement would have pushed her right over the edge. Her chest tightened until she was sure she wouldn’t be able to breathe.

“I think Julia’s afraid of what will happen to him if you decide not to stay,” Angela said softly.

Kate looked down at her coffee. Wisps of steam poured off the hot liquid. “I don’t know what’s going to happen there. I can’t make any promises either way. Ryan and I…” She lifted a shoulder and dropped it in defeat. “We haven’t made any decisions. But I’ll always be around for Julia. That will never change.”

Angela was silent for a minute, watching her speculatively. Finally, she reached for a bagel. “Ryan told you Michael’s not his real father, right?”

“No, I didn’t know that.”

Angela brushed her hair away from her face. “It’s not a surprise you two haven’t gotten around to family stories yet. Michael and I met in college. We fell madly in love, had this wild affair. But he joined the military, and we broke up. I met Kevin Harrison, Ryan’s real father, after Michael left. We got married, and a year later, Ryan was born.”

Her voice softened as she looked down into her mug. “Kevin was a wonderful man. That’s where Ryan gets his blond hair and blue eyes. And he adored Ryan.” She sighed. “He died in a car accident when Ryan was two.”

“Oh. I’m sorry.”

Angela waved a hand. “It was awful when it happened. But then, a few months later, Michael came home. And it was as if we were still in college. Like no time had gone by at all. Wild chemistry, an unexplainable connection.” She smiled Kate’s way. “I’m sure you know what I mean.”

Heat flushed Kate’s cheeks again.

“Anyway,” Angela went on, “Kevin had only been gone a few months, and here I was, madly in love with another man again. I didn’t know what to do about it. I mean, back then especially, a widow was supposed to grieve for a respectable amount of time before moving on. Not me. No, ma’am. I jumped right into bed with the first man that came along.”

Kate couldn’t stifle the laugh that bubbled out. She covered her mouth with her hand, realizing how insensitive she was being.

Angela chuckled and set her mug down. “Exactly. Insane, right?”

When Kate glanced over, Angela clasped her hand. “Not really. Not when you think about it. God gave Kevin to me so we could make Ryan. He was a gift, one that I cherish forever. And when it was time for him to go, God gave me Michael. He knew exactly what Ryan and I needed. It doesn’t mean I didn’t love Kevin any less, just in a different way. Sometimes we spend way too much time questioning the gifts we’re given instead of being thankful for them.”

Kate closed her eyes. “This is a completely different situation.”

“Maybe,” Angela said. “Maybe not. Fate’s a finicky thing to mess with. Somehow you made your way back here to Ryan and Julia. There’s a reason for that.”

Angela’s words were still hanging in the air when Michael eased through the kitchen door wearing sweats and a Seahawks T-shirt. “What are you two doing up so early?” he asked as he headed toward the coffeepot.

Angela lifted her mug. “Kate was thirsty after a night of wild sex with our son.”

Heat shot up Kate’s face.

“Mom, you’re embarrassing her.” Ryan stepped into the room behind his father and flashed a quirky grin.

Holy hell. It couldn’t get any worse. Kate rubbed the scar along the side of her head. On shaky legs, she rose. “I need to go take a shower before my parents get up.”

“Don’t rush on their account,” Angela said after her. “Your parents’ room is right next to Ryan’s. We heard you all the way down the hall. I’m sure they did too.”

Kate’s eyes widened. She shot Ryan a look. With cheeks she knew were the color of strawberries, she made her way to the stairs as fast as she could.

Ryan caught up with her on the bottom step. He’d already showered; his hair was still damp, his body smelling clean and fresh. “Hold on a second.”

“You did that on purpose.” She tried to wiggle out of his arms, but he held her too tightly. “You knew your mother would be awake when I got up this morning.”

“Guilty. Maybe I’m tired of hiding this.”

“That was sneaky. And I don’t like it.”

“I agree. But you don’t have much of an excuse anymore. I’m going to have a chat with Julia later today.”

She stopped fighting. “Don’t do that.”

“Why not?”

Standing one step up, she was just about the same height as him. His sapphire eyes drilled into hers as Angela’s words ran back through her mind. “I don’t want her to get hurt again.”

Those deep blue pools softened, tugging on Kate’s heart. “Then don’t give her any reason to get hurt. Move in with us.”

Kate’s eyes widened. That wasn’t the response she’d expected. “What? Are you crazy?”

A smile curled his mouth before he kissed her. She only stared at him. When he pulled back, those eyes were sparkling. “Yes. I am. Crazy in love with you. Julia needs time with you. Reed needs time with me. We all need a chance to get to know each other again. Driving back and forth between your place and mine won’t do that.”

“You’re nuts. I can’t just move in with you. Ryan, my God, it’s only been a week.”

“A week is like a lifetime to me. I want you in my house. I’ll even put up with you in the guest room for the time being if that’s what you want.”

The air clogged in her lungs. “Is that what you want?”

“Hell, no. I want you in my bed. Every night. But I won’t push you.”

Unexpected relief bubbled through her, insane thoughts that maybe he was right. “You’ve been pushing me from the start.”

When she leaned into him, she felt the smile that curled his mouth against her shoulder. “I guess maybe I have. Please tell me you’ll at least think about it.”

Her eyes slid closed, and she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. How could she fight him on this when deep down she knew it was what she wanted? “Okay, I’ll think about it.”

His arms tightened around her. “Thank you, Lord.”

Held firm in his embrace, she almost believed they could make this work. She eased back enough to look in his eyes. “I’d like to spend some one-on-one time with Julia today. I was thinking of taking her shopping.”

“I don’t want you out there alone right now.”

“Ryan, a few hours of shopping downtown won’t kill us. We’ll be in a crowd. I promise not to take her anywhere dangerous.”

She saw the hesitation in his eyes, so she pushed back. “You can’t keep me locked up here like a prisoner, you know.”

Indecision ran over him. Finally, he said, “Okay. I need to go into the office for a while. I can get John from security to go with you.

She shot him a look. “No way. I don’t need some security detail hovering over us when I’m trying to connect with Julia. That’ll make things worse.”

“Katie—”

“But I know how you worry,” she said quickly, seeing the persistence in his eyes. “So how about a compromise? I’ll call you to check in. Just to ease your mind.”

He frowned. “Every hour.”

She rolled her eyes. “God, you’re worse than a mother hen. Okay, every hour.”

The look in his eyes said he didn’t like the idea, but he wasn’t going to fight her. “Julia has softball practice this afternoon.”

“I can drop her off, then come back and get you.”

He nodded reluctantly. “I guess that could work.”

“Do you want a list of where we’re going too?” she asked, smiling. When his scowl deepened, she leaned in and kissed him. “Will you please let me go shower now before my parents get up?”

He let go of her, but she knew he was still watching her as she headed up the stairs.

“Need any help?” he called.

When she glanced back, the sly smirk tugging at his mouth almost did her in. Right or wrong, she had a sinking suspicion she was going to end up giving him exactly what he wanted.