Another shy nod.
Excellent. Are you a mashed-potatoes kind of girl? Or do you like Tater Tots?
Tater Tots! Some of her reserve diminished, and she hugged her bunny tight. Uncle Jake dont know how to make em right.
Uncle Jake? Rachel shot a glance at the unlikely uncle closing his door and nudging the child along in front of him. It takes talent to know how to get Tater Tots just right. Do you like em soft and crumbly or crisp?
A little crisp but still kinda all soft in the middle, but not so its still cold.
Me, too. Since it was hard not to like a man who took the time to spend with his niece, especially on his limited stateside visit, shed ask his opinion, too. Are you a Tater Tot man or a mashed?
Strictly French fry, but I can make an exception.
Maybe I can rustle up a few fries for the man who defended us from the dangerous wild moose. A man needs a reward.
Okay, he could tell when someone was amused at his expense. You could have told me the thing was more of a pet than a wild dangerous animal. I did ask.
Hes not a pet. Hes just She shrugged.
Got your number. It wasnt too hard to see that Rachel was a genuinely nice person. Okay, I went a little commando. I had Sally to protect. Shes been through enough.
Im not blaming you, City Boy. I just wondered if you had fun playing with poor Bullwinkle.
Not so much.
He liked her. He liked the twinkle of humor in her eye. That she was as friendly as could be without batting her eyes at him like a marriage-minded woman. He did not have a great neon sign pasted to his forehead that blinked, Not married! He liked that she was easygoing and that she was pretty up close. Very pretty.
And here hed been dreading this. Hed originally planned to fly in tomorrow morning, bright and early, and do the wedding and fly home, but Sally had changed things. Here he was in town early, and Ben wasnt here to meet him.
He didnt blame his friend. Instead of a rehearsal dinner, the groom had reservations at one of the nicest restaurants in the area to spend a quiet pre-wedding evening with his bride-to-be, and there was no way Jake wanted him to cancel that. But when Ben had suggested this, Jake had felt obligated to accept this invitation. A home-cooked meal would be good for Sally.
Her hand in his felt so small and held on so tightly. There was a surprising strength in her fingersor maybe it was need. The way she clung to him was an undeniable reminder of the promises hed just finished making to her. From the day shed been born, shed had a sweet little spot in his heart and now that he was the only one left to look after her, he was only more committed. How he was going to keep those promises to her, he didnt know. Not when his job took him to dangerous corners of the world and kept him there.
Rachel had disappeared through a connecting door on the other side of a laundry roomit was a nice set-up. A closet lined one wall and a washer and dryer covered the wall on his right. Through the window he caught a glimpse of the backyard filled with lush green grass and blooming red roses and big yellow-faced flowers in tidy beds. Trees stood on the far side of the lawn, and thats all he saw before he tugged Sally into the kitchen after their hostess.
Let me get you something, she said from across a spacious country kitchen.
Nice. He didnt know why he thought so, maybe it was because hed been on Temporary Duty way too long. Home had become a desert base with a tent over his head and food served on a tray.
Everything smelled so good. The floor of fresh pine and the air like cookies. A chipped coffee mug sat on the granite counter stuffed with red roses from the vines outside. Their old-fashioned fragrance took him back to his grandmas house when he was a kid, where he ran wild during the summers on their San Fernando Valley farm. Maybe that was why he felt at ease with the pretty woman in the kitchen, who looked as if she were in her element as she yanked open the fridge door.
Weve got milk, soda, juice. Whats your pleasure? She looked to Sally first. I have strawberry soda.
Strawberry! Sally gave a little leap, taking his hand with her. Can I, Uncle Jake? She beamed up at him with those big green eyes and he was helpless. They both knew it.
Sure. Hed have to figure out how to say no to her eventually; being a parent was a whole world different than being an uncle.
Sorrow stabbed him, swift and unexpected. He couldnt get used to Jeanette being gone. He dealt with death a lot in the military; hed lost close friends and team members and soldiers hed admired. But to lose his sister crossing the street on the way to her office, it wasnt right. It wasnt fair to Sally.
Ive got two cartoon cups to pick from. Rachel held the cupboard door open wide, displaying characters he didnt even recognize.
He hadnt watched cartoons since he was a kid. But Sally lit up and chose one with a big dinosaur on it while Rachel took the other one. She popped one can, filled it, foam and all, to the top of the plastic cup and set it on the round oak table to his right.
It was strange, this big kitchen and eating space, with kids school pictures framed on the wallsthe clothes and hairstyles from decades ago. Through the picture window next to the table he saw half of an old-fashioned metal swing set and slide, in good repair, as if someone had painted it not too long ago. Ben didnt say. Do you live here alone?
Yep. Its way too big for me, but the memories here are good ones. What would you like to drink?
Ben said you were a waitress. I can see youre probably an excellent one.
Its a hard job, tougher than people realize. But its the family business, and I like it because I get to make all the chocolate milk shakes I want. She waited, hand on the refrigerator door, one slim brow lifted in a silent question. Whatll it take to wet your whistle, sir?
If youve got root beer in there, Ill be eternally in your debt.
Ill hold you to that, soldier. With a wink, she reached inside the well-organized fridge and withdrew two more soda cans.
Before she could snag him one of those breakable glasses neatly organized in the cupboard on the shelf above the cartoon cups, he stole the can out of her hand. Im not used to being waited on. Put me to work.
Work? She looked him up and down, taking in the strong and capable look of him. Dont tempt me, or Ill take you up on it.
He perused her big pink slippers and her comfy clothes and the fact that she hadnt had time to do up her hair into anything remotely involving hair spray and gels or whatever it was women put in their hair. That said everything. Did you have other plans before Ben strong-armed you into doing this tonight?
Plans with the couch and an old movie. Nothing that cant wait until tomorrow night. Or the next night. She poured the contents of her can into the plastic mug, and the sweet-smelling pink liquid fizzed. Wait!
He had hold of the cup the instant she stopped pouring.
Hey, what are you doing taking my strawberry soda?
What? Do you think Im stealing it from you?
Thats what it looks like. I call things like I see em.
And what, that look of outrage is because you didnt know you were letting a strawberry soda bandit into your house?
That, and youre setting a very bad example for Sally.
Is that true, Sal? He sent a wink to his niece, whod seated herself at the table and was sipping from the cup with both hands.
Her solemn gaze met his over the wide rim. Strawberry soda stained her mouth as she said the words of betrayal. Stealings wrong, Uncle Jake.
Hey, Im one of the good guys. Or at least thats what they tell me. And because he knew what it was like to put in a long hard workweek, he wasnt about to give up the glass of soda. How about I wait on you? You said you had a date with the couch?
Youve got to be joking.
I never joke, maam. Im an air force commando. Duty is my name.
Yeah, yeah, you forget I have a brother who spouts that macho stuff all the time. She waved him off as if she knew better, as if she had his number.
Fine. The trouble was, now that he wasnt worrying about a rampaging moose, he could get a real good look at her. He liked what he saw. She was petite, there was no other word for her. Delicate, for lack of a better word. She had the clearest, creamiest skin hed ever seen, and the gentlest manner.
A real nice woman. He wasnt about to impose on her like a deadbeat. No, he wasnt that kind of man, although he read her look of skepticism loud and clear. That was okay. He wasnt bothered by it.
Follow me, he said, trusting that she would.
Chapter Three
She did follow him. Jake monitored the pad of her slippers against the carpet a good two to three paces behind him. Thats it. Keep coming.
I want my strawberry soda back in the kitchen where it belongs. She didnt have a sharp voice or an angry edge. No, she was all softness and warm humor, as if he were amusing her to the nth degree.
He wasnt used to softness and humor, not in his life of duty and service. So, he thought hed enjoy the chance to amuse her some more. Is there a house rule about keeping all food and beverages in the kitchen?
There is, as a matter of fact.
Funny. I didnt see a sign.
It has to be a sign?
Sure. If its not written down, its not a law I have to follow.
Yeah? Then for you Ill make an exception.
He liked the rumbling music of her chuckle. It was an appealing sound, one a man could get used to. Nice.
And so was the house, he thought as he stepped inside the sizeable living room. Spacious. Comfortable. It was the kind of place a guy could get used to putting his feet up on that scuffed coffee table that sat in the middle of a big sink-into-me sectional. The TV was big and new, and in the winter this would sure be a great spot to sit and watch football with a fire in the gray rock fireplace.
He used an old television guide as a coaster and left the drink on the coffee table within easy reach. Sit there. Put your feet up.
That would be rude considering Im supposed to be cooking you dinner.
He held out his hand, palm up and waited for her to take it. Cmon. Im the guest, right? So humor me.
My mother taught me to be wary of men wanting to be humored.
Sounds like your mama raised you right. And so did mine. It may be hard to believe to look at me, but Ive got a few manners. He shifted closer to her with his hand still out, still waiting. Whats it going to be? Are you going to do what I ask? Or am I gonna have to make ya?
Men. Rachel sized up the commando in her living room, with his dazzling grin and his hand held out, palm up, waiting for her to place her fingers there. Suddenly I remember why it is that Im single.
Those bunny slippers?
He clearly thought he was a comedian, but he wasnt nearly as funny as he thought. No, judging by my slippers you might be misled to think men have avoided me on purpose.
I dont think that, believe me.
But its been my choice. Most men are bossy.
Were made that way.
Sadly. He didnt seem the least bit sorry about it. He was incorrigible, and she liked that in a man, too. He had nice eyeskind onesand she was a sucker for a good-hearted man. How was she going to ever say no to this one?
Willpower, she directed herself. Im supposed to be the hostess. Youve flown all this way to be Bens best man. The least I can do is talk you into sitting down and putting up your feet.
Good luck. But let me warn you, Im stubborn.
Im stubborn, too. There was no way she was going to give in to the temptation to place her fingertips on his big rough palm.
Oh yes, she wanted to. His palm was wide and relaxed, and calluses roughened the skin at the base of his fingers. He worked hard. She liked that in a man too.
His hands had scarsnot big ones, just nicks that had long healed over, and those calluses. She imagined him fast-roping from a helicopter or carrying wounded on a litter. Essentially male, wholly masculine, everything a man ought to be.
And suddenly she felt it in the pit of her stomach. A little tingle of anxiety. Her shyness seemed to rear up and leave her speechless. It was one thing to have her brothers military buddy drop by. It was another to be alone with a smart, brave and warm-hearted soldier.
If only she could untie the knot her tongue had gotten itself into and say something wonderful to make him laugh some more. To show off the dimples in his hard, carved cheeks.
Im waiting. He arched one brow, but he wasnt intimidating in the least. He should behe was a big man, and the slightest movement made muscles ripple beneath his sun-bronzed skin.
But he was a gentle giant down deep, Rachel was sure of it. How about you and Sally sit down with me? Well find something on the tube that all three of us can enjoy and after a while, Ill sneak into the kitchen and start supper.
Therell be no sneaking on my watch. Ive got a sharp eye. His hand hovered in a silent question.
And she answered just as quietly by placing her fingers in the center of his palm. Wow. It was all she could think the instant they touched. An energy jolted through her like a lightning strikeor heavens touch.
She felt seared all the way to her soul. It was as if her entire central nervous system short-circuitedshe couldnt seem to talk. She could barely manage to be coordinated enough to sit down.
Wow, was all her poor fried brain could think. Wow. Wow. Wow. Lord, he cant be the one. He cant be. Look how he acted as if nothing had happened. It probably hadnt on his end. She searched his clear dark eyes and the calm steady way he moved away from her with sheer athletic grace as he ambled out of sight.
Shed read about moments like this, that instant punch of something extra that said this man was special. Above the ordinary. Meant to last. Okay, she read inspirational romances one after another. She always had her nose in one, but shed never believed, never thought once that it could happen to her.
Not that it was a life-changing moment. It was just a snap of something extra, making her more aware of this mans goodness than others shed come across.
Why? He couldnt be the one. He lived on the other side of the country and he worked in faraway places on other continents. Plus, he was leaving after the wedding.
Hes not the one. She was imagining all this, right? She was tired, she hadnt eaten since shed been able to work in an early sandwich before the lunchtime rush. She was feeling the weight of being a bridesmaid for the umpteenth time. Not that she minded, no way. And especially because this was her brothers wedding.