I think so. Shes smart, funny, fearless. She gives with her whole heart. Im still learning how to do that, but she makes it so damn easy to love her.
Had that been the problem? Nash wondered. Had Tina not been easy to love? Had the work got in the way?
Enough about me, his brother said. How are you doing?
Fine, Nash said. Great.
Kevin didnt look convinced. I didnt think it was possible to pry you away from work.
Nash shrugged, rather than admit the vacation hadnt been his idea. Im here, ready to meet the family.
Yeah, right. Kevins expression turned serious. Youve always been quiet, but since Tina died, its been worse than usual. Are you coming out of that?
As Nash had never been willing to acknowledge what he felt about his wifes death, he didnt know if hed recovered or not. Still it was easier to say, Sure. Im doing great.
His brother shook his head. You still blame yourself. It was never your fault.
Whose fault was it?
Maybe no ones. Maybe it just happened.
Not on my watch.
You cant control everything.
Nash knew. The realization was one of the reasons hed stopped sleeping, stopped eating, stopped living. But knowing that didnt seem to change anything.
Tell me about the Haynes family, he said to change the subject.
Kevin continued to watch him for a couple of seconds, then nodded, as if agreeing to the tactic. The couple Ive met have been good men. Theyre as surprised by all this as we are, but friendly enough. He smiled. Theyre all cops.
Nash knew there were four brothers and a sister. Youre kidding.
No. Theyre all He broke off and laughed. Wait. I forgot. One of them is a rebel. Hes a firefighter.
Which wasnt the same as being a cop, but it was close. Kevin was a U.S. Marshal, Gage a sheriff. Nash worked for the FBI and Quinn, well, Quinn walked his own road.
Its in the blood, he said.
Kevin nodded. Thats what theyre telling me. Earl Haynes was sheriff of this town for years. He has a bunch of brothers and theyre all in law enforcement. Maybe were following our destiny.
Destiny? Nash didnt believe in that kind of crap. Hed gone to work for the FBI because hed been recruited out of college. Of all the offers hed received, it was the one that had appealed the most.
Ive seen Gage, Kevin said. Weve known him and Quinn all our lives, played together, fought, made up. Im having trouble getting that we were always brothers.
We acted like brothers, Nash said. Still, Im with you. I figured we were good friends, nothing more.
Did the new knowledge change anything? He wasnt sure.
The dinner tomorrow night is going to be a zoo, Kevin said. The guys, their wives and kids. If I can pull together lunch with just a few of the brothers are you interested?
Sure. Nash didnt like crowds.
Kevin jerked his head toward the ceiling. There are a few empty rooms. Want to come stay here?
Im okay where I am.
You sure?
He knew Kevin thought he was avoiding contact with the world, but that wasnt it at all. If his brother pressed him he would say that packing and unpacking was a pain, which was a lie, but would get him off the hook. The truth was something else. For the first time in two years, hed actually felt a glimmer of interest in something other than work. He knew his sexual stirrings and physical hunger didnt mean anything, but he was intrigued enough to want to stick around and see what happened next.
Nash hung out with Kevin and Haley until early afternoon, then headed back to Serenity House. When he entered the high-ceilinged foyer, he hesitated, not sure what to do with the rest of his day. As much as he wanted to check in with the office, he knew it was too soon. Calling now would simply prove his bosss point.
He walked through the dining room and into the kitchen. The tidy room was empty. He strolled into the hallway and listened. There was only silence. A quick check of the garage told him what hed suspected. He was alone.
The knowledge should have relieved him. He didnt like a lot of company, preferring solitude to vapid chatter. He liked the quiet. Only not today. Right now he felt restless and out of place. It was as if his skin had suddenly gotten too small.
He turned toward the stairs and took three steps, then stopped. He didnt want to read or watch TV. He considered another long drive, but that didnt appeal to him. Finally, in desperation for a distraction, he moved into the back of the house.
In the utility room he found the washer still in pieces. He opened the lid and stared at the tub full of clothes and water, then studied the dial. After skimming the manual, he figured out the washer had stopped right before the spin cycle. He pushed aside the parts and tools, then settled on the floor. There was a schematic of the interior of the machine, along with a parts list. Nash laid the diagram flat on the floor and began sorting through tools and parts.
Over an hour later, Nash had found the problem and, he hoped, fixed it. Hed just started on reassembling the machine when he heard a door slam in the house. The wrench hed been holding dropped to the floor.
He swore good-naturedly as he picked it up. If he was dropping tools in anticipation of seeing Stephanie, he was in even more trouble than hed first thought. Finding her sexy was one thing, but actual nerves werent allowed.
He turned as the footsteps approached, but instead of the petite blonde hed been expecting, a boy stepped into the room.
Nash remembered the other two kids had been younger and identical twins. So this one would be Stephanies oldest. He offered a smile.
Hi, there.
The boy didnt smile back. He folded his arms over his chest and narrowed his eyes as he studied Nash. Youre not the repair guy.
Youre right. Im Nash Harmon. Im a guest here.
Nash wiped his hand on a paper towel and held it out. The boy hesitated, then slowly offered his own hand.
Brett Wynne.
They shook slowly. Nash had the feeling he was being given the once-over and judging from Bretts expression, he wasnt measuring up.
Why are you messing with our washer? Brett asked. Guests arent supposed to do that sort of thing. If you break it worse, Moms gonna be real mad. Plus itll cost more to fix.
The boy looked to be about eleven or twelve. Tall and skinny, with light blond hair and blue eyes like his mother. Of course his father could have had blue eyes, too.
He looked hostile, protective and painfully young. No kid that age should have to feel as if he was all that stood between his family and a hostile world.
Nash carefully set the wrench on the ground. Bretts fierce scowl and hostile words brought back memories from a long time ago. Back when Nash had felt he was the one responsible for making sure his mom and brother were safe. The accompanying feelings werent comfortable.
You have a point, he said quietly. I am a guest here. The thing is, this morning the battery was dead on my rental car, so your mom gave me a jump. I wanted to pay her back for that. Shed been working on the washer when I found her and asked her to help me. Shes a real classy lady, so I knew she wouldnt let me pay her. Thats when I thought of the washer.