Elissa was glad he was on her side.
She was still having trouble getting her mind around Derek’s confession of his client. “Bobby’s still a kid,” she said, not sure she believed her brother was trying to get in touch with her.
“He turned eighteen on his last birthday. He starts at UW next week.”
Her brother going to the University of Washington? The last time she’d seen him, he’d just gotten braces. Of course that had been eight years ago.
Thinking about her brother made her want to ask about her parents, but she knew better. They’d made their position clear.
“He wants to talk to you,” Derek said as he reached in his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. “Here’s his cell number. He’d really like you to give him a call.”
She supposed it meant something that her brother had spent his money to find her. She took the paper and stuffed it in her own pocket.
“I guess it wouldn’t hurt,” she said, not sure how she felt about contact with him after all these years. “Tell him I’ll give him a call in the next few days.”
“And nothing else,” Walker added.
Derek looked at him. “What do you mean?”
“You will not give out any personal information on Elissa. Not her address, or phone number, not the name or location of her place of employment. I don’t care what your contract with the kid says. If you put her in any danger, you will answer to me.”
It was like watching a rabbit try to face down a tiger. Derek folded instantly. “I won’t tell him anything.”
“If I find out you have, I will hunt you down. Are we clear?”
Derek put down the iced tea and nodded vigorously. “I, ah, should probably go.”
“Excellent idea,” Walker said. “I’ll see you out.”
Elissa stayed in the kitchen and sank into one of the chairs. When Walker returned, he sat next to her.
“You okay?” he asked.
“I don’t think so. This is so weird. I haven’t talked to Bobby since I found out I was pregnant.” She drew in a breath. “I ran away when I was seventeen and I never called my parents to say I was okay. I felt bad about that later. It was selfish and stupid, but that pretty much defined my existence. Then I let myself forget about them. I was busy holding down an exciting job. When I got pregnant and Zoe’s father turned out to be an asshole, I left him. I also called home.”
His dark eyes hid his thoughts, but she wasn’t worried about him judging her. Walker wasn’t the type.
“What happened?” he asked quietly.
“I got Bobby. He said the folks were still pretty pissed off, but he’d check with them to see if they were willing to talk to me.”
“Did you tell him about Zoe?”
She shook her head. “I figured calling after all this time was enough of a shock. Besides, I still had enough pride not to want their pity. That came later.”
“They weren’t interested,” he said, not asking a question.
“Apparently not. He said they didn’t want anything to do with me. That I’d made my decision and now I had to live with it. So I did.”
“Are you sure he was telling the truth?”
Elissa nodded. “I thought about that, too, but only for a minute. Bobby was always a great kid and we got along really well. My mom had trouble getting pregnant the second time, which is why there’s such a big age gap between us. I could have hated him for being the favorite after he was born, but I loved him too much. We had fun together. I couldn’t imagine him lying to me about that.”
“You gonna call?”
“Probably. I need a couple of days to get used to the idea of having contact with him again, but then I will. I’d like Zoe to know her uncle.”
“Want to come with me to my sister-in-law’s baby shower?”
The question wasn’t quite as shocking as finding out her brother was trying to get in touch with her, but it was very close.
“What?”
“Penny’s shower is tomorrow. I thought about asking you before, but then I wasn’t sure you’d want to come. It’s just family. You’d like Dani and Penny. The food will be good.”
His voice trailed off. For the first time since meeting him, Elissa had the idea that Walker was nervous.
“You’re asking me to go with you to your sister-in-law’s baby shower?”
“Zoe, too,” he said. “It’s not a date.”
“Good to know.”
“I bought a car seat. She registered at a baby store, so that’s what I got. They wrapped it. I can put your names on the card.”
They weren’t dating but he was willing to share the gift?
Elissa didn’t know what to think. She believed him when he said he didn’t want to get involved, and if he was strong enough to ignore the sexual attraction between them, then she could, too.
She knew they would both face a lot of questions, yet she couldn’t resist finding out more about Walker’s private world. What was he like with his family and who were the people who knew him best?
“What time?” she asked.
“Four. Penny’s cooking. It’s her party and she shouldn’t, but she’s a chef and who else would she trust with the food?”
“Okay,” she said slowly. “Sure. We’ll go. Oh, and I’ll bring my own present.”
“Are you sure? I don’t mind adding you and Zoe.”
“We’re good.”
“Then I’ll pick you up at three-thirty.”
“Sure.”
She walked him to the door, where they stood awkwardly for several seconds. Then he turned and headed up the stairs.
Not a date, huh? If it looks like a duck and walks like a duck, what else could it be?
WALKER’S CAR still smelled new. Elissa inhaled the rich scent of expensive leather and eyed the complicated- looking console. In the car world, money could really buy happiness.
“So you’re one of four,” she said, knowing it was more important to learn about his family than wallow in car- envy.
“Right. Cal, Reid, me and Dani. Cal’s married to Penny. Reid may or may not bring a date. He tends to go through women quickly. Dani is in the middle of a divorce.”
“When’s Cal and Penny’s baby due?”
Walker hesitated. “Cal’s not the father.”
“Oh. That’s interesting. Will the biological father be there, too?”
“No. Penny used an anonymous sperm donor. She had always wanted a family and the traditional route didn’t seem to be working for her.”
“I admire a woman with initiative.” And one who volunteered to be a single parent. Elissa loved Zoe, but sometimes it was tough being the only grownup around.
She glanced back at her daughter, who bounced along with the music from Walker’s portable CD player.
“I’m guessing your high-tech CD player has never heard a Disney sing-along CD before,” she said as she faced front again.
“Not my style.”
“Some of the tunes are catchy. We put that kind of music on when we’re cleaning house.”
He smiled. “Interesting choice.”
Not that she could imagine him singing along as he dusted. Of course she couldn’t imagine him dusting. Or doing anything mundane. She could picture him with a rifle or even a hunting knife. Better yet, bare chested with a hunting knife. Yum.
Her personal fantasy carried her through the next couple of miles, right up until Walker turned right at the base
