man might find. He had nothing to hide.
“I used to watch you play pro ball,” Wyatt said at last. “You went out at the top of your game.”
“My wife was diagnosed with cancer. She didn’t have much time left and our daughter was only twelve. Flying around the country playing football seemed like a waste of those last weeks. After she died, I needed to be around for my daughter. She’s a senior now.”
“Any regrets?”
“No.”
The women returned. Hawk watched Nicole walk toward him and felt a stirring inside. He liked watching her move. She wasn’t aware of how beautiful she was or how sexy and she wouldn’t believe him if he tried to tell her.
“We have salad and garlic bread and Claire made a pie for dessert,” Nicole said. “She’s constantly trying to find her inner baker.”
“I have found it. Or her,” Claire said. “Pie is my new thing. You’re going to be impressed.”
Nicole grinned. “Claire plays the piano.”
“I heard,” he said, liking the teasing between the sisters.
“I’ll have you know I’m a very famous and very spoiled soloist who is in high demand. You’re lucky I’m going to let you eat at the same table.”
“When she first came to Seattle, she didn’t even know how to do laundry.”
Claire batted her eyes. “I must protect my hands. Housework is beneath me.”
“Stop picking on her,” Wyatt said. “She’s not the only one with an embarrassing past.”
Hawk looked at Nicole. “You have secrets?”
“No. I’ve told you everything.”
Claire tilted her head. “Are you sure? When I was four and practicing the piano several hours a day, Nicole used to sit outside the studio and bang pots together. It was her way of accompanying me and keeping me from being lonely, all at the same time.”
Nicole squirmed. “Okay, maybe I hadn’t mentioned that.”
Claire laughed. “I’ll stop torturing you now. Come on, Hawk. Amy, Wyatt’s daughter, isn’t here, but we have pictures. You need to see them and listen while I brag about her.”
She led him into the house. Hawk had a feeling that they weren’t going to talk all that much about Amy.
Sure enough, when they reached the living room, she pointed to several photographs on what looked like a new baby grand piano, then said, “How did you and Nicole meet?”
“At the bakery.” Which was how she’d met Wyatt, he thought, his good mood fading.
“You seem like a nice guy, which is great. But Nicole is special. I don’t want anyone hurting her.”
Which meant Claire didn’t know about their deal. Was her concern one of the reasons Nicole had made her offer to him?
“I’m not going to hurt her.”
Claire nodded. “I don’t think you’d mean to, but she’s just getting out of a difficult marriage.”
“I know about Drew.”
“She told you?”
“About Drew and what happened.”
“Oh. Okay. Then you know why I’m worried. Wyatt feels awful about that. He never should have introduced them. But Drew’s family so it was inevitable.”
“Wyatt and Drew are brothers?” Nicole had left out that part of the story.
“Stepbrothers. Drew’s a bit of a disaster.”
Hawk tuned out the conversation. He had the sudden need to punch something, or someone. Wyatt came to mind. Not that the guy had done anything specific. He just bugged Hawk. Drew could use a good beating, too. Hawk would enjoy that.
Something wasn’t right. Something-
He swore silently. That nagging, uncomfortable sensation in his gut had a name. Jealousy. He was jealous of Wyatt and maybe even Drew. What the hell was up with that? He shouldn’t care enough to be jealous. And of what? Nicole was with him. Sort of.
They weren’t actually dating. They had an arrangement. One that should be working for him. Still, he didn’t like how well Wyatt knew her or that Drew had married her. Worse, he didn’t know how to make it better.
NICOLE WALKED into the house shortly after midnight. The evening with her sister, Wyatt and Hawk had gone better than she’d hoped. Hawk had been a little quiet, but he’d still seemed to have a good time. It had been great to hang out and laugh and not worry about seeing pity in anyone’s eyes.
Sheila looked up from her place on the sofa and stretched, then wagged her tail in greeting. Nicole frowned. The dog always slept with Raoul. So if she was down here, where was he?
Nicole went upstairs. The door to his bedroom stood open and the room was empty. She looked at her watch. He was late. Now what?
She’d spent plenty of nights waiting up for her sister, so she knew what to do to fill the time. What wasn’t clear was how to deal with the situation. Technically Raoul was an adult. While she’d asked him to be in by eleven or let her know if he was going to be later, she wasn’t sure he had to listen. She could play the “you’re living under my roof” card, but that felt weird.
She went back downstairs and let Sheila out, then checked for messages. There weren’t any. Great.
She considered going to bed, but knew she wouldn’t sleep, so she picked a movie and loaded it in the DVD player. Sheila came back in and they curled up together on the sofa. About thirty minutes later, she heard Raoul’s car pull up.
“You’re late,” she announced the second he walked in the door. “You’re supposed to call. I don’t like worrying. And don’t tell me not to. You live here now. Worry comes with the room.”
Which wasn’t at all what she’d expected to say. She was supposed to let him talk first.
But instead of getting angry or defensive, like Jesse would have done, he smiled.
“You waited up.”
“Obviously. What did you think? That I would just go to sleep, never once imagining your broken, bleeding body on the side of the road?”
“You were worried?”
“Yes, and you don’t have to sound so happy about it.” He couldn’t seem to stop smiling, which she found really annoying.
“I’m sorry. I called.”
“There’s no message.”
“I left one. On your cell.”
On her…“Oh,” she said, feeling a little foolish. “I only checked the house machine.” She grabbed her purse and pulled out her cell. “It’s off. I didn’t think to check it.” She turned it on and waited. Sure enough the message envelope flashed on the screen and the phone beeped.
“I was at a party. A couple of guys got really drunk. I didn’t want them to drive, so I took them home. I’m sorry I worried you.”
“No, it’s my fault. I should have checked my cell. I didn’t mean to yell.”
“It’s okay.”
“It’s not.” She was feeling more stupid by the second. “I have a temper and I overreact.” Which was probably a lot of what had gone wrong with Jesse.
“I like that you worry about me, Nicole. No one ever does.”
“Don’t say that.”
“Why not? It’s true.”
It was also beyond sad. “I’d rather you didn’t do anything to make me worry. Can it be enough that I’m prepared to worry at any time?”
“Yeah,” he said with a grin. “That’s good, too. Night.”
“Night.”
He started up the stairs. Sheila went after him, then followed him into his bedroom. Nicole turned off the movie and turned off the lights.
