doing all the work.' Howard smiled at his wife. 'I like taking care of you. Go on in and register. I'm sure Nash is going to insist on carrying the heaviest bag. We'll be fine.' Vivian nodded and touched Howard's arm. The contact wasn't anything special, just a brief brush of fingers, something Nash could remember having seen his mother do hundreds of times before. Yet for the first time, he saw the affection between the couple, the expression of happiness and contentment on his mother's face. She loved this man-she had for nearly twenty years.
The two women walked toward the house. Howard opened the trunk and laughed when he saw all the luggage. 'Now you know why I had to rent a full-size car at the airport. Your mother isn't one to travel light. She always brings extras, just in case. I figure she packed enough for us to take a trip around the world, although she wouldn't agree. I guess if we ever did that, she'd want to bring the whole house. Just in case.' He shook his head, then started removing suitcases. Howard talked about the flight and who was looking in on their house while they were gone. As he spoke, Nash realized that there wasn't any strain between them. At least not on Howard's part.
They carried in the luggage and found Vivian and Stephanie by the registration desk.
“I was just telling your mother that the boys are pretty well behaved,' Stephanie said. 'There shouldn't be much noise.' Vivian shook her head. 'And I was telling Stephanie that I miss the noise of having my boys in the house.'
“I doubt that,' Nash said. 'You were always yelling at us to turn down the music or the TV or to stop revving our car engines in the driveway.'
“Was I?' Vivian asked with a laugh. 'I don't remember that at all.'
“Would you like some lunch when you've unpacked?' Stephanie asked. 'I don't have a restaurant here, but I would be delighted to make sandwiches, and I have several kinds of salad.'
“That sounds lovely, dear,' Vivian said. She linked arms with Stephanie. 'Show me the way to the kitchen and I'll help while Howard and Nash take our things upstairs.' Stephanie looked a little startled by the suggestion. 'You're a guest.'
“Nonsense. I want to help. Or at least keep you company. You can tell me about your boys.' Stephanie glanced at Nash who gave her a smile. 'You'll be fine,' he said.
“Of course she will be,' his mother said. 'Now where's the kitchen?'
“Extra cheese on my sandwich,' Howard called after them.
Vivian waved her fingers at him and laughed. 'He always reminds me,' she said as the two women turned down the hall. 'As if I ever forget.' Nash picked up the key Stephanie had left on the desk and the two suitcases he'd brought in. 'Ready to take these upstairs?' he asked.
“Lead the way.' They climbed to the second floor. Nash noticed right away that his room wasn't close to theirs, which meant he and Stephanie wouldn't have to tiptoe back and forth once everyone was in bed. Good planning on her part, he thought with a grin.
The room she'd chosen for them was large, with a king-size bed and a big bay window. Howard set his suitcases on the bed, took the ones Nash had carried and dropped them on the other side of the mattress.
“How are things going here?' Howard asked as he opened a garment bag and pulled out a suit, a sports coat and several dresses. 'When Kevin called he said you two had already met your brothers.'
“We've had a few group functions, as well as a lunch. When the whole Haynes family gets together, there are dozens of people. Everyone is married and has kids.'
“Are they really all in law enforcement?”
“Except for Jordan. He's a firefighter.' Howard hung up the clothes. 'Interesting. You and Kevin have followed in their footsteps. Gage and his brother, too.' He returned to the bed and opened the largest suitcase. 'Are they good men?' Nash nodded. 'Even the firefighter.' Howard chuckled. 'Your mother worried about how things would go when you and Kevin arrived. Would the other brothers accept you two? Would you accept them? We're both glad it worked out.' He scooped out toiletries and carried them into thebathroom. 'We keep telling each other that you're grown up enough that we don't have to be concerned anymore, but maybe parents never let go of that.' Nash followed his stepfather into the bathroom. 'You don't mean me,' he said. 'I wasn't the one getting into trouble.' Howard set two zippered cases on the counter. 'True, but we wanted the best for you. You haven't been yourself for a while. I'm glad to see you getting back to normal.' He headed back to the bedroom and Nash followed. He knew that he'd been burying himself in his work, but he hadn't realized anyone but his boss had noticed.
“You mean because I'm finally taking a vacation?' he asked.
Howard shrugged. 'That's part of it. Mostly you're smiling again. It's been a long time.'
“Since Tina's death.' Nash wasn't asking a question.
“No. The change happened before that.' Howard picked up several shirts, then set them back in the suitcase and faced Nash. 'There wasn't anything wrong with Tina. She was a perfectly nice young woman. But your mother and I never thought she was right for you. She was flighty and impulsive. Despite the parts of your job that force you to make split-second decisions, you're a thoughtful man. You consider your options. You use reason. Tina wasn't a good match for that.' Nash didn't know what to say. Howard's comments stunned him. Apparently Howard and his mother had thought his marriage to Tina was a mis- take from the beginning, but they'd never said anything.
“Now Stephanie seems like a nice sort of woman,' Howard said, resuming his unpacking. 'It takes someone sensible to make a business successful. Vivian mentioned she's a widow. She was very young when her husband died.' The not-so-subtle matchmaking got Nash's attention. 'Don't go there,' he warned. 'My stay here is temporary.'
“You could move. You don't have any ties to Chicago.' He smiled. 'Okay, I'll be quiet. We don't care what you do, Nash, we just want you to be happy.'
“Thanks. I appreciate that.' Howard mentioned something about how the Texas Rangers were doing that season. While Nash responded, he wasn't listening all that closely. Part of him was thinking about what the other man had said. About being happy. Nash couldn't remember the last time he could claim that. It had been well before Tina's death. Had it been before Tina? Did it matter? Wasn't the more important point that he was happy now…maybe for the first time in years.
“I don't have enough plates,' Stephanie said, trying not to panic. 'Or glasses.'
“Use plastic,' Nash called as he walked through the utility room and out to the garage where there were several folding chairs.
“Use plastic,' she muttered. 'Easy for him to say.' Although it was a pretty good idea. Did she have plastic? She stopped in the center of the kitchen and tried to figure out if she'd stored any extra plastic glasses and plates after a birthday party for the twins. She dashed to a cupboard and pulled it open. Three unopened packages of plates sat on a top shelf she couldn't reach. At least she was making progress.
Nash returned with four chairs. 'There are a couple more out there.'
“We've brought down the chairs from upstairs, plus the ones in the dining room.' She grimaced. 'It's not nearly enough.'
“Hey, stop sweating the details.'
“You call having a place for people to sit a detail?'
“Sure. The kids will be happy on the ground.' He put down the chairs and crossed to her. After resting his hands on her waist, he kissed her. 'Thank you for offering to host the dinner.' Just being near him made her feel more calm. 'I'm happy to have your family over. Really. But I need you to get those plates down for me.' When she took them from him, she happened to glance at her watch. The time made her shriek. 'They're due back at any second. Get the chairs set up. I'll start stacking flatware.' Nash did as he was told and Stephanie raced to collect forks and spoons.
Kevin had called earlier to suggest another impromptu dinner for the family. Rather than cook, he'd offered to get Chinese. Stephanie had volunteered her place as the location. Vivian and Howard had taken the boys to meet Kevin and Haley at the Chinese restaurant, where they would buy enough food to feed the army that was the extended Haynes/ Harmon/Reynolds family.
“Glasses,' she murmured. 'The sodas are already cooling in the big tub outside. I have milk and juice for the kids. I made iced tea. There's a-' A faint double ring caught her attention. She spun in place. 'Nash, your cell phone is ringing.'
“Can you grab it?' he called from the utility room. 'It's on the front desk with my keys.' She ran to the front of the house. The ringing got louder as she approached. When she saw the phone, she picked it up and pressed
