He’s an ex-marine with so much to prove...

Ex-marine Trevor Farrell is a classic workaholic. Which means he has a successful chain of resorts...and an empty house. So having Jade Evans, the widow of a war hero, and her three kids stay with him while their new home gets renovated is no problem. For a few weeks anyway.

Trevor admires Jade’s determination to give her kids a good life. For years, he’s only needed to focus on himself. And yet spending time with Jade leaves him yearning for more. But after being married to a genuine hero, why would she want a man who never saw active duty? If Trevor wants a life with Jade and her family, he’ll need to prove to her—and himself—that he deserves it.

Before she even learned to read, GINA WILKINS announced that she wanted to be a writer. That dream never wavered, though she worked briefly in advertising and human resources. Influenced by her mother’s love of classic Harlequin romances, she knew she wanted her stories to always have happy endings. She met her husband in her first college English class and they’ve been married for more than thirty-five years, blessed with two daughters and a son. They also have two delightful grandchildren. After more than one hundred books with Harlequin, she will always be a fan of romance and a believer in happy endings.

Also By Gina Wilkins

Soldiers and Single Moms

The Soldier’s Forever Family

The Way to a Soldier’s Heart

Proposals & Promises

The Boss’s Marriage Plan

A Reunion and a Ring

The Bachelor’s Little Bonus

Bride Mountain

Healed with a Kiss

A Proposal at the Wedding

Matched by Moonlight

A Match for the Single Dad

The Texan’s Surprise Baby

The Right Twin

His Best Friend’s Wife

Husband for a Weekend

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk

The Soldier’s Legacy

Gina Wilkins

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-08106-1

THE SOLDIER’S LEGACY

© 2018 Gina Wilkins

Published in Great Britain 2018

by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.

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“Anything that might develop between us has to be strictly casual. No strings or expectations—and no involving our families.”

Whoa. Was she suggesting—?

Jade smiled, and Trevor felt his throat close. “Just in case something should happen,” she murmured.

“Something...like this?” With a grin and a rare surrender to impulse, he reached out with his right hand to snag the back of her neck. She made no effort to draw back when he lowered his head—and he would have stopped immediately if she had. Instead, she met him halfway, seemingly as curious as he.

The kiss was light, carefully restrained. Just an exploratory meeting of lips, a brief, testing sample. Jade tasted exactly as he’d expected: sweet, with just a touch of spice beneath. Had it not been for the resented crutches, he’d have moved closer to prove that the rest of her felt as good against him.

Dear Reader,

Coming from a large family with many distinguished veterans among the generations, I married the son of a career army/air force veteran who served in two wars, and we live near the US Air Force base in central Arkansas. I have a great regard for those who have served in the military. I’ve seen the scars, both physical and emotional, that remain after that service ends, and I was intrigued by the idea of writing a series of romances with veteran heroes, each with his own issues to overcome before finding his happily-ever-after destiny. I’ve also seen the dedication required by the loved ones who keep the home fires burning while their warriors are away.

The Soldiers and Single Moms trilogy came from that initial idea. And, as a mother of three now-grown “kids” and grandmother of two little boys, I always enjoy writing about the rewards and challenges of parenthood. I’ve loved spending time with the characters I’ve grown to know during their journeys in these three books—and I hope you’ve enjoyed meeting them along the way!

Happy reading!

Gina

As always, for John, who has been with me through forty years of marriage, raising a family and more than a hundred books. I couldn’t have done any of it without him!

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

About the Author

Booklist

Title Page

Copyright

Introduction

Dear Reader

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Epilogue

Extract

Chapter One

ALWAYS-PRACTICAL SINGLE MOM Jade Evans had made detailed plans for the coming weeks for herself and her three children. A fire ignited by a careless construction worker had sent that carefully-crafted schedule up in smoke along with the kitchen of their new home, only days before they were to have moved in. Their furniture and most of their belongings had already been delivered before the fire, though fortunately most of the damage had been confined to the kitchen and roof.

“Wow.” Twelve-year-old Caleb stood with his mother and two sisters in a soaring entryway with a dining room on the left side and a front parlor on the right. Glass sliders at the back of the big den ahead looked out over a spacious deck, a glistening pool and a beautifully landscaped lawn that sloped gracefully down to a private dock on the Intracoastal Waterway. His brown eyes wide, Caleb pushed his floppy brown hair off the top of his glasses. “Nice place, huh, Mom?”

“Yes, it’s lovely.”

Jade could understand why her son was impressed. It was hard to imagine that this spacious house was home to only one man—Trevor Farrell, the son of her mother’s closest friend. An army veteran and now-successful resort owner, Trevor had been tragically widowed at just twenty-eight—almost a decade ago while he was deployed overseas. Jade didn’t think he’d owned this place when he was married. So, he’d bought it after his wife’s death, either as a private escape or as an investment. Perhaps he had plans to remarry eventually. His mother hadn’t given up hope for grandchildren to enjoy as much as Jade’s mom. Linda McGill relished being Nanna to Jade’s children.

Mary Pat Rayburn, the short, pleasantly rounded woman who’d opened the door and ushered them inside waved a hand toward the staircase in a warm welcome. “Let me show you up to your rooms.”

“We’re going to live here?” six-year-old Bella asked, slipping her hand into Jade’s. With her golden curls and huge amber eyes, Bella was the youngest and most skittish of the children, the one Jade thought of as her “loving little worrier.”

Notoriously impatient, ten-year-old Erin sighed as she pushed back her darker blond hair to focus on her sister. “We talked about this, Bella. This is Ms. Hester’s son’s house. We’re only staying here until our new house is fixed so we can move in. Right, Mama?”

“Yes, that’s right.” Jade agreed rather reluctantly. She was still finding it hard to believe that she and her children would be sharing Trevor’s home for the next couple of weeks.

Having accepted a job here in Shorty’s Landing, Jade had recently sold the house she’d owned, close to her mother’s home in Columbia, South Carolina.

She and the children could have stayed with her mother until the repairs on their new house here were completed, but school would begin in less than a week. It would’ve been difficult to get the kids back and forth with a ninety-minute drive each way, especially with Jade starting her new job. It was hard enough for them that they’d be in new schools, and now they had to deal with their home in upheaval, as well.

When she’d learned Jade needed temporary lodgings in the area, Hester Farrell had railroaded Jade into occupying Trevor’s rarely used second floor until the repairs were completed. Suspicious about Hester’s motives, Jade had initially resisted the offer. When it came to Jade and Trevor, Hester was no more subtle a matchmaker than Jade’s own mom.

Jade had been forced to inform her mother more than once that she wasn’t interested in being pushed into a romance with Hester’s handsome and successful son—despite hints that grew more pointed each time Jade’s path crossed Trevor’s. As if both being widowed early and having mothers who were close friends formed the basis for a lasting relationship between her and Trevor, Jade often thought in exasperation.

She didn’t want to do anything that would throw more fuel on that particular fire. And accepting charity was difficult for someone who’d become accustomed to relying on no one but herself.

Still, the intimidatingly efficient Hester had forged on with her proposition. Both Hester and Jade’s mother had implied that it would be ungrateful of Jade to refuse the generous offer. So now here they were, being welcomed into Trevor’s home by his housekeeper less than two full days after Hester had extended the invitation on her son’s behalf. Jade couldn’t help wondering if Trevor was any more enthused about the situation than she was.

She and Trevor had been introduced for the first time only three years ago during a party at his parents’ house to celebrate Jade’s mother’s sixtieth birthday. Coincidentally in town for a class reunion, Trevor had dropped in to give his regards. Jade and Trevor had interacted on only a few occasions since, most recently when he’d accompanied his parents to Jade’s father’s funeral last year. Jade couldn’t claim to know Trevor well, but when she thought of him, she always recalled his impeccable manners and his charming, but unrevealing, smile. Despite his deeply ingrained courtesy, she’d had the sense that wherever he was at the time, he felt as though he should be somewhere else—a busy man with divided loyalties pulling him in many directions.

Having been wed to a man whose attention was always somewhere else, Jade recognized the type all too well. Stephen hadn’t been home much during their tragically shortened marriage, but when he was, she knew he’d been thinking of his responsibilities to the military. As much as he’d loved her and the kids, and she’d never had reason to doubt that he had loved them, he’d never seemed totally comfortable changing diapers or grilling burgers in the backyard or unclogging drains. The battlefield had called to him. She’d always wondered if he’d felt the pull of home when he was deployed or if a war zone was where he truly felt most himself.

She’d learned to be independent and almost completely self-sufficient during her somewhat unconventional but still happy marriage. She was chagrined to be in the position of having to accept Trevor’s help now, but she hadn’t had many other options. Finding a temporary place to rent for a family of four would have been difficult. She had to admit this was a convenient, if awkward, solution to her crisis.

With a resigned shake of her head, she motioned toward the stairs. “Everyone follow Mrs. Rayburn now.”

“Oh, y’all can just call me Mary Pat,” the housekeeper insisted with a musical chime of a laugh as she started up the stairs. “I’ve never cared much for formality, as Trevor would tell you.”

Reaching the second-floor landing, they faced a wall arranged with framed photographs of gorgeous landscapes, an intriguing mix of coastal and inland shots. Jade wondered if Trevor had taken them; she’d been told he was a talented photographer. If these photos were his, his talent hadn’t been exaggerated, she mused, studying an image of ocean spray blasting up from behind a boulder on which a heron posed with proudly spread wings. An aerial view of a wooded mountaintop was breathtaking both in theme and in the implied risk involved in taking the shot. Jade had heard Trevor’s mother bemoan her son’s proclivity for risky activities like riding fast motorcycles, mountain climbing and paragliding. As the widow of an adrenaline junkie, Jade didn’t fault Hester for wishing her son would pursue less risky hobbies.

“I like that one,” Bella whispered, pointing to a tableau of two brown horses standing nose to nose in a rolling green pasture as if sharing a secret from the photographer they side-eyed.

“I like it, too,” Jade said, smiling down at her youngest.

“There are three guest bedrooms up here and one downstairs, all with baths attached,” Mary Pat announced with a wave of a hand. “This door ahead of us leads into the bigger bedroom. I figured you’d want that one, Ms. Evans. The other two bedrooms are on either side of the hallway. Maybe the girls would like to share one and Caleb can have the third. Unless you’d prefer to use the downstairs guest suite, Ms. Evans?”

“No, we’ll all bunk up here, thank you. The girls will share. And please call me Jade. I’m not really the formal type, either.”

“Where does Ms. Hester’s son sleep?” Erin asked, peering into one of the open doors.

“Oh, his suite is downstairs,” Mary Pat replied. “He hardly ever comes up here, to be honest.”

“Then why does he have all these rooms?” Erin asked with typical blunt curiosity.

“He calls it an investment. But I think his mama talked him into buying the place,” Mary Pat added with a wink at Jade. “If you know her, you’re aware she’s a force to be reckoned with. Fine woman, but you don’t want to be getting on her bad side.”

Jade believed Mary Pat had just concisely summed up Hester’s personality. Jade’s mom insisted Hester was simply a well-intentioned meddler, but Jade had always been secretly intimidated by the woman. “Where do you sleep, Ms. Mary Pat?” Erin asked.

“Did you see that cottage off to one side of the property? Trevor had it built for me when my husband passed away three years ago. I was never blessed with children, and Trevor is like the son I always wanted. His mama is gracious enough to share him with me—probably because it takes both of us to keep him in line,” the housekeeper added with another of her musical laughs.

Jade was getting the distinct impression that while the likable Mary Pat adored her employer, she didn’t hesitate to speak her mind to or about him.

“There’s one other room up here y’all need to see.” Mary Pat turned to her left and walked to the end of the hallway. She opened a door and stepped back to invite them in with another wave of her expressive hands.

Jade heard the kids gasp in delight, and she sighed in surrender as she looked into a spacious rec room equipped with a large-screen TV with leather theater seating, a pool table and a foosball table. Tall, leather-covered stools drew up to a built-in bar on which rested a wooden bowl filled with assorted fruits. Two game tables sat in front of shelves stocked with books, games—both video and tabletop—and an impressive selection of movies. A smaller table had been tucked into a dormer nook, surrounded by inviting beanbag hassocks and topped with a nubbed baseplate for use with a big bin of brightly colored plastic building blocks.

Erin was already being drawn to the bookshelves while Caleb studied the video games. Bella, overwhelmed, clung to Jade’s hand, though she looked longingly at the blocks table. Considering this room and the pool in the backyard, Jade figured the kids were never going to want to leave this house for the more modest home she had purchased in a less-expensive neighborhood a few miles away. It was a nice place, but not like this one. No private pool. No extravagant entertainment room.

Still, she thought they’d be quite happy in their new house, once it was fire-damage free and habitable again, of course. The kids had examined and approved every inch of it before the purchase papers were signed. They’d miss their previous home and friends in Columbia, but Jade thought she’d prepared them well for their adventure here.

She’d been considering this move for more than a year, since her physician cousin had first approached her about taking a nursing job in a medical clinic in Shorty’s Landing. With all the children in school, Jade could put her nursing training to full use, having worked only part-time for Bella’s first six years. And frankly, it would be nice to start fresh in a new town with new acquaintances. As kind as everyone in her hometown had been to them after her husband’s death, there were times when it had become difficult for all of them to be always seen as the tragically bereaved survivors of a larger-than-life military hero.

“Mr. Farrell really never comes up here?” Caleb shook his head in disbelief. “If I had a room like this, I’d stay in it all the time.”

“This floor is set up for his guests. He has a big TV, a reading nook, and a home office in his private suite downstairs,” Mary Pat explained. “When he’s home, he’s usually there.”

“Although I have been known to sneak up here late at night to work on my pool-shooting skills,” a man drawled from the doorway. “I figure if I keep practicing, I’ll beat Mary Pat someday. Don’t ever bet against her, by the way. She’s a hustler.”

“Not a hustler,” Mary Pat said with a grin as everyone turned to watch Trevor Farrell enter the room. “Just better than you’ll ever be, practice or no.”

Trevor laughed, the sound deep and rumbly. Jade swallowed. He was even better looking than she’d remembered—tall and slim, with light brown hair, very blue eyes and a smile that could have come straight from a toothpaste ad. His posture was straight and he looked poised, a man accustomed to being in charge. His expression was warm as he approached her. “It’s nice to see you again, Jade.”

She tucked a strand of blond hair behind one ear. “Trevor, it was so generous of you to take us in while our house is being repaired. We appreciate it very much.”

“As you can see, there’s plenty of room. You aren’t putting me out at all. I’m only sorry the accident at your new house delayed your move-in. That must have been disappointing for you all.”

“Oh, I think everything’s working out just fine,” Erin proclaimed, running a hand admiringly along the back of a leather theater chair. “I’m Erin, by the way.”

“Yes, I recall meeting you at your grandmother’s sixtieth birthday party—what? Three years ago? You’ve grown quite a bit since then.”

Erin nodded. “I was just seven then. I’m ten now.”

“I remember you.” Caleb looked around from the video game selection as he spoke, pushing his glasses up on his nose. “Is it okay if I play Dougie the Donkey on your system later? I’ll be really careful.”

“Of course you can play the game, Caleb, if your mom approves. Maybe you could even show me a trick or two. I’ve never gotten past the Gator Boss fight on level nine.”

“Seriously? I took him out in like three tries.”

Trevor chuckled. “So far my skills at both pool and video games have been questioned. What about you, Little Bit?” he asked casually of Bella, who was peeking out at him from behind her mother. “Do you have a special talent you could embarrass me with?”

Jade half-expected her shy youngest to mumble an answer and hide again, which was Bella’s usual response when spoken to by strangers. Instead, after a moment’s thought, the child replied, “I can do cartwheels. Three in a row.”

Trevor threw up his hands. “Well, there you go. I can’t do one cartwheel without falling right on my...er...face.”

Bella giggled, then crowded behind Jade again as if she’d surprised even herself.

“In case you forgot, her name is Bella,” Erin said in a long-suffering tone. “She’s kind of a scaredy-cat.”

“Am not,” Bella muttered, her voice muffled by Jade’s shirt.

“I wouldn’t call anyone who can do three cartwheels in a row a scaredy-cat,” Trevor said solemnly, giving Jade a wink that made her catch her breath. She blinked a couple of times, as surprised by her own automatic response to this charismatic man as by Bella’s. They’d always been surrounded by crowds in their earlier meetings. Maybe that had somewhat diluted the effect of his substantial charm.

“Anyway,” Trevor said. “I have a dull business dinner tonight and I need to change first. I just wanted to welcome you and tell you that if there’s anything you need while you’re our guests here, please let us know.”

Erin opened her mouth to speak, but closed it again quickly when Jade frowned at her. Heaven only knew what her outspoken middle child had been on the verge of requesting.

Mary Pat moved toward the door. “I’m going down to start dinner for the rest of us. I’ll let you know when it’s ready, Jade.”

“Oh, you don’t have to cook for us,” Jade felt compelled to protest. “I can...”

“Are you kidding? I’m always delighted to have an excuse to cook for a group. And I’m planning to eat with y’all, so I’m looking forward to that, too.” Mary Pat punched Trevor’s arm lightly as she passed him. “This one’s hardly ever home at mealtime.”

“You know I’d rather have your cooking than anyone else’s,” Trevor shot back, patting her cheek. “Just have to work most evenings.”

“And by work, he means schmoozing with guests at the resort or having dinner with travel writers or vendors,” Mary Pat explained in an aside as she left the room. “Most of which he could cut back on significantly without affecting his business in the least. The man is a workaholic, but nothing his mama or I say can make him change his ways.”

Smiling, Trevor spoke to Jade. “Mary Pat is one of a kind. I tell her all the time I’m not sure if it’s a benefit to the world or a shame there are no more like her.”

Amused by the relationship between Mary Pat and Trevor, Jade returned his smile. “Looks to me as if you’re lucky to have her.”

Casting an exaggeratedly wary look toward the doorway, Trevor placed a finger to his lips as he stage-whispered, “Don’t tell her I said this, but you’re right.”

Dropping his hand, he took a step backward toward the hall. “Again, if there’s anything you need, just let us know. There are bottled waters and assorted soft drinks in the bar fridge along with some yogurts and other snacks, and of course the fruit in the bowl. Help yourself...uh...with your mom’s permission, of course, kids. And, Jade, there’s a coffeemaker and an assortment of coffees and teas.”

“Wait up a second, Trevor.” Releasing Bella’s hand, Jade moved to follow him. “You kids stay in here and play with the blocks or something for a few minutes while I speak with Mr. Farrell.”

The girls were already headed toward the blocks table when Jade stepped out of the room and into the hallway with Trevor.

He paused at the top of the stairs. “Is there something I can do for you, Jade?”

“I wanted to thank you again for your hospitality,” she said quietly. “I have a feeling your mother pressured you into this, but it was still very kind of you. And I want to assure you that I was as surprised by the offer as you probably were. It never would have occurred to me to ask you to open your home to us this way.”

He started to speak, and she sensed he was going to respond with the practiced, professional-host courtesy he’d displayed before. But then he dropped the act, giving her a glimpse of the man behind the admittedly attractive polish. “Knowing my mother, I have no doubt whose idea this was. And, yeah, Mom did let me know after she’d set it up that you and your family would be staying with me for a couple of weeks. But don’t take that to mean I regret having you here. I’d have made the same offer had I heard about your situation on my own. If the resort weren’t full to capacity this week, I’d have arranged a suite for you there to give the kids more options for entertainment.”

“More options?” Jade glanced toward the rec room where her children were happily entertained at that moment. “I think they have more than enough here to occupy them, thank you.”

“My mom told me you’re moving to Shorty’s Landing to start a new job,” Trevor said.

She nodded. “I’ll be working for my cousin. She’s opening a family practice clinic with a partner, and I’ll be her nurse. The clinic opens a week from Monday.”

Obviously, none of this was news to Trevor, who’d probably heard all the details from his mother. “I look forward to meeting your cousin, Dr....?”

“Amy Ford. You might have met her at my dad’s funeral last year. She’s an excellent doctor. Very compassionate and thorough. Dr. Lincoln Brindle is her partner, and he’s wonderful, too.”

“I’m sure they’ll be an asset to the community,” Trevor said, slipping smoothly back into his rather formal manner.

“They will be.”

He would know all about being a community asset, of course. Even as a newcomer to the town where Trevor had made his home for the past eight or nine years, Jade had already heard his praises from the few locals she’d encountered. He was considered one of the most prestigious community leaders. The daughter of a successful attorney and a human resources manager, Jade came from a comfortable background, herself, but the Farrells were wealthy. Very wealthy. And everyone in their hometown—nearly everyone in this state, for that matter—knew that Trevor had done quite well for himself with the rapidly expanding Wind Shadow Resort chain he’d started a few years earlier.

“Anyway, thank you again for your generosity. We’ll try not to be any trouble for you while we’re here.”

“And again, it’s no trouble. You saw how happy Mary Pat is to have you and the kids here. She’s going to have so much fun with them.”

Jade didn’t know what else to say. She nodded and forced a smile. “I’ll let you get ready for your evening now. Enjoy your dinner.”

“I have a feeling Mary Pat will enjoy hers more,” he said with a flash of those pearly whites. “Good night, Jade.”

“Good night, Trevor.”

Seeing the slight limp when he put his weight on his right leg as he descended the stairs, she recalled that he’d been in a serious motorcycle accident just over a year ago. Her mother had called to tell her about it the night it happened, when Trevor’s family had worried he might not even survive his injuries. She’d been told he’d undergone at least two surgeries since to repair injuries to that leg.

She shuddered at the thought. Motorcycles terrified her. Her late husband had loved them, and had barely escaped serious injury more than once with his escapades on them. She hated to think there would come a day when her son would express interest in one of the machines.

She only hoped Trevor had gotten rid of his, if it was still drivable, for his own mother’s sake. Had this particular daredevil learned caution from his misadventure—or was he still hooked on defying danger? None of her business, of course, but she knew his parents hoped for the former.

* * *

TREVOR WAS ACCUSTOMED to returning to a dark, quiet house at the end of a long workday, usually well after his housekeeper had retired to her cottage for the evening. Sometimes he slept in the small suite connected to his office at the resort, but most nights he came home so he’d at least feel like he’d left work for a few hours, even though he often spent a couple hours more catching up on paperwork in his home office.

It wasn’t as if he had to rush home, he replied whenever he was chided for his long workdays. Mary Pat liked to watch TV in her cottage in the evenings, and he didn’t even have a pet waiting for him. So who really cared whether he came home at seven or midnight?

Tonight four extra people were staying in his house, not that he expected to see any of them at this hour. It was after ten. He’d noted when he’d turned into the driveway that the upstairs lights were out. The kids were probably asleep, and Jade was likely tired after a busy day of getting settled in.

Jade. He pictured his houseguest as he walked up the stairs from the lower-level garage into the kitchen and hung his keys on a hook. Blond hair, amber eyes, high cheekbones and a stubborn chin. He knew Jade was only thirty-two—young to have a twelve-year-old son, even younger to be widowed for five years. But then, he’d been widowed for almost ten years, himself. He’d been just twenty-eight when Lindsey was killed in a car accident.

As hard as the loss had been for him, he couldn’t even imagine how difficult it must have been for a mother of three young children.

Her kids were cute. He liked children—from a safe distance. His Wind Shadow Resort here in South Carolina was a family-friendly destination with mini golf, arcades, a water park and a kids’ day program, and he always interacted well with the younger guests. He expected to get along just fine with Jade’s trio, though he probably wouldn’t see much of them during the next two weeks.

Despite his mother’s frequent and unsubtle hints, he wasn’t in any hurry for his own offspring. They required entirely too much emotional investment. Too much time, too much energy, too much anxiety—particularly for someone who’d already experienced loss and didn’t want to live in constant worry about other vulnerable innocents. Did that make him a coward? Okay, maybe. But a contented one, nonetheless, he assured himself.

He was walking through the den toward his suite when a movement outside the big glass sliders caught his attention. Only the minimum of security lights were turned on, rather than the full range of lighting available for nighttime entertaining. With a frown, he stepped closer to make sure no one was out there in the gloom who shouldn’t be.

Seeing a dark form seated near the edge of the pool, he reached quickly for the slider handle. Had one of the kids sneaked out this late? He didn’t even want to think about a child falling into his pool in the middle of the night. The pool was fenced off from outsiders but accessible from the patio, a situation he hadn’t needed to reconsider until tonight.

That was exactly the kind of dread he’d just told himself he didn’t want in his life.

He was relieved when he walked down the steps from the deck and saw Jade seated cross-legged on the tile. She’d turned her head when he opened the door. He felt all his senses leap to attention in response to the impact of her dark eyes and soft mouth glistening in the low light. He pushed those responses down, reminding himself that she was a guest in his home.

He motioned toward the glittering pool. “Thinking about taking a dip?”

“Well, not in a shirt and jeans,” she answered with a laugh. “I was just enjoying the nice night. I like to sit under the stars to unwind after a long day. This is a beautiful back lawn, Trevor. And this pool is fantastic.”

“Thanks.” He was rather proud of the pool, which he’d designed to resemble a natural element surrounded by realistic-looking rocks. A tall waterfall anchored the far end, with a curving slide built around it into the water. A low diving board jutted out from another side. When had he last taken time to enjoy any of those features?

An outdoor barbecue kitchen, along with tables, benches and inviting lounge chairs, made the backyard ideal for entertaining, and yet he made use of it all too rarely. It had been at least three months since he’d hosted a barbecue, and that had been a business function for visiting investors.

He glanced toward the various comfortable seating areas, then gave a shrug and sat beside Jade on the cool, night-damp tile. “Did you have a nice dinner?”

“Very nice, thank you. Mary Pat kept us laughing all through the meal. I practically had to twist her arm to let us help her clear away afterward.”

“Mary Pat loves nothing more than fussing over people. There are times I feel sort of guilty for not giving her more to do around here,” he said with a sheepish chuckle. “I try to come home at least once a week for dinner just so she can cook for me—and yes, I’m aware of how that sounds.”

“After seeing her beaming at the dinner table while the kids were scarfing down their food, I totally believe you.”

They smiled at each other, and then Jade looked away, her gaze turning upward toward the night sky. Leaning back on his hands, Trevor followed her example. The stars were beautiful, like flawless diamonds scattered carelessly over black velvet. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d simply sat and looked up at them. A breeze rustled the fronds of the palmettos planted around the patio and played in the leaves of the old live oak trees bordering his property. The rock waterfall, glittering in the illumination of built-in canister lights, provided a soothing, almost musical accompaniment.

He’d owned this house for four years, yet he could count on one hand the number of times he’d simply sat by the pool and completely relaxed. It felt good. He glanced at the attractive woman sitting quietly beside him and realized it was even nicer to have someone to share the peaceful interlude with. Jade looked perfectly comfortable with the companionable silence.

It had been a long while since he’d enjoyed one-on-one time with an appealing woman. He’d tried to convince himself he was too busy with new work projects, but the truth was he’d simply gotten tired of dealing with conventions and expectations.

He heard Jade draw a deep breath, as if taking in a long taste of the night before she asked, “How was your business dinner?”

Grateful to be distracted by a topic that was much more comfortable for him, he shrugged and replied, “It was fine. Nothing out of the ordinary.”

“Mary Pat told us during dinner that you’ll be traveling to your resort in Texas tomorrow.”

He nodded. “I’m planning to spend the weekend there. I’ll be back Sunday evening. In the meantime, I hope you and the kids make yourselves completely at home here. The pool and the rec room are at your disposal as much as you like. And if there’s anything else you need, please don’t hesitate to let Mary Pat know.”

“Thank you. Caleb and Erin are already looking forward to getting in this pool. They love to swim.”

“Any time. Mary Pat knows where all the switches are for the pool features. It has lights for night swimming, too.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Trevor found himself fantasizing for a moment about seeing Jade in the pool under the twinkling stars. He’d bet she looked damned good wet.

What was wrong with him tonight? Telling himself to stop being such a guy, he looked back up at the sky.

After a moment, Jade pushed herself to her feet, stretching as she rose with a grace that reminded him of a sleek cat. “I should check on the kids. And then I’ll turn in. Good night, Trevor.”

Shifting his weight on the tile, he cleared his throat. “Yeah, um, good night, Jade. I think I’ll stay out here a few more minutes.”

He watched her walk away. Had she taken ballet lessons? Something about her posture and the way she moved brought the question to his mind. Well, that and a few other things a good host probably shouldn’t think about in regards to his guest.

* * *

MARY PAT HAD a hearty breakfast ready by the time Jade and the kids came downstairs Friday morning. As much as she enjoyed the pampering, Jade still felt uncomfortable about being waited on this way. She’d hired babysitters and once-a-week maid service when the children were little and she was in nursing school, but she’d never had a live-in housekeeper and cook. It felt too decadent.

Trevor joined them for breakfast before leaving to spend the weekend at his second resort on the Texas Gulf Coast. Erin and Caleb chattered at him throughout the half hour he sat with them. Jade was impressed with his patience in answering their questions and responding to their random comments, even though it was obvious to her that he was keeping a close eye on the time, preparing for his departure. He went out of his way to include shy Bella in the freewheeling conversation, eliciting a few smiles and even a couple of soft laughs from the child in response. Jade was content for the most part just to listen while she enjoyed her waffles, contributing only when she was directly addressed. Mary Pat bustled around the table like a proud Southern grandma blissfully feeding her brood, settling only occasionally into her own chair.

Trevor made his excuses before the others were finished with their meals, explaining that he had to get to the airport. He encouraged Jade and the children again to use the pool and other amenities, adding he was sure Mary Pat would take good care of them. Jade noted that he squeezed his housekeeper’s shoulder lightly on his way out and Mary Pat patted his hand in response, an affectionate exchange that demonstrated their mutual fondness.

She and the kids had several errands scheduled for that very warm day. When they returned to the house, Jade, Caleb and Erin made good use of the swimming pool. Bella, who was afraid of water, sat on the side and entertained herself with toys while the others laughed and swam and played on the tall, curving waterslide.

Jade climbed out of the pool first, telling Caleb and Erin they could play awhile longer before getting ready for dinner. Toweling her hair, she divided her attention between her older two, who swam like playful dolphins, and her daydreaming youngest nearby. Jade realized she was sitting in the same spot she’d shared briefly with Trevor the night before. She couldn’t help thinking again that he seemed like a genuinely nice guy. It was a wonder such a handsome, successful and charming man lived alone in this lovely home.

Was he still grieving the young wife he’d lost in a traffic accident? She remembered hearing about it at the time from her mother. Saddened by Trevor’s loss, Jade had been unaware, of course, that she would be widowed herself within a few short years.

She could understand if Trevor found it hard to allow anyone new into his heart. She wasn’t sure she would ever take that leap again herself. She’d been so deeply in love with Stephen during their somewhat unconventional but passionate marriage, and the grief of that devastating loss had been grueling to get through. She’d managed somehow for her children’s sakes, but it had been a tough time for them all.

“Mom, Mom, watch this!” Erin called from the top of the slide. “Headfirst!”

Pulling her attention back to her maternal duties, Jade called out to her daredevil daughter to be careful, then settled back to watch, putting both the past and Trevor Farrell out of her mind for now.

Chapter Two

“MARY PAT, STOP HOVERING. I’m fine, okay?” Trevor hated sounding cross and ungrateful, but he disliked even more being dependent on anyone. He’d spent the latter half of last year recuperating from the motorcycle accident that had come too close to ending him, and he’d only been off crutches for a couple of months since his last knee surgery. Now damned if he hadn’t injured the knee again, though fortunately not nearly as badly this time. But that didn’t keep it from hurting like hell.

Though his original injury had been due to a distracted driver crashing into his motorcycle, this time it was entirely his own fault. He’d thought his knee was recovered enough for some energetic kitesurfing, a sport he loved, with friends in Texas. He’d been wrong.

He’d felt the damned knee pop when he’d made an awkward landing, and the pain had been instant and excruciating. His friends had insisted on taking him straight to an emergency room. Now he was back on crutches for a week or so, under doctor’s orders to keep the leg elevated as much as possible and to take it easy for a while. Considering how busy he was with work at the moment, that wasn’t going to be easy.

Tonight he planned on relaxing with a hot shower, a cold beer and a baseball game on the TV while propping his leg on an ottoman. He hoped he wouldn’t feel obliged to entertain the guests staying on his second floor that night. Every once in a while, being the gracious host, at work and now even in his home, became utterly exhausting.

“I’d hardly call it hovering for me to just do my job,” his housekeeper muttered. With an emphatic thump, she deposited a tray on the low table in front of the easy chair in Trevor’s suite.

The driver he’d arranged to collect him at the airport had dropped him off at home an hour ago, and Mary Pat hadn’t left him alone since. She’d turned down his bed, fluffed his pillows and made sure he had water, pain meds, crutches, his cell phone and the TV remote within easy reach. As she’d said, it was her job. He just wished she wouldn’t be quite so conscientious for an hour or two while he sulked in private.

He hadn’t seen Jade or the kids since he’d returned. It was after nine, so maybe Jade was putting the kids to bed. Or maybe they were just thoughtfully staying out of his way.

Hands on her ample hips, Mary Pat displayed her frequent uncanny ability to know what he was thinking. “I advised Jade and the kids to give you some space this evening. I knew what kind of mood you’d be in. Jade told me to be sure and let you know she’s right upstairs if you need anything tonight. She’s a nurse, you know.”

“I don’t need a nurse. And I’m not in a mood.” He had to suppress a wince when he heard his own grumpy tone.

His housekeeper rolled her eyes expressively. “Oh, no, of course you’re not. Now, do you need anything else or are you going to snarl at me just for asking?”

“I don’t need anything else. Thank you, Mary Pat,” he added, apologetic.

“You’re welcome, hon.” She patted him on the shoulder, letting him know she understood his grouchiness was spurred by pain and frustration. Which made him feel even guiltier about taking it out on her. “And notice that I’m not saying a word about how you shouldn’t have been on that surfboard thing at all.”

Trevor grunted, knowing the lectures would come, both from his housekeeper and his mother. Maybe even from assorted friends and staff.

Mary Pat continued, “You shoot me a text or call me if you need anything at all later, you got it? Even if it’s in the middle of the night.”

“I’ll be fine, but thanks.”

Giving him a final pat, she bade him good-night and let herself out of his suite. As soon as the door closed behind her, he allowed himself one low moan when he shifted his throbbing leg on the ottoman, adjusting the ice pack covering his knee. He wore shorts and a T-shirt, baring his scarred leg for the treatment, and still the cold wasn’t helping much. The pain meds he’d been given at the hospital were wearing off, but he didn’t want to take more unless it became absolutely necessary.

He was aware that his disposition was growing darker by the moment. His business trip hadn’t gone particularly well, he’d foolishly reinjured his leg, he’d snapped unfairly at Mary Pat and there were guests in his home, so he had to be on his best behavior until he was back on his feet, regardless of his mood. The whole point of owning a house fifteen miles from the resort was to have a refuge where he could get away for a few hours from polite small talk, incessant smiles and perpetual hosting.

A quiet tap on his door deepened his scowl. It didn’t sound like Mary Pat’s usual firm rap. Had Jade come down to check on him? If so, it was thoughtful of her but not the greatest timing. Still, it would be rude to ignore her. Forcing himself into his usual practiced-host demeanor, he said, “Come in.”

The door opened slowly, but he had to lower his gaze to identify the visitor, who was much shorter than he’d expected. “Bella? Are you lost?”

The child stepped fully into the room, her expression tentative, one hand behind her back. He noted that she was dressed in blue pajamas decorated with leaping dolphins, and he wondered if she was supposed to be in bed.

“Is there something I can do for you?” he asked, though he wasn’t sure how much assistance he could provide at the moment.

“Mommy said you got hurt,” she said, her voice so soft he had to strain to listen. She pointed to his elevated right leg. “Does it hurt bad?”

“It’s felt better,” he answered candidly, “but I’ll be okay.”

Her brown eyes looked huge as she gazed at him with sympathy. “Were you trying to do a cartwheel?”

Reminded of their conversation the day they’d met, he smiled. “No, I wasn’t trying a cartwheel. But perhaps you can show me how you do them sometime.”

“Mommy says I have to do cartwheels outside unless I’m at gymnastics class,” she informed him solemnly.

“Then you can show me outside when we get the chance.” He studied her more closely. “What do have behind your back?” he asked in a casual tone.

Keeping her eyes focused hard on his face, as if to judge his reaction, she brought her hand around to show him a stuffed brown bear. “I brought this for you,” she replied in little more than a whisper.

Confused, he looked more closely at the bear. Looking well-loved, it was dressed in a pink T-shirt bearing the words Get Well Soon.

“GamGam gave me this when I had tonslisus,” Bella added earnestly. “It made me feel better. Maybe it will help your leg not hurt so much.”

Mentally translating tonslisus to tonsillitis, Trevor swallowed hard as he tried to come up with the proper response to her touching gesture. “That’s very kind of you, Bella. Thank you. Um—does your mother know you’re down here?”

Stepping closer to his chair, she set the bear carefully on his ottoman, next to his ice-pack-covered knee. “I don’t know.”

Which meant no, he decided. With a sigh, he reached for the crutches lying beside his chair. “I’ll take you back upstairs.”

“That won’t be necessary.” Jade stood in the doorway to his suite. Her arms crossed over her chest, Jade eyed her youngest in disapproval. “Bella, I’ve been looking all over for you! What on earth are you doing down here? Didn’t I tell you we have to leave Mr. Farrell alone?”

“You said he was hurt,” Bella argued. “So I brought Dr. Bear to make him feel better.”

“Oh. Well. You still shouldn’t have come down without telling me.” Jade shot a quick glance at Trevor, then motioned toward the door. “Back to bed, young lady. I’ll be up in a few minutes to make sure you’re tucked in.”

Bella took off without another word, leaving Trevor grinning despite himself. He stifled the smile when Jade looked around at him again.

“I’m sorry. I thought Bella was in bed until Erin let me know she was missing. I was in the rec room watching a TV show with Caleb.”

He leaned forward to pick up the toy. “She thought this would make me feel better. I’d hate to see her get in trouble for that.”

“She’s in trouble for sneaking downstairs without asking. I have to be able to trust her to follow my rules.” Jade tucked her hair behind one ear as she glanced down at his leg. He was sure she saw every scar he’d accumulated through the accident last year and the follow-up surgical repairs. They weren’t pretty. “Is there anything I can do for you?”

“I’m good, thanks.” Setting the stuffed bear on the table beside him, he shifted his weight in his chair. The movement dislodged the ice pack from his knee. He made a grab for it, but it fell to the floor. Jade rushed forward to scoop it up.

“This isn’t very cold,” she said with a frown. “Do you have another in the freezer?”

“I do, but I can probably leave it off for a while. I’ve had it on for almost half an hour.”

“The usual recommendation is twenty minutes, so you should be good for now. Would you like me to put this back in the freezer for later?”

“Sure.” He motioned toward the opposite wall in the sitting area of his bedroom suite. His deep leather chair and a matching one, both with ottomans, faced a fireplace above which hung a large-screen TV. Flanking the fireplace on either side were well-filled bookshelves. A French door to his right led out to the patio, and his bedroom and bath were on his left. His home office opened off the bedroom, so that his private sanctuary was entirely separate from the guest quarters.

Well, for the most part, he thought with a glance toward the teddy bear. “There’s a minifridge with a freezer behind the door on the right side of the fireplace. You can just stick the pack in there, thanks.”

Jade followed his directions, then closed the cabinet again and glanced around. “This is a lovely space.”

“Thanks. I enjoy it. Is everything okay upstairs for you and the kids? Anything you need?” he felt compelled to ask, despite his discomfort.

“No, it’s perfect for us, thank you.”

“Did you and the kids have a nice weekend?”

“Very nice, thank you. We spent Saturday at the beach. Caleb and Erin swam while Bella built sand castles and looked for shells. They’re going to love living so close to the ocean. But I’m sorry your trip ended so badly.”

He wasn’t sure if she’d heard the details of how he’d reinjured himself, but if so, at least she didn’t seem inclined to lecture him. He replied offhandedly, “Just a minor setback. I’ll be back on my feet in a few days.”

“Speaking of which...” She reached for a throw pillow on the other chair and carried it toward him. Gesturing toward his elevated leg, she asked, “Do you mind? Your leg really should be higher to make the edema go down faster.”

“You’re the nurse,” he said with a slight shrug.

Her hands were cool and obviously skilled as she lifted his calf to slide the extra pillow beneath. She resettled the leg carefully, then pressed lightly against the visible swelling. “Is there much pain here?”

Both her tone and her touch were briskly professional, yet still he had to clear his throat before answering lightly. “It’s felt better.”

“You have pain meds?”

“I have them.” He didn’t promise that he would take them. Not unless absolutely necessary.

Obviously not fooled, she smiled dryly and started to take a step back. “Okay, macho man, that’s your call. You have my cell number. Call if you need anything during the night, please. It’s the least I can do in return for your hospitality.”

On impulse, he caught her wrist. He really disliked appearing weak and injured in front of her, sitting here with his leg on pillows while she stood there looking...well, looking so damned good. “I told you before, you don’t owe me anything.”

She looked down at his hand, then raised her gaze to his. “And I told you that you have my gratitude, whether you want it or not.”

He didn’t want her gratitude. Because he couldn’t say what he did want from her, he released her. “You should probably make sure Bella got back to bed safely.”

“Yes.” But she didn’t move away. He noted that she rubbed her wrist absently, though his clasp had been gentle. “I can tell you’re hurting,” she said quietly. “I understand you want to be cautious with the prescription meds, but can I at least get you an over-the-counter pain reliever?”

He nodded toward the tray on the side table between the chairs. “Mary Pat left snacks, a carafe of hot herbal tea, meds—both prescription and OTC—and some sort of healing crystal. I’m good, thanks.”

He saw her smile as she glanced at the tray. “I’ll say again, you have a treasure in her.”

“Yes. I do.” Feeling guilty all over again about having snapped at his housekeeper earlier, he promised himself he’d be on his best behavior during the remainder of his recovery. Or at least he’d try, he amended more realistically.

He didn’t try to detain Jade this time when she moved toward the door.

She didn’t look back as she left. He watched her until she closed the door behind her, cutting off his very nice view of her backside. Telling himself pain and exhaustion must be messing with his mind, he closed his eyes and put his head back against the chair with a low, frustrated groan.

* * *

TREVOR WASN’T AT the breakfast table Monday morning.

“He said he wasn’t hungry,” Mary Pat explained to Jade and the kids. “When I went in to tell him it was ready, he was already on the phone with his assistant. I’m sure he’ll be at his desk all day, working harder than ever and pouting because he’s supposed to be off his feet for a few days.”

Erin giggled. “Grown-up men don’t pout.”

“Oh, honey.” Mary Pat exchanged a laughing look with Jade. “Don’t you believe that for a second.”

Reminding herself that it was impolite to laugh at their host, even good-naturedly, Jade looked down at her plate where a flaky homemade biscuit was topped with a thick sausage gravy. It was hardly a health-conscious meal, despite the fresh fruit compote served on the side, but she had to admit it was tasty. And it was very kind of Mary Pat to cook for them. Still, maybe she could drop a few hints later that oatmeal or fruit and yogurt would suffice for a few days.

“So, what’s on your schedule for today?” Mary Pat asked, including the whole family in the question. “Any big plans?”

“Back-to-school shopping,” Jade replied. “Backpacks, lunchboxes, school supplies, that sort of thing.”

“I need new shoes,” Erin reminded her. “My old ones are gross.”

“I want new shoes, too,” Bella piped in. “And a Hello Kitty backpack.”

“I need some new jeans,” Caleb grumbled. “Mine are all getting too short.”

“Okay, everyone, I know what we need.” Jade shook her head ruefully. She’d already done most of the shopping for the new school year, but her children still had their lists of “necessities.” It was going to be a long day.

“Why don’t you come with us, Ms. Mary Pat?” Erin asked, her face lighting up. “We’re going to have lunch out. And maybe get ice cream!”

“I never promised ice cream,” Jade challenged with a lifted eyebrow.

“I said maybe.” Undiscouraged, Erin forged on, “Anyway, it’ll be fun. So, want to come?”

“Thank you, Erin, but I really shouldn’t. I have work to do here, and I hate to leave Trevor while he’s recuperating.” Still, Mary Pat looked pleased by the invitation. “Maybe I’ll shop with you another time.”

“We’ll give you a rain check.” Erin had only recently learned the term, and she used it confidently.

Mary Pat chuckled. “I’ll gladly take it.”

When they’d finished eating, Jade sent the kids upstairs to brush their teeth and find their shoes for the outing. “Let me help you clean up, Mary Pat,” she said after they scampered away. She reached for the gravy bowl, which was still more than half-full, even though everyone had eaten heartily.

“Oh, I’ve got this. But you can do me another favor, if you don’t mind.”

“Name it.”

“Will you take a tray in to Trevor while I put away the rest of the food? I told him he’d be getting breakfast in his room so he’s expecting it, even if the grouch won’t admit he’s hungry.”

Jade wished fleetingly that Mary Pat had just asked her to scrub the kitchen floor, instead. She told herself that was a silly thought. She was hardly intimidated by Trevor. There was no reason for her to avoid being alone with him. She knew how to deal with grumpy men, so she could handle Trevor even if he was in a bad mood—though she doubted that his habitual courtesy would allow him to be anything but polite to a guest. From her own few observations and everything she’d heard from mutual acquaintances, he had elevated hosting to an art form, which was part of what made his resorts so successful and his investors so willing to gamble on him. “Yes, I’ll take it.”

“Thanks, hon.” Mary Pat gathered the gravy bowl and biscuit plate. “I’d hate for these good leftovers to go to waste.”

Five minutes later, Jade juggled a heavily loaded tray so she could rap lightly on the door of Trevor’s suite. Judging by the weight of the tray, Mary Pat hadn’t believed Trevor’s claims that he wasn’t hungry. Though the food was beneath covers, it felt like enough to feed two or three men.

She couldn’t help thinking of her brief visit with him last night. Even disheveled in shorts and T-shirt, grumpy and hurting, he’d been undeniably all virile male. Disconcerting so. Perhaps she’d been too strongly reminded of all the times she’d tended her husband after he’d injured himself in one of his daredevil sports.

She’d loved Stephen madly, but she’d never fully understood why he’d been so willing to risk breaking his neck just to challenge himself, to the worry of everyone who loved him. For a moment, she almost pitied any woman who’d let herself fall for charming, often reckless Trevor. But then again, she suspected he’d be a hard man to resist for any woman who hadn’t already lived through that constant anxiety.

Hearing muffled words she interpreted as “Come in,” she balanced the tray with one arm as she opened the door. The sitting area was empty, so she followed sounds to the attached office, a sunny room equipped with what appeared to be state-of-the-art technology. The office door was open and she could see Trevor sitting at his desk, his back to her as he worked a keyboard, making spreadsheets and other forms flash across the monitor in front of him.

“I told you I’m not hungry, Mary Pat. My damn leg is killing me and I have a hundred things to do. I’ll eat in a while.”

He was definitely cranky, Jade thought with raised eyebrows. It was the first time she’d ever heard him snap. And it said even more about his close relationship with his housekeeper that he allowed himself to be less than proper and professional in front of her.

“I’m not Mary Pat, but I suspect she’ll be in shortly to make sure you’ve eaten despite your objections.”

He spun his chair in response to her voice, then grimaced when the sudden movement obviously caused him pain. He schooled his expression immediately, settling his features into what she’d come to think of as his “gracious host face.” She rather regretted that he felt the need to hide behind it with her when she’d begun to think of them as friends.

“Jade. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to sound so rude. Thanks for bringing a tray. You can just set it there. I’ll eat when I’ve finished reading this report.”

The table he pointed to sat in front of a small sofa positioned between two bookcases. Like the cases in his sitting area, this one was also filled almost to capacity with books that looked well-read, she noted as she set down the tray with care. She always appreciated a fellow book lover.

Absently rubbing his right knee, he tilted his head toward her, still in apologetic mode. “I told Mary Pat I’d just have an apple or something for breakfast, but she’s determined to stuff me with food every chance she gets. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised she recruited you to make the delivery.”

“I didn’t mind. How’s your leg this morning?”

“It’s better, thanks.”

Jade placed her hands on her hips and merely looked at him.

After a moment, he sighed faintly, sounding just perceptibly cross again when he conceded, “Okay, it hurts. And before you go all Nurse Jade on me, I had it propped up earlier. Just put it down for a while so I could get some work done.”

“I didn’t come in to nag you,” she assured him. “I just brought your breakfast. You’re a grown-ass man. Whether you eat—or elevate your leg—it’s entirely up to you.”

Her pointed retort seemed to catch him by surprise. After a brief pause, he laughed sheepishly. “Sorry. Believe it or not, I’m usually much more gracious to my guests than that. I have no excuse.”

“This is your home, Trevor, not your resort,” she reminded him. “And I’m a friend, not a guest. So, don’t feel that you have to pretend for me that everything is just hunky-dory.”

“Hunky-dory?” He chuckled. “Haven’t heard that term in a while.”

She smiled. “Something my grandmother said frequently. I find myself quoting her a lot these days.”

“I know the feeling. I hear myself sounding a lot like my dad at times, even though I’ve spent most of my life trying to be different.”

Maybe he realized suddenly how that could be interpreted. “My dad’s a great guy, of course,” he added. “I’ve always just wanted to explore my own paths, rather than follow in the family footsteps.”

His family’s fortune came from three or four generations of hotels and other real estate dealings, she mused. Did he really think establishing a chain of resorts was such a different path? Rather amused by what seemed to be his idea of rebellion, she spoke lightly. “I suppose we’re all influenced by family ultimately. Heaven only knows what my kids will pick up from me.”

She thought he relaxed with the quip, as though relieved by the redirection. “Nothing to worry about there, I’m sure.”

“Well, I have been known to let the S-word slip out in front of them when I get mad,” she said solemnly. “‘Oh, sheesh!’”

“Sheesh?” he repeated. “Who’d have guessed you had such a potty mouth, Jade Evans?”

His spontaneous laugh pleased her. It made her feel good to think she’d distracted him from his pain, if only briefly. She smiled back at him. “What can I say? I’m unpredictable.”

She’d been joking, of course, yet something in his expression looked a bit speculative when he murmured, “I’m beginning to realize that.”

Their gazes held for a moment, and then she cleared her throat and took a step toward the doorway. “Yes, well, this rebel has to take her kids to buy notebooks and backpacks for the first day of school. Is there anything I can pick up for you while I’m out?”

He was already turning back to his computer. “Thank you, but I’m good. Enjoy your outing.”

“Better eat some of that breakfast before Mary Pat comes in to check,” she advised over her shoulder as she left.

She heard him chuckle quietly, though he didn’t reply. He was likely already totally immersed in those “hundred things” he needed to do.

She could only imagine how much responsibility he held for his growing enterprise with its widespread properties and many employees, investors and guests. From what little she’d observed so far, she suspected delegation was not one of Trevor’s strengths.

It was no wonder he was in no hurry to add even more obligations to his plate. He would probably be relieved when the repairs were completed at her house, and so would she. The last thing she wanted to do was to become a burden on Trevor—or on anyone else, for that matter. She took care of herself and her own, and she liked it that way.

* * *

CALEB AND ERIN begged to run straight to the pool after the exhausting shopping trip, and Jade agreed. They’d been cooperative during the outing—for the most part—and hadn’t squabbled—much—so she figured they’d earned a swim.

They’d explored most of Shorty’s Landing, scouting out shops and parks to visit later. They’d been greeted warmly by the small town’s tourist-oriented business community. Rather than ice cream, they’d decided to stop in to a coffee-and-doughnut shop, The Perkery. Located on the main thoroughfare, nestled among a variety of shops, the colorful place had caught their eye and drawn them in.

The kids had been mesmerized by the glass display case filled with pastries, cakes and cookies. The shop’s owner, Elle O’Meara, had introduced herself and insisted on giving each of the kids a free treat to welcome them to town. She’d invited them to come back soon, and assured Jade she was available to answer any questions she might have about the community.

The kids were still on the sugar high from their doughnuts when they dashed out into Trevor’s backyard to play and swim. Jade had hesitated about putting on her own swimsuit to join them. Knowing Trevor was home made her self-conscious, for some reason. But telling herself that was foolish, she’d changed into a tankini and flip-flops and accompanied her children out to the pool.

Trevor probably wouldn’t come outside, anyway. And even if he did, she wasn’t bothered by being seen in a bathing suit. Considering she’d borne three children, she was content with her curves. School started the day after tomorrow, and she’d start working full-time on Monday, so she should take advantage of every opportunity to spend time with the kids.

Jade, Caleb and Erin had barely gotten in the water when Mary Pat came out with a tray holding iced lemonades. She set the tray on a patio table, and Bella settled into one of the chairs with a tumbler. Once again, Bella had donned her swimsuit, but it wasn’t even wet. She’d dipped her feet into the pool, but had resisted Jade’s attempts to entice her farther into the water.

Caleb and Erin scrambled up the stairs built into the manmade rocks of the waterfall, then descended noisily into the pool on the curving slide. “Mom, come play,” Erin called out, climbing the steps again. “It’s fun.”

“Maybe in a bit.” Tired from herding her trio from store to store, Jade was enjoying floating lazily in the cool, rippling water. The late-afternoon sun slanted across the surface and warmed her cheeks. All she wanted to do was close her eyes and float...

“Hi, Mr. Trevor!”

Jade’s eyes opened instantly in response to Erin’s cheery greeting, followed by a noisy splash as the girl sped down the slide into the pool. Seeing that Trevor had come outside on crutches and was making his way carefully across the tile, Jade swam to the side of the pool, pushing back her wet hair.

She frowned as she watched Trevor balance himself on the crutches, placing them carefully on the tiles while keeping his weight off his right leg. He wore navy board shorts and a gray T-shirt. Was he planning to come into the pool?

Echoing the thought, Erin called out, “Can you swim with us, Mr. Trevor, or is your leg too hurt?”

Standing at the top of the steps into the pool, he smiled. The sunlight slanted over his face, making his blue eyes glitter and bringing out the hints of gold in his light brown hair. The shorts revealed the scars on his right leg, and a few on his left, yet somehow he managed to look strong and self-assured even on crutches. Not to mention downright sexy, Jade thought, privately acknowledging her hormones were still fully functional.

Shaking her head, as much to clear it as to express disapproval, she said, “It’s Mr. Farrell, Erin.”

“Mr. Trevor is fine with me.” He set his crutches aside, slipped out of his sandals, and lowered himself carefully to the side of the pool, letting his feet dangle into the water. Smiling at Jade, he added, “I’m sure Mary Pat has told you we’re very informal here.”

Caleb swam up to paddle nearby, peering at Trevor’s legs as if assessing the damage to them. Jade knew that without his glasses, Caleb’s vision was somewhat fuzzy, but he was only mildly nearsighted, fortunately.

“How are you feeling, Mr. Trevor?” he asked with the careful manners Jade had tried to instill in him.

“I’m better, thank you, Caleb. How’s the water?”

“It’s a great pool,” the boy answered enthusiastically. “I like the slide. And the waterfall.”

“Did you check out the grotto behind the waterfall?”

Momentary silence followed Trevor’s question. And then Caleb asked, “There’s a grotto?”

“What’s a grotto?” Erin demanded.

“It’s like a cave, right, Mr. Trevor?”

Trevor chuckled. “That’s right, Caleb. And having watched you two swim, I’m sure you can find it, if your mom says it’s okay.”

He glanced at Jade then to add, “It’s safe as long as we’re here to watch them.”

She gave a nod to Caleb, who started swimming toward the waterfall with Erin right behind him. During their one previous swim, they’d been too entertained by the slide and the diving board to pay more than cursory attention to the waterfall itself. Now Jade watched as they peered behind the falling water and grinned in delight at what they discovered.

“Can we go in, Mr. Trevor?” Caleb called out.

“Of course.”

Seeing them disappear through the fall, Jade looked up at Trevor with a lifted eyebrow.

“It’s a small cave room,” he explained. “There’s a curved rock bench and colored lights embedded in the walls. Mary Pat turned those on when the swimming started. You can swim in, hoist yourself onto the bench and relax while you watch the waterfall in front of you.”

“Sounds lovely. Did you design it?”

“With help from a pool architect,” he admitted.

Tilting her wet head, she asked, “And how many times have you been in there just to relax?”

He cleared his throat. “A couple, maybe.”

“That’s what I thought.” Everything she’d heard about Trevor from his family and his housekeeper—not to mention her own observations during the past few days—led her to believe he was quite the workaholic. His idea of relaxing with strenuous sports was significantly different from her own more languid pursuits. She shook her head, her wet hair tickling the back of her neck with the movement. “How’s your leg?”

“It really does feel better. Ice and anti-inflammatories have been helpful. Thought I’d get some water exercise while everyone else is out here.”

“Swimming is an excellent way to keep you active while you recover,” she agreed, sliding automatically into nurse mode. “The water helps support your weight so you don’t stress your knee. Just be careful not to twist it.”

“Yes, ma’am.” His tone was good-naturedly teasing, his mood obviously much improved. “I won’t do any flip turns off the ends of the pool.”

“Wise decision.”

They shared a laugh as Trevor gave a light kick to ripple the water around her. Smiling up at him, she resisted the impulse to splash him back, though his grin let her know he was aware of her temptation.

“Do you want a lemonade, Mr. Trevor?” Bella asked, interrupting the cozy exchange as she approached with a glass she carried carefully in both hands for him.

Drawing his gaze from Jade, he turned to accept the glass with thanks, probably more to be nice to Bella than because he wanted the lemonade. And then he patted the tile beside him as he smiled up at the child. “Want to sit here beside me and put your feet in the water?”

Bella backed a half step away. “I don’t like to swim.”

“I wasn’t suggesting you put your whole body in,” he countered. “Just your feet. Like this.”

Holding his injured right leg still, he kicked lightly with his left foot, making the water splash. “Feels good.”

He took a sip of his drink then, looking unconcerned about whether Bella chose to accept his invitation. Seemingly emboldened by the lack of pressure, the child settled cautiously at his left side and let her feet dangle into the water. Trevor kicked up another spray, making her giggle softly and imitate him. He kicked again, and some of the water splashed on Jade this time, which led to both Trevor and Bella kicking more enthusiastically to make sure they showered her.

Laughing, she swung a hand to splatter them back, making sure most of the spray hit Trevor. Bella blinked, as if trying to decide whether to protest, then grinned and kicked more vigorously with Trevor’s encouragement. Jade noted in satisfaction that Bella seemed hardly aware that she was getting liberally splashed now. In fact, the child squealed in delight.

“Mom, you should come see this. It’s so cool!”

Looking around in response to the hail, Jade saw Erin sticking her head out from behind the waterfall. “On my way,” she called back. “Bella, do you want to go with me to see the grotto? We can put your floaties on, if you want, so you won’t go under the water.”

Bella looked tempted for a moment as she gazed toward the waterfall, but then she shook her head. “No, thank you.”

“How about if your mom and I both take you?” Trevor suggested. “Between the two of us, you’d barely be in the water. The grotto’s worth the trip, I promise. One of my young visitors told me it was like a fairy cave.”

Bella’s lower lip quivered. She wanted to see the cave, Jade interpreted, but was afraid.

Trevor slid into the pool and held out his arms to the child. “C’mon, Little Bit. Anyone who can do three cartwheels surely isn’t afraid of a little water.”

Bella scooted back rapidly, looking very close to tears now. “No. I don’t want to.”

“It’s okay, Bella, you don’t have to this time,” Jade said quickly. She needed to make it clear to Trevor that she didn’t want Bella pressured or embarrassed by her fear. “Maybe another day before we move into our house. But only if you want to.”

Catching on quickly, Trevor smiled at the child, though Jade wondered if she detected just a touch of disapproval in his expression. Did he think she should have pushed the child harder to overcome her fear—or was Jade merely being overly defensive? Either way, decisions like that were hers to make, she told herself firmly. She’d been doing just fine on her own, and she needed no advice from an overconfident bachelor.

“It’s fine, kiddo,” Trevor said, and there were no such thoughts mirrored in his tone. “Maybe you’d like to play in that patch of grass over there? You can practice your cartwheels or look for ladybugs.”

Looking relieved, Bella jumped to her feet and rushed away from the pool.

Jade had probably overreacted to the very brief exchange. Was she a little worried that Bella seemed so enamored with Trevor? She didn’t think that was an unfounded concern. Bella had recently seemed very aware of the lack of a father in her life, maybe from observations of friends who lived with two parents. Jade didn’t want her most emotionally vulnerable child to weave unrealistic fantasies that would only leave her disappointed.

Trevor looked at Jade, his expression somber. “She’s really afraid of the water, huh?”

Trying to put her possibly overblown misgivings from her mind, Jade nodded. “She is. I considered enrolling her in swim classes, thinking it might help, but the very suggestion upset her so much I didn’t have the heart to make her go. I thought maybe I’d try again next summer.”

“Your other two certainly aren’t afraid,” he observed, watching Caleb and Erin frolicking in the waterfall. “They swim like dolphins.”

“Yes, well, that’s because their father had them in the water as soon as they could walk.” Jade pushed a drying strand of hair from her eyes and glanced around at the kids. “Both of them could swim well before they were Bella’s age. She wasn’t quite a year old when he died, so he never got to spend time with her. I guess I fell down on the swimming training with her. Stephen was the athlete in the family, while I’m more the bookworm. It’s been a challenge to fill both roles since.”

“As busy as you are now, I’m sure you had your hands even more full for a while after he died,” Trevor replied.

“Three kids under eight,” she agreed quietly. “One not even walking yet.”

“I have a feeling swim lessons were low on your priority list.”

Which didn’t make her feel any less guilty that Caleb and Erin were having so much fun in the water while Bella played in the grass. That latent guilt also probably explained, at least in part, her reaction to Trevor’s attempted intervention.

“Mom, are you coming or not?” Erin demanded from the grotto entrance.

With a nod to Trevor, Jade kicked off from the pool wall and stroked toward the waterfall. By the time she came back out a short while later, Trevor was swimming laps from one side of the pool to the other, letting his arms pull him through the water rather than putting extra stress on his injured leg. And despite herself, she couldn’t help watching for a moment as the water rippled off his bare back and the waning sunlight glinted off his long arms. The man was well toned, there was no denying that. Not in the bulging-muscled, über-warrior physique Stephen had tried to maintain, but with the sleek body of a swimmer or a runner. Nice.

Shaking her head with a shower of glittering droplets, she climbed the steps out of the pool and called for her children.

“Time to get ready for dinner,” she said, motioning for Bella to join them. “That’s enough swimming for today.”

She expected a chorus of protests from her older two, but they gave only token sighs before following her out of the pool—a sign that the busy day had left even them tired.

She looked back from the doorway into the house to find that Trevor had paused in his swimming and was paddling lazily in the center of the deepest part of the pool. He was watching her again. He smiled when their eyes met, and she smiled back.

Chapter Three

THEY WOKE TO rain Tuesday morning, a condition predicted to last most of the day. Jade had breakfast with the children and Mary Pat, who told them she’d taken coffee and a muffin to Trevor in his home office. He was preparing for a business visit from his administrative assistant later that day, she added.

“He wanted to call a driver to take him to his resort office today, but Tamar, his assistant, insisted on bringing the work to him. I’m sure she knew she’d never be able to keep him seated with his leg up if he were there. He’d be out hobbling around on his crutches, making sure everything was running smoothly—as if he didn’t have a crackerjack staff taking care of that. The place runs just fine when he’s off visiting his other properties.”

Jade had no doubt Trevor was anxious to get back to work. While they’d been gathered around the dinner table last night, she’d seen signs of his struggle to hide his frustration with being homebound, especially when the kids had chattered about their outing.

“What’s on your agenda today, Jade?” Adding another spoonful of brown sugar to the bowl in front of her, Mary Pat brought Jade’s thoughts back from last night’s dinner. The housekeeper had served a somewhat healthier breakfast this morning of steel-cut oatmeal, blueberries and whole-grain toast with her homemade peach jam. Everything was delicious.

Jade set down her coffee cup. She had a busy schedule with the academic year starting tomorrow. The mid-week kick-off was reportedly traditional for their new schools, a way to ease students back into routine with a shortened first week. “This morning I plan to help the kids get their school supplies sorted so they’ll be ready to go tomorrow. After lunch, I have to go over to our house to meet with the contractor and make some decisions. I just hope they have the roof adequately covered against this rain.”

“Are the children going with you? Because they’re welcome to stay here with me, if they’d rather.”

“Can we, Mom?” Erin asked hastily. “It’s so boring when you’re talking to the contractors, and we can’t even go outside because it’s raining.”

“We can play upstairs in the rec room here,” Caleb proposed. “It’s our last day for video games and movies and stuff before school starts tomorrow.”

“Mary Pat said I can help her make cookies today, like we talked about at dinner yesterday,” Bella piped in. “We could do that while you’re gone, right, Ms. Mary Pat?”

“Absolutely.” The housekeeper’s face practically lit up at the prospect. “Any kind of cookies you like, sweetie pie. I have cutters and frosting and sprinkles so you can decorate them and make them pretty.”

“Okay, Mommy?” Bella asked eagerly, though Jade had approved the cookie making lesson when they’d first discussed the idea.

Jade’s nod included them all. “You can stay here,” she told her children, “but you’d better be on your best behavior while I’m gone.”

A chorus of crossed-heart promises followed, assuring her that her trio would be perfect angels. Deciding she could count on that—to an extent—she thanked Mary Pat for agreeing to watch over them and finished her breakfast. She wasn’t particularly looking forward to going out into the heavy rain to wrangle with her laconic contractor, but she was ready for the repairs to her home to be completed. They needed to settle into their life, and not as guests in this luxurious house.

She was gone longer than she expected that afternoon. She’d arrived at her house dripping from the dash from the car. She’d had to park on the street because the driveway was blocked by pickup trucks, and had entered to find the workers frantically trying to contain leaks pouring into the kitchen. Apparently the roof tarp hadn’t been well secured, which was inexcusable in an area well practiced in dealing with the aftermath of natural disasters like hurricanes.

Seeing the fresh damage made Jade’s rare temper snap, and she had a few words for the contractor in charge of this team. Finally satisfied that the situation was under control—and that the contractor was now aware that his client was not a meek woman willing to simply accept whatever mansplaining jargon he threw at her—she spent the next two hours discussing options with him. Afterward, she had to stop by a home improvement store to make final choices on paint and trim colors. She could never resist browsing in that store, and the time slipped away from her while she admired appliances and fixtures, flooring and accessories. Having made her purchases, she slogged through the driving rain again and drove back to Trevor’s house.

She was going to look like a drowned rat when she entered, but maybe she’d have time to freshen up before he saw her. Not that it mattered, of course, she assured herself quickly. She simply had a normal amount of feminine vanity.

Sadly for the sake of her ego, she walked into the kitchen only to come almost face-to-face with Trevor on his crutches and a tall, striking caramel-skinned woman with shrewd dark eyes and impeccably styled black hair. The woman wore crisp, lightweight gray slacks and a fuchsia silk blouse, and Jade couldn’t help being aware of her own tousled damp hair, wrinkled clothing and rain-washed face.

Holding her head high, she pasted on a bright smile. “It’s really pouring down out there.”

“Much to the disappointment of our guests at the resort,” Trevor responded wryly, glancing at the window over the sink. “Fortunately, the rain’s supposed to end in a couple of hours.”

He motioned toward the tall woman then. “Jade, this is Tamar Jones, my administrative assistant. Tamar, this is Jade Evans. You’ve already met her kids.”

“I did, yes.” Tamar shook Jade’s hand warmly. “They’re delightful. So bright and polite.”

“Thank you.” Jade glanced at Trevor. “Where are they?”

“Upstairs, playing board games with Mary Pat—who’s been having the time of her life today, by the way. She and Bella made cookies, and Mary Pat’s been teaching Caleb and Erin some trick shots at billiards.”

Jade could smell the aroma of fresh-baked cookies permeating the kitchen. Several covered plates on the counter probably held the results of the cooking lesson.

“How’s the progress on your house coming along?”

She rolled her eyes in response to Trevor’s question. “Does the term three-ring circus give you a clue?”

“Ouch.”

Tamar shifted the large, thickly stuffed tote bag in her hands. “I should be getting back to the office. I have a long list of things to do—even longer now that the boss has had time to come up with some new ideas,” she added with an indulgent smile toward Trevor.

Like his housekeeper, Trevor’s assistant seemed totally devoted to her employer, which said quite a bit about how well he treated them. Jade and Tamar exchanged polite goodbyes and then Tamar pulled a small umbrella from her bag and went out to brave the elements to her car. Jade suspected the woman would look beautifully put-together even if caught in a hurricane.

“Tamar seems nice,” she said to Trevor when they were alone.

“She’s my rock at the office,” he replied simply. “I’d hate to think of trying to handle my workload without her.”

She nodded. “I’ve heard the best business leaders always surround themselves with the best employees.”

“I will concede that my employees are absolutely the best,” he said with modest expression.

She laughed. “Nice dodge.”

He grinned, balancing on one crutch as he reached out to brush a still-damp strand of hair from her cheek. “Thanks.”

Whoa. She felt the impact of that unexpected touch jolt her all the way to her toes. Perhaps he sensed her reaction, or maybe read it on her face. His smile faded, and his blue eyes glinted in a way that made her wonder what he was thinking.

He cleared his throat and took a step back. “So, about the issues at your house? Is there anything I can do to help? I know most of the contractors around here. Maybe I should have a word with yours?”

That suggestion straightened her spine again. “I’m handling it, thank you,” she said firmly. She’d never needed a man to step in and help her deal with her personal business, and she didn’t need it now from this man who’d already done more for her and her children than she was comfortable accepting.

Trevor seemed to realize he’d accidentally stepped on her pride. “I’m sure you are. Just letting you know I’m available if you need anything.”

And...she’d overreacted again, Jade thought with a smothered sigh. What was it about Trevor that made her do that? “Thank you,” she said again, more sincerely this time.

“Mommy, Mommy!” Bella dashed into the kitchen, bringing a welcome end to the unexpected tension in the room. “We made cookies! And I put the icing and sprinkles on some of them all by myself!”

Jade turned to her daughter with a tone that sounded too bright even to her. “Did you? That sounds like fun.”

“It was. And they’re good, too. Do you want one?”

“I’m sure they’re delicious, but I’ll wait until later. I’d like to shower and put on fresh clothes after being out in the rain all morning.”

Bella turned toward the doorway. “Ms. Mary Pat said she’d build a block house with me when she finishes the game she’s playing with Caleb and Erin. I just wanted to see if you’re home yet.”

Jade had an impulse to remind her daughter that this wasn’t actually “home,” but she let it go. She didn’t look back as she left the kitchen with Bella holding her hand, but she had the feeling that Trevor was watching. And that made her swallow hard.

* * *

TREVOR WASN’T SURE if Jade would come outside that night, considering her earlier dousing, but he made his way to the patio, anyway. His cabin fever was strong tonight, and he needed to be out of the house, if only a few feet away.

The rain had stopped a few hours earlier, leaving the night air comfortable, if not quite cool. Most of the furniture had dried enough for sitting, though a bit of damp soaked through his pants when he settled into a chair. Darker than the night sky, a few clouds lingered overhead, pinpoint stars and a watery moon floating peacefully among them.

Settling back into the lounge chair, he wondered why he hadn’t done this more often, simply sat outside and let the peace surround him. If he closed his eyes, he could smell the flowers in the professionally maintained beds around the house, the not unpleasant scent of chemicals from the pool and the faintly fuel-tinged aroma of the Intracoastal Waterway behind his property. Even at this late hour, he could hear the occasional passing car from the street and cruising craft on the waterway, but for the most part, the area was quiet. A breeze rustled through the palmetto fronds and fanned his cheeks, lulling him into a state that was somewhere between sleep and fantasies.

He wasn’t sure if it was a noise or the tingle at the back of his neck that made him open his eyes to see Jade standing nearby, looking as though she wasn’t sure whether to announce her presence or turn and slip back into the house. “Hey,” he said to let her know he was awake—and open to company.

“Hey,” she replied quietly. “How wet is that chair?”

Noting that she wore shorts and a T-shirt now, he motioned toward the chair beside him. “Dry enough.”

Her hesitation was so brief that he wondered if he only imagined it. He thought back to that moment in the kitchen when he’d blurted out an offer to speak with her contractor, a suggestion she obviously hadn’t taken well. They’d been perfectly civil ever since, but maybe she’d taken more offense than he’d realized; had she interpreted his offer as a lack of confidence in her abilities to deal with the repairs herself? He hadn’t intended it that way. He was simply in the habit of active, hands-on problem solving, both in his business and personal affairs—and often on behalf of friends and family, many of whom had come to expect it from him.

He wasn’t comfortable with the hint of arrogance implied in his assumption that he was always the best-qualified arbitrator. Perhaps he should have paid attention to recent suggestions that he place more faith in his trusted associates—and in his friends, apparently.

Still, Jade looked quite comfortable as she settled into the chair and turned her face up to the sky with her eyes closed in much the same manner as when he’d found her out here that first time. She truly did seem to draw tranquility from the night. He needed to follow her example more often.

The two older kids had been wound up during dinner, babbling with a combination of nerves and excitement about the first day at their new school tomorrow. The adults had barely been able to get a word in edgewise, so they’d simply abandoned all attempt at carrying on any conversation that didn’t include Caleb and Erin. Bella had contributed occasionally, mostly when asked direct questions, but she’d been visibly subdued. Trevor suspected she was the most anxious of the trio about the next day. As seemed to be typical for them.

“Kids all asleep?” he asked.

Jade turned her head to nod at him. “Bella and Erin are. Caleb has a later bedtime, so he usually reads for an hour before turning in. He was reading in bed when I checked, but he said he was getting sleepy.”

“Is Bella doing okay?”

Jade answered after a faint sigh. “She’s a bundle of nerves. I gave her a warm bath with lavender oils to calm her, then read two of her favorite bedtime stories before she finally fell asleep. She’s always anxious before going into a new situation, even though she met her teacher at the open house yesterday. Her teacher seemed very nice. Bella thinks she’s going to like her.”

“I hope she’s right. And I understand how Bella feels. I was always a wreck the night before a new school year started. For me, it got worse every year rather than better. I hope Bella doesn’t go through that.”

Jade looked surprised by the confession. “Why did it get harder for you? Didn’t you like school?”

Just what had his tone unintentionally revealed in his off-the-cuff comment? He tried to lighten it when he replied, “School was fine. Just a lot of pressure. That happens when you come from a family of overachievers with only one child to focus on.”

She was quiet for several long moments before saying, “Something tells me you were valedictorian of your class.”

“Covaledictorian,” he corrected her. “One of the other students had exactly the same grade point average I did.”

“And how did your parents respond to that?”

He chuckled, keeping his reply candid but casual. “They congratulated me. Bought me a car for graduation. And mentioned a few times that if I’d worked just a smidge harder, I could have come out ahead of that girl.”

After digesting that for a moment, she asked, “Did you feel the same pressure in college?”

Realizing he’d brought this shift in focus on himself, Trevor answered succinctly. “I got the degrees—that was all that really mattered.”

“MBA, right?”

“Right.”

“Followed by military service.”

“Four years.”

He’d enlisted at twenty-five, an idealistic newlywed eager to serve and determined to do at least one thing his father had never considered and didn’t entirely approve of. It was something he’d discussed with Lindsey before they’d married, and while his young bride had been impatient to begin their lives as prominent members of the Southern social scene, she’d supported his wishes—if reluctantly—and had done her best to be a committed army wife.

Lindsey had been his most fervent cheerleader, he mused, calling a time-dimmed picture of his pretty bride to mind. She’d believed without a doubt that he would be successful in business, and she’d eagerly described her dream future. A big house in which she would be renowned as the popular hostess for a whirl of social and charitable events. Long weekends in New York or Paris or London. Household staff and competent nannies for a child or two, if she and Trevor reached a point when both wanted to make that further commitment. It had been a rosy, perhaps overly idealized, image that Trevor had indulged even as he pursued his own whim of having the word veteran added to his public résumé.

He’d left the military as a twenty-eight-year-old widower. Not only had Lindsey been denied the future of her fantasies, the husband she’d championed so gamely hadn’t even been in the country when she’d died.

He needed to change the subject. “So, tell me more about what’s going on at your house,” he said, choosing his words more carefully this time. “It sounds as though you’ve been dealing with quite a lot there.”

He was grateful that Jade went along with the redirection apparently without any hard feelings about his earlier clumsiness. She gave him a quick rundown of what she’d found at her house, making him wince in sympathy. His lips tilted upward when she added a summary of the chewing out she’d given the contractor. The indignation lingering in her voice let him know she hadn’t been gentle about it.

So his guest had a core of fire behind that cool and composed exterior. He rather liked that.

“Something tells me the guy’s on notice now that he’d better make sure the rest of the job goes smoothly,” he commented.

Jade shrugged. “I stayed calm, but firm. As a single woman, it’s a skill I’ve had to learn when dealing with certain contractors, mechanics, sales people and claims adjusters. My dad once said I don’t actually bite if anyone even figuratively pats me on the head and calls me little lady, but I make them believe I’m going to.”

Trevor chuckled. “I didn’t know your dad well, but he always seemed like a nice guy.”

“He was.”

“You were close.” It wasn’t a question; he’d seen her grief at her father’s funeral.

“We were. He taught me to be strong and independent, to change a tire and my oil, to drive a nail and tighten a pipe fitting—and somehow I was still Daddy’s girl.”

Her description made him smile. Which was followed by a ripple of regret that her children wouldn’t be able to tell similar stories someday about their own father. That wasn’t fair—but then, he’d just been thinking about his own evidence that life wasn’t always fair.

Trevor had never met Jade’s late husband, Stephen, who, while growing up in the same area as Trevor, had been a few years his junior. Still, Trevor had heard quite a bit about him, both from his parents and through local legend. A career marine, Stephen had been deployed numerous times and had proved himself a fearless hero over and over again. The news reports had detailed how he’d died while saving three of his fellow marines.

Trevor would never compare his own brief stint in the military, mostly sitting behind a desk, to Stephen’s service. Considering that he’d served only one hitch and had emerged relatively unscathed—though guilt ridden for being away when Lindsey died—he hardly even thought of himself as a veteran.

Stephen Evans would be a hard act to follow for any man who pictured himself fitting into Jade’s tight little family. A guy could find himself intimidated at the thought of trying to step into those heroic shoes; not that he had any such aspirations, himself.

Still, as noble and selfless as Stephen had been, it had hardly been fair for him to leave a wife and three children to grieve him, to cope without him.

Trevor had his own reasons for staying single since losing Lindsey, though he didn’t like to take them out and examine them often. But what about Jade? As fiercely independent as she came across, wouldn’t it be convenient for her to have a partner in raising her children, even if it couldn’t be their own father? Or was it that Jade had never found anyone who could measure up to the larger-than-life hero she’d loved and lost?

He and Jade fell into silence for a while. It struck him again how comfortable he was sitting quietly in the dark with her. Sliding a sideways glance at her, he couldn’t help noticing her long, bare legs as she relaxed on the patio lounger, the soft swell of her breasts as she breathed in the crisp night air. Okay, so maybe not entirely comfortable, he thought with a rueful shift in his seat. And that underlying discomfort was the part that gave him pause.

She must have sensed him looking her way. She turned her head again. “How’s your leg?”

He cleared his throat. “Better, thanks.”

“You’ve been up on it a lot today.”

“I’ve been using the crutches. Keeping my weight off the knee.”

“That’s good.”

“I’m going in to the office for a few hours tomorrow. I’ve got a couple meetings that are fairly important, and I told Tamar there was no need to reschedule them.”

“You’re planning to drive?”

“I’m calling for a ride. It’s probably best if I give it another couple days before I get behind the wheel.”

“I won’t advise you not to overdo it,” she said with a soft laugh. “I’m sure Mary Pat and Tamar will take care of that.”

He heaved a heavy sigh. “Very likely. And thanks for the vote of confidence in my ability to take care of myself.”

“Well, as I mentioned before—”

He grinned and completed the sentence for her. “I’m a grown-ass man.”

Laughing again, she nodded. “Exactly.”

He couldn’t help it. He had to touch her, if only lightly. He reached out to brush her cheek with the backs of his fingers. Her skin was soft, smooth, cool. His mind flooded with a variety of ways to warm her, making his entire body tighten in response to the images. “I’ve enjoyed having you here, Jade.”

He felt her go still, making him question if he’d overstepped. But then she reached up and touched his hand. “I’ve enjoyed being here.”

He had intended the contact to be brief. Casual. Friendly, nothing more.

Instead, his hand lingered. His thumb traced the firm line of her surprisingly stubborn jaw, slipped around to touch her full lower lip. As nice as it felt, he could only imagine how sweet it would taste.

Abruptly recalled to his sense of time, place and appropriateness, he dropped his hand. He had no business making overtures that could cause her discomfort while she was a guest in his home. Even if she weren’t reluctantly dependent on his hospitality for now, he wasn’t the type of guy who made uninvited advances.

“It’s getting late,” he said, aware as he spoke that it was a lame comment.

He heard Jade release a breath that might have been a sigh.

“Yes, it is. And I have to get the kids up early in the morning for school.”

“You know Mary Pat will happily help you with anything you need.”

“That’s very thoughtful, but we’ll be fine. I’ve been handling first days of school on my own for quite a while now.”

The hint of stubborn independence in her deliberately cordial tone was becoming very familiar to him. He was getting to know her better with each conversation.

He swung his legs off his chair and reached down for his crutches. He moved toward the house as Jade fell into step beside him. She reached out to steady him when the tip of one crutch slid on a damp spot on the tile. “Okay?”

“Yeah, I’ve got it, thanks,” he said, frustrated by his renewed dependence on the crutches he’d hoped he wouldn’t need again. Okay, so maybe Jade wasn’t the only one who took a bit too much pride in self-sufficiency.

Her hand still rested on his left arm when he reached with his right hand to open the slider, his crutch balanced against him. He paused with his fingers on the door handle, looking down at her to see if there was something else she wanted to say before they went inside.

She met his eyes squarely. “I assume you’re aware that our mothers have decided to try their hands at matchmaking between us. My mom has gone beyond hinting to outright nudging, and every time I’ve seen her lately, your mother has mentioned that you’re an eligible bachelor in need of a suitable mate. She’s made it clear that she’s decided I’m appropriately suitable.”

Where was she going with this? “Uh, yeah, I’ve been on the receiving end of a few of those hints,” Trevor admitted warily, caught off guard again by Jade’s unexpected frankness.

“Just so you know, I’m not a party to that scheme. It has all been concocted by our mothers—probably over wine and cookies,” she added with a wry smile. “I was concerned that us sharing a house, even temporarily and in extenuating circumstances, would get them all wound up about it again, but I let myself be persuaded in a moment of panic.”

She shook her head and continued, “So, anyway, let’s just be clear that I’m not looking for anything more than friendship from you. Or from anyone else for that matter. To be honest, I’m not sure I want to marry again, despite my mom’s encouragement. My kids and I are content with the life we have, and I don’t want to take gambles with their happiness—or my own. Though my marriage was a very happy one, I’ve grown accustomed to being fully independent and I’m in no hurry to change that.”

Trevor didn’t know if her clarifications were a result of his touch or something she’d read in his face, but the last thing he wanted was for her to be uncomfortable with him. He’d keep his hands to himself from now on. And maybe he should avoid being alone with her like this again, as pleasant as it had been. He had to admit he’d miss these starlit interludes, though.

“I never considered that you were party to our moms’ plotting,” he assured her. “Nor am I, by the way. I don’t really see myself as either husband or father material these days. It’s not something I’ve even considered much since Lindsey died,” he added awkwardly. He saw no need to go into his frequent musings about the cruel vagaries of fate—or his cowardice in not wanting to open himself up to loss again. “And your logic makes perfect sense. I can see where it would be complicated for you, bringing someone into the kids’ lives who might only be there a short time, just long enough to disrupt the obviously happy home you’ve created for them.”

Especially if, as he suspected, Jade couldn’t help measuring every man she met against her late husband.

She looked pleased that he understood. “We’re agreed, then.”

“Agreed.”

“We wouldn’t want to do anything to whip our mothers into even more of a frenzy when neither you nor I are interested in their schemes.”

He laughed softly at her wording. “True.”

Something about the way she smiled then made his throat close. “So don’t take this the wrong way...” She rose on tiptoes to speak softly against his lips, “Let’s just call it curiosity.”

After a startled moment, he responded eagerly.

The kiss was light, carefully restrained. Just an exploratory meeting of lips, a brief, testing sample. Jade tasted exactly as he’d expected—sweet, with just a touch of spice beneath. Had it not been for the resented crutches, he’d have moved closer to prove that the rest of her felt as good against him.

His right crutch fell with a clatter when he reached out almost unconsciously to follow through on that impulse. The sound jolted him to his senses. Sighing, Trevor lifted his head, reluctantly breaking off the kiss.

“Okay, now that we have that out of the way,” Jade murmured, and though her tone was teasing, she looked slightly shaky. She reached down to scoop up his crutch before he could bend for it, then handed it to him. “Good night, Trevor. Thank you again for all you’ve done for us.”

That changed his smile into a frown. Gratitude was not something he wanted from Jade, though he wasn’t prepared to carry that line of thinking any further.

She went inside without looking back at him. After a moment, he followed. As he locked up and turned off the lights, he wondered how much sleep he’d get that night. Something told him he’d be all too aware of the intriguingly unpredictable woman sleeping only one floor above him. Why had she kissed him? She’d made it clear she wasn’t interested in a relationship with him, and he believed her. He didn’t think the gesture had been out of gratitude—at least, he sincerely hoped not. Had it truly been just an impulse?

He supposed he should stop overthinking it. It had been nothing more than a light kiss in the moonlight—perhaps, as Jade had hinted, fueled by little more than curiosity. And it had been nice. Very nice, indeed.

* * *

JADE HAD BEEN PREPARED for some chaos Wednesday morning as she made sure the kids were fed, dressed and had everything they needed for school. Fortunately, it was less stressful than she’d expected, partially because she’d been so well organized the night before, but also because of the luxury of having breakfast prepared for them by the so-efficient Mary Pat. The housekeeper had even helped pack lunches, having sandwiches, fresh raw veggies and homemade cookies ready to stash in the insulated bags. Jade told herself she shouldn’t get spoiled by this type of household help...but she couldn’t deny it was nice today.

Possibly to allay nerves and amuse the children, Trevor made a point of conducting an “inspection” before they headed out to the car. Grinning, Caleb and Erin submitted themselves for review.

“Backpacks packed?” Trevor barked in a fake-stern tone.

“Aye, aye, Cap’n.” Erin turned to show off the Wonder-Woman-themed pack dangling from her shoulders. Caleb presented his solid blue pack, and Bella turned more slowly to display her pink-and-white Hello Kitty backpack.

“Teeth brushed?”

Caleb and Erin dutifully flashed theirs. Watching indulgently from nearby, Jade noted that Bella’s smile was notably less genuine, though the nervous child tried to play along.

“Homework done?” Trevor inquired.

“Aye, aye, Cap—hey! We don’t have any homework,” Erin protested, planting her hands on her hips. “We haven’t even had a class yet.”

“My mistake.” Trevor grinned and chucked her lightly under the chin. “You’re going to take that school by storm, Erin.”

Erin’s brows knit with a slight frown. “Is that a good thing?”

“Yes. Yes, it is.”

Her face lit up. “Then, thanks.”

“You’re welcome.”

Trevor turned to extend his right hand to Caleb. “Good luck with your classes, Caleb. I’m sure you’ll do just fine.”

With a pang, Jade realized that her growing son didn’t have to look up very far to meet their six-foot-tall host eye to eye when they shook hands. When had her boy grown so tall? And would he really be a teenager in only a few months? How had the time passed so quickly?

With a slight shake of her head to clear the momentary sadness, she moved forward, rattling the keys in her hand for attention. “It’s time to go, guys. Thank you again for breakfast, Mary Pat.”

“You’re very welcome. Have a wonderful day at school, kids. I’ll have a special treat waiting for you when you get home.”

Jade had to swallow a sigh. She and her children would all be spoiled by the time they moved out of this house.

Trevor turned to Bella. “You’ll have a great day, too, Little Bit. I have no doubt.”

Trying very hard to look as brave as her brother and sister, Bella nodded, though her lower lip quivered. “My teacher is nice,” she whispered as if giving herself an encouraging reminder.

“That’s what your mom said. And I’m sure you’ll make some new friends in your class.”

“I already met a girl named Jovie at the open house.”

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