Chad groaned under the weight of Sheridan's shopping bags, smirking at her tickled expression as she snapped the black velvet box shut and tucked it back into her purse. "How come I got stuck carrying all this loot, and all you got was the engagement ring?" "Number one," Sheridan grinned at him as she reached inside his leather jacket pocket to get his car keys. "YOU asked me to hold it.'Auntie'.I do hate it when you and Ethan call me that, Chad. It makes me feel like a hundred years old," she grumbled, sidetracked for a moment. Chad chuckled, thankful when she successfully unlocked the car doors so he could empty his arms of bags and bags of baby supplies. "Admit it," he teased, hurriedly opening the passenger door for her before she had a chance to do it herself. "You secretly love it." Sheridan's lips twitched, and Chad grinned at the twinkle in her blue eyes. "Auntie," she continued as he walked around to the driver's side and climbed in. "Hide this ring for me," she paraphrased their earlier conversation. "Theresa will find it and blow my big Valentine's Day proposal."

Chad shifted the car into reverse and backed out of the parking space. "She has a nose for things like this." "Most women do," Sheridan laughed softly, securing her seat belt across her middle as the car eased forward. "Nobody forced you to carry ALL the shopping bags," she reminded him. "No," he conceded. "I guess I'm just a sucker for pregnant women with big, pleading blue eyes," he cracked. "You better be glad you didn't call something else big, Buddy," Sheridan said, her hand darting out to playfully swat his arm. Chad smirked. "I couldn't let it get back to Luis that I let you carry all that," he tipped his head at the back seat. "He'd have my ass in a sling." Sheridan leaned her blond head back against the headrest, and a happy, peaceful smile lifted the corners of her mouth as she spoke, eyes shut in fatigue, "Luis is very protective of the ones he loves" "Overprotective," Chad corrected her with a slight shake of his head. "But I'm cool with that. He's got some pretty special people in his life, and if somebody ever lay a hand on my girl, you, or those kids, I'd be second in line to kick his ass," Chad promised, closing his fingers around Sheridan's offered hand. "Second?" Sheridan teased, her blue eyes brilliant and sparkling with humor. "Second? You're not going to fight him for first?" "Hey," Chad quirked a brow at her. "It's Luis." Sheridan gave his hand a firm squeeze before withdrawing her hand and resting it against her stomach, shaking with laughter. "You have nothing to worry about, Chad," she smiled, closing her eyes again. "She's definitely going to say yes."

"Noah.will you get that?" Jessica poked her head out of the kitchen when the front doorbell rang. Noah glanced at his dad ensconced in front of the television with Joshua and Myles tucked on either side, trying to figure out the allure of Blue's Clues. As he'd already informed Noah, making Mom and Jessica weak with laughter in the process, the clues were too simple. He didn't see the challenges two three-year-olds might face. Noah grinned again just thinking about it, and he pulled the front door open with that same grin still on his face. "Uncle Hank. Dad! Uncle Hank's here." "Emmy.move." A tiny purple mittened hand struck out, pushing Uncle Hank aside, and Noah's silver eyes laughed down at Sara's falsely angelic face surrounding by tangled, chin-length brown hair. "Can we come in now?" Sara grumbled. "My toes are going to fall off if I stand out here one gazillionth of a second longer."

"Where are my manners?" Noah said with a straight face, stepping aside and letting the little girl pass. A kinder, gentler version of Sara with longer brown hair trotted past him clutching a barely clothed doll to her chest. "Me and Daisy got the shivers," Emily told him, shivering a second later as if to prove her point. Noah's eyes snapped up to his Hank's face and found his expression to be a healthy mix of amusement and pride as he eyed the two little girls scrambling to give their uncle Sam the first hug. "Where's the rest of the Brady Bunch?" Noah questioned, when Hank remained standing in the doorway. "Little Buddy," Hank tossed over his shoulder. "Get in here and start explaining to your uncle Sam why you and MJ are suspended from school." Noah's eyes widened at Jake's busted lip and MJ's tattered jacket as the two little boys trudged inside reluctantly and Hank followed, leaving Noah to shut the door.

MJ lowered his dark eyes guiltily when Grace and Jessica walked into the living room, gasping in shock. "MJ! Jake! What happened?" "Little Buddy," Hank prodded. "They were being jerks about his mom," Jake explained, shuffling his sneakered feet nervously as he talked, "I tried to get Dylan to shut up, but he wouldn't." Grace's blue eyes welled with concern. "I got MJ, and we started walking away, and then." Jake's pleading brown eyes met Hank's across the room. "Tell them the whole story," Hank said. "Dylan and the other boys were making fun of Ali and saying she was a bald freak, and when Dylan said she was going to die and laughed about it." Jake paused. "Jake hit him. Hard," MJ said with wide brown eyes. "And I hit him too because he WAS a jerk. He was a jerk about my mom, and it made me mad when he said that stuff about Ali." Hank groaned softly when Sara gleefully informed everyone that Dylan had two black eyes, tacking on a "He deserved it," and putting another nail in his coffin. If Sam didn't rip him to complete shreds, Gwen was going to finish the job later tonight when she got home from the office. He braced himself. And waited for a tongue-lashing that didn't come. Nobody was more surprised than he when Sam simply delivered a lecture against using their fists to fight hurtful words and mildly scolded them. He exchanged an incredulous look with Noah, and Noah shrugged his shoulders. "I guess Dad's going soft."

Ali's little feet dangled in the night air, and her soft, delighted smile as he gently pushed the swing to and fro made Luis's lips stretch into a smile of his own. He leaned in close, his mouth hovering close to Ali's ear, as he pushed her higher, if only to be rewarded with the tinkling sound of her sweet laughter. "Remember when I used to bring you here, AliCat?" Luis mused, his dark eyes scanning the perimeter of the park, lit by the yellow glow of the street lamps. His mind's eye recalling other visits to the same park when he'd push Ali higher and higher on the swingset until she grew breathless with happy laughter, her blond mane flying behind her. "Uh huh," Ali nodded her head vigorously. "It's different though. I don't remember it being so little, Daddy." Luis laughed as he grabbed the swing to slow its movement and pressed his lips to Ali's brow. "That's because you're bigger now," he told her. "I'm growing up," Ali's sweet voice had a tiny catch in it, but then she sported the adorable little grin that had kept Luis going all those lonely years ago. And her bright blue eyes reflected everything he loved dearly about her mother and herself. "And becoming more beautiful every day," he said, earning himself a heartfelt hug.

"We'll have to bring Mommy and Cristian here one day, Daddy," Ali announced sometime later as they enjoyed the beauty of the stars from their perch above the slides. Luis held his arms open, and Ali scooted back into them, wrapping his arms around her little body for warmth. Luis rest his chin atop her head and gave her a gentle squeeze before agreeing. "Cristian would love the monkey bars," he laughed, picturing his young son hanging from the play equipment several feet in front of them, with an odd expression of panic/sheer excitement dominating his face. "The baby could play in the sandbox like I used to," Ali added, not wanting to leave her little sister out of their plans. "Gwen used to complain after Hank and I dropped Jake off after a day at the park with us that she'd find trails of sand all throughout the house." Ali giggled at the memory she didn't remember but could picture so vividly. "Aunt Theresa used to kid me that I brought home 10 pounds sand and 2 pounds Ali," Luis teased. "Daddy!" Ali exclaimed. "All right," Luis conceded, deep brown eyes twinkling. "50 pounds sand and 2 pounds Ali." "I didn't weigh that much," Ali huffed, her pout staying on her pink lips for about two seconds when Luis started tickling her, making her shriek with laughter as they lost their foothold and slipped and slid down the curving slide. Luis's dark eyes were full of love and humor as Ali's smiling face descended and he felt the flutter of her lashes as she lavished butterfly kisses against his cheeks and every part of his face she touched. "I love you, Daddy," she whispered. "Always, always, always." "I love you forever," Luis whispered back as he tucked her head under his chin and held on as the stars winked in the black sky.

Nick eyed the expensive navy suit jacket draped over Shane's arm curiously as he let him inside the apartment, quiet and lifeless without Abby's larger than life presence. Shane's hazel eyes regarded Nick silently as he closed the door behind him and followed him to the kitchen, one hand loosening the silk pinstriped tie around his neck. Nick withdrew two glasses, and Shane accepted his unvoiced offer of a glass of wine. "She's not here," Nick finally said, and a smile tugged at Shane's lips as he answered, "Thanks, Sherlock. I gathered that already. So.you really know how to bring the house down. Did I miss the big party? You look like hell. No offense," Shane hastily added. Nick rubbed his hands over his tired features miserably, "No offense taken." "I dropped by, hoping to celebrate my new position at Crane Industries," Shane said, "but this looks more like a pity party. What happened?"

Nick drained the remaining contents of his glass and grabbed the bottle of wine, ready to finish it off. "I happened." Shane looked at him dumbly, motioning for Nick to give him a less vague answer, and snatched the wine bottle from him. "Ah," Shane nodded as realization dawned on him. "You met Hurricane Abby." Shane chuckled at the humor that sprang to life in Nick's gray eyes. "Hurricane Abby?" "What'd you do to piss her off? My sister's a nut 24/7, but Hurricane Abby only shows her brutal self on 'special' occasions," Shane grinned. A smile flickered across Nick's lips before he remembered how curt Abby'd been with him earlier when he tried to talk to her. "I think I hurt her," he said softly, meeting Shane's eyes hesitantly. "No details. I can respect that," Shane said fairly. "She won't even talk to me. I don't think I got the message until she threatened to call hospital security and report me for stalking her," Nick laughed humorlessly. "So I came back here, and I've been calling her cell- which she refuses to answer."

"That," Shane rolled his eyes. "She's always needing a new battery." Nick arched a dark brow and shook his head. "She's avoiding me." "She just needs to cool off," Shane told him with a friendly slap on the back. "Let her stew over it was for a couple more hours. She's really soft and mushy on the inside. The longest she's ever held out on me was." he paused, mentally counting off the time that had passed between their last sibling fight and the time they made up, "well, it was actually a couple of years. But that was right after I blasted her for marrying that bastard Vincent.It turned out I was right not to trust the scuzzball. After what he did to her, though.I would have given anything NOT to be able to tell her 'I told you so'," Shane sighed regretfully, finally looking at Nick's shocked expression. "Damn," Shane groaned, realizing he'd spilled way more about his sister's past love life than she'd told the man in front of him. More than she'd probably told any of her friends in Harmony, and why not? The memories were painful to him, and he couldn't begin to know how Abby had felt.. "Just forget I said that," he muttered, knowing by the look on Nick's face that forgetting wasn't a possibility. His little sister was going to have his head.

"He's called you how many times?" Katie's green eyes were wide and incredulous. "Too many damn times. I'm beginning to detect a little desperation, aren't you?" Abby muttered, her hazel eyes betraying her amusement. "You've had a helluva day," Katie smiled sympathetically, wrapping her arms around Abby's petite frame impulsively. "Yeah," Abby rolled her eyes. "It's not everyday a woman has two men stalking her." "Abby, you need to be really careful. I know George left the hospital on his own." "In a wheelchair he doesn't need," Abby interrupted her. "Crook," she hissed under her breath. "He won't see another therapist so there's no proof of that.I'm not saying I don't believe you," Katie held up a hand to silence Abby's quick retort. "There's just no proof, and he hasn't done anything." Abby sighed at the silent YET in Katie's remarks. "I want you to be careful. It'd make me feel so much better if you'd just call Nick up and have him drive you home. I know you're mad at the man.with GOOD REASON," Katie stressed with a smile. "I'd do it myself, but I have to pick up Kendall at my mother's." "Katie," Abby grabbed Katie's shoulders with a smile. "I'll be fine. Need I remind you of a certain incident involving pepper spray and a nameless drool-worthy doctor?" Katie giggled girlishly in memory, shaking her head at Abby as she backed out of the exit leading to the parking garage. "Call me and let me know if you made it home." "Yes, Mom. Geez," Abby grinned. "You're worse than Shane. See you tomorrow."

Abby tried to laugh Katie's concerns away as her footsteps echoed in the stairwell. She paused at the door exiting into the parking garage to fish her cell phone out of her purse, swearing under her breath when it appeared her battery had run low yet again. Well, she reasoned.if she called Nick, he might take it as a sign of forgiveness for continually holding her at arm's length whenever she threatened to get too close to him. She didn't think he deserved to be forgiven so easily or so quickly. She slid her cell back into her purse and fumbled around for her pepper spray, not letting the realization that she'd left it in her other purse deter her from opening the door and stepping into the dimly lit garage in any way. She settled for gripping her car keys tightly, poised to use them as a weapon, as she resolved not to let her fears get the best of her and strode toward her car. She was not even two feet away when a nondescript car crawled past, blinding her with its too-bright headlights. Her keys fell from her hand and clattered on the concrete floor beneath her feet when she tried to shield her eyes, and she blinked, crouching down to retrieve them. She stood up slowly, the tiny hairs at the back of her neck standing on end at the sudden sensation that told her she was being watched. She barely had time to register George's menacing reflection in the driver's side window of her car before his heavy body slammed her against the car's side, wrenching the hand holding the keys painfully behind her back. Tears of pain stung Abby's eyes as George turned her around roughly and leered down at her with his muddy brown eyes, and the hatred in his voice made her blood run cold. "You're going to pay, Bitch."

Chapter 58

"Bennett," Gwen sighed, raking a tired hand through her blond hair. "I'm not saying he shouldn't have stood up for Ali. You know that." Hank shrank a little beneath the heat of his wife's pointed glare. "I just wish he'd left his fists out of it." "Babe, you know that Dylan kid is bad news," Hank pleaded his son's case, following Gwen into their bedroom and shutting and locking the door before Gus could dart inside behind him. He ignored the dog's plaintive whines and annoying scratching at the door, pulling his sweater over his rumpled brown head as he walked across the room and leaned against the bathroom doorjamb to watch her pull the silver handled hairbrush through her hair roughly.

"Jake's suspended, Hank. The little jerk-in-training said some awful things, but I still don't like that Jake hit him. Especially with MJ there. Think of the example Jake's setting for MJ. The poor kid's going through hell right now, and he needs some direction. Not what happened today. You heard what MJ's teacher told Grace.It could have been worse than a split lip and torn jacket, Hank," she broke off. "Both of them could have been hurt."

"I know, Babe," Hank said soberly, moving to stand behind her and reaching past her for the tube of toothpaste by the sink. "But they weren't, and it's over. More than the way our Little Buddy handled himself, I'm proud of him for sticking up for his little Lady Love," Hank told her with a small smile as he pushed toothpaste from the middle of the tube. The small smile turned into a full-fledged grin when the cursory lecture for not squeezing from the end of the tube assailed his ears. Her mini-tirade was underscored with genuine affection so he didn't feel too bad.

"The kid's a sucker for pretty blondes, Babe. I'd even go so far to say he has Luis beat," Hank smirked, putting his toothbrush back in its place and pressing a quick kiss to her neck before she could escape. "I'm still not sure who's going to cry loudest at the wedding," Hank mused. "Sheridan, Theresa, or you," he teased, wincing as her elbow connected solidly with his ribs. "I don't know about that, Bennett," she arched a golden brow at him in the reflection of the bathroom mirror. "I'm putting money on YOU. Although.you and Theresa might be neck and neck. It's a toss-up," she told him with a laugh. Hank chuckled at her off-hand mention of Theresa's past waterworks. "I think Luis is going to be the dark horse contender and outcry us all," Hank grinned goofily. "He and Ali definitely have something special," Gwen agreed with a bittersweet smile.

Sheridan stooped to cover Cristian with his blankets, kicked away in his sleep filled with little boy dreams of adventure. Max's big brown eyes watched her, and his tail thumped gently at her as he lay his head down on his paws and curled back up against Cristian's side. Sheridan smiled against Cristian's cheek as she kissed it and scratched between Max's ears at the same time. The dog may have been a bribe from Abby, but there was no discounting the fact that the saying 'man's best friend' was most definitely true where Max was concerned. Or more aptly."boy's best friend." Her son and the golden retriever were, quite simply these days, inseparable.

She switched the night light on before she pulled the door closed, drifting toward the sound of Luis's voice in Ali's bedroom as he regaled their sleepy daughter with real-life fairy tales. She bit back a laugh as she heard him tell Ali the story of their first meeting for what had to be the millionth time. Ali smiled brightly at her when she entered the room and sat opposite Luis on the edge of the mattress. "At least you're a better driver now, Mommy," Ali said consolingly. Sheridan laughed in surprise, meeting Luis's laughing dark eyes and shaking her head as she said, "Daddy doesn't seem to think so." Ali giggled, snuggling her bunny closer. "That's why Daddy always drives," she said as realization coursed through her. "But Mommy," Ali's voice lowered to a whisper, and Sheridan leaned in close so she could hear, "Daddy's worse now." "Really?" Sheridan said, smiling at Luis out of the corner of her eyes. "Yeah," Ali revealed. "He's always staring at you," she finished with a giggle. "It's true," Luis conceded with a wry grin. "You're going to be the death of me yet."

They left their daughter with a smile on her lips and a pink bunny cuddled close to her heart. Lighthearted laughter marked the way from Ali's bedroom to their very own bathroom, and Sheridan knew her happiness and the flickering yellow glow of candlelight reflected back at Luis when he looked deeply into her eyes. "Luis, you didn't have to do this.I already know how much you adore me," she teased, her tone confident but the look in her blue eyes still a little doubtful even after so long. It'd taken her most of her life to find his love, and there were still brief moments of insecurity when she wasn't sure if she deserved it or him and her disbelief of her reality would loom insistently like a miniature black storm cloud above her head. "My day with Ali was something I'll never forget," he said softly as his hand swept over the curve where her shoulder met her neck then traveled upward to cup her jaw in his palm. "But I missed having you by my side where you belong."

Sheridan knew her eyes sparkled with tears, but she wouldn't feel guilty because they were happy tears, a blessing in a time where everything but their love for each other and their family was an uncertainty. "Luis, sometimes you are the sweetest man." "Not all the time?" Luis grinned as his hands drifted to the tiny buttons running down the front of the deep blue shirt she wore. "You still have your control freak moments now and then," she said, her laugh dying in her throat as he undid the last button and pushed the shirt off of her shoulders. Her hands slipped beneath the heavy material of his charcoal sweater, and he raised his arms to help her sweep it over his head.

"But you love me anyway," he surmised smugly. "I love you anyway," she smiled down at him, holding on to his shoulders as he knelt at her feet and eased her black pants over her hips. "Luis.I CAN undress myself, you know," she smirked, stepping out of the pants and laughing out loud when his pants joined hers and their shirts in the pile near the tub in record speed. "I know," he breathed, dipping his head to kiss the swell of her breasts over the satin and lace of her bra. "Tell the truth. You enjoy this just as much as I do," he challenged her to dispute his words, undoing the clasp of her bra and slipping the straps down her arms. "My husband isn't an egomaniac either," Sheridan quipped, stripping her last article of clothing off and slipping into the warm tub of bubbles with a relaxed sigh. Luis just grinned at her, unable to think of a stellar response quickly since his brain had apparently decided to take the rest of the night off. "Luis." "Yeah?" he wiggled his brows at her playfully. "Get naked and wash my back." His hand snapped up in a mock salute and his boxers fell on top of their heap of abandoned clothes, and Sheridan couldn't restrain herself from rolling her eyes at the silliness of his "Yes, Ma'am."

It hurt to breathe. Every breath she took was an effort, forced between clenched teeth that still rattled with the aftershocks of having her head slammed into her car window before she got a good, swift, and-she hoped to God-excruciatingly painful knee to George's not-so-manly parts. She knew with certainty that she'd broken the lecherous swine's nose. His blood splashed all over her shirt was exhibit A one on that count. She didn't know whether to burn the evidence in a bonfire or trash it. Her torn black pants with their mangled zipper were beyond repair. But she'd wager George was in much worse shape. Well.maybe he didn't LOOK worse, Abby amended, raising a hand to finger the bruise she felt forming around her eye gingerly.

There was only one of them lying in a crumpled heap on the cold concrete of the parking deck, and it sure as hell wasn't her. Although.with the whole issue of seeing double, er.make that triple.and the whole staggering through the emergency room doors routine and scaring the living daylights out of the attending intern.judging by his reaction she might as well have been the roadkill scraped off of her snow tires. She wanted to laugh at the horror-stricken look on Eve's face when she came rushing toward her from Simone's side. "Oh my God! Abby, what happened? Who did this to you? Abby? Abby." Abby held her aching head between her hands and groaned softly as she ducked down sucking in deep breaths to try to keep the dizziness at bay, the panic in Eve's voice and words barely registering with her as she felt consciousness start to ebb and flow. "Simone, call Abby's brother at the B & B." "Dammit, Eve. Not Shane," Abby cried, shrugging off the helping hand of the nurse that hovered at her side. "Nick, Abby? Do you want." "Call Shane," Abby changed her mind with a shake of her tawny head. "It's only been 24 hours since the last lecture he gave me. Get that damned light out of my eyes," Abby muttered, swatting Eve's penlight away. "I could kick George's fat ass again for putting me through this crap. Damn him. Damn me for being so stupid. Eve, could you send security to find George and make sure I didn't kill him? He's jailbait. The road trip to Hell can pick up as soon as I'm finished with him."

Chapter 59

"How many fingers am I holding up?" Eve quizzed. Abby squinted, hoping the damn blurring would stop so she could give a good answer. The right answer, and Eve would get off her back. She loved attention as much or more than the next person, but not this kind of attention. What the hell, she thought. At least she was sure Eve was holding up only one hand. That meant she had a twenty-percent chance of guessing the right answer. "Two?" she muttered, mentally crossing her fingers. "Abby," Eve sighed. "I'm only holding up one finger. You're feeling dizzy, your vision is blurred, there's slight nausea, and you passed out on us out there," Eve nodded down the hall, "I'm fairly positive you have a concussion. You need to be monitored to make sure it's not severe." "Excellent listing of my symptoms, Dr. Russell," Abby's voice dripped with sarcasm. "You do realize that was a trick question, don't you? You said fingers plural. Not FINGER. You WANTED me to fail."

Eve ducked her head to hide her smile, gently examining Abby's right side. Already deep purple bruises marred the tanned skin over Abby's ribcage, and Abby's quick inhalations of air told Eve the area was tender to the touch. "I'm going to order an X-ray to make sure you don't have any broken ribs." Abby followed the tiny penlight beam with her eyes per Eve's request, grateful for the ice pack Eve handed her when the inspection was over. She could tell without looking into a mirror that her left eye was quickly swelling to an unattractive state. "Know where I can score some new duds, Eve? I have nothing against being half-naked in front of attractive doctors," she quipped, the corners of her mouth turning up, as she glanced down at her plain ivory bra. It was the whole dirty underwear nightmare.sort of. "But I prefer them to be 100% male." Eve laughed, dropping a hospital gown into her lap. "Your sweater couldn't be salvaged. Sorry," she apologized, holding out her hand for Abby's likewise ruined black pants. "And these aren't in much better shape. Abby." Eve trailed off, raising concerned dark eyes to Abby's battered face when she saw the torn zipper, "did George.?" "He didn't," Abby answered her softly, giving her a quick reassuring smile, as much to reassure Eve as to reassure herself. "Has Harmony P.D. picked up the pig yet?" "Luis is waiting for the doctors to finish with him first," Eve's eyes sparkled almost proudly with the reveal. Abby groaned, "Luis!? He's the Chief. He doesn't handle." "You're his friend. Don't thank me. Thank Beth," Eve said, "And stay put for that X-ray." "Beth," Abby grumbled. How the.

Simone shot out of the waiting room chair as soon as she saw Eve walking toward them. "Mom.is she okay?" "Eve?" Beth questioned worriedly, cradling her bandaged hand to her chest. "She looked pretty bad when she came in," Ethan spoke, standing protectively close to Beth, Eve noticed with a slight smile. "She's fine. She's got some nasty bruises and a concussion, but she's going to come out of this just fine. George, on the other hand." "Got his ass kicked by my runt of a sister," a voice said behind them. "I think Nick just re-broke his nose for him too," Shane said, trying to tamp down his pleased grin. "I'll get the charges dropped if he needs a lawyer," Ethan said, giving Shane's hand a quick shake. "If you're not able to start work tomorrow, we can work something else out. You won't lose your position." Eve and Simone looked to each other in surprise. It wasn't like Ethan had been an ogre before, but he seemed.softer now. Much more accommodating.

"I don't think that's going to be necessary," Shane waved Ethan's offer off. "George isn't going to be pressing any, but Nick and the Police Chief ARE having a little talk. I'm assuming it's just for appearance's sake. And there is no way in Hell Abby is going to let ME coddle her," Shane grinned, his hazel eyes twinkling humorously. "Luis arrested his mother," Beth hissed in Ethan's ear, "I can't believe he's going to let Nick go. Just like that." Ethan chuckled quietly, "I think Aunt Sheridan has had a bigger influence on him than he's ever going to admit." Shane gently pulled Eve aside, and Simone smiled at the genuine concern written plainly across his face as they discussed Abby's condition. She nodded toward the exit doors when her mother met her eyes across the waiting room, and as soon as Eve and Shane disappeared down the hall to Abby's exam room, Simone pushed the double doors open. She stood just outside the exit, lit by the glow of the white lights inside as she pulled her cell phone out of her purse and punched in what was becoming an increasingly familiar number. "Hello.Miguel? I hope it's not too late. I just called to find out how everyone reacted to the news."

MJ froze at the sound of his dad's voice, ceasing his pencil's movements and tucking the sheet of blue construction paper underneath his pillow. He turned his small yellow flashlight off and hid it beneath his bed, flopping onto his stomach and pretending to snore softly as his dad paused outside his and Joshua's door to look inside. MJ struggled to keep his breathing even as his dad pushed the bedroom door further open and stepped inside, crossing the room to Joshua's bedside. His ears strained to listen to his dad's side of the phone conversation while he sneaked peeks of him brushing his little brother's hair back from his face. "Mama and Papa were happy.Mrs. Bennett cried. Then she hugged me and thanked me for making Kay's dream come true.MJ wants to be there for the whole thing. He doesn't need to miss anymore school, especially since he was suspended.some kids said hurtful things about.Ali, too.Jake's suspended too. Sam's going to have them help him with a project this week.Calling Mr. Bennett Sam is different.calling her Grace is.it's strange, Simone. She's always been Mrs. Bennett to me.Abby.is she okay?.Good.Yeah.thanks Simone.Bye."

MJ lay completely still for several minutes that felt like excruciating hours. His entire body jerked in surprise when his dad spoke suddenly, and he rolled over onto his back with a sheepish expression on his face. "You knew the whole time?" "I knew the whole time," his dad admitted, trying not to crack a smile. "I saw your light under the door. Reading those comic books Jake gave you again?" "Those are for babies. They're stupid. That's why Jake gave them away," MJ grumbled. "I don't want to read them." "Okay," his dad said, standing up from Joshua's bed and walking over to his bed instead. MJ sat up and scooted over to give him some room when he sat on the twin mattress's edge. "What were you doing then?" MJ chewed on his bottom lip in thought. Should he tell him? Maybe he should. His dad could help him with all his spelling mistakes. MJ kept his eyes on his dad's face as his hand fished under his pillow, withdrawing the blue paper. "This," he said, presenting the paper to his dad. "MJ, what is this?" his dad questioned, looking at him so close, MJ had to look away. "A letter to Mom," he mumbled. "I feel silly talking to her so I wrote her a letter. I told her all about Joshua's surgery, and how happy Grandma Grace was about it. I told her all about Aunt Jessica and Uncle Noah. And I asked her to see if God'll make Ali better soon. Then I told her about the fight, and how much we miss her," MJ said, his voice dropping to soft whisper, "Would you check my spelling, Dad? I want to make sure I get everything right so she'll be proud of me." Miguel nodded, finding it difficult to speak over the lump in his throat, but he finally did. "I will, and me, you, and Joshua will take it to her tomorrow. But first you have to get some sleep. Okay?" "Okay," MJ yawned, stretching back out under the covers and looking up to him solemnly. "Dad?" "Yeah?" Miguel asked absently as he pulled MJ's comforter up over his body. "I wouldn't want any other Dad but you." Miguel grinned down at him. "Thanks. That's good to know."

Nick's jaw clenched as he watched Luis and another cop push George out the emergency room exit. His hands fisted at his sides as George ducked down low to get into the back of the police cruiser. "Bastard," he hissed lowly, jumping in surprise when he felt a firm hand on his shoulder and Shane's voice a second later. "She's okay. And the police are going to take care of him." Nick's gray eyes searched Shane's face and eyes for the truth of his claim, and his hands relaxed at his sides. He raked one hand through his dark hair with a tired sigh. "She's okay.you're sure?" Shane laughed, "She's okay enough to bitch at me and be pissed at the way she's looking right now. My sister's going to fine, but I'm a little worried about you." "Me?" Nick's gray eyes clouded with confusion. "Yeah, you," Shane smiled apologetically at him. "Runt doesn't realize it yet, but you're the one taking her home after she 'politely' refused my offer. She shouldn't leave her car here anyway, and since we rode over together.it makes more sense." "And you're worried about me? Why?" Nick repeated. "There just might be some residual anger, that's all. Just be careful." "That sounds real encouraging," Nick muttered as Shane left his side. He paused outside the exam room Abby was in, hesitant to come face to face with her and witness for himself the damage George had wrought.

The door opened, and Nick quickly stepped back, barely avoiding a collision with Eve. Eve responded to his unasked question, looking up from her perusal of Abby's medical charts to speak. "The X-rays didn't show any fractures. Abby's ribs are bruised from the violent contact with the car though and she has a black eye. The bruises will fade in time. What I'm worried about is the blow to the head she suffered. Her symptoms seem to indicate she has a moderate concussion, but she needs you or her brother to monitor her through the night and make sure it's not more serious than originally thought." "I'll do it," Nick answered with slight impatience. "Anything else, Dr. Russell?" Eve shook her head with a smile. "Just take her home. She should be ready now if you want to go in," she told him, giving him a friendly pat on the arm. "Thank you," Nick murmured, waiting until Eve met Simone further down the hall, and the pair disappeared from sight before he laid a hand on the door and pushed it open with a deep breath.

Abby's back was turned to him, allowing him a stolen moment to study her without her knowledge. She was dressed in a pair of green scrubs a hundred sizes too large that dwarfed her petite frame. Her tawny braids only added to the impression of youth, and his hand itched to sweep the stray strands behind her ear. "You're driving me home and leaving me at my apartment door. Well.I might let you see me in, but that's it, Buddy. You're leaving and going back to the B & B. I don't want any harrassing phone calls or anything like that. I can take care of." Nick's smile at her trademark babbling vanished around the same time Abby lost her voice.the moment she turned around and they were face to face. ".myself," she continued in a whisper. "Where's Shane?" Abby asked, swallowing awkwardly when she found Nick's solid body looming in front of her. Her eyelids fluttered shut at the whispering touch of his fingertips on her face, gently outlining the ugly purple bruise. "I'm taking you home, and I'm not leaving you at the door. God, Abby." "It's not like I was Miss Universe before," Abby muttered, finding it difficult to breathe with his extremely close proximity. Nick's gray eyes roamed her face, returning to her lively hazel eyes again and again. He'd never said anything to her before.hell, he'd been stupid enough not to even notice.but he hardly agreed with her assessment of her own looks. The more he got to know her, the more attractive he found her. In fact, he found her to be a very pretty woman. Of course, he wisely said nothing of the sort in that moment of revelation, knowing she would never believe him. "That rat! He knew I was.still am.pissed at you." Nick digested her words as he shrugged his heavy wool coat off his back and wrapped it around her slim shoulders. "But you're coming with me anyway," he told her, leaving no room for arguments. Abby huffed, refusing to follow him but leading the way herself.

Revisiting the scene of the 'crime' was a little uncomfortable for her, but Abby squared her shoulders and faced the situation with her usual aplomb. It helped that she had Nick by her side though. To take comfort from, to analyze, and to lighten the heavy mood. A laugh nearly forced its way through her lips when he got into the driver's seat across from her, and his long legs folded up like an accordion. But then she remembered not to let go of her anger with the infuriating man too soon, no matter how confusingly caring and considerate he was being. The car ride home passed in complete silence, so silent Abby must have dozed off because the next thing she knew.she was out of the car, in an elevator, and comfortably ensconced in Nick's strong arms. She was mad at him but not stupid so she pretended to be asleep until Nick shouldered their apartment door open. "My legs are working just fine," she protested half-heartedly as he carried her through the apartment to her open bedroom. She groaned when she saw the mess she'd left on her bed earlier in the day. "Where's a magic wand when I need one? Dammit.and I wanted a nice, long shower too." "Take one," Nick told her, setting her down on her feet and smoothing a hand over her tawny hair. Abby winced, and Nick started to pull his hand away in horror. She stopped him, pulling the band in one braided pigtail away slowly. "Just a little sore. Did you know pigtails are excellent for pulling and yanking a person around? I think it was the only way George could keep up with me.Nick? What.what are you doing?" Abby stammered when Nick's fingers gently unraveled her braids and shook her hair free. Her hazel eyes nearly popped out of her head Roger Rabbit style when she felt his warm lips against her forehead and his hands cradling her skull. What freakin' gives?! She'd stepped into the damned Twilight Zone without realizing it until now apparently. "Go take your shower." "Ooookay," Abby whispered, pausing to grab the comfiest, cleanest pair of pajamas available to her from the oversized chair beside her bed.

She felt like Barney's human counterpoint with all the purple George had left as souvenirs on her body. Pity, she decided, tearing her hazel eyes away from her frightening reflection. Pity was Nick's reason for being so nice to her, and if she'd let it, that thought could fuel her anger at him to a white-hot fury, but she was tired as hell. And her head was pounding dully. She let the towel slide down her body and pool on the tile floor as she finished brushing her teeth. The flannel pajama pants with the glow-in- the-dark lips almost made her cringe, but she reminded herself that it was ridiculous to even think that she was trying to send Gray Eyes a subliminal message. She wasn't, was she? What happened to the groveling, the little voice inside her literally (after tonight) scrambled head demanded to know. "I'm STILL pissed at Gray Eyes," Abby tried to convince herself as she slipped the white tank over her damp tawny head. The bold red "KISS ME" glittering across her chest somehow told another story. Abby dropped to the closed toilet seat with an exhausted sigh. She just couldn't stay mad at him when he was being so damned sweet. No way. No how. She just wished the man'd make up his mind before she started screaming from frustration (of ALL sorts) and never quit.

Chapter 60

"I've had a black eye before," Ali told Abby seriously, leaning forward and propping her elbow on her knee. "I remember," Abby said, smiling down at her and Cristian, both sitting with their legs crossed Indian style on her rug. Cartoon figures flickered unnoticed on the television set behind them, and a wily little black kitten that answered to the name of Lucky stretched out across her coffee table at their backs as if he owned it. "But yours was cool. You could count all the laces of Jake's ball." "I heard Daddy telling Mommy you made that awful man sing like a woman," Cristian revealed. "How'd you do it, Abby?" Abby smirked, waving Cristian closer so that she could whisper into his ear. Cristian's jaw fell open, and his already big brown eyes were huge when Sheridan walked out of the bathroom and rejoined them.

"Abby," Sheridan groaned, rolling her blue eyes at her friend as she collapsed onto the sofa beside her. Abby tucked her legs beneath her body carefully and rolled her hazel eyes right back at Sheridan. "Don't worry, Mrs. Cleaver. It was a strictly G-rated explanation." "Mrs. Cleaver, Abby?" Sheridan frowned. "The only thing that would make it worse is." Abby grinned, and Sheridan arched a golden brow at her in warning. "Don't you even." Abby laughed, zipping her gray sweat jacket up and wrapping her arms around herself as they turned their attention back to the children, giggling as they played hide and seek with Lucky. 'That damned cat is a stalking psycho," Abby muttered, glancing at Sheridan beside her. "Very sweet Valentine's present, Sheridan. Thanks." "You're welcome," Sheridan quipped, laughing at Abby's scrunched up nose. "Still have that unique sense of humor, don't you?" "Yep," Abby sighed, "a twisted sense of humor comes in really handy when you look like I did.still do."

Sheridan ran her hands over her belly gently, falling silent for several minutes. Abby cocked her tawny head to one side and studied her at the other end of the sofa, "Thinking deep thoughts, huh? Or maybe you're just thinking about the wonderful plans that gorgeous hubby of yours is cooking up for the big day." "Deep thoughts," Sheridan agreed with a smile, reaching across the small distance between them and picking up Abby's right hand to give it a firm squeeze. "Listen, Abby.I'm sorry it took me so long to come. I.I." "I get it," Abby's smile made some of Sheridan's guilt dissipate. "You didn't want to scare the kids. These," she indicated the fading bruise on her eye then slowly lifted both her jacket and the tank underneath up to reveal likewise fading bruises along her ribcage, "are still ugly as hell, not to mention a little sore. I don't blame you. You're here now. That's what counts. I haven't exactly been alone." "No, you haven't," Sheridan said softly. "Nick's been taking care of you. He really cares about you, Abby." "Does he?" Abby wondered, her thoughts drifting back to that night when she'd returned to her bedroom to find him sitting in the shadows and refusing to leave.

Abby paused outside her bedroom door, her hazel eyes landing on his shadowy form, slouching in the otherwise empty oversized chair. Her bedside lamp was on, its pale yellow beam bright to her sensitive eyes, and she blinked as she stepped into her newly neat room, wondering how the hell it had taken him 20, 30 minutes tops to clean up a mess that usually took her the entire day. So she was your ultimate slob. So what? "Nick," she began, pausing to soften her words when she saw he had already turned down the bed for her and everything, her earlier anger all but gone. "I may look beaten," she said, toeing her fuzzy house slippers off at the foot of the bed. "And I may look like I've had the worst day of my life-which is actually not far from the truth," she mused aloud as she edged closer to the chair and to him. "But I don't need you babying me like this. I don't WANT you babying me like this," she muttered tiredly, stepping into the open vee of his long legs and covering the large hand that rested on one muscular thigh with her own. "You've already done more than you had to, and I'm grateful. But."

Abby's words died in her throat when Nick's hand shifted beneath her own, and her eyes never left his face, his troubled gray eyes as she felt his hand rest on her hip, his thumb moving in gentle, absent strokes as he studied her face. "He hurt you," Nick stated quietly, leaning forward and resting his other hand on her opposite hip. "A little," Abby admitted just as quietly, growing increasingly distracted by his touch and the intensity in his eyes. "He's one sorry son of a.he won't lay another hand on me because he knows I'll open up another can of whoop-ass on his FAT ass," she told Nick, her hazel eyes twinkling down at him. The smile in her eyes never reached her lips. Gray Eyes just wasn't feeling her humor tonight, she decided, mentally cursing her traitorous hands when they rose to tangle in his thick dark hair of their own accord. She sucked in a surprised breath when she felt Nick's warm breath against her bare skin, and she couldn't identify the emotion in his eyes to save her life as they stared deeply into her eyes, his lips floating over her injury in the lightest of kisses before his arms slipped around her waist and his warm cheek was suddenly against her belly, his soft hair tickling her skin. Her own arms and hands took on a mind of their own, cradling him closer to her.

Gradually, Nick's grip on her relaxed, and Abby was unresisting as he pulled her into his lap, his arms slipping around her waist once more as his dark head pillowed against her breasts. Abby bit the inside of her cheek to keep from spilling all to Gray Eyes about the dreadfully naughty thoughts running through her mind despite her fatigue and aching body as she combed her fingers through his thick dark hair. She tended to babble like a brook when she got tired, and she prayed to whatever higher being that hadn't plugged His or Her ears against her oftentimes insane rantings that she didn't let anything slip and change this.moment.or whatever they seemed to be having. Hell. She prayed she still had the capacity to catch her breath as Nick pulled back, raising a steady hand and slipping the thin spaghetti strap of her tank off her shoulder. She watched him press his lips against her shoulder in a kiss through half-lidded hazel eyes, and her breath stalled in her throat as his beautiful face loomed closer. She released her breath in a sigh, her eyes fluttering closed when Nick drew her upper lip between his lips and suckled gently, cradling her face between his palms as his mouth moved against hers with utter tenderness and deliberation. Abby searched his gray eyes wonderingly when they drew apart, her heart lodged strangely and firmly in her throat as his strong yet gentle hands guided her tawny head to his shoulder, shaky sighs escaping both their throats. She officially didn't have a clue.

"Entertaining some deep thoughts of your own?" Sheridan teased, waving a hand in front of Abby's blank face. Abby shook the memory from her mind, nearly jumping in surprise when the apartment door was flung open, and Nick walked inside in his distractingly tight jeans, making her heart beat triple-time inside her ribcage as usual and her brain melt into mush. "Sheridan," Nick nodded, "AliCat and Cristian," he greeted. "I hope you're up for more visitors, Abby, because I found these two outside on our doorstep." Abby grinned, uncurling her legs and leaving the sofa to meet her new guests halfway. "I finally get to meet the boy with MERMAN dreams," Abby winked, tweaking the nose of the sandy-haired toddler in Katie's arms. "Kendall," Katie sighed as the little boy burrowed his face into her neck, "don't be so shy." "Katie, he's adorable. How old is he?" Sheridan inquired, walking up next to Abby. "He just turned two," Katie answered, smiling down at Ali and Cristian in greeting. Ali giggled when green eyes peeked at her curiously, earning herself a cute little half- smile in the process. "He's heard lots of stories about you, Ali," Katie explained. "I think he recognizes you. Do you want to go play with Ali and Cristian, Kendall?" Abby flashed the toddler a smile as he trustingly took Ali's hand, her attention straying from Sheridan and Katie's conversation as her hazel eyes landed on Nick across the room, watching them in intent silence that made her stomach knot with tension. She knew one thing for damn sure. He couldn't keep staring at her the way he was and not expect her to do something about it. The man better count his lucky stars she wasn't 100%.

Chad hopped up and down on the balls of his feet to keep his blood rushing through his veins as he waited for Ethan. His chocolate eyes scanned the area for the thousandth time that morning, and he liked what he saw. The building was located in downtown Harmony, an abandoned focal point of attention. Small businesses were rising up to the left and right of the impressive building, but the area still held a quaint yet trendy charm. He wasn't having any trouble at all picturing the building bustling with activity. In fact, he.His thoughts ended abruptly as Ethan's Mercedes slowed to a stop just feet in front of him, and Ethan stepped out of the car with an apologetic smile on his face, a set of keys jingling from the key ring in his hand. "Chad.Sorry I'm so late. I." "Look, Man," Chad interrupted his apology. "It's alright. I've just been freezing my ass off out here, but that's all." Ethan's smile morphed into a grin, and his blue eyes sparkled with humor as he finally fitted the correct key in the lock and the heavy door opened. "Is that all? Do you want a tour? I'm not that familiar with this particular Crane property, but I should be able to." Chad's eyes roamed the large open space that was the building's first floor, seeing in his mind's eye, Theresa making the place her own with her children's designs and her reawakening big dreams. "Yo, Ethan.I trust you, Man. As long as the place's structurally sound and equipped with all the utilities.I'll take it. The building AND the property," Chad announced.

Ethan blinked in momentary surprise then smiled, still a little unbelieving that Chad was finally going to take advantage of his Crane name. "It's yours, Chad. This building has been owned by the family for years. Grandfather purchased it years ago, long before he died. If you want the building, it's yours. No cost." Chad shook his head in refusal. "Thanks, but no thanks, Ethan. I'm paying for this place outright. I lived almost my entire life without relying on the Crane name to get what I needed and wanted. I'm not going to start now. I'm not buying this building for me anyway." Ethan pinched the bridge of his nose, leveling his blue gaze on the man beside him. "Chad, you don't have to." "I want to," Chad repeated. "You'll still be using the Crane money to make this purchase. How is that any different?" "There's a difference," Chad told him, withdrawing his checkbook from his leather jacket pocket, his pen poised to start writing. "A small but significant difference." Ethan stilled Chad's movements with his hand. "I'll have the papers drawn up as soon as possible." Chad grinned appreciatively. "Can you do it immediately? I'm kind of on a deadline here. Valentine's Day, to be exact." "I'll get on it today," Ethan held out his hand for Chad to shake it, and the two men fell into step together as they exited and re-locked the building.

"Why Valentine's Day?" Ethan inquired, pausing beside his opened Mercedes door. Chad stuffed his un-gloved hands into the lined pockets of his jacket, meeting Ethan's eyes with the tiniest bit of hesitation. "Chad? If I'm not prying," Ethan prompted. Chad cleared his throat. As his brother, as his friend, and as a man who once loved Theresa, Chad figured Ethan deserved to know just as much as anyone. Perhaps more than most. "It's an engagement present. I'm going to ask Theresa to marry me." "Oh," Ethan said quietly. "I mean.Congratulations are in order. Of course, she'll say yes. You make her happier than I ever did," Ethan said awkwardly. "We make each other happy," Chad corrected him. "Ethan, Man.you hurt her in the past, and that doesn't make me happy. But if things hadn't worked out the way they did, I wouldn't have noticed what was right under my nose the whole time. Theresa and I.we're really not that different. Neither one of us is perfect, but it don' t matter. I've finally found someone I can be comfortable in my own skin with, you know? She loves me for me, and I don't mind her dreams. I admire them. This building? It's how I'm going to bring her dreams back to Harmony. You see? She gave New York and Boston up to come home for Ali, but she's not satisfied just giving out orders. My girl doesn't want to hand off her dream to someone else. I'm giving Theresa her dreams back because I know they're what she needs to be completely happy. That's why I need the deal done by Valentine's," Chad finished, waiting for him to say something, Ethan realized. "Don't worry about the deal," Ethan told him. "I'll take care of it. Just make sure you keep making her happy," Ethan said, finally reaching an understanding as he watched Chad climb into his car and drive away with one last look of gratitude. Love was never the problem. Not knowing her inside and out was.

Chapter 61

“Do you and Papa have any special plans for Valentine’s Day?” Theresa questioned her mother with sparkling dark eyes as she shrugged her winter coat off her shoulders and draped it across the back of her chair. “Your papa and I promised Luis we’d watch Cristian and Ali,” Pilar smiled, pulling her arms out of her own jacket and glancing around the Book Café out of habit. It was fairly busy but she didn’t see any particularly familiar faces. Except for Beth. “Can I get you anything?” Beth asked, giving them both a pleasant smile as she waited for an answer, pen poised over the notepad in her palm. “I’m in the mood for some hot chocolate,” Theresa answered her quickly, “What about you, Mama?” “Hot chocolate will be fine. Thank you, Beth,” Pilar offered gratefully. “No problem. Two hot chocolates coming up,” Beth told them, leaving them again.

“Mama,” Theresa’s fingers played with the pink sugar packets in the tray in front of her as she talked, her dark eyes not meeting her mother’s gaze. “You and Papa don’t have to watch Cristian and Ali if you have plans. I’m sure Chad wouldn’t mind…” “No, Mija,” Pilar cut her daughter off, frowning at the abruptness of her own tone. “Your father and I don’t mind,” she began again, more gently this time as she realized her daughter had no suspicions about Chad’s plans for the day. At least not before she reacted so strangely to her request. “I’m sure Chad has something special planned,” she told her, praying Theresa didn’t figure what out just by looking at her pained expression. She was tiptoeing on really thin ice, and she prayed to be rescued from her own loose mouth soon. Obviously, her years of keeping Crane secrets hadn’t prepared her for THIS. The minute Beth returned with their steaming mugs of hot chocolate, she saw her chance and seized it, wishing she could take her words back the moment they left her mouth. “”What are yours and Ethan’s plans for Valentine’s Day, Beth?”

“Mama,” Theresa’s brown eyes were wide as they flashed to Beth’s surprised face and back to her mother’s slightly embarrassed face. Pilar frowned when she felt Theresa’s kick beneath the table. “Forgive me. Your plans with Ethan are none of my business, Beth. I’m sorry.” “Pilar,” Beth smiled, trying not to laugh, “It’s okay. Really. We’ve all known each other for a long time. It seems like forever. I don’t mean that in a bad way,” Beth hurried to explain. “In a good way. The best possible way. I just…I wasn’t expecting you to say that,” Beth said, grimacing when her nervous hand movements nearly toppled Pilar’s mug of hot chocolate over. Beth and Pilar looked at each other in astonishment when Theresa burst into a fit of girlish laughter. “Look at us,” Theresa giggled. “This is silly. You…me…Mama. Being so awkward around each other. Things are only going to get MORE awkward if we let them.” “You know what?” Beth said, tucking her dark hair behind her ear with a smile. “You’re right. This IS ridiculous. Just because I’m dating your…the man you used to…Ethan,” Beth groaned softly at her own stumbling tongue, “doesn’t mean we can’t be adults.” “So you finally admit it,” Theresa teased. “I’m happy for you. For both of you,” she said softly. “Why don’t you join me and Mama for some hot chocolate?” “I think I will. I just have to…I’ll be right back,” Beth told her. “Mama? What?” Theresa’s dark eyes sparkled happily at her mother’s secretive little smile. Pilar said nothing, but her smile grew even wider. She’d never been prouder.

Ivy slid one leather-gloved hand into her purse, pulling out a compact and opening it to study her reflection. It DID cross her mind that Ethan never noticed her makeup anyway, but she was still doing a fairly good job convincing herself she actually HAD made the unnecessary trip to the offices to invite him to lunch. Never mind the voice mail he’d left on her cell telling her he had cleared his schedule for a meeting with Chad that could last anywhere from a few minutes to several hours. She patted her white-blond hair into place with one hand, digging through her purse with it a second later to locate her tube of lipstick. She smiled predatorily when she finished applying the fresh coat, snapping her compact shut then spending the short walk from the elevators toward the main offices listing reasons why territorial simply wasn’t accurate to describe the almost feline smile on her face at all. She was here to take Ethan out to lunch, after all. It merely made no sense.

Ivy smirked as she searched the name plates on the closed office doors and the occupants inside the opened ones out of the corner of her eye and found just the man she was(n’t) looking for with an expression of complete boredom on his open face. That expression of boredom morphed into a smile, and Ivy waited just outside his office for him to catch up to her. “Busy day at the office?” she asked, the flirtatious tone in her own voice nearly making her cringe. “Actually,” Shane revealed, loosening the confining tie around his neck slightly as they walked down the hall, “not busy at all. Nobody trusts the new kid on the block,” he stated with a shrug of his shoulders. Ivy blanched slightly at the ‘kid’ reference but regained color to her cheeks. Admittedly, the man beside her was a few years younger than her. Okay. Several years younger than her. She stopped mentally counting off the years after a decade. But…but…he was still a grown man, and it wasn’t a crime to be attracted to him. She wasn’t Mrs. Robinson.

“What about you?” Shane smiled as they came to a standstill in front of Ethan’s secretary’s desk. “Good afternoon, Mrs. Crane,” Jill greeted her pleasantly. “Mr…Shane,” Jill laughed girlishly as she corrected herself. “Mr. Stone sounds too old,” Shane explained with a whisper in Ivy’s ear. Ivy grimaced at the word ‘old.’ “Jill,” Ivy began, not liking the rapt attention Jill was giving the man at her side. “Is Ethan in? I was hoping he’d like to join me for lunch.” Jill tore her gaze from Shane’s smiling face reluctantly to inform Ivy that no. Ethan wasn’t in at all, and she didn’t expect him in anytime soon. Ivy sighed with feigned disappointment, thanking the girl and turning to leave. “Ivy, wait!” Shane hurried to catch up with her, and Ivy’s Cheshire grin was back when she felt his hand on her arm. “I think we’ve already established that I’m not busy. Would you mind terribly if I took Ethan’s place?” “I wouldn’t mind,” Ivy answered coyly. “In fact, I wouldn’t mind at all,” her blue-green eyes sparkled as they shared a smile.

“Uncle Sam,” Jake grumbled as he finished sweeping the hundred-year-old layer of dust the attic had collected into the dustpan MJ grudgingly held. “I thought you said you weren’t mad at us.” MJ sneezed as a plume of dust tickled his nostrils. “I wasn’t,” Sam’s voice was muffled as he answered them across the cramped distance. “I’m not,” he reassured them, stepping out from behind a particularly tall stack of boxes and walking toward them. “But that doesn’t mean you don’t deserve some type of punishment.” Jake and MJ groaned as one, their dark eyes rolling in synchronized movements that made Sam chuckle. “This place is a disaster area. Dangerous,” Jake muttered. “The space under Sara’s bed is cleaner than this, and that’s saying a lot, Uncle Sam. How many years have you and Grandma lived here?” MJ asked. “Two hundred?” Sam’s blue eyes twinkled humorously at the two young boys as he set the box down on the floor at their feet and took a seat in the abandoned gliding rocking chair Grace used to rock the girls to sleep in. Jake tucked the broom he was holding onto behind Noah’s old crib and joined MJ on the floor at Sam’s feet.

Jake’s brown eyes watered and itched as he pulled at the untaped flaps of the brown box, withdrawing the biggest photo album he’d ever seen. “Wow! Are there pictures in here from the Great Depression when you were a teenager?” Jake snickered as Sam knuckled his spikes in mock anger. “No, but there are pictures of your dad playing dress-up.” MJ giggled loudly when Sam flipped quickly through the album to find the embarrassing photos. “Grandpa! That’s…” “Oh man!” Jake exclaimed gleefully, tucking the photo of his dad and Luis dressed up like girly girls inside his shirt. “Dad won’t ever ground me again.” Sam groaned as he realized the blackmail possibilities his young nephew saw in the photographs. “Give me that,” he requested, holding out his hand. “Kay asked about these pictures for Sheridan…” And I never made the time to find them for her, he thought regretfully, pulling his somber looking little grandson to his feet and perching him on his knee. “Can I make posters of them first?” Jake inquired, refusing to give over the pictures until Sam snatched them from his hand. “No fair, Uncle Sam,” he muttered, tugging the album from Sam’s lap and resuming flipping through its pages. Sam rest a comforting hand on MJ’s shoulder, peering over Jake’s shoulder at the reminders of the past. “Why does Dad always look so guilty?” Jake wondered aloud. “Because he was always into trouble, and some of those pictures were used as proof,” Sam chuckled, glancing at Mj and noticing his dark eyes weren’t laughing. They were staring straight ahead at something in the album. Jake started to turn the page again, intent on finding more pictures of his dad when MJ startled him by yelling “NO!” and darting his small hand out to stop him. Jake readily surrendered his loot, confused as all heck over his cousin’s reaction. He scrambled to his feet, leaning over Sam’s shoulder to see what had MJ acting so weird and looked to Sam’s blue eyes for confirmation of what he thought he saw. MJ’s hands shook as he held the picture up for closer inspection, and Uncle Sam’s voice was almost as shaky when he spoke. That’s your mom and dad,” Sam pointed out Kay and Miguel’s smiling young faces unnecessarily. “They were about your age, Jake. They played on the same ball team. They always were the best of friends.” “Can I keep it?” MJ’s voice was small and quiet as he clutched the photo in his hands to his chest. “The picture…can I keep it, Grandpa?” Sam cleared his throat as he stood up, lifting MJ from his knee and setting him down carefully. “Sure. Sure, you can. As a matter of fact, I think Grace has the perfect frame to put it in. Come on, boys. No more attic cleaning for today.” Jake sighed and followed them down the stairs disappointedly. He could have used those pictures of his dad to get out of some pretty serious trouble.

Gwen’s bleary brown eyes didn’t stray from the computer screen when she heard the door to her office open with a soft snick. She just kept on typing, wondering again why the hell she worked so hard when she was the boss’s daughter. Because she still felt she had to prove something, that she hadn’t been handed her job, that she deserved her position in the company, she answered herself silently. That’s why she was still as tenacious as ever, she decided. That’s also why she would always work hard to prove her worth. That could also explain the heated glare she looked up from her computer screen with when a throat cleared several times, demanding her attention. She groaned and rolled her brown eyes when she met Hank’s brown eyes, filled with little boy mischief. “Bennett,” she couldn’t help laughing as he winked at her, nodding his disheveled dark head at her and nearly making the large white chef’s hat atop his head fall off. “Your afternoon feast, Madame,” he grinned, setting the silver platter down in the exact middle of her desk, disregarding the mountain of paperwork there. Gwen saved her work on her computer and shut it off with an irritated but amused smile, propping her chin on her palm as she watched her husband whip two candlesticks from the ridiculous ‘KISS THE CHEF’ apron he wore. “More of the month of lluuurrvvee?” she cracked, raising dancing brown eyes to his boyish face. “But, of course,” Hank smiled.

She shook with silent laughter, watching his fumbling movements as he tried to be smooth and set up the perfect candlelight dinner. One of the candles broke in half after falling off the edge of her desk, and she jokingly told him that he was shorter than her. The candle was his. He knocked her favorite picture of the five of them Sheridan had taken over trying to make room on her desk for the sparkling bottles of… “Beer, Bennett? My husband…the incurable romantic. I’m almost afraid to ask what’s for lunch.” When Hank removed the silver lid with a flourish to reveal hot dogs heaped with sauer kraut and everything else, Gwen snorted with helpless laughter. “Sorry, Babe. Sara told us we were doing it all wrong, but Emmy and me still ruined the fancy chicken. Your hot dog, Madame,” he grinned, picking up the other one for himself. “We did okay on the desert though,” he told her with twinkling brown eyes as he lifted the lid of a second, smaller silver platter she hadn’t noticed earlier and revealed two huge pieces of gooey chocolate cake. Gwen’s smile stretched so wide her cheeks hurt, and she leaned across her desk, beckoning him closer with “C’mere you.”

Gwen smiled all through the kiss, laughing against his lips when he hurried around her desk, lips still attached to hers and collapsed into her leather chair, pulling her into his lap. She didn’t pull out of the kiss until the acrid smell of smoke filled her nostrils, and she jumped from his arms screaming then. “HOLY golly !” Hank panicked as he tried to beat the growing flame out with his chef hat. In his frantic attempts at firefighting, he knocked several items from Gwen’s desk into the fire, and the flame flared up when he accidentally ‘added’ their beers to the mix. Gwen snatched her prized picture and purse from the desk and stood back in horror as the fire alarm started going off in the building. “God help me, Bennett. You’re going to burn Daddy’s entire building down.” “Me, Babe?” Hank shouted incredulously. “You kissed me! That makes this your fault.” “My fault? My fault! Dammit, Hank!” she shrieked when the sprinkler system was triggered, dousing them both with cold jets of water. “I treat you to a romantic lunch, and this is the thanks I get,“ Hank muttered, not daring to laugh at her, her blond hair framing her face in wet ribbons with her ruined mascara running down her cheeks in little black rivers. He gave up, tossing his charred hat into the hissing fire and grabbing her hand at the first sound of the fire truck’s horn. “Time to get out of Dodge!”

Simone smiled at the little boy in her arms while the doctor talked with Grace and Miguel across the room. She heard snippets of their conversation every now and then, but she kept her focus on Joshua, smoothing his dark hair back from his forehead and pressing her lips on the warm skin there. The boy had Kay’s eyes, and for a moment, she pretended she was smiling into her friend’s eyes again, telling her without words how good it was to see her. She sighed, wrapping her arms around Joshua’s waist and giving him a gentle squeeze as she was hit by a wave of longing to see Kay again so she could TELL her once more how much their friendship had meant to her. Grace and Miguel glanced across the room at them, and Simone pointed them out to Joshua, smiling when he flapped his little brown hand at them. She stood up, resting him on her hip when the doctor took his leave and Grace approached them with tears in her blue eyes and a trembling smile on her face. “Valentine’s Day,” she announced, and Simone looked to Miguel for confirmation. “He’ll hear our voices for the first time,” Grace whispered emotionally, taking her grandson in her arms and hugging him fiercely. Miguel’s face transformed with one of his forgotten smiles, and Simone found herself laughing happily. Valentine’s Day was going to be a day they NEVER forgot.

Chapter 62

Luis held a finger to his smiling lips as he eased the door to his and Sheridan’s bedroom open slowly. Ali’s blue eyes twinkled back at him happily from beneath her purple baseball cap, and Cristian made a silent zipping motion across his lips with his own small fingers. Luis left the door open a crack, obscuring their beloved little faces but still enabling him to hear their soft giggles as their anticipation slowly built. The mattress shifted subtly under his added weight, and he almost couldn’t contain the tenderness he felt for the woman still sleeping like an angel. He brought the red rose in his grasp to his nose, inhaling its sweet scent before trailing it across the exposed skin of her arm like a whisper. Sheridan’s lashes fluttered against her cheeks, and her lips turned up in a ghost of a sleepy smile as she felt the tickling brush of the rose’s petals against her shoulder followed by Luis’s warm breath as he slipped his fingers beneath the thin blue strap of her nightgown and lowered it to press his lips to the freckled skin there.

“I know that look,” Sheridan whispered, her voice still husky with sleep, and Luis felt his heart swell inside his chest when he was met with the brilliance of her adoring, amused blue gaze. “What look is that?” he wondered, presenting the rose to her and delighting in her smile at his gift. "The one that…,” she paused, feathering her fingers lovingly through the dark hair sprinkled with a few rogue gray strands that Ali’s illness had brought on prematurely at his temple. “Jake told Ali we were the corniest grown-ups he’d ever met,” she revealed with sparkling eyes. “Romance IS corny to kids,” Luis shrugged with a grin. “Oh,” Sheridan teased. “So you’re Mr. Romantic now?” “I try,” Luis answered in a voice just as teasing as his arm slid around her back, pulling her into a sitting position flush against him. Sheridan hummed appreciatively as his thorough kiss good morning brought her body and mind to full awareness, looping her arms around his neck and smiling into his rich, dark eyes as she nodded toward their bedroom door and Ali’s bashfully grinning little face sneaking a peek inside. Luis pressed one last kiss to the palm that cupped his jaw, presenting her the delicate red rose as he beckoned Ali and Cristian inside with “Mommy’s finally awake.”

Sheridan’s blue eyes danced humorously at him, her smile hidden behind the petals of the flower she held to her nose. Ali walked through the bedroom door, Cristian at her side, carefully crossing the distance between them with a breakfast tray in her hands. “Happy Valentine’s Day, Mommy,” Ali and Cristian chorused as Luis took the tray from them and placed it in the middle of the unmade bed. “Blueberry muffins!” Sheridan cried, scooting back against the pillows at the bed’s headboard and making room for Ali and Cristian. Luis grinned. Two words, and she had them beaming with proud pleasure. “And one…” “The strawberry muffin’s mine,” Cristian volunteered. “Drink your milk, Mommy,” Ali advised. “Nana said it’s good for the baby.” “Ali!” Cristian hissed, nudging Ali with his elbow before she had a chance to crawl into bed beside their mother, “You forgot!” Sheridan bit her lip to keep from laughing at the adorable scolding expression on her son’s face as he pulled Ali aside and spoke to her in hushed whispers while Luis watched her face expectantly when Ali returned, a pale pink rose clasped between her small hands. “For you, Mommy,” Ali whispered. “For the baby,” Cristian said, presenting the pure white rose to her solemnly.

Sheridan raised a trembling hand to wipe away the sudden tears threatening to spill from her eyes from their utterly sweet gesture as Ali climbed into the bed on her opposite side, taking the purple cap she wore from her head and handing it to Luis before she rest her cheek against the swell of Sheridan’s rounded belly, listening for the baby’s heartbeat. Luis took the roses from Sheridan and arranged them in the slender crystal vase looking oddly out of place on the breakfast tray until now. “You don’t like it,” Cristian said, crestfallen that he had made her cry. “I love it,” Sheridan whispered tearfully, tipping Cristian’s tiny chin up so he’d meet her eyes with one hand while the other stroked Ali’s head gently. “I still have room for one more,” she told him, patting the empty space beside her. Cristian nestled against her, tucking his dark head beneath her chin and reaching down a hand to Ali’s almost bare head with its sparse wisps of golden hair. Luis chuckled at the twinkle in his daughter’s blue eyes as she rubbed her cheek against Sheridan’s belly and started purring like a cat, sounding more like Miss Priss than Miss Priss did until she burst into helpless giggles. “Oh you,” Sheridan tapped her index finger against Ali’s nose affectionately, laughter bubbling up within her as Cristian tried to stifle his own giggles against her shoulder. Her smile was radiant as she looked at Luis, and he couldn’t wipe the ridiculously big smile off his own face as he stared into her sparkling blue eyes, thankful for such a perfect moment amidst all the turmoil barely kept at bay. “Happy Valentine’s Day, Mommy,” he murmured.

“I don’t understand,” Jake muttered, stuffing his hands in the pockets of his khaki pants and pacing the hospital halls beside his dad. “I thought Aunt Grace said…” “Aunt Grace was excited,” Hank explained, smirking as his son mirrored his every movement. “That sucks,” Jake commiserated with Joshua’s situation. “Exactly how I’d want to spend my Valentine’s Day. In the hospital having surgery when I still won’t be able to hear for a while.” “Don’t worry, Little Buddy,” Hank gripped Jake’s shoulder firmly. “Joshua WILL hear soon. The doctors just have to make sure his stitches heal and that everything’s a go before they activate his implants.” “Gee, Dad,” Jake answered with as much sarcasm as he could muster. “You’re such an expert. Maybe YOU should be Joshua’s doctor.” Hank chuckled as he steered his wisecracking young son back toward the waiting area where Gwen and the girls kept two sets of restless grandparents company. Abby and MJ sat in a secluded corner having one of their heart to heart sessions. Hank knew Tink was trying to convince MJ to leave the hospital and come to the Valentine’s party at the Youth Center with them, but he also knew prying MJ away from Miguel and Joshua’s side lately and getting him to actually have fun was like fighting an uphill battle.

“MJ, you just HAVE to go,” Abby mock-whined. “Everybody that’s anybody is going to be there, and I don’t have a date.” Noah and Jessica watched the tug of war of wills going on between the nutcase and her demon seed with amusement. If neither had known better, they’d think the blow to the head Abby suffered had knocked her a little wacky. But that just wasn’t the case. Abby’s wackiness was definitely a preexisting condition. “I hear it’s going to be a great party,” Jessica smiled, kneeling before her nephew. Myles slid off the stiff waiting room chair beside Simone and marched over to Jessica’s side, wrapping his arms around her neck. “Uncle Noah’s taking Myles,” Jessica told MJ as she rubbed her son’s back in absent circles, and MJ’s dark eyes lifted to study his uncle’s face. “I can’t leave them,” he muttered, giving Abby and Jessica apologetic looks. “How ‘bout if we wait until he’s out of surgery so you can make sure he’s okay? We’ll be fashionably late,” Abby told MJ with a wink. A smile so tiny and so quick to disappear was almost undetectable on MJ’s lips, but Jessica knew without a doubt she’d seen it. “You promise to wait?” MJ questioned Abby. “Scout’s honor,” Abby vowed solemnly. Well, as solemnly as she could manage, Jessica realized with a laugh at the merry twinkle in those hazel eyes, amazed at the other woman’s resiliency as she found her own eyes drawn once again to the slight discoloration surrounding Abby’s left eye. Before, she hadn’t understood Kay’s friendship with Abby, but she was slowly becoming aware of how well they had fit each other. “You should go, MJ,” Miguel gave his blessing as he strode by. “You really promise?” MJ looked up at Abby again. “Am I going to have to sign my name in blood?” Abby huffed. MJ, Jake, and Sara giggled while Emily and Myles just looked horrified. “Geez,” Abby grumbled good-naturedly. “I promise.” “Okay,” MJ relented. “I’ll go. You don’t have to hug me,” he grumbled, rolling his eyes at Abby’s response. “Yuck!”

“I’ve missed you so much, Ms. Sheridan!” Lissy cried, tightening her arms around Sheridan’s waist and staring up at her with the chocolate eyes that only seemed to get bigger the older she grew. Sheridan stroked an affectionate hand through Lissy’s tawny hair with a smile. “I’ve missed you too, Lissy. Tell me about your grandpa, Sweetie. Is he doing better?” Sheridan inquired, leading the little girl to a vacant row of chairs in one corner of the Youth Center. Sheridan held Lissy’s Kool-Aid and plate of Valentine’s goodies while she waited for the little girl to seat herself. “Daddy says he’s too stubborn to die,” Lissy told her with the unrestrained honesty only a child possessed. “You want a cookie, Ms. Sheridan?” Lissy politely offered before munching on her own heart-shaped treat with red sugar sprinkles. “No thank you,” Sheridan refused, settling in the chair beside the little girl. “Daddy said Grandpa’s been a real crab apple lately,” Lissy divulged, chewing on her cookie thoughtfully. “Really?” Sheridan’s blue eyes twinkled with amusement at Lissy’s animated retelling of what her father had most likely said in passing. “Really,” Lissy nodded her head vigorously. “Daddy says Grandpa’s been upset because his lady doctor went on vacation. My grandpa really likes her, you know. Daddy says he forgets sometimes and calls her my mommy’s name ‘cause she looks kind of like her, but Daddy says she’s nothing like her and he doesn’t like her that much at all. I don’t think he means it, Ms. Sheridan. I think my daddy likes her too. He’s just afraid of what Mommy would think. It’d be nice to have a mommy again,” Lissy sighed. “Sometimes I wish you weren’t married to Mr. Luis so you could be my mommy, Ms. Sheridan. Does that make me a bad girl?” “I don’t think so,” Sheridan said, giving the little girl a gentle smile. “I used to wish Mr. Luis’s Mama was MY mommy with all my heart.” “Now she kinda is,” Lissy positively beamed at her. “If Cristian was older, I’d marry him, and you could be my mommy too,” the little girl said excitedly. “Ms. Sheridan, I’ll be right back. I have to go tell Ali something.” Sheridan was still laughing quietly when Theresa joined her. “What’s so funny?” Theresa giggled with her, only because her lighthearted laughter was infectious. “I’m still a little young to be a mother-in-law, don’t you think?” Sheridan continued to laugh, wiping the tears from her eyes. “Definitely,” Theresa agreed. “But if that isn’t a glimpse into the future,” she said, nodding her head across the Youth Center where Jake and Ali stood, “I don’t know what is.” “I made you something, Jake,” Ali smiled at Jake sweetly, slipping a hand into the pouch of the pale pink fleece pullover she wore and withdrawing a medium-sized red rectangular envelope. “She made you something, Jakey-poo,” Dylan sneered behind Jake’s back, both eyes still not completely recovered from meeting Jake’s and MJ’s fists. Obviously, the jerk hadn’t learned his lesson, Jake thought with a scowl as he closed his ears best he could against Dylan’s annoying jeering. If he said something to hurt Ali’s feelings, Jake wasn’t going to bother hitting him again. He was going to march across the Youth Center and steal Uncle Luis from his dad and see how nasty Dylan really was. “I made you something too, Dylan,” Ali said softly, holding out a smaller white envelope. Jake’s jaw fell in disbelief. “Ali! Dylan’s…he said…” he trailed off as Dylan reluctantly took the card from Ali, like he thought it was going to explode or something. Whatever was in the card sure threw Dylan for a loop. He got really pale and guilty-looking and walked away, looking like a kicked puppy. Not that Jake had ever seen a kicked puppy. Dad and Gus didn’t get along that good, but Dad would never… “Aren’t you going to open it?” Ali asked quietly, her blue eyes sparkling at him expectantly. Jake felt his cheeks burning and was surprised they weren’t bursting into flames when he opened the card and his and Ali’s picture from her mom and dad’s second wedding popped out at him. The one where Ali was kissing him. At the same time Jake was thinking the whole pop-up thing was totally cool, he was mortified at the thought of anyone that hadn’t already seen the picture seeing it. “Um…Ali…” he stammered uncomfortably, feeling his blush spread all the way to his ears. “See, Jake?” Ali stepped closer to him, and Jake blinked, unable to say a word in response when she smiled at him like she was doing with her eyes so pretty and blue and happy. “It says to my best friend. You’re my best friend, Jake,” Ali said, smiling that magical smile at him again. It also said “Love, Ali,” at the bottom, but Jake wasn’t about to say anything about THAT. “Um, Ali…I didn’t get you anything,” Jake blurted out the lie as he stared at the little gold heart earrings on Ali’s ear lobes, the goofy card he’d stolen from Sara and Emily’s card packet burning a hole in his own pants pocket. It wasn’t…special enough for Ali anymore. “I’m sorry,” he muttered, staring at his feet. “That’s okay,” Ali told him sincerely, giggling as Lissy arrived at her side out of breath and excited. Jake watched Lissy drag Ali toward the refreshment table with a guilty frown on his lips. He HAD to get her something but WHAT?

Chad bounced the orange globe back to Sara, a tickled grin on his face at her attempts to dribble the ball. The red ribbon in her chin-length brown hair was a distant memory, trashed the very minute Gwen had taken her eyes off of her obstinately tom-boyish young daughter and wandered across the Youth Center to visit with Sheridan and Theresa (that was something Chad still wasn’t used to). Sara shoved her tangled hair out of her face, bouncing the basketball with dogged determination. “So…what’d your dad get your moms for Valentine’s Day?” “Hair dye to cover up all the gray hairs he gives her,” Sara said nonchalantly. Chad chuckled, stealing the ball from the little girl easily. “Hey!” Sara cried, flailing her arms out to steal the ball back. Chad passed the ball from hand to hand, grinning at the look of intense concentration on Sara’s face as she watched its movement. “He gave her some aspirin for all the headaches he gives her too,” Sara remembered, squealing when her efforts finally paid off and the ball was back in her possession. “Is that it?” Chad questioned, going easy on her for the time being so he could recapture his breath, not from overexerting himself but from trying to keep his laughter silent and hidden from the little girl in front of him. “He gave her some pretty earrings. They’re 14 karats something,” Sara shrugged. “Dad got a new car.” “For your moms?” Chad asked, impressed. “DAD got a new car,” Sara repeated, slightly annoyed that Chad was asking her such a silly question when she’d told him…”Don’t you mean your dad got your moms a new car?” Sara huffed in frustration and bounced the ball at him. Hard. “No, Silly. MOM bought Dad a car, and she was going to take it back after Dad set Grandpa’s building on fire. But it was too late ‘cause Jake already knew about it and tattled, and Mom didn’t have anything else for Dad…” “Sara,” Chad held up his hands in surrender. “I get you, Girl. Where is this new car?” “At home in the garage,” Sara muttered, picking the basketball back up and wrapping her arms around it. “Mom told Dad he had to be on his best behavior before he could get rid of his old clunker and use the new car. She hid the key from him.” Chad grinned after her as she left in search of Emily and Cristian.

Nick smiled to himself as he heard Abby’s key turn in the lock, and he removed the skillet from the stove eye, turning the gas off and reaching into the cupboards to withdraw a couple of wine glasses. He filled one glass generously before realizing Abby had yet to announce her homecoming like usual. “Abby?!” “In here,” Abby called, and Nick followed the sound of her voice to the back of the apartment. Nick’s gray eyes shied away modestly when he discovered her half-dressed in her bedroom, pulling her jeans over her hips and leaving them unbuttoned as she rifled through the near-endless selection of clothes in her wildly cluttered closet. Nick cleared his throat awkwardly when Abby whipped the stained cinnamon sweater over her head unself-consciously. Abby smirked when she saw his reaction to her state of undress in the reflection of her bedroom mirror. Let him sweat, she thought with a sly grin, deciding to take her own sweet time finding a replacement to wear to the Valentine’s party she and MJ were due at…an hour ago. “What do you think?” she asked, whirling around and holding up two different sweaters. Nick swallowed slowly and tried to keep his eyes on the clothes she was holding up and not think about the clothes she wasn’t wearing. Abby’s hazel eyes twinkled as she felt Gray Eyes’s gaze land somewhere not her face and definitely not the long-sleeved, form-fitting ruby blouse she held in one hand and the casual plum sweatshirt she held in the other. “Nick?” Nick shook his head, forcing himself to remove his eyes from the crimson lace covering her… “Wear the red one. It matches with your linge…it’s more festive. You’re going out?” Nick practically choked.

Abby bit the inside of her cheek to keep from bursting into laughter at his dazed expression. “More festive?” she teased as she eased the zipper up her hips. “I thought so too. Thanks for the input. Yeah,” she said, turning around and laying the vetoed sweatshirt across her bed. Nick didn’t have time to hide the fact that he’d been staring at the brilliantly colored tattoo across her lower back when she turned around suddenly, slipping the ruby shirt over her tawny head and hurriedly tucking it into her jeans as she slid her feet into the high-heeled black boots at the foot of her bed. “Noah’s waiting outside with the boys.” Noah? What the hell was…”The boys?” Nick asked instead, discounting the possibility that he could be jealous and trying to pretend the nagging feeling he was experiencing was only heightened curiosity. “Myles and MJ,” Abby explained, grabbing her suede jacket from her closet and smiling at Nick as she brushed past. “The party at the Youth Center,” she reminded him, slipping her arms inside the jacket and taking time to tuck her tawny hair beneath the dark brown, nearly black beret atop her head. “Why don’t you come with us? “I can’t,” Nick couldn’t stop the lie from escaping his lips. “I have other plans,” he elaborated, remembering the wine and meal he’d cooked growing colder as time passed. Other plans? What other plans, Abby wondered as she struggled to hide her disappointment. “Too bad,” she replied with a small, faltering smile. “You’re missing out on a great party. I mean, it’s for the kids, but…Nevermind,” Abby sighed. “Be sure to tell me all the juicy details,” she teased half-heartedly as she let herself out of the apartment without another glance in Nick’s direction. What details? What plans, Nick asked himself as he downed the glass of wine he’d poured earlier and put the bottle back into the refrigerator. There was nothing to tell.

Chapter 63

“Well, if it isn’t Harmony’s resident SAPS,” Abby teased, hazel eyes rolling in exaggerated disgust as she crossed her arms across her chest and planted herself right in front of Sheridan and Luis. Sheridan laughed softly, leaning back further into Luis’s embrace when his arms wrapped around her waist. “A word of advice,” Abby dropped her voice to an intimate whisper as she stepped closer to them. “I know Mr. Hunk here probably has something REALLY romantic planned for tonight, and I wouldn’t expect anything less,” Abby said, smirking at the amused expressions Sheridan and Luis both sported. “Besides…Pilar and Martin already filled me in about keeping Ali and Cristian at the hospital earlier. Can’t have the kiddies around for what you got planned, huh Luis?” Abby plowed ahead, delighting in teasing the hell out of them both. “Just remember…I know they can be mighty powerful, but pregnancy hormones be damned…you don’t want to, how should I put his? OverDO things. None of that kinky golly I know you secretly love…” A small brown hand reached in between them, and Sheridan and Luis gasped in slightly embarrassed surprise, wondering just how much of the conversation MJ had heard. “That’s two dollars,” MJ grinned, holding out his hand for the cash. “Why you little…” Abby grumbled, pulling a wadded five-dollar bill out of her jeans pocket. “I don’ t have change. Dammit,” she swore. “Three dollars plus two dollars makes five dollars,” MJ’s dark eyes laughed at her as he snatched the bill out of her hand before she could protest any more. “Aren’t you just a mathematical genius?” Abby sneered as MJ stuffed the crumpled money into his pocket. “Did you see that?” Abby turned back to Sheridan and Luis with a proud smile. “Our Demon Seed is slowly coming back to us.”

“Jake, I don’ t see why you don’t just give Ali the card. She’ll love it no matter what because it’s from you. You know you don’t have to give her a present. Ali won’t care,” Gwen sighed, trying to talk some sense into her panicking son. “But Mom,” Jake whined. “But Jake,” Gwen whined back. “What do you think, Bennett?” she nudged Hank with her elbow, making him splash cherry Kool-Aid all over his white Henley and all over the front of his pants. “Babe! What the hell?!” Hank let out an humiliatingly girly squeal. Gwen’s brown eyes sparkled with barely suppressed humor, and when Emily scrambled up the bleachers, her little face contorted with panic as she started giving Hank ‘CPR’ (Kool-Aid- sticky kisses to whatever part of Hank’s body she could reach), mother and son forgot all about their little disagreement and saw eye to eye on one thing…only them. This would only happen to them, and only Emily would mistake cherry Kool-Aid for blood and try to ‘love’ her daddy back to life. Jake snickered and hopped off the bleachers, deciding to go benefit Sara from his expertise on basketball and teach her how to REALLY play the game. “Don’t worry, Daddy. I’ll make it all better,” Emily vowed, clinging to Hank like a trembling vine. “Emmy…Emmy, Daddy’s not hurt. It’s Kool-Aid,” Hank told his daughter. Emily’s brown eyes sparkled and her voice was sweet and cheerful as she slid out of Hank’s arms with a smile. “Oh! Can I have some?” Hank looked to Gwen in dumbfounded amazement. Grace’s eggs couldn’t have been secretly implanted in Gwen’s womb when they weren’t looking, could they? His Emmy was his brother’s wife’s mini-clone.

“Ali,” Lissy’s chocolate eyes were earnest and tearful as she hugged Ali’s neck tightly and pulled back to run her little girl fingers across the pink and white-checked bandana covering Ali’s head. “I wish you could come back to school. I miss you awful much.” “Me too,” Ali said softly, her blue eyes just as solemn but without the tears. Hope shone in Ali’s blue eyes brightly as she combed Lissy’s tawny hair back off her shoulders, and she spoke in a gentle whisper. “Dr. Nick says he’s going to get me ALL better so I can come back to school AND play with my brand-new baby sister when she’s born, and everything’s going to be like it was before. Only better.” “But Ali,” Lissy protested, “you haven’t been to school since…” she paused to try to mentally count off the exact number of days Ali had missed but couldn’t do it. “You’ve missed too many days Ali. You won’t be in my class anymore. It won’t be the same,” Lissy pouted. “My mommy’s been helping me with my school work,” Ali told Lissy with a smile. “She has?” Lissy asked hopefully, “Is she smarter than Ms. Kinsay?” “Uh huh,” Ali giggled, “but don’t tell Ms. Kinsay I said so.” “I won’t,” Lissy promised, crossing her heart then pinkie-swearing with Ali for added measure. “Oh Ali!” Lissy cried, flinging her arms back around Ali’s neck. “I’m egg-static.” Ali giggled as Lissy let go of her neck, and the two little girls started walking across the Youth Center hand in hand. “I think I see my daddy, Ali,” Lissy announced as they neared the refreshment table.

“So Noah,” Abby grinned as she indulged herself in a little open admiration of the dark blond god’s rock-hard physique. “You’re young, very attractive, and single. Why is that exactly?” Noah’s silver-blue eyes danced at her as he lifted Myles up so the little boy could reach the tray of pink-iced and white-iced cupcakes Beth had brought with her arrival. “Maybe I haven’t met the right woman yet. I could say the same for you, you know,” he remarked, watching her as she leaned down to wipe the glob of pink icing from the corner of Myles’s mouth with the pad of her thumb. “Young?” Abby scoffed. “I was probably born in a different decade than you so hell no. I’m not what YOU’d consider young. Single? An eternal curse or blessing—depending on a person’s point of view. You, I think, would fall into the latter category,” Abby surmised, handing Myles another glass of Kool-Aid with the distracted thought that the kid was going to be bouncing off the walls at 3 a.m. with all the sugar pumped into his system in the last hour alone. “You forgot attractive,” Noah offered her a charming smile. Abby rolled her hazel eyes at him. “Noah Bennett, are you flirting with me?” “She’s not available, Uncle Noah,” MJ interjected with a little smirk as his arm darted out in search of a cupcake. “She’s in love with Ali’s Dr. Nick,” he mumbled around a mouthful of cupcake, wisely leaving them before Abby found the strength to pick her jaw back up off the ground and regained the rest of her mental and physical capabilities. “He…he’s wrong. I’m not…there’s nothing…there’s some…feelings…of some sort involved,” Abby stammered in awkward explanation. “I’m weak from too many sex-less years…uh, I have someone I want you to meet,” she quickly changed the subject. “How do you feel about blind dates?”

“Auntie,” Chad leaned over Sheridan’s shoulder and whispered in her ear. “I need a favor…” The smile on Sheridan’s face grew as Chad detailed his request to the letter, and she promised to do everything he asked. Even if it DID cut into her evening plans just a wee bit. “You’re the best auntie in the entire world,” Chad teased her as he started to back away and make himself scarce. “Abby and Noah already agreed to chaperone the dance tonight. Are you sure you can find…” “Chad,” Sheridan laughed, shooing him out the door, “it wasn’t too long ago that **I** ran this place. Luis before me. It won’t be a problem. Go. This is a big night for you.” “What was THAT all about?” Beth asked as she sat down in the empty seat beside Sheridan. “I’m sworn to secrecy,” Sheridan said, biting her lip, “but it looks like Ethan might be able to clue you in. I really don’t mean to be rude, Beth, but it looks like I’m being paged,” Sheridan gave Beth an apologetic smile as she answered Cristian’s unspoken plea to save him from a circle of squabbling little girls. “So Ethan,” Beth turned her curious brown eyes to her…friend? Boyfriend? More? “What’s Chad got up his sleeve? And why is it making YOU so uncomfortable?” “I used to wonder how different my life would be if I’d made my decision sooner and not hurt either of them as badly as I did…” Beth stayed silent, knowing without asking who the ‘them’ Ethan was talking about was—Gwen and Theresa. “It’s in the past, Ethan,” she reminded him gently. “I thought about marrying her once…” Ethan cleared his throat. So Chad was going to propose, Beth made the educated guess easily. “I thought about marrying Luis once too, and I was convinced Sheridan couldn’t make him happy the way I would have,” she murmured. “But I was only kidding myself. He adores her, Ethan. She’s his LIFE. I’ve never been someone’s life. Not with Luis, not with Hank, not even with you. We’re only a part of each other’s lives, but I’m happy, and that’s enough for me. Is it enough for you, Ethan?”

“You didn’t have to come in with me,” Ivy told Shane as they walked down the long white halls of the hospital in search of Joshua Lopez-Fitzgerald’s hospital room. Shane was able to hide the smirk on his lips from her, but Ivy most definitely saw the twinkle in his hazel eyes as he retorted, “You didn’t have to bring a present to the B & B. I think you knew Grace would be HERE. Admit it. Since our lunch, you’ve been finding excuses to see me,” Shane teased. “You and your sister are more alike than I realized,” Ivy stated, looking straight ahead and not meeting his eyes. Shane chuckled. “Abby would LOVE hearing you say THAT,” he muttered under his breath. “Is it a crime to admit you enjoy spending time in my presence?” “You wouldn’t take NO for an answer,” Ivy frowned, pausing at the nurses’ station to question the nurse on duty about the location of Joshua’s room. “I asked once,” Shane reminded her, leaning down to whisper softly in her ear, “You said YES.” It took everything Ivy had inside NOT to react to his proximity. What the hell was she thinking anyway? She set this whole tease into motion, and now she was having trouble going through with it. Something about the man intrigued her, attracted her to him, but something was holding her back from acting on her most tempting impulses. Or rather, SOMEONE, she realized as they rounded a corner, and Grace and Sam came into view.

Ivy looked at them, holding each other so carefully, and she couldn’t help the residual pang she felt in her heart at the sight. She’d already reconciled herself to the fact that Sam’s love for her was in the past, but a small part of her, the part that still ached when she looked into their son’s eyes, would ALWAYS love him. Try as she might, she couldn’t change that fact. “Ivy? Ivy, is something wrong?” Shane inquired quietly, taking the teddy bear from her numb fingers and leading her back around the corner and away from Sam and Grace. “Nothing,” Ivy shook her head to clear it of the cobwebs. “Nothing, it’s just…visiting hours should be enjoyed by his family, and I don’t really think we should intrude. He’s probably sleeping anyway. We should just…leave this,” she grabbed the floppy teddy bear back from him, “at the nurses’ station.” “Are you sure nothing’s wrong?” Shane asked again, searching her blue-green eyes. “No, nothing’s wrong,” she finally answered him, her lips stretching into a wide Cheshire grin. “I don’t need anymore excuses, strangely, I like spending time with you, and I’m not going to take no for an answer. I have two tickets to the Valentine’s Ball at the Seascape. Come with me?” “Wow,” Shane grinned. “No more hiding behind excuses. I like that. What time should you pick me up?” he teased a chuckle out of her. Ivy was still laughing as they left the nurses’ station.

Abby held the mirror in front of her, turning sideways and checking to make sure every strand of tawny hair in her French twist was in place. The deep red dress clung to her body in all the right places, she thought with a wry grin, creating the illusion that she had curves that just didn’t exist. Not certain beautiful, buxom, blue-eyed blond curves anyway. Ordinary, reasonably attractive, small-chested, hazel-eyed Abby curves. The dress had a long slit in one side that exposed nearly her entire thigh, but what did that matter, she frowned, when you didn’t have killer legs to show off, and your audience for the night was going to be a bunch of hormonal teenagers? At least the strappy, so NOT appropriate for the dead of winter heels she was wearing put her over the five feet five mark. Barely. She wondered if she could look directly into Gray Eyes’s eyes without getting a crick in her neck with the sexy heels. Where the hell was Gray Eyes? The whole other plans bit was pissing her off more than she would have liked to admit. Damn, but she wished the man would stop doing the two-step around her! And she was inclined to tell him just that when she heard the front door open and the approaching sound of footsteps. “I think it’s time to torture the good doctor a little,” she told her reflection, earning a indignant meow from the black kitten lounging on the edge of the bathroom sink. “Oh, blow it out your old wazoo,” she stuck her tongue out at the creature, flipping off the light and stepping outside. “Abby, you’re ba…you just got back. Are you going somewhere?” Nick said, finally able to get his mind and tongue to cooperate with one another. Abby pretended not to notice the intense way he was looking at her or the slight hitch of protest in his voice when he realized she wasn’t sticking around. “Noah and I promised Chad we’d chaperone the Dance tonight for the teens. I thought you had other plans,” she murmured, slipping her sparkling earrings into each ear. “Other plans? Yeah…right. Other plans. After you left…they got postponed ‘til later. I’m meeting her later.” HER?! What’s the big deal, Abby, the nagging voice inside her head jeered. What were you expecting? A HIM? It’d be just up your alley to lust after a gay man. “Oh. Well…I hope you have a great time” Brilliant performance, Meryl. “Thanks,” Nick said quietly, watching her fumble with the clasp of the solitaire diamond necklace in her hands. “Nick?” she implored him for his help with hazel eyes, holding out the necklace. Abby tried to ignore the unwelcome flutter that rose within her stomach when his long, masculine fingers brushed against her palm, making her nerve endings tingle. And she fought like hell to stay upright as he moved in close behind her, his body barely touching hers as he leaned forward, draping the necklace across her neck. Such a serious miscalculation on her part. Gray Eyes was never the tortured soul. SHE was, she thought with a trembling breath, trying to ignore the soft puff of his hot breath against her skin and the way it made her stomach engage in the most awe-inspiring acrobatics. She held her breath as Nick slowly turned her around, holding the necklace up in the palm of his hand and admiring it. “It’s fake,” Abby blurted before he even had a chance to ask, easing some of the tension in the air and coaxing a lazy smile from Nick. “But you’re real,” he pointed out. “Of course, I’m real,” Abby scoffed. “Even **I** think I’m too strange to be fake,” she cracked, enjoying the laugh that bubbled up within him. “Strange? I don’t have a problem with strange things. Or people. I LIKE strange.” Was he…did he just…oh dear God, she was going to fall flat on her face from the shock. She felt so damned wobbly in her kick-ass heels. She had the strangest sensation that he wanted to kiss her, and then…let’s just say Noah had no clue about the HELL he was in for the entire night after shattering the ‘moment’.

“Theresita? Is that you? Did you forget…Gwen. Jake,” Pilar smiled warmly, stepping aside and inviting the unexpected arrivals inside. “I’m sorry. I thought you were Theresa. She forgot her gloves. “I’m sorry for dropping by without warning,” Gwen smiled humorously at the woman that knew her young son well, “but Jake refused to wait. He HAD to give Ali her Valentine’s Day present,” she sighed, nodding her blond head at Jake as he approached the sofa where Ali reclined with Cristian and MJ, watching television. Cristian and MJ giggled when Jake handed Ali the prettily wrapped package. “He’s dragged me across the entire mall looking for the PERFECT gift,” she laughed, falling silent as they watched Ali pull the pink ribbon of the package free slowly. Mothers weren’t the only ones prone to sticking their noses into their children’s ‘love’ lives. Grandmothers did too. Whenever they got the chance. And Pilar and Gwen hung on every word exchanged between Jake and Ali. The heart-covered wrapping paper fell away, and Ali lifted the lid of the box carefully, her sweet mouth falling open in delighted surprise when she withdrew a beautiful little box with a tiny blond angel resting on a cloud on its front. “She looked kind of like you,” Jake mumbled. “It plays music. Listen,” he instructed. Ali’s smile was almost too big, too radiant for the small living room when the tinkling tune played, and Jake, regrettably, found himself blushing for the second time that day—it was all Ali’s fault! “Happy Valentine’s Day, Ali. No more kissing,” Jake warned, holding his hands up in front of himself like a shield. “You are a “Tuesday’s Child,’ aren’t you? Mom said you were born on Tuesday, but I said it didn’t matter ‘cause she looked like you, and it was perfect even though it’s not really a Valentine’s present…you do like your present, don’t you Ali? I told you no more kissing,” Jake grumbled, wiping his cheek roughly with the sleeve of his sweater when he felt the soft press of Ali’s lips against his cheek. Ali just giggled and tucked her music box close to her heart with a softly whispered “Thank you.”

Part Eight