The Soldier's Unexpected Family

by Tanya Agler

  In two steps, he closed the distance. “Are you afraid of thunder?”

  Nervous laughter passed through her lips. “Of course not. Who’d be afraid of a natural phenomenon?”

  “I’d classify you as a natural phenomenon in a second.”

  He was close enough for his breath to tickle her cheek, the warmth of it warding off the cooler air rustling in from the storm. The rain pelted the roof, but the coziness of the dry, isolated spot embraced her. He moved even closer, and his hand tilted her cheek upward.

  “Most natural phenomena, though, are scary. I’m harmless.” The deep gray flecks of his eyes stood out like charcoal.

  “You’re anything but harmless.”

  That was something, considering all he’d seen and done. However, at this point, he was harmful to the careful equilibrium she’d rebuilt for herself. “Why didn’t you dance with me at the barbecue?”

  “Maybe because I didn’t expect to find anything like you in Hollydale. On the flight, I figured everything out about my life with Danny. Serve one more year, accept the job in DC, then meet someone who’s like me. Being attracted to you wasn’t on that list.”

  So he was attracted to her, but he had come up with a convenient checklist for a relationship? “Relationships aren’t necessarily something you can plan, although it’s nice to know you feel something for me. Can I claim that dance now?”

  “There’s no music.”

  “There is if you listen.” She wiggled her finger, and he moved closer. “The rain and the wind are providing a melody of sorts.”

  “May I have this dance?”

  Her stomach fluttered, and something in his face let her know the chemistry between them was mutual. She stepped toward him and reached for his free hand, pulling him toward her for a slow dance. They swayed for a minute before his gaze met hers, and she nodded. His lips claimed hers, and the tingle traveled to her toes. This kiss was everything a kiss should be. Fun enough to keep it light but with enough emotion to make it count, make it real. Make him matter.

  A faint whimper caught her ear, and she laughed. “I didn’t expect that sound from you.”

  He broke away and shook his head. “I thought it was you.”

  They both laughed before the sound returned, a little louder this time, more of a mewing than a whine, coming from the direction of the far corner.

  Aidan beat her to the corner, and he held out his arm. “Stand back until we know what made that noise.”

  A small bundle of fur caught her eye, and she reached for the kitten hovering there, wet and scared, covered in mud. “Ah, the poor little thing.”

  “It might hurt you.” He blocked her hand before she could pick up the animal. “Or the mother might be around searching for it.”

  “It is a kitten and if the mother cat were in here, it wouldn’t be dirty and mewling. Poor thing probably got lost or separated.”

  Brushing Aidan aside, she made soft, cooing sounds and bundled the cold kitten in her arms. The kitten put up a valiant effort and unsheathed its claws for a second before Natalie held it to her chest and it purred. “Danny will love the newest addition to our family.”

  The “our” slipped out, but she could hardly take it back now. The kitten protested its hunger.

  “I’m not sure introducing Danny to the kitten is a good idea.” He backed up until his rear smacked the back of the shed.

  “Why not? Little boys like cats, too.” She had no idea if Danny was a cat or a dog person, but there was no reason why anyone couldn’t make room in their hearts for both.

  “He can’t take a kitten cross-country.”

  * * *

  AIDAN HAD BLOWN the moment with a simple sentence. The look on Natalie’s face changing from wonder to cold, hard reality reinforced what he already knew. They could never work, not with his pragmatic, nose-to-the-grindstone approach against her breezy light self. Storm clouds blocked sunlight every time.

  Besides, Danny would be the one most devastated if Aidan tried to turn that kiss into something more and he failed. He’d failed to stop his arm from getting sliced open, despite all his training. He’d failed at being a big brother to Shelby and making sure she went to the doctor for annual checkups. Not many others could warp a kiss like that into a monumental disaster, but he’d succeeded.

  He couldn’t fail as Danny’s co-guardian. The stakes were too high.

  In the privacy of Shelby’s house, he shook off that train of thought as he twirled his pasta with his fork. Dinner for one wasn’t as much fun now. Should he go next door and check on Natalie and Danny? Or would that look too pathetic? The doorbell rang, and he jumped to answer it. There on his doorstep stood Danny, bouncing with excitement.

  “Can you come with us? Aunt Natalie said it was okay to invite you.”

  Aidan glanced out the door and found Natalie in her driveway, her cream floral sundress cool and breezy, her ankle boots slightly edgy and all charm, same as her. She waved, and he hurried over, glaring at her all the while.

  “I thought we agreed you wouldn’t say anything about the cat until the veterinarian was sure she was going to be alright.” He kept his voice low enough for her ears only.

  Her chest rose and fell before she rolled her eyes. “We’re not going to the vet’s office. We’re going out for ice cream, and Danny wanted his uncle to join us.”

  So, the invitation came from Danny and, from the tone of her voice, Danny alone. He shuffled his feet and kept his gaze at the ground. “If I jumped to conclusions, I’m sorry.”

  Her head jerked back as though his apology was the last thing she expected. “Apology accepted.” Her face brightened as Danny neared. “We’re walking downtown if you’d like to come with us.”

  “Then this really has nothing to do with the kitten?”

  She laughed and shook her head, folding her arms across her chest. “You don’t get it, do you? And by the way, the vet called. Stormy’s a little fighter. She’ll be coming home tomorrow. This isn’t about that or anything, really. My parents took the three of us siblings to Miss Louise’s once a week during the summer. It’s just a way to be grateful for today.”

  “Maybe we should go back and get the frame finished first. That was your goal for today, wasn’t it?” At this rate, the float would be ready for the Christmas parade.

  She linked her arm through his and then disconnected from him like she’d come in contact with a hot iron. “I’ll have time to work on it tomorrow. Going out for ice cream tonight is totally unplanned, totally unexpected, totally wonderful.”

  Their gazes met, and her cheeks reddened into a most becoming shade of pink. Two surprises on this day, three if you counted the kitten. “I haven’t finished my dinner yet.”

  “Come on, Murphy. Live a little.” She stood back and tilted her head. “Hmm. Cup or cone? If I had to guess, I’d say cup since it’s neat and organized and not prone to drip.”

  She nailed his usual choice, but he refused to answer.

  Danny tugged at his hand. “Uncle Aidan, it won’t be the same without you.”

  Looking at Natalie, Aidan begged to differ. He and Danny wouldn’t be the same without her. With every passing minute, he connected more and more with the vivacious redhead who made every minute lighter, happier.

  “Isn’t it a little late for ice cream?”

  “It’s never too late to celebrate a beautiful day.”

  “Just so this doesn’t become a nightly occurrence. Wait here a minute.” He hurried back to his house, grabbed his wallet and locked up.

  They strolled along Oak Street, and he absorbed everything around him. He’d spent time on almost every continent, but this place seemed different. A band tuned their instruments in the gazebo, and Natalie tapped her forehead.

  “I forgot about the Summer Country Music Series. It happens once a week until Labor Day. The
line at the ice cream parlor will be a little longer, but we’ll enjoy some good country music while we wait. The Smoky Sirens are playing tonight. They do covers of Keith Urban and Tim McGraw. Do you mind?”

  Danny looked at him as if expecting Aidan to throw water over his bonfire.

  He couldn’t disappoint either of them again today. “Not at all.”

  Old habits died hard, though, and he scanned the perimeter. A father threw a blanket over the last patch of unclaimed grass. Nearby, a young couple clinked tall glasses of what looked like champagne. A group of kids danced as the band tuned their instruments. To his surprise, people greeted him by name. He nodded in return.

  “You’ve made quite the impression.” Natalie kept up with his brisk pace, not winded at all.

  “So have you.” The words slipped out, but he wouldn’t take them back. “I met most of those people while working on the parade security project.”

  “Which, according to Sheriff Mike, is now ahead of schedule. Why doesn’t that surprise me?” The twinkle in her eye matched her tone as they arrived at Miss Louise’s Ice Cream Parlor.

  He ushered them inside and didn’t have far to go as the line wound around several ropes and back to the entrance, with half of Hollydale already ahead of them.

  She held Danny’s hand and smiled. “It’s worth the wait. I promise.”

  The person in front of them turned around and greeted Natalie, and the two started talking. Danny released Natalie’s hand and joined him. “This could go on awhile.”

  He spoke from experience, it seemed.

  Aidan stifled a laugh and nodded. “Natalie likes to talk. Nothing wrong with that.”

  “What was my mommy’s favorite flavor?”

  The breath escaped from Aidan’s lungs. Shelby had only been gone for three months, and Danny had either forgotten or never had time to find out.

  “When she was your age, it was chocolate. When she was ten, she tried butter pecan and never looked back.”

  Danny squeezed his hand and looked at him with those big eyes. Shelby’s eyes. Danny must have been satisfied with the answer because he started talking about his time at Diane’s that afternoon.

  Finally, the people ahead of them placed their order, and Natalie returned her attention to them. “What did I miss?”

  “Uncle Aidan told me Mommy’s favorite ice-cream flavor was butter pecan.”

  Natalie smiled and nodded. “When your uncle was on a date, she tagged along as sort of a reverse chaperone, perfect, really, since she was younger and constantly asking questions. She thought Aidan would like her more if she ordered the same flavor. Turned out, she loved it.”

  He’d never known Shelby’s side of the story before as he’d been rather upset at Shelby’s presence as a third wheel. They stepped to the counter and ordered from a harried-looking teenager, while another scooped out cones and handed them over. With no empty tables remaining inside the parlor, Natalie suggested they walk and lick at the same time, and he agreed. She grabbed bunches of napkins and stuffed them into her purse.

  Outside, soft music filled the air, and Aidan swayed to the tempo, although he preferred jazz to country. They strolled along, and he kept a close and constant eye on Danny, with crowds of people milling about.

  The sight of his nephew walking and trying to lick at the same time brought out a tenderness he’d never felt before. Drips of ice cream melted down Danny’s cone, and Aidan noticed someone leaving a nearby bench. Before anyone else could take the spot, the three of them squeezed in tight. From the looks of it, it was the only open spot around.

  “Danny, watch me.” He demonstrated how to lick the side of the cone.

  The expression of pure concentration on Danny’s face touched something even deeper, and Aidan knew there was no way he’d ever give up his nephew. A musician started plucking a banjo, and someone introduced a new tune. Dusk surrounded them, the warm pink rosy glow from the mountain sunset bringing out the burnished auburn of Natalie’s hair. Twinkle lights switched on.

  She wasn’t part of his plan. He’d had everything tied up with a nice neat red bow on that flight, and she made him question every dotted i and crossed t.

  “Penny for your thoughts.” Her voice held bemusement, even though her eyes reflected something deeper, almost contemplative in nature. “Or, in your case, a nickel and a day planner.”

  Was he that obvious about everything?

  He pointed toward her cone. “Vanilla ice cream? That’s the last flavor I would have expected you to order.”

  “So, I’m a woman of mystery?” She licked her cone, bliss coming over her heart-shaped face. “Vanilla gets a bad rap as plain and boring. There’s nothing boring about rich texture and delicate flavors.”

  He could say the same about her.

  Danny held up his cone. “Butter pecan is my new favorite, Uncle Aidan.”

  His nephew wore most of his ice-cream cone on his face and hands, and Aidan restrained his laughter. Natalie shoved a wad of napkins their way. He wiped Danny’s face while fiddles and guitars melded together for a smooth sound in the background.

  During a lull between songs, Danny bounced on the bench. “Gigi’s waving at me. Can I talk to her before we go home?”

  Danny looked at Natalie, then Aidan, before biting his bottom lip as if he didn’t know whose permission to ask.

  “Of course. Have fun,” she said.

  “Stay on the green where we can see you. A moment of safety is an hour of security.”

  Their voices overlapped, and Danny came close to tears, obviously unsure of what they said.

  Natalie waved at Gigi’s mom, who nodded and pointed to Danny, then Gigi. Natalie leaned over and kissed Danny’s forehead. “Stay with Miss Kris until we get there. We’ll join you as soon as we’re done with our cones.”

  Aidan watched Danny join Kris and Gigi. Then he focused his attention on his cone as the next song started. Anything to keep his mind off Natalie as she scooted closer to him to make room for someone else on the other side of her. His awareness of her heightened in the damp coolness of the evening.

  She crunched into her cone as a couple passed and waved their hellos to him. Aidan remembered the woman from the security assignment and responded accordingly.

  “One week and you’re already beginning to fit in. Isn’t Hollydale wonderful?” Natalie spoke loud enough for him to hear but not in a way to disturb those around them. She lifted her cone and polished off the rest.

  Aidan savored the next lick, the buttery richness of the treat melting in his mouth. “Natalie...”

  “Hold that thought. I like this song.” She held up her finger, a napkin attached to it, and her slight laugh broke the growing tension. She swayed in time to the music, and he enjoyed watching her.

  He crunched the last bite of the cone, while she handed him a napkin. The song ended. She turned to him, his gaze still on Danny sitting still next to Gigi. “By the way, a bunch of tomorrow’s volunteers had to cancel.”

  “What about finishing the float? How will you get it done in time?”

  “It’s coming along, and there’ll be more volunteers this weekend. We still have a week left to finish it. It’s going to be beautiful.”

  “But you mentioned that Stormy’s coming home tomorrow. Where will the kitten stay while you’re at the float?” His palms itched at Natalie’s easy acceptance of two things that needed serious focus and engagement. “The framework isn’t completed, and an abandoned kitten needs care.”

  The band announced intermission, and people started standing and stretching. Natalie rose from the bench and Aidan followed suit. She faced him. “I’ll love the kitten and give her a good home. Isn’t that what’s important? Speaking of home, it’s time to get that little boy and head that way ourselves.”

  They collected Danny, thanking Kris and Gigi before Danny ya
wned, a sign they’d best be going.

  Aidan gripped Danny’s hand as the three strolled along Maple Drive. They turned left onto Hollyhock Street, which would lead them to Marigold Lane. Danny reached out to Aidan, and he picked him up. The faint chords of the next song filled the air, and Danny nestled in, his head fitting snugly on Aidan’s shoulder.

  This was what he didn’t know he’d been missing.

  Before he knew it, he was in Danny’s room, helping Danny into his dinosaur pajamas. He was about to tuck in his nephew when Danny looked at Aidan through half-slit eyes. “I want Aunt Natalie to do it.”

  Natalie brushed past him, and Aidan backed away. That was probably his cue to head next door to Shelby’s, but he didn’t want to leave just yet.

  A minute later, she settled on her couch, and he lowered himself onto her comfortable love seat.

  “Aidan, I’ll figure out a way to take care of Stormy and finish the float.”

  He lifted one eyebrow, and she clutched a bright purple throw pillow to her chest.

  “Before I go to sleep tonight.”

  “A kitten is a big responsibility.”

  “I’m more than capable of taking care of a kitten.” She huffed out a breath and threw the pillow aside. “And Danny. Everything doesn’t fit into a nice neat package, Murphy. Take tonight. Danny now has a new memory of his uncle, and you had a good time, whether you want to admit it or not.”

  Fun only went so far, though. It didn’t keep people safe. It didn’t help him sleep at night. It didn’t last.

  One look at Natalie’s face made him wonder if what they had, what they could have, might have a chance at being long-term. Nothing came with guarantees, but was that any reason to give up something that held so much potential?

  As it was, he was choosing to take the job in DC since it was a solid idea with a low degree of risk. There was no use in changing that plan and having something else possibly go wrong. Even if he did change his plan, where was the certainty that would work out in the end either? “My service to my country makes a difference. My next job will also make a difference.”