Chapter Fourteen

 

 

From the kitchen, Ray watched Katie and Emily as they sat on the couch reading. The homemade pizza had been a success, and now he hoped his niece would settle down so she’d go to sleep soon. Ever since Katie had moved in, he looked forward to visiting with her in the evenings.

Since Emily had gotten off schedule at his mom’s, last night had not gone well. It had been quite the challenge to get her to bed. He finished wiping down the counter, tossed the rag into the sink, then went and sat on the other side of Emily. She snuggled into his side and yawned—a good sign.

Katie’s soft voice lilted as she read the last page in the book. “The end.” She closed the cover. “Time for bed, little miss.”

“I want Uncle Ray to tuck me in.” She climbed into his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. Ten minutes later his niece was snug in bed. Anticipation gripped him—he could finally have alone time with Katie. He hadn’t been able to read her after she’d visited with her mom, and he was anxious to know how it went. Halfway down the stairs, he realized the house was encased in darkness. Had Katie gone to bed early?

He pivoted and retraced his steps then walked to the end of the hall. Sure enough, her bedroom door was closed. A light shone beneath it. Should he give her space or knock? She hadn’t sought out his company even once since moving in. Maybe he was pushing her too hard; then again, she was so reserved if he didn’t push, they’d never get to know one another.

Her door swung open, and she surged out with her focus on her phone.

“Hi,” he said softly, not wanting to wake Emily.

She froze and looked up. “Oh. I didn’t realize you were finished with Emily already. That was fast.”

“Yes. She was worn out.”

A smile touched her lips. “I know the feeling. What are you doing hanging out in the hallway?”

“I was debating whether I should knock on your door or not.”

She raised a brow. “You’d dare to enter my room without hot chocolate or food.” She shot him a teasing grin.

He snapped his fingers. “I knew I was forgetting something. I’ll be right back.”

She stepped forward and tugged on his arm. “I was only kidding. You’re always welcome to visit if my light is on. I just got a text from Brandi, and I was coming to wait outside Emily’s room for you.”

“What’d she say?” It didn’t escape him that they still stood in the hallway. He’d invite her into his room, but for whatever reason, it didn’t seem appropriate. “We could go downstairs and talk.”

She shook her head. “No. Come see what I did with the table set you brought in. It’s cozy.” She turned and ambled into her room. “What do you think?”

He chuckled. “You girlyfied it.” White frilly pillows adorned the chairs, and a simple matching tablecloth covered the table. “It’s nice in a girly kind of way.” He made a silly face. “If you like frou-frou, that is.”

She playfully punched his shoulder. “It is a girl’s room. Have a seat. I had it all in a box in the garage, so it was a cinch to make it more my style.” She sat in the chair furthest away, leaving him the closest. “Brandi said they had an uneventful flight and are settled in at the hotel.”

“I still can’t believe they’re honeymooning in London when they’re going to be living there.”

“I know, but Ian starts work next week, and they needed time to find a flat and get settled.”

He raised a brow. “Listen to you. A flat, huh? No apartments in London.”

She chuckled. “I didn’t realize what a tease you are. Why is that?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know.” Katie hadn’t seemed open to teasing. She was always so serious that he hadn’t known how she’d take it. Now that he’d gotten to know her, he realized that when she did joke, it was often a defense mechanism for uncomfortable situations. So…why had she been uncomfortable around him? “Maybe it’s the change in our relationship. You’re more easygoing now.”

“I am?”

He nodded. “What changed?”

She was quiet for a moment then softly said, “Everything.”

Yes, everything had changed. In a matter of weeks both of their lives had been turned upside down. “Good point. Will you tell me about your meeting with your mom?”

“There’s not much to tell. She wanted forgiveness, and I gave it to her. We agreed to meet once more.” Her gaze slammed into his. “I forgot to check with you to make sure you could watch Emily.”

“I’m free. When you first set this up with your mom, I cleared my schedule.”

“You mean you normally have plans on Mondays?” Her voice hitched.

He chuckled, though it wasn’t funny. “I used to be busy all the time. I probably worked fifty to sixty hours a week. I’ve made adjustments since Emily became a constant in my life. Plus, there’s you.” He dipped his head. He’d gone out of his way to make time for Katie.

“I feel bad that I’ve caused you to change your schedule. Although, no one should work that much. You make me look like a complete slacker.” Her shoulders sagged ever so slightly. “You know what? It’s fine if Emily joins us. I’ll bring her with me. I doubt we’ll be long.”

“You’re sure?” He wasn’t crazy about Emily being in the company of Katie’s mom. Her mother might get some grandiose idea of wanting to be a grandmother, and they didn’t need another change in their lives.

“Yes. But it doesn’t seem like you think it’s a good idea.”

“I have reservations.”

“I can cancel,” Katie said. “I’ve found out everything I wanted, so it’s not a big deal.”

“No. You should meet with your mom like you agreed.”

“Ray, I don’t want you altering your life for me. If you would have been working, then that’s what you should be doing.”

He shook his head. “Make up your mind.” He grinned. “One minute I work too much, and the next, you want me working overtime.”

She flashed an embarrassed grin. “Sorry.”

“Don’t worry about my schedule. I can make this work and still get in a couple extra hours of paperwork.”

“How?”

“I’ll see if Hailey can take her.”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea? Your mom and Hailey have had her a lot these past several days since we were supposed to be honeymooning.”

“Emily understands and so does my mom and sister. My family loves having her.” Though time together had been sparse because of Ian and Brandi’s rehearsal and wedding, they’d had a good time nonetheless. He felt like they’d grown closer in the process.

“Okay. We can ask, but if she says no, then we need to come up with a Plan B.”

“I’m sure it’ll be fine. Speaking of our pseudo-honeymoon. Did you enjoy it?’

Her gaze shot to his and held for a moment. “Yes. It was fun.”

He studied her light blue eyes. There was something there he hadn’t noticed before—desire? He sucked in a breath.

“What are you thinking?” she asked softly.

“I’m thinking about how much I’ve grown to care about you in a very short amount of time.”

Her eyes widened, but she remained silent. Had he misread her?

She stood and walked to the window, her back turned to him. “I’m glad.”

“Really? It doesn’t scare you?” He followed and stood behind her. The sky shone clear with a nearly full moon. He rested his hands on her shoulders and gently kneaded the knotted muscles.

“That feels so good.” She leaned into him slightly. “Your feelings don’t scare me.” She turned, causing his hands to drop. “In fact, I think I feel the same way, or I never would have married you.”

This was news. A zip of electricity shot through him.

“I care about you, and I love Emily. I’d do anything for her.” Sincerity shown in her eyes.

As fast as the excitement came, it vanished. Concern hit him. Did she only marry him to provide a mother figure for his niece? No. She said she cared about him, too. But was it the kind of caring a woman has for the man she loves or something different?

“What?” Concern filled her eyes as she gazed into his. “Did I say something wrong?”

“Not at all. I feel the same for my niece. I want the best for her.” Talk about a shift. A few moments ago, he thought they were well on their way to falling in love, especially since she’d admitted to having a crush on him. Confusion and uncertainty enveloped him. He didn’t want to read too much into her comment. He should ask for clarification, but it was getting late. It would keep for another conversation. “I better try to sleep. Good night, Katie.”

Her lips tipped down. “Okay. Sleep well.”

 

 

“Where are we going?” Katie trotted alongside Ray, who had Emily on his shoulders.

A grin tipped his lips. “It’s a surprise.”

Downtown Seattle had gotten off to a lazy Saturday morning. They rounded a corner, and she gasped. Pike Place Market loomed ahead. She should have figured this is where he was taking them. They’d been talking last night at dinner about the fishmongers who threw fish. Katie had been fascinated by his description.

Ray slowed his pace. “Remember how I told you about the flying fish, Emily?”

“Yep.” She patted the top of his head from her perch.

“Well look.” He pointed to the display of halibut and the small crowd gathered around.

A man shouted something and then tossed the fish probably twenty feet to someone behind the counter who caught it in a piece of what looked like freezer paper.

Emily clapped her hands. “Will he do it again, Uncle Ray?”

“When someone else buys a fish, he will.”

Katie grinned at the wonder in the child’s eyes that probably matched her own. She’d only been here once, several years ago. Her focus shifted to the vast display of cut flowers for sale, reminding her of the tulips Ray had purchased for her on their “honeymoon” last week. Katie’s insides warmed at the memory.

If she hadn’t been in love with Ray already, she surely would be now. What surprised her the most was his thoughtful concern for her wellbeing and happiness. But it wasn’t like he loved her back. Yes, he said he cared for her, but that wasn’t love—was it? She could only hope.

She wanted to share the kind of love their friends had, but for now, his kindness was enough. She nibbled her bottom lip. She’d thought he was on his way there, but other than being attentive to her, he’d not shown any sign of being a man in love. What if he never loved her back?