A beautiful young woman looked up from the counter where she was slicing up some carrot sticks. Not much older than Lacie, she had a mane of riotous hair, streaked black to platinum and the most unusual violet eyes. Wearing faded jeans and a black maternity tank, Lacie’s eyes were immediately drawn to the blue and green eyes of the dragon peeking over her shoulder. The tattoo was hypnotizing.
Two small children looked up from a table covered in Lincoln Logs and LEGOs. One was a lovely little girl who had the trademark Callaghan hair but her mother’s violet eyes; the other, a little boy who could not be mistaken for anything but a Callaghan. They eyed her warily.
Two baby swings moved in the background, each holding a sleeping infant.
“Hi,” Taryn said, her smile friendly and welcoming. She turned to Jake accusingly. “You told her I was nervous?” Jake grinned, unrepentant, and returned to the bar.
Taryn snorted, then looked at Lacie. “Coffee?” When Lacie nodded, Taryn continued, “I don’t suppose he told you that he’s already done background checks on everyone associated with the elementary school and their immediate families.”
Lacie’s eyes widened. “No. He didn’t mention that.”
Taryn shook her head and poured a cup for Lacie. “Don’t sweat it, sweetie. Comes with the territory.”
“The territory?”
“Yep. Callaghan men. Irresistible but overprotective as hell. You get used to it after a while.”
Was there a warning in there somewhere, Lacie wondered? “So I suppose since I’m sitting here with you I passed inspection?”
Taryn grinned. “And then some.”
*
Fifteen minutes later Shane walked into the bar. He was in an ill temper. Checking his phone once more, he frowned. Surely Lacie was home by now. Why hadn’t she called him to confirm their coffee date tomorrow night? He thought the rose and apple had been a nice touch, but maybe he’d freaked her out by leaving it on her desk.
No, he argued, Lacie wasn’t the type to get spooked easily. She knew he’d been a SEAL, and her brother was in the Army. There must be some other reason she hadn’t gotten back to him. His scowl deepened. Maybe Davidson was giving her a hard time again. Maybe he’d been lying in wait for her when she returned to her apartment, itching for a chance to warn her away from him again.
That thought had him quickening his stride. He was going to run upstairs, change, then head right over there and make sure she was okay.
The huge grins on Jake’s and Ian’s faces didn’t help improve his mood any. “What are you dickheads grinning about?” he asked sourly.
“This.” Ian tossed Shane the folded note embellished with stickers. His heart leapt as he snatched it up and unsealed it. His bad temper instantly vanished, until he started to wonder how it came to be in Ian’s hands. His head snapped up and he scanned the bar. “Lacie was here?”
“Still is. She’s in the kitchen with Taryn,” Jake told him, pointing his thumb over his shoulder.
Shane’s heart stuttered when he walked into the private kitchen. Lacie and Taryn were sitting at the table, sipping coffee as if they had been friends forever. Jake’s daughter Riley was in Taryn’s lap, and Ian’s son Patrick was on Lacie’s. It was such a perfect image, he stopped for a moment just to savor the beauty of it.
It was Taryn who spotted him first. Lacie’s attention was on the small Lincoln Logs dwelling she and Patrick were constructing together. Taryn winked and gave Shane a discreet thumbs-up.
“Is this a private party or can anyone play?” Shane asked, stepping into the room. Lacie looked up, and the smile she gave him felt like a hundred supernovas firing in his chest. She turned to Patrick. “What do you think? Should we let your uncle play, too?”
At Patrick’s enthusiastic nod, Shane sat down next to them. “Miss Lacie’s gonna be my teacher next year,” he said proudly. Shane shot a questioning look at Taryn. It was a well-known fact that Patrick was very much opposed to the idea of starting school.
“Changed your mind, have you?” Shane asked.
“Uh-huh.”
“How come?”
Taryn coughed back a laugh when Patrick gave Shane what could only be described as a “duh” look. “Cuz. Miss Lacie says I’m really good at stuff, and I can help her out with the other kids who aren’t so good as me.”
“I see. Well, Miss Lacie’s pretty smart. I’d listen to her if I were you.”
“Is that why you like her Uncle Shane? Cuz she’s so smart?”
Damn, the kid had bat ears just like his nosy father. He must have overheard them talking earlier.
Lacie’s face turned pink. Taryn had to look away to hide her laughter. Shane took it all in stride. “One of many reasons,” he said honestly. “She is also very kind, and she laughs at my jokes.”
“She’s pretty, too.”
“That she is.”
“Okay, runt,” Taryn said affectionately. “Your mom’s going to be home any minute. Let’s get you cleaned up, huh?”