tender sight, mother and daughter quietly laughing together, overwhelmed Zach. He didn’t welcome the unexpected current of emotions he felt charging through his body. He didn’t want to think about families and little girls.
Not now. Not ever.
Julie sighed inwardly and rose to her feet. Seeing her daughter sitting so comfortably on Zach’s knee had touched her deeply, reminding her how much Emmie needed a father in her life. And how much Julie longed to fall asleep every night in the arms of a man who loved her. Hand in hand, she led Emmie to where Zach sat at her desk. “Zach, this is my daughter, Emmie.” She turned to her little girl. “Sweetheart, this is…Mr. Marshall.”
“I showed him my drawing.” She smiled up at Julie, a proud look of accomplishment in her sweet eyes.
“Oh, you did?” Julie glanced at the picture on her desk and turned to Zach. He smiled and Julie’s heartbeat quickened. Did she still have feelings for him? That was ridiculous. He was just an old friend. That’s all.
“Mommy,” Emmie whispered turning to Julie. “He’s the misty man.”
She really needed to watch what she said around her daughter. Julie turned to Zach and offered a rueful smile. He raised an eyebrow and flashed a slow, crooked grin.
“You of all people should know that, Julie.”
She blushed at the hint of intimacy in his words. “Zach, I—”
“Oh, there you are. I’ve been trying to warn you all day. The myst—” Beatrice marched through the open door into the already crowded office and stopped abruptly to stare at Zach. Placing a hand to her heart, she stammered, “Oh, h-hello, Mr. Marshall. Hmm, quite nice to see you again. Was there something you needed?” A pink blush flooded her cheeks and she drew in a quick, shaky breath. “I…trust the room is to your liking?”
“Yeah. It’s fine.” Zach’s eyes narrowed. He rose to his feet. “I’d better get going.”
“No need to leave on my account. I only came to ask if Emmie wants to taste test our new chef’s chocolate chip cookies,” Beatrice added, lifting her chin.
Julie detected the slightest twinkle in her friend’s eyes. She was probably trying to warn her that Zach was their “mystery man.” It was what they’d come to call him from the time he made his rather mysterious reservations. Apparently, they’d referred to him by that name in front of Emmie too many times.
She knelt down, eye level with her daughter. “Cookies sound good. What do you say, sweetheart?” Julie smiled and affectionately caressed Emmie’s pretty face.
“Yummy. Chocolate chip’s my favorite.” She gave Julie a kiss on the cheek and a quick hug. Running back to the desk, Emmie grabbed the drawing and skipped over to Zach. “You can keep this,” she said, proudly smiling up at him.
Zach crouched down beside her and accepted the drawing from her outstretched hand. “Thanks. It’s a great drawing, Emmie.” He winked and gave her a quick smile.
Slowly, Julie stood. Having witnessed Zach’s tenderness with her daughter, her heart unexpectedly filled with longing. If only Emmie could have a good family man to be the father she so desperately needed. A man who would be home every night to tuck her in and read her a bedtime story. Who would share in the wonderful joy of raising her daughter. But now was not the time for silly sentiments. She had a crime to solve. A business to run.
Emmie skipped over to Beatrice and then reached for her outstretched hand. Beatrice gave Julie a knowing glance then closed the door after them. An endless moment ticked by.
“You have a daughter.” Zach’s eyes filled with tenderness. “She…looks just like you.”
“Thanks. She’s a real blessing, especially after losing my husband.”
In an instant, Zach closed the distance between them until he stood only a breath away. Curling his fingers under her chin, he lifted her gaze to meet his. “Can you get a sitter? I’d like you to have dinner with me.”
Julie smiled despite how her heart danced recklessly inside her chest. It would be fun to share a meal with someone. With Zach. She would have the chance to ask him all the questions that had her mind spinning. Why was he here?
“Tonight,” he whispered, pulling her into a light embrace. “We’ll catch up on all the years.”
His deep voice and tender touch awakened feelings in her heart from long ago. A wave of awareness pulsed along her spine. The feel of his warm breath against her cheek, the pulse of his strong, steady heartbeat beneath her fingertips—it was all too familiar.
Gazing into his steel-blue eyes, Julie swallowed hard and opened her mouth to say something.
Anything.
Zach dropped his hands from her arms and took a step back. “You already have plans,” he stated.
“No, it’s all right,” Julie managed. “My parents live only a few minutes away. Emmie will love staying over. Tomorrow’s Saturday. No school.”
One corner of his mouth lifted in a smile. “You want to eat here or go somewhere else?”
“Well, I need to sample the cuisine my new chef has prepared. Do you want to join me, Zach? We’ll have a taste testing of our own.”
“What time?” he asked, reaching for her hand as if a lifetime hadn’t passed since they’d seen each other.
“Seven?”
“Okay, seven it is.” Zach gently pulled her to him and encircled her in his arms. “It’s good to see you after all this time,” he whispered, his breath warm against her cheek. After a moment, he released her and held her at arm’s length. “I’ll meet you in the lobby.”
“Okay.” Her knees felt as if they would give out on her. Why was she reacting to him as if they’d never been apart? It didn’t make any sense. Julie ran a hand along the spot on her arm still charged with electricity from Zach’s tender touch. At twenty-nine, she had no right responding to him like some love-crazed teen. But her body seemed to have a mind of its own where he was concerned.
“See you later.” He started to close the door behind him.
“No, wait.” Julie curled a strand of hair behind her ear. “Keep it open. I love these late-October afternoons with the sound of the fire popping.”
The pleasant aroma of Yule logs burning in the large, brick fireplace made her think of Christmas. That time of year always brought happy childhood memories to mind, chasing away any sign of loneliness.
“Sure thing.” He winked.
“Thanks.” Julie glanced through the office door into the massive lobby, and smiled at the clerk at the reception desk. The flames in the brick fireplace crackled, providing welcome warmth to another chilly, overcast day in Washington State.
The mantel, a large western red cedar beam placed across the curved top of the brick firebox, highlighted wooden sculptures and candleholders crafted by various Native American tribes of the Olympic rain forest. Several guests brought their coffee with them and sat on the comfortable forest-green
