Marta Perry - The Guardian's Honor

This was just what she’d wanted to avoid—being alone with him in the quiet evening, feeling as if she could tell him anything.

“Worried that Grandpa will lose his temper, for one thing. I’d hate for him to alienate everyone before they even get to know him.”

Hate for him to ruin Jamie’s chance to benefit from being a part of the Bodine family. That was the truth, but she wasn’t going to admit that to Adam, no matter how sympathetic she found him.

“They’re not going to take offense.” He clasped her hand in his. “They know the whole story. They just want to be family again, that’s all. If he doesn’t…”

Tears pricked at her eyes. “I pushed him into this. If it doesn’t work out, I’m to blame.”

“Seems to me you take entirely too much blame on yourself.” He brushed a strand of hair back from her cheek, and his fingers left a trail of awareness in their wake.

She looked up at him, startled, to find his face very close. “Adam, I…” She lost whatever she’d been going to say. All she could think about was how near he was.

She saw the same recognition in his eyes—a little startled, a little wary. And then the wariness vanished and his lips found hers.

For an instant the world narrowed to the still garden and the touch of Adam’s lips. Then reality flooded in and she jerked back, cheeks flaming. She shot to her feet. He rose, too, holding out one hand to her. He seemed about to speak.

She didn’t want to hear it, no matter what it was.

“Good night, Adam.” She fled into the house before she could make any more of a fool of herself.

“So when is that old patrol boat going to be replaced with something more up-to-date?”

Adam turned, grinning, at the sound of his cousin Hugh’s voice. “Don’t talk that way about the best little boat in the southeast.” He patted the shining trim. “She might get her feelings hurt.”

“You and your boats.” Hugh leaned an elbow against the dock railing. “I knew I’d find you here. Anyone would think she was a pretty lady instead of an old tub.”

“Don’t say that. She might hear you. And not that I don’t enjoy exchanging insults with you, but what are you doing down here? The Maritime Law Enforcement Academy having a day off?”

“I don’t teach all the time, y’know.”

“Tell the truth. You don’t want to be teaching at all.” He knew only too well that Hugh had loved his work as a boarding officer, leading the crew that boarded suspicious vessels, that he itched to be back on duty. “What do the docs say?”

“Same old, same old,” Hugh said gloomily, patting his bad leg. “They don’t want me in charge of a boarding crew until I’m a hundred percent.”

The injury had hurt Hugh’s pride as well as his leg, Adam suspected. He hated the fact that smugglers had gotten the upper hand of him, even for a moment.

“What do doctors know? Anyway, you brought in the bad guys, even with a bullet in your leg.”

Hugh shrugged. “I want to get back out there. We’ve seen an uptick in smuggling operations. I’d be more use out there than standing in front of a chalkboard.”

“It’ll come.” He felt almost ashamed of his healthy state. “Don’t push it.”

“Well, you be careful when you’re out there, y’heah? It’s not all just Sunday sailors running out of fuel these days.” Hugh straightened, pressing his hands back against the railing.

“I always am.” A trail of unease went through him as he said the words. If he’d been as careful as he claimed, he wouldn’t have injured a child.

And if he’d been as careful as he should be, he wouldn’t have kissed Cathy last night.

Hugh reached out to thump the side of the boat. “So, speaking of pretty ladies, what is our new stepcousin like? When are the rest of us going to get a look at her?”

Adam’s uneasiness increased. “That’s up to Miz Callie. She seemed to think we might be a little overwhelming all at once.”

“The Bodines? Overwhelming?” Hugh exhibited mock surprise. “Never. So I suppose you’re Miz Callie’s hero now, finding our missing uncle and all.”

“I don’t feel like much of a hero.”

The concerns he had about the whole situation pushed at him. He hadn’t talked to anyone about it, but he could talk to Hugh. Hugh’s law-enforcement background gave him a shrewd eye for anything that might cause trouble.

“So what is it?” Hugh asked, confirming his thoughts. “Something’s bothering you about them. Is it Uncle Ned or the granddaughter?”

“Both.” He frowned, trying to frame his words. “From what I can tell, Ned…or Hawkins, as I guess he prefers, has been nursing a grudge against the family all these years.”

Hugh pursed his lips in a silent whistle. “I knew he was on the outs with his father, but that’s more than fifty years ago. How can he blame the rest of us?”

“I’m not saying it’s rational. And he did agree to come, so maybe…” He let that thought die off.

“Has Miz Callie talked to him at all about this memorial she has planned? I mean, he’s not dead yet, so he might think a memorial is a tad premature. What if he doesn’t want a nature preserve named after him?”

“You’ve got me. Apparently Ned never talks about his war years, so he may not like the idea of being reminded. I just hope this whole thing hasn’t set Miz Callie up for disappointment. I wouldn’t want her to get hurt.”

“If it doesn’t go the way she hopes, well… It’s not like she’s going to blame you for that.”

“I feel responsible. I’m the one who tracked him down.”

“Because she wanted you to.” Hugh was nothing if not practical. “You don’t always have to be the responsible one, y’know.”

He grinned in response to the familiar gibe, but it didn’t make him feel any better. It was a family joke only because it was true. He was the responsible one, always the one the others depended on.

Hugh tilted his head back toward the sun and pulled on the brim of his Coast Guard ball cap. “So I hear tell from Georgia something’s wrong with the little boy. What’s the story?”

“I wish I knew.” Frustration sounded in the words. “I spent the better part of four days with them, and Cathy still keeps me at arm’s length. I get the impression it’s something he was born with, though. Wrenches my heart, seeing him lift those heavy braces.”

She hadn’t kept her distance last night, the little voice in his head reminded him. Last night you were considerably closer than that, and you shouldn’t have been.

“She didn’t talk to you at all about the kid?” Hugh’s voice made it clear he’d have asked.

“She’s overprotective. Secretive, I guess you’d say.” And he was attracted to her, despite not being sure he trusted her.

Hugh leaned against the rail, frowning. “I suppose there’s no doubt he really is Ned Bodine, is there?”

“Oh, he’s Ned, all right. I matched up the photos, and he has the watch his parents gave him.”

Hugh gave a quick glance at his own watch. “Well, even granting he’s kin, we still don’t know anything about him. Or this stepgranddaughter of his. It might be just as well to be a little cautious.”

“Can you picture Miz Callie being cautious, now that she’s found Granddad’s brother after all these years?” Exasperation leaked into his voice.

“You’ve got a point there.” Hugh’s frown deepened. “So, it sounds like you’d best be keeping a close eye on them.”

“Me? Why me?” He’d just been thinking it might be wise to keep his distance from Cathy for a bit.

“You’re the one they know. If they’re going to let anything slip, it’ll be to you. Besides—” Hugh clapped him on the shoulder “—you’re Miz Callie’s hero, remember?”