closet, then called the number to Travis. "Hannah is the first girl born to the family in four generations."
Nick tapped a screw anchor into place. "That's unusual."
"Maybe, but it's true. Our father is one of six brothers. His grandfather is one of five, and his great-grandfather is one of eight boys."
"But you four have daughters."
"Not me," Craig said quickly. "At least not yet. Jill is going to have a girl."
"Holly and I don't have children yet," Jordan added. "But hers will be a girl, too."
The four brothers exchanged a look, but Nick didn't know what it meant. There was some kind of secret in the air. He wasn't sure if he should pursue it or not. Then he decided if they wanted him to know, they would tell him.
"You and Hannah think about having children?" Travis asked.
Nick set the brass bracket against the wall. "We've talked about it. I'd like children but the timing just hasn't been right."
Most of the time, lying was easy, but sometimes, like now, it was damn hard. Travis accepted the explanation without question, yet Nick found himself wanting to say more. He liked these men. More important, he respected them. He wanted the feeling to be mutual. Maybe it was, but anything they thought about him now would change if they knew the truth.
He grimaced. Which truth? That he was pretending to be Hannah's husband, or that he was pretending to be a criminal? They were cops. They would understand about undercover work. The need to confide in them almost overwhelmed him. He fought against it. Too risky. He'd spent the past year setting up the deal – he wasn't going to blow it just so Hannah's brothers could slap him on the back.
Until the job was finished and everyone was in jail, he was going to stay Nick Archer, shady character.
He glanced around at the men in the room. With their dark hair and eyes, they reminded him of Hannah. Knowing that he was here with her brothers must be making her crazy.
"How's the real-estate market?" Travis asked.
"Coming back," Nick answered. "We've had a few slow years, but the recovery has started. I didn't lose much money because I work the beach areas. Waterfront property is always at a premium."
"Swindle anybody lately?" Kyle asked, grinning.
Nick returned his smile. "Not this week."
He finished installing the last bracket and climbed down the step stool. The wallpaper border was nearly complete. Craig released the miniblind so it zipped down, covering the window. He turned the handle, opening the slats, and sunlight filled the room.
"Looks great," Jordan said, surveying their work. "I guess the women will be over later to take care of the drapes."
Travis and Kyle smoothed the remaining wallpaper into place. Craig leaned over and punched Jordan in the arm. "You getting scared yet?"
Jordan didn't smile. "Terrified. When we're in bed at night, I can feel the baby kicking against my side. What do I know about being a father?"
Kyle nodded. "I know the feeling, but if I can do it, you'll be fine. You sort of learn as you go. Besides, we'll all be here."
Nick listened to their conversation. These men had a special bond. They cared for each other and they would care for Hannah. If she let them.
She'd spent most of her life assuming the worst about people. She'd concluded that if they tried to get close, they must want something from her. So much of her energy was consumed in attempting to hide her feelings. Her whole outlook would have been different if she'd been raised in this warm, close-knit family. Knowing Hannah as he did, he was sure she was going to resist believing something this great had happened to her. She would get all prickly and try to scare them off. Unless something – or someone – stopped her.
As he had a thousand times before, he wondered why he cared so much about Hannah Pace. She sure as hell didn't go out of her way to be pleasant to him. The combination of strength and insecurity was appealing. As was the sway of her hips and the flash of
Nick tapped a screw anchor into place. "That's unusual."
"Maybe, but it's true. Our father is one of six brothers. His grandfather is one of five, and his great-grandfather is one of eight boys."
"But you four have daughters."
"Not me," Craig said quickly. "At least not yet. Jill is going to have a girl."
"Holly and I don't have children yet," Jordan added. "But hers will be a girl, too."
The four brothers exchanged a look, but Nick didn't know what it meant. There was some kind of secret in the air. He wasn't sure if he should pursue it or not. Then he decided if they wanted him to know, they would tell him.
"You and Hannah think about having children?" Travis asked.
Nick set the brass bracket against the wall. "We've talked about it. I'd like children but the timing just hasn't been right."
Most of the time, lying was easy, but sometimes, like now, it was damn hard. Travis accepted the explanation without question, yet Nick found himself wanting to say more. He liked these men. More important, he respected them. He wanted the feeling to be mutual. Maybe it was, but anything they thought about him now would change if they knew the truth.
He grimaced. Which truth? That he was pretending to be Hannah's husband, or that he was pretending to be a criminal? They were cops. They would understand about undercover work. The need to confide in them almost overwhelmed him. He fought against it. Too risky. He'd spent the past year setting up the deal – he wasn't going to blow it just so Hannah's brothers could slap him on the back.
Until the job was finished and everyone was in jail, he was going to stay Nick Archer, shady character.
He glanced around at the men in the room. With their dark hair and eyes, they reminded him of Hannah. Knowing that he was here with her brothers must be making her crazy.
"How's the real-estate market?" Travis asked.
"Coming back," Nick answered. "We've had a few slow years, but the recovery has started. I didn't lose much money because I work the beach areas. Waterfront property is always at a premium."
"Swindle anybody lately?" Kyle asked, grinning.
Nick returned his smile. "Not this week."
He finished installing the last bracket and climbed down the step stool. The wallpaper border was nearly complete. Craig released the miniblind so it zipped down, covering the window. He turned the handle, opening the slats, and sunlight filled the room.
"Looks great," Jordan said, surveying their work. "I guess the women will be over later to take care of the drapes."
Travis and Kyle smoothed the remaining wallpaper into place. Craig leaned over and punched Jordan in the arm. "You getting scared yet?"
Jordan didn't smile. "Terrified. When we're in bed at night, I can feel the baby kicking against my side. What do I know about being a father?"
Kyle nodded. "I know the feeling, but if I can do it, you'll be fine. You sort of learn as you go. Besides, we'll all be here."
Nick listened to their conversation. These men had a special bond. They cared for each other and they would care for Hannah. If she let them.
She'd spent most of her life assuming the worst about people. She'd concluded that if they tried to get close, they must want something from her. So much of her energy was consumed in attempting to hide her feelings. Her whole outlook would have been different if she'd been raised in this warm, close-knit family. Knowing Hannah as he did, he was sure she was going to resist believing something this great had happened to her. She would get all prickly and try to scare them off. Unless something – or someone – stopped her.
As he had a thousand times before, he wondered why he cared so much about Hannah Pace. She sure as hell didn't go out of her way to be pleasant to him. The combination of strength and insecurity was appealing. As was the sway of her hips and the flash of
Similar Books
