Once and For All: An American Valor Novel by Cheryl Etchison Page A

situation out.” She gathered the tiny bowls and spoons, along with the high chair tray and tossed them all into the sink. “I’ve known Danny a very long time. Love him like a brother. My kids think of him as an uncle. And not once in all these years has he ever been serious enough about a single woman to bring her to a company function let alone around here.”
    “Really?”
    “Can I tell you something?” she said, shutting off the faucet and lowering her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “For the longest time I thought he was gay.” Bree laughed out loud in response and Marie joined in. “I mean, sure there were stories of him with a flavor of the week, but I thought maybe it was all just an act.”
    “No,” Bree giggled. “Definitely not gay.”
    Marie raised an eyebrow. “Oh, really now?” Instantly, Bree felt her entire body heat, especially from the hollow of her throat to her blazing cheeks. Damn him. “You can try to blame that blush on the wine, but I know better.”
    “Is there a statute of limitations on firsthand knowledge? Because up until last week, we hadn’t seen or spoken to each other since before he enlisted. I’d be willing to bet my knowledge is out-of-date.”
    Their laughter was interrupted by the ringing telephone. “Sorry. I need to get this. It’s likely my eldest.”
    Within seconds it was clear her daughter didn’t want to come home yet, and Marie entered into negotiations with her child. Bree turned her attention to outside only to find Danny watching her from where he stood on the back porch. Unsure what to do, she gave a simple wave. He smiled and gave a little salute back. Even though he was no longer standing right beside her, that earlier warmth returned, knowing he was still looking out for her.
    And having ended her phone call, Marie appeared to have caught the entire exchange.
    “So he sees you for the first time in almost ten years and proposes? That’s very romantic.”
    “More practical than romantic. He married me so I wouldn’t have to pay for my own health insurance.”
    “So you’re not—”
    “Having sex?” Bree shook her head then took another drink of wine.
    “Interesting.” Marie settled onto a bar stool next to her. “This has the makings of a Lifetime movie of the week.”
    “He married me out of pity. Because I lost my job. Because of the cancer.”
    “I take that back,” she said, her glossy curls bouncing as she shook her head. “This sounds more Nicholas Sparks than Lifetime. Of course, that would mean one of you would die at the end and we don’t want that. So on second thought, scratch Nicholas Sparks. Stick with Lifetime. I wonder who they would get to play me.”
    “Wait. What?” The woman talked a mile a minute and Bree’s wine-soaked brain was slow to catch up. “You’re making too much of it. This is his way of helping me out.”
    “For how long, then? A month? A year?”
    “I don’t know. The goal is for me to find a job, save some money so I can stand on my own two feet, and then we’ll get divorced.”
    “Or maybe not,” she said with a wink.
    “No, really. That’s the plan.”
    “Oh, honey.” This time Marie placed her hand on Bree’s forearm. “I don’t doubt that’s the plan. But if there’s one thing I learned years ago, not all things in life go according to plan.”

 
    Chapter Ten
    D AN NY TOOK ANOTHER long pull from his beer and tried not to worry about leaving Bree alone with Marie. Not that Bree couldn’t handle herself. But Marie could be a real pit bull if and when the mood struck. In his mind, this evening could only end one of two ways: either they’d be at each other’s throats or they’d become thick as thieves. Both of which were equally frightening prospects.
    Ben manned the grill, taking account of hot spots and rearranging his steaks accordingly. His perfectionist side showed when he placed them at a forty-five degree angle to get that crosshatch pattern. If it wasn’t for the