she'd ever seen. He'd just emerged from a living nightmare when both his abusive parents died. After searching for him everywhere in a blizzard, Blake found him hiding in his friend's attic. The little boy was the Stone family's Christmas miracle and soon became a permanent member of the family.
Shawn had gained weight and filled out, looking the picture of health with rosy cheeks, a sprinkling of freckles across his nose, and the sweetest smile she'd ever seen.
She rubbed the top of his head. "You look like you've grown since last I saw you, Shawn."
"Yes, Aunt Carly. I've grown one inch. Dad measures me once a month and marks it on the wall next to the fridge."
The baby squealed and pounded her tiny hands on the tray of the high chair. Pulling off his backpack, Shawn set it on the table and unzipped it. He pulled out a small book called Pat the Bunny and a pink rattle and handed them to Carly. "Would you please give these to Mylee? I think she is getting bored."
Grinning, Carly handed the items to Mylee who wrapped her chubby fingers around them and giggled. She turned to Shawn. "It looks like you have the four-one-one on your baby sister."
"That's for sure," said Jennifer with a smile. "Shawn has nominated himself Mylee's interpreter until she can talk for herself. It's uncanny sometimes how he knows exactly what she's trying to communicate."
"He also knows her 'reading' habits," Blake added. "The other day at the library, he had twice the number of books he normally checks out. Turns out half were for Mylee."
"She likes Dr. Seuss, too. Her favorite book is Go Car Go. Mom or Dad reads a book to us every night before bed. Someday I will read out loud, too," exclaimed Shawn.
Carly smiled at Shawn and glanced at Blake. She'd never seen her brother happier and was thrilled for him. The thought occurred to her that maybe she should move closer to them so she could be active in the kids' lives as they grew up.
Hailey returned for their food orders. Blake, Jennifer, and Carly decided on the lunch special of breaded tenderloin sandwiches with tossed salad. Shawn ordered a peanut butter and strawberry jelly sandwich with carrot slices. He announced his little sister would have some baby cereal mixed with formula.
Once Hailey left with their orders, Carly asked, "How is the house hunting going? Last time we talked, you said you were looking for a bigger house."
"We've decided to build on," shared Jennifer, as she picked up the rattle Mylee dropped.
A sparkle was in Blake's eyes when he added, "I've always loved Jennifer's Craftsman style house and it's been in the Brennan family for years ..."
" Our house," Jennifer insisted.
" Our house," Blake agreed. "We found ourselves comparing every house we saw to it, so we decided to add a family room, bathroom, and another bedroom."
"That sounds great," Carly said. "I love your house, too. And the location is perfect. It's close to the elementary school and your parents’ home. Speaking of your parents, how are Megan and Tim?"
Jennifer gave Mylee a spoonful of cereal and said, "Dad's still doing the sheriff thing. Mom is fixing up rooms for Shawn and Mylee when they visit. They said to tell you hello."
"What about you, Carly," asked Blake. "Are you still dead-set on leaving the Bureau?"
"Yes. I don't miss the bureaucracy, and I like being my own boss. The consultant jobs are coming in on a regular basis, so money's not an issue. I enjoy being able to help the smaller sheriff operations."
"Tim told me that Sheriff Chase really needs your help. Selfishly, I'm glad you took the job so we can see more of you, at least while you're here."
"How long are you staying?" asked Jennifer, as she mixed more cereal with formula in a small bowl for Mylee.
"It could be a month or six months. It depends on how the case progresses. I'm staying in a cottage on the Sheriff's property. I'd love it if you and the kids could spend the weekend sometime while I am here."
Jennifer's eyes danced
Shawn had gained weight and filled out, looking the picture of health with rosy cheeks, a sprinkling of freckles across his nose, and the sweetest smile she'd ever seen.
She rubbed the top of his head. "You look like you've grown since last I saw you, Shawn."
"Yes, Aunt Carly. I've grown one inch. Dad measures me once a month and marks it on the wall next to the fridge."
The baby squealed and pounded her tiny hands on the tray of the high chair. Pulling off his backpack, Shawn set it on the table and unzipped it. He pulled out a small book called Pat the Bunny and a pink rattle and handed them to Carly. "Would you please give these to Mylee? I think she is getting bored."
Grinning, Carly handed the items to Mylee who wrapped her chubby fingers around them and giggled. She turned to Shawn. "It looks like you have the four-one-one on your baby sister."
"That's for sure," said Jennifer with a smile. "Shawn has nominated himself Mylee's interpreter until she can talk for herself. It's uncanny sometimes how he knows exactly what she's trying to communicate."
"He also knows her 'reading' habits," Blake added. "The other day at the library, he had twice the number of books he normally checks out. Turns out half were for Mylee."
"She likes Dr. Seuss, too. Her favorite book is Go Car Go. Mom or Dad reads a book to us every night before bed. Someday I will read out loud, too," exclaimed Shawn.
Carly smiled at Shawn and glanced at Blake. She'd never seen her brother happier and was thrilled for him. The thought occurred to her that maybe she should move closer to them so she could be active in the kids' lives as they grew up.
Hailey returned for their food orders. Blake, Jennifer, and Carly decided on the lunch special of breaded tenderloin sandwiches with tossed salad. Shawn ordered a peanut butter and strawberry jelly sandwich with carrot slices. He announced his little sister would have some baby cereal mixed with formula.
Once Hailey left with their orders, Carly asked, "How is the house hunting going? Last time we talked, you said you were looking for a bigger house."
"We've decided to build on," shared Jennifer, as she picked up the rattle Mylee dropped.
A sparkle was in Blake's eyes when he added, "I've always loved Jennifer's Craftsman style house and it's been in the Brennan family for years ..."
" Our house," Jennifer insisted.
" Our house," Blake agreed. "We found ourselves comparing every house we saw to it, so we decided to add a family room, bathroom, and another bedroom."
"That sounds great," Carly said. "I love your house, too. And the location is perfect. It's close to the elementary school and your parents’ home. Speaking of your parents, how are Megan and Tim?"
Jennifer gave Mylee a spoonful of cereal and said, "Dad's still doing the sheriff thing. Mom is fixing up rooms for Shawn and Mylee when they visit. They said to tell you hello."
"What about you, Carly," asked Blake. "Are you still dead-set on leaving the Bureau?"
"Yes. I don't miss the bureaucracy, and I like being my own boss. The consultant jobs are coming in on a regular basis, so money's not an issue. I enjoy being able to help the smaller sheriff operations."
"Tim told me that Sheriff Chase really needs your help. Selfishly, I'm glad you took the job so we can see more of you, at least while you're here."
"How long are you staying?" asked Jennifer, as she mixed more cereal with formula in a small bowl for Mylee.
"It could be a month or six months. It depends on how the case progresses. I'm staying in a cottage on the Sheriff's property. I'd love it if you and the kids could spend the weekend sometime while I am here."
Jennifer's eyes danced
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