Megan's mate

Then you'll be in heaven. Megan, I hate to ask, but it's the nanny's day off, and Sloan's up to his ears in plywood or something. We've been playing pass-the-babies this morning, but I've got an appointment in the village this afternoon. I could reschedule.

You want me to baby-sit.

I know you're busy, but

Mandy, I thought you'd never ask me.

Megan's eyes lit up.

When can I get my

hands on her?

Kevin figured this was the best summer of his life. He missed his grandparents, and the horses, and his best friend, John Silverhorn, but there was too much to do for him to be really homesick.

He got to play with Alex and Jenny every day, had his own fort, and lived in a castle.

There were boats to sail, and rocks to climb and Coco or Mr. Dutch always had a snack waiting in the kitchen. Max told him really neat stories. Sloan and Trent sometimes let him help with the renovations, and Holt had let him drive the little powerboat.

All his new aunts played games with him, and sometimes, if he was really, really

careful, they let him hold one of the babies.

It was, to Kevin's thinking, a really good deal.

Then there was Nathaniel. He snuck a look at the man who sat beside him, driving the big convertible up the winding road to The Towers. Kevin had decided that Nathaniel knew something about everything. He had muscles and a tattoo and most always smelted like the sea.

When he stood at the helm of the big tour boat, his eyes narrowed against the sun and his broad hands on the wheel, he was every little boy's i.e. of a hero.

Maybe...

Kevin trailed off unta Nathaniel glanced down at him.

Maybe what, mate?

Maybe I could go back out with you sometime, Kevin blurted out.

I won't ask so

many questions next time, or get in the way.

Was there ever a man, Nathaniel wondered, who could defend himself against the sweetness of a child? He stopped the car at the family entrance.

I'll pipe you aboard

my ship anytime.

He flicked a finger down the brim of the captain's hat he'd carelessly dropped on Kevin's head.

And you can ask all the questions you want.

Really?

Kevin pushed the brim back up, so that he could see.

Really.

Thanks!

Kevin threw his arms around Nathaniel in a spontaneous hug that had Nathaniel's heart sliding down the slippery chute toward love.

I gotta tell Mom. Are

you going to come in?

Yeah.

He let his hands linger on the boy a moment before they dropped away.

Come on.

Bursting with tidings, Kevin scrambled out of the car and up the steps.

He hit the door running.

Mom! I'm back!

What a quiet, dignified child,

Megan commented as she stepped into the hallway from the parlor.

It must be my Kevin.

With a giggle, Kevin darted to her, rising on his toes to see which baby she was holding.

Is that Bianca?

Delia.

Kevin squinted and studied.

How can you tell them apart? They look the same.

A mother's eyes,

she murmured, and bent to kiss him.

Where've you been,

sailor?

We went way, way out in the ocean and back, twice. We saw nine whales. One was like a baby. When they're all together, they're called a pod. Like what peas grow in.

Is that so?

And Nate let me steer and blow the horn, and I helped chart the course. And this man on the second deck was sick the whole time, but I wasn't 'cause I've got good sea legs. And Nate says I can go with him again, so can I?

Nearly nine years as a mother had Megan following the stream of information perfectly.

Well, I imagine you can.

Did you know whales mate for life, and they're not really fish at all, even though they live in the water? They're mammals, just like us and elephants and dogs, and they've got to breathe. That's how come they come up and blow water out of their spouts.

Nathaniel walked in on the lecture. And stopped, and looked. Megan stood, smiling down at her son, his hand in hers and a baby on her hip.

I

want.

The desire streamed through Nathaniel like sunlight, warm, bright. The woman there had never been a question of that. But he wanted, as Sloan had said, the whole package. The woman, the boy, the family.

Megan looked over and smiled at him. His heart all but stopped.

She started to speak, but the look in Nathaniel's eyes had her throat closing. Though she took an unconscious step back, he was already there, his hand on her cheek, his lips on hers with a tenderness that turned her to putty.

The baby laughed in delight and reached for a fistful of Nathaniel's hair.

Here we go.

Nathaniel took Delia, hefted her high so that she could squeal and kick her feet. When he settled her on his hip, both Megan and Kevin were still staring at him. He jiggled the baby and cocked his head at the boy.

Do you have a problem

with me kissing yourmom?

Megan made a little strangled sound. Kevin's gaze dropped heavily to the floor.

I

don't know,

he mumbled.

She sure is pretty, isn't she?

Kevin shrugged, flushed.

I guess.

He wasn't sure how he was supposed to feel.