Chapter 12
Boone did his best impression of an average friendly bodyguard all through the early afternoon dinner with the Billings family. They didn’t hold hands, though they sat next to each other. Through it all, his heart and mind wheeled around the edge of panic.
Could he be a father? Did he want to be?
What he wanted was to know . To have the answers so they could make a plan. Nina didn’t seem to understand how badly he needed to have that plan in place.
He shouldn’t have to spell out why it mattered so much to him. He’d told her about his parents. But if stress or illness was the source of her symptoms he would be opening a vein and bleeding out his emotions for no reason.
Now he was buying into Nina’s denial. Her symptoms were clear and obvious.
Boone didn’t let himself be vulnerable without a damn good reason. Family was at the top of his list. The way he’d been wired from birth. His mom had told him that as a baby, he would cry when his dad rubbed her shoulders hard enough to make her wince. Protection was in his blood. These days, he was away from his sister and her family most of the time, but that didn’t change his convictions. He’d lay down his life for his sister and her boys, even her husband .
With impending fatherhood still unconfirmed, Boone knew he’d do no less for his child.
“You’re looking way too serious,” Jess said. She shoved a plate into his hands. “Have some of my famous baked feta. Cures a multitude of ills.”
He smiled at the woman who wasn’t exactly his boss. Not really his friend either, though he liked her well enough to build that bridge. Good thing, since they might become in-laws.
Whoa. That was a big leap. Even after last night, he had no faith that Nina would want him to stick around. She’d run away from him once already.
His shoulders twitched and Jess caught the movement. “If there’s news, you’d better give me an update,” she ordered under her breath.
He was half tempted to fill her in. The honesty might make him feel better, but Nina would be furious. If there was news, Nina should be the one to tell her family. He looked around, wondering how they would react. If they’d hate him or judge her.
He didn’t know her family well, but from what he’d seen, Nico and Roxy were good people. They had high expectations for their kids, but not unreasonable. A small part of him thought maybe they’d be happy for her—for them—even if the timing was out of step with typical traditions.
“Boone?”
“I’d never let you get caught off guard.” He tried a smile and considered it a failure when Jess jerked back. “I was hoping you might have an update. Nina’s getting tired of seeing me in her shadow.”
Jess scowled. “What’s really going on?” Her gaze darted to Nina and returned to him, full of concern. “You’re struggling. Is she too much? I can put someone else on her. ”
Boone choked. No chance in hell he was letting that happen. She was his and the only thing that would change that would be Nina booting him out of her life. “That’s not necessary,” he said when he could speak again.
“It’s not a big deal.”
“No,” he said a little too firmly. “We’re good. It would just be nice to feel like there’s a light at the end of the tunnel for her. Her schedule was jammed when I came on board.”
Jess sighed, her expression softening as she looked across the yard to her fiancé. “They’re a bunch of workaholics,” she said fondly. Her attention whipped back to him. “You care about her.”
“She’s the client. My responsibility.” Jess didn’t need to know all the ways he currently felt responsible. “This persistent stress isn’t helping.”
“No, it’s not,” Jess agreed. “Roxy’s asking for answers too. She’s concerned that Nina looks tired.” She drummed her fingers on the glass of sweet tea in her hand. “But this guy is just in the wind.”
“Spratt’s close. The vandalism was a message,” Boone reminded her. “He’s up to something.”
Jess huffed. “Coming after Nina solves nothing. I don’t get this guy at all. He should move on.”
“Agreed. But if you thought it was over, you would’ve reassigned me by now.” He couldn’t shake what the research team had said about Spratt and his determination to make an example of those who crossed him. Boone wouldn’t let her become another statistic on Spratt’s rap sheet.
“I am trying,” Jess said, sounding sour. “We’ve got eyes everywhere.”
He hoped that didn’t mean he and Nina would get caught at a drugstore in Charleston. Either way, he wouldn’t mention it to Nina. No need to worry her. He could count on discretion from the Guardian Agency.
“Sorry,” Boone said. “It’s not you, it’s me.” In more ways than one. “I like her. These are good people and I don’t like seeing her so unhappy.” He shrugged his shoulders. “Apparently I interfere with her design process.”
Thankfully, Jess laughed and the weird undercurrent dissipated. He didn’t want to make her too curious about what was brewing between Nina and him. Primarily because there might not be anything brewing at all.
All through the meal and conversation, his mind drifted back to last night and how perfect she’d felt in his arms. Given a choice, he’d stay right here and make it work between them. He just couldn’t be sure Nina would give him a chance despite the undeniable chemistry.
Well, he’d never been one to sit back and let life happen. This would be the worst time to change his general outlook. She mattered. More and more each day. Other than his sister, Boone couldn’t recall ever having a relationship connection as strong as this one.
“Did you get enough to eat, Boone?”
He patted his stomach, carefully avoiding eye contact with Nina. “Plenty, thanks, Mrs. Billings.” More than plenty, considering the extra food Nina had shoved onto his plate to hide her poor appetite. Standing, he started gathering dishes. “I’ll help clear.”
“You’ll do no such thing.”
Before Boone could insist on helping clean up this time, Nash shoved to his feet.
“Sit, Mom. Boone and I can do the heavy lifting this week.”
“He’s a guest,” she protested.
“Hardly,” Nash countered, bending to kiss her cheek. “This is his second Sunday dinner. He’s practically family at this point. ”
Boone wondered what Nina thought of that, but he didn’t look back for fear of starting those rumors she was worried about. Any further protests were soothed away by Mr. Billings as Nash and Boone headed for the kitchen. They were scraping plates and loading the dishwasher, but Boone sensed an interrogation coming.
“Everything okay with Nina?”
Boone had to tread carefully. Nash was still worried about his sister’s safety. “Yeah. As I told Jess, she’s tired of me traipsing around after her, but she knows it’s necessary.”
“Uh-huh.” Nash tucked a few more plates into the rack. When he looked up again, his gaze was intense. “So kissing her is part of the service?”
Boone was grateful the rest of the family was outside. “What the hell, man?”
“Don’t bother denying it,” Nash snarled. “A friend of mine saw you two on the beach last night.”
Crap. That was the last thing Nina wanted. “Nash, you—”
“Listen, up.” He drilled a finger into Boone’s chest. “I don’t care about your bodyguard skills. You hurt her and you’ll need protection.”
He would’ve protested or explained, but Nina stepped inside. “I knew I smelled an excess of testosterone.” She hopped up onto the countertop, putting her at eye level with her brother. “Stop harassing my bodyguard.”
“You need—”
“To get going,” Boone interrupted whatever Nash planned to say. He’d taken one look and recognized Nina wanted to leave. Immediately. He could make that happen. They could talk about the potential rumor hazards on the drive. “We have errands to run. I’ll go say goodbye. ”
“Coward,” Nash murmured as Boone walked outside. He’d let Nina handle her brother. In his experience—as both a brother and an outsider—it was best not to get caught in the middle of a sibling argument.
“We need to get going. Thanks for dinner, Mrs. Billings.”
“What?” She caught his hand. “You can’t go so soon. We’ve barely finished dessert.”
“It was delicious from the first bite to the last,” he assured her. “Nash said he’d finish up in the kitchen,” he added. “Nina and I have some errands to run.”
“In Charleston,” Nina explained, hovering near the back door.
She looked stunning, with the sunlight glinting off her dark hair, her lips slick with a fresh coat of gloss.
At least they weren’t lying about anything. She’d been adamant about not purchasing a pregnancy test here on the island. On the way over, she’d rambled about making it up to the Walthams later. He assumed that was the family who owned the local drugstore a couple blocks away from her shop.
“One of Nina’s favorite bands is playing tonight.” Another truth. Though he hadn’t planned on taking her to see them until right this second. Now, it seemed like the perfect way to celebrate whatever result the pregnancy test revealed.
“Maybe we should all go,” Jess suggested. “It would be fun.”
Boone didn’t care for the speculation in her gaze, but he was saved by Nina’s dad.
“Are you sure that’s wise, considering the, ah, situation?” Nico asked. “I’d feel better if she stayed close until they catch that bastard.”
“Wouldn’t we all.” Nina sidled up to him and hooked her arm through his. Her body felt soft and sweet pressed close and the ever-present fragrance of lilies teased his nose. “Boone will take care of me,” she promised her family. She looked up at him, beaming as if she were the happiest girl in the world. “He’s the best bodyguard around.”
For her—whether or not she carried his child—he sure as hell would be.