2011: It's been ten years since the sky literally came crashing down around Yael Malkah and upended her world. Now she's returned to New York to visit her ailing grandmother. With no other family, it's up to her to take care of the family business...
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He should not be here.
The phrase ran on a continuous loop through Haustin's shell-shocked mind as he followed Yael into her grandmother's house. Scratch that. Damn thing wasn't a house, more like a mansion, and he was far from ready to meet Miriam Malkah. Dealing with Yael's heritage was one thing. She didn't act like the snob he initially thought she'd be. He imagined this woman would be a different story entirely and buried the urge to snarl.
They'd gone to a barbecue joint for dinner and, on the way home, Yael remembered she needed an old file from her dad's office. The entire thing was innocent. He didn't doubt her intentions, but he might have been a little more relaxed if there'd been time to prepare. He still wore his ratty FDNY t-shirt, for God's sake. Not quite how he expected to meet the elegant matriarch of Yael's family. Sweet Jesus, he certainly couldn't count on his winning personality. His mouth filled with cotton and, for the first time in twenty-four hours, he craved a pill—or four.
He was screwed.
A gray-haired woman greeted them. "Yael, what a surprise. Miriam is finished eating if you're here to visit."
"I don't want to bother her if she's too tired. I'm only here up a couple files of Dad's."
"She's never too tired for you," the woman replied before shifting her attention to Haustin, making note of his shirt. "Or a handsome visitor. Welcome, and thank you for all you do for this city."
"Thanks," he said, clearing his throat. "Just doing my job."
Yael glanced at him. "What do you think? Don't feel pressured. I know this is a surprise and I totally get it if you would rather wait for another time," she rambled.
Regardless of the words, he read the longing in her expression and saw how much it meant to her. He hated to let her down, so he figured he might as well get it over with, knowing her time with Miriam was limited. She met his kids, only fair he returned the favor.
"If she's up to having a grubby stranger in her room, I don't mind. I'd like to see where your fire comes from." The calmness in his voice surprised him, especially since his insides were twisted into a hundred giant knots.
She flashed a breathtaking smile, and his heart responded with a thud. "Let me ask her." Yael jumped forward and pressed her lips to his. "You have no idea how much this means to me."
Haustin watched her bound down the hall and laced his fingers behind his head. This was her only remaining family, he told himself. He sure as hell didn't want to make a fool of himself, or worse, embarrass her. Christ, he was too old for this shit. He thought he'd moved past awkward first meetings with parents or grandparents. It'd been almost two decades since he met Lindsey's family, and even then it hadn't gone well. He ended up insulting her father and her uncle, knocking a bowl of punch onto beige carpets and stepping on the beloved dog's tail, all in the course of a single afternoon. How he moved past that, he'd never know. Of course, now they all hated his guts.
