Going Home

Chapter Four

He watched as she busied herself in the kitchen. He couldn't blame Jake. Emily Hill was a beautiful woman and her children seemed well behaved from what he had seen so far. The house was very nice, the surrounding land rich and fertile. It was a good package. Only it wasn't anyone's to open. He wasn't about to, even though he could admit, it was pretty tempting.

She plunked a cup of coffee down in front of him and sat down at the table across from him with her own cup.

"I'm sorry about Jake."

"Don't you apologize for him. He can do that himself... or maybe he can't."

"Don't count on it," Emily remarked wryly. "He's a good man but he's a little protective."

"A little?" Nate teased. Emily chuckled softly and Nate shifted uncomfortably in his seat. The sound of her laughter moved him in surprising ways. He needed to keep a check on his feelings.

"He's been coming around here a lot since Joe left," she explained. "Says he wants to marry me and take care of us."

"But..."

"But I..." she began, shaking her head slightly. "I can't imagine marrying another man. Besides, Joe might come back."

"Do you really believe that?"

Her eyes lifted to his and she frowned. "Yes, I do. You don't know him like I do. You don't know anything about him," she argued when she saw the disbelief on his face.

"I don't have to know about him. I know his kind."

Emily fell silent with this, a befuddled look on her face. "Well, either way, I won't marry Jake. I won't marry anyone," she finished. She leaned against the back of the chair, her arms folded across her chest as she stared at the steaming black liquid in her cup.

"Did you know he was going to leave?" he asked. She shook her head slowly. "Do you know why?"

"I've heard talk that there was another woman involved but nobody knows for sure."

"You can probably count on it being true," he replied.

Her eyes filled with hurt and betrayal making him instantly regret his words even if they were true.

"I think I'll go and check on the children," she muttered. She stood and carefully pushed her chair in, her eyes lingering on him before she left the room quietly.

Nate finished the rest of his coffee and then washed and dried the few dishes in the sink. He needed to keep himself from get involved with this woman and her children. He was here for two weeks and then he was gone. It was just a break. A vacation from the glamour-filled Hollywood and then he'd be gone.

"Keep it together, Nate," he muttered to himself.

##

Emily found both Louise and Joe Jr in the playroom downstairs. They looked up from their toys and Louise ran to her when she came through the door.

"Hi Honey," Emily crooned as she lifted Louise into her arms. Joe Jr stood and waited as she came and sat down next to him.

"Mama?"

Emily looked down at Joe Jr. "Yes, Sweetheart?"

"When is daddy coming home?"

Emily sighed and pulled Joe Jr closer to her, stroking his hair while Louise rested her head against Emily's chest.

"I don't know, Honey. I just don't know."

"I miss daddy," Louise cried softly, rubbing at her eyes.