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“I think we’d work well together,” she said. “I know you’d do a terrific job.”

“Really? Wow. That’s great. Maybe I’ll talk to Cal and see what he thinks.”

“Cal will think it’s a fabulous idea,” Penny said. The real problem was going to be Gloria.

“Then I’ll start campaigning,” Dani said. “I swear if I didn’t need the incredible medical insurance for Hugh I would have quit Burger Heaven years ago. As soon as he gets tenure, I’m leaving the company. Well, unless I’m running The Waterfront.”

“So you have a plan.”

“Pretty much.” Dani sipped her drink, then put the glass on the bar. “I know it’s none of my business, but how are you and Cal working together?”

“We’re doing really well.” Penny shrugged. “I guess we had to get divorced and spend three years apart before we could become friends. How twisted is that?”

“I’m not sure. It’s just too bad you couldn’t work things out before.”

Penny nodded as if she thought so, too, but it wasn’t true. There was no way she and Cal could have remained married. Not when he’d broken her heart so completely.

Before getting married, they’d agreed to have children. The only fight had been over how many—three or four. When she’d first gotten pregnant, he’d been as delighted as she. They’d held on to each other, excited, scared and determined to do the best for their baby.

Over time, Cal had changed. By her fourth month, she’d started to wonder if he wanted children with her at all. He wouldn’t talk about the baby or even come with her to the doctor. And then she’d miscarried.

The first cramps had terrified her. She’d rushed to her doctor, but by the time she made it to the examining room, it was all over.

Cal had said all the right things, he held her while she cried, but she hadn’t believed him. In some ways, he’d seemed more relieved than sad.

She’d told herself it was wrong to judge him—that people expressed grief in different ways. But her suspicions had been confirmed a few months later when she’d suggested they try again.

She still remembered how he’d sat at the other end of the sofa, staring at the wall rather than looking at her. He’d told her flat out he didn’t want children. Not now, not ever. And he wouldn’t say what had changed his mind.

Wondering if he still loved her, she’d done all she could to get his attention. But somehow he slipped further and further away until she couldn’t reach his heart. In a last-ditch effort to get him to admit he still cared, she’d left. Her hope had been he would come after her and beg her to return. Instead he’d told her it was for the best.

C
AL RAN THE TOTALS
for the day. They were still ahead of projections and the reservations showed no signs of slowing. He wanted to claim the new dining room or advertising was responsible, but he knew it was a whole lot more about Penny’s menu.

“Got any leftovers?”

He glanced up and saw Walker in the doorway to his office. “Sure. I’ll have Penny get you something.”

He buzzed the kitchen. Naomi picked up.

“Why are you calling?” she asked by way of greeting. “Because you’re too important to walk the twenty or thirty feet from your office to the kitchen?”

“Exactly. Ask Penny to come out, would you?”

“It’s not like she works for you,” Naomi said.

“You might want to check the contract. She does and you do, too.”

“Oh, fine. Throw your authority around. Penny. You’ve been summoned.”

The phone went dead. Cal looked back at his brother. “She’ll be right out.”

The door to the kitchen opened. Penny walked out, a dishtowel in her hand. “You’re buzzing me?” she asked as she turned toward his office. “There’s nothing in the contract about buzzing—”

She broke off when she saw Walker. Her face lit up, her mouth curved in a wide, open smile and she ran as if being chased by wolves.

“Walker! You’re back!”

She launched herself at him with the confidence of a woman who knows she’s going to be caught. Walker grinned and wrapped his arms round her.

“Hey, Penny,” he said and leaned his head toward hers.

She did the same, so their foreheads touched. “You’re back. My favorite ever marine is back.”

Cal knew that Penny adored his brothers. She claimed it was because she grew up with two sisters and was desperate for some male point of view in her life.

Until that moment, Cal hadn’t cared one way or the other. But right then, watching Walker turn in a slow circle, Penny in his arms, her feet kicking behind her, he felt a definite need to growl.

He told himself he didn’t give a damn what Penny did in her personal life. She wasn’t his wife anymore. One or two kisses didn’t give him any rights, and he didn’t want any. He even told himself that Walker would never be interested in his ex-sister-in-law. But that didn’t take away the feeling of discomfort low in his gut.

Walker lowered Penny to the floor. She beamed at him. “Cal said you’re out of the marines. Are you really? For good?”

“It was time.”

“Yeah. I get to see you more. Okay, you have to come taste some stuff. I have the best fish and chips. You’ll die. And then you’ll beg me to tell you what’s in the recipe, but I won’t.”

Just then the kitchen doors opened and Naomi strolled out. She was dressed in black jeans and a tight red sweater that set off her long, wavy dark hair. She looked like a sexy Amazon on the prowl. Cal watched her gaze settle on Walker and gave his brother maybe thirty more seconds of freedom before Naomi claimed him.

“So this is Walker,” she said as she approached. “I’ve heard a lot about you but I was starting to think everyone had made you up.”

Penny sighed. “Oh, great. Another conquest. Walker, this is my friend, Naomi. Naomi, Walker. Be gentle, though. He’s just out of the marines.”

Cal held in a laugh at the thought of Penny trying to protect his tough baby brother. Then he wondered what Reid would think to know he’d been replaced.

“Ma’am,” Walker said, releasing Penny and offering his hand.

Naomi winced. “If you call me ma’am again, I’m going to have to take you down.”

“All right. Naomi.”

“Much better.”

Cal moved closer to watch the show.

Naomi looked Walker over. “If you’re just back from overseas, you might want someone to show you how Seattle has changed. I’d be more than willing.”

“I appreciate the offer, but I understand you’re seeing my brother.”

“Reid?” Naomi shrugged. “I was. But you know Reid. Fifteen minutes is about his attention span.”

“You don’t seem too broken up about it.”

She smiled. “That’s because my attention span is two minutes shorter. No bruised hearts. I’m not into getting serious, just getting involved.”

The invitation was clear. Cal had to admit that Naomi embodied sexual availability in a way that called to men.

Penny looked between them. “Whatever you decide, I still expect you to eat dinner with me, Walker,” she said.

“I wouldn’t do anything else,” he said, tugging on her long braid.

“Please have something to eat.” Naomi sighed. “You’ll need your strength.”

Walker looked at Naomi for a long time. “I appreciate the offer,” he began.

Her eyes widened. “You’re turning me down?”

“How about if I take a rain check?”

Cal braced himself for the explosion. To the best of his knowledge, no one had ever turned Naomi down. Then she surprised him by laughing.

“Your loss, soldier. If you change your mind, and you will, Penny has my number.”

She strolled back into the kitchen. Walker watched her go.

“Interesting lady,” he said.

“That’s the rumor,” Penny told him. “Are you really not interested, or are you playing hard to get so you can have her full attention?”

Walker’s expression shuttered. “I don’t play games.”

“Ha! It’s hard-wired into your gender. Okay, go find a seat. I’ll bring out food.”

“I don’t get to pick what I want?”

“Oh, please. On what planet?” She glanced at Cal. “Are you hungry? I can get another plate together.”

“Thanks.”

She returned to the kitchen and Walker looked at him. “Yours?”

Cal figured he meant the baby. “She would be my
ex
-wife.”

“You wanted to punch me out when she launched herself at me.”

Cal didn’t see how Walker could have known what he was thinking. He would have bet money it hadn’t shown. “No idea what you’re talking about.”

“Right. So you just hired your ex-wife because she’s a great chef?”

“Have you forgotten the year she cooked our Christmas dinner?”

“Good point. So how’s it going?”

“Good. Better than I would have thought.”

“And the baby?”

“She decided it was time. Went to a sperm bank. There’s no guy.”

Walker’s dark gaze locked with his. “Lucky break.”

T
HE THREE OF THEM SAT
at one of the tables by the kitchen. Penny served two different salads, her famous fish and chips, a poached salmon dish, smashed potatoes, green beans with a mustard sauce and she promised something special for dessert, although she wouldn’t say what.

“Do you have any idea what you’re going to do now?” Penny asked after all three plates were full.

“Get my own place,” Walker said. He looked at Cal. “Not that I don’t love living with you.”

Cal chuckled. “You’re welcome to stay as long as you like.”

“I appreciate that, but I want my own place. An apartment at first. Until I figure out where I want to live.”

“Are you rich?” Penny asked.

Cal and Walker both looked at her.

“What?” she asked. “It’s a serious question. I’m curious. Didn’t you invest in The Daily Grind?” she asked Walker.

“Uh-huh. Cleaned out my savings account for my big brother.”

“And you made a fortune,” Cal reminded him.

Five years ago Reid had been on his second multimillion-dollar contract and had offered to bankroll the whole thing. Cal had refused and instead had taken on multiple investors. Walker had been one of them.

“I did okay,” Walker said, then shrugged. “I don’t have to go to work anytime soon.”

“Will you get a job?” Penny asked.

Walker nodded.

Cal figured he had to. Walker wasn’t the kind of guy who enjoyed sitting around doing nothing.

“But first I have to find someone,” Walker said.

“Who?” Penny asked.

“A woman named Ashley.”

Cal looked at his brother. “A girlfriend?”

“Yes, but not mine. One of the guys in my unit was killed. Ben. He was a good kid. Not a great marine but he had a lot of heart. Ashley was his girl. He planned on marrying her when he got out. I have a letter to deliver to her, so I have to find her.”

Penny set down her fork. “You have more than just her first name, right? His family can help you locate her.”

The darkness returned to Walker’s eyes. “Ben didn’t have any family. He grew up in foster care. Four high schools in four years. I know she lived in the Seattle area when they were in high school and that her name is Ashley.”

Cal leaned back in his chair. “That’s not enough to go on.”

“Sure it is.” Walker picked up his glass of wine. “I can go through high school yearbooks until I find where Ben went to school, then get the names of all the Ashleys.”

“Couldn’t you hire a private detective or something?” Penny asked. “That’s a huge amount of work.”

“I have time,” Walker told her. “I want her to have the letter.”

Cal knew his brother well enough to recognize his stubborn expression. “Don’t argue, Penny. His mind is made up.”

“Good luck,” Penny said.

“Thanks.” He cut off a piece of the battered fish. “Great meal. The best I’ve had in nearly a year.”

“Thank you. I thought you’d like it. So why did you turn down Naomi?”

Cal winced. “Very smooth transition. Subtle.”

Penny shrugged. “I’m curious. You’ve been away a long time. I’m guessing there wasn’t a lot of, um, well, you know.”

“Sex,” Walker said calmly. “You’re saying there wasn’t a lot of sex to be had on my tour.”

“Something like that. Naomi is attractive and from all accounts, very skilled.”

“You’re offering me your friend?”

“No. I’m curious. Is it because she’s older?”

Walker shrugged. “She’s what? Thirty-eight? Thirty-nine?”

“Forty.”

“Perfectly seasoned,” he said. “It’s not the age thing.”

“Then what?”

“Then none of your business.”

She held out her fork like a weapon. “I’m pregnant. You have to be nice to me.”

Cal decided his brother needed rescuing. “Mariners should have a good season this year.”

“I heard that,” Walker said.

Penny rolled her eyes, then said, “The infield looks promising. Now if only we can come up with the hits.”

Conversation shifted to baseball, then the success of the restaurant, then to possible neighborhoods for Walker’s apartment.

Cal watched his brother skillfully dodge any personal questions. Walker might love Penny, but he wasn’t going to share more than he wanted to.

Secrets, Cal thought. They were a family who kept secrets.

F
RIDAY MORNING
Penny found herself pulling into The Waterfront shortly before seven.

“This is just plain wrong,” she muttered as she climbed out of her car and hurried toward the rear of the building. There hadn’t even been time to shower. As she wasn’t allowed caffeine anymore, due to her pregnancy, a shower was the only thing that perked her up in the morning.

“I know, I know,” Naomi said from her place just outside the open back door. “It was your turn to sleep in. I’m sorry. I thought you’d want to see.”

Penny and Naomi traded off predawn times, alternating who had to get in to go over the delivery.

Penny stared at the water pouring out the back door. “Shouldn’t we be able to turn that off?”

“We’re working on it.” Naomi gave a half smile that didn’t look the least bit convincing. “First the pipe cracked, then the shutoff broke. That’s when I made the executive decision to rip out part of the wall to see if we could get to any other kind of shutoff.”

Penny had a bad feeling there wasn’t a happy ending to the story. “And?”

“Rats.”

Penny took a step back and shuddered. “This isn’t your attempt not to use bad language, is it?”

“Sorry. No. There’s not a lot. Obviously the exterminator has been doing his job, but still, there was a family of them.”

It was too early to deal with rodents. “Great.” Penny started for the kitchen.

Naomi clutched her arm. “There’s more.”

“Because a broken pipe, no ability to turn off the water pouring through my kitchen and out into the alley and rats in the walls isn’t enough?”

“We haven’t had the produce delivery. The truck was in a big pileup. Three cars and the truck. No one was injured but…” Her voice trailed off.

Penny shook her head. “Something tells me my lettuce didn’t survive.”

“That’s what they’re saying.”

“Great.” She had special orders due in today for her new chef’s special. “You know we have three parties of ten in tonight.”

Naomi nodded.

“And I would kill for cilantro, which we’re now not getting.”

“You mentioned that,” Naomi said. “I’m really sorry.”

Penny stepped close and hugged her. “None of this is your fault.” She reached for her cell phone. “Time to call in the troops.”

She punched in Cal’s number. “You’ll never guess what’s happened here,” she said and told him what was going on. “Naomi has already called the plumber, but we have to do something about the rats. They’re going to totally gross me out.”

“I’ll call the exterminator and then be in.”

“Yeah. You wouldn’t happen to have any cilantro, would you?”

“No. Want me to stop and get some?”

“No. I’ll call the produce company and see what they can do about delivering something to me. Although it won’t be their best. That’s in the pileup.”

“Gotta love the business,” he said.

“At least it’s not boring. See you in a bit.” She hung up and looked at Naomi. “Cal’s on his way. He’s calling about the rats.” She glanced at the door. “Do I have to go in there?”

“The rats are all scattered. You don’t have to worry about them.”

“Okay.” Penny tried to tell herself they were just really big, ugly mice and she liked mice. They were small and cute and reminded her of Cinderella. But rats? She shuddered.

She stepped inside and immediately found herself ankle-deep in the raging river that went right through her kitchen. “The plumber’s on his way, right?”

“Shouldn’t be too long.”

“Good.” Because there wasn’t going to be any prep work while this was going on. And even after the water was turned off, the floor would need some time to air out. And there were those three parties of ten, not to mention a full house, tonight.

At least her office was dry, she thought as she shrugged out of her coat and moved back into the main area of the kitchen.

“We have fish,” Naomi said helpfully. “That’s something.”

Penny put a call in to the produce company. They read off what they had available and she checked it against her order. “Send it,” she said, then hung up. She quickly scribbled out another list and handed it to Naomi. “I’ll need this stuff by one. But before you go, let’s brainstorm a new special for tonight.”

An hour later they had a special and a modified menu. Edouard strolled into the kitchen. Her sous-chef looked especially male and self-satisfied as he surveyed the flowing water.

“There is a broken pipe,” he announced.

Naomi grinned. “Gee, Eddie. Thanks. We weren’t sure what all this water was.”

Edouard smiled. “You are crabby. Should I ask why? Man trouble? I, of course, have no trouble with the men in my life. They adore me.”

“Of course they do,” Penny said. “We’re all delighted you had a good night. Now let’s talk about what’s going on.”

Naomi moved next to Edouard and rested her chin on the top of his head. “I never have trouble with my men, either, my little friend.”

Just then, a strange man stuck his head in the back door. “I’m the plumber,” he said with a grin. “Looks like you have a broken pipe.”

As he was well-muscled, young and good-looking, Penny wasn’t surprised when Naomi hurried toward him.

“I’ll deal with this,” she said.

“Of course you will,” Edouard told her. “He looks innocent. Be gentle.”

Penny glanced at the clock. It was barely eight in the morning. She didn’t want to think about how the rest of the day was going to go. Was there a chance she could sneak home in the late morning for a nap? Just a couple of hours of sleep. Not like she’d be doing anything else in bed. Yup, that was her. Sexless girl.

She tuned out Edouard and Naomi’s banter as she realized she couldn’t actually remember the last time she’d been with a man. As in naked. As in skin on skin, kissing, touching and the ever thrilling moment of climax.

“So unfair,” she said, still caught up in the revelation. “Everyone is having sex but me.”

Her two assistants stared at her. The plumber shifted uncomfortably. “Ah, maybe someone could show me that pipe,” he said.

Naomi patted her shoulder in sympathy, then led the guy out.

“You could be getting some,” Edouard said.

Penny accepted the comment in the generous spirit in which it was given. “I’m pregnant. Trust me. No one wants to see me naked.”

“
Au contraire.
Many men find the lushness of the flower at full bloom most appealing.”

“Who’s blooming?” Cal asked as he walked into the kitchen. He had a grocery bag in one hand and a huge pet carrier in the other.

“Penny. She’s upset because she’s not getting any,” Edouard said, staring at the carrier. “What do you have in there? A dog? There will be no dogs in my kitchen. Go. Shoo.”

He waved his hands toward the door, as if that would make Cal retreat.

No such luck, Penny thought, knowing her cheeks were on fire. Kitchens were rowdy, randy places where no one had secrets and every weakness was a target. She knew that and accepted it. But why did Edouard have to announce her lack of sex to Cal? And why was her ex-husband grinning at her?

“What?” she asked. “Did you have something you wanted to say to me?”

He held out the grocery bag. She took it and looked inside. Instantly her stomach growled.

“You brought me cilantro.”

He shrugged. “You said you needed it.” He set down the pet carrier and opened it. “This is for the other problem,” he said as a massive black-and-white cat jumped gracefully out.

“A cat!” Edouard sounded so horrified, Penny half expected him to jump on the counter. “No. No! They shed. The hair would be everywhere.”

“I agree,” Penny said. “No cats in my kitchen. It’s not sanitary. We won’t even discuss the health code violations.”

“Better a cat than rats,” Cal said. “He’s not an indoor cat. He’s a hunter. Guess what he likes to eat?”

That was something. She eyed the creature. “How much does he weigh?”

“Twenty-eight pounds. The lady at the shelter said he was clean, friendly and always on the prowl. He’s big enough that rats shouldn’t be a problem.”

The cat looked around, then strolled over to Penny. He rubbed against her leg and started to purr. She bent down and petted it. “Nice kitty.” She looked at Cal. “Does he have a name?”

“No idea.”

She felt the muscles in his back. “I hope he really does eat what he catches, otherwise he’s going to be damned expensive to feed.”

Edouard continued to eye the cat as if it would attack him. Suddenly the cat’s ears perked up and it took off toward the open wall. It slipped inside and there was silence.

“Seal up the wall quickly,” Edouard said. “While we still can.”

Penny shook her head. “The cat stays. The building is old. There have been so many remodels, I’m sure there are dozens of places the exterminator can’t get to. A cat is a good idea.”

At least she hoped it was.

A low rumble told her the second produce truck had arrived.

“It’s all going to be crap,” she muttered as she made her way outside. “The good stuff was in the crash.”

“Can’t you sort through it?” Cal asked, falling into step beside her.

“I’ll have to.”

“I’ll help.” When she looked at him, he added, “I know what decent lettuce looks like. I might not be a trained chef, but I’m not an idiot.”

“I’ll accept that.” She was grateful he was going to ignore what he’d heard earlier. Maybe he would even—

“Not getting any, huh?” he asked with a grin. “Bummer.”

P
ENNY STOOD
and chopped cilantro. Her back ached, a fairly new event in her pregnancy, but one she was willing to live with. In an effort to ease the pressure, she scrounged a footstool and rested her left foot on it. The new position helped and she resumed her chopping and imagined forty-seven ways she could use cilantro in various dishes.

If she—

“Penny!”

She winced when she heard Cal call her name. It had been nearly a week since Edouard had announced she wasn’t “getting any” and she was still feeling a little self-conscious. Not that Cal had been anything but the perfect gentleman. She couldn’t complain about that. But still, it was embarrassing.

She looked up. “We’re fine in here. All the orders are out. Do not tell me we have an unexpected party of twelve showing up.”

“No. We’ve cleared the reservations. We’re done for the night.”

“Good.”

He walked toward her, all tall and good-looking in slacks and a sweater. Gloria might be a bitch on wheels, but her grandsons came from a mighty fine gene pool. Just looking at Cal, at the way his body moved and the slight smile on his lips, made her knees wobble. Not a good thing when she was holding such a sharp knife.

“You’re off tomorrow,” he said into her ear.

His warm breath tickled and aroused in equal measures. There hadn’t been any repeats of their hot kisses. She’d told herself she didn’t care. She’d told herself it was better this way. She’d been lying both times.

“Is that a question or a statement?” she asked.

“A question.”

She kept her gaze on her cilantro. It had been delivered fresh and smelled heavenly. “Yes.”

“Good.” He tucked a piece of paper into her jacket pocket. “My place. Tomorrow. Sixty-thirty. I’m cooking. Here are directions.”

“What if I have plans?” she asked, turning her head so she could meet his gaze. His dark eyes made her want to jump without looking. A divorce and being many years wiser than the last time she’d jumped made her less sure.

“Do you?”

She was tempted to say she did. Except she was curious about why Cal was inviting her over. Plus the man was offering to cook. Most people assumed chefs hated to eat anyone else’s food or that they were critical. Maybe others were, but Penny loved having someone else take responsibility for the food.

“No.”

“Then I’ll see you there.”

H
OW HARD COULD
fajitas be? Cal had picked the dish deliberately. He’d bought beans, rice, salsa and guacamole from his favorite Mexican restaurant. All he had to do was chop up a few onions, peppers and cilantro, along with the steak and chicken and throw on the spices.

He’d already set the table and he had a blender of virgin margaritas in the freezer, so why wasn’t the meal coming together? Here it was, less than fifteen minutes before Penny was due to arrive and he’d suddenly realized he had no way to heat the beans.

“I need more pots, dammit,” he yelled as he flung open cupboards. Except he never cooked and he wouldn’t know a good pot from a bad one.

He finally found a casserole dish and dumped the beans into that. He would use the microwave and be done with it.

Just then the doorbell rang. He walked to open it.

“Right on time,” he said, before he got a look at Penny. Then he stepped back and jammed his mouth shut before his jaw dropped and he just stared like an idiot.

Penny looked great. A black-and-purple sweater clung to her newly impressive breasts and her round tummy. Black jeans made already long legs seem to go on forever. Her hair was loose and hung nearly halfway down her back. The soft waves made him remember other times when her hair had been falling over his belly and thighs as she—

He slammed the door on that train of thought and invited her inside.

“You look great,” he said.

“Thanks. I’m really starting to show, but I’m still too small for maternity clothes. It’s hard finding things to wear. Love the house. Queen Anne is such a cool neighborhood. I saw you have a view. I’m jealous.” She shrugged out of her coat and handed it to him. “I stopped by the restaurant on my way over. Everything is fine. The cat is really settling in. We have to name it. Maybe we can hold a contest. With staff, I mean. Not customers. They don’t need to know about the cat or the rats.”

He closed the door and waited for her to talk herself out. The babbling meant she was nervous. Knowing he wasn’t the only one made things a little easier.

“So, ah, why am I here?” she asked as he hung up her coat.

“Because I asked you and you said yes.”

“I know
that.
Why did you ask me?”