Navy Families

by Debbie Macomber

  “You’d better grab a sweater,” Shana suggested and Jazmine instantly flew out of the room, eager to comply so they could leave.

  This was the minute Shana had been waiting for. “It’s time you and I had a little talk,” she said, crossing her arms.

  “Sure,” he said with another of those easy grins.

  Again she faltered, nearly swayed by his smile, but the effect didn’t last. “I want you to know I didn’t appreciate the comment you made about me being—and I quote—‘the kind of woman who needs a man.’”

  To his credit, his gaze didn’t waver. “Jazmine told you that, did she?”

  So it was true. “As a matter of fact, Jazmine has repeated it any number of times.”

  “I see.” He glanced toward the bedroom door; Jazmine hadn’t come out yet.

  Shana sincerely hoped she’d embarrassed him. He deserved it. “I don’t know where you get off making comments like that but I have a few things to say to you.”

  “Go right ahead.” He gestured as though granting her permission to speak. That must be how it was in the military, she thought. These officers seemed to think they could say and do whatever they pleased—and they got to boss other people around. Well, Shana wasn’t military and she felt no restraint in speaking her mind. And she refused to call this guy by his title. He wasn’t her commander.

  “Are you married, Mr. Kennedy?” She already knew the answer and didn’t give him an opportunity to respond. “I believe not. Does being single make you feel in any way incomplete?” Again he wasn’t allowed to answer. “I thought not. This might come as a shock to you, but I am perfectly content with my life as it is. In other words, I don’t need a man and your insinuating that I do is an insult.”

  “Shana—”

  “I’m not finished yet.” She held up her hand, cutting him off because she was just getting started. Before he left, she expected a full apology from Adam Kennedy.

  “By all means continue,” he said, his pose relaxed.

  His attitude annoyed her. He acted as though he was indulging her, which Shana found condescending. “Since you’re single you must want a woman in your life.” She gave him the once-over. “In fact, you look like a man who needs a woman.”

  To her horror, Adam simply laughed.

  “I was trying to make a point here,” Shana said in as dignified a tone as she could manage.

  “I know,” he said and made an attempt to stifle his humor.

  That only served to irritate her further. “Never mind. I can see my opinion is of little interest to you.”

  Suddenly they both turned to see Jazmine, who stood rooted in the bedroom doorway, a sweatshirt draped over her arm. “I should’ve kept my mouth shut, right?” she murmured apologetically. “I’m afraid Aunt Shana might’ve taken what you said the wrong way.”

  “So I gathered.” He looked down, but Shana saw that the corners of his mouth quivered.

  “Shana’s right, you know,” Jazmine stated for Adam’s benefit, as she moved toward them. “You do need someone special in your life.”

  Adam’s smile disappeared.

  Aha! She wondered how he’d feel being on the other side.

  “Jazmine took your comments to heart,” Shana primly informed him. “She tried to match me up with a divorced father of two.”

  Adam’s gaze shot to Jazmine.

  “Well... It didn’t work out—but I’d be a good matchmaker.”

  As far as Shana could tell, Jazmine was completely serious. That had to stop. She certainly didn’t need her niece dragging eligible bachelors into the pizza kitchen every chance she got.

  “He might’ve been interested, too,” Jazmine added. “He seemed really nice.”

  “I don’t need anyone’s help, thank you very much,” Shana insisted.

  “Hold on,” Adam said, glancing from one to the other. He motioned at Jazmine. “Go back to the beginning because I think I missed something.”

  “I found out he was single and I told him my aunt was, too, but that was all I did. She wouldn’t let me introduce her.”

  “This is entirely your fault.” Shana felt it was important that Adam understand it was his comment that had begun this whole awkward situation.

  “You’re finished with Brad,” Jazmine reminded her. She turned to Adam and added, “He’s the guy previously known as the-man-I-used-to-date. Sort of like Prince. That’s what Mom said, anyway.”

  Adam burst out laughing.

  “There is a point to this, isn’t there?” Shana asked her niece.

  Jazmine nodded and threw one fist in the air. “Get out there, Aunt Shana! Live a little.”

  Adam laughed even more.

  “You think this is funny, don’t you?” Shana muttered. He wouldn’t find it nearly as funny when Jazmine was busy selling his attractions to single women in the museum.

  “I’m sorry.” But he didn’t look it. For her niece’s sake, she resisted rolling her eyes.

  “I think it’s time we cleared up this misunderstanding,” he said and gestured toward the sofa. “Why don’t we all sit down for a moment?”

  Shana didn’t take a seat until Adam and Jazmine had already made themselves comfortable on the sofa.

  To her chagrin, Adam smiled patiently as if explaining the situation to a child. “I’m afraid Jazmine read more into my comment than I intended,” he began. “What I said was that some women seem to need a man in their lives. I wasn’t talking about you. Although, of course, any man in his right mind would be attracted to you. You’re a beautiful woman.”

  “Oh.” It would be convenient if Shana could magically disappear about now, but that was not to be. “I see. Well, in that case, I won’t hold you up any longer.” She sprang to her feet, eager to get them both out the door before she dissolved into a puddle at his feet. “I—that’s a very nice thing to say...” She stared at her watch.

  Adam took the hint and stood, and Jazmine rose with him. “Is there any special time you want her back this evening?” he asked.

  “No...anytime is fine,” she said, then quickly reconsidered. “On second thought, Jazmine has school tomorrow so she shouldn’t be out too late.”

  “I’ll have her here by seven.”

  “Thank you.” Shana waited by the door as they left, her heart going a little crazy as she tried to regain her composure.

  “Bye, Aunt Shana.”

  “Bye.”

  She closed the door. She’d hoped to put the mighty naval officer in his place and all she’d managed to do was amuse him. Depressed, Shana sank into the closest chair and hid her face in her hands—until she realized something. For the first time since Jazmine had arrived, she’d called her Aunt Shana. Twice.

  Apparently her status had been sufficiently elevated that the nine-year-old was no longer ashamed to be related to her. That, at least, was progress.

  * * *

  Adam waited until they’d almost reached Tacoma before he mentioned the scene at Shana’s. Jazmine had barely said a word from the moment they’d left. Now and then she glanced in his direction, as if she was afraid he was upset, but really he had no one to blame but himself. He did know women who were lost without a relationship, although he didn’t think Shana was like that. Intentionally or not, Jazz had misunderstood his remark and used it for her own purposes.

  “You really did it this time,” he murmured.

  “Are you mad?”

  “No, but your aunt was.”

  “I know, but don’t you be mad, okay?”

  “I shouldn’t have said anything. You and I should not have been discussing male-female relationships.”

  “Did you mean what you said about my aunt being beautiful and all that?”

  “Yes.” This was only the second time he’d seen Shana; again, he’d come away wanting to know her better. He mig
ht have ruined any chance of that, but he hoped not. When he’d started out from Everett, he’d considered inviting Shana to join them. But it hadn’t taken him long to decide that today probably wasn’t opportune.

  “What I told your aunt is the truth. She is a beautiful woman,” he said casually as he headed south on the interstate.

  “She likes you.”

  Adam chuckled.

  “No, I’m serious. She’s got the hots for you. I can tell.”

  “I don’t think so.” Back to reality. Shana might be attracted to him, but she’d never admit that now.

  “I know so!”

  “Jazmine, listen...”

  “Okay, but can I say what I want to first?”

  Apparently she was taking lessons from her aunt Shana. “Fine.”

  “I was thinking about what you said—about not feeling sparks with Mom. But I thought you might with Aunt Shana.”

  “Jazmine, you’re far too interested in matters that are none of your concern. How do you know about this stuff, anyway? MTV?”

  She groaned. “Why do adults always say things like that?”

  “Because they’re true.”

  “All I want is for you to marry her and be happy.”

  “Uh...”

  “Has the cat got your tongue?” Jazmine teased. “Adults say that, too. No, really, I am serious. If you married my aunt Shana, everything would be perfect. She needs a husband and you need a wife.”

  “I don’t need a wife,” he argued. “And it’s none of—”

  “But you’d like to be married one day, wouldn’t you?” she broke in.

  “Yes,” he said reluctantly. He’d had the very same thought just recently, but he’d credited that to feeling sorry for himself after the surgery. Granted, Shana was attractive but he didn’t need a nine-year-old playing matchmaker. Although... He smiled involuntarily. Shana appealed to him, and he was more and more inclined to pursue the relationship. On his own schedule and in his own way.

  “I can help,” Jazmine offered.

  “It would be best if you left this between your aunt and me. Agreed?”

  After a moment, Jazmine nodded. “Agreed.”

  “Good, now let’s have a wonderful day, all right?”

  Jazmine turned a smile of pure joy on him. “All right.”

  A surprise awaited him when they arrived at the Museum of Glass. The Dale Chihuly exhibit was in the Tacoma Art Museum and Union Station, not in the nearby Museum of Glass. Jazmine and Adam took the guided walking tour of his permanent display and were awestruck by the Bridge of Glass. The five-hundred-foot pedestrian bridge linked the Tacoma waterfront to Pacific Avenue.

  Originally Adam had gotten information about Chihuly over the Internet when he was researching a destination for today’s outing. Chihuly was known for his massive glass installations, but the man’s talent was even more impressive than Adam had realized. Both he and Jazmine loved his vibrant use of color and unique style. Following the walking tour, they stopped at the Museum of Glass. Adam was in for a surprise there, too. The museum was huge: it contained thirteen thousand square feet of open exhibition space. Jazmine was enthralled by the Hot Shop Amphitheater, which was the building’s most striking feature. Cone-shaped, it leaned at a seventeen-degree angle, and was ninety feet high and a hundred feet wide. The theater included a glass studio where a team of artists blew and cast glass. Afterward, Adam and Jazmine ate sandwiches in the museum café and visited the gift shop. When Adam had suggested this, it had seemed like an entertaining thing to do, but he’d quickly become caught up in the excitement and drama of watching the artists work.

  By the end of the afternoon, he needed a break, and sat with a cup of coffee while Jazmine leafed through a book he’d bought her.

  Before they left, Jazmine bought a postcard of the Dale Chihuly glass flowers displayed on the ceiling of a Las Vegas casino to send her mother.

  “Are you ready to go back to your aunt’s?” he asked, sipping his coffee.

  “I guess,” Jazmine said. “But only if you are.”

  Adam recognized a trap when he saw one. If he appeared too eager, little Jazmine might suspect he wanted to see Shana again. He did, but he sure wasn’t going to admit it, especially to her.

  Eight

  For Shana, having an entire Sunday to herself was sheer luxury. Catherine was working at the restaurant and this was the first day she’d taken off since she’d purchased the business. Shana intended to take full advantage of this gift of time.

  Working as many hours as she did, she’d been putting off a number of tasks and spent two hours doing paperwork. The Olsens had trained her well in every aspect of owning a restaurant, but they’d failed to warn her how much paperwork was involved. Getting everything organized wasn’t difficult but it was time-consuming. After working all day and handling the closing in the evening, she was exhausted, and making sense of anything more than the remote control was beyond her.

  Once the paperwork was up-to-date, she polished her toenails, and between three loads of wash, she luxuriated in a new mystery she’d been trying to read for weeks. She’d been reading at night in fits and starts, but couldn’t manage more than fifteen or twenty minutes at a time. The author was one of her favorites but to Shana’s surprise her mind kept wandering away from the page. She supposed it was because she felt guilty about all the things she should be doing.

  When she wasn’t fretting over that, her thoughts were on Jazmine and Adam. She knew they were going to the Museum of Glass, but that couldn’t possibly take all afternoon. Well, maybe it could; she didn’t know.

  Finally Shana gave up and shut the book. This was Adam Kennedy’s fault. Even when he was nowhere in sight, he wouldn’t leave her alone.

  When she could stand it no longer, Shana logged on to the computer and left her sister a message.

  Sent: Sunday, June 12

  From: Shana@mindsprung.com

  To: Alison.Karas@woodrowwilson.navy.mil

  Subject: Adam Kennedy: Friend or Foe?

  Dear Ali,

  Just checking in to let you know that despite our rocky start, everything’s going well with Jazz and me. She’s a great kid.

  The upcoming week is the last of the school year. I’m thrilled at how quickly Jazmine has adjusted and how fast she’s made friends. I guess she’s had lots of practice. She’s a tremendous help at the ice-cream and pizza parlor and insists on taking pizzas to the customers’ tables, which I appreciate.

  The other reason I’m writing is that I’ve got a question about Peter’s friend, Adam Kennedy. I must have met him at Peter’s funeral, but if so I don’t remember. Jazmine seems to think you’re romantically interested in him. Are you? You’ve never mentioned him before—at least not that I can recall. Before you make anything of this inquiry, I want it understood that I find him arrogant and egotistical. Jazmine, however, thinks the guy walks on water. They’re off this afternoon to explore some glass museum. I’d be grateful if you’d tell me what you know about him. For instance, has he ever been married? If not, why? I don’t want to give you the wrong impression or anything—I do find him arrogant. But he sort of interests me, too. Fill in the blanks for me, would you?

  Love,

  Shana

  At six Shana tossed a salad for dinner. The house seemed terribly quiet, and she turned on the television for company. That wasn’t like her. In all her years of living alone, she’d never once felt this lonely. At first she wondered if it was due to the breakup with Brad, but all she felt when she thought about him was regret for all that wasted time—and anger. She was just plain glad he was out of her life. In fact, she rarely thought of him at all and that surprised her.

  Jazmine had been with her for only a few weeks, and already Shana couldn’t imagine life without her. She missed Jazmine’s energy—blaring her music or talking on
the phone, or plying Shana with questions about all sorts of things. The difference between the unhappy nine-year-old who’d arrived on her doorstep and the girl she was now—well, it seemed nothing short of astonishing. She’d become extroverted, interested and...interfering.

  A little after seven, Jazmine burst into the house. “I’m back!” she shouted.

  Before Shana could issue a word of welcome, Jazmine regaled her with details of how they’d spent their day. She talked about the walking tour and chattered excitedly about watching the artists work in the Museum of Glass. She’d fed the seagulls along the waterfront on Rustin Way and then Adam had taken her for a quick visit to the zoo at Point Defiance Park. Shana could hardly believe the girl could talk so fast and breathe at the same time.

  “I guess you had a completely rotten time?” Shana asked, teasing her. Shana realized as she spoke that the lieutenant commander was nowhere in sight. “Where’s Adam?”

  “We were kind of late and he had to get back.” Jazmine’s smile widened. “Did you want him to come inside?”

  “Not really. I just thought he might like to...visit for a few minutes.” Actually, after the way she’d torn into him on his arrival, she didn’t blame him for avoiding her.

  “We should probably have a little talk,” Shana said, slipping an arm around Jazmine’s shoulders.

  Her niece stiffened. “I have a feeling this is the same little talk Uncle Adam and I had, only now it’s going to be the Aunt Shana version.”

  Her interest was instantly piqued. “Really? And what did Adam have to say?”

  Jazmine gave a long-suffering sigh. “That it would be a good idea if I left the two of you alone.”

  “He’s right.” Shana was grateful Adam had taken it upon himself to explain this. Jazmine would accept it more readily coming from him.

  “He also said I’m concerning myself with matters that aren’t any of my business.”