Cat laughed, caught off guard.“In America, baked beansarea proper side dish.It’s practically patriotic, well at least in summer at a BBQ.”
Jillian wrinkled her nose.“That’s odd.”
“It’s comfort food,” Cat said, “at least for me.My grandmother always heated up beans to go with our hamburgers.Now I can’t imagine them any other way.”
“We don’t have a grandmother in England,” Olivia said.
That was right, Rhys’s mother had died when he was young.Cat glanced at Rhys, but his expression gave nothing away.
“You do have a grandmother,” he said mildly.“Just not in Britain.”
“That’s what I said,” Olivia answered, frowning.
“Well, the beans aren’t terrible,” Jillian said, bringing the conversation back to their dinner.“I can see why you like them.But they’re sweeter than our beans.Did you add sugar?”
“A smidge of ketchup and a smidge of brown sugar,” Cat answered.
The conversation flowed during dinner.Olivia chattered about the old dairy and how it was now a big ballroom for parties and other things.Jillian corrected her with halfhearted superiority, and Cat saw Rhys lean back in his chair and just take it all in.He looked better than he had earlier—less tightly wound, the tension easing from his jaw and shoulders.
The fact that he’d relaxed helped her too.She hadn’t realized until now how worried she’d been about everyone and everything.This job wasn’t in her comfort zone.Losing the girls earlier had made her sick, awakening the old fear that life was dangerous and unpredictable, and even good people could just be lost… disappear.
When the plates were cleared, Cat cut the brownies and set the plate in the middle of the table.The smell alone was decadent.
“Chocolate diplomacy,” she said.
Olivia’s eyes widened.“Can we have two?”
“Only if your father agrees.”
Rhys pretended to deliberate.“Just this once.”
Both girls cheered, and Jillian’s laugh, quick, genuine, unguarded, drew a smile from Cat, who realized she’d never heard Jillian laugh, really laugh, until now, and it was a sound Cat hoped she’d hear again soon.
When dessert was done, Cat gathered the plates and then shooed everyone from the kitchen.“I’ve got the dishes, and then if it’s okay with you all, I might sneak off to bed.”
Jillian hesitated in the doorway, then turned around.“Goodnight, Catriona.”
Cat’s heart gave a little thump.“Goodnight, Jillian.”
Olivia waved from the hall, a smear of chocolate next to her mouth.“Thanks for dinner.I liked it.But to be honest, I liked the brownies more.”
Cat smiled.“You’re welcome, and I agree.”
Rhys was the last to leave.“You did well tonight.With everything.”
Cat wrinkled her nose.“I didn’t burn dinner and no one cried.I’m calling that a success.”
“Better than most days around here.”He leaned past her, reaching into the brownie pan to cut himself an extra square.“By the way, Livy was right.These are very good.”
He took a bite into the brownie even as his gaze met hers, and suddenly Cat went hot all over, and her mind went blank.Rhys was a lot of different things but right now all she felt was him… his energy, his warmth, his wit and vitality.Spending this much time with Dr.Rhys Harmon was not going to be good for her.Not at all.
“Good night, Rhys, and thank you for having my back today.”
“Always.”
*
In her room,Cat could hear Rhys and the girls downstairs.They’d begun playing cards at the low coffee table in the sitting room as she headed up for the night, and every now and then she could hear their voices when one of the girls would laugh or shriek.They were clearly enjoying the game and having their father’s undivided attention.
