Page 72 of Serenity Harbor

She kissed his forehead, aware of that heavy ache in her chest again. Oh, she would miss this little boy. When she rose, he pantomimed holding a cup and taking an imaginary sip from it.

“You need a drink of water? Just a moment. I’ll get you one.”

“No need.”

At the voice, she turned and found Bowie with his shoulder propped against the door frame, holding a glass of water. How long had he been there? Though she’d left his presence only fifteen minutes earlier, her heart still skipped as if she hadn’t seen him in weeks.

He was the sort of man who could cause a woman to make a terrible mistake. Something irrevocably stupid, like lose her heart to him.

Not her, of course. She couldn’t let that happen.

“Look at that.” She forced a smile. “Your brother beat me to it.”

He unfolded from the door and moved toward the bed, holding out the water glass for his brother. After Milo took it and sipped what appeared to be about a tablespoon of water, he handed it back, then pointed to his forehead.

Bowie frowned in confusion. “I don’t understand,” he confessed. “You want me to put water on your forehead?”

Katrina hid her smile. “I think he wants you to give him a good-night kiss, like I did.”

Understanding dawned on his handsome features. “Oh. Got it.”

He set the glass on the bedside table and leaned in to kiss the boy’s forehead in exactly the spot where her mouth had been.

“Good night, kiddo,” he said, running a hand over Milo’s hair. The boy didn’t go so far as to smile—that was reserved for magical moments that involved dogs of some sort, apparently, or maybe boats—but he did wear a completely contented expression.

Milo had come so far in the few weeks she had been here. She wasn’t vain enough to think she had much to do with it. She had only provided the structure and a few tools to help him feel comfortable enough in his new environment to begin to thrive.

With all her heart, she hoped he could continue the same progress after she was gone.

She turned on the sound machine he liked, and immediately the music of rippling water over river rock sounded in the room.

“Good night, kiddo,” she murmured.

“Night,” Bowie added.

He flipped the light switch off and closed the door behind Katrina.

Though neither suggested it, they moved together to the kitchen/family room that had become the hub of his home.

“He seemed to enjoy himself tonight,” Bowie said.

“He went on a boat ride and got to play with two of his favorite dogs. In Milo World, that’s pretty much the definition of the best day ever.”

“It was a pretty good day in Bowie World, too,” he said.

“You sound surprised.”

He shrugged. “Between Milo and working to get my team operational at the new facility, I’ve been too busy for much socializing since I came here.”

“Everybody needs a little downtime, even if they have to schedule it in. If you don’t take it voluntarily, eventually your body will wear out and force you to find it.”

“Apparently that’s a lesson I have to learn again and again.”

“We all need the reminder ocassionally.”

“On that note, I think I’ll go outside and enjoy the beautiful evening for a few more moments. Care to join me?”

The invitation shocked her, especially as they had so carefully avoided being alone together since the wedding. For a long moment, she didn’t know what to say.

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