Page 17 of Silver Sanctuary
“Let’s watch that one—the one your Nanny likes!” Embrie plopped down on the pillows by the small table and started unwrapping the cheese platter. “Mom! Look! Nash even wrote the name of the cheese on little flags. And he got your favorite! Brie, just like me! This is the best night ever!”
He remembered. He remembered the small, irrelevant conversation they’d had about Embrie’s name. “He’s thought of everything.”
“Come on. Before your little mouse eats all the cheese.”
He slipped his fingers between Lacy’s, guiding her over to the seating area. There were fluffy pillows and cushions scattered about, but Nash brought her to the only two-seat spot. She didn’t want to be too affectionate with Embrie there, but the thought of Nash maneuvering to sit right next to her, the two of them maybe sharing the same blanket, his arm wrapped around her shoulders while she rested her head on his chest, had her heart racing.
“Nash?” Embrie turned toward them.
“Yeah, cheese curd?”
“America?”
“I’ll give it to you this time, because technically, yes. But I’ll add the origin story to our list for the next date night.”
The next date night.Lacy’s throat grew tight with emotion. But instead of letting herself feel overwhelmed at the sweet sentiment, she cleared her throat and reached for the drink in front of her.
“What’s your Nanny like? I always wanted a Grandma.” Embrie’s eyes grew wide with wonder.
Lacy’s hand tightened around his, her body going stiff at her daughter’s confession, but Nash didn’t miss a beat.
“Well, I suspect my Nanny would love you. So, if you want to borrow her as your own, you’re welcome to.”
“Will you take me to meet her?”
“Embrie…” Lacy pushed every ounce of gentle warning into her voice.
“No, it’s okay.” Nash tugged at the edge of a large flannel blanket, draping it over Lacy’s lap.
“I don’t want her getting her hopes up. This is… new… and you’re busy with The Trident and security stuff,” she whispered, hoping he would understand. But he just shook his head.
“It’s only new for you, Lace. I’ve been invested in making this work since the first day I met you,” he whispered back as if it wasn’t the biggest revelation you could share with someone else. Her mind was still spinning while Nash turned back to Embrie.
“I’ll have to ask my Pops when the next big family get-together is. Then we can plan a proper trip. You’ll get to meet my Nanny, and Pops, and all my crazy cousins. They have about forty-five kids between all of ‘em, so you’ll have lots of new friends.”
Lacy watched her daughter’s eyes grow wide. “Forty-five? How do you remember all their names?”
Nash laughed. “It’s just stuck in my brain. After a few days together, you’ll remember them too. Now, which of these should we try first?”
The first twenty minutes of the movie were filled with giggles as they settled into the space and ate through the cheese. Lacy had to admit, some of them were absolutely delicious. And others, like the stinky blue cheese from some small region in France, she just wasn’t brave enough to try. But Nash dared Embrie, and she immediately saw the determination in her daughter’s eyes.
Their dare ended with both of them fanning their tongues and gulping down water, Lacy holding onto her sides from laughing so hard at the faces both of them made.
And then they’d all sat back, settling in against the cushions and blankets, eyes trained on the screen. Slowly, Nash’s hand had been making its way to her thigh. At first, just his fingers grazed along her skin, but then, he slid his hand over so his palm was resting just above her knee. She couldn’t hold back the smile as he leaned in.
“Are you warm enough?” His whispered question and ever-so-slight tightening grip set off butterflies in her stomach.
“I was feeling a little chilly, but you’re so warm.”
“So this…” His eyes dropped to his hand. “This is okay.”
“Yes,” she answered, letting her head drop onto his shoulder. “Will you tell me about your family? Why did you grow up with Nanny and Pops instead of your parents?”
Nash nodded, his eyes flicking to Embrie, who was completely lost to the antics of the main characters in the movie.
“I didn’t live with Nanny and Pops until I was fifteen. My parents had me young, but they were incredible.In fact, I think I’m the first person in my lineage to not have a kid by twenty.”
Lacy thought back to the first time she’d held Embrie in her arms—a scared baby herself, with no idea just what she’d have to do to keep them safe.
