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“I didn’t realize how late it was. I’ll order us some dinner. Or, better yet, we can go out if you’d like.”

“I’m not in the mood to see people. We can do fast food when you bring me back to the bed and breakfast.”

“Nonsense. There is this great little place that does takeout. It’s right on the way, and we can eat it on the dock,” he said.

“Won’t that make Melinda’s guests uncomfortable having a cop around all the time?”

He chuckled. “It was only when Emmerson showed up in uniform when I was there, as well as Rhett. Besides, I think half the guests saw us kissing.”

“Wonderful. Now, we’re simply giving them something to talk about.” She set down the beer she’d gotten him from the beverage cooler, along with a tin of nuts. She opted to stand while she sipped her wine and tried not to think about Emmett outside of him doing his cop thing because she’d already undressed him at least five times this evening.

“I was teasing you.” He tipped his beer and smiled. “At least about everyone seeing us kiss. That was just Melinda.”

“You and she have an interesting relationship.”

“That, we do.” Emmett nodded.

“You still care about her.”

“Of course, I do. But I’m not in love with her anymore if that is where this conversation is going.” He arched a brow. “I don’t carry a torch for my ex. That ship sailed a long time ago.”

“I can tell.” Trinity didn’t know why she was so desperate to ask him about his fertility. Maybe it was because she felt comfortable talking about the emptiness she felt at losing her child and the ability to have more for the first time in a long while. Sharing that with Melinda earlier had opened Trinity’s heart, and spending time with Emmett only filled that space with the anticipation of what it might be like to allow a man inside again. “It’s refreshing to see two people who went through a bad breakup get along like you and Melinda do.”

“Seems you and Melinda have been getting to know each other.” He pushed his chair back and crossed his legs. “Perhaps more than I anticipated.”

“She’s nice, and she’s been looking out for me.”

“I’d say she’s been telling you things about me.” He brought the longneck to his lips and swigged. “She does that when she believes I’m interested in a woman and that girl is a good fit for me.”

“How often has that happened?”

“Not often,” he said. “But she thinks I’m letting life pass me by.”

“Are you?” The last thing she should be doing is meddling in his personal life or trying to get him to tell her his darkest secrets. It was manipulative and rude.

But it would be worse if she came out and told him that Melinda had spilled the beans and telling him her story didn’t make sense. Not yet anyway.

“Life hasn’t worked out as I planned.” He lifted his beer, holding up a finger. “However, that doesn’t mean I’m not happy with the life I’m living. You’ve met a couple of my brothers. They’re amazing. And my nieces and nephews are even better. I want for nothing. I’m in a job where I can’t imagine doing anything else, and living in a town I love. My world can’t get any better.”

“What about a family of your own?”

“I’m getting too old for that,” he said. “What about you? Do you want to get married? Have kids?”

She shouldn’t have gone down this road. It was too soon to have this conversation with him. Way too soon. She might never have it with him—or anyone for that matter. “I don’t know, to be honest. My career as a nurse is important to me. And it’s demanding. It’s something that Alex, my ex, never understood. I’m not willing to give it up, either.” She took a hearty swig before setting her glass down and fiddling with the nuts on the table.

“That’s fair,” Emmett said. “Even though my parents are divorced, my dad always supported my mom’s career.”

“That makes a difference.”

“For the record, Zadie isn’t Jamison’s daughter. At least, not biologically. He adopted her.” Emmett set his beer on the table and stood. “I think they will have a third, but not the old-fashioned way. They both like the idea of fostering and adopting an older child.”

“Bryn told me. I think that’s a beautiful way to make a family.”

He stood. “I have to agree.” He took her into his arms. “I know I said I’d keep my hands and lips to myself, but you don’t make it easy.”

“I haven’t done anything.”

“You’re in the room.” He tucked her hair behind her ears and gazed into her eyes. “That’s a distraction all by itself.”

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