The Stone Family Heart - Taylor Hart Page 0,21

blessings that we must count.”

“I know,” Tatum said. “I texted Kade from Daddy’s phone, and he said they are good.” She was referring to Kat’s son.

“Good.” Lucy glanced at Kensi. “Did Ava tell you that Kat Dixon is back in town? She has the cutest little boy.”

Kensi nodded. “I think Ava mentioned it.”

“She has the best baked goods,” Tim agreed.

Lucy gestured to the little girl’s uneaten food. “Now hurry up and eat so we can go check out our homes and make sure others are okay, too.”

Again, Kensi was struck by how Lucy was the same and yet different. Of course she would be different, just like Tim was different. Time had passed for everyone. But the way Matt was staring at Lucy felt the same as it had when they’d been young.

Like her and Tim.

No. She pushed that thought away.

Mr. Banks sat next to her. “I want you to know I’m sorry about last night.” He put on a remorseful face. “I appreciate you giving me one more night while I look for another suitable option.”

Even though Kensi wanted to throttle him, she knew that it would be hard to find accommodations after the storm. She sighed. “One more night.” She got up and went for the remote, turning to Tim. “Do you think it’s okay if I open the shutters?”

Tim nodded. “Yeah, I was going to say we could probably open up the house. The news isn’t worried about the hurricane striking again. Although you never know.”

She pressed the button, and the electric shutters went up. To their shock and amazement, the sun shone brightly. It was like they’d been hunkered down in a war bunker when the shutters had gone down, but now it was beautiful—other than the mess. The furniture on the deck was everywhere, and there was still that shattered window to contend with.

“It could have been a lot worse.” Lucy got to her feet. “I need to go check on the gallery and store.”

Matt stood, too. “I need to go check the house and …” He paused, his eyes meeting Lucy’s, and he hurried to help her gather plates.

As Matt gathered Tatum’s plate, Tatum moved for the cat. “I need to hold Aphrodite.”

Kensi’s heart melted. It wasn’t often that she thought about all the years she’d tried for kids and it hadn’t happened. Looking back, considering the way Jeff had acted, having kids would have been hard. But there was still this “mother’s ache” inside her heart. At least, that was what her mother had called it.

Her phone buzzed, and she pulled it out of her pocket. Jeff. She sighed. She didn’t want to talk to him right now. She pressed decline.

Tim was cleaning up the kitchen, but he glanced at her phone. “Everything okay?”

Nervous butterflies moved through her. Things were definitely not okay. Not when she was around Tim. They were already playing a game of house, it seemed. “Uh, yeah.”

Her phone buzzed again. It was a text from Jeff.

I know the storm hit hard. Are you okay?

She was simultaneously touched and irritated that Jeff was texting her about her safety. In all the years they’d been married, he’d been so distracted with his own demons that it felt as though he didn’t care about her.

“Sure seems like it’s something,” Tim commented, filling the sink with water and scrubbing a dish.

“It’s just Jeff.”

“Oh.”

She sighed. “It’s nothing. You don’t do dishes; you cooked.” She shooed him away.

Tim moved aside, pulling off the apron. “That works for me. I’m going to head out, but I’ll be back in a bit.” He paused. “Ready, Mr. Banks?”

The man stood, wiping his face and then chugging back his water. “Ready to hunt for the treasure.”

“Ready to hunt for a new place to stay.” Tim paused next to her.

“Thank you,” she said softly, still unsure how in less than twenty-four hours Tim had become her protector and breakfast cooker.

The corner of Tim’s lip quirked up, and he put his hand lightly on her shoulder. “I’ll be back in a couple hours. Please call if you need me.”

The chemistry between them intensified, and she stared at Tim’s lips. The desire to kiss him rushed through her, but she stepped back.

Tim’s grin widened.

Kensi’s gaze darted around the room, looking everywhere but at him. “Okay.”

“So long,” Mr. Banks said, moving down the hallway.

She didn’t reply.

Tim rolled his eyes, then followed.

Dang, the man was hot.

Chapter 6

The best thing about the worst situations was that good people always showed up to help others. Tim