The Stone Family Heart - Taylor Hart Page 0,50

men had been what his uncle would call a godsend. He didn’t want to think about his uncle or what he’d said to him early that morning by the broken statue next to the church.

Maybe Kensi is here for you.

Crap.

He’d hardly slept last night—actually, that was an understatement. After Kensi left, there had been no settling down, so he’d taken a drive. He’d gone to the only place he could think of, a place he hadn’t been to in a long time: Pirate’s Cove. Maybe it was because he and Kensi had so many great memories hiking up to the cove and then swimming in the falls. Maybe it was because Mr. Banks had been snooping all over town and talking to people about the cove, saying he would find whatever he needed to find to get the treasure.

Tim couldn’t stop thinking about the way Kensi had felt in his arms, the scent of her coconut suntan lotion, the softness of her hair, and the differences between Kensi as a woman and Kensi as a teenager. He’d been obsessed with the girl for so long growing up.

When he had held her, kissed her, it had all come rushing back.

Disappointment crushed him as he remembered the look on her face when he’d told her he couldn’t have a relationship. If someone else had told him that story, he’d want to belt the man. Tim clearly had feelings for her. Things were so easy between them, and that made him feel guilty. How could he feel those things?

He saw Tina’s face as she passed from this life to the next, felt her fragile hand in his.

He tamped down on all the feelings of intrigue and attraction between him and Kensi. It wasn’t right. He had failed Tina. It was his fault. He deserved to be tortured, to be alone. He deserved to pay a price for the life in his care that he hadn’t been able to save.

“Who peed in your yard?” Trent asked, moving to Tim’s side to observe Marshall and Hunter.

“Nobody,” Tim answered quickly, trying to squelch his feelings.

“Hmph.” Trent nudged him. “Doesn’t look that way.”

Tim didn’t respond. The best thing about guy speak was that nobody minded if you didn’t say anything.

After a bit, Trent asked him, “Would this have anything to do with the bad mood my sister came home in after being at your place?”

Tim turned to face him. Trent was a big guy, a couple years younger than Tim, but after eighteen, it all worked out. He was like a little brother to Tim. A little brother he didn’t have to share with. “Best keep out of things that aren’t your business, don’t you think?”

The words came out harsher than he’d meant them. He just didn’t know how to handle the situation with Kensi.

Trent grunted. “If it wasn’t you, Tim Tucker, you’d be on the ground right now.”

This took him aback. “What does that mean?”

Trent sucked in a breath and shoved past him, purposefully knocking him in the shoulder. “Remember, she is my sister. You’d better not mess with her.”

If Tim had been an onlooker in this situation, he would have laughed. Of course a Stone brother would threaten a man for his sister. That was part of who they were. And yes, Tim would have threatened another man over Kensi any day of the week.

Matt moved to Tim’s side, patting him on the shoulder. “Let’s just work, gentlemen.”

Trent brought in some supplies from the truck and headed for the bathroom.

At five o’clock, halfway through painting the living room, Kensi and Lucy arrived, hauling in bags of food with Tatum in tow.

Nervous energy buzzed through Tim. He held the screen door open as the women carried in boxes from Kat’s deli. He spotted the cooler Kensi was carrying, and he reached for it. “I got it.”

Without looking at him, she handed it off and called out, “Dinnertime, boys!”

“Uncle Tim!” Tatum said, clinging to his leg for a second.

“Hey, buttercup. How are you?”

The little girl pulled back and held up a little doll. “Aunt Kensi bought me this.”

Of course she had. He grinned. “I like her. How many of those little dolls do you have now? Fifty?”

The little girl laughed, moving into the house. “No, only twenty-two.” She paused and grinned up at Marshall. “Are you really Uncle Trey’s brother?”

Marshall pointed at her. “Big brother.” He flexed. “Don’t forget to tell him that.”

Brooks, Hunter, and Trent joined them, all laughing at Marshall’s joke. Trey might not get