One In A Million. Susan Mallery

new family. To try to get involved in something other than work. Maybe to find a way to feel something again.

      Was that possible or was he like a kid wishing for the moon?

      He didn’t want to think about it so he changed the subject. “How’s the leg?”

      “Good. Healing.”

      His brother had been shot in the line of duty. Kevin was a U.S. Marshal who had been in the wrong place at the wrong time during a prison riot.

      “Do you have a limp?” Nash asked.

      “Some, but it’s supposed to go away.”

      “You’ll have the scar. Women love scars from bullet wounds. Knowing you, you’ll use it to your advantage.”

      “Funny you should say that.” Kevin cleared his throat. “I would have told you before, but you were away on assignment. The thing is, I’ve met somebody.”

      Nash thought of the woman’s voice he’d heard earlier. “Haley?”

      “Yeah. She’s…amazing. We’re getting married.”

      Gage’s engagement had been a surprise. Kevin’s left Nash speechless. He stared out at the tree-lined streets and couldn’t think of a single thing to say.

      “You want to meet her?” Kevin asked.

      “Sure.”

      Why not? His brother had been born wild. Nash figured any woman strong enough to tie Kevin down had to be an amazing combination of sin and steel.

      “We’re staying at a bed and breakfast in town.”

      Kevin named the street and Nash realized it was the one he’d been on a few minutes ago.

      “I’m about two miles away,” he said. “I’ll be right over.”

      

      “A minister’s daughter?” Nash said as he stared at Kevin.

      His fraternal twin grinned. “Not what you expected?”

      “Not even close. What happened to all bad girls all the time?”

      His brother shrugged. “I met Haley.”

      “That had to have been some meeting.”

      Kevin grinned. “It was.”

      He motioned to the parlor just to the left of the foyer, then led the way into the formally furnished room. Nash glanced around, noting that this B&B seemed larger and more elegant than Stephanie’s. There were crystal chandeliers and some kind of tapestries on the wall. Her place was more homey.

      Kevin limped to a long, high-backed sofa in a rich floral print. As he settled onto the cushions, he rubbed his thigh.

      Nash took a chair on the opposite side of the coffee table. “You’ve seen a doctor for that, right?”

      “When it happened and again back home. I’m healing. In another few weeks I’ll be back to normal, but until then it aches from time to time. I know I’m lucky. The bullet missed the bone.”

      What he didn’t say was if it had hit eighteen inches higher and a little to the left, he wouldn’t have made it at all. Nash didn’t like to think of anything bad happening to his brother.

      “I thought you promised we weren’t going to have to worry about you anymore,” he said.

      Kevin shrugged. “If I hadn’t drawn the short straw, I would have been in Florida on a drug bust instead of delivering a prisoner. It wasn’t my fault.” He grinned. “Not that I’m complaining. If I hadn’t been in Kansas, I wouldn’t have met Haley.”

      “A minister’s daughter,” Nash repeated. “I still can’t believe it. So where did you two hook up? Church?”

      “A bar.”

      The answer came from the doorway. Nash turned and saw a young woman walking into the parlor. As he stood he saw she was of medium height, with short fluffy blond hair and hazel eyes. She was pretty enough, curvy, dressed in a snug T-shirt and shorts. His gaze automatically went to her bare legs and he waited for the kind of reaction he’d experienced when he’d seen that sliver of Stephanie’s stomach that morning.

      Nothing.

      Which didn’t make sense. If he hadn’t had sex in forever and he was finally starting to feel something, why didn’t Haley ring any bells?

      “You must be Nash,” Haley said as she approached. She tilted her head. “Wow—you’re tall, like Kevin, and really nice-looking. The same dark hair and dark eyes, but you don’t look very much alike.” She wrinkled her nose. “What is it with this gene pool? Aren’t any of you going to be fat or balding or at least kind of unattractive?”

      Kevin beamed at his fiancée. He wrapped an arm around her and brushed a kiss against her temple. “Haley speaks her mind. You’ll get used to it.”

      “If not, I’m sure you’re polite enough not to say anything to my face,” Haley said cheerfully.

      She sank onto the sofa, pulling Kevin next to her. Nash sat down, as well. After linking hands with Kevin, Haley leaned forward and studied Nash.

      “I’m really excited about the whole brother-in-law thing,” she told him. “I’m an only child. I had way too many mothers, but no siblings. I always wanted other kids around. Some of it was to take the heat off me. I mean I couldn’t even think bad thoughts. It’s like everyone could read my mind. How awful is that? Okay, sometimes it was really great to have so many people worrying about me, but it could be stifling, too.”

      Kevin bumped her shoulder with his. “Slow down. You’re going to scare Nash off. He’s not the sociable twin.”

      Her gaze became as penetrating as a laser. “Really.”

      Nash shifted uncomfortably. “Congratulations on your engagement,” he said in an effort to distract her. “If Kevin wasn’t completely honest about his past, I’d be happy to fill in the details.”

      Haley giggled with delight. “Ooh, stories about when Kevin was bad. He’s told me a few things, but not about the women. There had to be dozens, right? Hundreds, even?”

      Now Kevin was the one squirming in his seat. “Haley, you know everything important. I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

      She sighed and rested her head on his shoulder. “Isn’t he the best? I can’t wait to get married. Speaking of which, are you dating, Nash?”

      Kevin stood and pulled Haley to her feet. “I think you’ve terrorized my brother long enough.”

      “What?” she asked as she put her hands on her hips. “What did I say?”

      He gave her a little push. “I won’t be long.”

      “Did I upset you?” she asked Nash.

      He stood. “Not at all. From what I can tell, you’re exactly what my brother needs in his life.”

      “Ha.” She tossed her head and walked out of the room. “I’ll be upstairs,” she called back. “Planning the wedding. A really big wedding.”

      “Have fun,” Kevin said, then flopped back on the sofa. “She’s a handful.”

      Nash sat down. “Interesting young woman.”

      “I think so. She’s smart, funny, fearless. She gives with her whole heart. I’m still learning how to do that, but she makes it so damn easy to love her.”

      Had that been the problem? Nash wondered. Had Tina not been easy to love? Had the work got in the way?

      “Enough about me,” his brother said. “How are you doing?”

      “Fine,” Nash said. “Great.”

      Kevin