Zach's gaze snapped to the other woman in the room, how had he missed Kathleen Bennett sitting at the table too? "Evening, Major." He tugged Ivy's ponytail. "It's late, kiddo. How about you get ready for bed while I thank these ladies for helping out. I'll be back in a few minutes to tuck you in."
"Story?"
"One chapter."
"Three."
"Two."
"Roger that, Papa Wolf."
"Roger, Cub Pilot." He shot a thumbs-up.
Ivy paused in the doorway. "Julia?"
"Yeah, honey?"
"Don't forget to tell me goodbye before you go, okay?"
"Of course I won't forget."
But Pam had. She'd bolted in the middle of the night packed up, stormed out, leaving him to explain everything to their children in the morning. Four weeks later, Pam had resurfaced from a cooking cruise with hugs, a new boyfriend and a box of saltwater taffy for the girls.
Julia had been the one to take Shelby shopping for prom dress, the one to twist Ivy's hair up into that ball recital hairnet thing. Julia had been all that kept his family from falling apart.
Zach scrubbed his hand over his jaw, scratching the numbed nerves awake. He could do this, pretend to be unaffected by those toes she tucked out of sight. He could pretend he didn't notice the curve of her breast outlined in a stretchy T-shirt just showing in the gaping side of her overalls. "Hi, Julia."
"Zach."
He knelt beside Patrick, cupping a hand over the pale fine hair. "He's grown into quite a bruiser."
"He's a happy baby." She shifted, one foot poking free. Purple polish. Silver sparkles right at eye level.
Zach stood. "Major, thanks for stopping over to help so soon after coming home from a TDY yourself."
"Nothing to it, Colonel. I just hung out and enjoyed the pizza and fudge. A pregnant woman's idea of heaven. Kathleen bumped the pan toward him. "It's really good stuff.
You ought to try some."
Julia dropped the bag of pretzels. "There's pizza in the fridge."
He reached for a spoon. "Great. I'll get to that too later. Flying always makes me hungry."
Among other things he damned well didn't want to think about right now. Fudge offered a poor substitute for what he really wanted after a flight, but it was better than nothing.
Zach scooped through the chocolate and ate. "Good stuff. Who made it?"
"Uh," Julia squeaked, then continued, "that would be me."
"Damn good stuff. Is there more? This doesn't stand a chance of lasting much longer." He turned to the pregnant woman choking on a laugh behind her hand. "Did you want some, Major?"
"No thanks. I'm getting plenty at home."
Julia shot from the table. "Kathleen, isn't that Tanner's car pulling into your driveway?"
Kathleen braced a hand on the edge of the table to rise. "I should go then. After a flight, he's usually pretty, uh, hungry too. G'night, Colonel," she said as she waddled out the door.
Quiet settled over the kitchen.