* * *
Quinn was trying to see Ryal’s house from the perspective of a stranger, rather than a kid who’d grown up inside those walls, wondering what Mariah would think. Granted, Ryal had done some remodeling with the wraparound porch and a fresh coat of white paint after their parents moved out, but it was still a mountain house, simple in style and size. The fact that his brother was a master carpenter didn’t hurt, though, and since Beth had come to live there, the landscaping had taken on a softer, more feminine look. Flowers local to the area had been planted along both sides of the rock walk leading up to the house, and the bushes were trimmed, rather than allowed to grow wild.
He sneaked a glance at Mariah, trying to judge what she thought, and was surprised to see a slight smile on her face.
“What do you think?” he asked.
She pointed toward the house, and the man and puppy coming down the walk.
“Your brother looks like you.”
“Yeah, I guess he does. You can pretty much always find the Walkers in a crowd. We’re all pretty tall.”
Mariah’s eyes widened. “There are more of you?”
“Ryal and Beth have a daughter, Sarah, who’s a little over a year and a half. I have another brother, James, and his wife, Julie, and their two kids. And there’s my sister, Margaret—but we call her Meg—our mom, Dolly, and a whole lot of cousins.”
She couldn’t imagine. “It must be a good feeling to know who your people are and where you come from.”
“I’m ashamed to say I never thought about it, just took it and them for granted. But it is exceedingly good to know there are people who have your back,” Quinn said.
All expression was gone from her face, and he hated that he’d caused her one moment of pain. He reached for her hand.
“I have your back, Conrad. We all do. If you don’t believe it now, you will in the days to come.”
Mariah was saved from having to answer as Quinn pulled to a stop.
“Sit tight. I’ll help you,” he said, and quickly circled the car.
A cool breeze flowed past her as he opened the door. Mariah took his hand as he helped her out, then stood for a moment to get her bearings.
“Hey, brother, you made good time,” Ryal said, as Beth came down the walk behind him, carrying Sarah.
Quinn didn’t bother with chitchat. He knew they were surprised and curious, but he wasn’t going there, and the sooner they figured that out, the better.
“Ryal, Beth, this is Mariah Conrad. Mariah, my brother Ryal and his wife, Beth. The cutie Beth is holding is Sarah, and this very shy pup is Rufus.”
Mariah pushed a shaky hand through her hair and grinned at the puppy, who was licking everybody’s shoes.
“Nice to meet you. Thanks for loaning Quinn your car. It made the trip a lot easier for me.”
“We’re the ones who should be thanking you for saving Quinn’s life,” Ryal said. “He can be a pain in the ass, but we were grateful to get him home in one piece.”
Mariah was surprised that Quinn had credited her with his rescue.
“I wasn’t the only one there,” she said.
“You’re the only one I remember,” Quinn said.
Beth handed Sarah to Ryal and slipped an arm through the crook of Mariah’s elbow. “Why don’t you come into the house with me while they switch stuff from one vehicle to the other? It’ll give you time to freshen up and stretch your legs for a bit.”
Mariah glanced at Quinn. “Do we have time?”
“We have all the time you need,” Quinn said.
Beth led Mariah into the house at a leisurely pace, while Ryal and Quinn transferred things from the SUV to Quinn’s Jeep.
“You neglected to mention that Conrad was a girl,” Ryal said.
“And now you know,” Quinn said, as he transferred the quilt and pillows into the backseat of the Jeep.
“She really saved your life?” Ryal said.
“Pulled my ass out of a burning building.”
Ryal glanced toward the house. “She must be one tough lady.”
“As tough as she needs to be,” Quinn said, and tossed her duffel bag between the seats. “Did you get the stuff on my list?”
“Yes. Beth and I have already been to your place, made up the bed and left the rest on your kitchen table.”
“Thanks. I appreciate it. Did you have enough money?”
“Yes. Your change is on the table, too. So do you have any feelings toward her besides gratitude?”
Quinn turned, his face suddenly expressionless. “That’s none of your damned business. Are we clear on that?”
Ryal held up his hands. “Clear as day.”
“Good. Be sure to pass that along to the rest of the family, because I’m not going to satisfy anyone’s curiosity at the cost of her privacy.”
“Absolutely,” Ryal said.
Quinn glared. “You’re grinning.”
“Am I not supposed to?”
“Not unless something is funny,” Quinn snapped.
“But you’re so damned entertaining,” Ryal said, and punched Quinn on the arm.
Quinn sighed. “Damn it, Ryal…”
“Chill out, bro. It’s all good. If you have everything transferred, come up to the house. Beth made an apple pie this afternoon. I’ll bet they’re already digging in. Here, kiss your niece hello. It’ll put you in a better mood.”
Quinn picked up the baby, kissed her soft cheek and grinned when she poked a finger up his nose, then followed Ryal into the house. The interrogation had ended, but he knew his brothers too well, and this wasn’t over. They wouldn’t stop until they were completely satisfied they knew all his business, or at least thought that they did. He just hoped they didn’t spook Mariah into thinking he had an ulterior motive, because he didn’t know why he’d done this, either. It wasn’t going to be easy living with anyone, especially someone who might have the same kind of issues he had. The fact that she didn’t remember a lot of her past was a little sad. They’d shared a lot besides sex.
“See…I told you they would be hogging all the pie,” Ryal said as they entered the kitchen.
Beth shook her head as she dished the pie onto plates. “Such a baby. There’s plenty for everyone.”
Quinn glanced at Mariah. She was quiet but seemed at ease. Then Beth took the baby and put her down for a nap, and the moment passed.
* * *
Mariah was taking everything in and had learned more in the past five minutes about Quinn Walker than she’d known the entire two years of their mutual deployment. Watching him so at ease with his niece was unsettling. She was trying to picture herself that way and failing miserably. Then she made herself focus on them and not herself.
His brother’s house wasn’t elaborate, but it felt homey. The furniture was simple but beautiful. Family pictures on the walls rooted the house and its occupants in a past she would never know, and the pie Beth was cutting was like something out of a magazine. If it tasted half as good as it looked it would be amazing. She couldn’t cook worth a darn, and didn’t have a marketable skill beyond her sharpshooter medal and a better-than-average eye when it came to pinpointing liars.