Sweetest Goodbye (Navy Book 3)

Chapter 12

Dinner at the local steakhouse went surprisingly well. Kate had worn a pretty sundress and taken time on her appearance in an attempt to hold her own against Devon's effortless beauty. The evening was spent getting to know Lee's friends and she was surprised that she liked them as much as she did.

She had learned that Josh worked for a security company and Devon and Kellan were both psychologists with doctorates in their chosen field. Kellan used his degree to teach and Devon was and expert in body language. Kate couldn't help but wonder what Devon was reading into her posture and it made her very self-conscious.

Kellan was married and his wife was also a psychologist. She was currently attending a conference in New York, and with school being out for the summer Kellan was at a loss for something to do, so he offered his services. Kate was unclear on exactly what those services were.

She did her best to ignore the baby, Amelia, but it hadn't been completely possible since she was passed around the table as everyone took turns holding her. Kate had felt her heart constrict a little as Lee had cuddled the baby as if it was a common occurrence. She couldn't help but wonder if there was anything that he was bad at.

Kate was relieved that no one asked her if she had wanted to hold the baby. Perhaps her body language hinted at the fact that she didn't want to hold her. Although, if she was honest, she did want to hold her, but she was afraid that she wouldn't be able to let go when it was time.

The conversation flowed freely all evening, but she never learned exactly how the three men worked together, they were all vague on that point, even Devon didn't give it away.

After dinner was finished Lee and Kate remained behind to settle the bill, Devon had said something about wanting to try to get some sleep while the baby was sleeping and Josh and Kellan had been willing to follow her lead. Kate had a suspicion that she and Lee were being set-up.

"There not very subtle are they?" Lee asked with a smile as the waitress brought the check and Lee slid a credit card into the little folder with the bill.

"So that wasn't my imagination?" Kate smiled back as she finished the last of her wine. She noticed that Lee had been the only one at the table that hadn't had anything alcoholic to drink and she had wondered why.

"No, it amazes me how when those around you end up happily married they're determined that everyone else should be too."

Kate gave a strained smile; marriage was a far flung dream for her. She was thirty-three and had never had a relationship where it had even been an option. She couldn't help but wonder what it would be like.

"I have some friends back home that are like that." She thought of her good friends Penny and Sam. She knew they would be so happy for her if she could manage to find someone to marry, but they had never been pushy about it.

"Why exactly are Josh and Kellan here Lee?" Kate asked after a moment of silence. She didn't want to be silent with Lee, she was afraid of what she might say, the urge to tell him all of her secrets kept getting stronger and stronger.

"Is that a polite way of asking when we all plan to be out of your house?"

Kate blushed to the roots of her hair, that was not what she had meant and she was embarrassed that that was what he thought. "No! I'm just trying to make conversation and I'm curious."

Lee looked amused at her outburst. "Why do you feel the need to make conversation, I'm alright with not talking." He was totally ignoring her question.

Kate looked away not answering him, knowing it would reveal way too much.

"But all of the sudden she's O.K. with it." He laughed softly at her lack of response and the sound made he toes curl, it seemed strangely personal and intimate, as if it was a private joke between them. Maybe it was, they both knew they were guarding their secrets closely. They were fighting to keep their distance, but it was a fight that Kate felt herself loosing.

"Josh and Kellan should only be here for a few days, and I'll only need to be here for a little longer. I have a buyer lined up for the ranch. It should be an easy sell after I work through a few things."

She lost the fact that he hadn't answered her about the real reason that Josh and Kellan were there on the thought that he really was leaving. Not wanting to think about it, she asked the first question that popped into her mind as she watched Lee sip his water "Why don't you drink?"

He paused for a moment considering it before he answered, "My family has a history of having a problem with alcohol. It's never been an addiction that I wanted to risk falling into." The waitress brought back the bill and Lee signed it, taking his card back. "Are you ready?" he asked as he rose.

She nodded since he really didn't give her an option. "Sure."

Lee walked behind Kate, letting her lead the way towards the exit. They had to walk through a small courtyard, which also served as an outdoor bar, to get to the parking lot. They had almost cleared it when they heard Lee's name being shouted across the open space.

"Lee Mercer! Hey look guys, it's Little Lee."

Kate felt Lee tense as he turned to look over his shoulder. She was amused that someone had called him Little Lee. Lee was anything but little. She followed his gaze and saw a few guys that she recognized from the diner. They didn't eat there often but they were a rowdy bunch when they did.

"Who's that with you Little Lee?" Kate notice the largest of the men was doing all of the talking. He was big and burly with shaggy curly hair and a day's worth of beard. There were two other guys flanking him that were smaller than Lee was, and they were both watching their friend with trepidation.

Lee ignored the man and put his hand in the middle of Kate's back propelling her forward and away from the men.

"You work at the diner in Jergen!" he called as he remembered. Kate felt a chill of unease as it chased up her spine. She was glad that Lee was ignoring the man, that last thing she wanted was to witness a fight or have Lee, who was already hurt, get hurt worse.

Lee was silent as he opened the truck door and waited until she was settled then he moved, unhurried, to his side of the truck where he climbed in and started the engine. Kate looked at him out of the corner of her eye and noted that he didn't seem upset or agitated by what had just happened.

"What Kate?" he asked calmly.

She must have not been very subtle in her glance.

"Nothing, just making sure you're not upset." She openly watched him now. His handsome profile seemed amused by her concern.

"No, I'm not upset, should I be?"

Kate shrugged, "I thought maybe your man card may have felt threatened."

He laughed outright at her comment. "My man card. Do you think I should have fought him?"

"No, I'm glad you didn't," she said, looking away from him and watching the scenery as it flew past the window. "There were three of them and you may have been hurt."

"So there were," he agreed, sounding amused.

She turned to look at him and discovered that he really was amused, and that made her suddenly angry that he wasn't taking what had just happened seriously. "You're not even a little bit mad, are you?"

"No. I stopped needing to prove myself a long time ago Kate, especially to three drunk guys in a bar who are name calling. There was no direct threat."

Kate, angry on Lee's behalf that the guy had gotten away with being so nasty, curbed her tongue because she was afraid that if she said more Lee might realize that she was starting to fall for him. Why else would a slight against him fell like a slight against her?