Stone had heard about the Tet Offensive from some vets who’d made it out. It was the biggest surprise launch of attacks by North Vietnam against the United States and South Vietnam. Massive numbers of troops on both sides were lost, until it was a bleeding black hole in history that no one forgot.
Patrick reached out and put his other hand over hers. “I lost many friends during that mess. It was a bloodbath. Took me a long time even to be able to sleep again at night. What was his name?”
“Ryan Blackfire,” she said quietly. “He was quite gentle. Loved reading. Wanted to be a history professor and teach kids about their heritage.”
“Joan, your face must have been the last thing he saw. You gave him something worth hanging on to, until the last moment. I know this for a fact. The women we loved were the only thing that helped us keep our sanity and humanity. You gave that to him.”
Stone held his breath, not wanting to interrupt the poignant scene. Somehow, the silence that descended was full of understanding and mourning.
Arilyn sank into the last chair, dinner forgotten. They all stared at the elderly woman, who recited her story as if she were reading a book. Stone knew better. Her wounds had never healed. Maybe by her own choice. Maybe not.
“How old were you?” Arilyn asked.
Mrs. Blackfire removed her hand from Patrick’s and shook herself out of her trance. “Old enough. Twenty-two.”
“You were so young,” Arilyn said softly. “I’m sorry.” Simple words that couldn’t heal, but by being spoken, it was a start. Stone stared. Arilyn’s natural need to heal carved out the lines of her face. Stone bet she ached to wrap her up in a hug but was too scared her neighbor would strike like a cobra.
Stone couldn’t imagine Mrs. Blackfire at twenty-two. Happy. In love. Full of life. The woman across the table emanated a bitter strength that told a different story of how her life turned out.
“I made do.” Mrs. Blackfire stiffened her spine and her voice.
Arilyn offered a small smile. “You deserved more than that.”
Her neighbor looked startled. Cleared her throat. “Are we going to eat, or are you gonna launch into one of your healing chants?”
Patrick laughed and the spell was broken. Stone moved from the breakfast counter to the sturdy pine table and sat down. Arilyn handed out plates filled with steaming lasagna, fresh bread and butter, and a small side salad. Stone took a big whiff. Damn, it smelled good. When was the last time he had a home-cooked meal?
Too long ago to remember.
He took his fork, dug into a huge portion, and popped the bite in his mouth.
Stone didn’t know how long he chewed before the taste hit him. Along with the texture. What the hell kind of lasagna was this? He frowned, trying to figure out why the meat was soggy and tasted like crap. The tomatoes were good, but his teeth caught a carrot and some mushy stuff that mingled in his mouth. And not in a good way.
He managed to swallow. Shot a glance around the table.
Mrs. Blackfire chewed, then spit it out. “What is this?” she shrieked.
Patrick looked resigned, picking around the junk and trying to find a piece of plain pasta.
Arilyn blinked. “Vegetable lasagna. I told you.”
Mrs. Blackfire shook her head. “This is no lasagna, girl. And this is no meat.”
“It’s a soy substitute exactly like meat. Fresh vegetables, tomatoes, herbs. Oh, and the ricotta cheese is tofu based.”
Stone pushed his plate away. Nope. Not even for sex could he choke that junk down. If the guys at the station heard that he had even tried tofu, his man card would be yanked for good. “Umm, Arilyn, thanks, but I’m not as hungry as I thought. I’ll have bread.”
She glared and crossed her arms in front of her chest. “You said you were starving! What’s the matter? It took me all afternoon to make this. It’s healthy and filling.”
“Definitely healthy. And I do appreciate it. I had a late lunch, though.” He reached for bread, spread butter on it, and shoved it in his mouth. He’d fill up on carbs and it would be fine. He chewed, but the bread refused to dissolve.
Oh, hell, no. It was as if a field of wheat had been harvested and spread over his tongue. Crunchy seeds snapped under his teeth. Bread wasn’t supposed to taste like this! He managed a swallow and surrendered.
So did Mrs. Blackfire. And Poppy. They all stared at Arilyn and their plates in shared misery and guilt.
“You don’t like it?” she asked. Confusion flickered in her green eyes. “It’s all organic ingredients. I don’t understand.”
That’s when his heart did a strange flip-flop. He should’ve felt irritated at her for starving him, reminding himself once again why they were terrible together. But when was the last time a woman had cooked for him? Cared about his diet?
He spoke up. “Arilyn, thank you. I know you cooked your ass off for us, and we appreciate it. But we’re just not as highly evolved. At least, not yet.”
She nodded. “Too many processed foods and sugars in your regular diet? You can’t appreciate the flavors of food in a natural environment?”
“Yes!” they all said in unison.
Poppy lit up. “Can we order a pizza?”
“I don’t like peppers or anchovies,” Mrs. Blackfire stated.
“Pepperoni?” Stone suggested. “And half veggie.” Poppy and Mrs. Blackfire stared, obviously not happy with that. “It’ll be good for us,” he said more firmly. “Okay?”
Poppy nodded. “Okay. I’ll get the phone. Garlic knots, too?”
“Definitely.”
He snuck a glance over. Prepared for her temper or general crankiness over having her dinner guests rebel after she had spent her day trying to please them. He didn’t blame her. He’d probably be bitchy if he tried to do something nice that no one wanted.
Instead, a reluctant smile tugged at those lush lips. “Fine. But I want black olives and eggplant on mine or I’m not eating it.”
Stone realized she was even more trouble than he realized. Because she was beginning to touch not only his body but his heart.
thirteen
ARILYN LOOKED UP as Kate and Kennedy barged into her office, sank down in the matching purple chairs, and waited.
She glanced back and forth between them. “What?” she finally asked.
Kate sighed. “Are you really going to make us beg?”
Kennedy tapped her finger against her lip. “I thought you were better than us, A. I thought you could be trusted to give us all the dirt without having to threaten, blackmail, or assault you. You disappoint me.”
Her lip twitched. She leaned back in the chair and gave herself up. “You want to know about my hot cop not stripper?”
“Yes!” Kate screeched, all dignity completely abandoned. “I haven’t had any time to get the dirt since he scooped you up all cavemanlike and carried you out the door. Oh my God, I wanted to die. And he stripped for you? Well, his shirt at least. Kind of. I was so hot, poor Slade had to call in late the next morning. I almost killed him.”
Kennedy looked quite satisfied. “Nate told me if I was going to come home like that more often, he’d hire a stripper himself. I told him it was the romance between you guys that got me crazy. Oh, and BTW? The stripper I actually hired was so not up to par with Stone Petty. If he ever wanted to quit and make a living taking off a quarter of his clothes, tell him he’d be rich.”