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gave no indication holding his son gave him anything but pleasure.
    It struck her how Brett and Gray shared strong chins and deep-set eyes more smoky than blue, as well as the shocks of wavy blond hair with cowlicks in almost the same places on the crowns of their heads.
    The resilience of kids!
    Andi wished she could take Gray’s return from the dead with the degree of equanimity Brett managed without any apparent effort.
    “How’d you get hurt?” Brett asked, his gaze on the crutches Gray had set in the corner beside his chair.
    Gray shifted Brett onto his other knee. “I fell while some soldiers were helping me get out from where the bad guys had been holding me.”
    Brett’s eyes widened. “You broke your legs?”
    “One leg. Mostly, it was my back that got hurt.”
    “Then why do you need those?”
    With patience that surprised Andi, Gray explained where he’d been and how he’d gotten the injuries even a child couldn’t fail to notice. She was sure he downplayed the gory truth, because the way he explained it to Brett, he sounded almost as if his ordeal had been a great adventure.
    “Are you gonna get any better?” Brett asked.
    “Some. Maybe. I won’t ever get around as well as you, though.”
    “I’m sorry.”
    “Don’t be. I’m not. I could be much worse off than I am.” When he looked at Brett, his joy seemed genuine.
    “Why have you got that patch over your eye?”
    “My eye got hurt, so they had to take it out. I decided to wear the patch instead of a fake eye because the patch covers up some pretty bad scars.”
    Andi wasn’t certain she liked for Gray to flaunt his scars like medals of valor, but Brett seemed to think the scar and patch were cool.
    Brett grinned. “Sure. Mom, I’m getting hungry again.”
    She looked at her watch. They’d spent the entire afternoon together. Time had gotten away from her. “It is getting close to dinnertime.”
    “I’d better go, then.”
    “You’re not going to stay here with us?” Brett asked.
    “Not now, buddy. I’ve got to get home and get ready for my new job on Monday.” Gray paused, as though he hated disappointing his son. “We’re going to see lots of each other, though. How about coming to see me next weekend? My place is on the beach.”
    “Cool. Mom, can we?”
    Andi looked from father to son, then nodded. “If you’re good all week long.”
    “I will be.”
    “Then it’s settled. We’ll spend next weekend together.” Gray reached down and straightened first one leg, then the other. After locking his braces, he placed his crutches carefully and heaved himself out of the chair. Brett watched, wide eyed, as Gray made his way very slowly through the house.
    Andi rushed ahead to hold the front door open. “Gray, you’re welcome to stay,” she said when he paused on the porch.
    “I can’t, but thanks anyway. He’s a great kid, Andi. Could I talk you into bringing him to stay at the beach for a few days?”
    “Your place?”
    “Yeah. Walk me to the car?”
    She figured she’d better. He looked as if he might keel over. “Brett, go in the house and get ready for dinner.” She didn’t imagine Gray was anxious for the boy to watch him make his way down the sidewalk.
    “‘Bye, Dad. Come back soon.”
    “I will.” After he watched Brett go back inside, Gray made his way to his car.
    “I’d rather have you come here. You could stay in the guest room.” Or with her. All that had happened in the past eight years hadn’t altered the chemistry that had sizzled between them from the start.
    Gray took her hand and rubbed his thumb along the creases of her palm. “Think, Andi. There are some things I can’t do, others I can manage only if I’ve got access to facilities that have been modified to fit my needs. For example, if I’m going to drive, I’ve got to have a car like this, with automatic everything and hand controls. My depth perception’s nil, so I haven’t tried driving after dark.”
    Andi’s cheeks