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closely, peering at his mouth. “I really like your teeth now. Reminds me of really white pearls. Only square. Maybe more like Chiclets.” Against his tanned skin Eric’s teeth did look like pearls.
    Eric burst out laughing. “Well, thank you! I think!”
    “And we used to beat the crap out of you,” Matt said, suddenly beside her.
    “Not true, bro,” Eric argued. He wore a white USCG hat, a navy blue short-sleeved shirt with a USCG patch and Station 34 embroidered onto the chest and navy trousers. Handsome as all get-out, just like all of the other Malones. “ You used to beat the crap out of me. Emily here would smack you on the head and tell you to stop.”
    “Uh-huh.”
    A hand moved to Emily’s lower back and before she knew it, Matt was guiding her away from Eric and through the French doors and out onto the veranda.
    “Sit here,” he said, pulling out a chair. Emily sat. Matt’s eyes locked onto hers. “Enjoy being a guest, since this is your first day home and all. The next time, Jep will probably put you to work.”
    “I think he already has,” she admitted. “He’s put in an order for pies.”
    A half smile crossed Matt’s face, and he shook his head. “He’s got zero filter. You two will get along great. His hearing is going fast, so he’s not yelling at you. He just talks loud.”
    Matt disappeared through the French doors, and Emily breathed, took everything in. It was a lot. It wasn’t enough. It was...fabulously perfect.
    Looking out over the rising tide of the Back River over Morgan’s Creek, she drew in the air. Salty and delicious. Had she been back only a few hours? How she wished Reagan was here, too.
    Before long, the Malone men shuffled from the kitchen and onto the veranda, their arms laden with supper stuff. Roasted chicken was laid out on a platter; Jep’s mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans and rolls accompanied the main course. Nathan set a basket of silverware and napkins down, along with heavy green plates and glasses to match. Eric opened a bottle of soda and Jep set down a pitcher of iced tea.
    “We’ll say grace now,” Jep announced.
    Eric pulled off his hat, and Jep began.
    “Dear Lord, thank You for this day, and thank You for not only bringing my hardheaded grandson back home safe from Afghanistan, but also for bringing little missy back to Cassabaw. It’s been a while since I had good pie. Amen.”
    Emily grinned as she opened her eyes and when she lifted her head, Matt was watching her. Intense. Steady.
    It nearly knocked the wind from her lungs.
    “All right, let’s eat!” Eric said.
    Over the next half hour, everyone ate, and the Malones made idle chitchat, asking about Emily’s life in Bethesda.
    “So what’s your little sister up to these days?” Owen asked.
    Emily swallowed a mouthful of potatoes and wiped the corner of her mouth. “She’s enlisted. The air force. Afghanistan right now.”
    “Are you serious? Little Reagan? The air force?” Eric said, and nodded. “Impressive.”
    “You got a fella, missy?” Jep blurted.
    Emily’s gaze slid to Matt’s, then back to Jep. She shook her head. “No, sir. Not anymore.”
    Everyone in the room went dead quiet for several seconds. Then Owen spoke. “Well, he’ll never know what a treasure he’s missed out on.”
    “Thanks, Mr. Malone,” she answered with a grin. “It wasn’t awful or anything. We were just...too different, is all. His family is heavily into the political scene on the Hill. And I’m—” she grinned and shrugged “—a little saltier than that.”
    “Salty, you say?” Jep repeated. “I like salt. Makes your spine straight and your legs anchored.”
    Emily grinned. “Yes, sir, it does.” She turned to Nathan. “So have you always worked the trawler with your dad and Jep?”
    Again, the veranda grew quiet. Nathan slowly shook his head. “No, that’s a fairly recent development,” he explained. “I just left the Coast Guard last year. Alaska.”
    Emily could