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"You left her alone?" Shana’s eyes widened with alarm "In the kitchen with the stove on? Adam, she’s only nine! Sometimes that’s hard to remember, but she’s still just a kid"

"She seeht "She’s the one who sent et back now"

Shana sighed, then stretched out one hand and stopped hiave her hand a small squeeze "You, too Don’t be late for dinner"

"I won’t," she proain Adam started toward the door, then paused and turned around "What’s her specialty?"

Shana grinned "It’s probably canned chili with grated cheese on top"

He disht be more involved Whatever it is requires a cookbook"

Shana’s grin faded "In that case, you’d better hurry"

"I’ain, and it re--how attracted he was to her And just when their relationship was beginning to show real pro the Seattle area

She followed him to the front door "Any word on that transfer?" she asked

If he didn’t know better, he’d think she’d been reading his h Haas a dreanment Who wouldn’t want to be stationed there? With its endless miles of white sandy beaches and sunshine, Hawaii had always appealed to hiray skies, was of more interest now than the tropical paradise

"Did youabout the transfer to Jazmine?" she asked

He shook his head He couldn’t ed lightly "Guilty as charged"

Shana glanced at her watch "I’ll be leaving in about an hour and a half"

"Okay, I’ll let Martha Stewart know" Feeling the need to touch her, he reached for her hand Even with the restaurant full of custo e to take her in his arms and she must have felt the sa her head and dropping her hand

"I should get back to work and you need to get back to Jazht"

"Bye" Shana gave him a small wave Adam heard the reluctance in her voice, a reluctance he shared

Jazs and banned hirandly

Adaain and sat with one ankle balanced on his knee, ai he wanted to watch "Need any help in there?" he called out

"No, thanks"

Five nored hi to be late, is she?"

"She’d phone," Adaht, Shana walked into the house "I’m home," she said unnecessarily

Adaerly out of the kitchen "I hope you’re hungry"

"Farowled

With a sweeping gesture of her arm, Jazmine invited them into the kitchen The table was covered with a tablecloth twice the right size The cloth brushed the floor, and Adam wondered if she’d used a floral printed sheet The candles were stuck in empty Coke bottles--apparently she hadn’t found real candle-holders--and were positioned on either side of the roses, which she’d arranged in a glass bowl The effect was surprisingly artful There were place settings, including wine goblets, in front of the three chairs

"Jaz her niece "This is absolutely lovely"

The nine-year-old blushed at the praise and wiped her hands on her apron "Uncle Adam helped"

"Not much," Adam protested

"We can start now," she said with authority "Please light the candles and pour the chahtly "At your service"

"Everyone, sit down," Jazestured toward the table "I have an appetizer" Following that announceht out a bowl of dry Cheerios mixed with peanuts, raisins and pretzels

"Excellent," Shana said, exchanging a look with Adaled to maintain their composure

"This is only the start," Jaz about the kitchen like a parrot on the loose "I made all our favorites--macaroni and cheese, Tater Tots and salad Uncle Adam, there’s no tomatoes in your salad and, Aunt Shana, no croutons on yours"

Shana’s eyesattention"

"I’ll say"

"Plus macaroons for dessert," Jazmine added proudly

"Macaroons?" Adam repeated