Summer in Eclipse Bay

and she kicked you out before eleven o'clock. Not good." He shook his head. "I'd be happy to give you a little brotherly advice on how to behave yourself on a first date with a nice lady, Harte. Least I could do, you being family and all."
    "You can take your helpful dating advice down to the Total Eclipse Bar and Grill and stuff it where the sun don't shine."
    "Touchy, are we? Okay, but it's your loss, pal."
    He'd had enough, Nick decided. He looked at Hannah. "Got my son?"
    "Sound asleep in the library." Her expression softened. "Winston is keeping an eye on him." She hesitated. "He seemed a little concerned about your relationship with Octavia."
    "Winston is concerned about my personal life?"
    "Not my dog. Your son. He mentioned several times this evening that he was afraid you might make her mad."
    Rafe sighed. "Apparently even little Carson is aware of your lack of finesse with the ladies."
    "My son is first and foremost a Harte," Nick said dryly. "His chief concern is making sure that nothing gets in the way of his current objective."
    "And that objective would be?"
    "Getting his picture of Winston exhibited in the Children's Art Show."
    "A worthy ambition," Hannah murmured. "And I'm sure the portrait is stunning. Winston, after all, is an excellent subject. But what does your relationship with Octavia have to do with getting the picture exhibited?"
    Nick grimaced. "Carson is afraid that if I annoy Octavia she might refuse to hang the portrait in the show."
    "A reasonable cause for anxiety under the circumstances," Rafe said cheerfully.
    Hannah looked startled. "Oh, I really don't think she'd take out her hostility on a little boy. She isn't the sort of person who would do that. Octavia is very nice."
    "So," Rafe said a little too easily, "what, exactly, are you doing to annoy such a
nice
lady, Harte?"
    "You know," Nick said, taking another look at his watch, "it really is getting late, isn't it?"
    "Yes, it is," Hannah said. She swung around on her heel and disappeared down the long, central hall.
    Nick and Rafe followed her. They all came to a halt at the entrance to a comfortable, book-lined room. The dark expanse of the bay filled the space behind the windows. The library lights had been turned down low. Music played softly. A number of the comfortable, overstuffed chairs were occupied by guests who were sipping after-dinner cordials and coffee and talking quietly.
    In the corner two small figures sprawled across a mound of pillows. Several children's books were scattered on the rug beside them. Most of the stories featured dogs.
    Nick crossed the room and looked down at Carson, who was dressed in jeans, running shoes, and a sweatshirt. The boy was sound asleep, one arm flung across Winston. The Schnauzer raised his head from his paws and regarded Nick with intelligent eyes.
    "Thanks for looking after him, Winston. I'll take over now."
    Nick scratched Winston behind the ears and then scooped up his son.
    Relieved of his nanny duties for the evening, Winston got to his feet and stretched. He snuffled politely around Nick's shoes and then trotted briskly toward Hannah.
    Carson stirred a little and settled comfortably against Nick. He did not open his eyes. "Dad?"
    "Time to go home."
    "You didn't make her mad, did you?"
    "I worked very hard not to make her mad."
    "Good." Carson went back to sleep.
    They all trooped down the hall to the front door and out onto the wide veranda. Winston vanished discreetly into the bushes. Hannah arranged Carson's black wind-breaker-a miniature version of the one Nick wore-around the boy's sleeping form.
    "We've got some news," she said softly.
    "What's that?" Nick asked.
    "We're pregnant."
    "Hey, that's great." He grinned and kissed her lightly on the forehead. "Congratulations to both of you."
    "Thanks."
    Rafe put his arm around Hannah and pulled her close against his side. His pride and happiness were apparent. "You're the first to know. We'll start phoning everyone else in both families tomorrow."
    Nick smiled. "Nothing else like it, you know."
    "Yeah, sorta figured that," Rafe said.
    Nick looked down at Carson lying securely in his arms. "You just wish it was this easy to protect them forever."
    They stood there for a moment. No one spoke.
    After a while Nick hugged his son a little more tightly to him and went down the steps. At the bottom he paused briefly and looked back. "Almost forgot. I've got a little news of my own."
    Hannah smiled encouragingly. "What?"
    "Octavia