Code Name: Nanny (SEAL and Code Name #5)(112)

“I still don’t understand what happened to them.” Anxiously, Cara brushed the soft curls that trailed from beneath a spray of bright pink roses. “They should have been able to find the motel last night.”

“Maybe they didn’t want to.” Audra smiled knowingly at the driveway, where an SUV had appeared amid swirling snow. “They were probably a little distracted.”

“You mean, they stopped to kiss?” Sophy studied her sister intently. “Maybe they wanted to have phone sex?”

“Sophia Marie O’Connor!” Cara looked shocked. “What in the world do you know about phone sex?”

“Not very much,” Sophy said wistfully. “No one will talk about it with me. I asked Gabe, and he told me I’d find out soon enough. Uncle Tate told me to ask you, and Audra just tells me to shut up because I’m still a kid.”

“Well, you are,” Audra snapped. “You wouldn’t understand, anyway.”

“I know all about thongs.” Sophy glared defiantly at her sister.

Cara breathed a prayer for guidance and stopped searching for her lost glove. “Darling, we’re going to have a talk, you and I. We’ll talk about anything you want, all right? Even . . .” She grimaced. “Even phone sex.”

Audra started to giggle, and then Sophy joined in. Within seconds all three were laughing, until they collapsed together on the sofa.

“You’ll ruin your dress,” Audra managed to say.

“Oh, phooey on my dress. It seems like forever since we’ve had a good laugh together.” Suddenly Cara looked down at Sophy. “Did you find your new pink shoes, honey? I thought I saw them in the bottom of your suitcase.”

“Oh, no, everything’s fine, Mom. My shoes are cool.” Sophy squirmed off the sofa and shot toward the door. “I hear Summer and Gabe downstairs!”

As she spoke, there was a knock on the door. “Anyone in here getting married?”

At Sophy’s burst of laughter, Summer opened the door wearing a parka and hiking boots. Snowflakes dotted her hair, and her cheeks were bright.

“You came!” Sophy hurtled toward her. “See my new dress? I even get to wear earrings. Little ones, that is. Where’s your dress?”

Summer gave Sophy a hug, then held up a big box. “I’m ready to rock and roll.”

Audra studied Summer’s face, noted the flush, and looked pleased. “I take it that Gabe found you.”

Summer cleared her throat. “He’s with Senator Winslow now, getting dressed. I could probably use some help, too.”

“Sophy, get all our stuff from the bathroom. Mom’s done, so now we can start working on Ms. M.”

Sophy shot off. “Cool.”



As snow swirled around the big picture windows, no one talked about Tate’s mother or Patrick Flanagan, or how death had stalked this house one day at the end of summer. But the memories hung in the air like spiderwebs, invisible and chilling.

In the weeks following Amanda’s death, Tate Winslow had announced he would not pursue his bid for the presidency. For two years Amanda Winslow had hidden her deteriorating state from her family and friends, and Cara was convinced the experimental medications had hastened her decline.

But Summer refused to think about death as Sophy opened the big box on Cara’s bed. The dress she’d chosen for the wedding was long and full, rich silk that made her skin glow. When she looked at the matching shoes with four-inch heels, Summer winced. Running shoes were more her style, and she prayed she wouldn’t disgrace herself by falling onto her face when the ceremony began.

A few minutes later she was transformed, trying to keep from toppling in her killer Jimmy Choo satin mules.

“Wow,” Sophy whispered.

“Sheesh.” Audra gave a long, silent whistle.

“You look lovely,” Cara said.

Summer tugged at the front of her dress, which was lower than she had realized in the store. “I don’t know,” she said uneasily. “If I bend over, everything will—what I mean is, it would be a disaster.”

“Then don’t bend over,” Cara said with a mischievous smile. “Not unless you’re with Gabe. Otherwise there will be a stampede by the men in the room. By the way, give Gabe our love.”

Summer felt heat fill her cheeks. Were her feelings so transparent?

But as she stood tottering in her four-inch heels, she felt something loosen inside her, stirring on powerful wings, weightless like the reckless teenager she had never had time to become after her father’s death, and she wanted to knock Gabe silly with his first sight of her. She didn’t care if the whole world knew.

She smoothed her dress, delighting in the feel of the silk against her skin. She couldn’t wait to see Gabe’s reaction.

The chords of an organ drifted up the stairs. “Time to go.” Cara’s voice wavered. “I love you two so much.”

“You look beautiful, Mom. I mean, really, really.” Sophy’s grin threatened to swallow her young face. “I heard Uncle Tate tell his brother if there were any more delays, he was going to kidnap you and make you elope with him. He said he was in major perpetual pain, whatever that meant.”

Audra swallowed a giggle, and Sophy’s smile faltered. “If you eloped, could we go, too?”