Nathan awoke early the next morning to the distinct impression that it was going to be a good day. Haley was curled up against his side, her arm thrown over his chest and her breaths coming in the deep, even sighs only achieved in deep sleep. Eyes still fuzzy, he smiled at her peaceful expression and gently pushed back a strand of hair that had fallen over her cheek.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, he was aware of the fact that his parents were still in their home; not exactly a recipe for delight, but a much less frightening concept when he and Haley were on more stable ground. Besides, they hadn't even returned by the time that he and Haley went to bed—which offered them some much-needed alone time—so they were somewhat rejuvenated. Together they could handle Dan.

He climbed out of bed gingerly, careful not to wake his wife, which was no easy feat with the way she tended to naturally cling in her sleep. A minute later he was out of the bedroom and on his way to the kitchen. Before the separation he'd sometimes surprised Haley by cooking her breakfast. He thought it would be nice to do that again, especially given all that they'd been through lately.

Nathan was in the middle of making pancakes when he heard the quick knock on the front door. He looked from his freshly poured batter toward the door, and sighed as he jogged over to see who it was. This better be fast, he had some cakes to flip…

Randall Sumners was the last person Nathan had expected to come around his house ever, much less early in the morning. And on a day when Haley wasn't even working, no less. Instantly he stood up taller, using his height as a natural advantage as he glowered down at Haley's editor. Surely he knew that he wasn't welcome there.

To his credit, Randy didn't take a step back in the face of that glare, though that was his first instinct. Although he'd known it was a possibility that Nathan would answer the door, when he'd run through the scenario in his head on the way over it had always been Haley who greeted him—smiling, sweet, pretty Haley. Her scowling husband was a rather unpleasant disappointment.

"Randy," Nathan said, his voice neutral despite his desire to shut the door in this guy's face. Haley said nothing was going on between them, and Nathan believed her about that. He knew now that she wasn't interested in this guy. That didn't change the fact that Randy was in love with her; it was written all over his face, even right now. "What are you doing here?"

"I need to see Haley," he replied, shifting a plain white envelope between his hands in a telltale sign of nerves. "I went to her apartment but she wasn't there…"

Nathan clenched his jaw at the thought of him in Haley's apartment, a place that he himself had only seen once, and then only from the outside. He'd followed her there one night, unable to resist the need to know where she was living when she wasn't with him. It had been a relief to find that it was in an area that was nice and safe, and he hadn't returned.

"She's still sleeping," he announced, his mouth quirking up at the corners just a bit at the statement. Because he was answering the door in nothing more than sweatpants, his feet and chest bare, he knew the impact that his words would have.

Randy looked distinctly uncomfortable, and cleared his throat before insisting, "Maybe I could wait? I've got some news I'd like to give her."

He eyed the envelope and raised an eyebrow. "I could give that to her when she wakes up."

"I'd really rather be the one to let her know personally."

"Then send her an e-mail," Nathan suggested.

"It's the kind of thing you tell someone in person." At Nathan's disbelieving look, he explained, "It's exciting news. About her book."

"Her book?" What book?

"You didn't know she's been working on a novel?" Randy asked, feigning shock. Given what he'd heard about their relationship of late, he wasn't surprised, but it was nice to have something to rub in wonder boy's face. "That's funny. She's been working so hard on it, for months. Well, we both have. I've been helping her with it. She didn't tell you?"

Nathan shrugged it off, acting as if his words meant nothing when really they struck him like a fist in the gut. A book? She'd written a book without him ever knowing? She must have been so excited, so nervous—though she loved writing at the newspaper, it had always been a dream of hers to write a novel. Oh, she'd played it down to most people, insisting that she'd never have the time or the skill to complete such a task, but Nathan knew that it had always been on the backburners of her mind. And now she'd done it. Without him. "Must have slipped her mind. We've been a bit busy," he commented easily, and hoped that his feelings weren't written clearly across his face.

"Right, right. Mending fences," Randy replied with fake sympathy. "Sounded like you had a whole lot of holes to patch up."

"Don't worry, we got it all covered."

Roused from sleep by the sound of voices and the distinct smell of charred food, Haley followed her ears to where Nathan was leaning against the front door. Dressed in one of Nathan's shirts and a pair of pajama bottoms, she was grinning up at him as she slid her arms around him from behind. "Hey, what's going on? Something's burn…ing," she finished lamely, her voice trailing off in surprise when she saw who was at the door. Quickly, she glanced from one man to another, picking up on the tension that was near stifling. "Hi, Randy."

It disgusted Nathan to see the way the other man's face lit up at her. "Morning, Haley."

"Uh, what are you doing here?" she asked, stepping out so that she was next to Nathan in the entryway. Because she could tell he was annoyed—and, given the misgivings he felt about her editor, rightly so—she reached out to take his hand in hers, giving it a squeeze. The slight pressure he gave in return made the sudden knot of apprehension in her stomach ease just a bit.

"I have something to tell you. I just got the news, and I had to do it in person." He held up the envelope, his green eyes bright. "Know what this is?"

"Recycled material?" she guessed with a wry smile.

He laughed, shaking his head. "Not exactly what I was going for. Let me give you a hint: it's about your book."

"Really?" she cried out, surprising herself with the pitch of her voice. Her eyes narrowed in on the envelope, and she bit her lip. "From the publisher?"

"Yup."

She had to hold in a squeak of enthusiasm. "Is it good news?"

"Do you really want to know?"

She reached out to hit him on the arm. "Of course I want to know!"

Randy paused, wanting to build the anticipation. "It's great news, Haley! They loved it. Absolutely loved it."

Unable to believe his words, she grabbed the paper from his hands and quickly read the words on the sheet inside. As the paper fluttered to the ground, she let out one loud, disbelieving breath before allowing herself to be swept into a congratulatory hug by her editor.

The bastard looked smug, Nathan noted, and he wanted to reach out and strangle him. But more than that, he wanted to be the one that she hugged first, and it bothered him immensely that he wasn't. Granted, Randy had been the one to hug her, not the other way around, but still.

As she realized what she'd done, Haley pulled away quickly and turned to her husband. Her eyes were wide and excited for all of two seconds before she remembered that Nathan didn't even know she'd been working on a bigger project. Well, until now. She glanced up at him, the words of explanation already on her tongue, but he took a step back.

"I better go turn off the stove before the house burns down," he said, only conscious of the smoke and growing smell because she'd mentioned it.

"Nathan, wait." Haley started after him, then remembered Randy, and paused. "I'm sorry, Randy, but I can't talk about this right now. I'll call you when it's really settled in, okay? But thank you—for all your help getting this done, and for wanting to let me know in person. I'm so thrilled, I am, I just… later, okay?"

Stunned, he could do nothing but nod his head in agreement and allow himself to be ushered the two steps out the door.

Haley bent to pick up the letter from the publisher, smiling as she folded it carefully and put it on the table. Then she took a deep breath and hurried after Nathan.

He was dumping out the very charred remains of what looked like pancakes when she entered the kitchen. Every line of his body was tight with irritation, his carriage stiff and more than a bit standoffish. She was used to his moods by now, and knew that if she pressed the wrong button he could explode at any moment, but she couldn't help thinking as she looked at him that her husband was the sexiest man she'd ever seen in her life.

"Is he gone?" he asked, without looking at her.

"Yes." She sighed, and leaned back against the counter. "I'm sorry, Nathan. I know you don't like him."

"But he's a good editor."

"Yes."

"And he helped you with your book."

"Yes." She eyed him curiously, unsure where this was going. Nathan wasn't reacting the way that she'd expected. There wasn't anger in his voice, though he was taut with it, and she couldn't read his eyes because they were concentrated on the blackened pan in his hand.

"Then don't be sorry. When do I get to read it?"

"What?"

"This book of yours. When do I get to read it?"

"I'm sorry, did I miss the part where you got mad at me?" she asked teasingly, her voice hopeful.

"I'm not mad." Nathan set the pan in the sink and turned to meet her gaze, his eyes honest. "You're right, I don't like him. I don't trust him, either, but I trust you, so if he helps you improve your writing then I want him to work with you. You don't have to apologize for doing what you need to do to make your work great. I want it to be great, and I know it can be." He winced. "But next time, could you tell me about whatever you're working on before I have to hear it from him?"

She chuckled and moved closer, until he wrapped his arms around her in an embrace that was both congratulations and forgiveness. It was a relief to lean against him, close her eyes, and just be with him. "Thank you for understanding. And I'm sorry I didn't mention the book before, but when I started it—"

"I know." He kissed the top of her head, a motion which soothed them both. "It's okay. As long as I get the first signed copy."

Haley giggled, feeling a renewed sense of glee at the thought of publishing her own book—and having someone to celebrate the successes in life with. "That's a deal. And you can read it as soon as you want—I have it on my laptop."

"Today," he decided immediately. He couldn't wait to read it, to see what she'd come up with. He had no doubt that it was incredible. "Now why don't you sit down and tell me about it while I make breakfast?"

Grinning, she did just that.