And it was very, very easy.

“You’re not being sensible,” she said to Nick as she walked up the courthouse steps beside him, supporting his arm. “It’s the simplest thing in the world to get a postponement under the circumstances.”

“I want it over,” he repeated, and glanced over at Zack.

“I’m with you.”

“Far be it from me to fight the pair of you,” she said in disgust. “If you keel over—”

“I’m not an invalid.”

“You’re two days out of the hospital,” she pointed out.

“Dr. Markowitz gave him the green light,” Zack put in.

“I don’t care what Dr. Markowitz gave him.”

“Rachel.” A little winded from the climb, but still game, Nick shook off her hand. “Stop playing mother.”

“Fine.” She tossed up her hands, then lowered them again to fuss with Nick’s tie, brush the shoulders of his jacket. She caught Zack’s grin over Nick’s shoulder and scowled. “Shut up, Muldoon.”

“Aye, aye, sir.”

“He thinks he’s so cute with the nautical talk.” She stood back to study her client. He was still a little pale, but he would do. “Now, are you sure you remember everything I explained to you?”

“Rachel, you went over the drill a dozen times.” Letting out a huff of breath, he turned to his brother. “Can I have a minute with her?”

“Sure.” Zack tossed a look over his shoulder. “Hands off.”

“Yeah, yeah.” The smirk was back, but it was good-natured rather than nasty. “Listen, Rachel, first I want to tell you how… Well, it was really nice of your family to come by the hospital the way they did. Your mom—” he pushed restless hands in his pockets, then pulled them out again “—bringing me cookies, and all the other stuff. Your father, coming by to hang out and play checkers.”

It should have sounded corny, he reflected. But it didn’t.

“They came to see you because they wanted to.”

“Yeah, but…well, it was nice. I even got a card from Freddie. And the cop—he was okay.”

“Alex has his moments.”

“What I’m trying to say is, whatever happens today, you’ve done a lot for me. Maybe I don’t know where I’m going, but I know where I’m not. I owe that to you.”

“No, you don’t.” Worried she might cry, she made her tone brisk. “A little, sure, but most of it was right here.” She tapped a finger on his heart. “You’re okay, LeBeck.”

“Thanks. One more thing.” He glanced over to be sure Zack was out of earshot. “I know I made things a little sticky before. Zack’s been making noises that you might be moving in. I just wanted you to know that I wouldn’t be in the way.”