 
Refusing to Repent

REFUSING TO REPENT

Small town life isn't all it's cracked up to be, and no one knows that better than Becki Holbrook. Growing up in Somerset Falls as the town outcast was bad enough. Now that she's a single mother, she just wants things to stay quiet and... normal. The arrival of Max James is sure to put the town gossips' undies in a bunch.

Five years after skipping town without a word, Max James, her sexy ex-best friend, is standing at her front door with his senile, disheveled mother in tow, asking for her help. Really? Is it possible for a human being to be that clueless? All right, so it is late at night and he has no one and nowhere else to turn.

Maybe she could take them in for just one night...

OTHER TITLES BY

PATRICIA GAUTHIER

Celebration Trilogy Box Set

No Looking Back

Refusing to Repent

Seduction of Souls

Hitting Below the Belt

The Husband Test

Coming Soon!

Love on Maiden Lane

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# REFUSING TO REPENT

By: Patricia Gauthier

Copyright 2012 Patricia Gauthier

All rights reserved.

Copyright 2013 Seduction of Souls Patricia Gauthier

Copyright 2013 Hitting Below the Belt

Patricia Gauthier

Smashwords Edition

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# CHAPTER 1

Becki ran as fast as she could, frantically glancing behind her and panting until her lungs felt like they would burst from her chest. Sweat dripped from her brow as terror ran through her body. Was he still following her? She had no idea where she was or where she was going, not knowing the city very well yet. A new ripple of fear seized her when she heard the heavy footsteps behind her, closing in on her quickly. Breathless, exhausted, and lost, she took off running again, trying to get away from her attacker. The horrors of what he'd done to her were stashed in the back of her brain. She must not fall apart. If he caught her he'd end up dead in an alley. Running for her life...

"Mommy, wake up. I'm scared." The tiny voice of her daughter startled her awake while the sweat from her body saturated her pajamas and sheets. It took her a few seconds to realize that she was safe.

"You're scared? Why? What happened?" She embraced her daughter as Jilly crawled into the safety of Becki's arms.

"You were screaming in your sleep again. Don't do that anymore, it scares me."

If only it were that simple. "I'm sorry, baby, I'll try not to do it anymore." Glancing at the clock on her nightstand, she realized that it was almost time for them to start their day. She felt exhausted from the nightmare that had once been her reality. Would she ever be able to sleep without some kind of nightmare haunting her dreams? After all, five years was a long time ago. A lifetime ago. Yet here she was, wiping away the sweat as if it had all happened yesterday.

********

Becki backcombed Mrs. Winters' hair while the bleach sat on Lori's foiled head. She nodded while she listened to Mrs. Winters' endless complaints about her daughter-in-law and what a terrible job she was doing raising her grandchildren.

"Can you believe she let those little ones have cold cereal for breakfast? Children need a hot meal three times a day, but will she listen to me? Hell, no." Mrs. Winters complained. Becki knew her daughter-in-law and sympathized with her. Mrs. Winters' slimy son had run out on her and the two boys, leaving Deb to her own devices, without any emotional or financial support. Mrs. Winters didn't know how lucky she was Deb could even afford the cereal. Mrs. Winters had raised one no account son and never worked at anything but gossip and criticizing.

"Well, I'm sure she's doing the best she can. It's not easy working and raising children without any help." Becki tried to defend Deb, but after years of listening to her mother-in-law she knew her words went in one ear and out the other. Luckily Lori's timer went off and Becki had to excuse herself from Mrs. Winters for a minute, grateful that she had been able to hold her tongue and not tell Mrs. Winters exactly what she thought of her. Becki checked Lori's hair and decided it was time to rinse the bleach out, which she did just as Jillian came running into the beauty shop.

"Mommy, look what I made at preschool today! It's a picture of you and me. Can we hang it up?" Jillian's little cherub cheeks were pink with excitement. Her blonde hair, once neatly held back in the braids Becki had put in this morning, now barely hung in place on the child's head, distorted beyond recognition by the hair falling all around her face.

"As soon as I'm done with my customers we'll pick just the right spot for it. Have Heather give you your snack while I finish-up here. Tonight is clean the beauty shop night, sweetie." Becki answered, with love radiating from her heart at the beautiful little girl.

"Yes, Mommy." Jillian turned and skipped back into the house, holding her picture tightly to her chest to keep it safe.

"Becki, she is just the happiest, sweetest little girl I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. You must be so proud of her," Lori commented.

"I'm blessed, that's for sure," Becki admitted, not wanting to say more than was necessary. Mrs. Winters was listening with all her might, probably salivating at the thought of being able to spread anything she perceived as negative. Why did gossips only spread what they considered to be bad news? Lord forbid Becki should go on and on about her precious Jillian, an unforgivable offense that she knew she would hear about tomorrow morning while she worked the breakfast shift at the diner.

One of Becki's rules of survival was to never talk about her personal life, either at the beauty shop or in the diner. Any customer at the shop when Jillian came home knew she was there, otherwise Becki kept to herself. She had learned to keep a cool, aloof distance from the townsfolk, letting them draw their own conclusions. All she really cared about was Jillian, letting her daughter know every chance she got how much she loved her and how proud of the little girl she was. But that was always in the privacy of their home and no one else's business.

If she was going to stay in this town she had to keep a low profile. People had long memories around here, so she was sure she would never live down the reputation her mother had made.

Being the town nutcase who tried to murder her own pregnant daughter was just the last in a string of psychotic episodes her mother had gone through. The last murder attempt was the one that landed her in the state mental institution for the criminally insane. The only good that had come out of Becki 's attempted murder was that she now had a house that was paid for, allowing her to gather a little nest egg for Jillian's future. Not being able to care for her daughter was just one of several nightmares that haunted Becki in her dreams.

Often she worked two, sometimes three, jobs, saving and scrimping every cent she could, knowing things could change in the blink of an eye. The waitressing job at Mom's Diner, the only diner in Somerset Falls, paid for her and Jillian's health insurance while the beauty shop paid the bills. Tips got saved religiously. She kept her tips in a coffee can until it couldn't hold any more, then she would take the cash to the bank and deposit it. She chuckled to herself, thinking that the twenty five cent tip Mrs. Winters gave her every week would add up to a whole dollar by the end of the month, and that was a dollar more than she had last month.

By the time she locked the salon door Jillian was done with her snack, so she skipped through the door, with her picture in hand.

"Mommy, is it time to hang my picture now?"

"Yep. Lets go into your special area and see where it would look the best."

She grabbed the tape dispenser and walked with Jillian to the area of the beauty shop that was designated just for her. When Jillian had been younger and she hadn't had money for a sitter, she had made a little room for her in the same style as the rest of the beauty shop, but where customers weren't allowed. It followed the same pink, white and green color scheme as the rest of the shop. It was sectioned off with lattice painted white with silk greens 'growing' up the lattice. Jillian had her own small television with built-in DVD player, a recliner with end table and all her Little Tykes kitchen ware. She often stayed in there for hours 'cooking' for the customers, humming to herself and even taking her naps on the cot against the wall.

Throughout the rest of the shop she kept the garden theme going with pink floral wallpaper, a white linoleum floor accented by four hot pink dryer/chair combinations matching the hot pink shampoo bowls and chairs. For fun she had painted the desk and back cabinets in a cheery green color, keeping the Formica countertops white. The ceiling was a white drop style with florescent lighting. To look at it, a person would never know it was a converted garage. As her business had grown she had been able to put a gas fireplace in the corner of the reception area, giving it a warm, cozy atmosphere while providing heat in the cold winter months. She had made slip covers for a couple of couches and chairs in a cute, happy gingham check pattern and made the throw pillows in the same pattern as the wallpaper, tying everything together nicely. Overall, she was proud of her achievements, even if it wasn't at all what she had planned for herself back in high school. Without any help from anyone, including Max James, she had made the best life she could. With a shake of her head she pushed the anger and hurt he had caused her to the back of her mind. Ancient history and a complete waste of time, rehashing it wouldn't change anything. What counted was the here and now.

"Okay, Jillian, show mommy the spot you picked for your art work."

Jillian walked up to the art wall and put her chubby little finger on the one spot of uncluttered wall.

"Right here."

"You got it, babe." Becki tore off a small piece of tape and placed the paper on the wall, pretending to take care that it was centered. With a flourish she taped it up.

"Did I do it right?" Trying to keep a straight face, she asked as seriously as possible.

"Perfect. Can I watch a movie while you clean today? I had a rough day." Jillian flopped down into the chair, raising the foot, even though she was short enough to not need it.

"Oh, poor baby. Of course you can. I'll only be a minute." Becki laughed to herself at how adult Jillian sometimes spoke. She had probably said the same words a million times to Jillian. Seriously though, how bad could a four year- old's day be?

"Do you want to talk about your bad day?"

"Nah. I'm all right. I just need to relax for a while."

"Well, you know where to find me if you change your mind." She started cleaning the salon, grateful that Jillian wasn't 'helping'. Without the child's help she would finish twice as fast.

Becki looked through the huge window of the shop just as a shiny black car, one she knew didn't belong to anyone in town, drove slowly past her house. Who in the world would be visiting Somerset Falls in a car like that? She knew she would find out tomorrow morning at the diner.

# CHAPTER 2

Max gazed through the streams of water running down the windshield, ignoring the rhythmic pace of the wipers as he thought about his first trip back home in five years. He had left town an angry, abused young man, barely old enough to wipe his own nose. Since then his body had grown another two inches and filled out into that of a well-muscled man. Of course, the Marines had put a lot of that bulk on his body. Teaching him to care for it as if it were a high tech weapon. Now, at six foot two and two hundred and ten pounds, he made sure nobody messed with him if they were in their right mind. He had learned to keep a permanent scowl on his face. Intimidation was a wonderful weapon that worked ninety percent of the time. The muscles were for the other ten percent of the population who couldn't take a hint.

As much as Max had loved the military, he longed to get out from under the huge thumb of Uncle Sam. He still hadn't traveled like the Marines had advertised on television. Seemed like he had just gotten settled when he was deployed somewhere else. Some of those places were pure hellholes. Terrible living conditions combined with unbearable heat, torrential rains, or freezing cold were not Max's idea of traveling. It still amazed him that people would even want to fight to save some of those places. They were, in his opinion, uninhabitable.

As he'd gotten older he'd longed for the resorts with the blue drinks and the little paper umbrellas stuck on the side. He wanted the vivid blue ocean lapping onto white sandy beaches while he relaxed in a lounge chair and read a book. Instead, he found himself driving back to Somerset Falls, Michigan. Back to the small town he had grown-up in, minus his son of a bitch of a father, to take care of his ailing mother. When his father died he hadn't even bothered to request leave for his funeral. As far as he was concerned, the old man could rot in hell. His Aunt Carol had come to help his mother with the funeral and had ended up staying with her for three years, until her health began to fail her. Now it was her family's turn to take care of her. His cousin Alice had agreed to have Aunt Carol move in with her back in New York.

No longer a marine, he couldn't come up with an excuse he could live with for not coming home to help his mother out. His older brother, Edward, had left home when Max was fifteen. He'd never heard from him again. So the burden of his mother's care fell to him. The apprehension he felt had nothing to do with his feelings for his mother. What Max feared were all the bad memories that still haunted his dreams. Painful memories his father had beaten into him throughout his childhood wouldn't stay hidden. Also troubling him was the anger he felt toward himself, wishing he had protected both his mother and himself from that horrible, miserable excuse for a human being. He was glad the jerk was dead. Thankfully his mother had lived peacefully the last three years without the fear of being used as a punching bag for his old man.

According to Aunt Carol his mother was having a bit of trouble with her memory. An understatement according to Sheriff Wilkins. One morning the Sheriff had taken his mother back home at six a.m. after finding her wandering down the street in her nightgown and mumbling to herself. She'd had no idea who Sheriff Wilkins was, even though she had given him piano lessons for five of his adolescent years. Sheriff Wilkins had called Max from his mother's house so he could talk to her himself. It had broken his heart when she'd thought he was still ten years old and out playing with 'that Becki Holbrook girl'. Max understood immediately that his mother was in far worse shape than Aunt Carol had let on. He took a leave of absence from his job as a police officer in California and drove back home to Michigan, hoping to get his mother settled into some kind of residential program or care facility before he had to go back to work. Being new to the job, he hadn't accrued much time off, so he needed to get this taken care of quickly. Max let out a long breath when he saw the Visitor Center and the Welcome to Michigan sign on I-75N. Another few hours and he would be in the middle of the mitten of Michigan. Home, but not home. He didn't really know where home was anymore. California didn't feel like home, even though he had lived there a little over a year. He had made some friends with the other cops on the force, but not really the 'I'm there for you' type of friends. He doubted he would ever find a friendship like the one he'd had with Becki. He often wondered what had happened to her since he had left town. Did she ever go to college like they had planned? Was she married? Did she have any kids? Where was she living? But most importantly, was she happy?

Max slowed his car to a crawl, stunned by all the changes to his little hometown. What had once been a sleepy, industrial town now had been street-scaped into a quaint Victorian village. Fresh paint graced all the buildings and the old, cracked concrete sidewalks had been redone with quaint cobblestone pathways. All of it accented with colorful landscaping and streetlights resembling Victorian gas lanterns looked new and welcoming. He was impressed by the new antique shops, gift shops and even a Bed & Breakfast that had once been known as the old Schneider place. Even Mom's Diner had gotten a facelift. The white building with green shutters now had a matching awning that stretched over an outdoor section like a café. Huge pots of bright red geraniums added a pop of color on the café patio. Impressive. No one could accuse this town of sitting back on its heels during a bad economy.

Surprisingly, Max now felt a bit light hearted and encouraged, replacing the dread that had consumed him earlier. Hopefully this was a sign that things at his mother's house couldn't be as bad as the Sheriff had said. Maybe it would just take a little sprucing-up, a coat of paint and hiring some extra help for his mother so he could be on his way back to California in no time.

He drove out of town and turned right onto his old street. Again he was impressed at how well the homes had been maintained. His mother's house was at the end of the street in the middle of the cul-de-sac. Darkness loomed ominously as the car approached his old house. A feeling of foreboding beginning to creep down his spine, he unconsciously slowed as he approached what looked like an abandoned home. His mother's home. Shit. The outside of the house looked like a snake shedding its skin, some spots with no paint at all. Half of the porch railing was listing forward and missing more supports than he could count. He was sure if he pushed it with one finger it would go tumbling off into the neglected flower bed below. Filled trash bags sat right outside the front door where some of nature's children had broken them open and spread the contents all over the porch and down the steps. Only two of the three steps were still in place, both of those sagged in the middle and had pulled away from the porch. The windows were filthy, with several of the shutters missing. The ones still attached to the house were hanging crookedly by one nail. The screen on the front door flapped in the evening breeze as it dangled precariously from the top left corner of the frame. Weeds, overgrown shrubs and an unidentifiable vine encased the front and side of the house.

This was bad, real bad. It was much worse than Max had imagined. They'd have to spruce the place up just to condemn it. He couldn't imagine his mother living in this squalor. She had the income from his father's pension and social security. That should be enough to afford to maintain the house and live very comfortably. She had always prided herself on her flower beds, spending hours humming to herself as she tended them. Meanwhile his father had drunk himself into a stupor in front of the television. Thinking back on it now, maybe his mother wasn't so in touch with reality back then, either. How could she hum as if nothing was wrong while that bastard abused her and her children? To her everything was always fine and dandy. Maybe this dementia Sheriff Wilkins had talked about went farther back than he'd realized.

Dread once again settled in his body as he opened the car door and stepped out. A shiver ran down his spine at the thought of staying the night in this hellhole. He decided to leave his baggage in the car for now, anticipating a visit to the B & B in town. He approached the steps warily, noticing the holes in the warped and rotted porch, he stepped gingerly around them and knocked on the front door. When there was no response he knocked again, louder and harder than the first time. To his surprise the door swung open with the last knock, hitting the wall behind it from the force.

"Mom? It's Max. Are you here?" he bellowed from the threshold, not wanting to startle her. After a few moments of silence a shuffling sound came from the living room toward the front door. What he saw stunned him speechless.

His once well-kept and tidy mother looked in no better shape than the house did. Her hair was a greasy, grey wild mat of confusion, jutting out from her head in some spots and plastered to her greasy scalp in others. Her housecoat was torn and filthy. Her slippers were barely holding together with the help of duct tape. Her face was leathery and wrinkled, and her once vibrant blue eyes were dull and expressionless.

"Who's there?" his mother asked feebly.

"Mom, it's Max. I've come home for a visit."

"Max? What are you doing out this time of night? You have school tomorrow, young man. Did you sneak out again? You know your father will be furious if he finds out."

Max's heart sank. This wasn't his mother, this was some woman made up to look like her. Does she have any idea what year it is or that I've been gone for the last five years? He'd just have to play along, because he didn't want to upset her. He loved her.

"It's all right, Mom, I asked dad before I went out." Max remembered rule number one in that house was never piss off dad.

"Hurry on up to bed while your dad's asleep. I don't want no trouble tonight."

Max closed the front door and walked to his mother slowly. How could things have gotten so bad in such a short amount of time? Guilt consumed him as he headed up the stairs to his old bedroom. When he opened the door he heard the scurrying of mice, flicking on the light caused an immediate gag reaction in his stomach. The stench was horrible. The room was covered in mouse droppings. Mice had shredded the mattress and had a whole community going in the box springs. There had to be hundreds of the disgusting little creatures living in here. He quickly slammed the door shut after turning off the light. No way was he staying in this house tonight, nor would he allow his mother to stay. Dementia or no dementia, he was getting her the hell out of here.

But where could he go this late on a Sunday night with his mother in this kind of shape? If he took her to the B & B he wasn't sure the bathroom facilities would be attached to the room. Some he had stayed in didn't, not to mention he hadn't grabbed any clean clothes for his mother. That was, assuming she had anything clean. First order of business was to get his mother clean. The thought of seeing her naked made his vision blur. He couldn't go there. Too bad he hadn't kept in touch with anyone in the last five years. The only person he thought would have some sympathy for him and his plight was Becki Holbrook. She had always been his fondest memory of his childhood and the best friend he had ever had. Whenever he got homesick it was always for Becki, for the friendship they had shared. To this day Becki still knew him better than anyone ever had OR probably ever would. Hell, he didn't even know if she still lived in Somerset Falls or not, but it was worth a try. She always had such a big heart. Now all he had to do was get his mother into his car.

# CHAPTER 3

Becki sat at the roll top desk in the family room, paying bills and ordering supplies online for the beauty shop. Absorbed in her finances, she felt relief flood her at the realization that the shop was making enough to support her and Jillian, allowing her to put away a few dollars at the end of each month. Even though pride was one of the seven deadly sins, she couldn't stifle the brief ripple that consumed her. Her mother had tried to instill into her the error of her ways, mostly with the buckle end of her father's belt on her backside. The beatings were followed by hours on her knees, while her mother insisted she beg for forgiveness. What would she have ever done without Max in her life back then? Her heart lurched briefly at the thought of him, not sure if it was love, anger, hurt or grief that caused it. Yes, he'd had a multitude of his own problems back then, but that didn't excuse the way he had left without a word. Tears stung the back of her eyes as she thought back to that heartbreaking summer, a summer full of hurt and disappointment. Taking a deep breath to steady her quaking emotions, she reminded herself that the experience had made her a stronger, more assertive person. How could she have known just how much she would need her newfound strength in the years to come?

Pounding on the front door startled her out of her trip down memory lane. Fear replaced the pain and hurt. Who in the world would be pounding on her door this late at night? Cautiously she made her way to the door, trembling on weak legs as she looked through the peephole. All right, now she was really loosing it. She rubbed her eyes roughly, trying to make sense of what she was seeing. Was she dreaming this or had the mere thought of him conjured him up? Maybe she was just as crazy as her mother, after all. Peering though the peephole a second, then third time, she bravely opened the door, deciding to face whatever this turned out to be, fact or figment of her imagination. Regardless, now she let her anger take over, knowing instinctively that was the safest attitude to embrace.

"What the hell are you doing here?" she demanded.

"Hello, Becki, good to see you, too." Max smiled.

"What do you want Max?" Her body instinctively went into a defensive stance, as if steeling itself for a physical blow. Arms crossed in front of her, feet planted shoulder width apart, she waited for his explanation.

"Aren't you just a little glad to see me? I've missed you, Becki."

"Then that would account for all those cards and letters you've sent me over the years."

"Very funny, Beck. Okay, so I haven't exactly kept in touch, but, hey, I'm here now. That should count for something."

"Huh, ten at night on a Sunday when I have to be up at five tomorrow morning. Yep, pretty special."

"You've developed a wicked tongue and sarcastic sense of humor over the years, Beck. I would have never expected it."

"Who says I'm joking?" She looked at him now with her hands in tight fists, ready to knock him on his ass.

"What, you're mad at me?" Max seemed incredulous at the revelation. Hadn't it ever occurred to him that she might be just a little pissed?

"We can talk about your anger issues later. Right now I'm in deep trouble and need your help desperately. If you need me to beg, then I will." His hand rubbed through his hair roughly as he turned and looked back at his car sitting parked in her driveway.

"Are the cops looking for you or something?" She wouldn't put Jillian in jeopardy for anything in the world.

"No, nothing like that. It's my mom. I just got into town about an hour ago and she's in bad shape. She needs a woman's help getting cleaned-up, and there's no way in hell I'm letting her spend another night in that broken down hovel of a house."

"Where is she now?" She had heard about Mrs. James living conditions but never realized she was in physically bad shape.

"She's in the car. Can I go get her and bring her in?"

Hesitating at the thought of Max in her house she quickly realized she couldn't turn her back on Mrs. James. During her childhood she had always been nothing but kind to Becki, one of the few people in town to treat her that way. She couldn't turn her back on her now, not when she needed her.

"Sure. Let me see what I can do."

Max jogged quickly to the car. He helped his mother out gently. Carefully he led her up the steps and to the front door.

She gasped when she took in the sight of Mrs. James. Max certainly hadn't exaggerated the situation. She'd never realized someone could be that skinny and still stand on her own two feet. She pasted a fake smile on her face and greeted the woman kindly.

"Mrs. James, how nice to see you. Please come in and have a seat." She gently took her arm and led her to the sofa. "How are you feeling?"

"Becki? Little Becki Holbrook? My goodness, it's good to see you. What grade are you in now, dear?"

"I graduated already and I own the beauty shop now." Her heart was in a lump at her throat. The poor thing was just as disheveled mentally as she was physically.

"Really? I can't remember the last time I was in a beauty shop. Mr. James always preferred my hair short, but I just can't find the time to get it cut." She put her hand to her hair and tried to smooth it down.

"Well maybe we could take care of that for you while you're here. Good lord, where are my manners? Could I get you a nice cup of tea, Mrs. James?"

"Oh, that would be lovely, Becki. I haven't had tea in a dog's age."

"Good. I'll go get it right now. Max, could you help me in the kitchen?"

"Sure. Momma, you stay right here and Becki and I will be back in a flash."

When Becki turned to talk to Max, her eyes were filled with tears. "Oh, Max, this is terrible. We need to get her fed and groomed immediately. I have some sweats that should fit her for after her shower. Do you think she can manage to bathe herself?"

"I don't know, probably be best if someone stayed with her the first time."

She noticed he was avoiding eye contact with her, looking everywhere but at her. "By that, I take it you mean me?"

"I cannot look at my mother naked. I just can't. The thought just gives me the willies."

"If I go in with her you'll be left to do the cooking. Can you cook?"

"I make a mean grilled cheese sandwich and I'm good with canned soup. That's pretty much the extent of it," he confessed.

"Grilled cheese and soup, it is. I'll put the water on for the tea, then get her started in the shower. You can make the sandwiches and soup while I'm getting her cleaned up."

Max listened while she escorted his mother to the bathroom, talking lightly and happily all the way. He got busy with the soup and grilled cheese, opening every cupboard and drawer in search of the equipment he would need before getting started. As he stood at the stove stirring the soup, his mind wandered back to his appreciation of how much Becki had changed over the years. Her Olive Oyle physique from her teenage years had filled out very nicely. She now had soft curves and a generous bosom. He had forgotten how vivid her blue eyes were and how full and luscious her lips were. Her hair, which her mother had always forbidden her to cut, was short and sassy now, making those eyes of hers pop out at him. In a word, she was stunningly beautiful with a sassy personality to match her hair.

Timing it perfectly, Becki escorted his mother back into the kitchen just as the soup had begun to simmer.

"Wow! Mom you look fantastic!" He wasn't kidding either. Her hair was combed straight back and tangle free. Her skin now had a healthy pink glow instead of the ashen gray, pasty look she had before the shower. The sweat suit Becki had supplied was a pretty rose pink and smelled a helluva lot better than his mother's old clothes.

"Are you ready to have a little snack before you go to bed?" Max set the stack of sandwiches on the table while Becki grabbed the bowls and spoons, following him to the table.

Before Mrs. James could answer a small whimper came from the doorway. "Mommy, there's a strange man in the kitchen and he's cooking," Jillian said with a little alarm in her tone.

Immediately Becki rushed to the little girl, scooping her up in her arms.

"These people are going to be our guests for a little while. Would you like to meet them?" She kissed Jilly gently on the cheek.

Max was stunned at the love and adoration that poured from her to the little girl. It softened her facial features, if possible making her even more beautiful.

"Jillian, this is Mr. James, and the lady sitting at the table is his mother, Mrs. James. I've known them both since I was your age."

"Hi, sir, nice to meet you. Hello, Mrs. James." Turning to Becki, she whispered loudly, "Did I do that all right mommy?"

"Perfect, baby. Do you want a glass of water before you go back to bed?"

"Can't I stay up and visit for a minute, please?"

She gave a quick nod of agreement. "All right, but only for a few minutes. Heather is planning on taking you to the park early tomorrow morning and she's packing a picnic lunch. You don't want to be too tired to enjoy it, do you? How about if you have a little grilled cheese and some milk before going back to bed?"

"Okay." Jillian climbed into a chair and started munching happily on her sandwich, making yummy noises as she ate, making the sandwich dance in the air between bites.

"Do you like my cooking, Jillian?" Max asked between bites of his sandwich.

"It's very good. I like cheese samiches, they're my favorite." She nodded vigorously.

"Great. I'm glad. So how old are you, Jillian?" he asked, struggling to hide his shock at the fact that Becki was a mother. Of all the times he had pictured her in his mind, he had never imagined her married or a mother. He wondered how much longer it would take for Mr. Becki to come out of another bedroom.

"I'm four." She held up four pudgy little fingers as she proudly said it.

"Wow, already? Do you go to school?"

"I get to start kindergarten soon, Mommy says, and I get to go every day!"

"That sounds like a lot of fun. Do you think you can handle all that fun?"

"Ohhhh, yes. I'm ready. Mommy bought me some new clothes and a Dora the Explorer backpack and everything I need for school." Her mop of curly hair shook with her head like a halo, her big brown eyes wide with love and adoration aimed at her mother. She had the cutest little nose above her little rosy lips. Though she didn't favor Becki at all, she was dazzling all the same. If she were his he would be proud of her, not just because of her looks, but because she had a very sweet way about her.

"Did you like school when you knew my mommy?"

"Absolutely!" Okay, so he lied a little. Becki let out a little laugh that let him know she was on to him. Why discourage the sweet little girl? She'd find out soon enough.

By now Jillian had finished her sandwich and milk, she let out a big yawn.

"Okay, Jilly, tell Mr. James and Mrs. James goodnight, it's time to go back to bed." She picked her up from the chair and cradled her in her arms.

Jillian rested her head on Becki's shoulder as she spoke.

"Goodnight. Thanks for the samich." She finished with yet another large yawn.

"'Night, Jillian. Sweet dreams." Both Max and his mother answered at the same time.

"Your daughter is beautiful, Becki. She seems very sweet, too. All these years I've thought of you, I never pictured you with a child. You must be very proud of her." He flinched slightly, remembering how she had been punished so severely for pride as a child by her mother.

"Thank you. I've prepared the spare bedroom for your mother and set you up on the living room couch. I'll keep the hall light on, and there's a nightlight in the bathroom and your mother's room."

"Is your husband going to be all right with us staying here? I don't want to cause any trouble."

"Oh, it's no trouble. I do need to get to bed, though. Is there anything I can get you before I go?"

"No, I think we're all set. Thank you for everything, Beck, you're a real lifesaver."

"Just so you know, I'll be gone by five thirty tomorrow morning, and the babysitter, Heather, will be here for Jilly. Help yourself to anything you need. With your mother's 'condition' you should know that the house is entirely childproof. All the windows and doors have alarms on them that go off when they're opened. Just in case she has a tendency to wander, you'll know by the alarms if she leaves the house. I should be done at the diner by one o'clock, I'll be back soon after that. You can reach me there if you have any problems."

"Great. Sleep tight, Beck."

"Mrs. James, would you like to come with me, so I can show you to your room?" Becki treated his mother with such kindness and respect, even though she knew his mother had dementia. It was heartwarming to see and he thought Becki's husband was a very lucky man.

# CHAPTER 4

Becki walked into her house and found Max and his mother sitting in the living room, staring blankly into space.

"Is everything all right?"

"Oh, Beck. I didn't hear you come in. How was your day?" Max asked softly, standing instantly.

"So far, so good. How about yours? You looked like you were in a galaxy far, far away."

"Yeah, I've got a lot to take care of, and time is short. I was trying to figure out the best way to go about it when you came in. I can't exactly drag Mom around town with me on my errands, but I can't leave her alone. Even when I leave the room for just a minute she gets agitated and starts looking for me. I don't know what to do, but I refuse to take her back to that hell hole of a house."

"Let's do a little experiment. You go into the kitchen so I can see how she reacts. We'll see if we can solve this."

He did as Becki suggested, expecting to have his mother trailing behind him, nervously wringing her hands. He waited for a minute, two minutes...five minutes.

"Max, you can come back now," Becki called sweetly from the other room.

"What happened? What did she do?"

"Nothing but what she's doing right now. I think she just doesn't want to be alone. Why don't we all have lunch together and then you can take off. I'll take her into the shop with me. When Heather and Jilly come home they can take her back into the house while I work."

"Will Heather be all right with that? I mean, taking care of two people instead of one?"

"I think so. Normally she stays until six on Mondays. Maybe you could offer to pay her extra for the added responsibility of caring for your mom. She's very responsible or I wouldn't have her taking care of Jilly."

"You mean to tell me that you get up that early and work at the diner and then come home and work in the beauty shop?" The incredulous tone of his voice raised her hackles, causing her to cop an attitude.

"Yes. It's how I make my living, not that it's any of your business. Do whatever you want, I have to get going or I'll be late for my first appointment." She stormed out of the room, not wanting to give him a chance to engage her in a fight.

She was furious that Max would have the nerve to judge her like that. Who the hell did he think he was? It was bad enough the rest of the people in town had judged her to be a 'loose woman' when she came back home so soon after leaving for college, pregnant and unmarried. Her own mother had been the first to condemn her, proceeding to tell anyone who would stand still long enough what a rotten slut she was. It hurt that her own mother would turn on her, but at the time she'd had no choice but to live at home and bear the abuse. Because of her excellent saving habits she'd had put enough money aside to be able to afford beauty college, completing it before Jillian was born. Looking back on it now she still couldn't believe she had survived at all. She'd never realized that the hellish life she had led up until then could get worse, but it did. She preferred to push that time back in her mind. A chill ran through her at the memories struggling to surface. Thinking about it all over again wouldn't change anything, so she told herself a million times and brutally pushed the memories back where they belonged. Instinctively her hand went to her chest, where she ran her fingers lightly over the scars her mother had put there. Trying to kill her and her 'devil's spawn' had put her mother permanently into the state hospital for the mentally insane. A facility that, according to the doctors, hadn't been able to make any progress toward helping her back to sanity. With a shake of her head, Becki started changing clothes, deciding she was too upset to eat. Heading for the converted garage that was now her beauty shop, she didn't see Max or his mother on the way through the house. If she had any sense at all she would tell him to move to the B & B in town and be done with it. But she couldn't do that to Mrs. James, sympathizing with the elderly woman's plight, knowing how easily agitated and confused she could get. If she just minded her own business, letting them take care of themselves, she could probably tolerate them for a little while longer.

Checking her appointments, she was glad that all of them were just quick haircuts. They would keep both her mind and hands busy until six o'clock, when she would revert into Mom mode. It was her very favorite part of the day.

Max decided that both he and his mother could use a little fresh air, so he took her with him instead of leaving her with Becki. They could eat at the diner and do a little people watching while they sat on the covered patio. He was at a loss as to what to do with his mother and needed some time to think things through. The house is uninhabitable. Even if he did try to fix everything, he didn't think financially it was feasible. If he didn't fix it he had to tear it down, it was a health and safety hazard. The idea of going back there, even to board it up, gave him a shiver of repulsion. The other thing he needed to know was how much money his mother could afford to pay for a new housing situation. Ugh, that meant going back into that death trap of a house to look over her financial statements. He decided to stop at the grocery store and get an empty box and a can of antibacterial spray. He would spray everything and bring it back to Becki's to sort through.

He opted to talk to Heather about the possibility of her helping with his mother while he took care of business. Of all the things he had ever expected, finding a caretaker for his mother was never something that had never crossed his mind. It was worse than having a child, because there was no reasoning with a person with dementia. It wasn't like he could send her to her room for a time-out.

He also needed to get his mother some more clothes and nightgowns, everything for grooming and all her other little necessities.

"Come on, Mom, we need to get you some new clothes. Let's do a little shopping."

"I have plenty of clothes and I hate shopping!"

"But, Mom, all your clothes are too worn out, you need a new supply. Do you like these clothes Becki lent you? We could get some just like these," he offered helpfully.

Suddenly a look of surprise took over his mother's face, causing him to look behind him to see what she was looking at. No one was there.

"Max! When did you get here? Why didn't you come to the house to tell me you were home? Aunt Carol is probably waiting dinner for us, so we better get home. She gets so upset when I leave the house."

Max just sighed loudly, resigned to the fact that he couldn't rely on her for any help at all.

"Before we go to see Aunt Carol I need to stop at Becki Holbrook's house. You remember her, don't you? Come with me, Mom, she'll be so happy to see you again." He humored her.

"Little Becki Holbrook? I haven't seen her in years. Does she still go to high school with you?"

It was hard to get mad or frustrated when his mother looked so innocent. Wishing she were different wouldn't make it so, and her condition certainly wasn't her fault. At least she was pleasant and polite, nothing like some of the combative senior citizens he had seen since becoming a police officer. By the time he got his mother back to Becki's house and settled in it was Jillian's bedtime.

Max decided to poke his head in and say goodnight to her, thinking what a great kid she was. She was so loving and open, crawling into his lap while he sat on the couch earlier in the day talking to her. He loved the way she was so bossy and outspoken, demanding that he visit with her before he took his shower. Not asking or hesitating while she got comfortable on his lap, looking him straight in the eye while she questioned him. The memory brought a smile to his face.

"Where do you live?" she'd asked like a seasoned cop.

"California."

"Why did you leave Somerset Falls?"

"I joined the Marines."

"Why?"

"Because I wanted to travel and get an education. I was allowed to do both at the same time in the Marines."

"Mommy says you were her bestest friend until you left. Was she your bestest friend, too?"

"Yes. She's the best friend I've ever had."

"Do you have any kids?"

"No."

"Do you have a wife?"

"No."

"How come your mommy's sick?"

"I'm not exactly sure. I guess I need to take her to a doctor and find out."

"She seems really nice. She smiles at me all the time and holds my hand. Her skin is really puckery. It reminds me of raisins."

He couldn't help but laugh, trying to stifle it as best he could.

"What's so funny? Did I say something wrong?"

"No, sweetie, I just really, really like you."

"I like you, too. How come you and mommy aren't friends anymore? Did you have a fight?"

"Who told you we weren't friends anymore?"

"Mommy said you left town and never talked to her again, so I thought you were mad at her."

"Does Mommy think I'm mad at her?"

"I don't know. She just said she didn't know why you left and never talked to her again."

Ouch, that hurt. Sometimes the truth does hurt, but he certainly had never meant to hurt Becki. He'd loved Becki. Hell, he still loved Becki.

Jillian put a hand on each of his cheeks and turned his head to look at her.

"Pay attention! I still have more questions."

"Sorry. Go ahead." He bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing.

"Do you have a puppy?"

"No. I don't have any pets. I take it you want a puppy?"

"Yeah, but Mommy says it's not 'tickle."

Max thought for a minute, trying to figure out what she meant...practical.

"Well, they are a lot of work and you two seem to be pretty busy. Do you think you have the time for a puppy?"

"Did my mommy tell you to say that, 'cause that's the same thing she told me." Her little hands fisted and rested on her hips.

"Maybe your daddy could help you talk to your mom about a pet."

"I don't gots one of those."

"One of those...what?"

"Daddy, silly! Where is your daddy?"

Before he could answer, Heather came into the room and told Jillian it was time to go.

"I have to go now, Mr. James. Will you be here later so we can talk some more?"

"Yep. Jillian, you can call me Max if you want."

"Yay! You can call me Jilly, everyone else does unless they're mad at me. Then they call me Jillian."

"Jilly it is then, because I'm not mad at you."

"Okay, bye. See you later."

After she skipped out of the house he sat for a while, wondering where Jilly's father was. Wherever he was it was his loss, because both Becki and Jilly were treasures. Too bad it had taken him all this time to figure that out himself. Now whose loss was it?

********

Max stood in the doorway of Jilly's room and knocked lightly.

"Max! When did you get home?"

"Just a minute ago. I thought I'd stop in and say goodnight. Did you have fun with Heather today?"

"Yep. I played on the swings and swam in the kiddie pool and we had a picnic under a big, big tree." She stretched her arms as wide as they would go, grunting with the effort.

"Wow, sounds like you were really busy. I bet you're tired, so I'll let you go to sleep. We can talk again tomorrow."

"Okay...Max, can you give me a hug and kiss goodnight?"

"It would be my honor, Jilly." Max hugged her tightly but briefly and kissed her forehead, fixing the covers back over her when they were done.

"Night sweetie. Happy dreams." He walked out of the room as his heart squeezed with affection for the little girl. Startled by the thought that he wished she were his. Once he heard Becki say goodnight, he called out to her.

"Becki, can I talk to you for a minute?"

If she was surprised she didn't show it, although he noted she didn't show much emotion nowadays. He wondered if she had ever gotten over her extreme shyness from childhood.

"Sure. What can I do for you?"

"I decided to talk to Heather about helping out with my mother. Will she be coming here tomorrow at all?"

"Yes. On Tuesdays she starts at one o'clock."

"Oh. I was hoping it would be earlier in the day. I have a lot of things to do and my mother gets too worked-up when I take her with me."

"She works mornings on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. afternoons on Tuesday's and Thursdays. If you need help tomorrow I'll be working in the beauty shop all morning, so your mom can hang out with Jilly. I have a special section in the shop with a television and such that're just for Jilly. Your mother would be safe and comfortable there until Heather gets here. Heather will take over from there, if you like."

"I hate to burden you like that. I realize she's my responsibility, but if you could help out until we get organized that would be great. I'd really appreciate it."

"No problem. Jilly loves your mother, and she seems to feel the same about her. Somehow they communicate well together. Just bring your mom into the shop when you're ready to leave." She got up from her seat and started out of the room.

"Wait. There's one more thing I need to talk to you about."

"Oh." She sat back down on the edge of the chair, giving him her full attention and waiting for him to begin talking.

"Jilly and I had quite a conversation this morning. She's smart as a whip and cute as hell."

"Did she say something inappropriate? She has a tendency to just blurt out whatever's on her mind."

"No, no, nothing like that. It's just that she told me that you said we used to be friends."

She sat with her hands folded in her lap, waiting a few seconds before speaking.

"I don't understand what you're trying to say."

"I just guess I thought that we were still friends. I didn't realize that you thought we weren't friends anymore."

"I don't understand why you would think we were. You've been gone for five years without a word. You never even bothered to say goodbye to me, even though we had made plans together. I waited for you in the park for the rest of that summer, but you never came and never wrote. I wouldn't call that being a friend, so in that regard I guess you're right. I should have told her we were never friends, because friends don't do that to each other. But that's a little above her comprehension level, so I kept it simple. If you want I'll set her straight in the morning. Is there anything else?"

"Beck, I need to explain..."

"Don't! To be perfectly honest with you, I won't believe you anyway. It's in the past and a waste of time. Nothing will change and I have some things to do."

She didn't wait for an answer as she got up and went into the kitchen. Standing in the middle of the small galley kitchen, she clutched the counter top for support. Her knees were shaking, barely holding her up, and she was dizzy. She took a few deep breaths to calm herself. She couldn't believe that she had spoken so honestly to him, telling him exactly how she felt. She never did that with anyone else. Usually she kept her feelings to herself and just endured, a skill she had mastered when dealing with her mother. Giving herself a mental shake, she needed to get back to business. Monday night was clean the kitchen and do the laundry night, and she needed desperately to keep on schedule. If she stayed on schedule she would have all day Sunday to spend with Jilly. That was her reward for a week of hard work, spending time with Jilly. When she looked up she was shocked to see Max staring at her with a grim expression on his face. His hair stood straight up, making it obvious he'd been running his hands through it. She closed her eyes, steeling herself for the next emotional blow.

"You're right, Beck, there's no excuse for the way I acted or the way I treated you. I was a coward and I'm so sorry I hurt you. I was totally selfish and there's no way to justify that. You don't have to tell Jilly anything, unless you want to. I really wish things were different, but I guess I understand."

"Let's face it, Max, if this situation hadn't come up with your mother I wouldn't have ever heard from you again. I used to be a dreamer, but now I'm a realist. It is what it is, simple as that, and when this is all over you'll be leaving again. I don't see the point in starting a friendship that's just going to end the same way the last one did. Let's just work together to get this situation taken care of so we can both get on with our lives."

"Sure. Whatever you say, Beck. Thanks for the help." Max felt completely defeated. That hadn't gone at all the way he had hoped it would, although, honestly, he didn't know what he'd expected. Certainly not rejection. An argument, maybe. Tears? Yeah, he expected the sweet shy young girl he had known so long ago. Instead, he had gotten the cold shoulder and a harsh dose of reality. She certainly wasn't shy anymore. What had she been through to make her so hard? Right then and there he decided he was going to find out and, more importantly, win back her friendship and respect. He didn't know how, but he would do it if it was the last thing he did.

Hell, who was he kidding, he wanted more than friendship. He wanted her heart, mind and that incredible body of hers. What a fool he'd been to leave her in the first place, knowing he was in love with her and she with him. He'd thrown it all away, and now was determined to win it back. For the past five years she had always been the woman of his dreams. Even when he'd managed to maintain a relationship with another woman for a month or two, he'd still craved Becki. Even though they had never been intimate before he left, he had known it was just a matter of time. They had done some

very heavy petting sessions, waiting for the day when she felt ready to 'go all the way'. But instead of waiting, he had taken off like a thief in the night.

# CHAPTER 5

For the next week things began to relax more and more as everyone started to settle into a routine. Heather was thrilled with the extra money she was earning while watching Mrs. James. Dinner was always at six thirty. Sharp. Whoever could make it was on time, anyone else was on his own. Becki found herself being sucked slowly into Max's charming ways. She knew for sure Jilly was totally enraptured with him, and that worried her. She would have to talk to him about that, she needed to protect her daughter at all costs.

No one knew better than she did how sweet and caring he could be. She caught herself daydreaming more and more about him. Stupid? Yes. He would be leaving town as soon as he could and she was sure the next time she would see him would be at his mother's funeral. She had never allowed herself to admit how much she had missed him or how lonely she'd been.

She was fully aware of her tainted reputation around town, and that meant she had no hope of ever dating, let alone marrying, but she couldn't risk Jilly's well being by telling the truth about her conception. What would that do to her self-esteem to know that she was conceived as a result of a rape? How would Jilly ever understand that even though her father was a monster and she was conceived as a result of violence and anger, she was loved and wanted? Although her attacker had taken her virginity, along with her dignity, he had unwittingly given her the greatest gift she could ever have hoped for, her baby. The sacrifice of living her life as a single, outcast mother was worth her daughter's happiness and she accepted that, but Max had set her world upside down by showing up on her doorstep. Now, more than ever, she realized how lonely she was. When feelings of love for Max kept trying to resurface, she found herself struggling more and more to push them aside.

Could he see her heart pounding in her chest every time he was close to her? Had he noticed that she was smiling more, or that their conversations were becoming more relaxed and open? Did he suspect her feelings were changing toward him and, if he did, how did he feel about it? Was he even aware that they had started functioning like a real family? Luckily she was roused from her thoughts while her last appointment of the day walked through the door. She wasn't feeling very well today, sure she was fighting off the virus that was running through town. Thank goodness tomorrow was Sunday and she could rest. For a change she prayed for rain so she and Jilly could just nest and snuggle the day away.

Max had come to some hard decisions in the last couple of weeks, based on the information he had been able to gather. First was the fact that there was no medication that would make his mother whole again. They had started her on some medications to help with her anxiety and memory, but nothing was going to 'cure' her. She would never again be able to live on her own, not that she could ever go back to her old house.

After having the house gone over thoroughly by a structural engineer it was determined that the best course of action would be to demolish the house. Furthermore, his mother didn't have the money to rebuild, even if she wanted to. Because she was physically fit, she didn't qualify for a nursing home, and assisted living was way beyond her budget and his combined. Moving his mother clear across the country and into a new environment without any support system was ill advised by her doctor. If she were to panic and get out of the house while he was at work it would be disastrous in a city like Los Angeles. People here in Somerset Falls knew her and of her situation, and wouldn't let anything bad happen to her if they found her wandering down the street alone.

Bottom line was that Max would have to move back to Somerset Falls and take care of his mother. His goal now was to find a decent paying job, hopefully in law enforcement, here in town or one of the closer little towns. He would have to fly back home and take care of packing his things and having them shipped here, but first he needed a house to put them in. He had no idea what the housing market was like here in town and, until he got a job, what he could afford.

First thing Monday morning he would start looking for a job. He decided to go to Sheriff Wilkins and ask for his input about the likelihood of securing a law enforcement position. What was most shocking to him was that he didn't mind having to move back to Michigan. He no longer felt the dread and anger over his past, feeling as if the slate would be wiped clean once the house was gone. Then there were his feelings for Becki and Jilly, wonderful, warm, loving feelings towards both of them. He was thrilled that Beck had seemed to loosen up more and more every day. Not that he thought he'd been forgiven, but at least she seemed happier and more open. She didn't freeze-up when he walked into a room anymore, and she was much more talkative, even smiling more often. Jilly, on the other hand, had become warm and affectionate, hugging and kissing him whenever the mood struck. He'd come to love the little girl as if she were his own. Even her dark side, which didn't show itself often, was lovable. She could be stubborn and have an occasional hissy fit, but she always seemed remorseful afterward and apologized. Batting those big brown eyes of hers at him turned him into mush. Oh yeah, she had him wrapped and she knew it. Both Beck and Jilly treated his mother with respect and love. His mother responded to their love, giving it back freely to both of them. Heather was a godsend. One thing they had stumbled on by accident that first Saturday Becki had taken his mother to the shop with her was that his mother loved Disney movies. Now that she knew the words to the songs, she sang along with Jilly to the music, sometimes even dancing around with the child.

Max walked up the sidewalk of Becki's house feeling much better about the decisions he had made. He was whistling contentedly and wondering what was for dinner tonight. Becki was a great cook and he noticed he enjoyed it too much by the slight tightness of his clothes. He would need to start getting back into his exercise routine if he didn't want to have to buy himself a new wardrobe. He walked through the door and immediately sensed that something was wrong.

"Beck, Jilly, where is everyone?"

"Max!"

He heard Jilly yell from the salon and took off at a run. At first his eyes couldn't believe what they were seeing. His heart clinched tightly in his chest and his adrenaline started pumping wildly. Becki lay sprawled out on the salon floor, eyes closed and pale as a sheet. Jilly was kneeling next to her, crying hysterically, while his mother danced to a Disney video, totally oblivious to the whole thing.

"What happened, sweetheart?" He rushed to her, holding her with one arm while he checked for a pulse on Becki's neck with the other hand

"Sheee... was.. cccleaning... the flooooor... when she just fell down," she wailed through her tears.

Max looked at Becki and felt her forehead. Jeez, she was burning up. He needed to cool her down, fast.

"Jilly, I'm going to take Mommy into the house and give her a cool bath to bring down her temperature. Could you be a brave girl and go back to my mother and watch the movie? I'll come and get you in a little while. Don't worry, your mommy will be fine. I'll take really good care of her, okay?"

Jilly nodded as relief swept over her face. Max picked Becki up off the floor and rushed her to the bathroom. He laid her gently into the bathtub and began stripping off her clothes quickly before starting the bathwater. Blind with fear, he tried not to look too closely at her beautiful naked body, stunned when he saw scars on her chest between her breasts. What the hell happened to her? Who did this? When he lifted her gently, she started to moan as the cool water rushed around her body. He grabbed a washcloth and began to quickly but gently wipe down her fevered body. He started at her head and worked his way down her body. It seemed to be working, and she began to flutter her eyes open.

"Max, what happened?"

"You're running a really high temperature, baby. I brought you into the bathroom and put you in a cool bath to bring it down. Don't move, I'm going to get you some aspirin and some water. I'll be right back."

She closed her eyes and nodded her head slightly. In less than a minute he was back and shaking her awake so she could swallow the pills.

"Tell me what your symptoms are."

"Umm, heavy chest, high fever, earache, sore throat and body aches. It must be the virus going around town. I was bound to get it eventually, working with the public like I do. Where are Jilly and your mother?" she asked, not opening her eyes as she spoke.

"They're in the shop watching a video. They're fine, don't worry. I've got it covered. I'm more worried about you." He swallowed down his anger. How many times had he told Becki that she was going to work herself to death if she didn't slow down? She was so stubborn! Then, almost as soon as it had appeared, his anger was gone. He loved how stubborn and resilient she was.

"I think you need to stay in the tub until the aspirin kicks in to bring down that temperature. Maybe I should take you to the emergency room and get you checked out."

"No. I'll be fine. All of the people I know who've had this said it was better within forty eight hours. If I'm not better by Monday I'll go to the doctor, I promise."

Already she was looking better. She had color in her cheeks, was more alert, and able to converse. He decided not to press the issue for now.

"Okay, we'll wait and see what happens. Once I get you settled into bed I'll bring Jilly in to see you. She's very worried about you and, as much as I hate to expose her to this virus, I think she needs to see you awake and talking."

"But I have to make dinner. I'll be fine once the fever goes down."

"No, you'll be fine once you get some rest and fluids. I'll make sure everyone gets fed, including you. When was the last time you ate or drank anything?"

"I just had some water."

"Very funny. Before that, when was the last time?"

"I honestly don't remember. My stomach was upset at lunchtime, so I didn't eat then. I was running late this morning so I skipped breakfast..."

"All right. I'm going to make you some soup with crackers and give you some popsicles to get you hydrated. Did I see some of those electrolyte replacement popsicles in the freezer?"

"Yes, but they're for Jilly when she's sick."

"Now they're for you. In fact, I'll get you one right now to suck on while you're in the tub."

"Max. Thanks for taking such good care of all of us, especially me. I really appreciate it."

"No problem, baby. It's a no brainer when you love the people. Be right back."

Before grabbing the popsicle he poked his head into the salon to check on Jilly and his mother. They were both absorbed in their movie, not even aware he had popped in. He quickly grabbed the popsicle from the freezer and took it back to Becki. When she was too weak to hold on to it he helped her.

"Here, baby, take a big bite. I'll hold it for you."

"Mmm. My favorite. Grape."

"I remembered. Ready for another bite?"

She nodded, opening her mouth like a little bird in a nest waiting to be fed. A few more reps with the popsicle and she was finished.

"Good job, you finished it. You're starting to shrivel-up, are you ready to get out of the water now?"

"Yes. Max, could I just take a nap before I eat the soup? I'm so tired."

"Sure, baby. Let me get you out of there. Do you think you can stand up if I help you, or do you want me to carry you?"

"Just help me up, I'll be fine."

Max held onto her as she stepped from the tub. She stood there while he dried her off, suddenly gasping.

"What?"

"How did I get naked?" She raised her arms to cover herself. Interestingly enough, she covered her scars instead of her breasts.

"Too late, I already saw the scars. We'll talk about them later, when you're feeling better. And just so you know, you're still as beautiful as ever." She blushed profusely while he wrapped her into a dry towel and steered her to her bedroom. Settling her into her bed, he covered her quickly.

"Nightgowns are in the top drawer of my dresser."

"No nightgowns or clothes until your temperature is under control. Don't worry, you're covered. Can I go get Jilly now?"

"Funny, I don't remember you being so bossy. When did that come about?"

"Hey, I'm a cop and that's what we do. Besides, when I find the woman I love in a heap on the floor I get a little testy, so sue me."

"You're a cop? Wow, I would never have seen that one coming. Furthermore, you don't love me, so don't try and make me feel guilty about this whole thing."

"Don't tell me how I feel, woman. And I'm not trying to make you feel guilty. We can talk about all this later when we go over the whole scar issue. I'll be right back with your daughter."

What felt like seconds later Becki heard Jilly giggling hysterically down the hall. Carrying Jilly on his back Max bent low to get them both through the door. He deposited her onto the bed gently.

"Mommy! Are you feeling better now? Max said you were still sick but I could see you before you went to sleep."

"Yes, sweetheart, I'm feeling better. I'm sorry if I scared you, honey. I'll try to never do that again."

"Once Max came I knowed you'd be better 'cause that's what he promised."

"Good girl. Max is going to feed you dinner tonight so mommy can rest."

"Yeah, he told me we could order a pizza! I love pizza."

"I know you do. What else is on your schedule tonight?"

"I get to pick out one of my really big books and Max said he'd read to me until bedtime."

"Wow, you're a lucky girl. You two better get going if you plan on getting a whole book in tonight."

"Okay. 'Nite Mommy."

"Goodnight. Sweet dreams."

Max got up with Jilly, asking her to get the phone book for him while he said goodnight to Becki. He kissed her forehead and leaned back with a satisfied look on his face.

"Your temperature has come down, but you're still a little warm. Rest for now and I'll put some water by your bed in case you get thirsty."

"Thanks, Max." She closed her eyes and was asleep before the door closed.

# CHAPTER 6

Max cherished the time spent reading to both Jilly and his mother. They both nearly jumped out of their seats when he bellowed loudly just like Beast, then changed his voice to a girly high for Belle's voice. Jilly's beautiful brown eyes went wide with excitement, never leaving Max's face, while he read the story with as much drama as he could muster. After finishing the book, all three of them danced together in the middle of the living room to the music from Beauty and the Beast. Little girls were so much fun! By eight thirty he had them both tucked into bed and sound asleep while he checked on Becki.

He glanced into her room, shocked to see her struggling with what he assumed to be an imaginary attacker, slapping wildly in the air with her arms while her legs kicked viscously at the covers. She was grunting and yelling, breathless from the effort.

"No! Stop that...Don't! Mother what did I do wrong? Why would you hurt me like this?" That was all he had to hear before springing to the bed and jostling her roughly awake.

"Becki, wake up, baby. You're having a bad dream. Open your eyes for me." He tapped her lightly on the cheek with his fingertips as he spoke soothingly to her.

Perspiration dotted her furrowed brow as she fluttered her eyes open. Terror leaped from her eyes for a few moments until she grasped her surroundings. Max then held her to his chest while he felt her struggle to get her breathing under control.

"I'm sorry, Max. Did I wake you?"

"No, umm, I just poked my head in and found you in a full blown nightmare. Are you all right?"

"Fine. Yes. Fine."

He waited for more of an explanation that clearly wasn't coming. He decided to ask, feeling a little shaken by the violence of her dream.

"What was your dream about? Can you tell me?"

"Oh, you know, the usual stuff. Someone attacking me and I'm fighting back." She tried to sound casual but her trembling body gave her away.

"Why did you mention your mother?"

Becki considered not telling him about how her mother had attacked her, but since it was common knowledge around town she didn't see the need to keep it a secret.

"Since you saw the scars on my chest I may as well tell you. My mother tried to kill me and Jillian while I was pregnant with her. I was just starting to show, about four months along, sitting at the kitchen table eating dinner. I had just finished and started to clean-up when out of the blue my mother grabbed a knife and started stabbing at me. She never uttered a word, she just stabbed and stabbed. At first I was stunned. Once I realized what was happening I fought back with all my might. She screamed at me and told me I was a slut and carrying the devil's spawn. It was terrible. Her face was contorted in an evil, vile grin of determination I had never seen before. Clearly, she was in some kind of insane frenzy. I grabbed a knife from the block on the counter and held her off while I called the police. Heather's parents next door heard the screaming and came running over to help me. Without their first aid I don't think either Jilly or I would be alive today." Tears stung her eyes as she finished her story, her body trembling out of control now as her teeth chattered wildly. Images of the attack played in her mind like a slide show.

"That's awful. I'm so sorry you had to go through that. I should have been here for you. I'm so sorry, Becki." Max held her to his chest, rubbing her back and kissing the top of her head. Guilt consumed him, making his stomach clinch. How the hell could he have abandoned her like that? If he had only taken her with him when he ran away from his own nightmare. He had no excuse. He'd known her mother was unstable and sometimes violent, but he'd never thought she would try and kill her daughter. After all the violence he and his mother had suffered at the hands of his drunken, abusive father he should have known better. He just happened to get out before his father had gotten around to killing him.

"Where is your mother now?"

"There was no way she could stand trial, that much was clear, so the judge committed her to the state mental institution for the rest of her life. I get an update once a year and it's always the same. Delusional. Incoherent babbling. Unaware of her surroundings. Not responding to medications.

She'll never get out and refuses to see me. I haven't seen her since her commitment hearing. She's never laid eyes on Jilly and I want it to stay that way." She shuddered as a chill ran down her spine at the thought of seeing her mother again.

"I never imagined your mother could become violent. I mean, sure she was a little out there, mentally, but not really very physically aggressive. Of course that's in comparison to my father, who put all of us in the hospital at one time or another. You must have been absolutely terrified."

"Funny thing is, just when I think I've put it behind me I start back up with the nightmares. It's frustrating as hell." She swiped away the tears pouring from her eyes, sniffling loudly until he handed her a tissue.

Becki stayed in his arms, knowing she should pull away and pretend to be brave. Problem was, she didn't want to leave the comfort of his strong arms wrapped tightly around her. He still made her feel safe, just like when they were kids. She struggled to bring to mind her anger with him for abandoning her, but she just couldn't muster it. Maybe that was her sign that she had to let it go. How could she expect him to stay in that situation when he could get out and stay out? It was selfish of her to have expected him to wait a whole year for her to graduate before both of them could leave for college.

Her hand reached out and rubbed his powerfully muscled bicep, savoring the feeling of his strength around her. Wanting more, she knew she needed to stop. Max had his own life now and his return to her was only temporary. Fear of letting her feelings take over snapped her back to reality. She abruptly jerked her hand away, pulling out of his arms as if just realizing what she had been doing. Trying to mask her feelings she asked quickly, "Max, could I have something to drink? I'm dying of thirst."

"Sure. Sorry, I should have thought of that. How are you feeling now? Would you like some soup and crackers yet?"

"No, nothing to eat right now. Just some water."

"Coming right up, sweetheart." He kissed her on the forehead before covering her back up and going to get the water. She found herself wishing she still had a raging fever to blame her lapse of judgment on. Things were getting complicated when they shouldn't be, and she was the one doing all the complicating. She made up her mind to ask how soon he would be leaving, knowing that would straighten her out pronto. Having a definite date would give her something to focus on besides herself and her foolish feelings for Max. Problem solved.

Sunday found Becki feeling better but still weak as a newborn kitten. Without Max she didn't know how she would have coped. He kept both his mother and Jilly amused while taking excellent care of her as well. She had never seen Jilly take to someone the way she had to Max. It was like they were soul mates sharing one mind. It amazed her that he wasn't embarrassed to be silly or girly with her daughter. He let her do his hair. Barrettes of all different colors, sizes and shapes adorned haphazard clumps of his hair, which stuck straight up and away from his scalp. When Jilly held up the mirror for him to see, he showed proper appreciation of her work. Ohhhing and awwwing at her masterpiece, gently patting at the style reverently. Becki laughed hysterically into a throw pillow so Jilly wouldn't be offended. When Jilly announced that it was time to do his make-up, she lost her struggle for composure, letting out a little whoop of excitement.

Miserably Max echoed, "Make-up?" He gulped visibly, smiled broadly and settled his head on the back of the couch. "Bring it on baby. I'm ready."

Jilly's astonished look vanished quickly as she took off at a full run for her make-up case. It was mostly comprised of Becki's cast-offs and leftover make-up. While she was gone from the room, she quietly reached into the camera bag next to her chair and withdrew the camera. She needed to capture this whole makeover on film. If Max misbehaved she could always threaten to blow up the pictures and hang them up in her salon for everyone to see. But somehow she sensed that he wouldn't mind one bit. He was man enough to take any jokes or jibes people slung at him. It was hard to picture him as a cop when he was being so sweet and giving. Maybe he had been joking about that all along.

"Are you sure you're a tough guy cop, or were you just pulling my leg?"

Max didn't speak as he pulled his badge out of his pocket and flashed it at her.

"Check it out, baby, it's real."

And she did just that, grabbing the badge and running her finger over it to make sure it wasn't plastic like the kind sold at the dollar store in town. She tapped it lightly with her finger nail, realizing it was real metal.

"You sure you don't want to bite it to make sure it's real?" He teased.

"I guess it's real. Do you like living in a big city like Los Angeles?"

"Not really, but they had an opening when I got out of the service so it was convenient. Since I already had the training to qualify for the job it was kind of a no-brainer. I love being a cop, though. It's challenging and exciting. It makes me feel good when I can catch the bad guys and put them away. What about you, Becki, do you like what you do for a living?"

"I enjoy doing hair. It pays the bills and gives me a sense of accomplishment when I see the finished look I've created. I like to think I'm able to lift a Woman's spirits by giving her a new look when she's feeling down. Working at the diner is just plain hard work. I only do that for the health insurance and because I like Greta so much. Without that job I couldn't afford insurance for both of us."

"Wow, I never realized health insurance was so expensive. I guess I take mine for granted as just a benefit of the job."

"Hold still or you'll make me mess-up!" Jilly demanded.

"Sorry, ma'am." Max acted appropriately sorry, turning his face back to her ministrations.

Becki clicked pictures shamelessly while Jilly smiled with pride at her finished 'model'. He complimented Jilly on her color selections and how flawlessly she had applied it all. Now his face matched the rainbow of colors in his hair. He kept the look until Jilly went down for her nap. Only then did he take out the barrettes and shower once he was sure she was soundly asleep. He came out of the shower without a shirt on, vigorously drying his hair with a towel as his sweat pants hung low on his narrow hips. His broad masculine chest made Becki's heart lurch, taking her breath away as his heady, musky scent reached her nose. She loved the smell of him. Always had. It rattled her to her very core. He was magnificent, and it shocked her that she was still so attracted to him. No man had ever turned her on like Max, and she suspected no one else ever would. Yep, she was definitely feeling better.

"Well you look refreshed after your shower. Did you have any trouble getting the make-up off?"

"Only the lipstick. My lips are still a little red. Please tell me that will go away before tomorrow morning."

"It should. You're lucky she didn't use one of the twenty four hour lipsticks on you." She chuckled.

"Seriously? They make such a thing?" He stopped rubbing at his hair, looking suspiciously at her.

"Oh yeah."

"Now you tell me! I have an important meeting tomorrow morning. Wouldn't I just look great with lipstick on for that."

"I guess it depends on who you're meeting with. Some men just might enjoy seeing you with your sensual pouty lips glistening in the sunlight."

"Sorry, I don't roll that way. So you think my lips are sensuous?" He wiggled his eyebrows wildly while kissing at the air.

Breaking out into full blown laughter at his antics, she realized again just how much she'd missed him. Too bad his being here was only temporary. Already she was afraid of the loneliness she and Jilly would feel when he was gone.

"Max, I need to ask you for a huge favor." She hesitated, trying to phrase it so it wouldn't sound like an accusation instead of a request.

"Anything you want, baby, just name it."

"Before you leave to go back home promise me you'll say goodbye to Jilly first. Please don't hurt her by just leaving. She's just a little girl, and I can't stand the thought of her getting hurt. Even if you can't do it in person, just write a little note that I can read to her, but don't just leave without a word."

"I'm so sorry I did that to you, Becki. You'll never know how bad I feel about the way I left you like that."

"This isn't about me, Max, it's about Jilly. Like they say 'been there done that', but Jilly doesn't understand. And it's not a lesson I want her to learn at only four years of age. Lord knows there's enough time for that when she's in high school..."

"I promise. Do you have a bible I can swear on?" He raised his hand as if being sworn in for a court proceeding.

"No, I shipped them all to my mother at the nut house."

"Then you'll just have to take my word for it."

"This time I'm going to hold you to it, no excuses." It was a promise she fully intended to keep. If she had to she would hunt him down and torture him until he begged for mercy. No one messed with her kid...ever.

# CHAPTER 7

Thanks to Max's excellent care Becki was back to work at the diner early Monday morning. She had to admit she was grateful they were slow this morning. She still didn't feel one hundred percent. Luckily Max had cancelled all her hair appointments for today, explaining to her customers that she was getting over the flu and didn't want to take any chances infecting them.

When she heard the bell on the door ring she was surprised to see Max and Sheriff Wilkins come in together and take a seat in her section. She pulled her order pad out of the pocket of her apron as she walked to their table.

"Hi, sheriff, how are you this morning?"

"Great, Becki, how about you? I understand you had a go round with that virus going around town. Are you feeling better now?"

"Much better, thanks to Max here. Without him to help me I don't think I'd be standing upright today. What can I get you two?" She immediately had noticed that Max was well-dressed in a black suit, complete with tie and shined shoes. She gave him a curious look but knew better than to say anything about it. When they finished rattling off their orders she walked briskly away with a nod.

"I swear to God the men in this town are just plain blind and stupid to let a pretty little filly like Becki go unnoticed. That poor girl's been through more in the last five years than most people go through in a lifetime. But somehow she's able to keep a smile on her face and hold her head up. If I weren't married and old enough to be her father I'd go after her myself."

Max suppressed the surge of jealousy coursing through his body, knowing he had no right to it.

"Yeah, we went to school together. She told me about what her mother did to her. It must have been awful for her to go through."

"If that were the only thing it would be more than enough, but that incident is just the tip of the iceberg. I won't go into detail because it's her story to tell, not mine. The way the folks look down on her because she's an unwed mother is shameful. That girl's one of the best and kindest people I know. Salt of the earth in my book, and I respect the hell out of the way she works so hard to support herself and that little pixie of hers. You know Jillian?"

Images of the hair and make-up she had done for him yesterday flashed through his mind. He suppressed the urge to laugh and relay the story to the Sheriff, after all this was supposed to be a job interview.

"Yes, sir, I've met her. She's a sweet little angel and smart as a whip, too."

"So, since I came here after you left town, tell me a little about Mr. Maxwell James."

Soon the interview was in full swing, only stopping when one of them took a bite of food or if someone came up to the table to talk to the sheriff. Based on all the interruptions they'd had there was no doubt in his mind that the sheriff certainly needed more help. It did help him understand the dynamics of the town, and he made a mental list of areas he felt he could help with if he got the job. He definitely got the impression that Sheriff Wilkins liked him, nodding in agreement as Max explained his ideas to him.

By the end of breakfast Sheriff Wilkins was offering Max the job right there on the spot.

"How soon could you start?"

"Well, as I explained, I need to get my things moved here from Los Angeles and make sure my mother is safely taken care of. Would two weeks be acceptable?"

"Works great for me. I'll tell you right now that once you're settled in on the job I'm taking a vacation. I haven't had one since I took this job four years ago and I'm itching to get to it."

They shook hands after Sheriff Wilkins signed the check and left the tip. Max promised to go into the office the next day and do all the necessary paperwork to officially take the job.

Relief swept through him. He hadn't realized how much he wanted the job until now. Was it because he could stay in town and take care of his mother, or was it an affirmation from above that his decision to win Becki's heart was coming closer to fruition? He was grateful that he didn't have to leave town, after all, glad to be back home and in charge of his own life again.

Deciding to run some errands while he was downtown, he headed straight for the real estate office to see what was available for him and his mother to rent. Next was the travel agency to book his flight back to Los Angeles. By the time Max got back to Becki's house she was already lying down to take a nap. He peeked into her room and watched her facial expressions, making sure no nightmares were lurking in her dreams. He was excited to tell her the good news about his new job. Whistling a happy tune, he headed to his room and started to pack for his trip back to California. The last one he'd probably ever have to take.

Becki woke-up slowly, smiling to herself when she heard Max humming and whistling while he moved around the house. She had to admit she liked having him there, and his mother was just the sweetest lady ever. Her level of dementia made her the perfect playmate for Jilly, and she wasn't sure who enjoyed whom more. No matter what she asked Mrs. James to do, she did it happily, smiling almost all day. So different from when Max's father had been alive. Then she'd been scared, timid and unsure of her every action and movement. Now she seemed happy all the time.

Jilly decided to get out of bed, heading straight for the bathroom where she froze in the doorway, not wanting to believe what her eyes were seeing. Maybe she was still asleep. That must be it, because she was afraid another nightmare was just beginning. She took in a sharp, deep breath just as Max came up behind her.

"Hey, you're up! How was your nap?" He seemed so cheerful. Probably happy to be heading back to California and away from her and Jilly. Tears threatened the back of her eyes while her heart sank to her feet. This was it then. The end. Again.

"Umm, good. What's going on here?" Trying to make her questions sound casual, her voice gave her away by cracking in mid-sentence.

"Ahh, good news! I've been waiting for you to wake up so I could tell you everything that happened today. Come have a seat on the bed while I fill you in."

Walking to the bed was like walking to the execution room of a prison. Slowly she took a seat, trying to brace herself for the bad news.

"Cheer-up, Becki, geez, you look like you just lost your best friend."

Exactly what she was thinking.

"Well, you remember that I had breakfast with Sheriff Wilkins this morning, right?"

She nodded stiffly.

"It was actually more than just breakfast but I didn't say anything because I didn't want to get anyone's hopes up just in case it didn't pan out. But the good news is I got the police job! Sheriff Wilkins offered it to me right there on the spot and I start in two weeks! Can you believe it?"

Becki tried to blink back the tears that had flooded her eyes, stunned when the news wasn't at all what she'd expected.

"Are you telling me you got a job here in Somerset Falls with the police department? You're staying?"

She stared at him intently, waiting for his confirmation before she allowed her heart to take flight.

"Damn right I did. You're talking to the newest police officer on the Somerset Falls PD. Isn't that great?"

Now she was nearly sobbing with joy, trying to spit out an explanation for the tears.

"I thh...ought yyyou were ttelling mme you were leaving town for gggood."

Instantly Max had her in his arms, kissing her face, her eyes, her luscious lips. He lingered at her lips, softly but thoroughly kissing her until they were both nearly breathless.

"After those kisses we just shared, you just try to get rid of me and see how far you get. Face it lady, you're stuck with me. I'm going to be just like gum stuck to the bottom of your shoe. No matter how hard you scrape you can never completely get rid of it. Don't you know you're my best and only girl?"

"No. But I admit I wanted to be."

"Consider this your notice. You. Are. Mine."

"Can I ask a question? If you're staying then why are you packing?"

"Ah ha, part two of my news. I've booked a flight back to L.A. to pack my things, turn in my badge, and settle things out there. The apartment I rented came furnished, so I really don't have a lot to pack. I was thinking of renting one of those portable storage thing-a-ma-jigs and just shipping everything here to your house. Would that be all right with you?"

"Fine. Can I just say how happy I am that you're staying? What about your mother?"

"Would you mind if she stayed here while I'm gone? I was hoping we could keep her schedule the same so she wouldn't get so upset and..."

She pressed her fingertips to his lips. "Hush. It's fine with me if she stays. I agree. She needs to stay where she's comfortable."

"Thanks, Beck, you're the best. Better than I deserve, I'm sure."

"I think you better be careful what you wish for, you might just get it." She laughed while she leaned in to kiss him senseless. In fact, neither one of them heard Jilly, Heather and Mrs. James come back into the house until giggling made Becki break their kiss. They were all standing, wide-eyed with their mouths gaping open, in the doorway of the bedroom. Both Becki and Max burst out laughing at the dumfounded look on their faces.

"I think we're busted." He surmised while all three heads bobbled an affirmative, still unable to speak. Finally Jilly leapt onto Max's lap, all smiles and happy.

"I want a kiss, too, Max." He complied immediately, kissing her lightly on the lips.

"That wasn't the same as the way you were kissing Mommy, but that's okay. It looked kind of sloppy and juicy. Are you going somewhere, Max?"

"Just for a little while, sweetie. I have some great news for you. I've decided I can't live without you and your mommy, so I'm moving back to Somerset Falls. Do you think you'll like that?"

"Yay! Now I can have a daddy, too!"

The color immediately drained out of his face. Now this was going to be sticky. He decided to just blurt it out, kids didn't understand subtly.

"No, not that I don't want to be maybe some day, but for right now we'll all just keep things exactly the way they are. Which I think is pretty darn good, don't you?"

"Yes, I guess so. It's just that all my friends have daddies and I wanted one, too."

"I bet if you thought about it you could come up with a ton of things that you have and your friends don't. Do all of them have their very own bedroom?"

"Nope. I'm the only one."

"See. Told ya. Not everyone has everything Jilly, so we just have to be grateful for what we have and not worry about other people."

"Okay. Heather, can I have my snack now? I'm starving to death!" She clutched her stomach with both arms, bending over as if ready to collapse from hunger.

Everyone laughed at the drama. Heather took her hand and led her to the kitchen, with Mrs. James following closely behind.

"Whew. That was a real nail biter." He wiped imaginary sweat from his brow.

"They seem to come up with embarrassing things when you least expect them, but you handled it beautifully. I'm hungry, too, so I'll let you get back to packing."

She was almost all the way out the door when he grabbed her hand and pulled her back to him, kissing her sweetly. When he broke the kiss he nudged her toward the door and gave her a little pat on the behind. Her heart was so light she swore she could fly to the kitchen instead of walking.

# CHAPTER 8

After a full week of begging by Jilly, Becki finally decided to let her call Max to say goodnight. She'd never appreciated how much they would both miss him. Poor Jilly sat waiting anxiously for him to call every night, only to be disappointed. Since she was still with customers she asked Heather to place the call for her. A few minutes later Heather came back into the shop with a perplexed look on her face.

"What's wrong, Heather?"

"Umm, I called Max's phone and some woman answered, saying she was his wife and could she take a message. I apologized because I thought I had dialed a wrong number, but according to the caller I.D. I dialed correctly. Could you give it a try?"

"Sure. Hand me the phone."

Heather handed her the cell phone and waited anxiously, twisting her fingers together nervously. Becki waited, and on the third ring a woman answered.

"I'm sorry to bother you, but I'm looking for Max James, but I think we keep getting you instead. Could you tell me the number I dialed?"

"Oh, you have the right number, this is Max's phone. I'm his wife. Can I take a message for him?"

Though she sounded sincere, Becki was suspicious. Max would have never left out an important detail like being married. Thinking quickly, she decided to leave a message.

"Yes. Could you please ask him to call Jilly when he gets a chance. She'd like to say goodnight to him." That should get the wench's attention. "Do you know how long he'll be?"

"Umm...probably not much longer. Can I take your number for him?"

Nice try, bimbo.

"He knows the number. Thank you." She disconnected quickly and handed the phone back to Heather.

"You dialed right and you heard I left a message. Only let Jilly stay up an extra ten minutes if she wants to wait for him to call back. I seriously doubt he'll get the message at all." She had to be careful about what she said around the customers, so she shot Heather a 'don't ask' look. Heather nodded her head once in acknowledgement and went back into the house without another word.

She tried to push the incident to the back of her mind, needing to concentrate on the haircut she was in the middle of. Luckily this was her last appointment of the night. After she cleaned the shop she went back into the house, looking for Heather. She found her easing her way silently out of Mrs. James bedroom after putting her to bed for the night.

"Heather, did Max ever call back?" Although she tried to make the question sound casual her stomach clinched, waiting for the answer.

"No. Sorry."

"How did Jilly take that?"

"She seemed all right. Of course she was disappointed but she understood. I explained the time difference to her and that seemed to help a lot. Was there anything else you need me to do before I leave?"

"No. Thank you, Heather. I really don't know what I'd do without you. You're such a blessing to me. Have a good night."

Once Heather was gone she let the tears slide down her face, not sure if she was crying for herself or Jilly. It had been a whole week since anyone had spoken to him. Anger and disappointment rushed through her, causing her to choke on her own tears. She had specifically asked Max to be considerate of Jilly's feelings, and he had assured her he would be. It wasn't the fact that he didn't call back tonight as much as the fact that he hadn't called at all. Would it kill him to take five minutes and call to check in? Did he even care about his mother and how she was doing? Of course not, he had good old Becki to handle everything for him. Now it became crystal clear that she had to ask Max to take his mother and leave her house. She couldn't allow him to hurt Jilly or her anymore. Life was hard enough without Max James in her life. She dried her tears and headed for the shower, determined to get on with her life again. Pity party over.

As it turned out, there was no reason to ask Max to leave with his mother. Four days after the failed phone calls to him, he had called Heather and asked her to walk his mother over to his new house. They were out of her house before her shift had ended at the diner. Even the portable storage pod that had sat in her parking area was gone. Just like before, Max was gone without a word.

Jilly, however, was thrilled at having seen Max that day. She told Becki all about his new house and how helpful she had been to him. From what she could gather, Max had treated Jilly nicely, but, just to be sure, Becki would have to question Heather about it later.

Early Saturday morning Heather confirmed the fact that Max had treated Jilly well. She also threw in some additional information that she felt was pertinent.

"Max hired a live-in companion for his mother. I don't remember what he said her name was, but she used to work at the nursing home in Caldwell. I asked him if he ever got our phone message, but he said he didn't. I told him his wife answered."

"Heather, that's very sweet of you to look out for me, but everything is fine. This isn't the first time Max has vanished from my life. You'd think I'd get used to it by now. Anyway, I'm sure Jilly and I will get by just fine without Max. That being said, I want Jilly's contact with Max to end as much as possible. I won't risk her feelings getting any more hurt than they were while he was out of town. I'll need your cooperation with that."

"No problem. I guess he's starting his new job on Monday, so he won't even be home when we walk to the park. Can she visit Mrs. James?"

"Sure, if her new companion doesn't mind. I'll expect you to stay with her during the whole visit though. Mrs. James and Jilly have a special bond, and I'd hate to see that end." She took a last sip of coffee and headed for the beauty shop, knowing she was booked solid all day.

*******

Max crawled out of bed, moaning quietly while every muscle in his body screamed. He wasn't used to moving furniture, so he was grateful that Annie Burns, his mother's new companion, had asked her son to help him. Apparently things weren't going well between Annie and her daughter-in-law while trying to share a house. Two women trying to run the same house didn't work. Now she could run his house for him and watch his mother at the same time. With Annie needing room and board, the wages he had to pay were far less than it would have cost to hire someone full time. Plus, she seemed to be a very kind, competent, and caring woman. He just hoped his mother would adapt to so much change at one time. Last night his mother kept getting out of bed and wandering the house, as if she were looking for someone or something. He needed to make sure he installed door and window alarms like Becki had at her house.

Also, he needed a ton of night lights to put through the house so his mother wouldn't hurt herself in the middle of the night.

He really did need to talk to Becki, especially after learning from Heather about their attempts to get a hold of him while he'd been in California. It hadn't hit him until he was on the plane back to California how shaken he had been when Jilly had asked him to be her father. No, actually, more like it had scared the living shit out of him. After the hellacious childhood of his, he had decided a long time ago to never have children of his own. It shook him to realize how much he had begun to care for both Jilly and Becki in the short amount of time he'd lived with them. Now he felt compelled to distance himself from them and concentrate on his new job and his mother. No point cluttering his life with more than he could handle. Still, he probably owed her an explanation. He certainly didn't want any hard feelings between them, especially since he was back for good. He decided to pop into the beauty shop at the end of the day and talk to her then.

Becki swept the floor of the salon, deep in thought about the events over the last couple of weeks. She tried to convince herself that Max's return was just a blip on her radar, an event that would barely show as a ripple in her life. One minute Max was there, pretending he cared about her and Jilly, and the next he was gone without a word. And this too shall pass, she told herself. She was so absorbed in thought that she didn't hear the bell on the door chime when Max walked in. She let out a short scream when she finally noticed him standing in the reception area. Now what?

"What can I do for you, Max? I'm closed for the day."

"I came to talk to you. Could we sit down a minute?"

"No. I'm in the middle of cleaning the shop, so you'll have to talk while I work. Take it or leave it."

"It really....I just came to...you know... apologize for everything. I'm just not ready to take on a girlfriend right now. My plate's too full trying to adjust to a new job and getting my mother settled. I wanted to explain why I haven't called or come by before now."

"Thanks, but I already had that figured out. Do me a favor though, if you don't mind, when you find your plate empty again, don't come back here."

"Aww, Beck, it doesn't have to be like that. I didn't mean I don't want your friendship, it's just that I'm feeling overwhelmed right now."

"You don't seem to understand, Max, I don't want to be your friend. I don't want Jilly to think you're her friend, because you're not. Friends don't treat each other like this. Maybe you should just go back to your wife. Or did you forget that little detail? Go now, and don't come back." She quietly laid down her broom and went to scour out the shampoo bowls, feeling completely dead inside. Numb to every emotion that she knew she should be feeling, she was proud of herself for speaking her mind without yelling or crying, pretending that it didn't matter one way or the other.

"What the hell are you talking about? I don't have a wife!"

"Really? Maybe you should inform her of that. We called your cell phone and she answered. Twice."

"For the last time I don't have a...wife. Fuck. I'm gonna kill her! That was my neighbor playing a practical joke. I promise I'm not, nor ever have been, married. Sarah has a twisted sense of humor."

"Whatever. Just leave and don't come back."

Max let out a huff and stormed out of the salon, slamming the door behind him. He was pissed. How dare she speak to him like that? Running a hand through his hair in frustration, he tried to come to terms with his anger. Why was she so angry? Was it because she didn't cry and beg him not leave her? Maybe it was the fact that she said the words so calmly and cooly, when she should have been pissed at him for the way he'd treated both of them. No, it was probably that he'd never expected her to reject his friendship, and it hurt. A chill ran down his spine when he heard the deadbolt click into the lock on the salon door. He suddenly realized he had lost the best friend he'd ever had. Again. Both times it had been his decision, so what did he expect? Life was just too fucking complicated sometimes. Or was he just making life more complicated than it needed to be?

Now the question seemed to be, what did he want out of life? Had all those years of abuse convinced him that he didn't deserve a happy, normal life? What if he ended up like his father, a useless drunk who took out all his negative feelings on other people. Finally he decided that he needed an objective opinion. He needed counseling, not just about Becki and Jilly, but also about handling living with his demented mother. With a new purpose he walked home quickly, intending to call the local hospital for a referral. Suddenly he was anxious to get the answers to questions that had plagued him all his life. Pushing back the fear of not liking what he would learn.

# CHAPTER 9

Finally, after six weeks of therapy, Max was starting to feel at peace with himself. He realized he still had a long way to go, but at least he had a better understanding of himself and his feelings. His counselor, Nina Pollard, had really educated him about children of alcoholism. Explaining the residual problems that plague the victims even after they're no longer in that toxic environment. He could have been the model for the textbook, exhibiting nearly every one of the symptoms. Low self-esteem. Fear of becoming alcoholics themselves. The feelings of abandonment he felt by both his father and his enabling mother. The fierce anger he had buried toward his mother for not protecting him and his brother from the old drunk. Heavy stuff that, with the help of Nina, he was picking his way through and dissecting thoroughly.

Today was the day he'd decided to go to the diner for breakfast, purposely sitting in Becki's section. They hadn't exchanged one word since he'd walked out of the salon that Saturday afternoon so many weeks ago. When he walked into the diner he didn't see Becki but sat in her area anyway. She must be in the back. His mouth fell open in shock when Greta, the owner's wife, waited on him.

"Isn't Becki working today?" Too stunned to use his manners he just blurted out his question.

"Not today. Have you decided what you'll have, Max?"

Yes, please, I want Becki. "Where is she? She never takes a day off." He had to get to the bottom of this.

"Her little girl is quite sick. She took her to the hospital in the wee hours of the morning." Greta gave the information grudgingly, hovering close to his ear and practically whispering the information.

Without thinking twice he raced out of the diner and to his car. Heading directly for the hospital, he prayed the whole way that Jilly was all right. He ran at full speed into the emergency entrance.

Slamming his body into the nursing station to stop his stride, he blurted out, "I need to see Jillian...umm, Holbrook."

"Are you a relative?" The unflappable nurse asked cooly. She had a stern 'over my dead body' look to her face that told him what he needed to do.

"I'm her father. Where is she?" The nurse pointed to the correct room, with suspicion marking her face.

He slowly approached the door, afraid of what he might find but needing to know. He walked quietly into the room. Jilly lay sleeping, looking all tiny and pale in the bed. His heart squeezed as if in a vice, relaxing a little when he noticed her slow, steady breathing. Becki sat in the chair next to the bed, her back to the door, holding Jilly's little hand. The white walls and floor of the treatment room made everything seem even more sterile and cold, causing him to shudder slightly. God, he hated hospitals. Max cleared his throat quietly to announce his presence.

Becki jumped in her seat. She turned and looked at him briefly before turning back to Jilly.

"How did you get in here? This area is for family only." It was the first question she could articulate amongst the many others running through her head.

"I, umm, told them I was her father. What's wrong with her, Beck?" Keeping her back to him, she answered quietly.

"I don't know exactly. I'm waiting for the doctor to come back with the test results."

"What happened to make you bring her here?"

Becki took a deep breath before explaining, "She was running a high temperature so I had given her some fever reducer and put her in a cool bath to try and bring it down. She suddenly had some type of a seizure." Becki shuddered at the memory. "It only lasted about thirty seconds but I didn't dare take a chance. I wrapped her into her bathrobe and rushed her here. She's been sleeping ever since." She never took her eyes off of Jillian, caressing her arm and hand as she spoke quietly.

"What has the doctor told you so far? Do they know what caused the seizure?"

"She said it isn't uncommon for children to have a small seizure with such a high temperature. Usually there are no lasting ill effects from the seizure. Most likely it was a one time incident. The high temperature is what they're trying to figure out now. They've drawn her blood, taken some chest x-rays, done a scan to check her brain function. Those are the results I'm waiting for now."

Max eyed the extra chair next to Becki, wanting to sit down but afraid to anger her. He desperately wanted to comfort her, forcing his hands into his pants pockets to stop himself. Without asking, he gingerly sat down in the chair, searching Becki's face for some kind of reaction. Nothing. She didn't even look at him.

"Max, you don't have to stay. We'll be fine. Go back to work."

She was trying to get rid of him and he wasn't having any of it.

"Make me." Really adult comeback, asshole.

"If you insist I can call security. Before you go you need to know something. Annie Burns isn't doing a very good job of taking care of your mother. You need to find someone else."

That was not what he expected to come out of Becki's mouth. He had no idea why she would say such a thing. Every night when he came home his mother was tucked into bed, usually sound asleep.

"Explain to me why you think that." He knew she wasn't one to spread gossip, so there must be some basis for the accusation.

"Well let's see, your mother shows up at my door, sometimes more than once a day, alone and agitated. She's lost weight and whenever we try to take her back home she fights us all the way. Of course she can't tell us why but from the glassy eyes and dilated pupils my guess is that she's being drugged. Mentally she's not doing as well as she was when she lived at our house." Now Becki was looking at him, and he knew instantly she was telling the truth. Still, he didn't want her to think he'd been neglecting his mother.

"When I come home from work every night she's already tucked in bed, sleeping. Why didn't you tell me this sooner?" Anger consumed him. How could she let his mother stay in danger without telling him? Did she hate him that much?

"I tried to call you. I left several messages on your answering machine, but you never called me back. Honestly, I was getting ready to call protective services. I just assumed you didn't want to talk to me." Tears stung her eyes when she made the admission. She was just too tired to fight them back, so she allowed them to silently fall. She turned her attention back to Jilly when the doctor came back into the treatment room.

The doctor just nodded hello to Max and addressed Becki directly.

"Good news. EEG was normal, that's the brain scan. Chest x-ray was good. Her white blood count shows a slight infection, so here's what we're going to do. I want to keep her overnight to make sure her temp stays down. Right now its running around 101 degrees, which is much better than it was. We're going to put her on a broad spectrum antibiotic to get rid of the infection. When she's discharged she'll need to stay on the antibiotic and get re-checked by her regular doctor in one week. Do you have any questions?"

"Where is the infection? I mean, what part of her body?"

"I can't say for certain, but at this point it doesn't really matter. The antibiotic I'm putting her on covers many different kinds of 'bugs', all at the same time. So it should take care of whatever bug is causing this, regardless of where it is in her body. If we find that this drug isn't effective there are many others we can try. I'm confident she'll be just fine in a few days." Now she couldn't stop the tears no matter how hard she tried. She sobbed out a thank you to the doctor while relief poured through her. Exhausted, she dropped down heavily into her chair, trying to collect herself.

Max felt overjoyed at the news the doctor had just given them. His Jilly would be fine. His? Where in the world did that thought come from? She wasn't his. Never was and never would be. Genetically she wasn't his, but emotionally he knew she would always be his. He loved her. Simple as that, and right now that's all that mattered.

"Can I get you anything, Beck? Are you hungry or thirsty?"

"No. You can go now. You have other problems to take care of right now. My suggestion is that you make a surprise visit to your house and see for yourself what's going on."

Unable to resist, he placed a kiss on the top of Becki's head first, then Jilly's.

"I'll check on you later." He didn't linger to hear Becki's protest. Whether she liked it or not, he was part of her life and she would just have to get used to it.

# CHAPTER 10

Becki sat in the chair next to Jilly's bed, exhausted but too anxious to rest. Every time she tried to sit down she found herself jumping back up to pace nervously. Her brain was on mega overload. Worried about Jilly. Angry at Max. Not having slept in over twenty-four hours. Her muscles started to protest by twitching involuntarily. Taking a few deep, cleansing breaths, she tried to calm herself, desperate to find some peace of mind. Ignoring her problems wouldn't make them go away, so she decided to tackle them one at a time.

Jilly was doing much better, her temperature had broken and the blood tests had looked good. All they were waiting for now was the final paperwork to be finished so they could go home. Everything was looking good. Jilly had even managed to have some soda and soup before falling back into a peaceful sleep. Relaxing a little, Becki closed her eyes, allowing the calm to wash over her in waves. Her bigger problem right now was Max.

If he thought she would allow him to worm his way back into her life, he was sadly mistaken. The memory of the way he had sauntered into Jilly's room last night with his mother in tow infuriated her. The snake had even brought a gift, an adorable stuffed hound dog named Buddy, which only further incensed her. She didn't miss the smirk on his face, knowing Becki couldn't say anything to him in front of Jilly. The way Jilly's face lit up when he walked into her room, even before he'd shown her the stuffed dog, made her heart ache. Protecting her little girl was her first priority, and she intended to guard her from Max James as if he were a hired assassin.

It didn't matter that Becki's body sang with excitement every time he was near her. She would just have to keep that little tidbit to herself. So what if she melted every time he kissed her, igniting her core with a simple brush of his lips and making her throb with excitement every time he touched her. Just because she wanted him physically didn't mean he wasn't a threat. Besides, he was too much of a coward to stay in any type of relationship. The minute he started having any type of feelings for anyone he ran for his life like the true coward he was.

Maybe that was her answer. Instead of fighting him off, perhaps she should come on strong. Push his male buttons, knowing it would scare him enough to run away. She smirked to herself, enjoying the mental images of his fear stricken face as he frantically ran from her house. Oh yes, she liked this plan very, very much.

********

Becki had hit the nail on the head about his mother's care. Annie Burns was an abusive care giver. So much for checking her references thoroughly.

When he'd walked into his house and found his mother tied to a chair while Annie lounged on the patio with a tray of pastries and some coffee, she was lucky he hadn't strangled her right then and there. He'd gone ballistic. His mother was still in her nightgown, hair matted, and mumbling incoherently to herself. Clearly she hadn't had her medications and he seriously doubted she'd been fed, either.

He stormed out onto the patio and confronted Annie immediately.

"What the hell is going on here? Why is my mother tied to a chair? Have you even fed her today? Have you given her any of her medications today?"

Annie hadn't reacted at all the way he'd expected. She was calm as a cucumber, not even bothering to glance at him while she licked the icing slowly off her fat fingers.

"Your mother is tied down for her own protection. If I leave her alone for a second she's wandering off somewhere. I tried to get her to eat but she wouldn't even hold the donut. Since she's not supposed to take her medication on an empty stomach, I haven't given her them yet."

As if that was enough of an explanation, she selected another pastry, taking a huge bite. Chewing like a cow, she ignored Max.

"I want you out of this house now. Pack your things, you're fired."

That got a rise out of the old cow. "How dare you fire me? On what grounds?"

"Neglect. Abuse of the elderly. Lack of professionalism. Incompetence. Gross neglect of duty. Shall I continue?" Max's face was hot with rage, struggling for self control, he took a deep breath and tried to unclench his fists.

"Either you get your ass in gear and start packing or I'll do it for you. Your choice." He stared her down, unblinking.

"Well, I never..."

"No, but you should have. Out. Now."

"I don't have anywhere else to go. You'll have to let me stay at least two weeks so I can make arrangements." She crossed her arms stubbornly over her ample chest, refusing to move.

"Call your son and have him come and pick you up."

"But he doesn't want me back at his house."

"Understandable, but not my problem. Call him." Max took a step closer, trying to make her feel threatened.

"No. I refuse." She pinched her lips together tightly, causing a white line to appear around her lips.

"Fine. I'll take care of everything." Max stormed from the patio and headed for the laundry room where he grabbed an empty hamper. He went into her room and began throwing her clothes from the dresser and closet haphazardly into the hamper. When all of her belongings were out of the bedroom he proceeded to the bathroom, doing the same thing all over again, dumping all her grooming supplies right on top of the clothes. When he was done 'packing' her things he pulled out his cell phone and called the police station.

That got the old bag out of her chair.

"This is Officer Max James. I need a squad car sent to my house, 5593 Crestview. Be prepared to take someone into custody on abuse and neglect charges. I'll come into the office and do the paperwork as soon as I can. Thanks."

"You wouldn't dare! You can't do this to me. I have rights, too you know. I want a lawyer."

Max didn't even stop long enough to glance at her. He grabbed his phone and started taking photographs of his mother from every possible angle.

"What are you doing that for? Put that down and listen to me!"

"I'm in the middle of documenting my case, Mrs. Burns, so I don't have time for you right now. Any concerns you have will be addressed by your arresting officer. I suggest you keep quiet until you've had a chance to talk to your lawyer. I've already packed for you." Max quickly undid his mother's restraints, taking pictures of the redness around her wrists. He would make sure Annie Burns paid for what she'd done to his mother.

He gently led his mother into the kitchen and began making her a decent breakfast of scrambled eggs and toast when he heard a knock on the door. Peeking around the wall, he yelled for the uniformed officer, he forgot his name...Joe Bishop, that's it, to come in. He explained the situation to Joe and soon he had Mrs. Burns handcuffed and in the back of the patrol car. Her face was beet red while she hung her head and tried to hide her face.

His mother ate every bit of breakfast he'd given her plus a pastry from Mrs. Burns abandoned tray. Next he gave her the necessary medications and called Heather to see if she could come and help him. Lucky for him, Becki wouldn't need her today. She agreed to come over and bathe his mother, feed her often and take care of her until he could get home tonight. For now he just sat next to his mother and hugged her, kissing her head gently and murmuring his profuse apologies. It didn't matter that she didn't understand what he was talking about, he felt terrible. He owed Becki a debt of gratitude for alerting him to what was happening. Shame filled him that it all had taken place under his own roof and he had been clueless. Great detective work there, Ace. Just because his mother had dementia didn't mean she wasn't entitled to the highest quality of life he could give her. Unfortunately, the only people he now trusted his mother's care with were Becki and Heather.

He would have to stop by Becki's tonight on his way home from work and see what they could work out with Heather. Maybe if he offered to bring dinner Becki would let him into the house. He would have Heather and his mother meet him there so they could all discuss this together. Hopefully Jilly would feel well enough to enjoy a video with his mother while they hashed out a plan.

# CHAPTER 11

Even though Becki had taken a long nap she was still exhausted. She certainly didn't feel like entertaining Max, his mother, and Heather tonight, but she understood the circumstances were urgent. Besides, the sooner she put her plan into action, now referred to as Operation Elimination, the sooner it would be over. If she had to guess, she thought it would only take one or two rounds of sultry, aggressive behavior before Max ran for his life.

Rummaging in her closet she looked for the most revealing, slutty clothes she could find. She found some old denim shorts that she cut down into short, shorts that barely covered her backside. She grabbed a tank top with a built in bra, one that showed her cleavage generously. Carefully she applied her make-up, heavier than normal but not clown-like, and styled her hair a little more wildly than usual. Satisfied that she looked as good as possible on such short notice, she went into Jilly's room to check on her.

"Wow, Mommy, you look really good. How come you got all pretty?"

"Max, Heather, and Mrs. James are coming over for dinner tonight. Do you think you feel well enough to eat with us in the kitchen, or do you want me to bring a tray in here for you?"

"In the kitchen. Buddy likes it when people drop crumbs on the floor." Poor Jilly treated that stuffed dog Max had given her as if it were real. Becki just didn't feel ready to deal with a real dog so for now Buddy would have to do.

"Okay, I'll come get you when dinner's ready. In the meantime, you stay here and rest. Can I get you anything?" She felt the little girl's forehead, relieved it was cool.

When she heard a knock on the front door she ran to answer it. Heather led Mrs. James into the house, eyeing Becki's outfit with shock and suspicion written all over her face. Her eyes bugged out and her lips formed a perfect 'o'.

"Wow, don't you look hot. Dressing for anyone I know?"

"Well, sort of. I decided a little reverse psychology was what I needed to get Max to back-off. Nothing scares him more than emotions, so I expect him to run like a jack-rabbit once I lay a little lovin' on him. I can't have him coming and going in and out of our lives like this. I don't want Jilly to get hurt, so this should do the trick."

"Are you sure you're only worried about Jilly? If I had to guess, I'd think you need protection, too. Did you ever consider what would happen if he embraced the idea instead of running?"

"He won't. I've already seen him run twice now, no reason not to expect it again." Sure she had him all figured out, she went to answer his knock on the door.

The minute Max saw her through the screen door his mouth went dry and his heart sped up, thumping wildly against his chest wall. All of his blood rushed from his head to his nether regions, causing it to jerk wildly. Never had he seen a more beautiful sight than the one Becki was giving him right now. She was hot, hot, hot. No doubt in his mind, he wanted her. Now.

Becki held the door open for him, purposely positioning her body so Max would be forced to brush against her on his way through. The expression on his face was priceless. She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing. Once he was inside she made a point of bending low and taking an appreciative sniff of the pizza he'd brought. Allowing him to get an eye full of her bosom, she motioned him into the kitchen.

"Smells great, I'm starving. Pizza is Jilly's favorite. I'll go get her. She's visiting with your mother in her room."

Becki got a card table and set it up in the living room. Now Jilly and Mrs. James could watch television while they ate their pizza. She moved the furniture so Mrs. James could dance if the mood struck. While Heather served them in the living room, Becki moved back into the kitchen, to Max.

He stood against the counter top, hands in his pants pockets and not making eye contact. Without saying a word she pressed her body against his, causing him to lean harder against the counter. She cupped his cheek and kissed him softly and slowly before pulling away by a scant inch.

"Thanks for bringing dinner tonight." She ran her hand slowly down his chest, stopping when she reached the belt of his pants. "Ready to eat?" She smiled what she hoped was her most seductive smile and grabbed the paper plates off the counter behind him. She sauntered to the table and set the plates down.

Heather, Becki and Max sat at the kitchen table, eating and discussing child and parent care. Jilly would be starting full day kindergarten in two weeks, so the solution they worked out today would only be temporary. Hopefully Max would be able to make other arrangements for his mother before all their schedules changed again. For now Mrs. James would come and stay at Becki's house so Heather could watch both of them at the same time. It wasn't ideal, but it was the best they could do in a pinch.

During their dinner Becki made a point of touching, caressing and nudging Max as often as possible. By the time dinner was over Max was twitching as if he were having a seizure, jumping every time her hand made contact with any part of his body. When she placed her hand on his thigh he jumped up, hastily explaining that he needed another beer. She inwardly smiled, liking the kind of control she had over him. This was fun.

When it was time for everyone to clean-up, Heather again helped Jilly and Mrs. James. Max had offered to help them instead but Heather insisted that he help Becki, explaining that she had to get Jilly to bed. Becki knew he was near panic, a slight sheen of perspiration glinted on his furrowed brow.

"Are you feeling all right, Max? You seem a little out of sorts tonight and you're sweating. Do you have a temperature?" Without waiting for an answer, she placed her hand to his forehead as if checking for a temperature, then slowly slid her hand down his face before removing it completely.

"I don't think so. I'm fine, but what's up with you?"

"What do you mean? Do I look like I'm sick?" She placed her hand over her left breast in mock concern.

"No. It's just... I don't know... you're sooo... touchy/feely tonight. You're just not acting like yourself, that's all."

"Sorry if I made you uncomfortable, I thought this was what you wanted. My mistake." She turned her back to him, smiling broadly. He was uncomfortable with her sexually aggressive behavior. Her plan was working beautifully. Just because she'd only had sex once in her life didn't mean she didn't know how to strut her stuff.

"Yeah, okay. Well, we better get going now. Mom's had a long day. So I guess I'll see you Monday morning when I drop her off."

"No, probably not. I leave for work at five thirty in the morning. Are you bringing her that early?"

"No, you're right. I forgot about your diner job. I guess it'll be when I pick her up then. Anyway, talk to you later." She watched while he practically ran from the house, forcing his mother to shuffle quickly to keep up with him.

When Heather came back into the kitchen after tucking Jilly into bed she was laughing so hard she held her sides.

"You're pure evil, you know that don't you? Do you know how hard it was for me to keep a straight face while you worked over Max?"

"I have to admit it was kind of fun. Did you see how fast he ran out of the house, like his pants were on fire? I don't think I'll be seeing him for quite a while. How much you want to bet something will suddenly 'come up' and he'll need you to bring his mother back to his house instead of picking her up?"

"I think you're right about that, so no betting. I thought men wanted a woman to act sexy and be a little aggressive. Proves me wrong."

"What Max thinks he wants and what he can actually handle are two different things. He's the type of man that likes the pursuit but once he wins the prize finds out he didn't want it after all. We go back a long time. This move back home isn't the first time he's broken my heart, but it is the last time. I can't and won't allow him to hurt Jilly, so it's best if we just stay away from him. Once these next two weeks are over I don't expect to see him except by accident." Becki hadn't meant to lead the conversation into such dark areas. It was the first time she had ever talked to anyone about Max and her feelings for him.

"What did he do to break your heart the first time?" Heather put her arm around Becki's shoulder and gave a little squeeze.

"Oh, it was a long time ago. I was still in high school but Max had graduated already. We were best friends. I could tell him anything back then and vice versa. Suddenly one day he was just gone. No goodbye, no note, no...anything. I never heard from him again until he showed-up back in town recently. He didn't even come home for his father's funeral. One minute he was telling me he loved me and the next, poof! He was gone."

"I'm sorry for both of you. He clearly has feelings for you, it's written all over his face any time he's near you. I wonder what his problem is?"

"Doesn't matter. It's water under the bridge. But I won't have him pulling the same stunt on Jilly. That's why I need to drive him away. And that's enough of this conversation, it's too depressing."

"You're right. I'm going now. I'll see you Monday morning bright and early."

Max poured himself a generous shot of whiskey with slightly trembling hands. Thoughts kept ricocheting around his brain like a bullet in a tin can. What the fuck had gotten into Becki tonight? Whatever it was, she scared the shit out of him. Yes, he wanted her. He already knew that he loved her, so why was he so upset? It wasn't like she had actually groped him or anything. Really, she had just been a little more 'friendly', but that outfit she wore was hot. Usually she dressed so conservatively. But tonight, wow ... yeah... just, wow. This was definitely something he would have to hash out with his therapist, because right now he was clueless. Until then he would just stay as far away from her as possible.

# CHAPTER 12

Becki blotted at her weeping eyes with her crumpled, damp tissue, trying not to let Jilly see her upset. This was supposed to be a happy day for Jilly and she didn't want to ruin it for her. For days beforehand Jilly had laid out clothes, then changed her mind a million different times about her outfit for her first day of kindergarten. Excitement lit her big brown eyes every time Becki asked her a question. She prayed that her little girl would make friends and not be the social outcast she had been. What if the reason she had been outcast by her peers wasn't because of her crazy mother? Maybe it was really Becki's personality that pushed people away. She shrugged away the negative thoughts, holding Jilly's hand as they walked to school together while her daughter babbled excitedly non-stop. Absorbed in her own thoughts, she was snapped back to reality when Jilly started jumping up and down, yelling, "Max! You came!"

Becki looked up to see Max, Heather, and Mrs. James standing together in front of the school like a welcoming committee. Before she could say anything Jilly had broken their grip and run to Max, her arms extended and preparing to give his legs a big hug. Instead, Max scooped Jilly up into his arms and gave her a big kiss while she clung to his neck.

"All ready for your first day of

school?" he asked excitedly.

"Yep. I gots everything in my Dora back-pack. Mommy has more supplies for the classroom in her grocery bag." While he held Jilly, Heather and Mrs. James each gave her a kiss as well. When Becki joined the group he just gave her a quick nod hello and then turned his attention back to Jilly.

"Hey, shortcake, I cleaned off my whole refrigerator, just so it can hold some of your art work. Think you can keep me supplied?"

"Yep. But Mommy said she gets my first picture for her memory box."

"Good deal. I have to get back to work, but I didn't want to miss your big day. Can you pose for a picture real quick? Heather brought a camera so turn to her and smile big!" Heather snapped the picture quickly. He set Jilly gently back on the ground, kissed her forehead and walked away.

Heather took some pictures of Becki and Jilly before the bell rang and Jilly skipped happily into her classroom. She turned back to Becki and waved one last time before the door closed.

They all walked home together, barely speaking until they turned the corner, unable to see the school anymore.

"Boy, I've got to say you really know Max. All it took was that one night of coming on to him and he's stayed away for two weeks." Heather observed.

"Yeah. For a man who professed to be in love with me he sure scares off easily. Just goes to show you, don't believe everything you hear."

"I still say he's nuts about you."

"Nuts being the operative word there."

Heather laughed, waving goodbye as she and Mrs. James went into their house. Becki continued on to her own house, entering through the beauty shop to get back to work. She prayed things were going well at school when the phone began to ring. Once she answered she became distracted by customers, ordering, phone calls and cleaning.

Before she knew it, it was time to go get Jilly from school.

Becki smiled brightly, watching Jilly run happily to her with some papers clutched protectively to her chest.

"Hi there. How was your day? Tell me all about it."

And boy did she ever give her an ear-full. Jilly gave her a minute by minute description of her entire day. How one kid was eating his glue stick while another one painted her arms blue. After lunch not one, but two kids 'frowed up' in the classroom. The teacher had started reading them one of Jilly's favorite books, Charlotte's Web. She recited all the new rules she had to follow, sighing with the extra burden.

One thing Becki knew for sure, Jilly was going to sleep very well tonight.

********

Now that fall was approaching, hunters began to flood the diner daily. Greta had hired a new waitress without experience as seasonal help. Noel was fresh out of high school and either very clumsy or very nervous. Becki tried to help her out as best she could, pitying her for being thrown into a crowded diner with no experience. At every opportunity she tried to offer words of encouragement to Noel, hoping it was helpful. Unfortunately, Becki was swamped with just the regulars, none of who wanted to give the 'new girl' a try. To them, Becki was 'their' waitress and Noel belonged to the strangers and hunters. She doubted if they would even bother to learn her name. What happened next couldn't have been timed worse.

Becki was rushing through the diner, not realizing that Noel had spilled a glass of water on the floor without cleaning it up. Suddenly she was airborne, her arms and legs flaying, desperate to try and regain her balance. Before she knew it she found herself in the strong, capable arms of one of the hunters. Without thinking, she flung her arms around his neck, clinging to him for dear life. Of course, this was the exact moment that Max had swaggered through the door. Without missing a beat he walked straight up to Becki, a dark and angry scowl on his face.

"You know, Becki, if you don't want to be labeled the town slut you really should try and stay out of the arms of strangers." Turning quickly he took a seat at the counter without looking back.

Stunned silence consumed the entire diner. Tears stung at Becki's eyes. The man holding her set her gently back onto her feet, anger showing in his eyes when he glanced back at Max.

"That asshole needs to be taught a lesson." He started towards Max, the look on his face spoke of his intention of giving him a private tutoring lesson. Before he could take a full step she grabbed at his arm to stop him.

"Thank you for saving me. I don't want any more trouble though, so please let Greta handle this. She's known him all his life and, believe me, she'll take care of it."

Just as Becki finished her plea Greta's booming voice took over the diner.

"Maxwell James, just because you can't get up the courage to claim Becki as your own doesn't mean you can bad-mouth the nicest, sweetest girl in town. Shame on you. I think you'd better find another place to eat until you publicly apologize to her." Greta pointed to the door, demanding he comply, while the entire diner watched him stalk out.

"Noel, get the mop and clean-up that water before someone kills themselves," Greta commanded.

The customers resumed their conversations now that the floor show was over. Becki successfully fought back her tears and resumed her duties, mouthing a 'thank you' to Greta. Instead of going straight home after her shift Becki decided to go to the park and watch the ducks in the pond. She had a lot of thinking to do and she didn't want to be interrupted.

Max stormed back to the police department, his appetite gone. He didn't know who he was angrier at, himself, Greta or Becki. The sight of Becki in the arms of another man had shaken and stunned him to his core. Why? He had no right to claim her and knew Greta had hit the nail on the head with that coward comment. It shocked him that Becki wasn't pining away for him, waiting for her true love to come to his senses. Bottom line was he didn't want her but he didn't want anyone else to have her. How twisted was that? Knowing that he had never, and would never, love anyone the way he loved Becki didn't change the fact that he was continually running from her. Afraid he was truly his father's son, alcoholic and physically abusive, he'd kept his distance, thinking he was saving her.

He knew he needed to talk to Becki and come clean with all his feelings and fears, mostly his fears and how they were preventing him from moving forward. And of course, apologize, no beg, her forgiveness. What scared him most was Greta was right, she was kind and sweet, but even Becki had her limits. It would be a miracle if she ever spoke to him again, but he had to try and keep trying, regardless of his fears. Deciding that there was no time like the present he headed to her house. A man on a mission. A man in love, finally ready to claim his woman.

# CHAPTER 13

Becki rushed into the beauty shop. She was running late, so she rushed around and turned on the lights. She had been in the park longer than she'd planned, comfortable with the decisions she had made. She heard the tinkle of the door bell. Expecting it to be her three o'clock appointment, she yelled, "Be with you in a second. Have a seat."

When she heard a voice behind her, a masculine voice, she froze in her tracks.

"Becki, can I talk to you?" Max asked quietly.

"No. I have an appointment due any second. Plus, I refuse to waste another second with you or worrying about you. I have more important things to do with my time," she said all this while she continued to re-stock her shelves and cupboards. She laid out fresh towels by the shampoo bowls, refilled the shampoo and conditioner dispensers, praying her appointment would walk through the door.

"I just need a minute to apologize. I just los..."

"Max, I don't care why you did what you did. I don't care what you think of me or what the rest of the town thinks of me. Bottom line, I just don't care. Leave. Now. Don't ever come back to my house again or I'll call the police. You will stay away from Jilly, too. You can have Heather full-time. I'll make other arrangements. Now, take off and don't come back. Ever."

"But, I came to tell you I love you."

"Well, that's not the first time I've heard that lie. Get out."

"It's true. I've always loved you, Becki."

"Good, you just keep telling yourself that. Bye. Bye." She wiggled her fingers in a waving motion, as if to say goodbye.

Frustrated by her cavalier attitude, Max grabbed her arm, pulling her into his chest and locking his arm around her waist tightly. His mouth slammed down on hers, hungry, and angry. He kissed her deeply, urging her lips apart with his insistent tongue. She wasn't resisting but she wasn't exactly welcoming either. Putting his hand to the back of her head he shifted position slightly, finally winning entrance into her sweet, minty tasting mouth. When he broke the kiss he stepped back, waiting for her reaction. He never expected the hard slap across his cheek, stinging smartly from the force behind it.

"I should have done that at the diner this morning. Maybe now you'll get the message. Get out!"

"Feel better now? I won't argue that I deserved that, but I don't expect it to happen again." He went to her appointment book, reading her schedule for the rest of the day. "I'll be back tonight after your last appointment and we'll talk more then."

"Don't come back Max, or I swear I'll call the cops. Just leave us alone."

"Sorry. No can do. See you later." He walked out the door, whistling happily.

Becki slumped into the nearest dryer chair, emotionally drained by the days events. She knew she should be angry, outraged or... something like that. Instead, she was aroused sexually by a single kiss. Maybe she really was the tramp her mother told her she was. Her resolve to deny him access to her or Jilly melted with that kiss, just like her body had melted into him. God, she was hopeless. How could she still have feelings for such an arrogant, handsome, sexy bastard like Max James? Even when her mind was made up her body betrayed her. What was she going to do? Throbbing need had rushed through her the minute he had crushed her to his chest. The disappointment she felt when the kiss was broken nearly made her knees buckle. The bell on the shop door jingled happily as her customer walked through the door, apologizing for being late.

Becki made it through her appointments in a blur. It had felt like an out of body experience, her thoughts constantly wandering back to Max. Maybe the kind of love he felt for her was more the brotherly kind. That would explain why, when things would heat up between them, he always backed off. After all, just because she was sexually attracted to him didn't mean he felt the same about her. For the first time ever she was dreading the day's end, expecting him to show up promptly at seven thirty. Then what? How was she going to handle him then?

********

For the first time since entering therapy Max was anxious to move ahead with his life. He understood so much more about himself, his mother and father and Becki than he had before. With therapy he saw how he had sent so many mixed messages to Becki, no wonder she was confused about her feelings for him. Even his jealous outburst in the diner sent her a mixed signal. I don't want you but I don't want anyone else to have you either. It was as if he insisted she should stay in a little box he had mentally put her in, only to be taken out and looked at occasionally. But at the same time he admired her courage and independent spirit, even when it was directed at him.

Well, tonight he intended to clear all that up between the two of them. No more mixed signals. It was time he told her the truth about his feelings. The biggest obstacle he would have would be convincing her that he truly, deeply, happily- ever-after loved her. And the fact that they needed to start dating would be phase one of his plan. He would have to prove to her that he wasn't running away this time, like he always had in the past. Just the thought of facing her made his palms sweat, but he knew he would have to push past that if he ever wanted a life with her.

Becki felt the tingle down her spine even before the bell on the door sounded. She forced herself to keep sweeping the floor, not even glancing at the door. She could see it was Max by the reflection in the mirror in front of her. Maybe if she ignored him he would just go away.

Without speaking he took the broom from her hands and led her over to the waiting area of the beauty shop. He sat her down on the couch, then turned and locked the door and pulled the shade all the way down. Taking in her body language, tightly crossed legs and arms, he stayed standing, pacing.

"I love you, Becki. I know you don't believe me, but it's true. This morning at the diner I was frantic that you had found someone else, romantically, I mean. It was jealousy. A knee jerk reaction to seeing you in another man's arms. I panicked. I'm so sorry for embarrassing you and hurting your feelings. I promise I'll be there tomorrow morning and make a public apology, and I'll mean every word of it. Can you forgive me?"

"Max...I...you know you don't love me, romantically, that is. I think it's more like a brother loves a sister. Platonic. I mean, every time you seem to get close, suddenly you're running for dear life like some wounded animal. This back and forth thing...well, it needs to stop. It's not good for Jilly to have you run hot and cold like this. I have to protect her." Becki paused, trying to fight back the tears pooling in her eyes. "It's just too painful for both of us when you decide to run. Always wondering what we did wrong to make you run away like that. I can't do it anymore. I won't do it anymore."

By the time she finished talking she was practically sobbing, no longer trying to fight back the tears. It felt good to cry, letting all her feelings out. Knowing Max, he'd be gone by the time she looked up again. When she didn't see him she knew she'd been right, until he rounded the corner with a box of tissues in his hand, heading back towards her.

He pulled a few out of the box and handed them to her, taking a seat next to her on the couch. He began rubbing her arms with his gentle, strong hands.

"I have a confession to make here, Becki. I've...kind of been in therapy. I needed help sorting out my feelings, not just about you, although that's been a big part of it. Feelings about my parents, my mother's situation... everything really. I know I've given you one hell of a reason to never speak to me again. One thing I need to make absolutely clear to you right now, I don't love you like a brother. I love you like a man loves a woman he respects. I love everything about you and I want you. Mind. Body. Soul. Everything. I love the whole package and I'm asking, no make that begging, you to give me just one more chance. If I screw this up I'll back off and never bother you again."

"I need to protect Jilly. She's too little to deal with all your issues, and honestly I'm tired of it myself. What it boils down to is I just can't trust you."

"I know and I agree. We both want to protect her. I have a plan."

She looked at him in disbelief.

"I thought we should start out dating like other couples do. Dinners, movies, hiking, biking, walking and most importantly, talking. Start slow and see where it takes us. No pressure, just pleasure. What do you think about that? We can do it in the evenings and have Heather babysit so Jilly won't get too attached."

"I know you think it sounds good, but I just can't deal with this anymore. I'm tired, Max. I'm not really what you want. I think you just feel guilty and you're forcing yourself to feel things you think you should feel. They're not genuine feelings, Max. Look, you've been away a long time and maybe you've built up your feelings for me in your imagination. I think it's best if we just leave it alone and walk away."

"But if we don't try we'll always regret it, I know I will. I know I've given you a lot of mixed signals in the past, but I've worked through my feelings. I know what I want, Becki. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me. I'm so sorry I've put you through hell, but I'm miserable without you. Can we please try tomorrow night? We can do whatever you want. What would you like to do?"

Becki's head was swimming, floating on a river of confusion. She had never been on an 'official' date before, so she had no experience to draw from. The first thing that popped into her mind was dinner. A nice, safe public place.

"Could we maybe go out to dinner?"

"Absolutely! Where do you want to go? Do you have a favorite place?"

"I haven't been out to dinner in years. You know me, always on a budget. You pick the place, it doesn't matter to me. What time?"

"How about seven o'clock?"

"That's good...Are you really sure you want to do this, Max?"

"Hey, no chickening out now. A deal's a deal. Seven tomorrow night, count on it. Now, how about we have a little make-out session before I go?" He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close as he lowered his mouth to hers, elated when he met with no resistance. Her arms hesitated slightly before returning the embrace.

"Max! I 'fought I heard you." Jilly came running into the salon, clutching a picture to her pajama-clad chest. Without hesitation she climbed into his now vacant lap, pulling the picture away from her body.

"I made this for your fridge, just like I promised. Do you like it? It's a picture of you and your mommy." He hugged her tightly to his chest for a moment, kissing the top of her head before answering.

"I love it and I know my mother will love it, too. Did you do this all by yourself?"

"Yep."

"Well I think you should be very proud of yourself, you did a wonderful job."

"Fank you." Blushing slightly, she suddenly became shy with the praise.

"I think it's past your bed time, little lady. Say goodnight to Max, I'll be there in a minute." Becki reverted into mom mode. All three of them stood at once.

"I'll see you tomorrow at seven." He kissed her lightly on the lips then let himself out the door.

Becki locked the door behind him and headed back into the house. She dreaded trying to sleep tonight, nervous about whether she had made the right decision. Excited at the prospect of having a real date. Hopeful that finally her unrequited love may possibly love her after all. And most importantly, what was she going to wear?

# CHAPTER 14

True to his word, Max walked into Mom's Diner at eight thirty in the morning and yelled over the din of the crowd. Everything and everyone stopped, frozen in time and waiting for the rest of the floor show.

"Yesterday I did something so stupid and asinine to Becki Holbrook that I need to set the record straight. For those of you who were here, you already know what I did. If you don't already know I'm sure someone will gladly fill you in. Anyway, I need to publicly apologize to Greta and all her customers for spreading completely false and defaming trash about Becki. She is truly the best and most wonderful person in my life. Again, I apologize for what I said and did. I have no excuse for my behavior. Thank you." He gave a short bow and walked out of the diner to the sound of applause and cheers from the other diners. Now that all this was behind him he could concentrate on their date tonight.

After agonizing over her meager wardrobe Becki finally decided to call Heather for a fashion consultation. Heather knew Becki's wardrobe just as well as she did, since they often borrowed from each other when necessary. Having no idea where they were going for dinner, she needed to strike just the right balance between dressy and casual. Finally they decided on a black skirt, above the knee but nowhere near micro-mini, and a sky blue silk blouse that matched her eyes and clung nicely to her curves. Adding black shoes with a medium heel and a black clutch, she was ready to go. Now she found herself nervously pacing and ready to start the date. She didn't know if she was anxious to see Max or nervous about her first date.

When she heard the gentle tap on the door she had to slow herself down, fighting the urge to run full speed into his arms. Even though Heather had told her it was best to keep your date waiting for just a few minutes, she didn't like to play games.

When she answered the door Max stood there, mouth agape and eyes wide with appreciation. He had never seen her look more beautiful. His heart took a huge leap, causing him to put his hand over it to make sure it didn't leap out of his chest.

Swallowing hard, he just blurted out what came to mind, "Wow Becki, you look awesome."

"Thanks, Max, so do you."

He knew she meant it by the huge smile on her face. Still smitten, he had forgotten all about his mother, who stood quietly behind him on the porch.

"Did you want to bring your mother inside before we go?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. I forgot." He ushered his mother into the house, rushing her a little because he was so eager to get to Becki. One thing was for sure, he wasn't dazzling her with his witty conversation. It took everything in his power to stop himself from taking her into his arms and kissing her wildly. Finally he thrust his hands deeply into his pockets in an effort to physically restrain himself.

"Are you ready to go, Becki?"

"Yep. All set." He almost killed himself trying to get to the door first so he could open it for her. Ditto with the car door. Once they were settled into the car he tried to give himself a little mental lecture. Settle down. This isn't your first date but you're acting like a high school testosterone stick hoping to get lucky. Get a grip, asshole.

"So, how was your day today?" Her voice broke a little as she snapped him back to attention.

"Great. I don't know if you heard or not but I went back to the diner this morning and did the public apology thing like I promised."

"Yes, Greta called and gave me the scoop. You must have done a great job, she told me how everyone was clapping and hooting when you left. Thank you for doing that for me."

"Really, I guess I did it for both of us. I owed you the apology, and I didn't want everyone to think I was a complete idiot." Without thinking about it he reached over and took her hand in his, gently rubbing the inside of her wrist with his thumb. Since she didn't pull away he continued stroking and caressing her until they arrived at the restaurant.

He smiled when he heard her gasp as he pulled into the restaurant's parking lot . Tortellini's was known for its fabulous cuisine as well as its romantic atmosphere.

"Max, are you sure you want to come here? I've heard it's so expensive."

"Absolutely sure. You're worth every penny, Becki, and it's about time I started letting you know that." He kissed the palm of her hand before letting it go so he could get around the car and open the door for her.

Never in wildest dreams had Becki ever thought she her would be eating at Tortellini's. She had expected something similar to Mom's Diner and couldn't help but be impressed. Max was being a complete gentleman, treating her like a queen.

The minute they walked into the restaurant she was immediately transported to her idea of what Italy was like. Instead of a dark, heavily paneled room with heavy red velvet everywhere, like something from The Godfather, they were in the middle of a town square in a Tuscan village. The aged stone on the walls and floor welcomed them in, enticing them to relax. The ceiling was a work of art, changing constantly as clouds drifted in front of the warm summer sun, simulating a beautiful summer day. In the center of the room there was a large fountain, again in aged stone. It brought to mind one of her favorite movies, Under the Tuscan Sun. It also cleverly afforded privacy to the diners, blocking their view of each other while setting a wonderful atmosphere of serenity.

As soon as they were seated the wine steward was at their table, asking in broken English if they would care for some wine.

"Yes, we would. Becki, what kind of wine do you like?"

"Ummm, I don't know. I've never tasted wine before." For some reason she felt guilty at the admission. She didn't want him to think she was naïve, even though she was.

After getting her fill of the scenery she looked directly into Max's eyes, blushing with embarrassment at how she had been so oblivious of him. His eyes were shining brightly, embracing the smile on his lips.

"Sorry. I think I've been ignoring you. How rude of me." Suddenly nervous, she fingered the napkin on the table. She felt the heat of a blush on her cheeks.

"Don't be sorry, I'm glad you like it here. It's totally not what I expected. I thought it would be something out of The Godfather."

"That's exactly what I was thinking! Have you ever been to Italy?"

"No, not yet. Someday I hope to, though. I'd love to travel. When I was in the Marines I went to a lot of places but never got to really explore them before I had to move on. I got to see the regular tourist kind of things, but I never got a real sense of the country. You know, what life was really like for the people who lived there. How about you, Becki? Tell me what you did after I left."

Of course she couldn't tell him everything. There were some things that she never, ever spoke about, memories too painful and embarrassing.

"There's really not that much to tell. After I graduated from high school I went to New York for a few months. When that didn't work out I came back home. By then my mother was so out of touch with reality I had to stay here. I took the money I had saved for college and went to beauty school so I could support myself. You already know the rest." She prayed Max would not pry about Jilly and who her father was. Lying wasn't something she ever did, but to protect Jilly she would do whatever was necessary.

"Do you like doing hair? I don't remember you ever talking about it as being something you were that interested in."

"You know, I do like it. More than I ever thought I would. The other thing I found out I like is working with people. Even though I'm shy I enjoy listening to different stories. If you listen you can learn a lot of helpful and useful things. I remember when Jilly was a baby she had colic so bad I was almost at my wits end. You have no idea what it's like to have a baby cry like that and not be able to console her. I mentioned it to one of my customers and she was so helpful, giving me tips about how to get her to sleep and what foods might help. Within two weeks it was under control and Jilly was, well, sleeping like a baby."

"I'm so sorry I wasn't there to help you. Do you realize I thought about you every single day I was gone? No, that's not accurate. Many times every single day. I've missed you. Did you miss me?"

"I tried really hard not to, but yes...every day. I even tried staying mad at you for leaving me, but I knew I was just being selfish. You had your own problems to deal with. You didn't need mine to complicate things. We were both a lot younger then."

"Yes, we were. That's no excuse for what a heartless bastard I was to leave you and never contact you. At first I had every intention of writing you, but the more I thought about it the more scared I became. To put my feelings down on paper was just too...painful. Then, as time went on, I figured it was too late and that I'd write as soon as my basic training was over. When that finally happened I was able to convince myself that too much time had passed and that you had probably moved on. But never once did I forget about you. Now here we are, together again with another chance to be there for each other. I promise I'll do everything in my power to not disappoint you again." He handed her a glass of wine and raised his in a toast.

"To new beginnings." They clinked glasses and drank deeply. The smile that spread across her lips at her first taste of wine warmed his heart. No longer trying to resist, he bent into her and kissed her slowly, tasting the wine on her soft, full lips. He dove deeper into their sensual depths until he heard someone discretely clear his throat. The waiter stood at attention near their table, hands clasped behind his back.

"Are you ready to order now, sir?"

"Becki, do you know what you want?"

"I'm sure everything is fantastic, why don't you order for both of us."

He was flattered that she would allow him to do that for her. It made his ego soar. Completely comfortable with her femininity she allowed him to be the man he was. A man in love.

The intimacy they shared during dinner was beyond anything he had ever dreamed of. They fed each other from their plates, making yummy noises between bites, kissing whenever the need arose. They were in perfect harmony with each other. Leaving her pain in the past, Becki allowed her joyous feelings to consume her. Trembling with the understanding that he held her heart in his strong, capable hands, she wished those hands would wander over her smoldering body. She wanted him with such intensity and passion she found herself stroking his leg under the tablecloth, needing the contact.

# CHAPTER 15

After checking on both Jilly and Mrs. James, Max walked Heather home, then jogged back to the house in the crisp fall air.

"You know, I do believe fall is here in full force. It's downright chilly out there tonight."

"How about if I make some decaf coffee to warm you up?"

"Umm, how about we do something else to warm up?" He began to prowl toward her slowly, stalking her like a tiger with a naughty grin on his face. Soon she found herself giggling hysterically while he nibbled on her neck, his arms wrapped around her waist firmly. Returning his embrace, she kissed the side of his face while he feasted on her earlobe.

What had started out as playful fun suddenly took a sharp turn into unbridled passion. Bodies pressed together tightly. Tongues battling furiously as their bodies seemed to move of their own accord. In the blink of an eye the buttons of her silky blouse gaped open, revealing her lacy blue bra beneath. Arching her head back she thrust her breast into his warm palm. His thumb stroked over her erect nipple several times before he moved his mouth down to suckle and nibble her. Hungrily she pulled his shirt out of his pants and placed her hands underneath, moaning as she ran her hands over his broad, muscular chest. Restless, she rubbed her legs together because the need at her core caused such turmoil she desperately tried to soothe it. Such a throbbing need consumed her she didn't know how much longer she would be able to stand on her own weakening legs.

Disappointment filled her when he stepped away from her. Her breath came out in a rush when she realized it was only to remove more of his clothing. In an instant his shirt was wafting to the floor, hers following closely behind, along with her bra. For a moment she even forgot about the scars on her chest, moving to cover them as soon as she remembered.

"No, don't cover yourself. Let me look at how beautiful you are."

"I'm not beautiful. I'm scarred and mutilated. It's hideous."

"I'll decide for myself, thank you very much, and I say you're beautiful."

He moved his hands over her body, moaning with appreciation. He cupped her breasts in his palms, sucking her nipples into peaks of rosy buds. Her sweet smell of gardenia mixed with the scent of their mutual arousal.

Sweeping her off her feet, he walked them quickly into her bedroom, gently laying her out on the bed. He braced himself above her, kissing her urgently as his fingers fiddled with the zipper of her skirt. Once that obstacle was removed he licked, kissed, caressed and nibbled his way lower and lower, paying special attention to her belly button. His body vibrated with anticipation while his cock became uncomfortably large in the confines of his clothing.

As if sensing his discomfort, she moved to the waistband of his slacks, unbuttoning and then sliding the zipper down before caressing his hardness. The heat between them exploded as he slipped his hand over her dripping mound. A smile crossed his lips at how ready she was for him, her need punctuated by the way she ground herself against his hand. Soon they were both unencumbered by clothing. He had to taste her. Just a little nibble, he promised himself silently. He eased her legs apart, spreading her open to him. Kissing his way around her heated core, he teased here and there with his tongue. When his tongue thrust into her a cry of pleasure escaped her lips. Before he knew what was happening she had reversed their positions, now on top of him as she rubbed her core against his thigh, leaving a streak of her arousal there.

Becki took in the sight of him with awe and wonder. Moaning loudly, she grasped his steely hard cock, amazed at how soft the skin was while still remaining hard and strong. She cupped his sacks, weighing them gently in her palm. God, he was magnificent. Moving up his body she began her exploration of him, licking and nibbling while her hands paid special attention to his manhood. She was amazed at the heat radiating off of him, or was that her heat assaulting him? Didn't matter, all she knew was she wanted him. Every single luscious inch of him. This was sooooo much better than any fantasy she had ever had. Moisture escaped the tip of his cock, which she promptly licked off, savoring the flavor of him. It made her core convulse with need. He flipped her onto her back, hovering over her and poised to enter her.

"Max, please!"

"What, Becki? Tell me what you want."

"You... inside... me... now!"

"Anything for you, baby." Instead of thrusting quickly inside her, he took his time, slowly easing into her tight hot fist of need. Shock at the building need she felt made her gasp, not sure how to attain the release she craved.

"Don't be scared, baby. Relax and let it happen. I promise it'll be okay. Have you ever had an orgasm before?"

She shook her head.

"Then hold on, 'cause you're going to be flying in a minute. Trust me."

True to his word, she was shattering into a million pieces, soaring and exploding over and over. She felt her core sucking his cock dry, loving the feelings that had now been awakened in her. Just when she thought her body was coming back down to earth another shudder of pleasure would consume her. Only when his mouth was back on hers, kissing her slowly back to reality, did she open her eyes. She couldn't help but smile broadly into his kisses.

"Wow, so that's what all the excitement was about. That was awesome, magnificent, fantastic. How soon can we do it again?"

"I love you, Beck." He kissed her slowly, savoring her smell and taste. Not able to get enough of her, his cock began to harden inside her in anticipation.

"I love you, Max. I always have. Oh, and in case I forgot to say this I'll say it now. Thank you for the best evening of my life. I'll always remember it."

"You make it sound like this is our last night together. Baby, this is just the beginning for us. And for the record, that was the best time I've ever had, too. Thank you for giving me another chance."

"My pleasure, I assure you." She sighed deeply, nuzzling her face into his neck. Perfectly content.

After making love all night, only pausing for an occasional cat nap, they startled awake when the shrill alarm screamed. As she started to make her way out of her bed she was suddenly pulled back by Max's arms. His hand slipped over her breasts and toyed with them as he spoke.

"Baby, why don't you call in sick today? Stay with me and cuddle."

The idea was so tempting. She had never called in sick at the diner. After thinking about it for a minute she decided she would just feel too guilty. Greta was her friend and boss and it would leave her too short-handed with all the hunters in town.

"I'd love to, but I can't do that to Greta. If it weren't for hunting season I would in a second." She felt the soreness between her legs as she struggled out of bed. It was the best feeling in the world to her.

"Stay here and sleep. I'll put on the coffee for you. Heather will be here to handle everything if you want to sleep in." She smoothed his hair away from his forehead and kissed him gently. "Happy dreams." He was snoring softly before she made it out of the room.

After her shower she felt amazingly alive and wide awake. She realized she was smiling the entire way to work. She walked into the diner with unusual cheeriness and a spring in her step.

"I don't have to ask how the date went. I can see it written all over you," Greta commented while she poured two mugs of steaming hot coffee for both of them.

"Oh, yeah. It went very, very well. Maybe a little too well. It's kind of scary to be this happy. I haven't been this happy since my father was alive."

"Well then, you're way overdue. Enjoy it! No one deserves it more than you, honey."

"Thanks Greta, you're such a good friend to me. I appreciate all your support."

Max couldn't believe how great he felt for not having more than a few hours of sleep. For the first time in forever he felt comfortable in his own skin. Complete. Like the missing piece of the puzzle had been slipped into place. He caught himself whistling as he walked into the diner for breakfast. He took a seat at the counter because Becki's section was full with her regular customers. Greta approached him with her usual efficiency, taking the busy atmosphere in stride, as always.

"Hey there, Max, how are you?"

"Great, Greta, how 'bout you?"

"Happy. I'm thrilled to see our girl so... what's the right word? Satisfied. She told me she had a really good time last night. Good job. See that you keep it up, or you'll have me to deal with."

"Why, Greta, are you threatening an officer of the law?"

"Damn right, I am, and what's more, you know I'm not afraid to carry it out."

"No worries there, Greta. I have every intention of keeping her very 'satisfied'."

"Okay. What'll you have for breakfast then?"

Max ordered the full plate breakfast special. He had worked up an appetite the size of Texas, and he intended to satisfy it before getting into work. Sitting at his stool, he watched Becki while she hustled her way around the diner. She positively glowed, smiling easily and often as she took care of her customers. He noticed that the more she smiled the more her customers did as well, spreading her cheeriness wherever she went. God, she is awesome! He chuckled while he watched old Mr. Higgins propose marriage to her, just like every day, and she turned him down gently yet again. The man had to be near ninety years old, but, God bless him, he never gave up trying. When she noticed Max sitting at the counter she gave him a quick little wave, blushing slightly and smiling broadly. That pushed him off his stool, straight for the booth Mr. Higgins occupied and Becki happened to be standing by.

"You trying to give me some competition here, Mr. Higgins? This beautiful creature you're propositioning is my girl, and I'm prepared to protect what's mine."

"Well, kiddo, when you're done eating meet me out back and we'll settle this like gentlemen. I ain't giving her up without a fight, either."

Max slipped his arms around her waist, kissing her quickly. "Possession is nine tenths of the law, old man, and right now I'm possessed." Max grinned widely at both of them, making no attempt to hide his loving feelings toward her.

"Max! Quit harassing my help and come eat your breakfast before it gets cold!" Greta yelled across the diner, bringing their relationship to the attention of anyone who may have missed the kiss they'd shared.

"See you later, baby." Another quick kiss and he was jogging back to his seat, digging into his huge breakfast with gusto.

By the time Becki had a chance to look back at the counter Max had already gone to work. His empty plate looked like he had licked it clean. Poor baby must have been hungry after all that activity last night.

A little thrill ran through her when she thought about Max's public display of affection. He was in love and made no qualms about it, declaring it publicly to anyone who would listen. That simple action alone instilled trust in his commitment to her. All the times they had been in public together he had never so much as held her hand, let alone hugged and kissed her. Surprisingly she found she liked it. The thought that she belonged to someone else, and he belonged to her, made her heart soar. Finally she felt worthy enough to have someone else care about her, warts and all. Now all she had to do was worry about how long it would last.

# CHAPTER 16

With the holidays quickly approaching, Becki increased her salon hours, starting with the rush of girls getting ready for their homecoming dance. The salon absolutely buzzed with excitement as the girls giggled and talked about who was dating whom and all the details of their new dresses. Even though she had never gone to any of her high school dances, she found their excitement infectious. She couldn't imagine how much fun it might have been. Even if someone had had the nerve to ask her back in high school, her mother would never have allowed her to go. Her thoughts wandered back to Max, wondering why he never went to any of their dances in high school. She made a mental note to ask him about it later.

They tried to spend as much time as possible together, but between their jobs and caretaking responsibilities it often didn't happen until well into the evening. It didn't matter that they were both worn out. When they met their passion would ignite, re-energizing them as if a bolt of lightening had recharged them. After their first night together Becki had stocked her nightstand drawer with a variety of condoms. Birth control was never something she had worried about before Max. Afraid she might somehow jinx their relationship, she wouldn't go to anything more permanent in birth control.

One good thing about not being able to get together until later at night was that it limited Jilly's exposure to Max. Becki knew they enjoyed each others' company, but she wasn't quite ready to let Jilly get too attached to him. Protecting Jilly was still her main priority.

After doing hair at a frenzied pace all morning, she decided to take a quick rest before cleaning the shop. Usually she just kept right on going until it was done, but now everything had changed. Thank goodness. With a few minutes to herself, she allowed her mind to wander, wondering what she and Max would decide to do together tonight. Maybe they could go up to the country bar The Two-Step and do a little line dancing. Thanks to Heather's tutelage, both she and Jilly had become proficient at all the popular line dances. They even had a DVD to practice with.

The knock at the door startled her out of her thoughts. Cautiously she checked the peephole, stunned to see Max standing there with a wide grin illuminating his handsome face. She flung the door open.

"Hi. What are you doing here so early? I thought you were coming over at seven."

"Oh, I'll be back again at seven, I just needed to drop this off." He held out a black garment bag, waiting for her to take it.

"What's this?"

"It's for you. I want you to wear it tonight. Heather and I picked it out for you, so if you don't like it blame her."

"Are you two trying to tell me my taste in clothes sucks?"

"No, not at all. You have wonderful taste. After all, you did pick me, you know." He straightened his tie with a smug look on his face. "We just knew that you didn't have anything like this in your closet and that you'd need it for tonight. I'll see you at seven." Once she had freed his hands of the garment bag he kissed her soundly and walked back to his car, whistling happily.

With trembling fingers she unzipped the bag, gasping with delight at the elegant bronze colored formal dress inside. It was by far the most beautiful and elegant dress she had ever seen. Tears filled her eyes as she caressed the silky rhinestone trim glittering brilliantly in the light.

"Do you like it?" Heather asked shyly from the doorway.

"Oh, God, I love it! I've never seen anything so beautiful in my life. Where in the world could he be taking me that I need to wear something as spectacular as this?"

"I'm not allowed to tell. I've been sworn to secrecy under penalty of law, but I'd love to help you get ready. I can't wait to see it on you. I think the color will look gorgeous on you."

And she was right. After relaxing in a hot bath, pampering herself like never before, Becki did her hair and make-up. When Heather finished zipping her into the dress they both oohed and awed at her glittering reflection in the mirror. Jilly touched the dress lightly, as if afraid it would break.

"Mommy, you look just like a princess."

"Heather, it's absolutely perfect. I feel like a princess."

Becki admired her reflection in the full-length mirror attached to her door. Running her finger along a narrow rhinestone strap, she smiled at the light reflecting on her face. Jilly caressed the thin line of rhinestones that formed the thin belt at the waistline. When Becki twirled the gown fluttered down to the ground as the soft ruching hugged her curves. The color of the gown went perfectly with her skin tone and made the bright blue of her eyes pop with color. Nervous excitement filled her. She couldn't wait to see the expression on Max's face when he saw her.

The knock on the door let her know she would soon find out. Heather insisted on answering the door and settled Mrs. James before Becki could make her grand entrance.

The minute Becki walked into the room Max's face lit as his hand went to his heart and patted gently.

"Oh, baby, look how beautiful you are." He couldn't resist touching her, caressing her arm and kissing her gently on the lips, smiling at Jilly's giggle.

"Now will you tell me where you're taking me?"

"Not yet. It's a surprise. Seeing how beautiful you look, I should have taken you there a long time ago. "Here, lets put this on." He handed her a clear box which contained a wrist corsage that matched her dress perfectly. Gently he helped her put the corsage on her wrist and then grabbed a box he had set next to the front door when he entered the house. Smiling, he handed her the box.

"Oh, Max, you're spoiling me shamelessly." A beautiful blush covered her cheeks as she peeked slowly into the box. A gasp escaped as she suddenly pulled the lid off eagerly.

"It's so beautiful! It matches the dress perfectly. Thank you." When she pulled the paisley printed pashmina out of the box she had to wipe a stray tear from her eye. Wrapping her shoulders with the pashmina, she caressed the fabric.

"Max, you look so handsome in your suit. Did you get that tie just to match my dress?" She gave his copper colored silk tie a playful little tug.

"Absolutely. You didn't think I'd let you take all the glory now, did you?"

"Well, you look very handsome and dashing. You know you're sexy as hell all dressed up like that," Becki whispered into his ear, her warm breath full of promises.

"I'm looking more forward to getting you out of those clothes later on."

"That should be pretty easy tonight, since the only thing I have on under this dress is an itty bitty thong."

His eyebrows shot up with surprise at the mental image her suggestion created. His cock immediately jumped at the happy news. "Thank you for sharing that with me. You know now I'll be in a hurry to leave, right?"

The loving smile she threw his way made his heart clutch in his chest.

Thirty minutes later when they pulled into the high school parking lot she gave him a quizzical look.

"We're going back to high school?" The look of disappointment on her face made him burst out into a full belly laugh.

"Think about it a second. What's going on at the high school tonight?"

"Homecoming dance? Oh my God, you're taking me to the homecoming dance? I've never been to a dance!"

"I know. My mistake. I should have taken you back when we were in school. I was just too stupid back then. I hope this makes up for it." He parked the car and rushed around to get her door for her. "May I have the honor of escorting you to the dance, Rebecca Holbrook?"

"I would be honored, Maxwell James." She slipped her arm through the crook of his extended elbow as they walked.

Becki was sure by the end of the night that she had danced with every man there at least twice. It sort of freaked her out to dance with the principal. She hadn't considered that he had any other life but that of a principal. She had figured space he just faded into oblivion every day after school, only to reappear the next day in a different suit. She threw Max a 'help me' look when one of the janitors asked her to dance, still in his stained uniform. Max must have understood her dilemma, because he came to her rescue.

"Excuse me, but I believe you promised this dance to me, Becki." Without looking at the janitor, he whisked her onto the dance floor. Thank God it was a slow dance. She had been aching to be in his arms all night. Every time she got close to him someone pulled her away from him. Suddenly everyone was begging for her attention.

"Thank you, Max, you saved my life. All I've wanted all night was to be right here in your arms."

"I never knew you were so popular. When did that happen?"

"Beats me. I just assumed it was because I'm with the handsomest man in the room. The man I'm crazy about, by the way."

"Good. And don't you dare forget it. Are you ready to call it a night, yet?"

"Yes. My feet have been screaming for the last hour. How about you?"

"Yep. Let's get going while the going's good."

It took her a minute to realize they weren't going back to her house.

"Where are we going now?"

"I just thought we could get some fresh air before going home. Do you mind? It might be our last chance before the really cold weather sets in." He pulled the car into a parking spot at the park, near the swing set that they used to meet at as kids. It brought back both good and painful memories for her. This is where they used to meet, but it was also where she'd waited for Max to come back to her. Heartbreak washed through her at the painful memories.

"What's wrong? I thought you would like it here."

"It's just that it carries bittersweet memories for me. I came here every night for the rest of the summer after you left, hoping you'd come back, but you never did."

"But you're wrong. I did come back. I'm here now."

She thought about it for a minute, allowing a slow smile to take over her face.

"You're right. I guess I just didn't give the prayer long enough to work. Let's go sit on the swings."

They sat side by side on their swings, holding hands and reminiscing about both the good and bad. When Max abruptly stood in front of her she looked up at him, wondering what was wrong. Had she said something to make him angry? He had such a serious look on his face it made her heart sink. Here it comes. She braced herself for the bad news she was sure was on its way. When she had gathered enough courage she looked up to him, only to see him down on one knee and looking her in the eye.

"Becki, I know we haven't been dating very long, but we've known each other almost all our lives. We know each other better than a lot of couples who have been married for years. I love you with every fiber of my being. I could never imagine my life without you or Jilly. Would you do me the honor of marrying me?" Max reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a jewelry box. He popped the lid open, revealing a gorgeous diamond ring more beautiful than she had ever imagined any ring could be.

Nervous, she looked around, waiting for someone to spring from the shadows and announce that this was all just a joke. Instead, she saw only the man of her dreams holding their future and her heart.

"Yes. I'd be honored to marry you."

He pulled her so strongly into his arms it made the air woosh out of her lungs in a quick gust. With his face buried in her neck, he kissed his way up to her mouth. Her lips were warm and tender against his. "Thank you. I promise you'll never be sorry."

She hadn't realized tears were streaming down her face until he gently licked each one off her, and murmuring endearments to her.

For the first time in her life she felt hopeful for her future and their future together.

# CHAPTER 17

Max couldn't believe how good it felt to be in love with Becki but what about Jilly. They had discussed how to break the news to Jilly, knowing she would be just as happy as they were. But Max wanted to do something special, something other than just blurting out the news. They finally settled on a 'date' between just Max and Jilly, almost a mirror image of what had brought Becki to tears on the night he'd proposed to her.

They went together and picked out a fancy outfit for Jilly, complete with matching shoes and purse. The only information she would give Jilly was that it was a surprise. Once Becki had dressed Jilly and fluffed her hair, she led the little girl into her bedroom to look at herself in the full length mirror.

"I look just like a fairy princess! Do you think Max will like it?"

"How could he not? You look so beautiful, Jilly. I'm so proud of you, and I know Max is, too." Right on time the doorbell rang. Jilly insisted that Becki answer the door so she could make a grand entrance. Max came into the house, looking handsome as ever in his suit. After a brief hello kiss to Becki he showed her the wrist corsage he had gotten for Jilly.

"Oh, God, she'll love it. Did you get the necklace engraved?"

Max pulled the little jewelry box out of his pocket and opened it quickly. Inside sat a heart locket, complete with a picture of Max and Becki inside, with a simple engraved message on the back. 'We love you'.

"It looks great! When are you going to ask her? Have you figured out what you're going to say?"

"Calm down, I've got it all covered. I thought I'd take her to the same swing-set and pretty much pull the same routine I did on you. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Worked like a charm on you, didn't it?" Max cupped her cheek with his hand and moved in for a kiss. "Is my beautiful date ready?"

They both laughed when they heard Jilly's excited giggle from her open bedroom door.

She walked slowly out of her bedroom, arms outstretched as if she were in a beauty contest. She strolled with her head held high and a smile on her face. It reminded Becki of all the beauty pageants they had watched on television over the years.

Immediately Max put his hand over his heart and patted it as if to try and calm it down.

"You look so beautiful! I'm not sure I should give you the flowers I brought you to wear. They'll look so dull next to your beauty. What do you think?" He held out the transparent flower box containing her corsage.

"I think it'll be fine. Can I wear them now?"

"Sure you can. Here, let me help you." Max carefully placed the child sized corsage around her wrist. Becki's heart warmed at the idea that he had made sure the band would fit Jilly's tiny wrist.

"Well, what do you think? Do you like them?" Becki asked while she watched her little girl look lovingly at the flowers.

"They're pretty. Just like something Cinderella would wear for her wedding to Prince Charming."

"Milady, your carriage awaits." Max bowed low and extended an arm as if he were her servant. Without missing a beat she headed for the door, waiting like a lady for Max to open it for her.

Becki put her hand over her mouth to mask the giggle that threatened to escape. She gave Max a thumbs up as he waved goodbye. At that moment she felt like the happiest woman in the world. She said a little prayer of thanks to God for all her blessings. Dismissing any thought that it couldn't last, she went to the couch and settled in to watch television, a luxury she didn't usually have without interruption.

She woke, groggy, to the sound of Jilly bursting through the door and yelling for her.

"Mommy! We're getting married! Look what Max gived me!"

"Oh, good. You said yes? I was hoping you would. Did you have fun?"

"Uh huh. Max took me to a fancy restaurant. After we ate he got down on his knees and beggeded me to let him marry us. Everybody in the restaurant started clapping and everything when I said yes. It was lots of fun. Some of the ladies let me show them my new necklace, too."

"Wow! Sounds like a pretty exciting night. What did you have for dinner?"

"Mac and cheese with wine."

"Sparkling apple cider in a wine glass." Max clarified immediately.

He had never seen two lovelier females than the two sitting on the couch. He liked that he had given Jilly and Becki a reason to smile. He grinned as Jilly told her mother every minute detail of their evening. He doubted that he could have done as well raising a child alone, if the situation had been reversed. Suddenly he was anxious for the wedding, afraid that somehow this was all a dream.

"So, now that we've all agreed to get married, when can we do it?"

"Wow. I haven't really thought about it yet. Did you have a specific timeframe in mind? With the holidays coming up soon, it might take a while to arrange everything."

"Okay. How big do we want to do this thing?"

"I think small and simple would be best, don't you? Neither one of us has any family, per se, so just a family and friends thing would be good."

"Are you sure? I want it to be everything you ever dreamed of, so if you want to invite all of Somerset Falls, it's fine with me."

"I've never even dreamt of having a wedding, so small is good for me. What about you? What were your dreams for your wedding?" She laughed teasingly.

"Well, I have a whole folder of pictures at home of what I wanted, but I'm flexible."

"Very funny. I hope you have a picture of my wedding dress in there, because I have no idea what I want."

"Let's decide on a date first, then go from there. How about New Years Eve? Then we could get the married tax deduction on our taxes."

"You're such a romantic, thinking about taxes at a time like this...if you want New Years Eve that's fine with me. How about you, Jilly? Do you think you can keep the date open on your calendar?"

"Yep. When is New Days Eve?"

"It's New Years Eve, and it's about a week after Christmas, during your vacation from school."

"All right. It's a done deal. I think we all know where we want to go for the reception. Am I right?" A puzzled look crossed Becki's face.

"Tortellini's!" Both Max and Jilly replied in unison.

"Right. I'll call them first thing tomorrow and see what's available. We can't make any more plans until we know what's available. Besides, I think it's way past Miss Jillian's bedtime. Give Max a kiss goodnight and get into your pajamas. I'll be there in a few minutes."

Jilly yawned on her way to her bedroom.

"You did such a great job with her. I had such a blast with her tonight. I'm just as crazy about her as I am about you, and I can't wait to have you both in my life fulltime." Max pulled her into his arms, kissing her deeply, stirring the passion in both of them.

"I never, ever thought I could be this happy. I love you so much, Max."

"I love you, too, more than I thought possible."

"Will you be able to stay for a while tonight? What time did you tell Heather you'd be back?"

"Crap. I told her I'd be back around ten, and it's almost that now. She's so good to both of us I hate to be late."

"I agree. She's an absolute saint and a blessing. I was going to ask her to be my maid of honor, if that's all right with you."

"Perfect. I think I'll scope out the single officers and ask one of them, who just may be perfect for her, to be my best man. Might as well do a little matchmaking while we're at it. I want everyone to be as happy as we are right now."

"Are you thinking of becoming the town yenta?"

"Not for the whole town, just the people I know."

"Why don't you bring your mother with you for dinner tomorrow night. I was thinking of making some stew in the crock pot."

"Mmmm. Sounds good to me. I'll see you tomorrow at six." He kissed her quickly, not wanting to be tempted into staying.

Monday morning it was back to reality when her alarm rang promptly at five in the morning. Running late for work, Becki didn't have time to tell anyone the good news about her engagement to Max, although she wore the ring proudly.

Of course once Max walked into the diner everything changed. In the middle of the breakfast rush he sauntered to her, grabbed her into his arms and bent her backwards while kissing her deeply in front of everyone. He stood her back on her feet and made the announcement.

"Everyone, may I have your attention. I'm here to announce my engagement to Miss Rebecca Holbrook. She agreed to marry me this weekend, so hands off my woman. And that includes you, Mr. Higgins." Max turned and walked out through the door amid the cheers and whistles of all the customers and Greta.

# CHAPTER 18

Becki had been able to make most of the wedding arrangements within a few days. Well, at least the main things, the preacher and the restaurant. Things like the cake, flowers, and dresses were going to take a little more time, but Becki was sure they'd get there eventually. She didn't want to be one of those brides who put so much emphasis on the reception that they forgot the reason for the celebration in the first place.

Becki spoke over her shoulder to Heather as she looked over her to do list. "I only intend to get married once, so to me the ceremony is the most important thing. Vows made between husband and wife in front of God are sacred to both of us. We agreed the most important part of the day would be the ceremony and all that it represents."

"I agree," Heather replied. "Too bad so many other couples focus on everything else more than the meaning."

Heather shrugged into her coat and waved goodbye on her way out the door.

Jillian was so excited to be involved in the plans that they made a point of asking her opinion about everything. When she went to school she announced to everyone that she was getting married and getting a new daddy. Max made a point of becoming an important part of her life, even taking time off work to attend the Halloween parade down Main Street, a long-standing tradition in Somerset Falls. The high school band led all the elementary children decked out in their costumes as they all waved to the people that lined the street. Next to Becki stood Max, Heather, and Mrs. James, waving to Jilly who was dressed like a bride. She beamed with pride, waving vigorously when she saw them standing along the parade route.

Jilly yelled loudly, "That's my family! There's my new daddy and grandma!"

And Becki got it all recorded for posterity, panning around at the crowd, as well as Jilly, with her video camera.

********

The Wednesday before Thanksgiving was one of the diner's busiest days of the year. Becki guessed it was because the women kicked the men out of the house so they could get ready for the big dinner tomorrow without a man underfoot.

"Morning, Sheriff Wilkins, what can I get you this morning for breakfast?"

"I'll have the special. Becki, I need to see you at the station when you're done here today. Could you stop in before you go home? I promise it'll only take a minute."

"Umm. Sure. Is something wrong?" She got a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach, positive she'd done something wrong.

"No, no, nothing like that. Just a little something we need to get done. Don't worry about it. Just ask for me at the desk, and someone'll bring you back to my office."

"Okay. I'll come straight there." But the nagging feeling of doom and gloom wouldn't go away. Nothing good ever came from being summoned to the police department by the sheriff.

When her shift was over she nervously walked down the street to the police department. The deputy manning the reception desk led her back to the sheriff's office , assuring her that Sheriff Wilkins would be there in a minute. His office was like a breath of fresh air, compared to the industrial look of the rest of the station. The walls were painted in a muted sage green and all the wood trim was done in blond knotty pine. He even had a few African violets on the windowsill. It suited his laid back demeanor.

"Hey, Becki, sorry to keep you waiting." Sheriff Wilkins rushed into his office and sat behind his desk.

"No problem." Her hands were wet with perspiration and she was glad he didn't try to shake her hand. Nervous, she fiddled with the strap of her handbag.

"I got a fax from the New York Police Department asking me to have you look at a picture to see if you can identify the man that raped you. I know it's been a long time, but I don't think it's something anyone in your position forgets. Apparently they got a match on the DNA samples they took from you, but they still want a visual identification from you." He opened a manila folder and handed the picture to her.

She could feel the blood drain from her face as she glanced at her rapist's face, the face of Jilly's father. Terror struck her, almost making her pass out. Frozen in fear, she didn't respond immediately. Tears began to fill her eyes while she blinked furiously in an attempt to clear them.

"My guess from the look on your face is that this is the man who raped you."

Afraid to answer him, she simply nodded.

"Why do they need me to identify him? I won't testify. I can't."

"Don't you want him punished?"

"Not more than I want to protect my daughter. I don't want her knowing that she was conceived from a rape. Can you imagine what that would do to her self-esteem? If the other kids found out she'd be an outcast, just like I am. I don't want that for her, so I'll do everything in my power to protect her. So officially, no, I don't recognize him."

"I understand your reasoning, but I can't agree with it. This man needs to be put away before he does the same thing to someone else. Do you realize how many women you'll save by agreeing to testify?"

"I'm not willing to ruin my daughter's life over it. Besides, you said they have DNA, so they shouldn't need me or my testimony. No. I'm not doing it. Tell them I couldn't remember."

"Tell you what. I'll hold off telling them anything until after the holiday weekend. Stop by Monday after work and let me know your final decision. Think about it a little more before giving me an answer."

"If you want to wait, that's up to you, but the answer will be the same on Monday. Was that all you needed?"

"That was it. See you Monday."

Becki stood on trembling legs and hurried out of the building. She didn't even realize Max was at his desk.

Watching the stricken look on her face, Max threw a questioning look at the Sheriff, who motioned him into his office.

"What the hell's going on, Sheriff? Why's Becki so upset?"

Sheriff Wilkins pointed to the picture on his desk. Max jumped back, literally taken aback. He was staring at the male version of Jillian.

"NYPD sent this. They needed Becki to do a positive I.D. on this guy. He raped her five years ago."

Max stared at the picture, trying to comprehend what the Sheriff was saying. Becki was raped? Why didn't she tell me? Clearly Jilly was the product of that rape.

"Have you ever seen her daughter, Sheriff? It's like I'm looking at a picture of her. He's her father, no doubt about it. What did Becki have to say?"

"She refused to I.D. him." The sheriff shook his head. "Refuses to testify against him, too. I understand her reasoning but...maybe you could talk to her. They need to get this monster off the streets. According to the report, he put Becki in the hospital for over a week, on top of raping her."

"Maybe she doesn't remember him." Max was grasping at straws and he knew it.

"If you had seen her face when she looked at that picture you'd know she knew immediately who he was. Talk to her, see if you can convince her to change her mind. I told her I'll wait until after the holiday weekend before I send an answer. She's supposed to stop back on Monday and let me know her final decision."

"I'll see what I can do, but I doubt if she'll change her mind."

"Well, just give it your best shot."

"Yes, sir."

Max went back to his desk and sat, stunned and hurt that she had never told him about the rape. Didn't she trust him? Maybe she thought knowing it would lower his opinion of her? God, her life must have been pure hell. Then to top it off her crazy mother tried to kill her and Jilly. And she'd been going to cosmetology school at the same time. No wonder she never talked about it. Who would after all that? He would just want to put it in the past and bury it there, like he had done with his father's abuse. But Becki was now learning what he had learned through counseling, it never really goes away. What's more, it crops up at the most inopportune times, like when you're engaged to be married and the holiday's right around the corner.

No matter how he felt personally though, he was still a police officer, and he had to agree with Sheriff Wilkins' assessment. This guy needed to be taken off the streets before anyone else got hurt. If everyone took Becki's attitude, no one would ever go to prison, and the streets would be in complete chaos. He had to figure out a way to persuade her to testify.

Comfortable with his decision, he called Heather and asked her to stay late at his house tonight, although he didn't explain why. This was Becki's story to tell, if she chose to. He made sure Jilly would stay at his house with Heather and his mother so they could talk without interruption.

Max found Becki lying on her bed with a large mountain of used tissues next to her. Red blotches dotted her face and her eyes were puffed as if she'd had an allergic reaction. Her breathing came in erratic gasps, like someone who had been crying a long time. It broke his heart to see her so upset.

"Hey, baby. Sheriff Wilkins told me what was going on. Do you want to talk about it?" He rubbed her arm for a minute, then clasped her hand.

"No. Not really. There's not much to say."

"Well, why don't you start with why you never told me about the rape. It's obvious this guy is Jilly's father." He knew the answer, but he wanted to try and distract her from the whole testimony issue.

"I never told you because you never asked. If you had asked I would have told you the truth, after I swore you to secrecy. I don't want Jilly to ever know how she was conceived. It certainly has no bearing on how much I love her. She is truly my gift from God. She's the one good thing that came from the whole rape and my mother's attack on me."

"So are you telling me you don't regret being raped?"

"No! Absolutely not! I'm telling you I don't regret what came from that vile act he committed against me. What he did to me put me in the hospital for a week, not to mention the emotional scars it had left. But no matter how terrible it was I don't need revenge or a sense of justice more than Jilly needs to feel safe and loved. If she ever found out it would ruin her. Right now she's too young to understand, but people have long memories in small towns. The story would never die. She would be an outcast, just like I am. I'm stopping the cycle right now."

"You don't think that people would understand?"

"Adults might but not everyone is careful about what they say around children. What's the saying, 'little pictures have big ears'? Once a kid gets a hold of this Jilly'll be teased unmercifully. Kids are cruel, even if they don't fully understand the implications of what they're saying."

"But if you don't testify, this man will keep doing this over and over again to a lot of other women. Can you live with yourself by allowing him to keep his freedom?" He cleared his throat and resisted the urge to pull her into his arms and tell her he would make it all right.

"Jilly is what matters most. Those women are strangers to me. This is my flesh and blood we're talking about here. Don't try to lay a guilt trip on me over people I don't even know."

"Did it ever occur to you that other victims before you felt the same way, and that's why this happened to you?"

"So you think I'm being a coward? Let me ask you this, did it ever occur to you that if he's not convicted he could demand his parental rights? What would I do then? Let her spend the summers with that monster? If I went to court I would have to give my address as a matter of public record. What if he decided to move to Somerset Falls to be closer to his daughter?"

"But if you testify he'll go to jail and then you won't have to deal with him anymore. No judge is going to make you bring a five year-old girl to prison to visit her rapist father."

"True. If he gets convicted. Statistically, rape cases have a low conviction rate. I can't take that chance. I won't take that chance."

"I think you're wrong, Becki. You'll forever remain the victim unless you empower yourself by testifying."

"Spoken like a man in therapy. If I testify and lose, two people will be victims. Jilly will be saddled with this for the rest of her life, as well. I'm not going to change my mind on this Max. I'm not willing to risk it."

"I'm really disappointed in you, Becki. I thought you had more guts than that. And a helluva more compassion for your fellow womankind. As a cop and a man that loves you I truly believe you're making a huge mistake."

"Are you saying this is a deal breaker?"

"No...at least I don't think so. I haven't really thought about it in those terms."

"Frankly, I'm quite disappointed in you, too. I thought you would put Jilly first, but..." she let the sentence just dangle there, not sure how to finish it. "My mistake, I guess. Maybe we should take some time apart and think about the whole situation some more. Once we're married there's no turning back. I refuse to divorce, so you better make damn sure it's what you want."

"Maybe you're right. What about tomorrow?"

"It's probably best if we cancel the whole family Thanksgiving thing...just in case."

"Yeah. I'll call you." Max stood, wondering if he should kiss her goodbye or not. She waved goodbye and turned away from him, answering the question for him.

# CHAPTER 19

Becki didn't know what to do or where to go. She pushed down the panic she felt and tried to remain calm and logical. Every instinct she had screamed at her to take Jilly and run, anywhere, someplace new and where nobody knew them or cared what happened to them. Maybe she could figure out how to live on Mackinac Island year round. People were always coming and going there. Most of the population lived off the island all winter, which in Michigan was a good five months of the year. Really, it was only the summers that people swarmed around the island. Probably ninety five percent of the people were transient college students trying to earn a little money for the summer. Big cities had their advantages, as well. For one thing, folks only had their neighbors gossiping about them, not the entire town. Her thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of Heather bringing Jilly home. She forced herself off the bed and tried to put on a reasonably contented face.

"Okay, what the hell's going on?" Heather had her hands on her hips, her feet slightly apart, braced for anything Becki could throw at her.

"What do you mean?" Playing dumb seemed to be her best bet.

"Jilly, why don't you go watch a movie in the salon while your mom and I talk adult stuff." The little girl skipped out of the room. Heather waited until she heard a movie begin before speaking again.

"Max came home looking like he'd been run over by a Mack truck. You look like hell. You've been crying. Spit it out. You know you'll feel better."

Of course Heather was right. In a moment of weakness she spilled the whole ugly story to Heather, not leaving any tiny detail out. Heather sat there, her mouth gaping open and her eyes wide, shock showing on her face as if it were a huge zit.

"Wow. This is big. Really, really big."

"Yeah, like basic values kind of big. Max believes the judicial system works, but I don't. Or at least I'm afraid to take the chance that it works. Jilly's too important to risk."

"Seems to me, if you don't give the system a chance to work it can't possibly work. You're the one hindering the process. When you do that, you're already defeated. Does that make sense to you?"

"Yes, I see your point. It's a matter of trust."

"Right. I have an idea how you can pull this off without the whole town knowing, too. What if Max went with you to New York, and I kept Jilly and Mrs. James for both of you. We could tell everyone you're going out of town together on a romantic getaway. You wouldn't be lying, you would just leave out the testifying part. Max would be with you for moral support, and you could actually take in a few Broadway shows and have a decent time. What do you think about that?"

"Do you think Max will go along with it? He's pretty adamant about the whole law and order stuff. Plus, what if this guy gets off and wants to enforce his parental rights to Jilly? I won't allow that. I can't. I'll disappear first before I let that bastard lay eyes on her."

"One thing at a time. Doing this will show you trust Max, and because you trust him, you're taking his word for the fact that everything will turn out right. If it doesn't go well you'll be no worse off than you are now, right? Besides, DNA evidence doesn't lie."

"No, but rapists do."

"Don't you think the fact that you were in the hospital for a week kind of backs up your story more than his?"

"You're right. The jury would have to be complete idiots not to convict him. Can you stay here while I go talk to Max?"

"Absolutely! Get going, we'll be fine."

"Heather, you're the very best friend I've ever had, besides Max, of course. Thank you."

"Don't go getting all sloppy on me. You know I love all of you. You're family, and family sticks together. Now get the hell out of here before I have to beat your ass."

Max was stunned when he looked through the peep hole and saw Becki standing on his front porch.

"Hey, baby. Come on in. You know you don't have to knock."

She looked at him and burst into tears, sobbing uncontrollably.

"I'm so sorry. You were right about everything. I have to trust you, but I'm scared...so scared." He pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly until her sobbing subsided.

"Shhh, it's all right. We'll work everything out. I promise. Come on in and sit down." Relief swept through him like a tidal wave. He closed his eyes and said a prayer of thanks while he held her tightly on the couch.

Once she calmed down she explained Heather's idea to him.

"Shit. Why didn't we think of that? It's the perfect solution, and I think she's right. We might actually have a little fun in the process. Kind of a little business mixed in with the pleasure. I'm all for it."

"Me, too. I guess that's why they say it's best to talk things out. Although I have to say this did get a little messy, but I guess it's the end that matters, right?"

"Yep. That's what Nina says all the time, and she's got the license to back her up. I love you, baby. Is dinner back on for tomorrow?"

"Yes, sir, it is. Dinner is promptly at two o'clock, so don't be late." She moved out of his arms and headed back to the door.

"Hey, hey, not so fast. When do I get the make-up sex?" A deliciously evil glint lit in his eyes. "My mother's already asleep for the night. I guess she had a busy day today with Jilly being off from school and all."

"Okay, but just a quickie. Heather's waiting for me to get home."

"She won't mind, I'm sure of it." He scooped her into his arms and jogged to the bedroom. She undid the buttons on his shirt while he carried her, not wanting to waste a second of their time together with obstructive things like clothes.

********

True to his word, Max made all the travel arrangements for their trip to New York. He did his research and got a hotel as close to the courthouse as possible. Once she was done testifying they could always change hotels if it gave her the creeps afterward. Who wanted to be reminded about going to court every time they looked out the window?

The people they told about their trip seemed to accept the lie without question. No one acted overly interested, although there was a lot of teasing at the diner, with everyone telling Max with a wink and a nod to have a good time. The only other person who knew the truth was Sheriff Wilkins, who vowed to keep their secret. If Sheriff Wilkins ever spilled his guts about what he knew about the people of the town, half of them would be fighting with the other half over their past indiscretions.

Becki couldn't see herself having any fun with Max until her testimony was over. Nerves about testifying and being back in the city that represented nothing but pain and anger to her kept her on edge. She and Max arrived two days before the trial actually began, so she could go over her testimony with the District Attorney and get a feel for the case. Getting dressed for the meeting, she struggled to button her blouse, because her fingers trembled so much. She stopped and shook her hands vigorously, as if that would stop the trembling. After several tries she was finally ready to go.

Too nervous to eat breakfast, she sat in the restaurant, and fidgeting with her napkin and poking her fork at the food Max insisted she order. She knew he was right, starving herself wasn't going to change anything. So with a new resolve she forced herself to take a bite of her eggs, hoping they would just slide down on their own. They landed with a thud in her stomach like a boulder. She took a sip of her coffee. Two bites of toast later, she was done eating. If she tried to force any more down her throat she would have to run for the bathroom and toss everything into the toilet bowl.

At their meeting with Douglas Tomy, the prosecuting attorney for her case, Becki learned how they had gotten the blood sample and matched it to her attacker. Nick Conte, the name of the man accused of her rape, was already serving time as a 'guest' of the state of New York for robbery. There had been an altercation with another inmate where Nick had bitten the guy, and according to policy they did an AIDS test. Once a prisoner has given a sample of blood, the state automatically did a DNA check. When the information was entered into the state database it immediately spat out the match to her case.

Knowing the man who raped her was already in prison did make her feel slightly better. Being forced to relay the whole story again to both the prosecutor and Max was unnerving. At one point Max had begun to pace back and forth in the small office, his hand over his mouth as she relayed every minute detail. To his credit, he managed to keep his mouth shut and listen to details she knew were extremely difficult for him to hear. Thinking that their meeting was coming to a close, she started to relax a little, finally sitting back in her chair with a sigh. Douglas Tomy had been both kind and understanding with her, even when he tried to play the devil's advocate and get Becki riled-up. By testing her for any flaws the jury may see. When he moved onto the next subject she almost fell out of her chair with shock.

"You have a daughter, Jillian. Is that correct?"

"Yesssss. Why?" Suspicious that things were turning around to a dark subject, she tensed again, sitting up straight in her chair.

"In my research I noticed that her birth was nine months after your attack. Is your daughter a result of the rape?"

"Why does that matter? It has nothing to do with the attack...really. It's about the violence of the act."

"We need to be prepared here, Ms. Holbrook. I don't want any surprises. There's an old saying amongst lawyers. Don't ask a question unless you already know the answer. I need to know this answer. Is your daughter a result of this rape?"

She didn't know what to do or where to go. Looking to Max with a pleading expression, she prayed he could help her. But no one could help her. Lying wouldn't do any good. She knew they could force a DNA test if necessary. Seeing no other option, she told the truth.

"Yes." Barely a whisper, she let the word slip from her lips.

"Do we have to bring that up in court? I mean, it really doesn't have anything to do with getting a conviction, does it?" Max's face had gone white.

"I don't want my daughter to know the circumstances of her conception, not to mention having Nick Conte find out he has a child. He doesn't deserve to know after what he did to me. What if he pushes for his parental rights?" Her voice rose as panic consumed her. Body trembling, she grasped the arms of her chair, struggling not to flee.

"I assure you I agree one hundred percent. I have no intention of bringing this up during the trial. I just need to be prepared if his defense team brings it up."

"Are you telling me he knows that he has a daughter?" Max stopped his pacing and leaned into Douglas' face, outrage written all over it. His brow was furrowed and his hands were fisted, resting on the desk top.

"Honestly, I don't know. It's possible. By law we must disclose all our information to the defense council. I don't know if they picked-up on it or not when they were going through the evidence."

"What if he wants to see Jillian or, worse yet, have regular visitation with her? I won't allow her to be exposed to that animal. I don't care what the law says."

"As long as he's in prison the state won't allow him to assert his parental rights. Once he's out, though, it's a whole other can of worms. My suggestion would be to get a lawyer who specializes in child custody and parental rights before he's scheduled to get out of jail. You might be able to get it all straightened out before he ever gets out." Douglas Tomy threw his hands in the air, as if surrendering.

"If he's not convicted of my rape, when is he due to get out of prison?"

"Six months without good behavior. Possibly sooner if the system gets too crowded. My job is to make sure he doesn't get that chance. We have a good case here, Ms. Holbrook. It's hard to argue with DNA evidence, and the fact that you spent a week in the hospital after the rape will speak volumes to the jury. I don't want to make any promises, but it looks very favorable."

"Let's hope so Mr. Tomy." Max had a lot riding on this. More than just Jillian was at stake here. Could Becki ever forgive him if things didn't go their way? Now he wasn't so sure. Certainly not as sure as he had been back in Somerset Falls. Even his faith in the system was starting to crack at the thought that this maniac might get his hands on Jilly. He vowed to himself to do everything in his power to make sure it didn't happen, within the law that is. As soon as they got back to the hotel he planned to start looking for a good family law attorney.

He gave Becki's shoulder a reassuring squeeze, trying to let her know he understood her concerns, a silent vow to stay with her no matter what. When the interoffice buzzer sounded in Mr. Tomy's office they all jumped.

"Yes."

"There's a gentleman here asking to see Rebecca Holbrook. Is she available?" The flat voice of the receptionist droned out.

"She'll be out in a couple of minutes. Tell him to wait." He clicked off the intercom, giving them a questioning look.

"I don't know anyone here in New York. Who would be looking for me?"

"It could be someone from Nick Conte's defense council. The only way to know for sure is to get it over with. We're all set here, unless you have any more questions."

Becki stood on quaking limbs, holding on to the desk for support. Fear covered her face, her brow furrowed and her mouth formed a straight, tight white line. Tears threatened to spill as Max took her trembling hand in his, pulling her into a tight embrace.

"Just one more question. Can you recommend a good family law attorney?" she asked with a cracking voice that betrayed her fear.

"Yes. I'll have my receptionist give you a copy of my list."

They followed him out the door, waiting for the bad news to strike.

# CHAPTER 20

Becki sat in the darkness of their hotel room, unable to sleep and desperate for a plan. After the last three days of her stay in New York she never wanted to set foot in this terrible state again. Only bad things happened to her in New York. Going over the events in her mind, she wondered how people slept at all while in the city.

When she had stepped out of Douglas Tomey's office the man had served her with a court order for a DNA test on Jillian. Nick Conte wanted proof that Jillian was his daughter. Was it a move on the defense's part to prove him innocent of the rape, or was he trying to assert his parental rights the minute he got out of jail? Either way, it spelled big trouble for her. Now she had no choice but to comply. Soon everyone would know what she had fought so desperately to keep private.

To add insult to injury, when they got to the courthouse to begin the rape trial she learned that they had reached a plea deal with Conte. Without consulting her, they had agreed to an additional two year sentence if Conte pled no contest to the rape charges. It wasn't an admission of guilt, just an agreement to do more time. What kind of bullshit was that? He wouldn't have any record of a rape conviction on his rap sheet, no record of the violence he was capable of. Mr. Tomy had informed her that a 'no contest' plea was not an admission of guilt, but rather an agreement that the evidence strongly suggested his guilt. Not the same as a conviction. Realistically, he could be out of jail in less than a year. He would be considered a 'non-violent' offender, therefore not a threat to society.

Outraged, she had asked Douglas Tomy why he would agree to such a thing. He knew what was at stake, but didn't care.

"I know what you're thinking. Believe me, I would feel the same way. I was forced into this by my supervisor. Bottom line, it saves the taxpayers money. This is an election year. It's out of my control. I'm very sorry," Douglas explained as he stood and repacked his briefcase, not making eye contact with either her or Max.

So that was it. Her life was being torn apart to save money. Great judicial system they had here in New York, no wonder people were perpetually crabby.

Now she sat listening to Max snore softly while she struggled to make some sense out of what had happened. The family law attorneys they had contacted didn't have any openings for several weeks and would require a sizable down payment. Her only choice was to sell the house and beauty shop. She needed a lot of money fast. The minute they got back she'd ask Greta to let her start working seven days per week. She would sell off the beauty shop equipment on eBay or Craig's list before putting the house on the market. With Jilly in school fulltime she would only need to pay Heather on the weekends. Beyond that, she had no idea what else to do.

There would be no big wedding. She could never spend that kind of money on something so frivolous. Max would just have to understand. It wasn't something she was willing to negotiate about. Even though she knew he wasn't responsible for all of this, she couldn't help but feel some resentment toward him. If he hadn't convinced her she should give the judicial system a chance, none of this would have happened. Mr. Law and Order still wouldn't concede that this was a disaster. He insisted on looking at things through rose colored glasses. Refusing to admit any responsibility for the situation she now faced, he continued insisting that everything would be fine in the end. Well, on that he was right. The minute she sensed things weren't going her way she would take any money she had left and just disappear with Jilly, change their names and go somewhere else to live, somewhere no one would ever find them. She'd start her research as soon as she got home.

Becki covered her face with her hands, wishing she and Jilly could just become invisible. What had she done to deserve this? Why was she being punished when things had begun to fall into place for her. She had a man she loved, a sweet, wonderful daughter. People cared about her. Looking back, even the situation now haunting her was better than her life had been after her father died. At least this was tangible. Her mother's mental illness would never make sense to her. It defied all logic.

Hours later she woke up on the couch, covered by a blanket from the bed, while Max sat at the desk working on his computer.

"Max? What time is it? How long have I been sleeping?"

"Hey, welcome back amongst the living. I thought you needed the sleep, so I didn't wake you. It's about two o'clock."

"In the afternoon? I can't believe I slept that long. You must have been bored out of your mind waiting for me to wake up. What have you been doing?"

"Just a little research on the computer. Looking into our options on this whole paternity thing."

"Really? What did you find out? Is there any hope that we can get out of this mess?"

"Actually, I think there's some possibility we might come out ahead. I've been researching the law and looking at the statistics on similar cases. So far I haven't found one case that awarded the father visitation with a child he fathered through a criminal act. Even though Conte didn't plead guilty to the rape, he's still a violent offender. It will always be a part of his criminal record that he pled no contest to the charges. That gives the family law judge a lot of flexibility for a positive ruling in our favor."

"Really? You're not just telling me this to make me feel better?"

"No way! I wouldn't do that to you. Remember, I'm a realist. It is what it is, baby. We can't deal with this if we don't look at it objectively."

"All right, from an objective standpoint, what do I have to do and how much will it cost? I've already resigned myself that I'll have to sell the house and beauty shop. I'm planning on asking Greta if I can work seven days a week."

"Don't do anything rash here, Becki. I have some money saved that we can use to hire the attorney and get going on the case. I thought I'd pull extra duty on the force, maybe even get a second job."

"I can't take your money, Max. This isn't your fight, it's my problem."

"Bullshit! How dare you tell me this isn't my problem! I've loved Jilly since the day I met her. You're crazy if you think I'm just going to sit back and watch you struggle with this and not offer any help. Jeez, what kind of man do you think I am? I'm insulted and hurt that you would even think like that."

She didn't answer immediately, staring down at her fingers that lay in her lap. What kind of man did she think he was? The answer came to her without hesitation. A wonderful, caring, loving man.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I'm not used to having any kind of support from anyone. It's just that we're not married and I don't want to take advantage of you. I still can't accept your money, but I'd be happy to have your emotional support. Everything's changed now that this has happened. I always thought that once we were married you might adopt Jilly and make us a true family. How can I have you shoulder the financial burden, knowing you can never adopt her?"

"That's not entirely true, Becki. If we can push this custody thing through before Conte gets out of jail, I think there's a good chance for exactly that. No, make that an excellent chance that we can not only prevent visitation but have Conte's parental rights terminated altogether. If that happens, then I'll be able to adopt her."

"Is that what you want to do?"

"Yes. Almost as much as I want to marry you." He went over to her and sat down next to her, grabbing both her hands in his before speaking again.

"Let's see how this plays out. If it looks like things aren't going in our favor we'll have to come up with another plan of attack, but make no mistake about it, we will win. Even if we have to just disappear and start a new life with new identities, he'll never get his hands on her. I promise."

Her eyes grew wide as shock took over her mind. How did he know that was her plan? Maybe she had been talking in her sleep.

Laughter lit his eyes, making them sparkle brightly. "What? You think you're the only one to think about that? Or are you just shocked that I'd be willing to do that for you?"

"Both! You really do love us that much, don't you?"

"Yeah. It's about time you understood that. I've been wondering just how far I'd go to protect both you and Jilly. Now we know, to the ends of the earth, my love." He pulled her into his lap and kissed her slowly and deeply. Passion renewed them as they took their lovemaking back to the bed, both secure in the knowledge that they had each others' backs.

One week later Max walked into the squad room, whistling happily and drawing looks from the other officers in the room. For Jilly's sake he had to keep up the appearance of being a happily engaged man just back from a long romantic weekend. They all assumed he had screwed her brains out, of course. The thought alone made him smirk outwardly, remembering that was true. But what really had him all self-satisfied and proud of himself was he had figured out a way around Becki's rule about not accepting any money from him. Now all he had to do was persuade Heather to go along with his plan.

# CHAPTER 21

Becki and Jilly fell back into their routine first thing Monday morning. Relieved to get her little girl off to school, she could let herself relax. Pretending everything was all right, when it certainly wasn't, was making her ill. She had been racking her brain, wondering what story she would tell Linda at the reality office as to why she wanted to sell her house. Everything she'd thought of so far sounded lame, even to her. Maybe she could manage to get out of the office before Linda could get around to asking too many questions. Truth be told, it tugged a little at her heart to think about selling her childhood home, a home her beloved father had built with his own two hands. Even with all the problems she had had with her mother, she still loved the house. With a sigh, she opened the door to the diner, realizing there was no point in reminiscing. Having no other feasible choice, she had to sell it. Jilly was more than worth the sacrifice.

When she finished her meeting with Linda after her shift at the diner, she was thankful that Linda hadn't been too nosey about her reasons for selling. Actually, Linda had been very positive that a sale could happen quickly. She had arranged for Heather to let Linda into the house so the appraisal could be finished before they had their meeting. Surprised as she was at what Linda thought a fair asking price might be, it eased her mind to know she would be well able to fight for her little girl when the time came. Just the thought made her light headed as she plopped down onto the nearest park bench, trying desperately to not faint right on the sidewalk. She bent over and put her head between her knees, trying to get the loud ringing to stop before she tried sitting up again. When she heard running footsteps on the sidewalk she jumped upright, startled to see Max standing in front of her.

"What's wrong? You're pale as a sheet. Are you sick?"

He hunkered down to look her right in the eyes for seconds, then his gaze darted from one part of her body to another quickly. Nausea flowed over her at the sudden movement of sitting upright. Suddenly she didn't feel right at all. Leaning to the side of the bench she threw-up on the grass. Gross! She never could tolerate vomit, even when it was her own. Just the thought made her sick again. Swallowing hard, trying to push back the next gag, she looked into his concerned eyes. She hated that he'd had to witness her puking.

"Wow, I never even saw that one coming. I felt fine until just a few minutes ago. Then all of the sudden I was dizzy and nauseous. Sorry about you having to see that, it's so gross. How can you stand watching someone throw-up without gagging?"

"Are you kidding? I've got an iron stomach. With a drunk for a dad you get used to it. I'm just sorry you're not feeling well. Do you feel any better now that you've thrown up?"

"Ummm, yeah. I guess I do. In fact I'm a little hungry...how weird is that?"

Max chuckled at the perplexed look on her face. Thank goodness he had been coming back from his appointment with Heather and Linda or he would have never found her.

"Do you think you're ready to head back home now? I'll walk with you and get you settled before I go back to work."

"Max, you're my hero. What would I do without you?"

"Not going there ever again, so just forget about that idea. You're stuck with me for life, and don't you forget it."

"Ahh, speaking of being stuck for life. I need to talk to you about the wedding."

A sudden feeling of dread invaded him. Thinking the worst, he closed his eyes, trying to brace himself for the bad news he sensed was coming. When he didn't hear anything he opened one eye to peer at her like a pirate. "Go ahead. Say what you have to say."

"I still want to marry you! Idiot! How could you think I changed my mind after our time together in New York? Duh!" She tapped him lightly on the forehead with her finger. "I just can't justify spending a lot of money on a wedding right now. Do you think we could do something less fancy? Maybe a ceremony in the living room of my house and then a casual buffet. I know it's not what we talked about. Tell me what you're thinking."

"I'm thinking it sounds perfect, baby. Anything you want, as long as you still marry me. Won't Jilly be disappointed if she doesn't get to feel like a princess?"

"I'll still get the wedding party all decked out in new duds. She'll still feel like our little princess, I promise."

"Do you still want to do it on New Years Eve?"

"Yes! Oh baby, don't worry about that. I love you so much I'd even do it sooner." Laughing now, she cupped her hand on his cheek and leaned in to kiss him, suddenly remembering how she had just thrown up.

"Oooh, I'd kiss you, but that's just too disgusting after I threw up." She put her hand over her mouth, "Will you give me a rain check?"

"Were you serious about changing the wedding date?" A mischievous little grin lit his face, like he was up to something.

"Why? Now you're backing out on me?"

"No, not at all. I was just thinking we could maybe move it up to Christmas Day instead of New Years Eve. We were planning on inviting most of the wedding guests to Christmas dinner, why not just get it all done at once? What do you say?" He wiggled his eyebrows quickly and winked at her comically.

"If that's what would make you happy, I don't see why not. It'll kind of save me from having to put on two parties so close together. I like it! Let's go for it."

"WooooHooo! I'm getting married!" He yelled it at the top of his lungs, then looked around to see who'd heard him. A squirrel ran across the sidewalk, pausing briefly with a large nut in his mouth when Max yelled. Otherwise, no one else was around.

"Let's get you home and fed little lady." He gently placed a kiss on her temple before helping her up from the park bench. Aside from finding her sick in the park, it had been a very good day for him. He couldn't wait for more days like today, to live with the love of his life forever and ever.

Now Becki found her head swimming for a completely different reason. How was she going to get an entire wedding planned in a little less than two weeks? She did a quick mental rundown of possible main courses. Her brow furrowed in concentration as they walked briskly back to her house. Well, it would be her house for now, anyway. She pushed the negative thought out of her head. She had other things to do right now. Hopefully Heather would have some good ideas, because right now she was having trouble maintaining a single train of thought. The only thing that kept running through her mind was that she was finally going to marry Max.

*******

All of the dining room and living room furniture had been moved into the beauty shop to make room for the flower and light leaden archway they were to be married under tonight a five o'clock. The mass of tiny white lights reflected back at him from the shiny glass of the French doors behind it, doubling the twinkling effect of the lights. Stepping back to appraise the effect, Max was pleased. Perfect. Just as he had hoped it would be. He still couldn't believe that Becki had put him in charge of the wedding decorations. Didn't women like to do that stuff themselves? Apparently not, or at least not his woman. Now that he thought about it, she didn't fit many of the traditional stereotypes, probably one of the reasons he was crazy about the woman.

He surrounded the twinkling archway with a multitude of potted poinsettia plants in every color he could find, giving the illusion that the entire backyard was filled to the brim with flowers. He staggered their heights and colors like an artist creates his color pallet, blending them and moving them around until he was satisfied with the arrangement. It had to be just like his future wife, perfect and interesting. Smiling to himself when he heard all the women giggling in their designated dressing room, he looked down at his chest, sure his heart was going to explode out of it any minute. Everyone he cared about the most, with the exception of his brother, would be here to witness what he was sure would be the happiest day of his life.

Now his thoughts drifted to his missing brother, wondering what had ever become of him, not even sure, really, if he was even still alive. He immediately dismissed the unsavory thought, sure he would feel it in his soul if Edward were dead. Silently he gave a little prayer up to God for his brother's safety and happiness. The anger and animosity he'd initially felt about having to come back to Somerset Falls had now vanished. How could he stay angry when what he'd found here was so precious to him? Now he only wished his brother the best, knowing he had demons of his own to battle. Max's father had been the hardest on Edward, only really getting bad with Max once Edward was gone. A man could only take so much, and he understood that. Still, it would have been nice to have him here on this very special day. With a shrug and a sigh, he went back to work, placing the folding chairs on either side of the runner that had been laid down the center of the room, the runner his beautiful bride would walk on to him.

Jilly sat perfectly still while Becki applied the little bit of make-up she would allow the child to wear for this occasion. Wearing makeup made her little girl feel like a true princess. Her basket containing a mixture of flower petals and glitter sat on top the dresser as if overseeing the whole event. Jilly had practiced for hours, dropping the petals and glitter in the exactly right combination, not too many flowers or too much glitter in any one handful.

Her hair had been styled to show off the mini replica of the tiara that Becki would wear in her hair. They wore identical outfits, since logic said that they were really both getting married today. What Becki found most amazing was the fact that she wasn't nervous one bit. Weren't all brides bundles of nerves? Didn't they go around snapping at everyone and trying to control the entire population? Not if they are sure they've made the right decision, and I am sooo sure. No doubts lingered anywhere, not even in the darkest corners of her mind. She had loved him forever. Jilly had loved him since the minute she'd laid eyes on him, and he felt the same way about her. Everything felt right, all the way to her bones. Nothing would ever change that.

The only thing that Becki was concerned about was making sure all the food was taken care of. Thank goodness Heather was checking with Greta right now, making sure all the last minute details were covered. Greta had kindly offered her help and Becki had jumped on the offer. Not only was she an excellent cook, she did run the only diner in town almost single-handedly.

Becki listened as the guests began to arrive. Nibbling at her bottom lip, she hoped she had done the right thing with the surprise she had planned for Max. Of the two different types of surprises, good and bad, she hoped this would fall under the 'good' heading.

Since today seemed to be a good day for Max's mother, they had asked her to answer the door and make people feel comfortable. She took their coats and showed them where the refreshments were. If she didn't recognize some of the people, Becki knew they'd understand and Mrs. James had become quite adept at hiding her confusion on her good days.

Looking at the clock once again, anxious to get going, she smiled to herself when she heard Max whistling to himself in the other room. A rush of desire coursed through her at the thought of how striking he would look waiting for her at the altar. Chuckling to herself, she hoped she could control herself enough to walk instead of running to meet him at the altar. It sent a jolt through her body as the excitement of the day continued to build, not to mention the night to come. Ten minutes to go. She was running down the checklist in her mind once again when Heather, looking stunning in her formal red gown, came rushing into the room.

"Your surprise has arrived. Do you want to watch?"

"Yes! Go get Max, and make sure he's in the living room. I'll peek out the door and watch from here. Oh God, I hope I did the right thing." She placed her hand on her forehead, suddenly nervous as her stomach unexpectedly lurched.

"He'll love it. Besides, it's too late now."

When the room suddenly went silent, she knew the big moment had arrived. She watched from the door as Edward stood holding Mrs. James tightly to his chest, while tears rolled down his cheeks. Tears welled in Becki's eyes when she became aware that Mrs. James recognized him for who he was, her beloved son. She tenderly whispered his name with reverence.

Max moved in on the couple, not sure if he was seeing right.

"Edward? Is that you, man?" He bent to look into the face of the man hugging his mother.

"Hey, bro, long time no see. How've you been?" Edward released his mother and grabbed Max roughly into a hard hug, rocking back and forth slowly, his eyes closed as if he relished the moment.

Tears stung Max,s eyes and he allowed them to flow unabated. Shocked into speechlessness, he just stared at his long lost brother. He looked well and fit. An eerie resemblance to his father remained but didn't overwhelm. Subtle changes had taken place in the years since Max had last seen him. He no longer looked like the angry boy who had stormed away so many years ago. His body had filled out and Max detected a glimpse of happiness in his eyes, something he couldn't recall ever seeing before. His voice was lower, more masculine.

"How did you know to come here?"

"Becki hunted me down and invited me. So today's the day, huh? Took you long enough. You've loved her since elementary school. I'm glad to see you so happy."

"Thanks. So tell me, what's new?" Max smiled broadly, sounding as if they had just seen each other last week.

"Well, actually, not much. Been traveling pretty much since I left town. Lived in a lot of different places, even different countries. I just got back to the states about a month ago and I've just been travelin' around, seeing the sights."

"God, it's so great to have you home! I was just thinking how this day would be perfect, if only you were here to share it with us. How long can you stay?" When a tap on his back caught his attention, he looked down to see Jilly standing there, her hand on her hip, and tapping her foot.

"It's time to start, Daddy. Who's this?" She pointed her painted finger nail at Ed.

Max scooped her up in his arms, bringing her eye level with Ed. "This, my little princess, is your Uncle Edward."

Her eyes widened as her glossy lips formed an 'o'. "I have an uncle now, too?" She smacked her forehead with her open palm, making everyone laugh.

Edward extended his hand and gave her a regal bow. "A pleasure to meet you, princess. Who is this picture of loveliness?" he asked Max.

"I'm Jillian!" As if the poor man should have known all along.

"Have a seat, Ed, we're just about ready to get started here. God, it's good to see you! You look great. You can sit next to mom in the front row. I've got to talk to Becki."

"Oh no you don't! You know she doesn't want you to see her before the ceremony. Go stand at the archway, I'll get her. Let's get this show on the road!" Heather gave Max a playful shove toward the archway, smiling brightly at Edward before leaving the room.

As Jilly walked slowly down the aisle, dropping her flowers and smiling at the guests, she stopped before Max, suddenly looking dismayed. He knew instinctively what was wrong. She still had some flowers left and had run out of aisle. She peered into the basket, thinking for a second, and then just dumped the remaining contents into a pile right where she stood, satisfied that her job was done. Sweetly she looked up to Max while he smiled back at her.

"Daddy, I did it! Where's my new uncle? I want to sit next to him." The entire group laughed as Max pointed to Edward.

Jilly skipped over to him and plopped down in the chair next to him, ignoring the ceremony entirely. She swung her legs back and forth while she waited for it to end.

"Hi, remember me? I'm Jilly. You're my uncle Edward now." Refreshing his memory for him.

"Nice to meet you, Jilly. I'm glad I'm your uncle. Will you sit next to me and watch the rest of the ceremony with me?"

"Okay." She pointed to Heather, who was now coming down the aisle.

"That's Heather. She's my friend and she watches me and Grandma." Jilly said in a very loud whisper.

When everyone stood, Edward lifted Jilly into his arms and watched as Becki walked down the aisle. A collective 'ooooh' sounded from the guests.

"That's my mom. Isn't she pretty? And look, we match! I picked out our headbands. Do you like them?"

His response couldn't have been better.

"You look just like a princess, Jilly."

Speechless, she grabbed Edward around the neck and gave him her most fierce hug, grunting with the effort.

When they all sat back down, Edward kept Jilly on his lap and whispered in her ear to stay quiet and listen to the rest of the ceremony. In response, she pretended to zip her lips shut. He held his mother's hand and watched the ceremony unfold, forcing his attention away from the gorgeous Heather. For some unknown reason he felt drawn to her, as if they already had a connection. Shaking his head lightly, he cleared the thought. Christ, he'd never even talked to the woman and already she was distracting him.

# CHAPTER 22

Becki couldn't believe it. The very first time she had ever taken a week off and she had come down with the flu. Three days into her vacation she was hanging over the toilet, puking her guts out, only to feel fine by afternoon. By the next morning the whole cycle would start again. She felt like she was on a roller coaster, even to the point of screaming. Poor Max had to take care of a sick bride and a new daughter all by himself. Talk about throwing the poor guy into the deep end of the pool.

To her delight, Jilly had Max practically all to herself, loving every second of it. It gave Becki's heart a jab to see how much she adored having a father. Why hadn't she noticed how much Jilly needed a man in her life? Smiling sadly, she remembered her own father and how special she'd felt in his presence. Giving her head a shake and pushing the memory aside, she rose from her chair just as the doorbell rang. Max and Jilly were in the beauty shop, taking pictures of all the equipment so she could put them up for sale on Craig's list and E-bay.

"Heather! What a great surprise. Are you bored already?" She laughed, knowing they worked the poor woman nearly into the ground between watching Jilly and Mrs. James.

"No! Max mentioned that you weren't feeling well, so I brought over some essentials for you. I know how you like your chicken soup and crackers when your stomach is upset."

"You're such a good friend. What would I do without you? Thank you."

"No problem. There's also a little something extra in there, just for you."

"A present?"

"Not really a present, sort of a test."

Her eyebrows furrowed together in confusion as she gave Heather a wary glance.

"What in the world are you talking about?"

"Look in the bag and you'll see. Where are Max and Jilly?"

"In the salon taking pictures of the equipment for me." She pulled a small box out of the grocery bag, reading silently as the shock took her over. "No way!"

"Oh yes, it's way, way possible." The smile on Heather's face was absolutely priceless. "You know, for a woman that has already had one child you're pretty clueless about stuff like this. The only way you'll know for sure is to take the damn pregnancy test. Go pee on the stick. I'll wait here."

"I just never thought about it. Pretty stupid, I know. I guess...it's possible. I feel kind of stupid. Why didn't it ever occur to me? I guess I'd better find out for sure. Is this pregnancy test reliable? I've heard some awful horror stories about these things."

But she was already on her way to the bathroom while she spoke, not sure how she felt about the whole idea. Better to wait and find out the results before getting all worked up. She peed on the stick but couldn't stand the suspense, so she left it in the bathroom sink and tried to keep herself busy for the next five minutes.

Finding the living room empty, she looked into the salon and saw everyone, including Edward, laughing and joking around. When had Edward gotten here? Was it just a coincidence that Heather was here, too? Her matchmaking senses were tingling at the thought of Heather and Edward getting together, liking the idea immediately. She could tell by Heather's body language that she found him attractive and that the feeling was mutual for Edward. Just a few more chance meetings and they would be an 'item' for the town gossips. Good. Becki wasn't the only person in town who worked hard. Heather was absolutely unstoppable.

Forgetting her anxiety over the pregnancy test, she joined everyone in the salon, taking a seat in Jilly's living area. Everyone else followed her lead and sat down around her. The adults sat and talked while Jilly took turns sitting on everyone's lap. Mrs. James sat with them but was in her own little world today, barely aware that anyone else was in the room with her. She spoke as if in a conversation with someone only she could see, laughing occasionally at something he'd said. Happiness graced her face as she smiled and flitted around the room, slow dancing with herself.

What a nice visit they were all having. Friendly, easy conversation flowed among the adults, remembering just the good times from their childhoods, laughing at their antics as children. Telling secrets that no longer mattered, folks learned that what they had thought was a secret was never really all that secret, after all.

"Mommy, are you running a temperature? I found this in the bafroom." Jilly held out the completed pregnancy test in her pudgy little hand. Before Becki or Heather could say anything Max grabbed the test and looked at it, his eyebrows furrowed together tightly as he took in the test results.

Becki tried to grab the test from his hand, but he was already staring at the results and not saying a word. The suspense was killing her.

Finally she yelled at him. "Well! Spit it out! What does it say?"

"I'm guessing this isn't a thermometer, or at least not like any kind I've ever seen before. What does a plus sign mean?" Max was smiling widely, showing all his perfectly straight white teeth. Tears filling his laughing eyes as he directed his stare at Becki.

"Why? Is that what it says? Let me see that." She grabbed the test out of his hand, stifling a gasp while placing her trembling hand over her open mouth. Tears filled her eyes as she gazed at the man she loved. "Oh. My. God. It's positive!" She flew into Max's arms, crying tears of joy, pure joy.

"I knew it! Ha!" Heather was up and doing a jig, grabbing Jilly's hands to have her join in. Edward looked at her as if her hair were on fire.

"What? Did I miss something here? Have you all gone mad? Someone answer me!" Edward scratched his head, confusion written over his furrowed brow as he glanced around the room, taking in the little vignettes of insanity going on around him.

"We're pregnant! Becki's going to have a baby!" Max's face said it all. His entire body radiated joy as he rocked her back and forth in his tight embrace. He plastered kisses all over her face as tears slid down his cheeks. Relief flooded through her, followed closely by her all consuming love for him. It hadn't been planned, but in her opinion it just made the surprise that much sweeter. His hand slid slowly down to her stomach as he rubbed it gently, as if to say hello to the baby inside.

Now that Jilly understood, she started jumping up and down and cheering loudly.

"I've wanted a little sister or brofer all my life!" she exclaimed dramatically. Yes, four years to a four year old was a long time.

********

Becki's palms sweated as she sat in the office of the title company, ready to sign away her house to a total stranger, not wanting to move but having no choice. She still intended to get full custody of Jilly, with any luck at all getting her prisoner father's rights terminated, in the process. She still felt the need to finance this all on her own, especially with the new baby on the way. The thought of moving from her childhood home tugged at her heart strings. Shaking off the feeling, she reasoned that she had to do the right thing for everyone involved, regardless of her feelings. Instinctively her hand went to her now swollen belly, just beginning to show the first signs of life. When she was snapped from her revere by a familiar voice, she looked up to see Linda and Max talking outside the office door and approaching her.

"Max, what are you doing here? I thought you had some kind of important meeting today."

"I do, baby." He took a seat next to her and planted a kiss on her cheek. Taking her hand in his, he caressed her palm while Linda shuffled papers.

"So then, what are you doing here?"

"This is my meeting."

Confusion consumed her brain before realization took hold. She shot a look at Linda, only to see the woman smiling brightly back at her.

"What the hell is going on? Linda, why are you smiling at me like the cat that got the canary?"

"Max is the person who's buying your house. Easiest sale I've ever made in my life. God, I wish all my sales went this smoothly."

Becki shot Max a look she hoped did not look like a happy glance. Her lips pressed tightly together as her teeth clinched inside her mouth. Just when she was ready to start yelling he held up his hand to silence her.

"Listen to me before you say anything. You needed to sell your house and I need a house for my new and growing family. I've always loved that house, and I know you have a lot of fond memories there yourself. Hopefully more fond than not, so since it's probably the nicest house available within fifty miles of here I decided to buy it for us and our new family. Plus, it solves the problem about fighting for custody of Jilly, since you won't accept any financial help from me. If you think about it, it's really a win/win situation for both of us."

She sat in stunned silence, absorbing everything Max had said. Looking desperately for any loopholes in his story to pounce on, she found none. It truly was the perfect plan. Looking at both Linda's face and Max's as they waited for her response, she released a long sigh and smiled slowly.

"Honey, you're a genius. It's brilliant and I love you, so let's get this party started!" She grabbed his cheeks in her hands and gave him a huge, loving kiss on the lips before releasing his smiling face.

"I love you too, baby." Glancing at Linda's beaming face, he added, "Lets do this."

For the next half hour they signed paper after paper, with their writing getting sloppier and sloppier as each paper was signed. By the time the closing had ended Becki's hand had cramped from the exertion. To celebrate their home selling/new home ownership, they took Linda and the title company employee out to lunch at the diner.

Since Linda was also the rental agent for the house Max and his mother were currently renting, he suggested she talk to Edward and see if he might be interested in continuing to live there. He didn't want to pressure Edward about staying and believed his hearing it from Linda might be less stressful for all.

Even if Edward stayed, Max still had every intention of continuing to take care of his mother. He'd move her into Becki's house with him. Suddenly he realized it no longer felt like a burden to care for his mother, but a privilege. The revelation rocked his world.

# CHAPTER 23

Things for Becki and Max were going better than either one of them could have ever expected. Even Edward and Heather were getting along well. Actually, even better than well, they were 'involved', whatever the hell that meant. Heather wasn't talking about it very much, afraid she would jinx it if she gushed too much. Becki didn't blame her. In the love department, Heather's luck hadn't been all that great.

Becki couldn't shake the ominous feeling of doom and gloom. She hadn't heard from her custody attorney in about three weeks, but things didn't ever move along swiftly when it involved the court system. All of her ob/gyn appointments had gone very well, everything was completely normal. Maybe she would call the state mental hospital and make sure everything was all right with her mother. Was it possible she was getting vibes that maybe her mother was ill? Stranger things had happened. Life was good, but was it possible she was looking for trouble? Maybe I'm completely insane for not feeling comfortable when things are going well. Still...

"Women's Huron Valley Correctional Facility. How may I help you?"

"Hello, I 'm calling to check on my mother, an inmate in the psychiatric facility. Her name is Willa Holbrook. Can you connect me, please?"

"Sure. Hold on for a minute." And she was promptly disconnected. Trying again, she went through the same explanation and the same hold/disconnect thing. Frustrated after finally getting transferred, only to be left on hold for over twenty minutes before being hung up on for the fifth time, she finally called Max at work. She hated to bother him but felt compelled to keep trying to reach her mother. She asked him to call for her, knowing law enforcement had different phone numbers from the ones the general public used. He assured her that he would get to it sometime today and let her know tonight what he'd found out.

Satisfied with that, she went back into the salon and began to get it re-organized, thankful she hadn't had anyone offer to buy her equipment before Max had bought the house. It had worked out so perfectly for her to work from home when Jilly had been a baby. Having a crib set-up in Jilly's play area of the shop would enable her to still do hair a few days per week and keep an eye on the baby.

Until her bundle of joy arrived she was happy to work just two days at the shop and two mornings per week at the diner. She hated the thought of quitting the diner altogether, but it was the most practical thing to do. The thought of being dependent on Max for health insurance and finances scared the crap out of her. Wiping her hands on the front of her jeans, she pushed the fear aside, deciding to trust Max instead of letting her insecurities grab hold of her. He was a fine man who took his commitment to her and Jilly seriously.

Looking around the beauty shop, she was very pleased with the new decorating they'd done while the shop had been torn apart for the holidays. Gone were the fru fru flowers and hot pink colors, replaced by calming greens, blues, and beiges. She had hired a company to paint the shampoo bowls navy blue and had all the chairs re-upholstered in the same color as the sinks. Now the effects of the shop were more modern, more likely to draw in more of the male clientele of the area. Humming to herself contentedly, she swept the now green floor. Before she knew it Max was home for lunch.

"Hey, baby, how's my beautiful wife today? Been taking care of our little one?" He swept her off her feet and into his loving arms, heading for the bedroom instead of the kitchen.

"We're great. I couldn't help but notice you missed the kitchen by a mile there, cowboy. What were you planning to do for lunch?"

He smiled widely and vigorously wiggled his dark eyebrows, lust glinting in his eyes.

"Oh, I see. I like the way you think, did I ever mention that before?"

"Shut up and get naked. No time for small talk. Want caveman sex. Now!" He yanked his clothes off, throwing them in any old direction.

She decided to play against his hurrying and very, very slowly began to undress, watching his cock leap with excitement while she wet her lips and wiggled her hips. God, he was so sexy standing there completely naked and unashamed of his arousal.

Grasping his erection in his hand, he rubbed while his eyes stayed riveted on her.

When she was finally undressed, she stood there, cupping her breasts in her own hands, silently inviting him to suckle the already taunt nipples.

He leapt on her like a cat on its prey, devouring her completely before entering her with hard, rough thrusts.

Wild passion and abandon overtook her, making her scream with delight when her orgasm consumed her. Two thrusts later she was still coming down slowly when he stiffened and groaned with his release. Panting with the sweet release, they held each other until their breathing returned to normal, still kissing each other in between pants.

"God Becki, you're amazing. I love you so much. Every time I look at your body, watching it change every day now with the pregnancy, I just want to bury myself in you and never come out. I never knew how sexy a pregnant woman could be." His cock began to harden again inside her.

"Down there, boy. We've got to feed your tummy now. You can have more sex later, I promise. No, make that I insist."

"You're so bossy. I love that in a woman." He chuckled as they both began to dress again.

Max's mouth gaped open while he watched her pull their already made sandwiches out of the fridge. Every other time he'd come home for lunch they talked while she made the sandwiches. Today they were already done and waiting.

Reading the look on his face, she laughed and handed him his plate. "Great minds think alike. Here I thought I'd have to beg to have lunch sex with you."

"You mean you planned this the whole time? And I played right into your hands. What kind of man slut am I?"

"A happy, sexy, healthy slut." She laughed as she took a large bite of her sandwich, suddenly realizing she was starving. Sex did that to her. After swallowing, she turned the topic to the more mundane subjects of life.

"Did you get a chance to call about my mother yet?"

"Yeah, but I didn't get anywhere. I ended up leaving a message that the recording promised would be returned within twenty four hours. Why the sudden interest in your mother?"

"It's stupid, I know, but I just have a funny feeling about her. One minute I was cleaning the shop and the next it just hit me. I felt like, I don't know, like she was there with me, and not in a good way. Not a flashback of the stabbing, more like when I was a kid and she was forcing me to my knees, yelling at me that I had to repent for my sins or I would go to hell. She would get this glassy, wild eyed look, as if she didn't know what was going on around her. Anyway, it made the hair on the back of my neck stand up, and I knew I just had to call and find out what was going on with her. I never said it was logical." She shrugged and took another bite of her sandwich.

"I'm so sorry you had to go through all that by yourself. It must have been a complete nightmare."

"Don't beat yourself up about it. It's over and I survived. I just need a little reassurance every once in a while."

"How about if I let you take it out on me tonight? In fact, I look forward to it. I've got to get going or I'll be late. Love you. See you later." He kissed her mouth just as she took a bite of her sandwich, then he rushed out the door. She sat there and listened to his whistling as he walked to his car, smiling to herself and knowing life couldn't get any better than it was right at this instant.

# CHAPTER 24

Willa Holbrook knew she had to be careful. They all thought she was insane and tucked away safely in the prison. Knowing the system as she did, she knew it would be possibly twenty four hours before they would even realize she was gone. Idiots. Didn't they know they couldn't stop God's work? Heathens, all of them. Even the priest who came to counsel her at the prison had no idea of her powers. No one did. They would never figure out that she had allowed them to take her away, that God had told her to go, bide her time, and then return to finish the job he had for her.

It was her penance for killing her husband. If she didn't kill Rebecca and her devil's' spawn, she had no way to get into heaven. God had explained everything to her in a series of dreams and signs, which she had expertly interpreted to get his message. Most people ignored the signs, but not Willa. She was too smart to just push them aside.

Escaping the prison had been simple. She laughed to herself. Working in the laundry had been a godsend. Slowly she'd accumulated the stray ropes that held the heavy laundry bags shut. No one realized they were even missing. At night she'd braided them into strong ropes and stored them in the mattress on her bed. Her patience had been rewarded when she had more than enough rope for her plan, good strong rope. The tape had taken quite a while to get her hands on. Duct tape wasn't just laying around everywhere, so she had to make a hole big enough in the tin of the heat duct to warrant a repair. That had taken her almost a year to accomplish. Innocently she pointed it out to the matron more than once before it finally got repaired temporarily with the duct tape.

When the sign from God came she was prepared. She had started to wear the rope wound around her torso to work every day, anticipating her opportunity. On the day the matron who looked most like her was assigned to laundry room duty, she knocked the bitch out with her heaviest Bible. It worked just fine, sending the woman to the floor in just one blow. She didn't want to kill her. God wouldn't like that. But she just needed her out long enough for her to change into the matron's clothes, drag her body to her room and fasten her to the bed. She turned the unconscious laundry matron toward the wall and tied her down, stuffing her pillowcase into the laundry matrons' mouth before covering her with the blanket.

Within an hour she had her hog-tied to her bed and was on her way out to the laundry truck, ready to drive calmly through the gates of the prison. Keeping her head down, she pretended to adjust her cap when she passed through the gate. Easy peasy. Willa checked the gas tank gage. A full tank. Thank the Lord! Yes, he was certainly working with her on this project.

Feeling confident now that the deed was done, she was assured her spot in heaven with her waiting husband. Things would have been much easier if God had told her sooner to kill Rebecca. Why he waited until after she'd gotten pregnant with that bastard of a child, she could only guess. Right now, though, she needed to stay focused. Excitement grew at the prospect of fulfilling her destiny.

********

Max heard the music vibrating the house before he saw Becki and Jilly dancing happily to their favorite Lady GaGa song while doing their chores in the kitchen. Occasionally Becki would move over to Jilly, allowing her to twirl on her finger as part of their dance. Hips swung, heads bobbed, arms flailed, all to the beat of the music. Hell, that looked fun! He danced his way into the kitchen, taking Jilly into his arms to dance with him. She giggled wildly while they danced together until the song ended.

"Daddy, you dance good. Let's do it again!" Jilly pulled him into her arms while they danced again, this time to a slow tune. When his back couldn't take it any longer he lifted her into his arms and slow danced with her, kissing her on the neck and making her squirm as she giggled. Becki moved into his arms and all three of them danced together while their dinner baked in the oven.

"How are the two most beautiful women in the world today?"

"Good. Daddy, I drawed you a picture for your desk today. Wanna see it?"

"Absolutely! Why don't you go get it while I talk to Mommy for a minute?" He set his daughter down but held tightly to Becki's hand, dreading the news he had to tell her. Waiting until Jilly was out of hearing range he led her to the table and sat down, pulling her into his lap to sit.

"What's wrong?"

"I got a call back from Huron Valley right before I left the office. Apparently your mother is 'missing'."

"Missing? What the hell does that mean? Gone from the premises or just lost in a building somewhere?"

"They're not sure yet. They haven't finished searching the grounds, so they're not calling it an escape. I gave the warden our home number and asked her to call if there's any news or change in status on the case. Apparently your spidey senses were tingling for a reason. I'm sorry. I wish I had better news for you."

"If she's missing, as in escaped, she'll come back after me. If she gets a chance she'll go after Jilly, too. We have to protect her." She jumped off Max's lap and began to pace frantically around the kitchen.

"Becki, look at me. Right now." He waited a moment while she ignored the command, visibly trembling as she walked. Now he stood in her path, gently but firmly grabbing her by the shoulders, bending his knees so he could look directly into her eyes.

"Stop! I have an idea about keeping Jilly safe, and if you continue to go ballistic on me I'll have two of you to deal with. Listen to me. I've already spoken to Heather about taking Jilly and my mother to stay with Edward at my old house. This is only temporary, until they find your mother. I'm staying here with you and I'll keep you and the baby safe, I promise. Everything will be fine, honey." He pulled her into his arms and held her tightly, kissing the top of her head and rubbing her back until he felt her relax slightly.

"Here comes Jilly. Try to relax, everything's fine."

"I got it, Daddy! Look at the picture I made for you!"

Tears filled Max's eyes as he looked at the family portrait Jilly had drawn, complete with her new baby brother or sister. It was the most beautiful picture he'd ever seen, all of them with large, wide smiles on their faces, even the baby. A true reflection of her happiness.

"This is soooo awesome, baby girl. Mom, do we have a frame I can put this in? I want to hang it on the wall so everyone can see it."

"If you like it so much, Daddy, why are you crying?"

"Those are just happy tears, baby. You and your mom make me so happy, sometimes I can't believe how lucky I am to have both of you. When I can't hold in all my happy, it leaks out of my eyes." His explanation seemed to satisfy her as she skipped out of the room. Becki ran her hand down his arm, wiping away her own tears with the other.

"We're the lucky ones here, mister. Don't you forget it." She turned back to the stove, cracking the oven door to check on dinner. "Is Edward all right with this new living arrangement? It'll be pretty intrusive."

"Actually, he says he's looking forward to it. This way he'll get to know Mom, Jilly and Heather better, all at the same time. You already know he's crazy about Jilly and in heavy like with Heather. Now that my dad's gone, I think he might even be looking forward to spending time with my mother. He still has a lot of healing to do on that front. He needs to forgive and move on, or he'll stay trapped inside his own anger for the rest of his life."

"When are we supposed to take Jilly over there?"

Now came the really hard part of the explanation.

"Baby, you need to stay away from Jilly until they find your mother. Heather's coming to get her after dinner and taking her over there." Immediately he held his hand up to stop her protests. "Let me explain. If your mom is anywhere near this house and she sees you with Jilly, she'll know not only who she is but where she is. If Heather takes her we can pretend that you're babysitting for Heather and then Jilly will stay safe. It sucks, I know, but it's the best way right now. We'll talk to Jilly about it together, make it sound like an adventure. I'm sure it won't take long for them to get your mother back into custody."

She didn't say anything. She couldn't speak, so she just nodded her head in agreement before turning back to the stove to finish dinner. Her mind was spinning as she tried to think of all the possibilities. For the first time in her life she felt hatred for her mother. Even when her mother had attacked her before Jilly was born she'd felt pity for the woman, understanding that her mother lived in her own hell of mental illness. She understood that she had no control over her thoughts or actions without the proper medications. Medications she had always refused to take, not wanting to deal with the side effects.

Now Becki only felt anger and hatred, anger at the authorities for allowing her mother to again wreak havoc on her life and for the woman her mother had become. Resentment that her daughter was being denied the loving embrace of a normal grandmother grew in her gut. She couldn't ignore the terror that she would become just like her mother someday.

Knowing her thoughts were turning destructive, she shook them away and tried to dwell on the positives. She called Max and Jilly to dinner, fully intending to enjoy every last second of their time together.

********

After a week of waiting, Willa decided it was time to make her way towards Somerset Falls. The authorities, idiots that they were, had probably given up looking for her. They had more important things to do than look for an elderly woman who wouldn't hurt a fly.

Surely no one in Somerset Falls would even recognize her now that her hair had gone completely white and she had put on a good fifty pounds. Damn medicine made her gain weight along with all the other horrible side effects. She couldn't think clearly while on the medication. She wasn't getting any more messages from God, messages that helped direct her life. She needed the guidance on what to tell the shrinks at the hospital to trick them into thinking she was harmless. She'd deceived the pitiful, incompetent nurses into thinking she was taking her medication and being the model patient.

Thinking back on her life, she realized her husband had been just as easily fooled as the rest of them. He'd trusted her implicitly. That was his first mistake. She had seen the way he had begun to look at Rebecca as her body began to develop. She had known all too well the lustful thoughts he was having. He couldn't fool her, and she wasn't waiting for him to have his way with her pure, virginal daughter. No, she had to put a stop to that immediately, so she did what she had to do, what God wanted her to do to save both her daughter's soul and her husband's. He never even tasted the pills she had put into his coffee that morning. Medication she had taken from her neighbor's house and slipped to him had made it look like he'd had a heart attack. No one ever suspected her, not once. She had played the grieving widow beautifully.

Everything had been good until Rebecca came back from New York a slut. Disgusted, she knew immediately, even before she knew her daughter was pregnant, what she had to do, what God had demanded of her. He had promised her a slot in heaven, but never said it would be easy. Understanding the lesson in patience God was trying to teach her, she accepted it and possibly even embraced and enjoyed the prolonged anticipation. Knowing it was all directed at this moment in her life, she couldn't, no wouldn't, let him down.

# CHAPTER 25

"Max, please, I can't do this anymore." Sobbing into the phone, Becki begged to see her daughter.

"All right, baby, calm down, I'll work something out. I promise. You need to settle down, honey, for the baby. It's not good for either of you to get this upset. Let me talk to Sheriff Wilkins and see what we can work out. But I can't do that until I know you're all right. Maybe I should come home."

"No! I'm fine, really. I just got a little carried away. Please, please talk to Sheriff Wilkins, Max."

He debated with himself briefly, listening for any sign of trouble through the phone before making his decision.

"All right. I'll call you back as soon as we have a plan. Sit tight and calm down. Make yourself a cup of that relaxing tea you like and I'll be calling back before you know it."

"I love you, Max. I'm starting the water boiling as we speak. I'll talk to you soon."

Running an impatient, trembling hand through his hair, Max tried to calm himself, trying to convince himself that she had sounded much better by the time he had hung up. Talk about the mother-in-law from Hell.

First he would talk to Sheriff Wilkins, then he would call the ob/gyn and get some type of sedative for Becki. He feared for his baby and his wife and his daughter.

As it turned out, they all met at the diner, in Greta's office, and had lunch together. Heather had taken Jilly out of school for the rest of the day at Max's request and taken her straight to the diner. The tearful, highly emotional reunion made Max glad he had followed through on getting that sedative for Becki. When lunch was over he planned to take her home, give her some medication and have her lie down and take a long nap. He didn't know how much more any of them could take of this constant turmoil.

Lunch consisted mostly of hugging, kissing and talking. Becki and Jilly stayed together in that office for two hours, tumbling over each other's conversations to say what they had to say to each other. No one wanted it to end, but it had to end eventually. At least he had some good news to give Becki. He waited for Heather to take Jilly back to Edward's before turning to her with his news.

"Becki, have a seat. I have a sliver if good news for you. Actually, it's more like a big chunk of good news."

"What? They found my mother?"

"No, that's still an issue. Nick Conte was found dead in his cell this morning. Murdered." He paused and waited for the news to sink in for her.

"Really? We never have to worry about him again?"

"Honest. As soon as possible I'm free to adopt Jilly, if it's still all right with you."

"Woo Hoo! We're going to be a real family! Of course it's all right! Are you crazy? Oops, bad choice of words there."

********

Max's mind slowly, lazily swam back to consciousness, feeling the warmth of Becki's body pressing tightly to his side, making contact with the entire length of his naked body. He loved the feeling of her skin against his skin, making contact between them physical and emotional. Love flooded his heart and mind, blocking out all their other problems. Reassured by the calm and steady breathing of his wife sleeping next to him, sated and content he relived the moments they'd spent together earlier in the afternoon.

What had started out as a massage to help her relax, waiting for the medication to take effect, had turned into a slow, glorious lovemaking session. He wasn't quite sure how things had gotten so carried away, but he was certainly glad they had. Sighing deeply as he continued to swim to the surface of his mind, he slowly became aware of what had stirred him awake in the first place.

A noise. The steady sound of wood meeting metal. As if someone in the distance were chopping wood with an axe. The feeling of dread crept up his body from his toes. He became cautious about making any sudden moves. Fighting to remain calm and not allow his eyes to fly open, he barely cracked his eyelids and looked around the room. Cautiously his eyes swept the room. Tap. Tap. Tap. Heavy breathing punctuated the rhythmic taps. There she stood, Willa Holbrook, stabbing the knife into the wood of the dresser. A crazed look on her face scared the crap out of him. Her eyes glassy, lips drawn in a tight white line, she stared unblinking at Becki. The stabbing becoming gradually harder and faster. As if she were winding up to attack. Fuck! How the hell did she get in? He had checked all the doors and windows, locked them tightly before giving Becki her massage.

He knew the moment Becki had awakened, her body stiffening as if a shock of electricity had shot through her. Immediately he held her tighter to him, silently relaying his message to lie still.

She nodded slightly, letting him know she understood the command.

"Max James, quit playing possum and get out of that bed. You've had your last go at my daughter, I can assure you of that. Get dressed and get out. Rebecca and I have some unfinished business to attend to that doesn't involve you."

His eyes open fully now, he looked the old woman straight in the eye as he spoke calmly but authoritatively.

"Mrs. Holbrook, you're mistaken. This totally involves me. Becki and I are married now and I won't have you hurting her. Put the knife down and we can all talk about it together. Calmly and rationally."

"Oh, I'm calm all right. What you don't seem to understand is that God has commanded me to do this. I am his servant and I'm here at his will. You cannot go against the powers of God."

"I'm sorry to disagree with you on that, but I know this is not what God intended for any of us. My God is a loving and merciful God. He would never, ever condone taking a life."

"Son, don't you understand the evil in bed next to you? That girl has been nothing but trouble since the day she was born. It was I who was weak, too weak to kill her before she was born and even more weak once she'd come into this world. I fought the messages God sent me at every turn when it came to my baby. He tried to show me her black, evil heart and how she deceived everyone around her. But I wouldn't pay attention. When I saw how her daddy had started lookin' at her with pure lust in his eyes I knew what I had to do then. I admit I still resisted. Finally, I couldn't ignore it any more and took care of her daddy, sending him to God before he did something stupid to keep him out of heaven."

Max felt Becki's body jerk next to his once the realization hit her that her mother had killed her father. Refusing to break eye contact with his mother-in-law, he pressed his wife harder against his protective body while he processed the information himself. This poor creature had been consumed with mental illness far longer than anyone had ever imagined.

"I even tried to have her exorcized a few times. Took her to every priest within a hundred miles, but she fooled all of them. The devil's tricky that way, even for men of the cloth, but God knows the truth. Lord knows there were times when that child could be the sweetest thing on earth."

When Max felt Becki's sharp inhale, knowing she was getting ready to speak, he gave her a little shake, silently warning her to keep quiet. She stilled.

It was best to just let Willa talk, giving him time to come up with a plan. He hoped everyone could come out of this alive. Why had he left his gun in the living room with his suit coat, leaving them naked and defenseless. As crazy as the woman was, he had no desire to hurt her.

"Mrs. Holbrook, I think you need to know a few things first, before you carry out your plan. God has already punished Becki for her sins. You see, he speaks to me, too."

"Impossible! He would never do that to me. He would never lie to me."

"No, no, you misunderstand. I'm not saying he lied to you, you're right, God would never lie. What I'm trying to tell you is that since you've been gone Becki has successfully exorcized her demons. He made her pay penance by taking away her baby after you'd gone away. You know how painful that must have been. You just admitted you didn't have the strength to do that yourself." He paused to allow her to think about things while he searched his brain for a solution. Trying to use her brand of logic, no matter how insane it was, might be to his advantage.

"When that happened she saw the light. She finally understood God's plan for her and it gave new meaning to her life. Heck, why do you think I left all those years ago? I was afraid." He took a long breath, shaking his head at what was coming out of his mouth. Knowing how crazy he sounded. "God told me to come back when he knew her heart was pure again. You know he wouldn't lie about a thing like that. How about you let us get out of bed and talk this over with a cup of coffee. I'll tell you everything you need to know."

"Who's stopping you from getting out of bed? Go ahead. I've wanted you to get out all along."

"Umm, I'm in my birthday suit here, Mrs. Holbrook. I need a little privacy to get dressed. You understand."

That confused her. He could tell by the sudden furrow of her brow that it was something she hadn't thought of. Breaking eye contact with Max briefly, she stabbed the dresser viscously. As a test, Max moved his hand to his nose, calmly scratching it. Her hand clutched the knife even harder, causing her knuckles to whiten with the effort. Question answered. She was still wound up. Now what?

"Easy there, Mrs. Holbrook, just had an itch is all. No need to get upset over it." Using his most soothing tone again, he tried to calm her.

"All right. I'll give you a minute to get dressed. But I'll be standing right outside the door, so don't try anything shady. I'm not afraid to go to the Lord, you know."

"Of course not. Why would you be?" He tried to look puzzled.

She made her way to the door, never turning her back on either one of them. Trusting no one, she closed the door. Her ear pressed at the crack while trying to listen for any conversation they might be having. She heard only silence and the rustle of the covers and footsteps as they moved around the room.

As soon as the door was closed Becki and Max began to both talk at once. He covered her mouth and put his lips right up to her ear he whispered his instructions to her.

"Get dressed. Sit on the floor of the closet and I'll close the doors. I'm afraid if she even hears your voice she'll get more violent. Let me talk to her some more. She seems to be responding to me. As soon as I can get the knife away from her we'll call the police. Nod if you understand."

She nodded, not because she agreed with the plan but because she had understood what he'd said. The minute he removed his hand she was at his ear, angrily whispering back to him.

"Don't you dare try to keep me out of this! She's my mother, my responsibility. Just keep her distracted until I get to the kitchen. My cell phone is in my pants pocket. I'll call the police once you get her out of earshot."

"Just make the damn call and stay in the fucking closet woman! I don't have time to argue with you!" By now he was completely dressed and heading for the door. He looked back to see her grabbing up her pants and shirt and heading for the closet. Satisfied she was doing as she was told, he turned the handle on the door and opened it just enough to squeeze through the opening, closing it gently behind himself.

Willa stood there, legs slightly apart, wielding the knife in front of her in both hands. Immediately Max backed against the door, hands held up with his palms facing her in surrender.

"Whoa there. Take it easy."

"Move into the kitchen and don't try anything!"

The wild look in her eyes told him she was back to her frantic self, jabbing the knife into the air as he backed into the kitchen. The force behind her swings was so strong he could feel the swish of the wind on his face.

"Mrs. Holbrook, please, there's no reason to be so defensive. I haven't done anything to you, ever, but treat you with respect. I expect the same from you. Can't you just put the knife down so we can talk this out calmly and rationally? I know you don't really want to hurt anyone, and, believe me, I don't want to be hurt."

"Shut up! I need to think. I can't think with you talking! Make the coffee and be quiet!"

"Yes, ma'am." Only then did he put his hands down long enough to start the coffee. Trying to get a good look at her through the reflection in the door of the microwave, he silently thanked God that Becki was such a good housekeeper.

Her mother's eyes were darting around the room nervously, jumping at the sound of the coffee pot beginning its brew cycle. She slashed the air with the knife, keeping it moving in an unpredictable pattern only she understood. Slowly she backed up to the kitchen table but didn't sit down. Even in the reflection he could see her lips moving silently, as if she were talking to someone, yet no sound came out. Was she praying?

"Have you been back here long, Mrs. Holbrook? I bet things are quite a bit different since you left. Did you get a chance to go downtown and see what they've done with the lighting and sidewalks?" He turned to look at her as he spoke, careful to not make any sudden movements.

"Just don't you worry about me or how long I've been here. Where's Rebecca? Why isn't she coming out yet? I swear that girl is slow as molasses on a cold winter morning. Always was. Feel sorry for her bosses. She's probably the slowest, worst employee they've ever seen. Lord knows I could never get a lick of work out of her."

He had to bite back the sharp retort that threatened to pour from his lips. Bitch. How could she talk about her like that? As a child Becki had worked her fingers to the bone trying to please her mother, only to be constantly criticized. If it hadn't been for her father defending her, she wouldn't have any self-esteem at all. Trying with all his might to fight the shudder that wanted to run down his spine, he moved to the table, keeping an arm's length away from her and the knife. Setting his face in the most pleasant position possible, he asked, "Now what, Mrs. Holbrook? Where do we go from here?"

"Sit down and shut up. I need to think." She stabbed at the table with the knife angrily.

"Maybe I could help you with that. What seems to be confusing you?" The last thing he wanted her to do was think. He needed to keep her off balance and responsive.

"How do you think the house looks? We had the outside painted last year. Do you like the color?"

"Yes, it's very nice. Who picked out the colors...wait, don't answer that. It had to be you, all of Rebecca's taste is in her mouth."

"Umm, since she chose me, I guess I should take offense to that, but I'll let it slide, under the circumstances."

"Wise decision on your part. Is someone else in the garage? I thought I saw someone just now. Better not be, for your sake. I'm not fooling around here, and I'm not afraid to show them I mean business."

"And exactly what business is that? I need you to explain it to me, because, frankly, I'm confused."

"Didn't you listen to a word I said? God wants me to do this! It's out of my control. If I don't do this he'll punish me. I won't get to go to heaven unless I sacrifice Rebecca to him."

"But if he created her, why would he want you to kill her? Are you sure you understood the message correctly?"

Confusion crossed her worried, wrinkled face as she thought about that for a few minutes.

Without her intense stare he was able to quickly glance outside, watching the other police officers taking up positions around the back yard. That's my girl! Good job.

"No, I'm sure I understood the directions he gave me. You're just trying to confuse me, but it won't work. I'm smarter than you."

Just as he was running out of ideas the front doorbell rang loudly. She whirled around to look at the door, fear flooding her eyes.

Max made his move then. Jumping up and putting his arms around her entire upper torso he plastered her arms to her sides so she couldn't move them.

"Becki! Get the front door! I've got her restrained! Cops are here!"

He screamed above the screeching sound of her mother's wailing. She sounded like a wounded animal in a trap, almost willing to gnaw off her own limb to escape the trap. She screamed unintelligible words, a language of her own. She tried to kick and bite him. The minute she took in the sight of Becki running for the door she stopped screaming and went still.

"You dirty little slut! You're pregnant again!"

"Willa, shut the fuck up before I punch you in the mouth! Don't ever speak to my wife like that or about my baby again, you old cow." The fury in his voice sent a chill down his spine.

Once the handcuffs were in place and Willa was securely in police custody, Max ran to Becki. Frantically running his hands over her body, he checked for any sign of shock.

"Are you all right? The baby? You did perfect, honey." Roughly he pulled her into his arms, hearing her breath woosh out with the force of the hug. He held her for a long time, until he heard a muffled response.

"Max. Can't . Breathe."

Sorry, baby. It's over." He loosened his grip enough for her to breathe, but just barely. Rubbing each other's backs, they consoled each other.

# EPILOGUE

Eighteen Months Later

Becki felt guilty sitting in the diner, being waited on like she was royalty. Especially when she considered the waitress to be her best friend in the whole world, someone she had trusted with her greatest treasures, her daughter and son. She peeked over the top of the table, looking at the baby and still in awe. He was sound asleep in the baby carrier next to his proud daddy.

"Max, every time I look at him it amazes me at what a miracle he is. We have the most handsome, lovable son in the whole wide world. How did we get so lucky?"

"Are you kidding? You're the best mother ever. All the other guys at the office used to tease me about how much sleep I was going to lose and about not ever having a sex life again once the baby came. Now I know it's just that their wives don't know what the hell they're doing. Maybe you should start giving classes or something. Face it, Becki, you have the magic touch."

"I have a loving touch, but you're forgetting the great support system I have in place. You, Heather, Jilly, Edward. Everyone's been so fantastic. I thought for sure once the newness wore off I'd be on my own. Sometimes I ache just to be alone with him for five whole minutes. I've never seen such a good, contented baby in my life."

"Well, he certainly made liars out of all those goofs at the office."

"I can't believe with all this noise around him he's sound asleep. I guess hearing all the noise in the beauty shop got him used to it. In fact, sometimes I wonder if he thrives on it. Pretty soon he'll be toddling around in the play area with Jilly and the other kids. I think he'll like that. He's very social with the ladies now. He knows he has them wrapped around his little finger. With everyone fawning all over him all the time, I'm afraid he's going to be a real ladies man when he grows up."

"You mean like his old man?"

"Yeah. Just like him. Oh! I almost forgot! I have a little present for you." She handed him a small rectangular box, the kind that would hold an expensive watch or bracelet.

Suspicious, he gently shook the box, frowning at the rattle of something inside.

"Come on, don't keep me in suspense. Open it!"

When he did, a huge smile spread across his face. Tears filled his eyes. "It's just what I've always wanted...how did you know?"

"Wasn't hard to figure out, this time. I even did it all by myself. I mean the figuring out part, not the rest."

"I should say not. In fact, I believe I had quite a hand in it myself. When are we due?" His voice cracked with emotion before he finished his sentence.

"Near as the doctor could tell, about seven months."

"Right after Jilly's adoption is final? That's soo.....awesome."

Becki grabbed his hand across the table, squeezing it gently as the tears began to now fill her eyes, too.

"Hey, what are all the tears about here? They better not effect my tip," Heather demanded.

Without a word Becki held up the positive pregnancy test for her to see.

"Wow! That's awesome! You figured it out all on your own this time?" Kissing both of them on their cheeks, she offered her congratulations.

"Cool! Now Edward and I just need to catch-up, which we've been working really, really hard on since the wedding. In fact, we've been quite successful. I'm due in about seven months! Surprise!"

Becki leaped out of her seat and hugged Heather in a tight embrace while tears ran down both of their faces.

"Me, too! Seven months! Oh. My. God. How great is that? Max, you're going to be an uncle!"

"Please, I don't know how much more happiness I can take." He put his hand to his heart before standing.

Grabbing both of the women into his arms, he took turns kissing each one until he felt a heavy tap on his shoulder.

"Umm, brother, what the hell do you think you're doing kissing my wife?"

He turned and embraced Edward, slapping his back.

"Congratulations, Daddy and uncle."

"No way! You guys have another one in the oven already? Oh baby, we really need to keep practicing. Don't want to lose our magic touch now do we? I say this calls for a celebration of mammoth proportions. Dinner at our house tonight. You can bring the dessert and the sparkling cider, I'll do the rest!"

"Sounds great! It sure pays to have a professional chef in the family," Becki added.

"Let's face it, it's great to have a family, period," Edward agreed.

"I'll second that!" Max, Heather, and Becki all chimed in at the same time.

THE END OF THE BEGENNING...

Keep reading to enjoy excerpts from Seduction of Souls and Hitting Below the Belt.

# SEDUCTION OF SOULS

CHAPTER 1

RayeAnn placed the old books from the historical society carefully on the back-seat of her car and climbed into the drivers side. Though she sweltered in her car she would soon feel cool air as she rolled down the windows in her ancient car. A shiver of fear ran down her spine and the hair on the back of her neck stood at attention. She sensed someone behind her. With a quick jerk she checked the backseat again. No one was there, of course. Weird. Usually she wasn't the jittery type. A shiver ran through her as the windows slowly eased their way back up. She watched the crank handle whirl furiously in circles without her touch. Her hands began to tremble. She blew out her breath and put the key into the ignition. She turned the key, but nothing happened. Dead battery? Shit, now what? Before she could turn the key again all the door locks clicked. She jumped as fear gripped her stomach and made her heart race. She shivered again and looked around warily. Suddenly she felt like a cold blanket had been draped over her. She could see the vapor of her warm breath against the cold air filling the car. The windows were covered with a thin coat of frost. Frantically she tried to wipe it away with her hand, but it refused to leave. Her body shivered uncontrollably. When her jaws chattered she clinched them tightly together. One of the books fell to the floor behind her, and she glanced into the rearview mirror and froze. The ghostly face of an enraged man glared back at her. She turned to confront him and saw only a face floating in a dark cloud of anger. It hovered above the books, rippling. Panic consumed her. She slammed her hand hard on the horn, hoping to get someone's attention, but it wouldn't work. She rested her forehead on the steering wheel and tensed every muscle in her body while she waited for the blow she was sure would come. She only had one weapon left. Silently she prayed, "Our father, who art in heaven..."

As suddenly as the nightmare had begun, it was over. Her skin warmed, the frost was gone, and the locks popped up. She looked around the car. No evil entity hovered over the books and they all sat just as she had placed them. What the hell? Had she just suffered a hallucination? Maybe she shouldn't have skipped her lunch. She sat there for a moment and tried to make sense of what had happened. If she ever told anyone about this, they would lock her up in the funny farm for the rest of her life. She definitely needed to take better care of herself. She vowed to herself to eat more nutritious food, drink plenty of water, and get eight solid hours of sleep each night. The plan would have her right as rain in no time. With new resolve she turned the key and drove home.

By the time she had reached the parking lot of her apartment she'd convinced herself that nothing had happened. Her imagination had just run away with her. She walked into her tiny apartment, arms loaded with the research materials for her latest article on the 100th anniversary of the Cassidy County Historical Society. She pushed the door closed with her foot. With her key fob still stuffed in her mouth, she yelled a garbled hello to her roommate. She allowed the books to tumble out of her arms and onto her desk, sneezing at the cloud of dust that rose from the old books, not because of her housekeeping. Though she tried to keep things neat and organized, the thought of dusting and scouring broke her body out in hives. Thank goodness Bryn took care of most of that, besides being the resident chef of the household and her best friend. More accurately, the dicer and slicer, since salads were their food most days. They saved real meals for date nights, not out of cruelty but as a weight control measure. Neither one of them was very committed to an exercise routine. Only using guilt and shame would make either of them head to the gym, just one of the many reasons they were such a great team. It had been that way for them since the moment they'd met in middle school.

RayeAnn remembered vividly the first time she laid eyes on Bryn, the new girl in a sea of selfish, evil, clickey classmates. She'd sensed the fear emanating from Bryn as she'd stood in the front of the class, arms held tightly around her waist, keeping her head down while Miss Wilkins introduced her to the rest of the class. Immediately RayeAnn's heart had gone out to her.

"Hey, how's it goin'?" Bryn walked into the room and plopped onto the couch with a muffled ooph.

"Good. Got all the research materials I need for the article. I'll start it tomorrow. You working at the Blue Bull Inn, tonight?" RayeAnn sat on the avocado green third-hand couch, straddling the worn arm and playing with the keys now in her hand.

"Yeah, six to closing. Cocktail waitressing sucks, but it pays the bills. Don't change the channel on the television though, I have the DVR set to record my favorite shows. Tomorrow is couch potato day for me."

"Ahh, which shows are you recording?" RayeAnn rolled her eyes.

"The usual paranormal reality shows. They're so cool. I love learning all about ghosts and shit like that. Chuck at the bar swears the place is haunted and if the stories he tells are true, I believe him."

"Bryn, you are sooo gullible! All that stuff on television is such crap. I thought you were too smart to fall for all that mumbo jumbo. Don't you know it's all fake?"

"No, it's not, otherwise they wouldn't call it 'Reality' TV," Bryn answered smugly.

"Please, don't tell me you believe everything you see on television. I thought we covered the differences between reality and fantasy back in middle school. Let me guess, you believe everything you read, too, right?" RayeAnn crossed her arms over her chest and tapped her foot impatiently on the floor.

"Sometimes."

RayeAnne grinned. "As a person holding a degree in print journalism, I'm here to tell you what a fool you are if you do. Heck, I even embellish the obituaries I write in our little hometown newspaper. Even people in Cassidy crave the embellished details of someone else's demise."

"I distinctly remember working on the school newspaper with you and us sticking adamantly to the who, what, where, when, how and why principles of writing."

"Sorry, honey, that's so old school. Now it's all about grabbing the readers by the throat and squeezing until their eyes bleed. It's a messy business, especially the area I'm going into. Investigative reporting can literally be a mater of life and death if you don't do it right."

"Just to be clear, you haven't started investigating anything since you graduated from college. Human interest stories about a dusty old historical society's birthday don't exactly qualify as gritty, hard news." Bryn stretched out on the couch, her bare toes touching RayeAnn's thigh.

"I know. I'm stuck on which industry I want to bring to it's knees, begging for mercy. I think I need a little more hate and cynicism added to my sunny disposition." She crossed her arms over her chest.

"Just write it before your first cup of coffee. You're really mean and cranky then."

"Oh, you're so funny, I forgot to laugh. Don't worry, I promise on my honor as a Girl Scout to not change the channel." She held up her fingers, giving her the official Girl Scout salute.

"Honey, you were kicked out of the Girl Scouts, remember?" Bryn sat up and patted her shoulder gently.

"I told you, that was all just a terrible misunderstanding." RayeAnn stuck out her bottom lip like a two year old who couldn't have any candy before dinner.

"Then why didn't they invite you back once it was cleared up?"

"Oh, shut up. You know perfectly well why, and I'm not going over it again." Her crossed arms tightened over her chest now, her lips were drawn in a straight, thin line of anger.

"All right, settle down. We'll just skip over that sore little subject, again."

"Good. I'm going to soak in a hot bath with a glass of wine, maybe even light a few candles. See you tomorrow."

RayeAnn lay back in her bubbly suds with her glass of wine in her hand. She enjoyed the silence that was only broken by the occasional popping of bubbles when she moved. Ahh, peace and quiet. Setting the wine glass on the floor next to the tub she closed her eyes and let her mind wander, never focusing on any one thought for more than a moment. Her eyes drifted closed. Before she knew what was happening she began to dream.

As if a movie played in her mind, the girl in her dream strolled in an open field of wildflowers, the slight breeze blowing the few strands of hair that had escaped her bun at the base of her neck. Her blonde hair shimmered in the golden sunlight. No cloud moved in the sky above. She wore a long sunny yellow, calico print dress with a high collar and long cotton sleeves, but somehow wasn't overly hot in the sun. Freckles spread across her pale ivory complexion.

As the girl walked, she gathered an assortment of flowers to adorn the dinner table tonight. Humming to herself, as she drifted along, throwing in an occasional twirl of her skirts as she performed some dance steps, pretending to be at her upcoming sweet sixteen party, only two short months away. She curtsied low to her imaginary partner before placing her hand in his, gliding along as he led the way.

When she realized a man was watching from the tree line by the creek, a scream escaped her lips before she took off in a full run back to her house nearby. Scared and breathless, she only stopped running, looking behind her quickly once she reached the front steps of their house.

RayeAnn startled awake, breathless from running with the girl. Her heart raced from fear of the unknown man in the dream. Splashing barely sudsy, cold water made her shiver. When she raised her glass to take a sip of wine, it tasted soapy. Wow. What a weird dream. Usually she didn't even remember her dreams, let alone have one she actively participated in, not to mention a totally different century. Victorian era, she guessed. What creeped her out the most was that it felt as if she'd had an out of body experience. She had watched her own actions as if she were a spectator in a movie theater. Yet she still felt the emotions as if they were her own.

With a shake of her head, she tried to slough-off the dream. Her conversation with Bryn had probably been the catalyst. Yet for some reason it still haunted her for the rest of the evening. There was a meaning to the dream that eluded her, waiting just barely out of her grasp.

Frustrated, she popped some popcorn and started to do her favorite part of her job, research. The nerd in her came out in full force, becoming absorbed in her research and forgetting about the bowl of popcorn almost immediately.

Everything about research intrigued her, though she would never admit that to anyone but Bryn. She had never met anyone in the field of journalism who enjoyed research, or at least anyone who admitted to liking it. It was considered a necessary evil by most. Many famous journalists had started out paying their dues by doing research for the big guns who considered it beneath them and therefore pushed off to the underlings at the very bottom of the ladder of success. The only jobs lower on the prestige ladder were mailroom clerk and custodial services, not necessarily in that order, hence the necessity of keeping her love of research a secret.

Before RayeAnn knew it, Bryn was turning her key in the door.

"Hey, how was your night?" RayeAnn sat back in her desk chair for the first time in several hours, feeling the muscles in her back protesting at being in the same position for so long. Stretching out, she spoke.

"Great. There was a meeting in the banquet room tonight, so tips were good. I know I shouldn't say this too loud, might get jinxed, but I love that job. It's so much fun to meet new people and flirt with the pudgy bald guy no one else pays attention to." Bryn plopped onto the couch, as she always did, and grabbed the remote for the television.

"Let me go out on a limb here and guess you got lectured by your mother again today about the direction of your life." RayeAnn put her hands on her hips and let out a huff of disgust. "How you're such a smart girl, too smart to work at a nowhere job, blah, blah, blah..."

"Bingo. She'll never understand or accept that college just isn't for everyone."

"True, but she loves you in her own degrading way. She never did understand you, even in high school. Cripes, you two even fought about what color backpack to buy. You're total opposites, but you love her anyway."

"Oh yeah, I love her, I just don't like her very much."

"And she loves you enough to never give up on you, you lucky gal, you." Laughing, she brought the cold bowl of popcorn over to Bryn on the couch. "If you're going to put on those fake shows you recorded, I'm leaving. Because of you I had the weirdest dream in the bathtub tonight." She stood with her hands on her hips, giving her friend the evil eye she was famous for.

"What did I do? I wasn't even here." Speaking despite a mouth full of popcorn, she began to choke and coughed until she grabbed the bottle of water RayeAnn held out.

"It was all that fake ghost talk. It was like I had this out–of- body experience or something. Anyway, it creeped me out, so of course I had to start my research to distract myself." Her body involuntarily shuddered at the memory. "I'm going to bed. Hopefully I'll sleep and not remember a thing."

"Nighty, night." Bryn waved her fingers goodbye, not taking her eyes off the television screen as eerie music began to fill the room. Snuggling deeper into the lumpy cushions of the couch, she grabbed the throw off the back and settled in for a night of fright. The anticipation she felt for the rush she got from being scared had nothing on the real thing.
CHAPTER 2

Sweat poured out of her while her breath came in uneven gasps even as she tried to scream. Was this real? Bryn rubbed her eyes roughly. Then peeked through her spread fingers again. She trembled from head to toe as she looked at the young woman in the sunny, calico print dress. Tears streamed down the girl's contorted face. The sorrow as she held her arms out to Bryn, pleading, made her cold all over.

"Wh...what do you want? Go away!" Her voice came out in a small squeak.

"Help me. Please, I beg of you." The apparition clutched at her heart.

"I can't. You're not real. Go away now. Shoo." Bryn made a shooing motion with her hands toward the apparition.

"I assure you I am most certainly real. My name is Charity Meriwether and I require your assistance, for I am a lost soul. Look for me in your tomes upon the table. There you shall see."

Then she was gone, disappearing into one long line of vapor right before Bryn's eyes.

She sat there, stunned and staring into space when RayeAnn came stumbling into the room.

"What's wrong? I thought I heard you talking to someone. You look terrible, are you all right?" She stood by the couch in her tank top and shorts pajamas, waiting for a reply. When none came immediately she touched Bryn's arm gently before speaking again.

"Honey, you're scaring me a little here. Answer me. What's wrong?"

"Promise not to laugh?" Her pitiful eyes looked up as they filled with tears.

"Promise." She made the sign of the cross over her heart and held up her hand as if taking an oath.

"I saw a...I guess you'd call it a...ghost. I don't know any other way to describe it. It was a young girl, late teens maybe, in a pretty long yellow calico dress. She looked just like you, Raye. The spitting image, except her hair was longer and in a bun at the back of her neck. She told me her name was Charity Meriwether and that we could find out more about her in your books on the table. It was soooo sad. She said she was a lost soul." Now tears freely streamed down her cheeks.

"I believe, that you believe, you saw what you say. Don't you think maybe those television programs you've been watching might have something to do with this?"

Saying the words didn't in any way appease RayeAnn's nerves, knowing her friend had seen the same person she had seen earlier in her bathtub dream.

"No. This was real. When she was done talking she, like, evaporated into thin air. Poof, and she was gone. I can still smell her. Do you smell the lily of the valley in the air?"

RayeAnn took a deep breath, thinking she would humor her obviously daft friend, but stopped suddenly when she realized that she did smell lily of the valley. Moving around the room now and sniffing wildly, she realized that the smell was strongest near her desk. Placing her nose directly on the stack of books, she sniffed each one individually. Satisfied that the smell wasn't coming from any of the ancient books, she turned back to her friend.

"Come on Bryn, this is insane. You and I both know there are no such things as ghosts, spirits, orbs and any other supernatural stuff."

"Then how do you explain it, huh? Please, enlighten me. I'm all ears." She spread her arms out wide, signifying her openness.

When a book from the bottom of the pile suddenly flew across the room both women went running into the bathroom, slamming the door behind them as they screamed and held each other in fear. She clamped her jaws so tightly they ached, but she could still feel them chattering. Together they stood and listened for sounds from the living room.

"Hear anything?" RayeAnn whispered

"Just you, breathing."

RayeAnn released her death grip on Bryn.

"I had the strangest dream last night," she began. "I saw a young girl in a calico dress, picking flowers and dancing in a large field. When she spotted a man watching her she ran home. The girl was terrified," RayeAnn said.

"Why didn't you tell me this?" Bryn yelled. "This is far more than a coincidence, Raye. Stuff like this is a sign."

They sat facing each other in the empty bathtub, drawing the shower curtain just in case an entity decided to eavesdrop. Both of them whispered as if someone were listening in on their conversation. They whispered back and forth for hours, hashing and rehashing all the possibilities. Was someone playing a practical joke? Maybe the books were possessed? Possibly a shared dream? Did the popcorn bring on weird dreams? Anything was possible. Eventually both of them fell asleep in the bathtub, still facing each other.

Sunlight streamed into the tiny window of the bathroom, waking Bryn, who took a deep cleansing breath to steady her nerves. Then shook RayeAnn awake.

"What the..." RayeAnn looked around the bathroom and down at the tub. Her eyes widened as though she remembered what had happened last night. She grabbed Bryn's hand and together they silently stepped out of the tub, clutching each other before turning the handle of the door and peeking through the tiny crack. RayeAnn had no idea what to expect, so she wasn't taking any chances. After last night anything was possible. She paused and listened intensely before opening it all the way. The only thing out of place was the flying book from the night before still sitting on the floor of the hallway.

Too afraid to touch it, RayeAnn nudged it gently with her toe, her body poised to run at the slightest sign of trouble. Bryn clutched her arm in a death grip, staying well behind her.

"Ouch! Lighten up there, sister. It's not going to bite you...at least I don't think it will. Do you think I should pick it up?" She chewed her bottom lip nervously as she continued to stare down at the book.

"Umm, I guess you should. I'm pretty sure Charity wants us to look inside and find out her history."

RayeAnn shook her hands nervously, trying to release some of the tension from her body and stalling for time. Taking a deep breath and holding it, she suddenly snatched the book up, holding it tightly to her chest. Step one accomplished. Now all she needed was the nerve to open it up. She let her breath out in a slow stream.

"Well, so far, so good. Why don't you make some coffee and I'll start searching the book. The sooner we get this over with the better."

"Deal." Bryn rushed out of the room at a dead run, not bothering to look back.

Turning the brittle pages of the book slowly and carefully, she read each page thoroughly. Afraid the pages might crumble in her fingers, she wondered if she should be wearing gloves while looking through it. Some of the writing was too faded to read, but she was able to get the gist of most sentences well enough to gather the information she needed. Halfway through the book she found the name Charity Meriwether mentioned as a guest at one of the holiday parties at another home. Apparently her family was quite well off, her father a pillar of the community.

Nothing further was mentioned of her for the rest of this registry. Rubbing her eyes, RayeAnn looked down at the now cold cup of coffee Bryn had brought her earlier. She put the book down, then crawled back to her room to grab a little more sleep. Except now sleep wouldn't come with her mind whirling about with all the information she had just found. Resigned to her fate, she grabbed another registry and read the entries, smiling as the old pages crinkled when she turned them. She found nothing more about the illusive Charity Meriwether. On the plus side, she hadn't found a death record with her name on it. It was silly to be relieved by that, since obviously the woman had died, or else how could she come back as a ghost and haunt Bryn and her?

Okay, at what point had she begun to think of the haunting as being normal, as if it were a perfectly common occurrence not only for her but for Bryn, too. She ran as many possible scenarios through her mind as she could think of, rejecting them one after the other when she noted a flaw. When no answer came, she plotted her research plan of attack, making a list of reference books to check as well as getting her hands on a map of the area from that time period.

What had started out as a fluffy, fuzzy little human interest article had now turned into a major research project. Great. Just what I don't need, more work. But when she thought about the sadness in Charity's eyes as she begged for help, RayeAnn knew she had no choice but to follow through. She forgot for the moment that she was supposed to be a hard hearted, facts only, investigative reporter clawing her way to the top. Right now she needed a little more shut eye, not more worrying about another 'visit' from her friendly neighborhood ghost. She lay back on the couch, too tired to drag herself back to her room, and she fell asleep immediately.
CHAPTER 3

THREE MONTHS LATER

Frustration throbbed throughout RayeAnn's body. Unable to locate any more records about Charity Meriwether, she now had to face the fact that it was time to throw in the towel. It went against everything she was about, but she had no choice. Neither she nor Bryn had heard a peep from their wayward ghost, and she needed to get back to a more productive and realistic story. She had managed to keep up with her work, but barely. That wasn't the way she liked to do things. For her it was all or nothing. Now she had to opt for nothing. What other choice did she have?

Pounding at the door of the apartment startled her out of her little pity party. She checked the peephole, then opened the door to a uniformed messenger from the same company she sometimes used.

"Hi, may I help you?"

"Yes, ma'am, I have a package for RayeAnn Trenton."

"Yes, that's me."

"Please sign here for the package." He thrust a beat-up clipboard at her and waited for her to sign with the attached pen.

These people never brought good news. She gave her shaky signature and passed the clipboard back to him, pausing to wipe her sweating palms on the front of her jeans before he could hand her the large manila envelope.

"Thank you, ma'am. Have a good day."

She stood by the door, staring at the package, afraid to open it, yet not knowing why. Maybe just too many old clichés from the classic horror flicks. She loved the classic Bella Lugosi, Lon Chaney and Vincent Price films that she had watched over and over again as a child. Enough stalling. Open the stupid package.

Because there was no return address on the envelope, she carefully opened it with the letter opener from her desk/kitchen table. Inside she found a letter size envelope, this time with a return address. Jonathon Chase, Esquire. The name sounded familiar, though she didn't know why. What in the world would an attorney want with her? It wasn't as if she'd done any scathing articles or slandered anyone. Quickly she scanned the short letter.

Dear Ms. Trenton:

I regret to inform you of the passing of your great-great-great Aunt, Juliet Meriwether Harvey on the tenth of October, 2011. From my conversations with Mrs. Harvey I am aware that you had no prior knowledge of her existence. Let me assure you she was a lovely, graceful woman, passing at the age of ninety eight peacefully in her sleep.

At her request, she was buried in the family cemetery located on a remote parcel of her land, alongside her husband and other beloved family members. Her desire to remain secret to you until after her death remains a mystery.

Since I find that you are the sole heir to her estate, I request that you contact me at my office at your earliest convenience.

Again, please allow me to express my sympathies for your loss.

Sincerely,

Jonathon Chase, Esq.

Stunned, she sat down with a thud onto one of the kitchen chairs. Well, in a way she had been right. It was bad news. The death of anyone, even someone she'd never met, was sad. She suddenly wondered why she hadn't had to write an obituary for the woman. The attorney's address was here in Cassidy, so it only made sense that her departed aunt had lived somewhere around here. Her parents had never once mentioned anyone else in the family. After she lost them in a car accident, she could have used a relative to care about her. Both of them were only children who had only one child, RayeAnn. Was it possible that even they didn't know there was an aunt somewhere out there? Jeez, she didn't even know which parent's side of the family this aunt was from. Has to be a mistake. There must be quite a few RayeAnn Trenton's in the world. Mr. Chase had surely chosen the wrong one. It would be an easy mistake to make, since she happened to live in the same town as the attorney.

She decided to call him first thing tomorrow and let him know about the error. Smiling to herself, she thought about the old woman.

Doing the math in her head, she realized that Juliet Harvey had been born in 1913. Wow, the things she must have seen in her lifetime. The new inventions alone would be mind boggling. Appliances, cars, phones, microwaves, television, music, movies, fashion, all of them constantly changing. What would it but like to watch traditions change before your very eyes? Or were the changes so gradual she'd barely even noticed them? How exciting to have lived all that history instead of reading it in a cold, dry history book. What she wouldn't give to have been able to have a conversation with the lady before she died.

It reinforced her belief in keeping a journal, which she had done religiously since the age of ten. There would be volumes upon volumes of history, her history, to leave for someone someday. Not that she had anyone special in her life, but there was always hope. Look at Gideon Meriwether, who, she had discovered, had been married three times. So there was still hope, but she certainly didn't feel it in her heart. Well, regardless, she wasn't going to just sit around and wait for true love to come knocking on her door. She decided to go up to the Blue Bull Inn and visit with Bryn, maybe hook up with someone she knew from college. Either way, she wasn't going to just sit home on a perfectly good Saturday night.

RayeAnn stood near the crowded bar, a ginger ale in her hand, and talked to one of her old neighbors from when she was a little girl. She remembered the woman as a teenager hired to babysit, one who usually allowed her to stay up an extra half-hour. Now she was a married woman with children of her own, still living in the house she was raised in so she could take care of her now elderly parents. How wonderful it must be to have three generations all living under the same roof, though she was sure it had its moments of utter chaos. Men's shouting voices came from behind her. She had just turned to see what was going on when the ice cold liquid hit her square in the face. She inhaled sharply at the impact. God, this shit's cold. Cold liquid dripped down her hair and face, soaking her silk blouse. She could feel her mascara running down her face, beating out her eye shadow by a nose. Speechless, she just stood there sputtering and smelling like a brewery. The laughter that followed snapped her from her trance and she ran to the bathroom, embarrassed and humiliated.

She looked into the mirror, not really sure where to start the clean-up. She bent over and rinsed her hair and washed her face, then slapped the buttons of both hand drier machines. The blouse was ruined, dammit, and it was one of her favorites. When she straightened from the sink, Bryn shoved a clean towel into her hand.

"Who did this to me? Do you know who it was?"

"I don't know the guy's name, he's only been in a couple of times before. Want me to go beat him up for you?" Bryn jumped up and down, fists raised, as she bobbed left and right like a boxer in the ring. She pretended to spit on the ground and wiped her nose with one of her dainty fists.

Despite her anger, RayeAnn burst out laughing. Bryn was such a sissy, girly girl she wouldn't hurt a fly. Which just made it that much funnier.

"No thanks, this one I'll take care of myself. Look at my blouse, it's ruined.

"Don't whine. We'll look online tomorrow and replace it. Figures that one of the few nights you come to visit me and you're assaulted by a flying beer. I don't know how to break this to you, but you have really lousy luck."

"What, you think I didn't already know that? Story of my life, kiddo. I didn't wear a coat tonight, so I'm just going to dry my blouse before I go home. I'll see you tomorrow morning. Thanks for the help and the towel."

"The least I could do to protect the Blue Bull Inn's reputation." She bowed deeply at the waist before heading out the door.

After five minutes of doing the limbo under the hand dryer she finally gave up and walked out of the bathroom. A huge water stain decorated the front of her blouse. Before she could make it out of the door she was grabbed from behind by a large hand pulling her arm back.

"Hi. I guess I'm the one who did that to you. Sorry. It was kind of an accident."

"How do you have 'kind of an accident'? Wait, let me guess. You threw it in my face on a dare? Maybe as a joke? More likely both. Just let me go, I'm getting a crick in my neck having to look up at you like this. Only thing I can see from this angle is that you need a shave."

"No, really, I'm sorry for all the trouble."

"You know, I might have believed you if you hadn't laughed at me not only when it happened, but the whole time you were supposedly apologizing. You're an ass." She jerked her arm out of his grasp, grateful now that she had worn the silk, and stormed out the back door. Tears stung her eyes as she searched for her car keys in her huge hobo bag. She had been the brunt of a cruel joke. The humiliation she felt kept the tears coming. She felt like she was back in high school with the mean girls, and she hated that feeling. She rushed out of the bar and headed straight for her car, her fingers trembled so much it took her three tries to get the key into the lock. Her unshed tears blurred her vision, so she wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, started the car, and took off for home.

Being so wrapped up in your own feelings wasn't always a good thing. Sometimes it caused you to not notice some of the more important things in life. Like someone following you home.

# HITTING BELOW THE BELT

CHAPTER 1

"Dr. Stein, I realize you have a personal life," Natalie rolled her eyes skyward. "but you're letting it interfere with your professional life. It is completely unprofessional to come into the office an hour late and wearing the same clothes for the last two days." Natalie Bigelow, office manager and acting nursemaid to the newest addition to their practice, chastised him.

At age twenty nine, Dr. Drew Stein was single, hot and loose as goose grease—whatever the hell that was. Romancing the ladies in the large professional building both he and Natalie worked in was interfering with his practice of medicine. She knew the man was a gifted charmer when he chose to be, he just chose the female population to use it on.

"Bigelow, just because you're frigid is no reason to begrudge me my pleasure." Natalie gasped and pulled herself to her full height.

"Jesus, I'm getting a chill just standing in the same room with you. Lighten up, would you?" He tucked his shirt tail back into his pants and ran his palms down the front of his shirt, as if that would flatten the wrinkles. Thank goodness her office door was closed

"Do you really think your patients have nothing better to do with their time than sit in the waiting room reading four year- old magazines? I've started getting complaints from the other practices we share our waiting room with about the congestion out there. If you prefer to start later in the day," She pointed her finger at him, "just say so. We can start patients at ten instead of nine, if you want."

"What I want is for you to let me get to work. I'm behind, as you so sternly pointed out. We can discuss this later." He grabbed his lab coat and covered his rumpled shirt, buttoning it so only his messy tie showed. At least his tennis shoes were still clean. What kind of doctor wears tennis shoes to work?

Fuming in fury, Natalie made her way back to her office, shooting an exasperated glance at the poor receptionist who had borne the brunt of all of the patient's anger. Nothing she did lately was right. If she went to Dr. Dickenson, the senior member of the staff, to complain she would have to deal with his booby prize of a wife—literally. Paige Dickenson, or as she was known around the office, Paigezilla, had the hots for Dr. Stein, and it was only a matter of time before that boat sailed. Paige was thirty years younger than her husband and screwed anything that stood still too long. And it seemed every man was so willing. Anywhere or any time.

Why did men think with their genitals? Was it some kind of Neanderthal survival instinct? Whoever screwed the most women won? Dr. Dickenson had only been widowed for a month before he'd married this trophy wife. His first wife had been married to him for thirty eight years and was the salt of the earth. Talk about opposites. Paigezilla had taken complete control of the practice once Natalie's father, a doctor in practice with Dr. Dickenson, had passed away last year. Natalie managed the office, while Paige spent all the money. She stopped in occasionally, although much more often since Dr. Stein had joined the practice, only to go over the books and complain about how short money was. There was only one reason this practice was still afloat, and that was because of the two-party checks they used. Without Natalie's signature no check was valid. But that didn't stop Paigezilla from empting the petty cash reserves regularly. She figured it was worth the two hundred or so dollars to keep wifey from bankrupting the entire practice.

If she hadn't promised her father and the hospital that she would stay on one full year to train the next office manager, she'd be outta here. Her father had instilled in her a sense of honor and responsibility. Medicine was serious business that required one's full attention. The warning buzzer of the physician's entrance door being opened startled her. It could only mean one thing. Paigezilla.

Her evil laugh filtered down the hallway to Natalie's office, making her skin crawl. Had it really only been two months since her father's death? It felt like fifty years.

"Just as I thought, Bigelow, you're sitting there like a queen on her throne. Enjoy it now, because in ten months your ass is grass."

"Paige, how dreadful to see you again. Already done feeding on small children and animals so early in the day?"

Paige stood there in her skin tight designer clothes, dripping in diamonds and gold. She smelled like a French hooker after a full night's work. Her heavy, perfectly applied makeup lay on her face like a mask, not disguising her horrid personality, rather, reflecting it. Ruby red fingernails the size of talons rested on her bony hips.

"Now, now, lets not be so cranky. You need to clear out of your office for a while. I have some business to attend to and I need some privacy."

"You can use your husband's office, he's in surgery this morning."

"Not today, toadstool. Since this will eventually be my office I want to work out of here."

"Well, if you're here to work you're about two hours late." Natalie made a point of looking at her wristwatch.

"Ha, ha. Don't make me call security, Bigelow."

"Fine. I'll just take what I was working on into another office." She grabbed the checkbook and a few reports and began to head out the door. A talon tapped her arm lightly as she moved past Paige.

"Leave the checkbook, I'm going to need it."

"Not without my signature, you're not. Don't forget, office policy is to photocopy each and every check that leaves this office. No exceptions. We don't want a repeat of last month's embarrassing human resources reprimand now do we?" Natalie smiled a fake, mean smile.

"You don't need to keep rubbing that in my face, Bigelow. Just hand it over and let me deal with the rest."

With a huff Natalie roughly shoved the book into the other woman's hands, wishing it was going into another orifice of the evil body before her. Tempting, very tempting. Natalie was pretty sure she could take her physically, if need be. On second thought, why bother? It wouldn't be long before the woman was done digging her own grave.

After checking in with Doris, their receptionist, she headed out the door and toward her sanctuary, the stairwell. It was the only place in the whole building where she could have a minute to herself, and she needed one right now. Paige always raised her temper, and today was no exception. She shoved the bar stretched across the stairwell door so hard it slammed with a thud. Once encased in the cool, well-lit space she sat on the top step and took a few deep breaths. How could she have allowed her life to take such a downward spiral? Maybe she was still depressed by her father's death, although when his time finally came it had truly been godsend. He had suffered so much with his cancer, somehow managing to keep it a secret until the very end. She took some comfort in the fact that he was no longer in pain and had reunited with her deceased mother, whom he'd loved dearly until the day he died. Both were now at peace. Now if she could only find her own peace.

She sat on the step, arms wrapped around her knees and head bent down in thought. Lucky for her she wasn't a crier or there would be a waterfall running down the stairs in front of her. Tears wouldn't solve her problems. Nothing could solve her problems. She was stuck for another ten months dealing with a clueless, elderly doctor who let his money-grubbing wife and the boy-toy of the week she was screwing at the moment have complete control. How could such a smart, educated man be so stupid? Not my problem at the moment. Paigezilla had made friends with the higher-ups in the human resources department of the hospital that owned their practice. Being the doctor's wife automatically made her a superstar in their eyes.

Natalie had her contacts, but they were much more practical allies, people who could help the practice run properly on a day-to-day basis. They could care less about financial reports and fund raising events. They were the grunts who made things run smoothly, just like she did. In the distance she heard footsteps coming toward her as they rapidly descended the stairs. Whoever it was spoke out loud...no make that yelled, into a cell phone. She couldn't make out the exact words, but the inflection of frustration was unmistakable. Before she could scoot out of the way a very large man's foot came down hard on her hand that had been braced to help her stand.

"Ahhh!" With a struggle she pulled her hand out from under the surprised man's foot. She looked down at her red, swelling fingers, shaking her hand vigorously to make the pain go away. When that only made her see stars she stopped abruptly and held the hand to her chest, cradling it with her other hand.

"I'll call you right back." When she looked up she saw a tall, lean, handsome man looking down at her. An irritated expression on his face, he silently held out his hand, wiggling his fingers as a command to her to let him see the damage. When she didn't comply he cursed on a breath.

"What the hell's wrong with you? Don't you know you shouldn't sit on the steps? What if there had been a fire, you would have been trampled to death. Let me see the damage."

"I'm fine, and it's none of your business what I'm doing on the steps. Take a hike, asshole." Before he could answer she whirled around and hurried back through the doorway to her office. She walked into the nursing station and took an ice pack out of fridge and placed it on her fingers. She managed to move them a little, though they were sore and swollen. At least they weren't broken. In a couple of days they would be as good as new. She wished she could say that about the rest of her life.

When she walked out of the nurses station she took in the complete chaos of the office. Two of the medical assistants were running like crazy, trying to please Dr. Stein. She heard some muffled shouting before a treatment room door opened and a crying medical assistant raced out of the room, red spots dotting the front of her scrubs. Was that blood?

"Nancy, what's wrong?" She held out her arm and ushered the weeping woman into the nearest empty treatment room, quietly closing the door behind them. Pulling a few fresh tissues from the box on the counter, she moved to the sobbing assistant and handed them to her. Glancing at the clock, she saw it was only eleven o'clock in the morning. Still plenty of time for things to get even worse.

"Okay, spill it. What did Dr. Dickhead do now?" At least that's what she wanted to say.

"Please, tell me what happened, Nancy."

The sobbing woman blew her nose before speaking.

The story that stumbled out of her mouth was appalling. Between sniffles she relayed the temper tantrum Dr. Stein had in the treatment room. Apparently she hadn't been moving fast enough to suit him, and he'd begun to throw bloody, four by four dressings at her, causing her to spill betadine down the front of her scrubs. All of this taking place in front of the patient was a new low, even for Dr. Dickhead.

"I'm so sorry this happened, Nancy. I want you to stay in here until you feel comfortable coming out, and then take the rest of the day off, with pay. I hope you know how much I value you, and I'll be sure to let Dr. Stein know how inappropriate his behavior was." She hoped Nancy would stop in at Human Resources and file a complaint against the asshole, but of course she couldn't say that out loud. She stormed toward the treatment room where Dr. Stein had given the floor show, hoping the doctor was still with the same patient.

Dr. Stein poked his head out the door and yelled at the top of his voice, "HELLO! I NEED HELP IN HERE. SOMEONE COMPETENT WOULD BE NICE."

Plastering a fake smile onto her face, she headed into the room, ready to do battle.

"Hello, Mrs. Daniels, how are you today?" She watched the patient visibly relax in the chair. Relief graced her face as she shot a worried look at the back of Dr. Stein's head. Natalie winked at her, hopefully reassuring her that everything would be all right.

"How can I help you, Dr. Stein?" She bit her tongue to keep from sticking it out at him.

"I need a new dressing on Mrs. Daniels' wound. Put a little antibiotic ointment on the gauze and wrap it firmly, the old bandage didn't last long enough." He began to move out of the room when she grabbed his arm roughly, slightly pinching him through his lab coat to get his attention.

"Did you have anything you needed to say to Mrs. Daniels, doctor?" She tried to hint for an apology, but he was too dense to understand.

"Oh, yes, I'll see you in a week, Mrs. Daniels." Before he could go, Natalie added.

"Annnnnd. Didn't you want to apologize for the disruption?" She kept her voice low, hoping only Dr. Stein could hear her.

"Yes. I'm very sorry for the substandard actions of the medical assistant. I promise to correct the staffing issue before your next visit. Have a good week." He jerked his arm from her grasp and stomped out the door.

Without missing a beat Natalie redressed Mrs. Daniels wound and sent her on her way. Inside she was seething.

This means war!
CHAPTER 2

The rest of the afternoon Natalie filled in for the missing medical assistant, smiling at Dr. Stein every chance she got, the whole time plotting her revenge. After the office had emptied out for the day she sat at her desk and started a list of planned attacks. Dr. Stein was about to have a run of bad luck, poor darling. First on her list was to cut him where it hurt. His wallet was going to be very lonely with only his drivers license in it.

Darn payroll was going to get behind, just because she had to fill in for Nancy instead of doing her paperwork. She couldn't imagine when she would get a chance to cut Dr. Stein his check. Darn it all. With her tongue in her cheek she locked up the office and took to the stairwell to go home, with all the problems Dr. Jerk had caused, she had forgotten all about her earlier mishap with Twinkle Toes. The memory of his fresh, clean male scent filled her senses as if he were standing next to her again.

Normally she would go home, wolf down a frozen diet dinner and head out to do some country line dancing, her first love and passion. She knew every country western bar in the tri-county area, even though she didn't drink. One of the things she liked most about line dancing was that she didn't need a partner to do it. It was something she could do by herself. After a full day of dealing with people sometimes, all right, most times, she wanted to be left alone to do her own thing, dancing. She knew the dances so well she didn't have to think about them. She could let her mind wander while her body got exercise and relaxed.

When she slid behind the steering wheel of her car she let out a long sigh, then began to pull the pins out of the tight bun on the top her head. She hated having to wear her waist length hair in a bun, but Paigezilla had filed a complaint with HR that her hair was getting in the way of her ability to do her job. Rather than have a written reprimand on her record, Natalie had agreed to keep it in a bun during working hours. She rubbed the sore spot on her head where the heavy, braided bun had been perched all day. She had considered cutting her hair shorter, but knew she would regret it later. It was one of her best assets and she only had to go another ten months looking like a plain Jane.

While she drove home she recalled all the other adjustments she'd had to make to her appearance because of Paige. The list was almost endless. Wear bigger scrubs because the correct size was too form fitting. Wear a lab coat at all times to hide whatever the too big scrubs didn't hide. Minimal makeup, according to Paige makeup made her look like a clown. Jewelry was a definite no- no. Basically, anything that made Natalie look halfway decent had been banned by Paigezilla and her lackey in HR. Fine, so for some reason the woman felt threatened by her. In ten months it wouldn't matter one little bit. She could wait it out. It's not like she wore heavy make-up or trashy clothes, anyway. What next, will I soon be required to wear colored contact lenses because my eyes are too blue.

********

"Bigelow, where's my paycheck?" Dr. Stein stood in the doorway of her office, filling it completely with his broad shoulders.

"I haven't been able to get to it. I had to help in the back yesterday because you terrorized one of the medical assistants. It put me behind." She smiled as sweetly as humanly possible to him.

"Just do it now."

"I can't. I have a meeting in a couple of minutes."

"So you're late. Big deal. Just do it now."

"Sorry, but it wouldn't do any good . Your check requires two signatures and Paige is out of town for the next few days."

"What am I supposed to do over the weekend? I have plans..."

"Not my problem." She stood, gathered her notepad and pen and moved from behind her desk. She had to duck under his raised arm to get through the doorway.

"Doris, I have a meeting on this new mentoring program the hospital's starting. I'm not sure how long it will take, so hold down the fort. You know how to get me if you need to."

"Bigelow, where are all my patients?"

She made a point of looking into her pockets, then answered.

"Gee, Dr. Stein, I don't know. You were supposed to attend the meeting at the hospital for all new hires. Your patients aren't scheduled to start for another half hour. Maybe you could get to the mountain of paperwork on your desk until someone shows up."

"Bitch."

"I'm sorry. What was that, Dr. Stein?" She smiled at Doris and walked out the door, knowing he wouldn't answer and fully aware of what he'd said.

Though at times she seriously considered filing harassment charges against Paige and Dr. Stein, she wasn't willing to dedicate a few years of her life pursuing her claim. It was better to just grit her teeth and get through the next ten months.

Natalie took her seat at the conference table, chatting with a few of the other office managers from various practices in the building. All of them were curious about the mentoring program they'd been asked to participate in. She viewed it as a way to get out of the office as often as possible. When Mr. Twinkle Toes from yesterday's stairway incident sat down across from her, she began to get a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. Why were the laws of nature picking on her? What terrible things had she done in the last twenty nine years to warrant such retribution? She clinched her injured fist, testing it for pain. It was fine. Only her pride was bruised, and, frankly, it was getting used to the abuse.

Twinkle toes pretended not to notice her. Good plan. She would just pick up his cue and run with it.

"You're the idiot from the stairwell yesterday." Twinkle Toes pointed his finger at her.

"Ahh, Mr. Twinkle Toes. Yes, that was my hand you mangled yesterday." Natalie didn't smile or make eye contact. He wasn't worth the effort.

"Oh, so you two know each other?" Mandy, the HR rep., asked happily.

She wanted to smack the smile right off the woman's face.

"Not really, no." Natalie crossed her arms over her chest and pinched her lips tightly together.

"Then let me introduce you, since you'll be working together. Dr. Marcus Templeton, meet your new mentor, Natalie Bigelow."

"What?" They had both turned on the perpetually perky Mandy and asked at the same time.

"Yeah. Natalie, you've been assigned to Dr. Templeton. It makes sense, since you already manage a General Surgery practice and he's our newest general surgeon."

"But...I mean...umm..." Natalie stammered, closing her eyes while she tried to comprehend the situation.

"Talk much, Bigelow?" His smile revealed perfect white teeth surrounded by perfectly full, kissable lips. Honey brown eyes glowed with the smile, little crinkle lines at the edges of his eyes just exaggerated their depth and intensity. Collar-length brown hair waved loosely around his face, showing off his slight tan. He was gorgeous in a casual, cowboy kind of way. Denim blue jeans and a lighter shade of denim blue shirt gave him a relaxed, casual aura. But she knew better. She had witnessed him yelling into his cell phone just yesterday. Nothing casual about that interlude. No, this guy was a chameleon, just like Dr. Stein. She hated Dr. Stein and wasn't too fond of Dr. Twinkle Toes at the moment, either.

"Dr. Twinkle Toes. Step on anyone yet today?" She hoped the dig hit its mark.

"No, but it's still early."

"There's always hope..." She smiled sweetly and fluttered her eyelashes at him.

Thankfully Mandy called the meeting to order. She made a point to not look across the table, taking notes like her life depended on it. Who knows, maybe there'll be a test afterward.

The gist of the program was to give help to the new doctors in setting up their books, hiring staff, explaining hospital policy and learning the ropes of whom to call for what purpose. Easy peasy. She had just one question.

"When are we supposed to do all this? We still have practices to run ourselves."

"You and Dr. Templeton are a special case. I'll need both of you to stay after so we can go over that. Everyone else is to dedicate at least one hour per day to the program. We'll leave it up to you where your schedule can accommodate that time." A collective groan filled the room.

When the meeting broke-up Natalie found herself alone with Twinkle Toes. She cast a nervous glance back at the open door. Silence stretched before them while Mandy finished her business in the bathroom. Just yesterday she couldn't imagine things getting any worse, proving that her imagination was severely lacking. Mandy bounced happily back into the room.

"All right. So. Is this going to be fun, or what? It's so exciting getting a new practice up and running. Dr. Templeton, you must be very anxious to get going."

"Can't wait." He pulled his lips away from his teeth, simulating a smile directed straight at Mandy. If she didn't know better, Natalie would swear he wanted to wipe that smile off of Mandy's face just as badly as she did.

"Natalie, for nowDr. Templeton will be the only physician in his office, so we'll need you to put in a little more time than everyone else. His practice is brand spanking new, so there aren't any accounts set up with any of the vendors yet."

"Great. How far have you gotten in the set-up?" For the first time she addressed him directly.

"None. I was working on it yesterday when we...met. As you could probably tell, I wasn't getting very far."

Yes, she had gathered that. With a nod she came up with a plan. "How about if I check on my practice, then meet you up at your office? I'll look over what you've got so far, and we'll go from there."

"Sounds good." He stood and walked out the door without another word.

Natalie bit back the smartass comment that came to mind.

When she got back to the office all hell had broken loose again. The treatment rooms were filled, the waiting room overflowed, and the only person in sight was poor Doris. Frazzled and juggling three things at once, the poor woman didn't even notice Natalie's return. Making her way to the nursing station, Natalie stumbled upon three medical assistants with their arms crossed over their chests and murder on their faces.

"Where is Dr. Stein?" Natalie looked around as if he were hiding somewhere.

"Who knows? After you left he mumbled something about bullshit and walked out into the waiting room. That was the last anyone saw of him."

"Did you try paging him?" Her hands were on her hips and her temper was smoking hot.

"Only a million times. Surprise, surprise, he didn't answer. What a jerk." They all nodded their agreement.

"I'll take care of it. Re-bandage everyone who's post-op and have them reschedule their appointments. Doris and I will cancel the afternoon appointments. Apologize to everyone and tell them that the doctor was called away on an emergency."

At that moment Dr. Stein strolled lazily into the nursing station. His shirt was hanging out of his pants and unbuttoned low enough to know his bellybutton was an inie. His tie was slung over one shoulder. His limbs appeared to be made of rubber and his eyes had a weird, glassy look to them.

"Go ahead, everyone. Stick with the plan. Dr. Stein, may I speak to you for a minute...privately?"

"Sure, baby." He pulled her tightly into an embrace that ended up tipping them both precariously while she struggled to support his weight. She could smell the alcohol on his breath and noticed traces of white powder around his nostrils. Shit. "You know you want a piece of me, Bigelow. It's just a matter of time, baby. All the women love me."

"All right. Whatever you say. Let's go into Dr. Dickenson's office for a bit." She tried to get him into a private, secure space, and that office was the closest.

"Ohhh, a little shy are you? No problem." He grabbed her off her feet and kissed her hard on the lips. Yuk! The urge to spit in his face overwhelmed her. She hated sloppy kissers and his tongue in her mouth made her gag. With all her might she pushed against his chest and kicked with her feet, desperately trying to free herself. Her efforts had no effect on him as he backed her up against the wall, grabbing for her breast. She beat on his back and tried to scream through his smothering mouth. Suddenly he was pulled off her. She collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath and gagging at the same time. Repulsion shivered through her body. After a moment she recognized the new pair of shoes in her line of vision as those of Dr. Twinkle Toes. She continued to gag and swallow hard while her eyes watered with the effort to maintain her dignity.

"Do you always sit on the floor like this?" He rested his forearms on his bent knees, smiling at her as he spoke. He actually thought this was amusing?

"Not really. You seem to keep catching me at a bad time." Natalie pushed away the dangling ball of hair that now hung in her face.

"Yeah. Who was that asshole, anyway? Not your boyfriend, I hope."

"God, no. I have to say he's the first man who ever made me gag while kissing me." A shudder ran through her body at the memory. Twinkle Toes stood and extended his hand to help her up. She watched his eyes as he stared at her head. Feeling around with her hands, she discovered her previously tight bun now dangled over her right ear. She pulled out the pins and let it down, running her fingers through the knotted mess to untangle it. When she looked up, Twinkle Toes' mouth was gaping open and he reached out his hand and caressed her hair.

When he realized what he was doing he pulled his hand back as if it burned. He swallowed loudly and shoved his hands into his pockets.

"So then, who is he?"

"That is our newest addition to the staff, Dr. Drew Stein. A real gem, isn't he?" She wiped her mouth, noting the trace of blood that came away with her hand. The bastard actually drew blood. She stumbled to the sink and wet a paper towel, and held it to her mouth. Her ears rang loudly with the effort, and when she began to sway, Twinkle Toes grabbed her, pulling her tightly against his broad chest to stabilize her.

"Why the hell are you wearing clothes three sizes too big? I expected to get a couple armfuls of flesh, but you're barely the size of a gnat." He pulled the excess material of her lab coat aside and looked down at her slim outline.

"Thanks, I think. I've never been compared to a gnat before. Should I be insulted?" She tried to make light of the situation, when all she could feel was the flexing of his muscular chest with every movement, every breath he took.

"No. It means tiny, and you didn't answer my question."

"Oh, right. Dr. Dickenson's wife complained about me wearing tight clothes, so HR made me switch to scrubs and lab coats to keep her happy. It's the same reason for the bun and little makeup. She's a real sweetheart, too."

"This place sounds like a soap opera, As The Stomach Turns." She chuckled.

"Yep. That pretty much sums it up. Where is Dr. Dick...sorry, Dr. Stein?"

"I sent him to his office. Before I had the door closed he was snoring in his chair. I'm pretty sure you've seen the last of him for the day."

"So there is a God?" She smiled up at him.

"Apparently." A knock on the door jam had both of them looking into Nancy's worried eyes.

"What's up, Nancy?" Twinkle Toes released his grip around her waist but looked poised to catch her if she fell.

"The patient in room three concerns me. I'm no doctor, but I don't think he should wait for medical care. There's a hint of greenish pus oozing out of his wound and it smells...bad. Should I send him to the ER?"

"I guess so. Dr. Dickenson is out of town, so we don't have a choice." She waved her hand in frustration, while blotting off the blood with her other hand.

"Do you want me to take a look at him for you?"

Now it was her turn to be surprised. Was it possible he was nicer than her original assessment? "That would be great...if you wouldn't mind, that is." She stammered like a schoolgirl.

"Happy to help. Lead the way, Nancy." He waved goodbye to Natalie as he rounded the corner.

Natalie picked up the phone and called security to come and get Dr. Dickhead and call him a cab. She debated calling HR but knew the entire incident would be swept under the rug once Paigezilla got wind of it. Without a blood test to prove he was drunk, Natalie didn't stand a chance. Somehow the bitch would twist it all around to make it Natalie's fault and she'd end up with another written reprimand in her file. Her experience told her it wasn't worth the hassle.

Her only problem now was that she owed Dr. Twinkle Toes two favors, one for saving her life and one for seeing Dickhead's patient. But really, who's keeping score?
CHAPTER 3

Marcus sat on the countertop in the reception area of his new office, reading one of the multiple memos he'd found in his mailbox at the hospital. Information that he was sure someone felt was vital to the proper running of the hospital, but that he could care less about. Somebody within the hospital's administration really took his job seriously, too seriously. Would the world come to an end if he accidently left a rubber glove in the pocket of his lab coat before sending it out to be cleaned? I think not. Although you could never tell from the memo he'd just read. Poor creature who sent this needs to get a life.

He looked around the office and surveyed all the boxes stacked in every nook and cranny around him. The furniture had arrived in a series of shipments and now sat in those boxes. Each one marked: Some Assembly Required. Normally not a problem for a college educated man, and a surgeon to boot, except for one small problem. There wasn't a hammer or screwdriver to be had anywhere in the building. Correction: if there was he didn't know where to find it. Itching to get started on something productive, he had waited for over a half hour for his mentor, Natalie, to come to his office as promised. When she didn't show up he angrily decided to find her and drag her, if necessary, back to his office.

A slow smile crossed his lips at the memory of her fighting with all her might to get out of the clutches of Dr. Dickhead. Being as tiny as she turned out to be, he was sure she had never stood a chance against him. She was a spitfire though, and he had to give her credit for getting a few good licks in before he'd been able to pull the guy off of her. He laughed out loud now with the memory of the dangling ball of hair that hung over her ear from the effort. She'd looked like a mouse amputee with only one ear. To her credit, she was no pushover, and he had seen cold fury in her flushed red cheeks. How that asshole thought he was in any shape to see his patients is beyond me. Can you spell malpractice? A quick knock on the door interrupted his thoughts as he climbed over and around the boxes to answer the door.

For the second or maybe even third time that day he stood with his mouth open in shock. The glorious creature in his doorway made his mouth go instantly dry, yet his palms were covered by a torrent of sweat. He blinked hard and rubbed his eyes. Was it possible to see a mirage in an office lit brightly by fluorescent lights? Anything's possible.

"Natalie Bigelow?" Jeans hugged her shapely hips. Her western style, form- fitting blouse matched her blue eyes. Cascading ebony hair hovered around her tiny waist. She was stunning.

She tapped a worn cowboy boot as though she'd been waiting for him to respond. "Dr. Marcus Templeton, I presume. Are you going to make me stand out in the waiting room every time I come here, or just today?" She put her hands on her hips.

The comment slapped him back to reality and he stepped back to let her enter. She didn't get very far.

"I see your furniture has arrived. My personal opinion tells me it would look better in the treatment rooms and your office, but, hey, I'm no interior decorator." She looked up at him and he noticed the sparkle in her beautiful blue eyes. Her smile revealed perfectly straight white teeth.

"Yeah, well, that's problem number one. Some assembly is required, but I can't find a damn tool to save my soul in this entire building."

"Ahh, you have Residenti-itis. It's a common aliment for many new doctors," she teased.

"Sounds serious. Is there a cure?" He stood with his hands resting on his waist, feet slightly apart as if ready for a fight.

"Absolutely! Soon you'll be as arrogant and demanding as all the other doctors around here. This will all be just a vague memory someday." She waved her fine-boned hand at all the standing boxes that blocked her way.

"So tell me the cure."

"First, we'll go down to building maintenance and fill out a requisition form for someone to come up here and assemble your furniture. Then..."

"I can do it myself, I just need the right equipment." He waived his hand around in the air.

"Sweet thought, but unnecessary. Union rules would have you written-up before you even got started. Now that you're a "real" doctor, you'll no longer be required to do any menial tasks like you had to do as a Resident. I promise you'll never have your manicure ruined again by menial labor."

"Very funny. Are you always so...cheery and bubbly?" He crossed his arms over his chest and put his worst scowl on his face. He watched as her body snapped to attention and her serious, professional armor was shifted back into place.

"Sorry. Bad day. I'll make sure the maintenance request gets done before I leave for the night. Is there anything else that needs immediate attention?" She folded her hands in front of her and waited for his reply.

"I guess that's a start. What do I need to do until then?" It came out of his mouth before he realized he had just opened himself up to one of her insulting comebacks, and he flinched with the anticipation.

"For now it doesn't look like there's anything you can do until you can at least move around. I'll check in with you tomorrow morning and make sure the furniture is being taken care of. Goodnight." She turned abruptly and walked out the door before he could say another word. He caught the door before it could close and watched the sway of her hips as she strode to the stairwell.

That hadn't gone at all the way he had expected. He'd never intended to piss her off and he wondered which sarcastic remark would she have made if she hadn't been in her 'professional mode'.

********

Natalie fumed at herself for the way she had acted with Dr. Twinkle Toes. Even though he was a new doctor she should have known better than to speak her mind or joke with him. How many times did she have to be slapped down before she learned that her place was as a servant, a necessary evil no doctor wanted to deal with, a black, money sucking blot on the hospital's financial reports.

Socially, doctors considered her to be below their station, except for her father. But then he was more than a little partial to her. Not a fair comparison. It didn't matter to anyone but her that she had a business degree collecting dust in a box on the floor of her closet. If it hadn't been for her father she would be pulling down the big bucks in some high rise consulting firm downtown. She'd have an office with a view of the city and an administrative assistant of her own to kick around. But no matter how hard she tried she couldn't muster up anger at her father. He had needed her. Now that he was gone, she cherished the memories of them working side by side that final year of his life.

The cool air of the stairwell calmed her flushed and heated cheeks as she worked her way back to her office. She'd grab her purse, lock the office, stop in on the maintenance department and then head to one of her favorite places, The Stinky Boot. She needed to work off a little steam and knew the perfect way to do it, line dancing.

********

The worn brown neon boot beckoned to her from across the parking lot. She licked her lips in anticipation. It had been a long time since she'd been out dancing...nearly three months now. For her that was a record. She looked forward to talking to her friend and substitute mother figure, Ruby. No one here would bother her unless she wanted them to, Ruby would see to that. She didn't have to explain anything or justify herself to Ruby, who accepted Natalie without judgment, yet spoke her mind plainly and without malice.

Walking into the dark bar she felt the familiar crunch of discarded peanut shells under her boots as she made her way to her favorite corner of the bar. The decorations hadn't changed one bit in the past forty years, according to Ruby. Knotty pine on steroids, aged and yellowed from too many spilled brews and old cigarette smoke, embraced her comfortably. There were no cute little lanterns on each table or quaint flower arrangements scattered around. Not for the Stinky Boot. This place is plain old, hard core country and neon sign central. Clean and well maintained, the décor screamed for help, and she loved it.

"Nattie! Baby! How the hell are you!?" Ruby's husky voice bellowed over the music to her.

"Hey, Ruby, it's good to see you again!" Natalie waved to her, a big smile on her face. God, it was good to be home.

"Good to see me again, my ass. Get over here and give me a hug before I beat your skinny hide." She stood on the brass rail along the bottom of the bar and leaned over, meeting Ruby halfway, and hugged her hard and long.

"How's my girl? I'm so sorry about your daddy, honey."

"Thanks, Ruby. You know near the end I was praying for it to just be over for him. He was in so much pain." She was embarrassed that her eyes still teared- up at the thought. God, she missed him. Pulling a deep breath into her lungs, she let it out slowly as she forced the thought from her mind while Ruby patted her hand to comfort her.

"Can I get you the usual, sweetie?"

"Please. I have to say I missed this place. Anything new around the old watering hole?" Natalie sat on the stool in the corner, her usual spot.

"A few new single regulars I've been scoping out for you. A couple of them look pretty promising, and one is just downright gorgeous. I been tellin' him about you and he seems pretty interested." Ruby threw a side glance at her while she grabbed a water bottle from the fridge behind the bar.

"Ruby, stop. My life is so screwed-up right now the last thing I need is another complication. Work is driving me crazy...but I came here to relax, not complain. Besides, you know my attitude about...all that. Just leave it alone." She waved her hand in the air as if to erase a blackboard.

"I know you need a man in your life, that's what I know. You leave that part of your life empty too long and you'll end up like me."

"Ruby, I'd be honored to end up like you." She leaned heavily on the bar, resting her arms on the vinyl padded edge.

"Quit tryin' to change the subject," Ruby pointed her bony finger at her. "It's not right for you to be alone like this. You're too pretty and just plain sweet to be alone. What you need is a loving man and a few rug rats around your ankles. If ever there was a natural mother, it's you." The rough woman gave her a one- eyed nod for emphasis.

"If you say so, Ruby." She wasn't in the mood to argue. Not tonight.

"Don't look yet but, speaking of the devil, he just walked in." Natalie had never seen Ruby light up the way she did for this guy. The edges of her smile almost met her ears she looked so happy to see him. Maybe she should date him.

Before Ruby could say another word Natalie jumped off her bar stool and joined in the dancing. The rhythm of the music swept her away, the loud bass vibrating in her chest. She could feel the tension slipping from her shoulders as it made its way out the tips of her fingers. After just one dance she felt the smile coming back onto her face and the lines smooth from her forehead. Instead of taking her seat after the first song, she stood on the dance floor and chatted with a few acquaintances, purposely avoiding Ruby and Mr. Right.

Four dances later she gathered her courage to go back to the bar and take a sip of her water. She kept her gaze directed down, pretending to check her cell phone for messages, swiping at some imaginary lint on her jeans. She pretended to look for something in the bottom of her purse, anything to keep her distracted. She prayed the band would strictly adhere to the fifteen minute break they were on. If worse came to worse she could always visit the ladies room.

"Well, what do you think of him?" Ruby rumbled quietly in her ear.

She looked up and feigned innocence, "I...umm...I'm not sure who you're talking about." Playing stupid wasn't easy for her, but she thought she'd pulled it off pretty well.

"Look now. He's the dude in the denim shirt and brown hair, kinda longish but sexy as hell." Reluctant, she looked up with her eyes but kept her head down as much as possible.

"Shit. No! Absolutely not. Forget it, Ruby. I already know all about him, and he hates my guts."

Ruby's mouth gaped open in shock. "How can you tell just by lookin' at him that he hates your guts? That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard." She waved her hand to dismiss the thought.

"You don't understand. I work in the same building with him. It's a long story, but rest assured it didn't end well."

"Huh, when I pointed you out to him he didn't mention anything of the sort." She rested one hand on her hip.

"Maybe he was trying to be polite. I need to get out of here. I won't be comfortable now that he's here. I'll see you later, Ruby." She gathered her purse but the strap caught on the bottom of her bar stool, spilling its contents all over the floor. She looked to the ceiling, vowing to have a serious talk with God about all his shenanigans before she frantically began to grab things and throw them any which way into the bottomless pit of her purse. When she thought she had everything, she straightened her body and found herself looking directly into Marcus Templeton's chest. Would this day never end?

"Here, you forgot this." She looked down to see him handing her a packaged tampon. Pink and white flowers adorned the wrapper she hastily grabbed and shoved violently into her purse. She felt the heat of her blush on her cheeks.

"Thanks." She glanced briefly at him and headed for the door, not daring to look back. She'd have to wait until she got to her car to die of humiliation. It didn't escape her notice that he was chuckling at her as she walked away.

He had invaded her personal space and sanctuary and she didn't like it one bit. With a loud groan she rested her head on the steering wheel of her car and realized tomorrow was already shaping up to be a bitch of a day

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