Abby watched Holden Ramsay stride up her front sidewalk, purpose in every firm step. Daisy had told her he was coming to pick up Cara and, in the future, would be dropping her off in the mornings. If not for the girl's sad little face, she might have smiled at Daisy and made her apologies.

That and the fact that she desperately needed the money. Daisy's proposal was an answer to the prayer she hadn't made. Enough to pay a few bills and get them over this hump.

Only two weeks...

By then she would think of something to keep them going. Something to save them all.

She crossed her arms and leaned against the doorjamb.

He hadn't changed. A face like that could be on a movie poster. A chin that looked stubborn. A line permanently etched into his forehead. Brows slashed above silvery–blue eyes that made her feel as if he were peering into her soul.

"Well, if it isn't the Big Bad Wolf at my door," she said.

His face that had been set in hard lines made a lightning change to surprise. The lower half of his face opened into a grin, and she thought it was like watching a large rock crack in half.

Still looking at him, she amended that to a very handsome rock.

"Do you really want me to say the Big Bad Wolf's reply, Little Red?"

She groaned, though she'd asked for it. When would she learn to keep her mouth shut? So what if keeping her mouth shut was boring? She could be boring.

But not today.

She pushed away from the doorjamb. "Only if you want to get your shin kicked."

"Hard to resist that line. I could take my chances."

"And I could kick higher."

He laughed again and shook his head. "You have an odd effect on me."

"Join the crowd." She gestured behind him, as if hundreds of confused, invisible people were milling there, afraid to get too close to her. "So you are human. That's not what I've been hearing."

"I'm sure it's nothing Ryan ever said about me."

"It was a long time ago that I dated your brother for a glorious ten days." She rolled her eyes, though there was a small ache in her chest. Not for Ryan. For her parents, who'd laughed at her when she'd fumed at them about Ryan and his brother, until she'd laughed, too.

She tamped the ache down. She preferred to think they were still alive somewhere, in another dimension, another place. Maybe just a breath away, sending her and Grace love. Telling her they believed in her. Telling her not to let one of the city's wealthiest bachelors overwhelm her.

As if.

"My brother's an asshole," he said.

"No arguments." She grinned. "You said the same thing nine years ago when I went to your house and asked for my physics book back."

"Demanded it back. Said you were going to call the police on Ryan if I didn't get it for you." He lowered his head to peer down at her, reminding her that her feet were bare, and she was about ten inches shorter than his six–foot–or–more height.

She straightened her spine. "And you told me to go ahead and call the police."

He chuckled.

"You got the book for me anyway."

"I was afraid you would combust in my grandmother's foyer if I didn't. How did you do in physics, anyway?"

She opened the screen door. "Like I said, a long time ago. Come on in."