Two brand-new stories in every volume…twice a month!

Duets Vol. #53

Popular Ruth Jean Dale takes the spotlight with a special Double Duets book on the theme of “animal passion.” This writer has a “talent for combining comedy with romance…and creating memorable characters,” says Romance Communications. Ruth also writes for Temptation and Superromance.

Duets Vol. #54

Quirky Tina Wainscott is back with another delightful Duets novel about a gorgeous hero determined to land his ex—hook, line and sinker! Ms. Wainscott tells “a charming story full of love and laughter,” notes Rendezvous. Completing the month is Golden Heart winner Barbara Dunlop, who makes her debut with a funny tale in the spirit of Due South. Enjoy!

Be sure to pick up both Duets volumes today!

Something About Ewe
The Purrfect Man
Ruth Jean Dale

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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Contents

Something About Ewe

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

The Purrfect Man

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Epilogue

Something About Ewe

“Shacking up is not my thing,” Thalia insisted.

“When I move in with a guy,” she continued implacably, “it’ll be after I get a ring on this finger.” She pointed to the third finger of her left hand. “I’m in no hurry, you understand.”

Luke winced. “Shacking up, huh.” That one stopped him even colder than the reference to marriage. “That means living together. Does it also cover a little messing around?”

Thalia drew in a deep, forceful breath. “If it did…would I be here, Mr. Dalton?”

It took an instant for that to sink in. “Does that mean what I think it means—damn, what I hope it means?”

Her mysterious smile rocked him. “What do you think…hope…it means?”

“You and me…happily horizontal and all that.”

She laughed. “Oh, Luke,” she murmured, “just shut up and kiss me.”

Dear Reader,

I was having a great time writing my first Double Duets, but about halfway through I suddenly realized I was making life very hard for myself. I had named my fictitious animals all wrong! The Border collie was Jack, the calico was Missy and the black cat was Jet.

As it happens, I have a Border collie, but the name is Reckless. Not too surprisingly, I also have a calico named Patches and a black cat named Rosie. It was tough keeping the names straight.

So I went back to my computer and now the animals you’ll be reading about are all my own, right up to and including their names and their adventures. Sure made my life easier!

There’s another dog in here that I don’t own in real life and that’s Dog. I have had my share of strays, but the newest member of the family is a tiny Maltese named Spike. She weighs something like five pounds and has the heart of a lion. In the future I think there’ll probably be a story that includes Spike….

Anyway, here’s hoping you enjoy my Animal Passions. Old animal lover me sure had fun in the writing.

Best wishes!

Ruth Jean Dale

Books by Ruth Jean Dale

HARLEQUIN DUETS

4—ONE IN A MILLION

HARLEQUIN TEMPTATION

774—THE WRANGLER’S WOMAN

778—ALMOST A COWBOY

782—THE COWGIRL’S MAN

My Animal Passions books are for Aunt Patty the Cat Lady, who likes anything if it has enough dogs and cats in it. Put one on the cover and she’s in hog heaven. Love ya!

1

“DOCTOR, PLEASE DON’T keep anything from me. Will Gertrude live?”

Dr. Luke Dalton, D.V.M., smiled reassuringly at the little silver-haired lady bravely confronting him in the sparkling clean waiting room of the Shepherd’s Pass Animal Clinic and Hospital. The hand she laid on his arm trembled and he covered it with his own.

“Take it easy, Miss Pauline,” he said, gently leading her to a chair. “It’s just a simple ear infection. Gertrude will be fine.”

“What?” Miss Pauline looked indignant and not quite ready to give up her fears so quickly. “But she was yowling something awful and throwing herself around. When I picked her up she tried to bite me! She’s never done such a thing before.”

Luke knelt before her, still holding her cold hand. “Gertrude was in pain or she’d never have turned on you that way,” he assured her. “Believe me, it’s nothing life-threatening.” He added as an afterthought, “And Dr. Miller agrees.”

He knew that bit of news would reassure her. The elderly lady might give the thirty-ish Luke his proper title, but she obviously considered him a kid. And why shouldn’t she? She’d known him since he was a baby and his mother before him, had taught him in third grade, had watched him leave Colorado after college and go on to study veterinary medicine. She’d even attended the welcome-home party when he returned six months ago to join the practice of longtime Shepherd’s Pass veterinarian Dr. Gene Miller, more commonly called Doc.

She knew Luke was a real animal doctor, but this was her beloved cat. He didn’t blame her for not wanting to take chances. He understood that. He even respected it.

“May I see my Gertrude now?” She leaned forward with a pleading expression.

“Better than that.” He smiled. “You can take her home. You’ll have to put drops in her ears for a few days, but she won’t give you any trouble now that she’s not hurting.”

Relief and gratitude suffused her lined face. “Thank you, Doctor,” she said as formally as if she’d never kept him in at recess for launching spitballs. “You’ve been very kind. Please don’t feel obliged to wait with me. I know you’re busy, and—”

“Not at all.” He was, but she’d done so much for him in his misspent youth that he wanted to show her every consideration. He slid into the chair next to hers. “Cindy will bring Gertrude out just as soon as she fills the prescription. In the meantime, I’d enjoy keeping you company, if that’s okay with you.”

She looked pleased. “Quite okay,” she said. “So how have you been, Lucas?”

“Fine. And you? I haven’t seen much of you lately.”

“I’ve been quite busy, actually. I’m working part-time at Lorraine’s Pretty Posies. Did you know that?”

“I hadn’t heard.”

“Oh, yes. I answer the phone from time to time, and take orders when Lorraine gets really busy or the regular girls don’t come in.”

“That’s great,” he said, firmly believing that a busy mind was a healthy mind. “How is Lorraine? I haven’t seen her around lately.”

“Actually, she’s quite excited. Her daughter arrived yesterday for an extended vacation. You remember Thalia, no doubt?”

Thalia! The name galvanized Luke and he shot to his feet.

“My goodness.” Miss Pauline frowned. “I didn’t expect quite that reaction.”

He sat back down. “I just remembered something I have to do later,” he apologized lamely. “Of course, I remember Thalia. Is she still living in California?”

“Yes, indeed. Apparently she has some free time—something about her company merging with another company. I’m not real clear on the details, but she’ll be home for a month or so, I understand.” Her tone dropped lower. “Lorraine’s been quite concerned about her since the divorce.”

“Was it nasty?”

“Good heavens, no. Quite the opposite, apparently, but you know how mothers are. They worry when their children are far away and—” She let out a little gasp of pleasure and rose to her feet with surprising spryness. “Gertrude! You poor little thing, let me take you home and nurse you back to health.”

A smiling Cindy passed over the huge white cat. Gertrude purred loudly and pressed her head against Miss Pauline’s neck above the lacy collar of her navy-blue dress. The cat looked none the worse for her experience.

Cindy offered a small brown paper bag stapled closed, a white prescription label pasted on the outside. “Here’s her medicine, Miss Pauline. You put drops in her ear every—”

Satisfied that another crisis had been averted, Luke turned away with a farewell wave. Miss Pauline and Gertrude would be just fine.

So would he, especially now that he knew Thalia was back. Thalia, serious little Thalia, the girl who never left anything to chance. Just thinking about her made him smile.

He entered the gleaming examining room and paused, his thoughts tumbling. He hadn’t seen her in years. Would she be changed? Would she look different, act different…want different things?

He hoped not, he surely did, because once upon a time she’d wanted him.

“HEY, YOU, WAKE UP!”

Luke snapped upright over his desk and blinked. Turning in his chair, he gave his mentor a sheepish grin. “Sorry, Gene,” he said. “I was thinking.” He was supposed to be doing paperwork but was having trouble concentrating, with Thalia very much on his mind.

“Obviously.” Gene Miller pushed back the extra chair and sat. “If it wasn’t September, I’d think you had spring fever.”

“Yeah, well…” Luke couldn’t argue with that.

“Obviously I’m going to have to keep an eye on you.” Gene chuckled. “I wouldn’t be young again for all the tea in China—but I digress. I just wanted to let you know I’m leaving now. Doris is waiting for me to go to Denver with her to pick out the new carpeting.” He made a face. “Like I care what shade of blue it is, but you know women.”

“Not as well as I’d like to.” Suppressing a smile, Luke opened the top folder on the stack. “You go ahead and take off. I’ll hold the fort and see you in the morning.”

“Thanks, kid.” Gene rose. “I knew there was a reason I hustled you into coming back here to work with me after you got your license. What I don’t know is why you agreed—but I’m not asking!” He held up his hands, grinning and backing toward the door. He looked, as always, rumpled and friendly.

The door closed behind him. Luke looked back down at the files without enthusiasm. He hadn’t become an animal doctor to deal with paperwork. He’d done it because he liked animals, all animals, and truly believed that people who owned animals were superior to those who didn’t.

But lately he’d become increasingly aware of one tiny little hole in a life filled with professional satisfaction and hometown approval. That lack came under the heading of feminine companionship.

He hadn’t given more than a passing thought to romance since his return, although he had known a lot of women when he got here and had met more since. None had attracted him the way he wanted to be attracted, so he hadn’t bothered to pursue any of them beyond a casual date or two.

But he was plenty bothered now. Thinking about Thalia Myers Mitchell brought back memories eleven long years old—memories of “doing the right thing,” or more precisely, not doing the wrong thing.

Yes, she’d been a mere sixteen to his almost twenty-one. On the other hand, she’d picked him to relieve her of her virginity, a rational decision made with her usual thoroughness. He should have been flattered—hell, he had been flattered. And attracted. And confused. And at the last minute, responsible.

He knew he’d hurt her feelings when he turned her down, as he finally had to do out of deference to her youth and inexperience—and a little bit of deference to her brother, John. John and Luke had been best buds all through school and Luke didn’t want their friendship to come to blows. Hell, he wasn’t sure he could lick the guy.

So he’d done what he knew was the right thing, although it hadn’t been easy. Nor did it get easier with time. He and Thalia were never comfortable around each other again; the encounter had left them with unfinished business, as far as he was concerned. She probably felt the same, he mused, doodling all over the manila folder. Now that age was no longer an issue between them, why shouldn’t he think about making up for lost time?

The door flew open and Cindy entered, a concerned frown on her face. “Are you okay?” she asked bluntly. “I’ve been knocking on that door for five minutes—okay, two minutes, but it seemed longer. I was beginning to think you’d sneaked out the back way with Doc.”

“I might as well. I can’t seem to concentrate on this stuff.” He pushed the files away and glanced at his wristwatch. “Maybe if I had something to eat—”

“You mean you haven’t had lunch yet?” Cindy, a motherly type with several grown kids, tsked-tsked. “Honestly, Luke, you and Doc are cut from the same cloth. Why don’t I go next door to the Paper Sack and grab you a sandwich, okay? I was coming to tell you that Mrs. Bushmiller just canceled Trixi’s appointment, so unless something else comes up, you should be able to get out of here by five today.”

“Okay, but—”

“No buts. It’s almost three o’clock and Jimmy Morton’s dog needs shots at three-fifteen, remember? I’ll be back in a flash with a ham and cheese on rye. Don’t argue!”

He didn’t.

AT A LITTLE AFTER FIVE that day, Thalia Mitchell paused in front of the large glass windows of the Sew Bee It Craft and Fabric Shoppe, next door to the Paper Sack on the main drag of Shepherd’s Pass, Colorado. Just inside, where he’d have a view of passersby, a big striped cat basked in the sun on a carpeted shelf attached to the window ledge. Behind him was a sewing machine always set up and at the ready. Pins and fabric scraps covered a cutting table littered with mats and rotary cutters, and brightly flowered fabrics draped a dressmaker’s dummy.

Some things never changed, she thought. Tapping her fingertips lightly against the glass, she managed to attract the cat’s attention. He looked up with an annoyed scowl, then closed insolent amber eyes.

Thalia couldn’t help smiling. It was wonderful to be home in the Colorado mountains on this gorgeous September day—and a little strange, too. She’d been gone such a long time, since high school, actually. Once she’d departed for college she’d never really come back for more than a few weeks at a time.

She’d spent the past several years in Southern California, which was a far cry from Colorado any way you sliced it. With a sigh, she pushed open the heavy glass door and entered the cozy shop, a tinkling bell announcing her arrival.

Several browsing customers glanced at her with brief curiosity. The young woman rearranging items on the back wall looked around with a smile and promptly dropped several bolts of fabric.

“Thalia!”

“Emily!”

The two met in the middle of the store, between the buttons and the cash register. They hugged, they squealed, they hugged again. Finally Thalia drew back.

“What a welcome!”

“I’ve missed you,” Emily said. “I’m so glad you’re here. I saw your mom a day or two ago and she told me—”

“Emily, dear.” One of the shopping ladies had made her choice. “Can you ring these notions up for me?”

“Sure, Mrs. Adams.” Emily walked behind the counter and began tapping at the cash register keys. “You remember Thalia Myers, don’t you?”

“Mitchell now.” Thalia smiled at the woman. “Nice to see you, Mrs. Adams.”

“Nice to see you, dear. I’ll tell Angeline you’re back.”

Emily made change and thanked the woman with a smile before turning eagerly to Thalia. “You’ve got to tell me everything! It’s been years since we had a good—”

“Bye-bye, Emily.” Another woman waved from the front of the store. “I don’t see what I’m after so I’ll drop by again next week.”

“Fine, Mrs. Weller. See you then. Remember, I can special-order anything you want.” Emily came out from behind the counter, grabbed Thalia’s hand and drew her over to the small sitting area near the coffee service. “Gosh, Thalia, you look wonderful.”

Thalia didn’t feel wonderful. Next to Emily with her long black hair and sparkling blue eyes, her lace-frosted denim dress with all its hand-crafted details, Thalia felt brittle and…and foreign.

But she just said, “Thank you. So do you. And in answer to your question, I’m fine.” Bored with life, but fine.

Emily’s smooth face creased in a frown. “I hate to ask but…the divorce…?”

“Wasn’t as bad as it might have been.” Thalia accepted the foam cup of coffee Emily offered. “Don and I parted amicably. Even so…”

“Yes, even so.” Emily sat down on the wicker footstool. “Poor Thalia.”

Thalia frowned. “Why poor me?”

“I know you, Thalia. I’m sure you take the divorce as a personal failure.”

“It is a personal failure.”

Emily pursed her lips. “Of course, it isn’t. The marriage was obviously a mistake. Everybody makes mistakes, but that doesn’t mean they’ve failed.”

Thalia had to smile at that one. “Em, you’ve always had the most convoluted reasoning. You should have been a lawyer.”

“God forbid!” Emily looked honestly appalled. “I can’t abide lawyers. The thing is, I know you, Thalia Myers Mitchell. You do take everything too seriously.”

“Few things are more serious than a marriage.”

“Oh, piffle!” Emily wrinkled her nose. “Don’t forget, I knew you when.”

“That’s for sure.” Thalia had to grin. “But I was just a kid then.”

“Are you saying you’ve changed?”

“Well…” After serious consideration, Thalia added, “No.”

“Last I heard, you wanted a serious husband, two serious children and a serious career. At least, that’s what you kept saying.”

“I got the career,” Thalia said a bit lamely, thinking that was the least important item on her wish list. “Considering how the marriage ended, I’m grateful we didn’t have children.” She gritted her teeth, then burst out, “I really hate failure! Now it’s start-over time and I’m not looking forward to it.”

“But you’re home,” Emily reasoned. “It’ll be easy, much easier than starting over in California. It’ll be like old times.” She frowned. “And you’re nodding your head no because…?”

“I’m only here temporarily, or didn’t Mother mention that? My company has merged with a larger company and—”

Emily interrupted with a dismissive groan. “Insurance, I understand?” She wrinkled her nose with distaste.

“An honorable endeavor,” Thalia pointed out.

“And certainly serious.” Emily’s blue eyes gleamed with mischief.

Thalia made a face. “Can I finish what I started to say? The two companies are merging. As a result, I’ve taken leave during the transition. When Mother heard, she insisted I come home. Otherwise, I would have stayed out there and…and…”

“And what? Doesn’t sound as if all those ands would have been much fun.”

“I have friends,” Thalia said defensively, “and fun is not the point of life. I could certainly have kept busy. But since I hadn’t been home in so long, I decided to come to make Mother happy.” She grinned. “And if you won’t tell anyone, I’ll even admit that I wanted to renew acquaintances with old friends.”

“Who’ve you seen so far?”

“You. You were my best friend, after all.”

Emily looked smug. “What a nice thing to say.” A dimple appeared at the corner of her mouth. “Flattering, too. I thought you might have gone to see Lucas first.” She dragged it out. “Lu-cas.”

Thalia hoped her cheeks weren’t too red. “Certainly not. Why would I go see Luke Dalton?”

“Because you’re on the rebound and interested in old flames as well as old friends?”

“I am not on the rebound and Lucas is not an old flame.”

“You wanted him to be your first flame,” Emily teased. “Aren’t you the least bit curious about him?” Her eyes widened. “You did know he’s back in Shepherd’s Pass and in practice with Doc Miller?”

“Mother…might have mentioned it.”

“Oh, really. Did she also mention that he’s even better looking than he was before?”

“You’ve got to be kidding. I didn’t think that was possible.”

“There!” Emily sounded delighted. “That’s my old pal, Thalia. I’m glad you’re home! We’re going to have so much fun that you’ll never leave.”

The bell above the front door tinkled and Emily frowned. “Drat. I’ll have to see who that is.” She rose. “Maybe whoever it is will leave without buying anything—and come back later, of course.”

Thalia relaxed back against the cushions to wait. It was wonderful seeing Emily again, but she felt as out of place here as she had in California. Emily belonged because she had never left. Her grandmother had owned this store for decades. When she’d retired two or three years ago and moved to warmer climes, she’d left her favorite granddaughter in charge.

It was no surprise that Emily had taken hold with such enthusiasm. A whiz with a sewing machine since childhood, she was doing what she loved. Thalia, by contrast, was doing something valuable, but she didn’t love it.

Sighing, she looked down at her conservative brown skirt and beige silk blouse. She should have worn jeans and mountain boots. In her California clothes, she even looked like a foreigner, no matter how nicely everyone treated her. All she wanted to do was blend in, make her mother happy, and flee back to the coast at the earliest opportunity.

She heard footsteps but didn’t turn. “That didn’t take long,” she said. “Was it anyone I know?”

Hands covered her eyes and a deeply masculine voice said in her ear, “That all depends on the meaning of the word know.”

She caught her breath, then covered his hands with hers and tried without success to drag them away from her eyes. “Luke! Turn me loose!”

“Shoot,” he said, promptly releasing her. “You guessed. How’s it goin’, Thalia?”

Leaning her head back, she looked up into his smiling face. Even upside down, he looked wonderful, especially with that lock of sun-bleached hair spilling over his forehead.

“It’s going fine,” she said. Looking at him this way made her dizzy. She straightened selfconsciously. “I see you haven’t changed one bit, Lucas Dalton.”

“Why would I want to change?” He rounded the settee and took a seat across from her in the wicker chair.

“I don’t know.” Emily was right. He was better looking than before: more mature, his rangy frame nicely filled out. Thalia cleared her throat. “I just thought that now you’re all grown-up and a doggy doctor, you might be more…serious.” She’d also expected that sexy gleam in his eyes would be gone, which it wasn’t.

He laughed incredulously. “Boy, that hurts. I am serious. I always was serious. I just never saw the point of wearing it like a hair shirt.”

“Meaning I did?” She bolted upright.

“If the hair shirt fits—”

Emily’s voice sailed into the middle of the blossoming fray. “Thalia, isn’t it great that Luke dropped by? He said he saw us through the window and wanted to say hi. Don’t beat up on him, okay?”

“I certainly wouldn’t do that,” Thalia said, as cool as if she hadn’t once, many years ago, wrapped herself in a plastic shower curtain and sprung out from behind a door to seduce him.

Emily offered him a cup of coffee, which he accepted with a smile of thanks. But his attention was clearly on Thalia. “How long will you be here?”

“A month, maybe two.”

“We’ll have to get together.” He gave her a coaxing smile that melted her like a birthday candle.

“Whatever,” she said noncommittally.

“That’s a great idea,” Emily said eagerly. “There’s a bunch of us who get together now and again at the Watering Hole. Next time I’ll give you both a call.”

“Sounds great,” Luke said.

“I don’t think so,” Thalia said.

Emily frowned. “Why not? You know most everyone already, so what’s your problem?”

“I’m not too crazy about bars,” Thalia admitted. “For one thing, I don’t drink all that much.”

Emily’s eyes widened. “Like I do? Look, it’s just a friendly little happy-hour get-together.”

Thalia cast an oblique glance at Luke. “Do you go to these friendly little happy hours?”

He shrugged. “Once in a while.” That roguish gleam was back. “But if you’re going, I’ll make a point of being there.”

His response startled her and she looked quickly away. Why was he coming on so strong? He hadn’t been interested in her when she was interested in him; now that she wanted nothing more than to avoid all emotional entanglements, he wanted to hit on her?

Not in this lifetime. With lips pressed tightly together, she listened idly to the comfortable banter between Em and Luke. How were her cats? Fine. How was the Benson dog that had been stomped by a horse last week? Also fine, or would be soon. How was business? Fine—

Thalia stood abruptly. “I think I’d better be going,” she said. “Mom’s expecting me and it’s going on six now.”

“Don’t go yet.” Emily looked genuinely disappointed. “We really haven’t had a chance to talk.”

No, because Luke had horned in. “There’ll be time.”

“Hey, I’m sorry.” Luke rose, too. “I barged right in here, I was so happy to see Thalia again.” But he didn’t offer to leave, just looked expectantly at Thalia.

“I close at six,” Emily said. “If you’ll just hang around, we could have dinner or something. Call your mom. She’ll understand.”

Luke added hopefully, “That sounds good.”

Thalia wasn’t falling into that trap. Let the two of them go to dinner together. “I hate to beg off, but can we do it another night? Mom’s really expecting me.”

Emily pouted. “Oh, all right. But I don’t like it.”

“I’ll call tomorrow.” Thalia squeezed her friend’s hand and turned for the door. “Nice seeing you, Luke.”

“Really? Then you’ll be happy to learn I’m going home with you.”

She stopped so suddenly that he stepped on her heels. “What?”

“I’m going to follow you home in my car.” He looked quite pleased with himself.

She frowned. “I don’t recall inviting you.”

“Like I need an invitation?” he scoffed. “Your mom’s always glad to see me. Besides, her Border collie is under the weather. You can just consider it a house call.”

“Darn it, Luke.” She glared at him. “You’re crowding me.”

“Really?” His amber eyes widened with disbelief. “I’m just doing my job, Thalia. The health of your mom’s dog is important to me. But if you don’t want me following you…”

“I don’t.” Feeling guilty but refusing to yield, she met his gaze.

“Okay, then I’ll meet you there.” He dipped his chin to Emily. “Have a nice evening.” Turning, he walked away whistling.

Thalia stood there, listening to Emily’s giggle and feeling dumb as a rock.

2

SHEPHERD’S PASS HAD GROWN in the years Thalia had been away. Her mother’s home and property used to be at the edge of town, with nothing between it and the mountains. Now it was necessary to drive through an upscale planned community of new homes—Shangri-la, according to the signs—to even get there.

Nice homes, she thought, navigating slowly along curving landscaped streets. Decent-sized lots, too, at least by California standards, where a postage-stamp-sized property was often labeled an “estate.” Where were all these people coming from? Would life in this formerly slow paced community be forever altered?

Speaking of altered—

A car stood at the curb next to her mother’s driveway. Luke leaned out an open window of the red Jeep Cherokee to wave. Surely he didn’t intend to hang around and taunt her while she was home. If he did, she just might have to alter her plans and go back to California early, even if it meant ignoring her mother’s pleas.

She no longer wanted a thing from Luke Dalton, and most definitely not what she’d wanted before. She’d been young and foolish then. Now, she was…well, not old at twenty-seven but certainly seasoned. There was nothing left for him to teach her.

She shivered at the possibility she might be wrong.

Parking her mother’s old pickup truck in the driveway, she climbed out and waited for him to join her. No complications, she reminded herself. She was a serious person with a serious life and a serious plan for leading it. She was not interested in a quick tumble with every good-looking man she met—check that.

She might be interested; what woman in her right mind wouldn’t be? But she wouldn’t act on that interest, no way, no how. She was not a woman who’d consider a cheap affair, no matter how attractive—

Oh, my. Luke gave new meaning to the word attractive. Tall and lean and lithe, he strode toward her, the lowering sun striking blond sparks off his brown hair. When he grinned, even white teeth flashed.

“You waited for me,” he said.

She shook herself free of her imagination. “I didn’t. I—”

I—nothing; she had waited and he hadn’t even had to ask. Spinning around, she led the way up the steps of the big old Victorian house. Flinging open the door, she indicated with a wave that he should enter first.

You’d think a serious person like Thalia would have a serious mother. Instead, she had Lorraine, who now looked up from the free weights she was swinging with abandon, a broad smile of welcome on her crimson lips.

“YOU BROUGHT LUKE HOME with you,” Lorraine exclaimed with pleasure. “That’s wonderful!”

Luke didn’t think Thalia considered it all that wonderful. He looked from mother to daughter, trying to suppress the smile that tugged at his lips. Lorraine must have been a trial to Thalia her entire life, but he’d have given anything to have a mother with hair like Lucille Ball’s and a bawdy humor that made him grin just thinking about it.

At the moment, Lorraine was working with barbells. A black headband held back a tumble of red-gold curls and her ample figure was barely constrained by a black leotard and tights. Her cheeks glowed; she looked healthy and happy.

Thalia kissed her mother’s proffered cheek. “I didn’t bring Luke home, Mother, he brought himself.”

Lorraine put the barbells on the floor. “Regardless of how he got here, I’m glad to see him. I’ve got a cookie jar just stuffed full of those chocolate chip cookies he and John used to gobble up.” She turned toward the kitchen, waving them to follow. “Come along, kids. Mother Lorraine will spoil your suppers for you.”

As she’d been doing as long as Luke could remember. It used to piss his own mother off something awful when he’d pick at his food after a visit to the Myers house. Still would.

Thalia was dragging her feet. “I think I’ll pass on the cookies and go on upstairs,” she said. “It’s awfully close to dinnertime and—”

“Thalia Renee, you get yourself in this kitchen,” Lorraine said without slowing her pace. “This may be your supper, young lady.”

Trying not to grin too broadly, Luke pulled out a chair at the table in the middle of the big old-fashioned kitchen. Thalia and Lorraine couldn’t be more different and yet he liked them both. His mother had told him once that Thalia was more like her father, who had died young. Best buddy John, on the other hand, was a lot like his mother: funny and daring and ready for anything.

Lorraine plunked a dinner plate piled high with cookies on the table and went to get glasses, talking a mile a minute about everything from the weather to the stock market.

When she paused for breath, Luke said, “So what’s new with John?”

“He’s still in Chicago working for that Internet start-up company, still has the same wife and kid, still likes it. He’s going to try to get home while Thalia’s here but it’s iffy with his workload.”

Luke picked up a chocolate-studded round. “I’d sure like to see him one of these days.”

Thalia said, “Me, too. Fortunately, his company sends him to California now and then, so we get together there.”

“You like California, do you?” Luke pulled one of the three tall glasses of milk close enough so he could dunk his cookie. Biting into it, he closed his eyes in ecstasy. Lorraine was probably the best cookie baker in Shepherd’s Pass, with the possible exception of Emily. He couldn’t think of anything else Lorraine could cook worth diddly, but her cookies were first-rate.

He chewed blissfully for a moment, only belatedly realizing Thalia hadn’t answered his question. Opening his eyes, he saw her looking down at the cookie in her hands, her expression closed.

Before he could repeat his query, Lorraine spoke up.

“Of course, she doesn’t like California. What’s to like? All those people, all those cars, all those freeways, all that smog? She’s only living there because she’s stubborn.”

“Oh, Mother.” Thalia put down her cookie. “My life is there. I have an apartment, friends—”

“An ex-husband,” Lorraine informed Luke. “Sometimes I think she’s still carrying the torch for Don.”

“No way.” Thalia’s denial sounded heartfelt. “We tried and now it’s over. We’ve both moved on.”

“Better you should move back—back home to Colorado,” Lorraine said. “Like Luke did.” She swung her attention his way. “You’re glad to be back, right?”

“Of course, but I’m not glad to be living at home.” He grimaced. “Mom was dead set on it, and since Dad had only been gone a few months when I got here…” He shrugged. “It seemed like a good idea at the time, but boy, have I lived to regret it. I’m planning to get my own place as soon as I have time to look.”

Thalia’s tight expression relaxed into sympathy. “I was sorry to hear about your dad’s death.”

“Thank you,” he said. “It was quite a shock to all of us, but we’re getting along.” Not that it had been easy. Just digging through his father’s far-flung business interests had been a chore in and of itself. Then there was the shock of realizing just how big the estate was. If money could buy happiness, his mother would be a very happy woman, indeed.

Instead of what she was: miserable.

Lorraine reached for a cookie. “You haven’t seen his mother’s new house, have you,” she said to her daughter.

“No.”

“It’s at the end of this road,” Lorraine said darkly. “It’s a darned mansion, is what it is. Of course, it was the Daltons who sold all that land to the developer for Shangri-la. They tried to buy my measly little five acres, and when I wouldn’t sell, they just built around me like I was a tree stump in the middle of a road.”

Thalia glanced questioningly at Luke, who nodded.

“That’s pretty much how it happened,” he agreed. “But it’s not like your mom’s stubborn or anything, or like they didn’t offer her ten times what this land is worth.”

Lorraine burst out laughing. “Oh, you!” she said affectionately. “Thalia’s on my side no matter what you say.”

“I certainly am,” Thalia agreed.

“As a matter of fact,” he said, “so am I. You’ve got a great place here, Mrs. Myers. It’s eccentric, like its owner. I like that in my houses and in my women.” He winked broadly.

Lorraine looked pleased; Thalia merely looked annoyed.

“Really, Luke,” she said, “aren’t you ever serious?”

“Of course. I’m serious now.” And he was. He did like eccentric people, people who did the unexpected and did it with flair. Like Thalia herself on that long-ago day, when she’d done her much-too-young best to seduce him. What he wouldn’t give to have her try that again!

Damn, she needed something to loosen her up. If he didn’t know what she was capable of, he wouldn’t give a second thought to the buttoned-up woman with the disapproving air. Even if she was beautiful. Even if she did occasionally slip and let genuine emotion show on her face.

Ah, hell, maybe he would.

A banging on the front door defused the increasingly taut moment. Lorraine frowned.

“Who the heck could that be?” Rising, she left the room.

Luke waited until she was gone and then said, “You’ve got a heck of a mother there.”

“Don’t I know it.” That could be the first genuine smile he’d seen so far on Thalia’s smooth face.

“Didn’t you ever want to be like her?”

She looked astonished. “Good heavens, no. I love her, but she’s so out of control.”

“And you don’t like that.”

“You know I don’t. I like things neat and tidy.”

“And predictable.”

“That, too.” Her chin lifted. “There’s nothing wrong with predictable.”

“There’s everything wrong with it, Thalia. It’s…it’s limiting.”

“It’s reliable.”

“It’s boring.”

“I could take that personally,” she snapped.

“Everything I’ve said to you is personal,” he agreed. “I—”

Raised voices from the living room intruded. Both of them knew immediately that his mother, Sylvia Dalton, had arrived.

SYLVIA AND LORRAINE MIXED like oil and water, always had and probably always would. Thalia could imagine them as wizened little old ladies—one silver-haired, one orange-haired—sitting side by side in their wheelchairs at some senior citizens home sniping at each other night and day.

Nevertheless, Sylvia had always been nice to Thalia, who jumped up to greet the newcomer. She couldn’t imagine why Luke’s mother was here, but it couldn’t possibly be good.

“Thalia! Darling.” Silvery-blond Sylvia gave Thalia a big hug. Whoever said a woman couldn’t be too blond or too thin or too rich was probably thinking of Sylvia.

“Hello, Mrs. Dalton. It’s good to see you.”

Sylvia straightened and turned. “There you are, Lucas. I saw your car outside and wondered if something was wrong.”

Luke looked as if he considered this a pretty feeble attempt at an explanation. “Nothing’s wrong that I know of.” He looked at Lorraine and daughter. “Anything wrong?”

“Not a thing.” Lorraine glowered. She didn’t look as if she liked having her archenemy invading her turf. The next words seemed dragged out of her. “We’re having cookies and milk if you’d care to join us, Syl.”

Sylvia’s nostrils flared at the casual use of a nickname no one else had uttered in decades. She got revenge by saying, “Don’t mind if I do, Rainy.”

Lorraine rolled her eyes but said nothing, just led the way back to the kitchen. Sylvia fell in behind her while Thalia and Luke exchanged dubious glances before following.

Sylvia sat down and looked at the plate of cookies with disapproval. “I cannot tell you how many of my son’s meals were ruined in this house by cookies and milk,” she announced. “I held you personally responsible, Lorraine.”

“Good reasoning.” Luke picked up another cookie, his third or fourth. “She used to tie me to a kitchen chair and jam cookies down my throat. It was hell.”

Lorraine let out that raucous laughter. “Yes, and everyone can see how it stunted his growth. I think you should call the nutrition police, Sylvia.”

“I would, if I thought it would do any good.”

Luke pushed the plate toward his mother. “If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em, Ma.”

She picked up a cookie, pointedly using her thumb and one exaggerated finger. “I don’t believe I can eat this without something to wash it down.”

“Milk?” Thalia jumped up, eager to avoid further dissension.

“I don’t suppose there’s coffee made.” Sylvia said it as if it were a test for gracious living.

“Darn it, Syl!” Lorraine grimaced. “I am not going to make a whole pot of coffee just for you and end up tossing most of it away. There might be a little left over from breakfast in the carafe, but—”

“Never mind.” Sylvia gave a condescending sigh. “A glass of water will be sufficient.” She tore off a crumb and lifted it to her mouth as if suspecting it of containing hemlock.

Thalia pulled a small bottle of water from the refrigerator and offered it hopefully. Lorraine watched impatiently for about thirty seconds before she burst out, “Okay, out with it, Syl. What are you doing here?”

“I can’t drop by to visit a neighbor?” Sylvia countered.

“You ask me that after forty years’ worth of cold shoulders?”

“It isn’t forty. More like thirty-five.”

Lorraine appealed to the gallery. “She’s quibbling.”

“No, seriously.” Sylvia leaned forward. “Lorraine, I must speak to you about Shangri-la number two.”

Lorraine caught her breath sharply. “There is no Shangri-la number two.”

“But there will be, if you’ll stop trying to rouse the populace against it.”

“Don’t count on it.”

“But Rainy, you know it’ll benefit the community, and the land will eventually be developed anyway. In fact—” Sylvia’s voice dropped, became confidential “—the developer has agreed to raise his offer for this little ol’ plot of land of yours. I’m sure you’ll be pleased with what he—”

“Out!” Lorraine rose in all her leotard-and-tights-clad dignity. Her red-gold curls quivered with indignation. “Out of my house! If you have intruded into the sanctity of my home to insult me with another pathetic offer when I’ve already made my feelings perfectly clear—”

“Mother!” Thalia tugged at Lorraine’s elbow. “You’re going overboard. Mrs. Dalton didn’t insult you.”

“But I will now.” Sylvia also rose, regal in her classic designer suit. “I don’t know why I waste my breath. There’s no reasoning with an unreasonable person.”

“Out!” Lorraine’s pointing arm quivered.

“I’m going. Lucas, come along.”

“Not yet, Mother.”

“You’d side against your own flesh and blood?” She looked horrified.

“I’m not siding with anyone. I came to check out Lorraine’s dog and that’s what I intend to do.”

“Fine.” She lifted her chin still higher. “I’ll expect you for dinner at seven.”

“I may not be hungry after all these cookies.”

“Lucas! I will expect you for dinner at seven.”

“Yeah, right, whatever.”

Sylvia marched to the kitchen door, then spun around to glare at Lorraine. “I am assuming this altercation will not affect Saturday.”

Thalia frowned. “What’s Saturday?”

“Lucas’s birthday party,” Sylvia said grandly. “Lorraine’s Pretty Posies is providing flowers and decorating for a pool party. Or was.” She gave her nemesis an accusing look. “Are you still?”

Lorraine’s jaw tightened. “Certainly, I am. That’s business. This is personal.”

“Then I expect you to have everything there at noon and don’t screw this up!” Sylvia turned and marched out of the room and the house.

Lorraine stood as stiff as a poker until the front door slammed. Then she closed her eyes, clenched her hands into fists and said, “Ohh! That woman makes me crazy.”

“It’s mutual, Mother,” Thalia assured her. “You two go at each other like junior high kids.”

“Maybe because that’s when it started,” Lorraine snapped. “Well, my supper’s ruined. Excuse me. I’ve got to go change.”

Alone, Luke and Thalia looked at each other in mutual puzzlement.

“What do you suppose started this feud?” she wondered aloud. “It seems to grow worse with time, not better.”

“They may not even remember themselves.”

“That’s certainly possible. Your mother’s always been really nice to me.”

“Your mother’s been nice to me, too. In fact, she’s one of my favorite people.”

The corners of her mouth curved down. “I suppose you think I should be more like her,” she accused.

He surprised her.

“Nope, I’d like you to be more like yourself, Thalia. I don’t believe you’re the uptight pulled-together person you’re trying so hard to convince yourself you are. In fact—” he leaned across the table, his gaze locking with hers “—I think the real you is the person who conceived what is probably the only wild and crazy thing you’ve ever done in your life.”

Her eyes narrowed. “I hope you don’t mean what I think you mean.”

“I certainly do.” Thrusting his hand around her neck, he yanked her forward and planted a quick, hard kiss on her unprepared lips. “I saw the real you—literally—for about two seconds. Because I didn’t lose my head and ravish you on the spot, you seem to think it was a disgraceful episode best forgotten. I don’t happen to agree. I think it was a glorious episode I’d like to repeat at the first possible moment—and this time, no backing away.”

Releasing her, he straightened. She stared at him, stunned, her lips tingling. She wanted to press her fingertips to her mouth but didn’t want him to guess how much he’d affected her—annoyed her!

“So where’s Reckless?” he asked.

“R-Reckless who?”

He laughed. “Reckless, the dog.”

“The dog?” She had to shake this off—without shaking, of course.

His smile teased her. “Reckless…the…dog,” he said with slow emphasis. “Remember? I am making a house call.”

“Oh, good grief.” Flustered and on the defensive, she jumped up. “He must be out back. I’ll call him in.”

“I can go where he is. Come along.”

“Me?” She backed away.

“What if he tried to bite me?”

“Reckless doesn’t bite.”

“What if I need help?”

“You can always call for—”

“What if I just like your company?”

She had no answer to that. Rising, she followed him out the back door.

“THAT’S A GOOD BOY. You’ve been real patient with me.” Luke ruffled the dog’s silky black hair and got a mournful look in return. He glanced at Thalia and frowned. “I don’t like this,” he said.

“You don’t like what?”

“I saw Reckless last week for a sore paw. The paw’s cleared up just fine and I can’t see anything else obviously wrong with him. Beyond the fact that he’s too thin and just not real perky.”

She knelt in the grass beside Luke, her expression concerned. “Is he sick?”

“I don’t think so. But just to be on the safe side, you or Lorraine might like to bring him by the clinic next week for some lab work. Maybe I missed something.” Or misinterpreted something, he thought, because something was bothering this dog.

She pulled back visibly. “I’ll tell Mother.”

“Tell Mother what?” Lorraine walked down the steps to join them. She’d changed into jeans and a sweatshirt with lettering across the chest that read Shangri-la It Ain’t!

“I’m a little worried about your dog,” Luke explained. He stood, Thalia rising with him. Reckless didn’t move, just sat there looking, brown eyebrows on his black face giving him a sad expression.

Lorraine frowned. “What’s wrong with him?”

“I’m not sure.”

“He has been a little peaked lately.” She cocked her head and frowned at the dog sternly. “Reckless, what’s your problem?”

The old dog pulled himself up and walked over to her, his feathery tail moving slowly and without enthusiasm. She leaned down to stroke his head.

“How long have you had this dog?” Luke asked.

“A couple of years. I had a friend—a rancher—who sold out and was moving to Denver. I’d just lost Geezer—you remember him, Luke.”

He nodded. That mutt must have been at least fifteen years old.

“Anyway, I had the room here.” She gestured to the rolling, pine-studded land beyond the open gate. “I also like Border collies, although I’ve never had one before. I was happy to take Reckless in, and he seemed to settle in just fine. But lately—” she frowned “—it seems like Reckless is aging right before my eyes.”

“We’ll figure it out,” he reassured her. He looked at Thalia, who’d been listening quietly. “I’ve got to hit the road.” Which he regretted, since she was loosening up at least a little bit.

“Okay.”

She didn’t seem to care, but that didn’t deter him. “Walk me to my car?”

“Why? Did you forget where you parked it?”

He saw her stifle a faint smile. “I’m willing to say so to get my way,” he countered.

“Oh, all right.” She was trying to sound annoyed, but he didn’t buy it. “I’ll be right back, Mother, and then there’s something I want to talk to you about.”

He wondered what that might be.

They started for the gate, but Lorraine said his name.

When he turned, she said through tight lips, “I’m sorry about the way I spoke to your mother. Will you tell her that I—”

“Nope.”

“What do you mean, nope?” She looked offended. “You don’t even know what I’m about to say.”

“It doesn’t matter. I’m not getting in the middle of that.”

Thalia looked at him with approval. “Good for you!” she said.

Lorraine said, “Well, I never!”

“Oh, Mother!” Thalia laughed. “I’ll be back in a minute.”

And they walked away from the seething woman.

AT THE CHEROKEE, he turned to her. “I expect both you and your mother to stay at the party Saturday as guests. I’m spelling it out just in case you didn’t understand.”

Her eyebrows shot up. Was he kidding? “We’re the hired help,” she reminded him. “No way.”

“Hey, it’s my birthday.” His golden-brown eyes smiled at her. “Shouldn’t I get what I want?”

The thought of what he might want took her breath away. She barely managed to say, “You got a pony when you were seven.”

“And a Porsche when I was sixteen. Uh-uh, what I want at thirty-one is you…at my party, of course.”

Her mouth was so dry she could barely speak. “We don’t always get what we want, even on our birthdays.”

“I remember your sixteenth birthday.”

He reached out to brush her hair away from her cheek and she flinched. “Don’t,” she said.

“Don’t what?”

“Don’t p-play with my hair and don’t remind me of my sixteenth birthday.”

“Why not? It’s not a bad memory, Thalia.”

“Maybe not to you, but it’s humiliating to me. Besides, that’s in the past.” She lifted her chin and looked him in the eye. “Thank you for checking on Reckless. We’ll bring him in next week.”

He seemed about to say something but changed his mind. “Okay. I’ll see you soon, Thalia.”

She stood there while he climbed into his car and drove away with a final wave. And then she stood there some more.

She hadn’t counted on being so discombobulated by Luke Dalton. She hadn’t expected him to come on so strong, and she certainly hadn’t expected his attention to fluster her so.

Turning, she walked slowly back to the house to have a little talk with her mother. But she was thinking about Luke Dalton….

3

“OKAY, MOTHER, LET’S HAVE IT.”

Lorraine looked up from the stove where she was stirring something red in a skillet. “Have what?”

“Chapter and verse about this latest problem with Luke’s mom.”

Lorraine wrinkled her nose. “Oh, her. You know how Syl is.”

“I also know how you are.” Thalia peeked into the skillet. It looked like sloppy joes for dinner. “It’s this Shangri-la thing, isn’t it?”

Lorraine sighed. “I suppose so, but if it wasn’t this it would be something else. The thing is, the Daltons sold off that big chunk of land and construction was underway before anyone around here really knew what was happening.”

“I’m sure the plans went through the city process just like everything else.”

“Yes, but who was paying attention? And you know what else?”

“What else?”

“I think Sylvia did it deliberately to bug me. I mean, my property is already surrounded on three sides. And now they come along with Shangri-la number two, and if it goes through, that’ll block me off on the fourth side.”

“You don’t even have a road over there,” Thalia pointed out. “You won’t be any worse off than you are now.”

Bad tactic. Lorraine nodded enthusiastically. “Exactly—I’m already worse off and I resent it. That’s why I’ve vowed to stop the next phase of development.” She pointed to the Shangri-la It Ain’t lettering on her sweatshirt. “That’s why I’ve organized the opposition. This time they won’t sneak their sleazy plans through city hall, at least not without a fight.”

Thalia groaned. “Are you sure you want to do this, Mother? I didn’t think the new houses were all that bad.” Not by California standards, anyway. The lots were a tad shy of personal space by Colorado standards, however.

“Not bad!” Lorraine glared. “They’re awful.”

“What’s the worst thing about them?”

“Why, they’re—they’re new! I hate new things.” Which was obvious, since she lived in an old Victorian stuffed with antiques.

“What about new people?”

“Oh, the people are fine, but I want the town to stay the way it’s always been. Instead, it’s spreading out like a…like a malignant growth. That’s why I’ve made it my business to call a halt to this horror.”

Thalia knew that tone. She’d seen her mother this way before. Like the time she led a protest against construction of a new elementary school in a location she deemed unacceptable, or the time she picketed city hall to halt a plan to sell off city land previously designated for a park.

In each case, she’d won. But in neither case had she gone up against Sylvia Dalton, who was at least as stubborn, if not more.

Thalia disliked the prospect of bloodshed. “I hope you don’t intend to get out there all alone and stand in front of a bulldozer or anything,” she said anxiously.

Lorraine laughed. “Heavens, no. As it happens, the entire city agrees with me. We’re fully prepared to do whatever it takes to block this monstrosity, but there’s no need for you to worry about it. What do you care if Sylvia’s on her high horse?”

Yes, indeed. Sylvia was Luke’s problem, after all, so Thalia just shrugged.

Her mother gave her a knowing glance. “Unless you don’t want Luke all stressed-out.”

“Luke is not my concern.”

“I’m not so sure about that. The way he was looking at you—”

“Stop, Mother. To Luke I’m just John’s annoying little sister.” Time to change the subject. “Where are the hamburger buns? That sloppy joe looks ready to me.”

Lorraine laughed heartily. “This isn’t sloppy joe, it’s spaghetti sauce. But you can pull out a package of pasta from that cupboard over there, and then set the table. After we eat, I want to take you on a tour of the town and point out all the awful things growth has done.”

And so she did.

THALIA WENT TO EMILY the next day for the straight scoop about Shangri-la one and two. “Read all about it.” Emily handed over the local newspaper, the Shepherd’s Pass Review. Between customers, she added her interpretation.

“The Daltons own the land, but the project is the brainchild of a Texas developer named Joe John Jeff Jordan, called Four-Jay by all,” she said. “He came in here and charmed everybody’s socks off, got the approvals he needed and went to work before anyone really knew what was going on.”

“That’s pretty much what Mother and the newspaper say,” Thalia mused. “Does that mean the rest of what she said is also true—that everyone in town is against the next phase of the project?”

“Hardly!” Emily laughed. “I’d say the town is split right down the middle. There’s stiff resistance, led by your mother, and equally stiff support, led by Four-Jay and Mrs. Dalton and Michael Forbes—you remember Mike, I’m sure. He graduated with your brother and Luke. He’s a real hotshot attorney now.”

“I remember him vaguely.”

“If you’d like to see them all in action, there’s a community meeting set for Wednesday night at seven at city hall. Nothing will be decided, but it would help you get up to speed on the subject.” Emily laughed. “That is, if you want to get up to speed.”

Thalia grimaced. “Not really, but maybe I’d better since Mother’s leading the charge.” She cocked her head. “How about you, Emily? How do you stand on all this?”

“I can see both sides,” Emily admitted. “I do think the houses are quite nice, and I understand the next phase will be even nicer—and more expensive. On the other hand, I hate to see things change in our little hometown.” She sighed. “It’s a puzzlement.”

AND SO IT CERTAINLY SEEMED as Thalia made the rounds renewing old acquaintances. Emily was right—sentiment appeared to be very evenly split. She wondered how Luke felt about it, then realized he would surely back his mother. The Daltons, after all, stood to make a great deal of money from this project…not that they needed it. One of the pioneer families of Shepherd’s Pass, they were also the wealthiest.

Luke called Thalia Monday night and asked her out to a movie; she turned him down. He called her again Tuesday morning and asked her to lunch; again she turned him down, saying she’d be filling in at her mother’s flower shop and couldn’t count on getting away for lunch at any particular time.

Still, she was less than surprised when he dropped by at noon with a bag full of sandwiches from the Paper Sack. Refusing to acknowledge the obvious, she gave him an impersonal smile, hands poised over the file drawer.

“May I help you?”

“You sure can.” He hit her with a winning smile. “You can help me eat all this food.” He held up the bag.

“Thanks, but I’m working.”

Miss Pauline, manning the phones at the desk up front, tsked-tsked. “Now, Thalia, you have to eat you know.”

“Actually, I already have.” She’d gobbled a candy bar on the run an hour ago but saw no need to go into detail. “Sorry Luke, but I’ve got to make deliveries this afternoon. Mother’s finishing up the orders now and I’ll be leaving in just a few minutes.”

He sighed with exaggerated disappointment. “Okay, if that’s how it is. I’ll just take one of these sandwiches and leave the rest, in case Miss Pauline or your mom’s hungry.”

“That’s not necessary.”

“I know.” He reached inside the big bag and pulled out a foam container. “You seem to be keeping busy day and night.”

She knew he was thinking about her various rejections, and simply shrugged.

“Any chance you’ll be going to the Shangri-la meeting Wednesday evening?” He opened the foam box and hauled out half of an enormous sandwich.

“I haven’t decided,” she said noncommittally, although she had. She must support her mother. Lorraine had asked her daughter to go not a half hour earlier and that clinched it. “How about you?”

“Same.” He opened the sandwich bag and looked inside. “How’s Reckless?”

“Same. We haven’t forgotten what you said. We’ll bring him in first chance we get.”

“Good.” Of Miss Pauline he inquired, “How about Gertrude? Is she doing okay?”

“Oh, yes, Doctor. She’s her old self again. I can’t thank you enough for what you did for her.”

“Just doin’ my job, ma’am,” he said with false modesty and a lot of good humor. “Guess if I can’t talk either of you lovely ladies into dining with me, I might as well run along.”

“Why, I’ll be glad to dine with you,” Miss Pauline said. “Pull up that chair and make yourself comfortable, Lucas. That way I can answer the phone and still—”

The bell behind the counter tinkled. Thalia, who’d almost finished the filing, straightened. “That’s Mother,” she announced. “The order’s ready. If you’ll both excuse me—”

She wasn’t even sure they heard as they busily examined the contents of the bag for the tuna salad Luke was sure he’d ordered.

LUKE FINISHED his second sandwich and patted his stomach. “I can’t eat another bite,” he declared. He reconsidered and added, “Well, maybe a brownie.” He fished out a large wrapped square from the bottom of a bag now containing mostly discarded paper and boxes.

Miss Pauline smiled. “That was quite a nice break in my routine,” she said. “Do drop by anytime you like, Lucas.”

“I’ll do that.” He gave her a warm smile and rose. “I’ve got to get back to work now. Doc Miller’s got late lunch.”

“Of course. You run along.” She patted daintily at her lips with a paper napkin. “And Lucas…”

He paused with his hand on the glass door. “Yes, ma’am?”

“Thalia promised her mother she’d attend that meeting tomorrow night. I heard her. I don’t know why she said that to you.”

Sneaky, he thought. “A woman has a right to change her mind, I guess,” he said, opting for the popular view.

“This is not your typical woman.” She looked puzzled. “I’ve never known anyone who took everything so seriously. I’m certain that to her, a promise is a promise—and she promised her mother.” Miss Pauline’s smile was innocent. “I mention this in case you might have some particular interest.”

“I’m interested, all right. Very interested.” He waved and pushed the door open. “Thanks, Miss Pauline. I owe you one.”

He left Lorraine’s Pretty Posies shop whistling.

“FANCY MEETING YOU HERE.”

Thalia looked up from the water fountain at city hall and into the smiling face of Luke Dalton. A sense of inevitability settled over her. How could she feign surprise?

“Yes, fancy that,” she said dryly. “Here to support your mother, I suppose?”

“Here to see you, mostly.”

His blunt response shocked her. “Really.” She turned back into the council chamber where citizen had followed citizen to the podium for the past hour, taking sides in what was shaping up as a real civic crisis. The seven elected council members had been listening with resigned expressions.

“I wouldn’t say it if it wasn’t true.” He fell in beside her, deftly guiding her into a seat at the back of the room where it would be possible to converse in low tones, as opposed to the occasionally loud tones of those clustered down front. “To tell you the truth, I’ve tried to steer clear of this scrap,” he went on. “I can see both sides. With a little compromise, you’d think…” He shrugged. “From what I’ve seen so far, neither side seems particularly interested in compromise.”

“That about sums it up.” A man she didn’t immediately recognize had approached the podium. Silver-haired and erect, he carried a white Stetson and wore a western-cut suit and fancy cowboy boots. “Who’s that?” she whispered.

“That’s Four-Jay himself—Joe John Jeff Jordan, the developer. He’s from Texas.”

The man began to speak and Thalia grinned.

“I hope to shout, he’s from Texas. Listen to that drawl.”

Luke grinned back, his smile lighting up an already attractive face. “People get so interested in his accent that they forget to pay attention to what he’s saying. He is one sharp operator.”

“You can say that again.”

The large room slowly quieted as the tall Texan continued speaking in his soothing drawl. Even Lorraine, surrounded by supporters on one side of the aisle, and Sylvia with her faction on the other, paused to listen.

“Who’s the guy whispering in Sylvia’s ear?” Thalia asked.

“Surely you remember Michael Forbes.”

“That’s Mike Forbes?” She couldn’t help being impressed. “Emily told me he’d become an attorney like his mother before him. I guess he’s chosen sides without any difficulty.”

“You know lawyers.”

“I should. I was married to one.”

He gave her a sharp glance. “Then don’t be offended when I tell you that Four-Jay and Mom showed Mike the money.” He leaned closer. “It looks like Four-Jay has deflected fireworks this time, at least.”

His warm breath stirred tendrils of hair to tickle her ear. She shivered and leaned slightly away. “Were you here earlier when our beloved mothers spoke their piece?” she whispered back.

“Missed it. It took me longer to get here than I expected.”

Four-Jay was winding down. “…and so I say to everyone here tonight, to all the fine residents of Shepherd’s Pass past, present and future, old and new, that there is room for compromise. In a free society, we can sit down and reason together.” He opened his arms wide, a theatrical gesture perhaps rehearsed. “I am a reasonable man and I’m at y’all’s service. Many thanks for your kind attention.”

He left the podium to applause from both sides of the room.

Mayor Kelly slammed down his gavel as if relieved to have the opportunity at last to do so. “I think you’ll all agree that to follow that act would be folly,” he announced. “Meeting adjourned! I suggest you all go home and cogitate on the things that have been said here tonight.”

Thalia raised her brows. “That was sudden.”

“But not unwelcome. How about you and I—”

“I’m sorry,” she interrupted quickly, “there goes my mother, rushing for the door. I need to catch her.” Standing, she leaned across him and called, “Mother!”

“Huh? Oh!” Lorraine turned toward the sound of her daughter’s voice. “It’s you.”

“Of course, it’s me. Where are you heading in such a hurry?”

“I’ve got to talk to Four-Jay! I heard him say he was going over to the Watering Hole so—”

“What about me? I don’t want to go to a bar and listen to more of this Shangri-la stuff.”

“Oh.” Lorraine blinked, looked toward the door through which Four-Jay had now disappeared, looked back with a frown and finally brightened. “Luke can take you home, then. Can’t you, Luke.”

“Sure thing.” His smile was benign.

“In that case, I’m out of here. Don’t wait up, Thalia.”

Lorraine rushed on. Thalia sat back down, feeling grumpy. “Well, for goodness’ sake. That was some brush-off from my own mother.”

“Not to worry,” he said. “I’ll see you get home safe and sound.”

“I don’t seem to have much choice so…thank you.”

He laughed. “Gracious, as always.”

“Touché.” She smiled sheepishly. Together they rose and started toward the door. “I didn’t mean to be rude.” She looked around the rapidly emptying room. “Where are you parked? If you got here late, you must have had trouble finding a spot.”

“No problem at all. I’m parked in the driveway at home.”

“But—? What are you saying?”

“I walked.”

He lifted a foot and pointed to his jock shoe and for the first time it registered with her that he was wearing sweat pants and a T-shirt. She’d been so dazzled by the man that she hadn’t noticed the ensemble.

“Then why did you agree to drive me home?” she demanded.

“I didn’t. I said I’d take you home, which I will.”

“But—it must be two miles!”

“You look like a healthy woman to me. You can walk, can’t you? I noticed you had on sensible shoes and it’s a beautiful night, so what’s the problem?”

She considered. “I guess there is no problem,” she said at last. “A brisk walk will probably do me good.”

“That’s what I thought.” He held the door open for her. “Lead the way, Thalia.”

Taking a deep breath, she did.

THEY STROLLED THE STREETS of Shepherd’s Pass, through a business district that quickly gave way to homes. Streetlights and a nearly full moon illuminated their way; glowing windows lined their path. The night was quiet and peaceful and infinitely calm.

It was exactly as he’d hope it would be: Thalia at his side, crisp fall air filling his lungs, competition with no one and nothing for her attention. When he’d decided to walk to the meeting instead of drive, it had been a calculated risk with this in mind—even though he lived a good mile farther than she did from city hall.

“Do you like being a veterinarian?” she asked suddenly, her tone full of sincere interest.

“Yeah,” he said, “I do. A lot.”

“I was surprised when I heard.”

She looked both ways although there were no vehicles in sight, then stepped off the curb to cross a street. He took her elbow, feeling protective on general principles. She gave him a skeptical glance but didn’t object.

He remembered what she’d said then and asked, “You were surprised? Why?”

“I thought you were going to be a people doctor. That’s what you always said.”

“That was my plan. Fortunately, I discovered in time that I like animals better than people.”

Her smile was wry. “I see your point.”

“What about you?”

“What about me?”

“You work for an insurance company, Lorraine said.”

“That’s right. I’m an executive at the national headquarters of Insurance World.”

“Do you like it?”

“Of course.” She sounded a bit touchy.

“Because you like business,” he prodded.

“Well, yes.”

“Thalia, I heard doubt in those two words.”

“No, you didn’t—not at all.” She gave him another annoyed glance. “I’m crazy about my job, I have an unlimited future, and I’ll be going back to it in a few weeks.”

“Why?”

“I just told you.”

“You certainly did not. You told me a lot of external stuff. What I want to know is why you want to go so far away when your mother and the people who care about you are here, in Colorado. There are jobs here, too—all kinds of businesses to choose from.”

“But—” She sucked in a deep, agitated breath. “You just don’t understand. I—I have a life there. I’m already established. Everything’s in order.”

“You’re established here, too.”

“I have friends there….”

“So? I didn’t say you didn’t have friends there. But old friends are the best, Thalia.”

She remained silent for a couple of blocks, both of them striding along in near silence in their athletic shoes. At last she said, “What’s your point, Luke?”

“That there’s no place like home, Dorothy.”

Her laughter was sharp and incredulous. “My home is in California now.”

“No, it isn’t. Your career is in California. Your home is here.”

“My career is important. I’m serious about my career. I couldn’t just toss everything aside and relocate on a whim.”

“Honey, you’re serious about everything—too serious, if you ask me.”

“I didn’t.”

“So I volunteered an opinion.” Time to lighten the mood. He didn’t want to alienate her any further than she already was. “Feel free to ignore it.”

“Thank you. I will. Because to walk out on my job and my life and my career in California would be—it would be unforgivable.”

“I’d forgive you,” he said softly. “Your mother would forgive you. Emily would forgive you.”

“Maybe so, but I wouldn’t forgive—”

She bit off her words and glanced at him over her shoulder. It was too dark to read her expression but her tone said back off.

He couldn’t. “Forgive yourself, right? That’s what you were about to say.”

“So what? The bottom line is, I don’t want to come home—I mean back to Colorado. To stay I mean.”

“Aha!” He had her now. “I heard you the first time. You called this place home.”

“A mere slip of the tongue.”

“No way! You were born and raised here and it is home. I feel the same way. I never intended to practice here, but here I am. You, my girl, want to do the same thing. You’re just not ready to admit it quite yet, but you will.”

They turned right on Heavenly Lane automatically, engrossed in the conversation. She said, “You don’t know me well enough to be so sure about what I want. In fact, you don’t know me at all as an adult, just as a goofy kid.” She gave him a triumphant glance.

“You were never goofy,” he said with total conviction. “Trust me on that.”

“After what I did?”

“What you did was wonderful.” He spoke from the heart. “Your timing was goofy, not what you did.”

“Oh, Luke.” It was a helpless moan. “I made such a fool of myself and I hate looking foolish. I’ve regretted it ever since.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” he said. He stuffed his hands deep into his pant pockets to keep from touching her. “Everybody looks foolish at one time or another. Believe me, I’ve been there and done that. You had a great idea, honey, but—you know, yada yada.”

“Too young, too old, too you-name-it,” she recited.

“Right. But bad timing is no reason to treat me like a pariah. You’ve avoided me from that day to this.”

“I’ve hardly seen you from that day to this. I simply went on with my life and tried to forget it had ever happened. I went away to school, got married—”

“Got a divorce.”

“It happens.” She walked stiffly for half a block, then said, “At least I tried marriage. You didn’t even do that.”

“That’s true,” he agreed. “I was engaged, though. Fortunately, she came to her senses in time.”

“I should have been so lucky. The fact that my marriage didn’t work out—” All the bluff and fire went out of her. “The fact that it didn’t work nearly killed me. I tried, Lord knows I tried. He tried, too, but after three years it seemed wiser to cut our losses and call the whole thing off.”

“Was he a nice guy?”

“That’s a funny thing to ask.” She seemed to consider carefully. “Yes,” she said finally, “he was a very nice guy. He’s an attorney with an independent movie company. Loves his job, is good at it, works very hard. He worked hard at his marriage, too. We just grew in different directions, I guess.”

“I’m sorry,” he said. “But I’m glad.”

“Glad? I must say, that’s the first time my tale of woe has met with that particular response.”

“That’s because I’m glad you came home, and you wouldn’t have if you were still married. Or if you did, you’d bring him and that would be a problem.”

“For whom?”

They’d reached Lorraine’s house, dark except for the soft glow of the porch light. They turned up the walk and halted at the foot of the steps, pine needles crunching beneath their feet.

He rocked back on his heels. “It would be a problem for me.”

“I don’t see why.”

“Sure you do.” Giving up the fight, he put a tentative hand on her shoulder. She stiffened but didn’t step away or otherwise react.

“I don’t.” She sounded slightly breathless, as if she’d been running. Which she hadn’t.

“Then I’ll spell it out.” He lifted his other hand to tilt her chin up. “Because if you’d come home with a husband, I couldn’t have done this with a clear conscience.”

And leaning forward, he pressed his lips to hers.

4

SHE COULDN’T BELIEVE he would kiss her, just like that.

She couldn’t believe she would kiss him back, either, which is exactly what she did. Flinging her arms around his neck, she pressed her body against his and kissed him with so much enthusiasm that it shocked her.

This would never do! She tried to dredge up enough self-control to pull away, but unfortunately, her self-discipline seemed to have vanished. Only when a sweep of headlights passed over them did she manage to find the willpower to push herself out of his arms.

Lorraine braked in the driveway beside them and jumped out. “Oh, it’s you,” she said, as if surprised.

Luke chuckled. “Who’d you expect to find making out at your front door?”

“Nobody, actually.” With a wave, she sailed past. “Take your time.”

“Mother!”

“You, too, Thalia. Don’t let me rush you.” She disappeared inside the house.

Luke moved to take Thalia in his arms again. “Where were we when we were so rudely interrupted?” he murmured seductively.

“Stop that!” She batted his hands away. “I was just about to slap your face, is where we were.”

His laughter sounded incredulous. “What for?”

“For—for—” She swallowed hard. “For taking me for the kind of woman a guy can just grab and kiss on the spur of the moment.”

“Are you kidding?” He stared at her in obvious disbelief. “That wasn’t spur of the moment. I’ve wanted to do that ever since I declined the honor of being your first.”

She groaned. “Will you kindly stop referring to that? It’s not a memory I want to relive.”

“I do, if I can change the outcome.”

She took a hasty step back. “Too late.”

“Says who? Now that age is no longer a factor—”

“Are you kidding?” She stared at him. “Age be damned! You had your chance and you blew it.”

“That’s a bit inflexible. Everybody deserves a second chance.” He edged toward her.

She continued to retreat. “I wouldn’t get mixed up with you again for—for a million dollars. You always were a fun-and-games kinda guy, Luke Dalton, and you obviously haven’t changed a bit. Well, this time you’re barking up the wrong woman.”

“How do you know what I’m after?”

Her heels hit the bottom step. “I wasn’t born yesterday, you know.”

“You’re acting like you were.”

“After what happened, how do you expect me to act?”

“Like a grown-up.”

“I am,” she insisted desperately. “You’re the one acting like a kid. Life is serious business, Luke.” She clenched her hands into fists. “I’m simply not interested in you that way.”

“You were once.”

He was crowding her. She stepped up on the first step. “That was then and this is now. Besides, I’m not going to be here long enough for anything to develop so you can just back off.”

“Because of what happened.”

She lifted her chin, annoyed by his teasing but incapable of backing down. “That’s right.”

“It looks like you should be over what happened by now.”

“I would be if you’d quit bringing it up.”

He rocked back on his heels, the light casting diabolical shadows across his face. “Yeah, right. Sure you are.”

“Darn it, Luke—”

“Okay, okay, calm down. I’ll change the subject. You’re coming to my birthday party Saturday, right?”

“Yes, as the hired help.”

“As a very special friend. And your mom, too.”

“Thanks but no thanks. I have no desire to crash your party. I’ll help Mother decorate and then we’ll—”

“You’ll stay.”

“I won’t.”

“Your mother will, if just to annoy my mother. Then you’ll have to stay to make sure the two don’t come to blows.”

“Did anyone ever mention you’re a rotten listener? My mind is made up.”

“You can always change it.” Grabbing her hand, he planted a quick, warm kiss on her unprotected palm. “Thanks for walking with me. It was great. We’ll do it again, someday.”

“We certainly won’t,” she shouted after him.

Jogging down the driveway, he waved cheerfully without glancing around. Frustrated and well aware that she’d come off second-best in that exchange, Thalia gritted her teeth and turned to the door. Lucas Dalton drove her crazy!

But he sure did know how to kiss.

“LOOK,” THALIA SAID, “I don’t want you to think there’s anything going on.”

Lorraine looked up from the cup of hot chocolate resting on the tabletop, cradled between her hands. “Going on where?”

“Between me and Luke.” Thalia sat down and reached for the second cup her mother had prepared.

Lorraine feigned surprise. “Something’s going on between you and Luke?”

“Mother! I know you saw us when you drove in.”

“Saw you doing what? You mean kissing?”

“Of course, I mean kissing. But he was doing the kissing and I was getting ready to give him a piece of my mind, which I did as soon as you went inside.”

“Honey,” Lorraine drawled, dropping all pretense of misunderstanding, “from what I saw he wasn’t doing all the kissing. You were doing your share or you’re no daughter of mine.”

“Mother!”

“Calm down, Thalia honey. Luke’s a great guy. You could do worse. In fact, you did do worse.”

“Mother!”

“Oh, pshaw.” Lorraine finished her cocoa and carried the cup to the sink. “I wasn’t born fifty-one years old, you know. I was young once. I had a life.” One brow rose. “In fact, I still have a life—or will soon, if I’m not mistaken.”

“You and Four-Jay?” Thalia stared at her mother, who looked like the cat with canary feathers decorating the corners of her mouth.

Lorraine shrugged nonchalantly. “Who knows? But it’ll be fun finding out.” She started for the door. “See you tomorrow.”

“One more thing before you go—”

“Yes?”

“You won’t be staying for Luke’s birthday party, will you?”

“Absolutely not.” Lorraine shook her red-gold head vigorously. “Under no circumstances. I’m going to work, and then I’m out of there.”

“Thank heavens,” Thalia muttered to herself.

Until Lorraine’s voice sailed through the kitchen door. “Unless somebody gives me a good reason to change my mind, of course.”

THALIA HAD NEVER BEEN to the Dalton mansion, as it was generally called. It had been built after she went away to college. Before that, the Daltons had lived in a splendid ranch house five or six miles out of town.

“Sylvia decided she needed the grandest house in town to support her social ambitions,” Lorraine explained contemptuously while parking the Pretty Posies delivery truck around back near the service entrance. “Joe built this place for her and then died before he ever got a chance to move in. It was just pitiful.”

“You can hardly blame her for wanting to live closer to town,” Thalia pointed out in the interest of fairness.

“I didn’t care where she lived, so long as it wasn’t right down the road from me.” Lorraine made a face. “Then when Luke decided to come back here to practice, she practically forced him to move in with her.”

“She’s got the room, that’s for sure.” Thalia looked around at the impressive three-story stone structure. Surrounded by landscaped gardens and walkways, it really was quite impressive. Over to the far side she could see the matching enclosure, which must shield the pool. Living here alone would certainly be lonely, especially when Sylvia had thought her husband would be here with her. Thalia felt a flash of sympathy, which she carefully hid from her mother.

Lorraine set the brake, then smiled at her daughter. “Are you ready? Sylvia wants a Hawaiian luau and that’s what we’re going to give her. The flowers alone are costing her a small fortune and the guys over at Bob’s Barbeque have dug a pit big enough to cook a whole pig, but what the hell? It’s only money.”

“I guess so.” Thalia took a deep breath, glad it wasn’t her money. “I’m ready.”

“Then let’s synchronize our watches and do it.”

“LADIES, THE DECORATIONS LOOK great,” Luke announced. “Now you’ve both got to stay for the party.”

He looked expectantly from Thalia to her mother and back again, figuring he knew where the power lay. The daughter nodded no while the mother nodded yes.

Lorraine added with a grin, “I thought you’d never ask.”

Thalia glowered at her mother. “I’m afraid it’s out of the question.”

“Why?”

“For openers—” She glanced down at her jeans and sneakers and simple plaid shirt. “I’m not dressed for it.”

He laughed. “Don’t be ridiculous. You look great. Of course, if you want to go home and get a bikini—”

“In your dreams.”

“Okay, failing that, you’re perfect.”

“Really, Luke, I wouldn’t feel right—”

“Thalia! I’m so glad you’re here!” Emily came through the door between the house and the flower-bedecked pool area, carrying a white package wrapped with blue bows. “Isn’t this great? Happy birthday, Luke, and many happy returns.” She gave him a peck on the cheek. “Where do I put this gift? Mrs. Myers, I’m so glad to see you! What—”

While Emily gushed on, Luke caught Thalia’s glance and smiled encouragement. Somehow he didn’t think it would be much of a celebration without her.

THE PARTY DIDN’T START winding down until nine o’clock that evening—not a minute too soon, Thalia thought. She’d spent most of the preceding six hours trying to avoid Luke, which wasn’t as difficult as it might have been. As the host and the “birthday boy,” as his mother announced prior to the cake cutting, he’d had duties of his own. But time and again, he’d appeared at Thalia’s side to make sure she had a drink, food, someone to amuse her—simple enough since she knew practically everyone there.

Thalia had tried to make herself useful by keeping an eye on the proceedings: picking up, cleaning up, making sure the dishes and platters were refilled regularly, that no one’s glass remained empty for long. Many of the guests came prepared for a dip in the enormous Dalton pool while others were content to lounge in the sun, at the many patio tables or around the bar set up in an open-sided cabana at the far end.

Everybody seemed to be having a good time but no one more so than Sylvia. At one point, she’d surprised Thalia by slipping an arm around her waist and whispering, “Thank you so much for staying. It means a lot to Luke.”

Not knowing how to respond, Thalia simply smiled and nodded.

But now, at last, everyone was leaving. She’d help clear the pool area and then maybe she could coax her mother into leaving. Of course, that would only happen if Four-Jay left first. The two had staked out an umbrella table near the bar and held court for most of the evening.

Thalia guessed that only good breeding kept Sylvia from raising a ruckus about that. She had finally managed to coax Four-Jay onto the makeshift wooden dance floor set up at one end of the pool, where a trio looking more western than Hawaiian provided music.

“Hey!” The warm voice in her ear made her jump in surprise and nearly drop the platters she’d been stacking. Hands equally warm settled on her upper arms. “You’re a guest. How come every time I see you, you’re working?”

“Because—” Thalia caught her breath, intensely aware of his touch. “I don’t feel like a guest. I feel like an employee,” she insisted stubbornly.

He turned her to face him, taking the platters from her and replacing them on the buffet table. The two of them were, she suddenly realized, quite alone. In the silence she could hear the water in the pool lapping against the tile, the faint hum of an unseen pump.

He sighed. “You are one stubborn woman,” he said regretfully. “Did you have a good time?”

“It was a nice party,” she said evasively, thinking she should step away from his light grip but indecisive because that might be construed as more than it was. She licked her lips. “I saw a lot of friends and that was nice.”

“I got a lot of nice presents.”

That made her smile. He’d got a lot of gag gifts, like the embroidered hat from Emily which read Doggy Doctor in large script.

He touched the corner of her upcurved mouth with his thumb. “There, that’s what I wanted to see. A smile.”

She tried to stifle it, without notable success.

His voice was low and warm. “I don’t have a birthday gift from you yet.”

“And that ain’t the half of it,” she retorted.

He looked hurt. “No present?”

She spread her hands between them. “Do I look like I’m hiding a birthday gift?”

“Well, yes.”

She frowned. “I’d like to know where.”

“Remember, you asked for it.” He stepped closer, until his thighs touched hers lightly. “I’ve been waiting all evening to collect my birthday kiss.”

“Birthday—!” She stepped back, stumbling in her haste. “If you think I’m going to give you a—”

“Watch out!” He made a grab for her. “Don’t—”

But it was too late. Her foot bumped against a stack of ropes coiled on the deck next to the pool. Losing her balance, she tipped backward, grabbing wildly for any support. Her fumbling hands touched the collar of his flower-bedecked Hawaiian shirt and clenched tight.

He let out a muffled and surprised humpf and together they tumbled into the deep end of the pool. They came up coughing and gasping for air.

Thalia, treading water, shoved hair out of her eyes. “Why did you do that?” she cried.

He moved as easily in the water as he did on land. “I didn’t do it. You did.”

“I—did, didn’t I?” And then she couldn’t hold it in any longer and burst into delighted laughter. “I guess that’s your birthday gift, then.” Flipping over, she took off for the shallow end of the crystal-clear pool, stroking strongly.

“Yes!”

His satisfied shout sent fresh shivers down her spine. She’d never before been in the water fully dressed and there was something downright decadent about it. Fortunately, she was a good swimmer.

But he was better. He caught her just as her toes touched the bottom at the shallow end. She struggled to shake off his hold, impeded by her laughter. He turned her around anyway, his amber eyes gleaming with that familiar mischief.

“Happy birthday to me!”

“That’s what you—”

The rest was lost in the pressure of his mouth on hers…his mouth, chilly and wet at first but quickly growing warm and masterful. It is his birthday, she thought foggily. One kiss—one little bitty kiss—

Which led to another, and another—

“Come out of that pool this instant! Honestly, you—” Sylvia’s command ended in a shriek of embarrassment. “Oh, Luke, I’m so sorry! I didn’t know it was you and…is that Thalia?”

Sylvia was no more shocked than the object of her attention. Thalia shoved out of Luke’s slack embrace and moved to the ladder as quickly as she could, which wasn’t very. Waterlogged clothing and shoes weighed her down, but she managed to drag herself up the ladder.

It got worse. Lorraine stood beside Sylvia. Taking a good look at her dripping daughter, she burst out laughing.

From the pool, Luke intervened. “Back off, you two,” he ordered. “Thalia was just giving me my birthday kiss.”

“No, I wasn’t!” Thalia glared at him. “He was taking his birthday kiss. There’s a difference.”

“Really?” Lorraine sounded suspiciously innocent. “From where I was standing, any difference wasn’t immediately discernible.”

Feeling cornered and considerably flustered, Thalia glared equally at them all. “Look, I’m not accustomed to being thrown into a swimming pool with my clothes on,” she tried to defend herself. “I’m not responsible!”

Luke shook his head sadly. “What happened was, she tripped. I was trying to save her.”

“Luke,” she yelled at him, “you’re not acting like a man who turned thirty-two today!”

“Because I’m not a serious person—capital S, capital P?”

Both mothers laughed and looked expectantly at Thalia, who lifted her chin haughtily. “I won’t apologize for being a grown-up,” she announced.

“You’re not a grown-up, you’re an old lady,” he tossed back, his smile never slipping. “You’re only twenty-seven and you act seventy.”

“And you act like you’re thirteen,” she retorted.

“Come to your senses before it’s too late,” he urged, moving through the water toward the steps. “You still have time. Don’t you ever want to just let go and enjoy?”

“Boy,” Lorraine said breathlessly, “I sure do.”

“Mother!”

“Lorraine, you’re too old for that kind of nonsense,” Sylvia inserted. “And in case there’s any doubt, you made a fool out of yourself hanging over Four-Jay that way.”

“Oh, you think so?” Lorraine got a crafty look on her face. “Do I hear a little jealousy in there somewhere?”

“Me? Jealous of you?” Sylvia drew herself up to her full height, looking even more regal than usual in her imported Hawaiian muumuu and six or eight fresh flower leis coiled around her neck. “That will be the day!”

“Maybe, but it wouldn’t be the first time, would it.”

While the two bickered, Luke hauled himself out of the pool. His white shorts clung; his flowered shirt did likewise, leaving little to the imagination. Thalia shivered.

“You’re cold,” he said with quick concern. “Come in the house and I’ll find something dry for you to—”

“That’s not necessary. I’ll just go on home.”

“Suit yourself.” But his expression conveyed his disapproval. Grabbing a towel from a stack on a nearby bench, he tossed it to her. “At least put this over the car seat to protect it.”

“Thank you.”

“And Thalia…”

“Yes, Luke?”

“Thanks for my birthday kiss—or maybe we should call that kisses. Because no matter how you spin it, you were there, sweetheart.”

“That’s your opinion.”

“Sure is,” he agreed cheerfully. Unbuttoning his shirt, he dragged the soggy thing off and tossed it aside.

Nice chest. Real nice chest.

“Mother,” Thalia said forcefully, “are you coming with me? If not, I’d like the keys.” She held out a steady hand.

“I’m coming.”

“In that case—” Thalia smiled impersonally at Sylvia and her maverick son “—thank you for inviting us.”

“You had a lovely time, right?” Luke raised his brows.

“Of course.”

“Seriously, if you’d relaxed, you might have enjoyed yourself even more.” He cocked his head. “Aren’t you ever tempted to give it a try?”

“Absolutely not.” But was that true?

Later, alone in the second-story bedroom of her youth, Thalia sat in dark silence staring out the window, her heart full of questions. Maybe she did take everything too seriously. It might be fun just to relax and let life happen.

But could she actually do that? At this point, she really wasn’t sure.

Yet those few minutes spent floundering around completely clothed in the swimming pool with Luke Dalton had been not only fun but exciting and sexy and very, very provocative.

Which was all the more reason to stay away from the man, she decided.

“LOOK,” LORRAINE SAID bright and early Monday morning, “I’ve got a ton of stuff to do at the shop today since all of Saturday was devoted to the Dalton soiree—”

“I’ll help,” Thalia cut in quickly. “No problem.”

“Great.” Lorraine looked relieved. “That’s what I was expecting you to say. What I need you to do is take old Reckless to the vet.”

Thalia frowned. “Did I just get set up or what?”

“Of course not, dear.” Lorraine looked offended. “I’m really worried about that dog. He’s been off his feed all week and he just mopes around.”

“You take him to the doggy doctor. I’ll open the shop for you.”

“When did you become a floral designer?” Lorraine’s brows rose. “Seriously, if you want to help me, this is what I need you to do. That way I’ll have the first wave of orders ready by the time you get there and you can help out with deliveries.”

Thalia groaned. “If this is just some trick to throw me and Luke together—”

“Oh, for heaven’s sake.” Lorraine finished her coffee and rose from the breakfast table. “Why would I do that? For all I know, Luke won’t even be there. Ask for Doc Miller, I don’t care. Just do this for Reckless, okay?”

“I suppose I can if you insist.”

“Great. We’ll take him with us, then. You can drop me at the shop and go straight to the clinic. Thanks, honey.”

Lorraine bustled out. Thalia sat alone at the table for a good two minutes, feeling dejected. Doc Miller wouldn’t be there, or if he was, he’d be busy elsewhere. She’d have to face Luke again and that was getting harder and harder to do.

Worse. He knew it.

LUKE GAVE RECKLESS a thorough going-over, up to and including the drawing of blood for further tests. Reckless just sat there like a furry lump, sad brown eyes accusing.

What the hell was going on? Luke asked himself for about the twelfth time. This was one miserable dog when he should be in tall cotton. He had a great life: plenty of food, lots of room to run and roam, people around when he wanted attention.

Opening the door to the examining room, he gestured for Thalia to enter. This she did without the slightest flicker of recognition. It was as if she’d met him for the first time five minutes ago.

That made him grin. She sure was working hard to keep things between them impersonal.

And failing.

She sat down in the chair next to the dog. Automatically she began to scratch his ears, then stroked the dog between the shoulder blades. She had a wonderful smile, especially when it was sincere. As now—for a dog, not for Luke.

She looked up and the smile evaporated. “What’s wrong with him, Lu—Doctor?”

Luke sighed. “I can’t find a thing physically wrong,” he said honestly. “There are still a few tests to do and then I’ll talk the results over with Doc Miller. The bottom line is, this dog seems perfectly healthy to me.”

Her frown revealed her frustration. “Mother says he used to be real perky and now he just lies around and sighs.”

“Sighs?”

She nodded solemnly. “Or as close to a sigh as a dog can get. It’s almost like…like he’s depressed about something.”

“You know,” Luke frowned, puzzling over what she’d said, “you could be right. Maybe what he needs is a new interest in life, something to shake him out of the doldrums.”

“Like what?” she asked, obviously interested.

“I don’t know, like—” Luke slapped his hand alongside his temple. “Of course, why didn’t I think of this before? Thalia, Border collies are working dogs.”

“Yes.” She frowned. “And your point is…?”

“Your mother got him from a rancher, right?”

She nodded. “A sheep rancher, actually.”

“Then that’s it.” He ruffled Reckless’s furry black head.

“What’s it?”

“He needs a job. He needs sheep to herd.”

Her eyes widened. “You mean Mother’s pet needs pets of his own?”

Luke threw back his head and laughed. “Exactly. A few sheep to herd around in circles could give purpose to his days.” He looked at her then through half-shuttered eyes. “How about you, Thalia? Do you need new purpose to your days?”

She met his gaze squarely. “I don’t need new purpose, Luke,” she said too sweetly. “I’m happy with my days exactly as they are.”

As if he believed that. Amused, he showed her and the depressed Border collie from the office, promising a report on the dog’s tests in a day or two.

And already scheming to get her alone to deliver them.

THAT NIGHT AT DINNER, Thalia innocently repeated Luke’s remarks to her mother, and then only in passing. Therefore, no one was more astonished than she when two sheep were delivered a day later.

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