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  Over the years, she’d convinced herself that he must have forgotten her and gone on to marry someone who adored him shamelessly. But he was her age—thirty-one—and there was no ring on his left hand.

  Standing, she forced herself to look him squarely in the eyes. “I’m sorry.”

  “About Dad? You said that already.”

  “No.” Completely unprepared for such a personal exchange, she groped for the right words. After a mental shake, she jammed her brain in gear and continued. “We were best friends, and I never even called you after I left. I never meant to hurt you. I just needed more than I could find in Harland.”

  “Y’know, for a long time I prayed you’d decide you made a mistake and come back.” His expression closed up, his eyes darkening with a nasty mix of anger and pain. “You never did.”

  “I’m here now.”

  “Because you’ve got nowhere else to go. I actually think that’s worse.”

  As he stalked away from her, she wished there was something she could do to make things right between them. She wanted nothing more than to have her old buddy back, yanking on her braids and tossing her fully dressed into the pond while he laughed and dove in after her. John hadn’t stood in the way of her getting this job she so desperately needed, but he hadn’t completely accepted her, either. With a sigh, she realized that might be the best she could hope for.

  Tucker pulled her out of her funk when he stood on his back legs and wrapped his filthy paws around her waist. Her designer trousers would need to be cleaned, but compared to what she’d been through lately, that was a minor inconvenience.

  Laughing, she ruffled his fur. “At least you like me. What say we get you rinsed off and then do some laundry?”

  Seeming to understand that she’d asked him a question, he barked and led her around the corner of the house to a coiled-up hose. He stood at attention, wagging his tail as if he couldn’t wait for a good dousing.

  “Tucker, you’re amazing.” He barked again, the corners of his mouth crinkling in what she’d describe as a canine smile. She pressed the trigger to start the water, and he clumsily lapped up several mouthfuls. When he’d had enough, she turned the hose on his fur. “I think you and I will get along just fine.”

  When he shook himself out, he drenched them both, making her laugh again. Realizing that she’d done that more today than she had in months, she smiled. Despite the trouble still nipping at her heels, it was good to be home.

  * * *

  What was Amanda doing here, anyway? John wondered as he climbed aboard his tractor and turned the key. Nothing. He gave it another shot with the same result. He should have known better than to shut it off, he grumbled to himself as he jumped off. The temperamental old engine would need a half hour before it was cool enough to restart.

  Resigned to waiting, he slid down to sit in the shade the oversize back tire made on the ground.

  “Problem?” his big brother, Matt, asked as he strolled over.

  “Just the usual.” Trying to look unconcerned, John crossed his legs at the ankles and got comfortable. “No big deal.”

  “That’s not what I meant.” Matt sat with his back against the other side of the tire and unscrewed the cap from a thermos of sweet tea. He swallowed some, then held it out for John. “I noticed we’ve got company. Pretty company.”

  After a swig, John answered, “Amanda Gardner’s back.”

  “For how long?”

  John shrugged. “Last I knew, she had a great job in L.A. and was all wrapped up in her fancy new life. Her parents moved to Arizona after her dad retired. If she needed a place to go, she should’ve gone there.”

  “Wonder why she didn’t.”

  “Who knows why women do anything?”

  Matt chuckled and nodded toward the blackened clunker sitting on the shoulder. “Advertising and PR folks usually make good money. Wonder why she’s driving that pile of junk.”

  “She said her company went out of business, so she lost her job.”

  “Why didn’t she get another one?”

  Once John had filled him in on the details, Matt hummed. “A fresh start makes sense, I guess. But why come back here?”

  “Like I said before,” John snapped, “I’ve got no idea.”

  Angling his head, Matt grinned over at him. “You’re wondering, though, aren’t you? And it’s making you cranky.”

  “I’m hot, not cranky.” Hearing the sharpness in his tone, he tried to smooth out the edges a little. “Amanda does what she wants, no matter what anyone else thinks.”

  That should have aggravated him more now than ever, but for some crazy reason it didn’t. It had always baffled him why he’d let her get by with so much attitude when he preferred girls who were sweet and uncomplicated.

  Setting the thermos on the ground between them, John rested his head against the wheel and sighed. “I always liked that about her.”

  “Women like that are nothing but trouble.”

  “Oh, spare me,” John scoffed. “You married a woman like that.”

  “Caty’s different.”

  “’Cause she’s the mother of that baby girl who’s got you wrapped around her little finger.”

  “Partly.” Smirking like a man hopelessly in love with his wife, Matt sipped some more tea. “You think there’s more to all this than Amanda losing her job?”

  “Probably. Can’t imagine her driving all this way otherwise.”

  “What’re you gonna do about it?”

  Staring over the fields toward the house, John rolled the question around in his mind. She’d been his friend once—closer than any other he’d had—but over the years his opinion of her had taken a lot of turns, mostly for the worst. Seeing her again had shaken him, no doubt about that.

  To combat those feelings, he just had to remember that she’d left him behind for something she wanted more. L.A. drew her in with the promise of excitement and money, both of which she’d probably had more of than he could begin to imagine. And when whatever had chased her off resolved itself, she’d return to her career because that was what mattered most to her.

  “Nothing,” he finally said. “It’s not my problem.”

  Matt cocked his head in disbelief. “You don’t mean that.”

  “Yeah, I do. Whatever mess she’s in is her own making, and it’s got nothing to do with me.”

  Getting to his feet, John hauled himself up to the tractor’s seat and actually crossed his fingers. When the engine sputtered to life, Matt stood and gave him a long big-brother look. He didn’t say anything more, though, and they both got back to work.

  * * *

  Around three o’clock, Tucker took off toward the road, and Amanda heard the rumble of a school bus stopping at the end of the driveway. The clothes she’d borrowed from Marianne didn’t fit well, and it had finally hit her that she was completely out of her element. Feeling like Dorothy after landing in Oz, she was more than a little anxious about how the afternoon would turn out.

  “Here they are,” she murmured, pulling a pitcher of fruit punch out of the fridge to go with the chocolate chip cookies she’d made. “I hope they like me.”

  “They will.”

  When she heard Marianne’s voice, Amanda felt her cheeks warm with embarrassment. “Sorry. When I’m nervous, I talk to myself. Should you be up?”

  “I have to go to the bathroom occasionally. Besides, I want to introduce you to the kids.”

  Amanda smiled. “Southern hospitality. I didn’t realize how much I missed it.”

  “Things move a little more quickly in Los Angeles, I’d imagine.” Grasping the arms, she eased herself into the chair at the head of the table. “I hope you won’t be too bored here in Harland.”

  To be honest, Amanda was looking forward to some peace and qu
iet. She feared that saying so would open the door to a lot of questions, so she went with something less personal.

  “Don’t you worry about me. If you decide to hire me, this place will keep me plenty busy.” When Marianne smiled, Amanda asked, “Did I say something funny?”

  “No, but you’ve only been here a few hours and your accent’s already coming back.”

  Apparently, she’d noticed earlier that Amanda had abandoned her Carolina drawl for something more mainstream. “I’d really rather not talk about it.”

  That got her a warm, understanding smile. “Okay. But when you’re ready, I’m a good listener with a short memory.”

  Amanda wasn’t sure she’d ever willingly discuss her situation, but right now a boy and girl stood framed in the screen door, gawking at her.

  “Come on in, you two,” their mother beckoned with a wave of her hand. “Meet an old friend of ours, Amanda Gardner. This is Kyle, who’s twelve, and Emily, our eight-year-old.”

  “Nice to meet you,” he said with a grin full of braces. The rubber bands holding them on were blue and gold. Harland Wildcats colors, she recalled with a smile of her own.

  “Thanks.” She shook the hand he boldly offered. “Nice to meet you, too.”

  Emily hung back a step behind her brother, eyeing Amanda with curiosity shining in china-blue eyes, just like her mother’s. “You were in that commercial we saw with the animals stuck on an island during a flood. You and a bunch of other people saved them and found new homes for them.”

  The ad for a local SPCA group had been one of Amanda’s favorite projects, and the mention of it gave her an ideal topic to break the ice with the kids.

  “Usually I only got to do the boring stuff on commercials, so I had a ball making that one.” She hunkered down so she was more on Emily’s level. “One of those ponies used to steal my lunch if I wasn’t careful. He really liked barbecue potato chips.”

  “What was his name?” Emily asked, clearly hooked.

  “Constantine. He was the little black-and-white pinto. We called him Tino. He lives on a ranch in Montana, and next month he’ll be in a big movie.” That promotional campaign had been the last one she’d worked on before her world caved in, and she was clinging to that success for all she was worth. It kept her from feeling like a complete failure.

  “I’d really like to see it,” Emily said.

  “Me, too.” She almost added that they could go to the theater together, but she was afraid to sound presumptuous. After all, she didn’t officially have this job yet. Standing, she put the plate of cookies on the table and filled two glasses with punch. “Are you guys hungry?”

  “Starving,” Kyle responded in typical boy fashion. Even though she knew he wasn’t related to Ridge, he instantly reminded her of his stepfather. Forthright and confident, with a quick smile. Half the girls in town probably had crushes on this kid.

  Pleased with how their first meeting had gone, she sat down and listened while they told Marianne about their day. School would be finished soon, and then they’d be home for the summer. With the twins due in July or August, it would be a busy time for the family.

  And possibly for her, too. It sure would beat wringing her hands, waiting for another anvil to fall on her head, she mused as she broke off a quarter of a cookie.

  “You don’t have to do that.” Kyle nodded toward the partial cookie she held. “There’s plenty. You can have a whole one.”

  “Oh, this is fine. I don’t eat a lot of sweets.” When the two of them stared at her as if she’d been transported in from another planet, she decided it was best to play along. Picking up the rest of the cookie, she grinned. “But these are really good, if I do say so myself.”

  “Amanda’s going to be here the next few days, to see if she’d like to help us out while I’m resting,” Marianne explained. “If we all agree, we’ll ask her to stay.”

  “I like her, Mommy,” Emily chirped sweetly. “I’ve always wanted a big sister.”

  Kyle was eyeing her curiously, and Amanda decided to take a shot. “What about you? Think we can get along?”

  “Sure. Can my buddies meet you?”

  “As our friend,” his mother insisted. “I know Amanda’s very pretty, but the last thing she needs is a herd of twelve-year-old boys camped out on the porch, staring through the windows at her.”

  Kyle’s shoulders slumped, but he mumbled some kind of agreement. Feeling sorry for him, Amanda leaned over and whispered, “They can stare a little. I don’t mind.”

  That perked him up, and they fist-bumped to seal their deal. After a few more minutes, Marianne excused herself to go to the bathroom, artfully leaving the three of them to get better acquainted. To Amanda’s tremendous relief, it went well. Before long she was helping Emily study for tomorrow’s math test and listening to Kyle run through a list of key dates in the American Revolution.

  As poorly as the day had started, it was ending on a very positive note. Maybe, she thought hopefully, this was a sign of better things to come.

  * * *

  You needed an engineering degree to run this space-age washing machine.

  Muttering to herself, Amanda reread the instructions for the third time and tapped the touch screen, but all she could do was make it spin. No water, no agitator, just spin. Having relied on a service for years, she was sorely out of practice in the laundry department. Determined to figure things out, she glowered at the control panel, as if she could scare it into cooperating.

  Finally, she found the right combination of settings, and water flowed into the tub. She whooped in triumph, then halted mid-celebration. Had she already added the soap? She vaguely recalled hearing a receptionist at her old office complain about using too much detergent in her fancy new washing machine and having to pay a technician to clean it out.

  Sighing in frustration, Amanda waited impatiently, tapping her foot until bubbles appeared in the water. It wasn’t graceful or easy, but she managed to get a couple of loads done and dried that evening. The prize was that she’d be able to wear her own clothes tomorrow.

  It was almost dark when John and Ridge came through the kitchen door, covered in dust and sweat. Without a single word, John headed straight into the downstairs bathroom.

  “Don’t mind him,” Ridge advised wearily. “He’s mad ’cause he had to walk in from that farthest back field when his tractor quit again. How’s it going in here?” He nodded at the piles of laundry spread across the counter.

  She’d never admit how much trouble the simple task had caused her, so she smiled. “Oh, fine. I’m just trying to keep everyone’s clothes straight.”

  “There’s a lot to do,” he commented with a frown. “Sorry about that.”

  “No problem.” After all, the more work there was, the more they needed her. “Is Matt with you guys?”

  “No, he went home a couple hours ago to take over baby duty. Hailey’s been pretty fussy lately, and he wanted to give Caty a break.”

  “Pretty soon, that’ll be you. Two babies will keep you and Marianne pretty busy.”

  “You got that right. Could I talk to you about something?” He motioned her to a seat at the table.

  Nothing good had ever happened to her after an intro like that, but Amanda tamped down her anxiety and tried to look calm as they sat down. “Sure.”

  Folding his hands on the table, he gave her a wry grin. “That didn’t come out well, did it?”

  “That depends,” she hedged. “What did you mean to say?”

  “Marianne and the kids think you’re perfect for us. Even Tucker, from what I hear. I’m pretty easy to please, but I want to be absolutely clear about something.” Amanda prompted him to continue, and he glanced over his shoulder before leaning in to speak more quietly. “I don’t want Marianne left alone, not even for a few minutes. She’ll ins
ist she can manage on her own for a little while. She might even pull rank on you and make it an order.”

  “She doesn’t like being laid up like this,” Amanda added to show she understood. “Besides that, she’s used to being in charge.”

  “Exactly. Plus, she thinks of you like another little sister, and I’m assuming you feel the same way. If she thinks she can do the mom thing on you, she will.”

  Amanda leaned in with a determined look. “She can try all she wants, but it won’t work with me. I’ve been swimming with sharks for years, and she’s got nothing on them.”

  Sitting back, Ridge studied her with a thoughtful expression. Even though she knew it was stupid, she actually held her breath, wondering what kind of decision he’d reach.

  When he offered her a large, scarred hand, her pulse kicked up eagerly. She waited a beat before responding. “You’re already convinced you want me to stay?”

  “Did you mean what you said?”

  “Absolutely. Fudging only leads to trouble, and I’m not looking for any more of that.”

  “Good to know.” Shaking her hand, he stood and said, “Now I’m gonna go enjoy a little Disney time with my family. Good night.”

  “Night, Ridge.”

  She watched him stroll into the living room where Marianne and the kids were lounging on the bed, watching some hilarious cartoon. That such an obviously masculine guy could enjoy a children’s show surprised Amanda, and she couldn’t help smiling. Listening to them talking and laughing gave her a warm, cozy feeling, and she silently thanked the Collinses for offering her a lifeline when she needed one so badly.

  That thought led her to John and his frosty attitude toward her. Would he ever forgive her for ignoring him all these years? She hoped so. The past few months, her so-called friends had deserted her, one by one. None had turned out to be who she thought they were, and she’d reluctantly come to realize she was better off without them.