His frown told her he wondered why she was asking so many questions. "No. Hardly any, as a matter of fact. I'd pretty much decided I didn't need anyone again. But then I came back here and saw you again, Kara. And everything changed."

"Did it?"

He nodded firmly. "What's wrong, hon?"

Hell, she didn't know what was wrong-aside from the fact that she was falling and falling hard. For him, for Tyler, for this whole dream he'd planted in her mind. It was growing too fast, unfurling skyward like Jack's bean stalk and carrying her hopes into the clouds as it grew. She was afraid to climb to the top, afraid she would find one giant heartbreak, instead of dreams come true.

But she couldn't very well tell him all that.

"Nothing's wrong," she said. "I was just curious."

He nodded but seemed to be studying her. "I think you're worried. Maybe a little unsure of me. You shouldn't be, Kara. Maybe...maybe if I tell you my plans for the day, you'd feel better."

"You have plans?"

He nodded. "Our dinner by the falls got ruined last night. And I had such big hopes for that. I'll make it up to you tonight, I promise."

"Please...you don't have to apologize for that. I...you were worried about Tyler."

"I still am," he said. "That's why one of my first errands today is going to be to see your local police chief, Earl Wheatly."

"I thought your first stop would be to visit Colby in the hospital."

He nodded. "You're right. That's where I'm meeting Wheatly."

"To talk about the case," she surmised.

"Among other things."

She blinked and searched his face. "What other things, Jimmy?"

"Last night, while we were in the hospital waiting room, Chief Wheatly told me how impressed he'd been with my work out there. My observations about the tire marks, the duct tape residue, all of that." He shrugged. "He offered me a spot on the Tucker Lake-Big Falls Police Department."

The fork she'd been holding fell to the floor. "Jimmy, you can't be serious."

"I'm very serious." He drew a breath, sighed deeply, slid his arms around her waist. "To be honest, I've been thinking about getting Tyler out of Chicago for a while now. My job there is too demanding. I'm away from him too much of the time, and there's always a fair chance I might not make it home to him." He looked toward the bedroom. "The change in him since we've been here in Big Falls is amazing. He's happy, Kara. It's the first time I've been able to look at my son and see that he's truly, honest-to-God happy. I can't take that away from him."

She nodded slowly. "You'd do anything for him, wouldn't you?" She asked the question softly, already knowing the answer.

"Of course I would. Wouldn't you if he were yours?"

A smile tugged at her lips. "I would even though he's not mine."

His eyes moved over her face, and she wasn't sure if they were searching or caressing. It felt like a little of both. Out of the blue, he leaned down and pressed his lips to hers for a long, slow, wonderful kiss that left her head spinning and her heart pounding. "Tonight, beautiful Kara. A special dinner, just you and me. And afterward, I promise, you won't have any more reason to doubt this thing that's happening between us."

She lowered her eyes, wishing to heaven it were true but knowing she had reasons for doubt all the same. Maybe more reasons than she'd had before.

He reached past her to flick off the burners, and she realized she'd been so distracted the food had been in danger of burning.

"And as an added bonus, I'm going to get that fence put up for you today." He said it quickly, releasing her and turning to a cupboard to take down a handful of plates.

She arched her brows. "All in one day?"

"I thought I'd see if Wade wanted to come over and help out." He set the table while she scooped the last of the pancakes onto the platter nearby. She brought the platter and a smaller one holding the golden-brown sausage links to the table while Jimmy opened the fridge for margarine, maple syrup and orange juice.

"Maybe Tyler should spend the day with me today then," Kara said.

She saw the way Jimmy froze halfway through filling a juice glass. He didn't look at her, just seemed to shake himself before finishing the task. "He won't be a problem here."

"You're going to take him with you to the police department?" she asked, watching him carefully now. "Have you even talked to him about this mother of his, Jimmy?"

"No. He...he only knows she left us. Nothing more."

"Then you don't really want him around, maybe overhearing your conversation with Chief Wheatly, do you?" She shrugged. "Besides, I'm going to be at the Corral all day. We're doing inventory. Maya and the twins will be there. And Edie and Sally. He can ride the mechanical bull and play with the kids and the dog. The place will be closed to the public. He'll have a blast."

Jim drew a breath, lifted his head.

"You do trust me to take care of him, don't you?" she said.

"Sure I do." He turned and met her eyes. "I really do, Kara."

"Jimmy, it's okay to be honest with me. I understand-after what a woman you loved and trusted did to your baby, it's no wonder you have a few scars. But Jimmy, I'm not a drug addict. And I don't lie. Especially not to you. And besides all that, there's nothing I wouldn't do to protect that little angel."

"I know that. I know. And any other woman would have been insulted and angry at me for hesitating." He ran a hand through her hair. "It's been a long time since I've trusted anyone with Tyler's well-being. Even with the nannies over the past few years-I've run background checks, had nanny-cams all over the apartment. But it's different with you. I do trust you. It's just...tough to get used to the idea, you know?"

"I know."

"How about this? You take him with you to the Corral this morning while I go into town. I'll meet you there around lunch-time. I'll bring pizza, enough for everyone. Then I'll head back here to work on that fence and bring him with me."

"Sounds great," she said.

"Good. Thank you for understanding." He reached for her, and she thought he was going to kiss her again. But just before he pulled her close, a little voice interrupted them.

"Hey, you guys didn't have breakfast without me, didja?"

Kara smiled and stepped easily away from Jimmy to bend down to Tyler. He wasn't wearing his leg braces, had scooted out to the kitchen on his backside instead.

She scooped him up. "I made pancakes. And after that you and I are going to spend the morning together while your dad takes care of some business. How does that sound?"

"Are we going to see the ponies?"

"Nope. Ponies are tomorrow. After PT. Today we've got other fun things to do. And my mother will be there and-"

"Gramma Vi?"

She blinked and shot a look at Jimmy to weigh his reaction to that. He looked surprised but not unpleasantly so. "Did she tell you to call her that, Ty?" she asked.

"Uh-huh."

"That's pretty neat. She only asks people she really likes to call her Gramma Vi."

"I never had no gramma before. I think it's cool."

She set him in his chair and pushed it up close to the table. "The twins are going to be there, too. And your dad's bringing pizza later."

"Alllll right!"

Kara took a chair and felt Jimmy's gaze. She turned to see him standing there, looking from her to Tyler and back again, pensive and deep in thought for a long moment. Then he saw her watching him and seemed to snap out of it. He took a seat and dug into the stack of pancakes.

Jim came out of the hospital feeling very good about things. Colby was awake, still hurting and a little groggy but much more himself than he had been before. Enough to ID Vinnie as his abductor and the man who gave the order to have him killed. He also gave a good description of the thug who'd shoved his Blazer over the drop.

What surprised Jim was Colby's insistence that he would have been killed if not for Ang. She'd felt sorry for him and loosened the tape on his wrists. It was enough to save his life. He also insisted she was unaware of Vinnie's plan to have him killed.

There was no longer any doubt. Vinnie and Ang were being hunted by every cop in Oklahoma. They'd have to lie low, and any attempt they made to get to him or to Tyler would get them nailed. It was a load off Jim's mind. He'd feel better once they were caught and locked up, but this was a good start.

After he'd seen Colby, he'd spent some time with Wheatly. The chief promised him a job as soon as he was ready, provided it was within the month. He had a slot opening up that would need filling. Jim didn't intend for it to take that long. Hell, when this notion of accepting the chief's offer had first occurred to him, he hadn't intended for the new job to last more than a year either. In a year, he'd thought, he would have convinced Kara to leave this town and he could get back to his life in Chicago.

But after returning to the house last night, after holding her, after that breakfast this morning-hell, everything inside him was changing. And when he'd told Kara how happy Tyler was here, happier than he'd ever been, he'd realized the words were utterly true. And now he didn't know what the hell his long-term plan was.

Except for one thing. He was going marry Kara Brand. And that plan, he thought, was going well. He didn't think she would turn him down.

He drove back to Big Falls, parked the pickup in a public lot that took up space behind the local businesses, hoping it wouldn't be spotted there. This had to be a surprise, and it wouldn't take long. He locked the pickup and hurried into the local jewelry store.

"Well, well. This is a pleasant surprise," said a slender salt-and-pepper-haired man with a neat beard. He came from behind the counter and extended a hand. "Mr. Corona, isn't it?"

Jim took the hand he offered. "I'm sorry, do I know you?"

"No, no, we haven't met. But you know how small towns are. Everyone knows everything. You've been pointed out to me once or twice. I'm Barlow, by the way. Milton Barlow."

"Well, Mr. Barlow, I certainly hope the small-town gossip mill isn't going to get wind of the purchase I'm going to make here today. Because it's a surprise."

"For Miss Brand?"

Jim lifted his brows. "Yeah. Man, everyone around here really does know everything, don't they?"

"Rest easy, Mr. Corona. No one will hear about this from me. So what are you in the market for? A tennis bracelet, perhaps? We just got in some earrings that are absolutely-"

"A ring," Jim told the man. "An engagement ring."

Milton Barlow's jaw dropped. He quickly snapped it shut again and then hurried toward the back of the shop, calling, "Follow me."

Surprised, Jim followed. The man opened a door and ushered him through it into a cozy office. "Now, you just sit here. That way folks who pass on the streets won't glimpse you through the windows. God knows, that would get the speculation started. When do you plan to ask her?"

"Tonight," Jim said.

"Good. Good. Any longer and I can't guarantee she won't hear about it before you do."

"Well, all due respect, Mr. Barlow, but how am I going to pick out a ring from in here?"

Barlow smiled. It was a big, wonderful smile, accompanied by him clasping his hands together under his chin and closing his eyes. "Trust me," he said. "I know that girl. Kara comes in here, oh, once every three or four months. Makes up some excuse, you know. Buys a gift for one of her sisters or her mother, that dear woman. But she always spends time looking at the diamond rings."

Jim lifted his brows. "She does? Any particular ring?"

Barlow's eyes popped open and he nodded hard and fast. "Oh, yes. One particular ring. I'll show you!" Then he spun around and all but skipped out of the office.

The others were still in the back counting cases of stir sticks and napkins. Kara was in the front with the kids-they'd been taking shifts. You couldn't leave the twins out of sight for two seconds under normal circumstances without risking disaster. But it was even more important now to keep an eye on the children. Oh, Jim had said he didn't expect any further trouble from his ex-wife and her sleazy cohort, but Kara wasn't taking any chances.

Ty had ridden the mechanical bull several times. Last year Wade had tinkered with the thing, giving it an extreme-gentle setting so the kids could enjoy it without getting hurt. He was a genius with anything mechanical.

Now Ty sat on the floor beside his coloring book and crayons and unbuckled the straps on his leg braces.

Frowning, Kara went over and sat down beside him. "Hey, pal. What's the matter, they bothering you?"

"They hurt," he said.

She didn't like hearing that. "Just today, hon? Maybe they're on too tight."

"Nah." He removed the metal contraption from one leg, then started working on the other one. "They pretty much hurt all the time. The braces are heavy and they rub."

She helped him take off the other brace, then ran her hands gently over his achy legs, careful not to hurt. "I'm sorry, hon. It's not fair you have to hurt all the time."

"Tyler hurts all the time?"

Kara turned and saw that Selene had come into the front carrying a handful of juice boxes-not the popular name-brand either. These were stamped with the Certified Organic seal of approval. She poked the straws into the boxes and handed them to the twins and one to Tyler.

"What do you do for that, Ty?" Selene asked.

"Nothing we can do. I just hafta be tough a little while longer."

"Care if I give something a try?"

"Selene, I'm not sure-"

"Keep massaging him, Kara. It's helping." She went behind the counter for her purse, rummaged around inside and pulled out a smooth egg-shaped stone.

Kara closed her eyes. Only her sister, she thought, would carry a rock around in her purse.

She cradled the stone in her hand, sat down on the floor beside Tyler. "This is kind of a magic stone," she told him.

"It is?" His eyes were huge.

"Uh-huh. Watch this." She moved the stone to his leg and then slid it carefully over him, stopping for seemingly no reason and then moving the stone in small circles. "Hair and hide, nerve and bone, no more pain than a stone." She spoke the words softly in a rhythmic tone and repeated them over and over. Then she stopped and slid the stone farther up his leg, stopping at another spot and repeating the process.

"Hey," Tyler said. "How do you know every place it hurts?"

"I can feel it," she said. "It kind of pulses in those spots. Feels a little hotter and there's a-hmm, how do I describe this?-a vibration." She held up her free hand, palm flat, and made it shake to show him what she meant.

"You can feel all that?"