She was being ridiculous. So she had reacted when he'd touched her. Part of it had been the shock of a flashlight being shined in her face, and part of it had been... it had been the idea of Chase Jordan, rather than the man himself. She would be fine. Driving a person home when they had car trouble was just something you did, especially when he was your neighbor.

"I-I can give you a ride home," Abby said, coming to a stop.

Chase nearly bumped into her, but managed to stop a few inches away from her. He flashed the light up slightly to illuminate them rather than the ground. He peered at her for a moment, then asked, "Are you sure?"

"Yes, of course. It's certainly on my way."

Chase studied her a moment longer, then slowly nodded. "Okay. I'd appreciate it."

They started to walk again, Chase aiming the light so Abby could see the tree roots and rocks littering their path. As they came to her car, he stepped forward to open the door for her. But the door was locked. It seemed to surprise him.

"Oh, it's locked," Abby said. Like he hadn't figured that out. She fumbled in her jacket pocket and found the keys. She tried to get the key in the lock, but her hands trembled.

Gently, Chase took the keys from her hand, and with one try, opened the door.

Abby slipped past him, making sure she gave his body a wide berth. She started to pull the door shut behind her, but Chase was already pushing it closed. It was a simple action, but it gave her pause. No one had ever opened and closed the car door for her, or any door for that matter. Not even Nelson. She wasn't used to having anyone do things for her. It was unnerving.

Chase startled her out of her contemplation by knocking on the passenger-side window. She just stared at him, until he aimed his flashlight to the door lock.

"Oh!" Abby said aloud and reached over to pull up the lock.

Much to her dismay, her theory that Chase's presence in her car would be potentially dangerous was absolutely true. He hadn't even gotten in the car yet, and she was losing her mind.

And worse was yet to come. She hadn't been able to get her key in the door lock; how on earth was she supposed to get it in the ignition?

It did take several tries, but Abby finally managed to, and they were on their way.

After several seconds of driving, Chase broke the awkward silence. "I know I had a bad reputation in high school, but I didn't grow up to be a serial killer or anything."

Abby shot him a quick, wide-eyed look. "What-what makes you say that?"

"You're on pins and needles. Even in the dark, I can see how white your knuckles are from clutching the

steering wheel. Relax. I promise I won't attack you. I won't even make conversation if you don't want me to."

Again, Abby cast him a glance. "Why would I mind you making conversation?"

Chase shifted, and she swore she could feel his body heat drifting toward her.

"I just get the feeling you don't have much use for the folks in this town."

Abby was startled by both his candidness and his accuracy. "I-" She wasn't sure how to respond. She cleared her throat and started again. "I don't have very fond memories of Millbrook."

She saw Chase nod out of the corner of her eye.

"Growing up can be rough."

"Yes, it can," she agreed.

"But we all grow up, and hopefully, get a little wiser."

Abby frowned. "Do you think you're wiser?"

Chase laughed, the sound a little deriding, but still velvety against the vinyl interior of her car. "Damn, I

hope I'm wiser, because I was a total idiot in high school."

"Why do you say that?"

"I did terrible in school. I parried too much. I got into a lot of trouble."

"And you were also good-looking, popular and... cool."

He laughed again, the sound still filled with derision. "Yeah, well, those things can take you only so far in

life. And certainly not as far as hard work and intelligence."

She was silent for a moment, and then said something she'd never said to anyone. "Intelligence can take you places-or it can isolate you."

Chase seemed to ponder her words, then he said, "I don't think intelligence isolates you, but I think you

can use it to isolate yourself."

"Either way, a perfect score on your SATs isn't going to win you prom queen."

Chase shuddered. "Who wants to be prom queen anyway? Besides, high school is far behind us. I bet if

you gave the folks of Millbrook a chance you'd see they weren't anything like the twerpy kids you remember."

That wasn't a wager Abby was interested in taking.

They were silent until she parked on the street outside their houses. She started to turn to say good night,

but Chase spoke first.

"So you thought I was good-looking, huh?" His disparagement was gone, replaced by a teasing smile.

The effect of that smile on Abby's heart rate was instantaneous. "You know very well you were," she

finally answered, a slight smile touching her own lips.

"So what do you think now?"

"You're passably handsome."

He looked wounded. "Well, I guess I'll just have to show you that I'm still at least as cool as I was in

high school."

Abby shot him a confused look. "How do you plan to do that?"

"Why don't you go out with me tomorrow, and I'll show you?"

Abby's heart was no longer skipping a beat, speeding up, or jumping in her chest. It had stopped. Had

Chase Jordan just asked her on a date?

Suddenly graduation night flashed through her mind. Maybe this was just another setup, another chance to make a fool out of one of the Stepp sisters. He'd said that the people she remembered in Millbrook had changed. But again, it wasn't a chance she was willing to take.

"I'm sorry, I can't. I have a significant other." She could have sworn she saw disappointment in Chase's eyes, but it was quickly masked behind an easy smile.

"Well, if you ever just want to hang out and see some of the old gang, let me know. I appreciate the ride." He got out of the car, and she followed suit.

"Good night," Abby said, feeling awkward and anxious and disappointed with herself that she hadn't accepted his invitation for a date. But it was the right thing to do- she was here to work, and she did have a boyfriend.

"Good night," Chase replied and headed across the street to his house. His strides were loose and relaxed, completely at odds with Abby's measured steps. She literally felt dizzy. How could he make her feel so disoriented?

She made it into the house without her knees giving out and when she turned to close the door, she noticed Chase standing on his porch watching her. He waved, and she waved back. He opened his door and disappeared inside.

Abby closed the door and rested her head on the frame.

Coming back to Millbrook was becoming far stranger than she ever could have imagined.

Chapter 5.

"So wait a minute, let me get this right. You asked out the very woman who-just two days ago-you said you weren't going to pursue," Mason said, then took a bite of his sandwich. Chase nodded, as he swallowed the fry he'd just popped in his mouth. "Yes, and now the pursuit is truly off. She has a boyfriend-or something."

"Or something? What's a something? Is she a lesbian?"

Chase shook his head, but a chuckle escaped him. "No, I don't think Abby's a lesbian."

"The lesbian thing could be good. Maybe you could convince her to get a little three-way thing going,"

Mason suggested, wiggling his eyebrows.

"You know, you're starting to worry me."

Mason sighed. "Yeah, I'm starting to worry myself. But to be honest, I haven't met anyone who really

does much for me. I think Maria got my sex drive in the divorce too."

"Well, she did have you by the balls," Chase said with a smirk, before taking another bite of his burger.

"Ha-ha," Mason said dryly, without any real offense. "So, that's it. No more Abby?"

No more Abby. There hadn't even been any Abby, but damn did he want there to be. When he had