"Oh, I'm sorry. I had wondered why he retired so young."

Her dad had known something was wrong before anyone did, and sold his practice before he did harm to his patients. At first, Alexandra had thought he was nuts to want to stay home with her mother all day, but then she realized he wasn't playing golf for a reason.

"We're taking good care of him. I'm sure he'd appreciate your concern." If he remembered Ms. La.s.siter at all. His moments of lucidity were becoming further apart, which was depressing.

"It seems like you have a lot going on."

c.r.a.p. Did the woman think she couldn't handle the job? Alexandra should have kept her mouth shut.

You talk too much, Princess.

Alexandra straightened her shoulders. "If you hire me, I won't disappoint you, Ms. La.s.siter."

The woman nodded. "And if you do, you're out. All right, I'll give you a try. Shall we say six months? We'll revisit the terms of your contract after the fall ratings period." She extended a hand.

Alexandra's own hand shook a little as she grasped it. "Thank you."

"You may change your mind once you've tried to deal with Phil."

Chapter 4.

Will wasn't a chi-chi bar type of guy. He was a lot more comfortable sitting in his boxers with a beer in front of the television, not that he did that much either. It was cheaper to drink at home, but it still wasn't cheap. And when he got up at five A.M. every day to work on his own place before he went to work at someone else's at seven, he didn't need a hangover.

Last year he'd bought a beat-up farmhouse on a quiet back road. He got it more for the acreage and the barn so he could store his equipment, but the place was coming along nicely. Every extra penny went into it, but tonight he'd be throwing down fifteen bucks a drink. He hoped the princess would be worth it.

Will checked his watch. Ten-twenty-six. He'd almost cruised by the store Alex worked in, but thought that would be cheesy. He wasn't even sure where it was-he was not a casino guy, aside from chowing down on the occasional burger at Bobby's Burger Palace.

Bar Americain was another Flay enterprise and lots more expensive. It was dark and sleek and posh, and Will felt like he stuck out like a sore thumb. He'd shaved, though, his jeans were clean, and he was wearing his only white b.u.t.ton-down shirt under a navy Brooks Brothers blazer had mother had found at a thrift store. It had been missing all the fancy b.u.t.tons for some reason, but she'd sewn new ones on.

"Hey." The voice behind him was a little breathless. Will turned to see the princess, still in her interview clothes. Her feet must be killing her in those red-soled stilettos.

"So, how'd it go?"

She grinned. Jeez, she had nice teeth. Probably never had to wear braces, either. Will remembered going to sleep with headgear and losing a couple of retainers in the cafeteria trash.

"I got it! For six months anyway. I should still have time to take on other clients if they come along, too. And I quit this job!" She pointed in the general direction of the mall avenue downstairs.

Her smile faded a little. "I probably shouldn't have, but scheduling myself would have been a nightmare, and the pay is much better at La.s.siter Broadcasting. I'll do both until they can find a replacement, but that shouldn't take long. I'll have to visit each station every couple of weeks and organize everyone's on-air wardrobe! I've got so many ideas!"

She was pretty fizzy for sure. Will heard each and every exclamation point. Gone was the snooty young woman he'd crashed into.

"Well, great. Congratulations!"

She wiggled her cute b.u.t.t up on the barstool. "I'll have what you're having!"

"You sure? It's iced tea." He felt a little silly, but he needed the caffeine if he was going to stay up and attempt to be suave.

"That sounds perfect. I never got the chance to eat anything today, and I don't drink and drive if I can help it. I mean, one white wine probably is okay, but why push it?"

Will frowned. "They've stopped serving dinner here."

"Oh, that's okay! I'm too excited to eat anyway!"

"You've got to eat." He waved the bartender over and paid his tab. "C'mon. We'll go to the food court and I'll buy you a sandwich."

"You don't have to-"

"Yes, I do. My mother raised me to be a gentleman." Not every rule had stuck, but with three sisters in the house, Will was pretty familiar with how to treat a woman. And n.o.body could live on excitement alone.

They went down the escalator and Will wondered how she could walk in those sky-high heels. He extended an elbow, and after looking at it as if it were a totally unfamiliar object, Alex took it.

"What's your pleasure? Pizza? A noodle bowl?" he asked.

"Oh, pizza is my all-time favorite food, but doesn't the food court close at eleven too? A sandwich might be faster."

They ordered two smoked turkey and spinach ranch wraps and two waters, wild things that they were, and found a table. Alex bit into her sandwich with relish, belying her objections to him buying her dinner.

"So, when do you start the new job?"

She wiped her mouth with a napkin. So ladylike. The red lipstick from this morning was gone, and she looked softer and much more approachable.

Not that he was going to approach her.

"Next Monday! I'll start in Providence first. Meet the anchors. Talk to them. Take measurements. Contact local stores for possible loans. See what's already in the wardrobe closet. Sometimes if you just tweak the basics, it makes all the difference."

"It's the same thing in construction. Change the backsplash, and you've got a whole new kitchen."

"Exactly! We're on the same page-who'da thunk it?"

"Yeah. I thought we had more of an 'opposites attract' thing going on here."

She put her sandwich down. "Are you saying you're attracted to me?"

How should he play this? Should he goof it off, or tell her ever since he tapped her b.u.mper she'd been in his head all day?

"You must know your effect on a guy by now," Will said, not really incriminating himself.

She wrinkled her nose. "Quite frankly, I haven't had too much luck with guys. One in particular. I married right out of college and he turned out to be a total weasel. I haven't dated in a decade. Not that this is a date."

"Nope. Not a date. At all." Will picked up his water bottle and took a swig. "Just two old friends catching up."

Alex rolled her eyes. "We were hardly friends. You hated me."

"I did not!"

She gave him a withering look. Jeez, her eyes were brown. Strange for a blonde, but then she and Miss Clairol were probably on a first-name basis by now. Her hair was all sorts of blond. Sun-kissed.

c.r.a.p. He was going mental.

"Okay, okay. You-you threw me. I didn't know how to act around you. You were so...pretty. Self-a.s.sured. I was an a.s.shole."

"Yes, you were. Are you still an a.s.shole?"

Will thought about it. "Probably. But not so much of one as I used to be. What is it politicians say? I'm evolving."

"Good to know. I was sort of b.i.t.c.hy back then, too."

Will decided it would be much wiser not to agree. "We ran in different crowds. Ancient history." He snapped his fingers.

She was quiet for a minute, then surprised him. "If you're not going to eat that half of your wrap, I will."

He pushed the paper plate toward her. "Have at it, Pr-uh, Alexandra."

She shot him a genuine smile. "Very good, Garrity."

"Told you I was improving."

He watched her devour his sandwich, then checked his watch. "I hate to be a killjoy, but they're mopping the floor."

"I need to get home anyway. My mother is probably pacing the floor."

"Your mother?" The dragon lady. Everyone around knew Mrs. Elliot. She made sure of it.

Her cheeks flushed. "I live at home. Temporarily. Now that my consulting business is taking off, I hope to get a place of my own soon."

Will loved his mom, but he sure as h.e.l.l couldn't live with her for five minutes, and she was way nicer than Elizabeth Elliot. "What are you looking for? My sister Kelly is a Realtor. She helped me get my house." Buying a foreclosure was not for sissies. Filling out the paperwork had practically put him under.

"Oh! I'm not ready to b-buy. I may not even stay in town."

"Well, let me know. She may be my sister, but she's pretty reputable. She's won all kinds of top producer awards. Here, I've got her card in my wallet." They threw each other business when they could-why not? What were families for?

Alex took it and slipped it into her little red bag. "Thanks. I've got to catch the employee shuttle to the parking lot. It was very nice seeing you again. To catch up." She held out a hand.

Will took it. "Don't forget to call your insurance company."

Her shoulders drooped. "Already done. The adjuster is meeting me tomorrow."

"Let me know if you want me to be there. I can say it was my fault."

"It was your fault!"

"Didn't I just say so?"

"But you didn't mean it."

Will burst out laughing. "Busted. Can I ride the bus with you to your car?"

She shook her head. "That's not allowed." She tapped the badge pinned to her jacket. "They're very big on security here. You look dangerous."

Will didn't feel dangerous. In fact, he was pretty sure Ms. Alexandra Elliott Russell was about to lead him around by his...

Nose.

"Can I see you again?" he asked impulsively.

Her eyebrows met. "I'm going to be awfully busy. Two jobs. Traveling. I don't want to neglect my daughter, either."

She didn't say no.

"But you won't be too busy to eat. You like to eat."

She gave him a little shove. It was friendly. Maybe. "Are you saying I'm a glutton? If you didn't want to give me your sandwich, you should have said so."

"I have a feeling I can't deny you, Princess." Don't deny me, Will thought, as he bent to kiss her.

This was too a date.

Chapter 5.

It was a good thing she was wearing heels, because he was so very much taller than she was.

What was she thinking? She wasn't supposed to be kissing him. She wasn't supposed to be kissing anybody.

But here he was, cupping her cheek, bending over, smelling great. Some kind of citrus aftershave. She'd have to ask what it was if she could ever move her mouth to actually talk again.

His lips were warm and gentle yet insistent, and Alexandra felt she had no choice but to open hers just a little.

Wow.

Yum.

Man. In every sense of the word.