"This was different."

Katie grinned. "Because Ryan was there," she guessed. "Ah, the things we do for love."

"I'm not in love with him," Maggie protested. She was fascinated, curious, in l.u.s.t...but love? No way. She might believe in it, but she wanted to get the rest of her life in order first.

"Just halfway there?"

"Not even halfway," Maggie insisted, though the memory of that bone-melting kiss they'd shared sent heat shimmering through her all over again. "He's an attractive man and a decent, complicated guy. I want to get to know him."

"In the carnal sense, I imagine," Katie said slyly.

"Katie O'Brien, you shouldn't say such things," Maggie protested indignantly.

"Well, if you don't, you're crazy." She handed Maggie the mug of nuked chocolate with four marshmallows jammed on top.

"Let's drop the topic of Ryan Devaney for the moment," Maggie said. "What about you? With everyone around, we hardly had a chance to talk over Thanksgiving. Any man in your life?"

"Not even one on the horizon," Katie said. "It makes Dad very happy."

"But you like your job, right? You're happy teaching?"

Katie grinned. "I love the kids, even if Dad does think that teaching kindergarten is little more than glorified baby-sitting. They're so eager to learn at that age. And the school is small enough that I can really get to know each child and figure out the best way to get through to him."

"You're more like Mom than any of the rest of us. You have endless patience and a real knack for making learning fun."

"Thanks," her sister said, clearly pleased by the praise. "But it's going to be way too easy to wind up in a rut. Next thing I know, I'll be forty and single and wondering what happened. It doesn't help that most of the people I know these days are female teachers and moms."

"Oh, please," Maggie scoffed. "I don't think you need to worry about that yet."

Katie regarded her with a knowing expression. "Isn't that what brought you home? Didn't you wake up one day and realize that you were dissatisfied with your life?"

Maggie thought about it. "In a way, I suppose. I wasn't meeting interesting people, and the work was boring. I wasn't making use of half the skills I learned when I got my MBA. I needed a new challenge."

"Like I said, you were dissatisfied. Any idea what you'll do next? Will you go back to Maine?"

"I've kept the house for the time being, but I don't know. It's going to be hard to find the kind of work I really want."

"Which is?"

"Something where I can make better use of my degree and my people skills."

"Like running a pub?" Katie inquired slyly.

Maggie laughed, thinking of her earlier attempt to convince Ryan to update his accounting methods or even to reorganize his inventory. "If I decide on that, I suspect I'll have to find someplace other than Ryan's," she said wryly. "He balks at the prospect of changing the least little thing."

Katie laughed. "You've already tried, haven't you? What did you do, start messing with his accounting procedures?"

"I just recommended that he consider computerizing his bookkeeping."

"And he told you to buzz off?"

"More or less."

"So, of course, the next time you go, you'll take along a few sample spreadsheets and show him how simple it would be," Katie guessed.

Maggie took the joking suggestion seriously. "Actually, not a bad idea."

"Oh, Mags," Katie said with a shake of her head. "Telling a man he's doing something all wrong is not the way to win his heart. Of course, maybe you'd rather have a job than his heart."

"Why does it have to be an either-or situation?"

"Because he's a man," Katie said wisely.

Maggie sighed. "He is definitely that."

Katie regarded her speculatively. "Have you kissed him?"

At Maggie's blush, she hooted. "You have, haven't you? Was it great?"

"Oh, yes," Maggie murmured. "Better than great."

"Then forget about the man's financial system. Concentrate on what's important."

"And that would be?"

"If you don't know," Katie said with a pitying expression, "then nothing I can say will help."

She stood up, gave Maggie a peck on the cheek and announced, "I'm going to bed. You coming?"

Maggie shook her head. "Not just yet."

A worried frown creased Katie's brow. "Mags, don't a.n.a.lyze this to death."

"More advice from the woman who doesn't have a man in her life?"

"Yes," Katie said, her expression serious. "Take it from someone who a.n.a.lyzed the love of her life right out the door."

She swept out of the room before an openmouthed Maggie could comment. This was the first Maggie had heard about her baby sister losing the man of her dreams. Had anyone in the family known? As far as Maggie knew, everyone had a.s.sumed Katie was happily playing the field, years away from wanting to settle down, just as their father preferred. Apparently, they were all wrong. None of them had even suspected that she'd met the man of her dreams, much less lost him.

Adding worry about Katie's unexpected revelation to her already churning thoughts about Ryan's kiss, Maggie concluded it was going to be a very long night.

Since Jack Reilly hadn't stopped by the pub on Friday night, Ryan set out to track him down first thing Sat.u.r.day morning. He was actually relieved to have something to do that might keep his mind off of Maggie, at least for a couple of hours. He doubted there was anything that could banish her from his thoughts permanently, not after that kiss they'd shared.

He found the private investigator on a basketball court a few blocks away, shooting hoops with a bunch of neighborhood kids. When he spotted Ryan, he pa.s.sed the ball to one of the boys and loped over to meet him.

"Thank heavens you came along. They were wearing me out," he said, bending down to catch his breath. "Don't know when I got to be so out of shape."

"Too many nights on a barstool?" Ryan asked.

"I don't think a couple of ales account for it. Probably the cigarettes." He grabbed a towel from a bench and wiped his face. "What brings you over here? Were you looking for me?"

Ryan nodded. "I need your expertise." He explained about Let.i.tia Monroe and her son. "Think you can track down the father?"

"If he's using credit cards or gotten a new job, I can probably locate him by the end of the day," Jack said, then held up his hand when Ryan started to say something. "But if somebody really wants to get lost, there won't be much I can do to find them."

"I doubt he gave this enough thought to hide out for long," Ryan said. "I think it was an impulsive decision. He probably just got scared and ran. Sooner or later he'll have to do something for money. They didn't have much. Now Mrs. Monroe and the kid are at the St. Mary's shelter."

One of the boys, taking a break to drink some water, overheard. "You talking about Lamar's dad?"

Ryan nodded. "You know him?"

"Yeah. He used to work with my old man till he quit his job and took off."

"Has your dad mentioned anything about where he might have gone?" Jack asked him.

The boy regarded him warily. "He ain't in no trouble, is he?"

"Not the way you mean," Ryan a.s.sured him.

"Then you might try checking around down by the docks. Sometimes you can pick up day work there. My dad said that's what he told him. He said old man Monroe just needed some time to think."

Jack gave the boy a high-five. "Thanks, Rick. I owe you."

"Does that mean you'll give me another lesson on that fancy computer of yours?" the boy asked hopefully.

"Meet me at my place at five. I can spend an hour or so with you then," Jack promised.

A grin split the boy's face. "All right!"

Jack shook his head as the gawky kid, who kept tripping over his own feet, moved back onto the basketball court. "Never seen a kid so eager to learn. I find him on my doorstep half a dozen times a week, hoping I'll show him how to do things on the computer. He's getting so he can do a search and turn up things I never even thought to look for. Pretty soon, he'll he'll be giving be giving me me lessons." lessons."

"You think there's anything to his suggestion about looking for Lamar's dad down by the docks?"

"No way of telling till I go down there. I'll go now, then stop by the pub and let you know what I find out. When's the kid's surgery?"

"It's not scheduled yet, but I imagine it'll be in the next week or two. It's a risky procedure. The boy needs to know his father's there for him."

"Then we'll find a way to make that happen," Jack said confidently.

"You need a retainer?" Ryan asked.

"No way. This one's on me. Just make sure there's a cold ale waiting for me when I get there later."

"Thanks, Jack."

"Hey, not a problem. I can't have the neighborhood thinking you're the only good guy around. I need my share of those babes who are always circling around you. h.e.l.l, I'd even take one of Rory's rejects."

Ryan laughed. "You pick out any woman in the pub and I'll introduce you."

"I saw a redhead in there the night before Thanksgiving..." Jack began.

Ryan stiffened. "Except her," he said.

Jack's gaze narrowed. "What's up with that? Is she married?"

"No."

"Engaged?"

"No."

A grin spread across Jack's face. "Yours?"

Ryan hesitated, then sighed. "Could be." Whether he wanted it that way or not.

Maggie walked into the pub shortly after three in the afternoon lugging a laptop, a portable printer and a package of paper. Rory came out of the kitchen, took one look at her and rushed over to take some of the load.

"You trying to get a hernia?" he demanded. "What is all this stuff?"

"I wanted to make a point with Ryan. Is he around?"

"He went by the shelter. He should be back soon." He paused in the middle of the room. "Where do you want this?"

"In his office," she said at once.

Rory shook his head. "I don't think that's such a good idea."

"Why not?"

"n.o.body goes in Ryan's office without an invitation."

"Why is that?"

"Because he says so," Rory said simply. "And since something tells me he's not going to be real happy to see all this fancy technological stuff, anyway, maybe you better not start off on the wrong foot by busting in there when he's not around."

Maggie considered the advice. "You could have a point. Set it on the end of the bar. There's bound to be a plug nearby."

Rory shook his head again. "If I were you, I'd pick a real dark corner."

Maggie laughed. "The bar will do."