"Uh-oh," father and son said at the same time.

"Mr. Bob . . . ah . . . Mr. Cowboy." She shook her head. "Sir!" she stated primly.

Then all of a sudden she froze and turned to the camera. Travis would have sworn she blanched white.

With an amazing amount of effort, she smiled. "Ha, ha!" she laughed, though she didn't look like she

thought anything was very funny. "You're having fun, right, Cowboy Bob?"

When the cowboy didn't say another word, only glowered, Kate got real nervous-and kind of panicky-then started reeling off facts and figures regarding the desert surroundings with mind-numbing speed. She even said something about the state capital of Texas.

Travis wasn't sure what that had to do with Cowboy Bob or the desert in El Paso, but he had seen his

mom get that way before, saying weird things when she was trying to make up for some kind of mistake.

"Jeez," Travis said, "Kate looks so pathetic and sad and all, that it's hard not to feel sorry for her up on that mangy-looking horse."

Jesse stood and took their plates. "Katie, Katie," he mused, then chuckled as he put the plates in the dishwasher. When he was done, he headed for the back door. Then suddenly he stopped. After a long second and what sounded like a groan, he turned back.

"I guess we need to think about what you are going to do today. I'll call Suzanne."

"Like I said, I don't need anyone to watch me."

"And like I said, I can't leave you here by yourself."

"I could go with you!"

"I'm going to the golf course."

"Even better."

His dad tensed. "Sorry, but I've got to get a couple hours of practice in before the morning's over."

Travis sighed. Jesse hung his head.

"Maybe we could do something together later," Jesse offered.

The young boy perked up. "Wow! Great! You and me can do some kind of real father-son thing!"

To: Katherine Bloom Chloe Sinclair From: Julia Boudreaux Subject: Seeing things Kate, tell me I was seeing things. Chloe, have I lost my mind or was Kate really wearing ankle weights with Cowboy Bob?

Julia To: Julia Boudreaux Katherine Bloom From: Chloe Sinclair Subject: Ankle weights I believe you're correct, Julia. Though I don't think viewers had any idea what they were. I blame you, of course, J, since you know how Kate doesn't do anything halfway.

Chloe To: Chloe Sinclair Julia Boudreaux From: Katherine Bloom Subject: Torso Argh!!!! Chloe, you said it was going to be a torso-only shot!!! The horse was supposed to be decoration. But I know, I know, this isn't anybody's fault but my own. Though with all this effort to make myself over into the new, improved Kate, I swear I'm just making things worse! Sorry!

Katherine C. Bloom News Anchor, KTEX TV West Texas To: Katherine Bloom Chloe Sinclair From: Julia Boudreaux Subject: re: Torso Actually I think it was kind of cute. Getting caught wearing ankle weights makes you very real. So don't worry about it.

xo, j p.s. I saw Parker yesterday. All I can say is that if you don't want him, then I wish you'd cut him loose. He really is divine.

To: Julia Boudreaux Chloe Sinclair From: Katherine Bloom Subject: Parker I'm having lunch with him today. Kate

Six.

She needed a plan. Some brilliant idea for a show segment that would wow the viewing audience. But what?

Something without any sort of man involved-naked or otherwise.

Something that she actually enjoyed.

Something that would make her forget the fact that she had lost her mind and worn ankle weights on live television.

What had she been thinking?

Kate groaned. She hadn't been thinking. Who in their right mind wore ankle weights anywhere besides the privacy of their own home or at a gym?

She walked into the Hacienda restaurant at 1:00 on the nose. She had changed into a white cotton

blouse and straight skirt to battle the heat.

"Kate." Parker stood up from the table when she approached, his warm smile instantly putting her at ease.

"I was surprised when you called," he added, holding her chair.

Standing so close, she was reminded of how tall he was, how solid and handsome. He wore a light blue

pinstriped shirt with a burgundy tie. As the oldest son of the Newland Hammond family, he had taken over the running of Hammond Industries when his father had retired three years ago. He was one of El Paso's most sought after bachelors. But he had made it clear his only interest was her.

"I wanted to see you," she said.

He tilted his head slightly and nodded. "I'm glad."

After they ordered, he leaned back and looked at her. "You look great, as usual."

She almost told him that he did, too, because he did. Sun beat in through one of the hundred-year-old windows, the Rio Grande only a stone's throw away from this building that had once been a fort in the 1800s. The adobe and rustic wood reminded her of the rich mixture of Texan and Hispanic cultures in this town she loved so much.

When Parker reached across and took her hand, after a moment of surprise, she smiled with an amazed contentment when she realized that this was real life. Quiet moments shared with people she cared about.

It was astounding how easy it was to talk to him. During a meal of enchiladas and crisp tacos filled with shredded beef and lettuce, they laughed and shared stories of growing up in El Paso. When he offered her a bite of his chile relleno, she accepted, taking the morsel from the fork that he held out to her. By the end, over coffee and a dessert of flan, Kate had forgotten all about Cowboy Bob.

Parker walked her to the car, took her keys, and opened the door. She started to get in, then turned back to thank him. He was standing right there.

The sun shone against his face, his green eyes bright like freshly mown grass. And when he leaned forward, he kissed her. Soft and gentle, pleasant and warm.

When he pulled back, his gaze met hers. "I'm glad you called."

"So am I."

Driving away, she knew that she really was glad. Parker was everything Julia said. Divine, kind, and safe. No, not safe. Julia had never said safe. But somehow that was the word that kept playing over and over again in Kate's mind. Safe, unlike Jesse. Good, in contrast to Jesse's bad boy life.

She returned to the office, got some work done, then headed home. She parked in the shade cast by one of the old cottonwood trees in the yard. The smell of honeysuckle and oleander blossoms mixed with the high summer heat. When she got to the back door, she could see through the screen into the kitchen. A slow, deep breath ran through her at the sight of Jesse standing at the opened refrigerator, his forearm braced against the top as he peered inside.

He stood in profile, the deep gold afternoon sunlight highlighting the sharp planes of his face, the chiseled jaw, the nearly perfect patrician nose. Finely carved muscles emerged from beneath the sleeve of the golf shirt that hung loose from his shorts, his strong thighs braced. She sensed a restlessness in his long limbs today, like he was a caged animal ready to pounce.

There was nothing calm or safe about him.

The minute she pulled open the screen, he glanced over at her. His eyes flashed with darkness.

"Hi, honey, I'm home," she said, trying for light and fun to cover how disconcerted he made her feel.

He looked tired, every ounce of his bad boy ease gone.

She studied him. "Hard day at the office?" .

She didn't understand the intensity that flared on his face. His eyes narrowed, then they opened as he took a breath, and like magic, the storm was gone. A second later, his lips crooked in a smile.

"Me? Have a hard day?" He laughed, the sound deep and confident. "I think you've forgotten who you're talking to. The guy who doesn't have a care in the world."

She knew she hadn't imagined the darkness. "Jesse, are you sure there isn't anything wrong?"

He closed the refrigerator door and leaned back against it. "Not a thing. Though I'll let you make

something up if it would make you feel better."

"Funny. I would not feel better."

"Good. Now tell me about your day."

She studied him for one last second before she lifted her shoulder in a semi-shrug. "My day was fine.

Better than fine. In fact, it was great, couldn't be better."

His grin ticked up even higher. "I can tell." He pushed away from the refrigerator and walked over to the pantry like he owned the place. "Your mom called."

The gears in her head shifted. "How do you know?" she asked, her mouth dropping open in confusion.

He glanced back at her. "The phone rang. I answered."

"Just like that?"

"Are there new rules to answering the phone since I left Texas?" He started rummaging around in the

pantry.

Kate scowled. "You can't just. . . just. . . come back here and act like everything is the same. It isn't the same as it used to be. We aren't kids anymore."

"So you're saying I shouldn't have answered the phone?"

"Be serious."

"I am." He came out of the pantry with a screwdriver in his hand. "I take it you don't want to hear her