"Office? I thought you played football."

He grinned, showing off his dimples in the process-dimples he had no business possessing.

"I can't play football forever, which is why three years ago, a couple of the guys and me started a real estate company."

She tried not to look impressed. "How's business?"

"Better than expected. We just hired a full-time Real Estate Appraiser and a Property Manager for our commercial deals since we'll need some extra help once we're back on the practice field next week."

"I see."

"I'm hungry," Jonathan said as he entered the kitchen.

"Almost ready," she told him. She was about to ask Cole to grab a spoon from the drawer when he said, "DLS Incorporated, a California Reproductive Service."

Her eyes widened.

"Helping clients start families for over twenty-five years with the largest number of anonymous donors in the country." He held up the brochure. "What's this?"

She set down the spatula, snatched the brochure out of his hand, and tucked it into her back hip pocket. "None of your business. That's what."

"That's a brochure for a sperm bank."

"Come on kids," she called, ignoring him, "time for breakfast."

Cole picked up Jonathan and placed him in a chair at the table before he followed Lindsay into the living room. Tucking one twin under each arm, he followed her back into the kitchen. "You're seriously considering using a donor?"

Lindsay sat Becky at the table next to Jonathan while Cole tried to get the twins into their seats and keep them there.

"I think you'd be making a big mistake," he said as she poured orange juice into plastic cups.

Next, Lindsay grabbed the pan of eggs from the stove. "I think I'd be making a mistake if I didn't. I'm thirty-one years old. For as long as I can remember I've wanted a child of my own. I've put a lot of thought into this and I can tell you, without a doubt in my mind, I am doing the right thing."

"Did you consider adoption?"

As she placed a spoonful of scrambled eggs onto each kid's plate, she nodded, and said, "I've been on a waiting list for over two years. I keep getting passed up for two-parent families. I'm done waiting." She looked into his bluish gray eyes and said, "Unless maybe you're interested in helping me out?"

His eyes nearly crossed. Judging by the look on his face, she'd found his Achilles heel. One of the kids threw a piece of scrambled egg at his face and it bounced off of his nose and onto the floor.

"Just a thought," she said, trying not to laugh at the freaked out look still etched on his face. Lindsay then turned her attention on Jonathan and said, "Now what have I told you about throwing food."

Max held the front door open and said good morning as Kari entered the house. Today, she noticed, he had on a pair of distressed designer jeans and a fitted moss green polo shirt that showed off his well worked biceps. He shut the door and looked at his watch. "I was beginning to think you were going to be a no show."

"I'm sorry I'm late. I'll have to make up the time since I do have a contract to fulfill." She wondered if the man ever had a bad hair day.

"A contract?"

She nodded. "A verbal contract between myself and Dr. Stone. I promised him I would provide a certain number of hours while I guide you in making smart food choices every day."

"Ah...I see...you're all business."

"I do want to thank you for yesterday. Thanks to you and Cole, Molly had a wonderful party."

"She's a great kid. You've done an incredible job."

She looked away. Guilt threatened to strangle her. "Thanks."

He raised his hand to the wall behind her, trapping her between his chest and the door. "What are we working on today?" He leaned his head low enough for her to inhale some of his earthy cologne. "I was sort of hoping we could..."

Pushing gently at his chest, she said, "We need to talk." Before he could respond, she headed for the kitchen, her favorite place, a room where she almost always felt safe. But something was different today.

"Mom," Max said. "I'd like you to meet Kari Murphy."

Kari's body tensed as her gaze shot past the granite island in the center of the kitchen and landed on Max's mother.

Damn. Max's family wasn't due to arrive until tomorrow. Max's mother didn't blink. She looked as stunned as Kari felt. Other than a few strands of gray running through the woman's dark brown hair, his mother had hardly changed. It seemed like only yesterday when she handed the woman a letter addressed to Max.

"Nice to meet you," Mrs. Dutton said, regaining her composure and reaching out to take Kari's hand in hers. "Max told us all about you."

Seconds felt like hours as Max's mother held her gaze and gave her an all-knowing look that spoke volumes. Instinct told Kari that not only did the woman remember her, she didn't like her.

"How is my boy's health?" Mrs. Dutton asked. She let go of Kari's hand and reached up to rub an open palm along Max's jaw. "Is my boy going to be alright?"

"We'll know more in a few weeks when he sees Dr. Stone for his final check-up. But if Max continues to eat healthy and exercise regularly, he'll certainly increase his chances of leading a long healthy life. I'm sure he'll be fine."

"That's my boy," his mother said just as Breanne and her sister, Sally, came through the French doors leading from the pool.

"Sally," Breanne said excitedly, "this is Kari Murphy, an old neighbor of ours who is now a leading nutritionist in Los Angeles."

Sally stood a few inches taller than Breanne, but she, too, looked just as Kari remembered her. Sally's hair matched Max's in color and her smile lit up her face.

They shook hands.

"You and Kari went to high school together," Breanne reminded Sally. "You both graduated the same year."

"You do look familiar," Sally said. She lifted a finger. "Were you the girl who picked me up on the side of the road after my car ran out of gas?"

Kari smiled. "That would be me." Heat rose in waves, warming her cheeks. Now was not the time to reminisce, not unless she wanted Max to realize, right now and right here, in front of his mother, that she was the girl he'd taken to his room one fateful night fourteen years ago.

"I didn't mean to interrupt your visit," Kari said to Max's mother before turning to Max. "I didn't realize your family was coming today."

"We arrived a day early," Mrs. Dutton told her. "It's been way too long since I've seen all my kids together in one room."

"You didn't interrupt," Max told her. "Everyone has been anxiously awaiting your arrival."

Everyone except his mother nodded, assuring her he spoke the truth. After his mother and sisters began to talk over one another, Kari relaxed a little. Sally talked about the good old days at Roseville High, while their mother talked about the heat and the God awful traffic.

Max ushered Kari into the living room where two men were watching sports. "This is Dan," he said, pointing to the man on the couch. "Sally's husband."

Dan stood. He was tall and clean cut; his light brown hair was combed neatly to one side. "Nice to meet you," he said as he came to his feet, making her feel welcome with his firm handshake and warm smile. "You must be the nutritionist Max keeps talking about. I'll have you know Max cooked us breakfast and gave us plenty of healthy eating advice. He's a goldmine of nutritional information."

The other man pushed himself from his chair and held out his hand. His sparkling green eyes bespoke a friendly mischievous personality. "I'm Fred, Jill's husband." He pointed outside. "Jill's outside with the kids, Matthew and Brooke."

"Fred is the first of the outsiders to break through the thick stone walls of the Dutton clan," Dan added.

Max frowned. "You make it sound as if the Dutton family isn't warm and welcoming."

Dan and Fred shared a good laugh.

Max shook his head. "And they wonder why I was apprehensive about either one of them marrying my sister and becoming a part of the family."

Kari laughed at Max's chiding. After the men went back to watching television, she decided today would not be a good day to pull Max aside and tell him about Molly.

"I'm glad you came," Max told her privately. "I thought you might be too annoyed with me after I showed up at the bowling alley uninvited."

"Actually you saved the day. Molly thought she was too old for a bowling party until you and Cole waltzed into the place and livened things up. You had every kid in the place smiling."

He took her hand in his. She didn't dare look toward the kitchen, knowing his mother was probably watching. "Everyone was smiling but you."

"That's not true-"

He squeezed her hand. "What's going on in that head of yours?"

The moment she looked into his eyes, she knew she had to tell him. "The truth is...I have something very important that I need to talk to you about."

"Kari," Breanne called, gesturing to her to come into the kitchen.

"Ignore them," Max said, waiting to hear what she had to say.

Kari looked from Breanne to Max. "I think we should visit with your family. We can talk later."

Playing horseshoes with the Dutton family proved to be more than entertaining. As Kari tried to get the horseshoe to connect with the stake sticking out of the ground, she realized she hadn't had this much fun in a long time.

"We should let Kari have a couple of practice tries," Sally said.

"No," Dan said before turning toward Kari. "You don't do it like that. Here, let me show you."

"I'll show her how to throw the shoe," Max cut in. "I think you've done enough."

Breanne and Sally laughed.

Judging by the mischievous look Dan gave the others, he'd only offered to help her for the sheer purpose of getting Max riled. In fact, they all seemed to be working extra hard to push her and Max together. Everyone was playing matchmaker except for Mrs. Dutton, who sat a few feet away from the horseshoe court, taking it all in.

Breanne, Kari, and Max were on the same team. Dan and Fred were trying to make Kari nervous while she attempted to aim another rusty horseshoe at the metal post a few feet away.

"Twenty bucks," Fred called, "if she gets this one within a foot of the stake."

Dan chuckled.

"Here," Max said, coming up from behind Kari and taking her hand in his so he could show her how to move her arm through the air before she released the shoe. "Remember what I taught you yesterday with the bowling ball."

"You went bowling?" Jill asked.

Sally snorted. "Isn't he the one who always said that bowling was for pansies?"

"I told you he was smitten."

"Just ignore them," Max told Kari.

With his chest pressed close against her back, she could feel the beat of his heart. The top of her head reached just under his chin. She pulled back her arm. "Like this?"

"You almost have it." He clasped his hand around hers and started from the beginning. "Like this."

She turned her head far enough to see the deep concentration in his eyes, the focus he used to teach her a simple game of horseshoes. She came to his house this morning to tell him about Molly, but now, as she stood in his arms, she realized for the first time in years that there was a real possibility that he might not know he had a daughter at all. Maybe, just maybe, he'd never received any of the letters she personally delivered to his mother. And if that were the case, then he would be furious with her when he found out.

What had she done?

She should have set him straight the very first moment she saw him in Dr. Stone's exam room.

"Get a room," Dan shouted.

Everybody laughed.

"Are you two ever going to throw the damn shoe so we can add up the score and go to dinner?" Fred wanted to know.

"It's still early," Jill scolded her husband.

Max smiled at Kari, making her insides flip-flop. He was always handsome, but when he smiled, he was downright gorgeous.

"Ready to give it a shot?" Max asked her.

"I'm ready if you are."

"When I tell you to let go," he said, "release the horseshoe."

She liked the way his warm breath felt next to her ear whenever he gave her new instructions. "Okay," she said.

He moved her arm with his, swinging it low and easy, back the other way, toward their target.

"Release it now."

She did as he said. The horseshoe ricocheted off the post and nearly hit Fred's leg.

"Hey! Watch it," Fred cried.