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Matt gri
Helen shrugged. "As long as you don't feel you need those fingers. Come along, Je
"Wait."
Je
"Dr. Marshall."
Je
He looked down at her feet, then back up, his eyes alert and discerning despite the dark circles. "What happened to your car?"
Je
His brown eyes flashed and his jaw hardened. "Rudy Lutz. Lousy scum."
She shrugged again. "Maybe. But it's already fixed." She smiled at him, as gently as she could. "How are you, Brad? I missed you in class on Friday."
He looked away. "I couldn't stay." His voice was harsh with what sounded like self-rebuke and Je
She squeezed his shoulder. "We can talk about it on Monday."
Brad turned his head in the direction Nicky had gone. "I heard you talk to my brother."
"He's a cute little boy."
"Yeah." Brad turned back and met her eyes directly and again Je
Je
Brad looked back to the kitchen where Nicky was earnestly introducing Jim to an enormous gray ball of fluff. No hint of a smile touched his lips. "I could eat."
Je
Chapter Eleven
Sunday, October 2, 6:13 P.M.
Steven pulled into his driveway, kicking himself for being late for a family di
He got out of the car and slammed the door hard. Helen's matchmaking would be a total failure without half the match-him to be precise. He'd pass on the "family" di
Food. Turkey. And sex. Je
Not necessarily in that order, he thought bitterly. He couldn't even say her picture "flashed" in his mind, because it had been there all damn day. Through his team meeting this morning, the hellish impromptu press conference-she'd been there. Black hair, violet eyes, and all those curves… God. He had more important things to worry about. Saman-tha Eggleston. Brad. Nicky.
Yet still, Je
Je
Steven stopped in the archway and blinked. This was neither fantasy nor memory. Je
Je
He'd been set up. By Helen. By Je
"What the hell is going on here?" he asked, his voice menacingly quiet to his own ears.
The buzz of conversation instantly ceased and every head looked up. He watched Je
Which made him even angrier. On the edge of his vision he saw Helen rise to her feet.
"You were late. We started without you," Helen said coldly.
"I can see that," he gritted from behind clenched teeth.
"And we have a guest," Helen added, her voice dropping to sheer ice.
Steven matched her tone, not taking his eyes from Je
"We didn't know each other until today," Helen said, balling her fists at her sides. "And I didn't know my nephew could be so rude."
Je
Briefcase. Steven drew a breath and felt his fury fizzle into a tiny wisp of smoke. He closed his eyes and swallowed hard. He'd stepped in it. Royally. "You came to get your briefcase."
"She left it in your car, Daddy," Nicky offered soberly and Steven opened his eyes to see his youngest sidle a little closer to Je
Steven's gut turned over. She'd come to get her briefcase. Dammit. He shot Helen a helpless look. Helen returned it with scorn and looked back to Je
"But you haven't finished your di
Je
Nicky tugged on her sleeve. "But, Je
Je
Nicky frowned. "But I wanted to start now. Please?"
Je
"Can you leave Jim here?" Nicky asked plaintively and Steven closed his eyes, his heart sinking. He could have predicted this. Nicky had already formed an attachment thanks to Helen's meddling. An attachment that would bring nothing but grief and disappointment. And who could blame his boy? Who wouldn't develop an attachment to a woman like Je