"I wasn't sure I could get away until the last minute and I wanted to surprise Erica."

When Mr. Sanders didn't say anything, Brian then continued by adding an explanation of why he'd come to the door half-dressed. "I thought you were the pizza deliveryman."

"Did you?" Wilson asked mildly.

"Yes. You're out sort of late, aren't you?" Brian wished he could take back the words the moment he'd said them. The last thing he wanted to do was insinuate that the man could not visit his daughter whenever it suited him.

"Yes, it is rather late. Karen tried calling and when she couldn't reach Erica she got worried. I volunteered to come over to make sure everything was all right."

Brian didn't know what to say to that, considering what they'd been doing when Erica hadn't answered the phone earlier. He was about to ask Mr. Sanders if he wanted something to drink, since he didn't seem to be the least little bit in a hurry to leave. Before they could exchange any further conversation, Erica's voice filled the room and she suddenly rounded the corner from the kitchen.

"Brian, what's taking you so long to bring the pizza in the-"

She stopped in her tracks, frozen in place when she saw her father standing in the middle of her living room. "Dad!"

Wilson's gaze alighted on his daughter and her skimpy attire. Brian immediately picked up on the fact that the older man was seeing Erica in a whole new light. He no longer saw her as Daddy's little girl, but as a woman who was obviously intimately involved with a man.

Brian had dated enough women to know some fathers could get weird when it came to discovering their daughters weren't the innocents they'd thought them to be. But in the man's defense, he could understand and even see himself becoming that kind of father one day if he ever had a daughter. Especially if she looked anything like Erica.

Wilson finally responded. "Erica." And then as if he'd made a decision to accept the situation, he smiled, winked and said, "Nice shirt."

Brian couldn't help but admire the man for how he was handling things. He didn't want to think how differently things would have been had it been Erica's mother who'd shown up unexpectedly.

He watched Erica's features and knew she was grateful for her father's acceptance of their relationship. She returned his smile. "Thanks."

And then her expression became serious when she asked, "Why did you drop by this late? Is something wrong?"

He shook his head. "No, nothing's wrong. Your mother tried calling you a few times and couldn't reach you and was worried."

"Oh."

Brian decided then to speak up. "Erica and I will be having a pizza when it's delivered, Mr. Sanders. You're welcome to stay and join us."

Wilson turned his attention to Brian. "No, thanks. Now that I know Erica is fine, I'll be leaving."

"Dad, you can stay for a while if you want. Like Brian said, we've ordered pizza and he's made brownies and-"

"No, sweetheart. You and Brian spend enough time away from each other as it is and I won't intrude."

"You won't be," Erica quickly said.

Wilson chuckled. "Yes, I will be." He glanced back at Brian. "We're looking forward to meeting your family in a few weeks."

"Thanks, sir, and my mother and grandparents are looking forward to meeting you and Mrs. Sanders, as well." That was no lie. His family adored Erica and couldn't wait to meet her family at the engagement dinner.

At that moment the doorbell sounded. "That's probably your pizza deliveryman," Wilson pointed out. "I'll leave now."

Before he could turn toward the door, Erica moved quickly across the room to her father and kissed him on his cheek. "'Bye, Dad. Thanks for caring enough to come by to check on me. I love you."

"Sweetheart, I'll always care and I love you, too." He then looked at Brian and unspoken communication pa.s.sed between them. It was a message that Brian deciphered immediately. I'm depending on you to make her happy. Please don't let either of us down. I'm depending on you to make her happy. Please don't let either of us down.

It hit Brian just then what the magnitude of the man's thoughts meant. In a roundabout way, Wilson was bestowing his blessing on them. Brian nodded and then said, "I'll walk you to the door, Mr. Sanders."

He was grateful Erica hung back, allowing him time alone with her father. Before opening the door, he said, "I love Erica, Mr. Sanders, and I intend to spend the rest of my life making her happy."

Wilson nodded and then smiled. "And that's all the father of a future bride can ask for. Good night, Brian."

Chapter Three.

April glanced down at the pooch that was walking beside her on the leash and decided this was one of the primary reasons she didn't own a pet. They required too much attention, which was why she was out here at eleven o'clock walking the dog instead of back inside her grandmother's house curled up in bed.

In a way, she couldn't get mad at Fluffy, the white Yorkie terrier she'd purchased for her grandmother as company when she'd landed her first modeling job. A few years later, after her career had soared to unprecedented heights and she'd married Mark, she'd purchased her grandmother a house in one of the most exclusive neighborhoods in Hattersville, along with furnishings and a live-in housekeeper.

Now both Fluffy and Melba were family to her grandmother, which meant a lot to April when she had to fly all over the world for work.

Fluffy stopped walking and April paused right along with her. Evidently this area was one of the dog's favorites to do his business. April loosened her hold on the leash and glanced around, thinking if anyone had told her she would be returning to her birthplace as often as she was now, she would not have believed them. She'd barely been able to wait until she'd finished high school to blow this town. But her grandmother, the one person she adored and loved in this life, hadn't wanted to move away with her.

Nana said Hattersville was her home. She had been born here and she wanted to die here. April hadn't known just how much her grandmother had meant those words until her senior year in college when her constant badgering to get Nana to move out west with her had led to Nana's heart attack.

While her grandmother was in the hospital April had tearfully promised not to broach the subject again.

Even if that meant the burden of travel would fall on April, since her grandmother refused to fly.

The one thing she'd been able to convince her grandmother to do years later was to move out of her shabby house in the Fifth Ward, and live in the house April had purchased for her on, of all places, Wellington Road. April recalled how Nana had made a living as the housekeeper and nanny for some of the homeowners on this very street. Now Nana had her own grand place with a live-in housekeeper of her own, and April didn't know of anyone more deserving.

Her grandmother had always been there for her. After giving birth to her at sixteen, her mother had left the state a few days later, leaving April with her grandmother to raise. No one knew the ident.i.ty of her father; it was a secret her mother had taken to the grave with her. The year April turned ten, Latonia North had come home from living a wild life in Miami, just long enough to spend a few months with her mother and daughter before dying of lung cancer. April hadn't known the woman who had shown up, nothing but skin and bones, at her and Nana's house near the tracks. But now a part of April regretted not having known her and she wondered if her mother had died with the same regret.

She leaned against a tree and glanced at her watch before taking a quick peek over at Fluffy, and then wished she hadn't. It seemed the dog was just getting started. It was getting rather late and anyone in Hattersville with a lick of sense was in their bed getting a good night's sleep. She could have awakened Melba and had her take Fluffy out, but she knew that Nana and Melba had stayed up late playing cards and had just gotten into bed. They had gotten so involved in their game that neither remembered to walk the dog. Anyway, she herself was used to crazy hours and changes in time zones with her irregular work schedule as a model.

She shook her head, smiling while thinking that her grandmother had turned into a regular cardsharp. When April was a child the older woman wouldn't even let her play a game of old maid. Connie North had been convinced playing cards were tools from the devil's a.r.s.enal. Evidently over the years Melba had somehow changed Nana's mind about that.

"Out rather late tonight, aren't you?"

April swung around at the same time she threw her hand over her chest to calm her startled heart. She drew in a deep breath and glanced over at the man who stood almost towering over her. h.e.l.l, where had he come from? It was a good thing she recognized her late-night intruder.

"I could say the same about you, Griffin."

She had gotten her shocked heart to slow down, so now she could work on the desire fluttering around in her belly. Griffin had always managed to elicit that sort of a reaction from her even though she'd fought it.

"Yes, you could say the same," he said, smiling warmly. "But my folks are out of town and I promised to go over twice a day to let Pebbles out." He chuckled. "I went this morning but almost forgot to do so this evening. Luckily I remembered before I went in for the night."

April nodded and glanced down at the Saint Bernard on the leash. Fluffy had returned to her side and was staring over at Pebbles as if the dog was definitely an object of interest. Didn't big and little dogs usually get into barking matches? Surprisingly, the two seemed to like each other.

April returned her gaze to Griffin and then wished she hadn't. He was dressed casually, as if he'd been out on a date. She didn't want to think of him with another woman; in fact over the years she'd done a pretty good job of not thinking of him at all. A busy career and three husbands followed by three divorces had helped to keep her from pining over a lost love.

But seeing him now was reminding her of just how handsome he was and why she'd fallen head over heels for him back in high school. He'd been the guy all the girls had wanted, except for Erica.

In addition to loving him, April also liked him. Although he'd been born with a silver spoon planted firmly in his mouth, he hadn't acted obnoxious like some of the others guys around town. He'd always treated her with respect, and not with the mere tolerance some of the upper echelons had be stowed upon her as Erica's best friend.

"I guess remembering your duties to Pebbles before going home was a good thing," April decided to say. "I would hate to imagine what would have happened if you hadn't."

He chuckled. "Hey, come on now. Do you for one minute believe my parents didn't have a backup plan? It probably wouldn't surprise me if Pebbles knew how to get to the phone, use her paw and punch in nine-one-one."

April couldn't help but laugh. Another thing she'd always liked about Griffin was his sense of humor. Seldom was he a serious kind of guy. But she figured that was the norm when you were born to a life without a care in the world.

She would give him the benefit of the doubt since she knew he'd left town and attended college before returning home to take over running his family's rubber company. As long as there were tires on the road Hayes Rubber Plant would probably remain in business, which made her question the recent rumor her grandmother had shared with her that he was thinking about going into politics.

Fluffy tugged on his leash drawing April's attention and when Fluffy began trotting in the opposite way of home, April figured the dog wasn't ready to settle in for the night just yet and decided neither was she. Evidently Pebbles had the same notion and began trotting beside Fluffy, which made Griffin join April in what had to be a somewhat comical stroll.

"So when did you come home?" Griffin asked, glancing over at her.

She glanced back at him and wished she wasn't so hopelessly conscious of how handsome he looked tonight and how good he smelled. "A couple of days ago."

"Does Erica know you're in town?"

"Of course. We had dinner together at Ryder's tonight."

He laughed and the sound carried through the trees. "That means the two of you only had a salad."

She couldn't help but laugh as well, since his remark had been right on the money. She'd always been one to watch her figure, and over the years Erica had fallen in line right along with her. She was surprised that he would remember something like that.

"I saw your spread in Sports Ill.u.s.trated Swimsuit Edition Sports Ill.u.s.trated Swimsuit Edition earlier this year. It was nice." earlier this year. It was nice."

"Thanks."

The thought that he'd seen her in that skimpy swimwear made her bite down on her lips. What had he thought when he'd seen it? She really shouldn't care since modeling was her life and she enjoyed what she did. She had been a Victoria's Secret model for a few years before being asked to pose for that issue of Sports Ill.u.s.trated. Sports Ill.u.s.trated. She'd agreed without batting an eye, so why was she suddenly feeling like she should have added a wrap to the bikini she'd posed in? She'd agreed without batting an eye, so why was she suddenly feeling like she should have added a wrap to the bikini she'd posed in?

She drew in a deep breath as she looked over Griffin and decided to take the conversation off herself for a while. "What's this I hear about you thinking about running for mayor?"

He glanced over at her and smiled. "Yes, that's my plan. Do I have your vote?"

She shrugged. "Not sure I'm still considered a legal resident."

"Sure you are. You own property in this town."

Yes, she certainly did. Although she'd bought her grandmother the house, the property was in April's name. And the house where she'd been born still belonged to her, too, although she had fixed it up and was renting it out. She'd wanted to tear it down but Nana hadn't let her. "Well, we'll see. Does Erica plan to vote for you?"

"By the time the election comes around she'll be married and moved out of town."

April studied his reaction. Erica had always sworn she and Griffin didn't love each other, but for some reason April needed to know for certain. She had to know just how Griffin truly felt about Erica marrying another man.

"I know. It's hard to believe she's going to marry and move to Texas," she said.

He went quiet, as if he was considering what she'd just said. "Yes, it is hard to believe. I'm truly going to miss her," he finally responded.

For a moment April felt an uneasiness in the pit of her stomach. And then Griffin added, "But maybe now the town will finally accept what Erica and I have been trying to tell everyone for years."

April swallowed. "Which is?"

"That the most we could ever be is friends. We love each other but we're not in love with each other. There's a big difference."

April didn't say anything as they continued walking. Yes, there was a big difference and she would be the first to agree on that point. How could she not? She'd been married three times. She hadn't loved Mark although she'd liked him. They had gotten along well but then Mark voiced regrets over their union less than a year into their marriage.

She'd married Campbell less than a year later because it had seemed the right thing to do at the time. He was her friend, gay and wasn't ready to come out of the closet. His parents and some of his so-called friends had begun getting suspicious and she'd agreed to marry him to keep the skeptics at bay. It had worked for a while until he'd fallen in love with someone and then hadn't cared who knew of his s.e.xual preference.

Then there had been Green, whose brothers were actually named Red, Blue and Black. The four Englishmen were musicians in the well-known rock band Colors. She and Green had met at a concert when he'd practically plucked her out of the audience onto the stage to sit beside him while he beat mercilessly on his drums. They'd dated a few times after that, and then decided to be wild and reckless and marry when the tabloids figured they wouldn't. It took her less than a year to figure out that they really shouldn't have, when Green refused to give up the drugs.

"So do I have your vote?"

His question pulled her out of her reverie and she smiled up at him. "This is some shameless campaigning you're doing at eleven o'clock on the sidewalk, Griffin. But you haven't said what you plan on doing for the city."

He lifted a brow. "Do you really care?"

She chuckled. "No, but like you said, I own property here and for some reason my grandmother is determined to die here."

"And how is Ms. Connie?"

His question made her remember that Nana had been his first nanny and had worked for the Hayeses until Griffin had started school. When Nana spoke of him it was with fondness. "She's fine. She mentioned you've dropped by a few times."

In fact, according to Melba, Griffin was the only one who'd bothered to drop by to welcome her grandmother to the neighborhood when she'd moved in, and he still dropped by to see if they needed anything.

He shrugged. "Not as much as I'd like. The last time I saw her she and her companion were in the park and I happened to be jogging by. She mentioned your divorce."

April glanced up at him and grinned. "Which one?" When a woman had married three times for all the wrong reasons, she found it easy to make light of them.

"Your most recent...from that rocker guy in England."

"Oh, that one," she said, smiling.

He smiled back. "I take it you weren't left with a broken heart?"

"Good grief, no. I gave him an ultimatum. It was either me or the drugs. He chose the drugs so I walked."

"Good for you."

They'd stopped walking and she noticed they'd come to the end of the lane. As if they'd known what to do, Fluffy and Pebbles turned around and were trotting back in the direction they'd come. So she and Griffin did likewise. It was a beautiful night in March. Stars dotted the sky and a full moon was overhead. A chill was in the air and she pulled her jacket tighter around her.

As they strolled back toward their destinations, for the moment the chat between her and Griffin had come to a standstill. In a way she appreciated the absence of conversation. It gave her time to wonder if her breakup with Green was really good for her, as Griffin had said.

Here she was twenty-seven, a three-time divorcee, and the one man she'd ever loved was walking beside her and didn't have a clue.