That might be the case. “I think for Lila this is a way to show she cares about you. You have to go, so why not try? After all, she’s helped you out before. After that purchase she helped you make, I’m fairly certain our electricity bill is going to double.”

The quizzical look on her face was quickly replaced with one of complete horror as she realized what he was talking about. “Dad!”

She turned her chair and stormed out.

Armie smiled as he watched her go, and he thought about how to get the two women he loved under the same roof. Maybe he could show her how good a family they could be.

•   •   •

She had nothing. Absolutely nothing. She was in her mid-thirties and she had absolutely nothing to her name. She didn’t even have a shitty trailer to call her own. How the hell had she ended up here?

She used to have nice things. Oh, she’d worn scrubs to work, but on her days off she’d worn designer clothes and one of her precious two pairs of Louboutins. She’d carried a Chanel bag she’d scrimped and saved for. The apartment she’d shared with Brock had been beautifully furnished. She’d left most of that behind when she’d left him, but she’d thought somewhere down the line she might fix up her dumpy bayou home.

And it hadn’t been so dumpy. In the beginning it had seemed like a trash heap, but slowly she’d found small treasures—books she’d wanted to read, records to listen to, a book of recipes to try. All gone.

A thumping tail told her she wasn’t completely alone. Peanut was sitting beside her, his head up, big doggy eyes staring at her like she knew what the hell she was doing. She had to buy dog food. And a bowl. And a bed. And everything. Did she even have the money for that?

“Lila? Are you all right? That was our last appointment of the day.” Mabel stood in the doorway, her purse on her shoulder. “Is Lisa coming to pick you up? Hon, you can come home with me. I might even have something that fits you.”

Only if Mabel used to be about four inches taller. She hadn’t even thought about what she’d do for clothes. She had two sets of scrubs here at the clinic. They would have to do until she could go shopping. Where would she go shopping? At least she still had a car. Not that she’d used it much lately.

“Thanks, but I think I’m going to stay here and make a couple of lists of things I’ll need.” She knew Lisa would come get her, and she would likely be more than willing to go and shop, but she couldn’t face her sister right now.