She hung her clothes in the closet, left her current book, a print copy of Michael Korda’s Horse People, and her iPad on the table and slung her purse on the doorknob. Once she’d checked email she made her way downstairs, feeling both excited and apprehensive.

Because she still remembered how she’d once felt about Cord, how attracted she’d been, despite his very obvious feelings for Reba. The man she’d embarrassed—and embarrassed herself in front of—all those years ago. It’d been an adolescent crush, but after her divorce, she’d found herself thinking about him again. And now, after meeting Cord in person, meeting the man he was today, she couldn’t seem to get him out of her mind.

WAITING FOR SHALLIE, Cord busied himself responding to email on his cell—his PR firm in Chicago, his lawyer as well as an old college friend now living in LA.

Eventually, Shallie came downstairs. The dogs tumbled around her, hoping for something edible to be thrown their way.

Cord gestured her to a chair and she sat, both dogs following her to the table, their tails in frantic action.

“Sit!” he ordered, but Shallie said, “They’re fine.”

“You’re encouraging disobedience?”

“What, to their lord and master? No, I just want to make their acquaintance. Their names are?”

“Bandit and Smoky.” He pointed at each in turn. “Coffee?”

“Yes, thanks.”

“Anything to eat? I can manage toast, scrambled eggs or—”

“Thanks again, but I already ate. Stopped at that coffee place off the highway, had a yogurt.” She gave an exaggerated shudder. “What a relief. I was afraid I’d have to force down a doughnut.”

Cord didn’t get it. For him, a doughnut was, if not superior to a yogurt, certainly preferable.

“Okay, if you’re sure…” He poured her a coffee, set cream and sugar on the table. Of course she didn’t use sugar.

After one sip, she frowned. “I don’t mean to be rude…but this is shitty coffee.”

Predictable—and exactly what he’d thought that morning. “Can you do any better?” he challenged, already knowing what she’d say.

“Oh, yeah. Start by not buying the cheap stuff.” He couldn’t argue with that.

“Fine. Well…fill me in on what’s been going on with you.” He wondered how she could afford a trip like this. A wealthy ex? A successful career? “What happened after you left town?”