Of course no one had asked John’s opinion; John was just forever willing to offer it. While the rest of her family had laughed and talked, eating ribs, chicken, bread and coleslaw, Katie had scarcely been able to take a bite. Everyone had assumed it was from the trauma she’d suffered earlier in the day, but the truth of the matter was that no matter what she did, her thoughts turned back to the rangy cowboy with the Texas drawl and easy smile. Dammit, she’d missed him.

As soon as it was polite, she’d located Josh and said her goodbyes. All of her brothers had warned her to be more careful, whether while renting the house or chasing down stories. Her sisters had told her how great they thought Luke was.

As if they were a couple. What a laugh—a miserable, heart-wrenching laugh. Driving through the darkened streets of Bittersweet, she told herself that she couldn’t love a man like Luke Gates. She wouldn’t. It was just too painful.

He used you, she reminded herself as she shifted down and turned into the drive of the apartment house. The beams of her headlights washed up against the tailgate of Luke’s truck. He was home. Only a few yards away. She told herself it didn’t matter if he was living next door or in the middle of the North Pole.

But of course that was a lie. “Lord help me,” she whispered under her breath.

“Huh?” Josh, eyes closed, stirred in the passenger seat.

She parked and set the emergency brake. “Come on, bud,” she said. “Time for bed.”

“I can’t make it.” He yawned and let his head loll back against the seat again.

“Sure you can. Just try.” She managed to help him out of the Jeep, then guided him toward the house and upstairs to his room. He managed to make it as far as his bed, then flopped, facedown, onto the mattress.

She brushed a kiss across the top of his head. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

As she snapped off the light and closed the door, Josh lifted his head and tried to stifle a yawn. “I’m really glad you’re okay, Mom.”

“Thanks, kid.” Her heart swelled. “I love you.”

“Me, too. And Mom? You know what I said about Luke before, that I didn’t like him?”

She nodded, vaguely recalling a conversation when Josh had sprained his ankle. “Yeah.”

“I changed my mind. He’s okay.”

“Good.” Why it mattered she didn’t know, because Luke had used her. And Josh. “See ya in the morning.” She closed the door and went down the hallway to her room. It seemed empty and dark. Even after she turned on the bedside lamp and pulled down the quilt, it felt cold somehow, vacuous and barren.