“I’ll ask about a two-for-one,” Ang replied.

“I’m not doing this with her,” Sam said.

“What’ve you got against my hoo-ha?” Tracy asked indignantly.

They were pissing their pants laughing when the door opened to admit Nick and his detail. He stopped short at the sight of the three of them, sprawled on sofas, laughing their asses off. “Do I even want to know?”

“Oh yeah,” Angela said with a dirty smirk. “You want to know.”

“Shut up, Angela!” Sam said, tossing a pillow at her sister. “It’s a surprise!”

As he did every night the minute he walked in the door, Nick unknotted his tie and unbuttoned the top two buttons on his dress shirt. “I’m on fire with curiosity.”

“You’ll be on fire all right,” Tracy said, reducing her sisters to hysterics once again.

Sam got up to kiss him. “Stop torturing my poor husband.”

“Yes, stop torturing me, and tell me the big secret.”

“Not happening,” she said, patting his handsome face. “It’s for us to know and you to find out.”

“When? When will I find out?”

“On the trip.”

His sexy hazel eyes went hot with desire that almost made Sam forget they weren’t alone. “I suppose I can wait a few more days. What time is your mom coming?”

Sam’s stomach dropped, and the hilarity was forgotten. “Any minute now.”

“Let me run up and change.” He kissed her forehead. “I’ll be right back down.”

Sam returned to her seat on the sofa. “Why am I so nervous about seeing her?”

“Because it’s been a long time since you willingly invited her into your life, and you’re afraid it’ll be awkward,” Tracy said.

“Yes, that’s it exactly.”

“You don’t have anything to worry about,” Angela said. “She’s thrilled to be invited into your home, and she can’t wait to meet Scotty and get to know Nick. And she’s very excited to be with you too. It’ll be fine, Sam.” Angela snapped her fingers. “I have the perfect idea of what you should do for an anniversary gift.”

As they talked about Angela’s idea for Nick’s gift, Sam tried to stay focused on that rather than the visit with her mother. Despite her sisters’ assurances, her mother’s arrival a few minutes later had the butterflies in her belly doing backflips.

Brenda Ross had cut her hair since the last time Sam saw her, and the new style made her look even more youthful than usual. Though her dark hair was now shot through with gray and there were new lines around her brown eyes, Brenda looked great for her age. She wore a huge smile as she hugged Sam.

“Thank you so much for seeing me.”

“Um, sure. No problem. Come on in. Can I get you something to drink? Some wine or something stronger?”

“I’d love a glass of wine.”