“I get the feeling this isn’t what you wanted to know,” Anna said.

Tyler smiled. “Not exactly.”

“Well, I know she’s not married. And I know she has a half-sister.”

“Half-sister?” Tyler said with interest.

“They have different fathers, from what I’ve heard. Their mother was a little wild. She left town, had kids, brought the kids here, then left again. I take it you’re interested in Claire?”

“Yes,” Tyler said.

“Well, good luck,” Anna said as she stood. “But don’t mess it up. I don’t want to have to find someone else to work our department parties just because you broke our caterer’s heart.”

At home late that night, Tyler sat on his couch in his shorts and a short-sleeved button-down shirt, trying to focus on the class line-drawing assignments, but he kept thinking about Claire. Anna didn’t know Claire. No one really knew Claire. As a matter of fact, Sydney was probably the only person who could give him any insight into the woman who wouldn’t leave his thoughts since the moment he first spoke to her.

Sydney said she’d talk to Claire, so he’d wait to hear from her.

Or maybe he would call Sydney in the morning and talk about Claire.

Or stop by the White Door tomorrow.

The phone rang, and he reached over to where he’d set the portable on the coffee table.

“Hello?”

“Tyler, it’s Sydney.”

“Whoa,” Tyler said, sitting back on the couch. “I was just hoping you’d call.”

“It’s Claire,” Sydney said in a soft voice. “She’s out in the garden. The gate is unlocked. You might want to come over.”

“She doesn’t want me over there.” He hesitated. “Does she?”

“But I think she might need you. I’ve never seen her like this.”

“Like what?”

“She’s like a live wire. She’s actually singeing things.”

He remembered the feeling. “I’ll be right over.”

He walked across the yard and around the Waverley home to the back garden. Like Sydney said, the gate was unlocked, and he pushed it open.

He was immediately met with the scent of warm mint and rosemary, as if he’d walked into a kitchen with herbs simmering on the stove.