From the moment they met, he threw her off-kilter. She’d just lost her job. In the two days they’d worked together, his fear for his brother, the horror of being involved in a murder case, and her inexplicable response to him compounded into complete confusion in her already-turbulent life.

He wasn’t the sort of man she dated: cool, polite professionals with backgrounds and interests similar to hers. No, there was nothing cool about Conor. She hadn’t wanted to be attracted to him, but just looking at the picture now sent heat swirling low in her belly. She took off her glasses and slid the picture a few inches farther away on the blotter, as if distance between her and the photo created a like chasm in her emotions.

It didn’t.

But all that was behind her. Six months ago had been a difficult period in her life. Now that she was settled again, she’d have better control.

That would be easier to believe if Conor didn’t live in Philadelphia.

And if she didn’t keep his picture in her desk.

The door opened, and she jerked upright.

“Relax.” April closed the door behind her. She carried a brown paper bag in one hand and two large coffees in a cardboard tray in the other. “You haven’t eaten all day. We’re having a dinner break. No shop talk.”

“Thanks.” Louisa glanced down at the newspaper articles. Shoving them hastily into her desk would be obvious. She forced her hands to move slowly gathering up the papers. “You’re the best.”

April set her bounty on the desk. Louisa took the coffee with an L written in black marker on the side.

“I know.” April fished two wrapped deli sandwiches from the bag. “Turkey or tuna?”

Louisa sipped the coffee and selected the turkey club. She took a tentative bite, and her stomach begged for more. “This is great.”

“There are cupcakes for later.” April produced a small white bakery box. “Cupcakes make everything better.”

“No argument from me.” Louisa took another bite of her sandwich. The deli had been generous with the bacon. Her taste buds applauded.

April spied the photo before Louisa could push it into the folder.

“Honey, you don’t have to hide that. Everyone in the museum knows what happened at your last job. Those articles were passed around the break room. In fact, it’s one of the reasons Cusack hired you.” April dropped into one of the two leather club chairs facing the desk.

“I don’t understand.”

“I sort of overheard Cusack telling one of the board members that it’d be an opportunity to get a top-notch curator at a bargain-basement price. He also said that you were replaced with someone far less qualified. The Maine museum probably needed to cut its budget.”