“You’re not one of her kids?” I raised an eyebrow.

He sniffed and leaned back in his seat. “No. But enough about me. I want to know about the cutie in the Goth ballerina costume.”

I blushed from the roots of my hair to the tips of my toes. “You saw me?”

“It was kinda hard to miss you.” There was nothing boyish about his expression now. He was almost predatory, the way he looked me up and down.

The bells above the door jingled again, and I was grateful for the excuse to change the subject. “Sounds like they’re back.”

Nathan and Rachel entered the shop. I could tell he was still upset, but he managed to put on an amicable face. Rachel pasted on a fake smile and walked toward me with Nathan.

“Well, Doctor, I’ve heard a lot about you,” she said, leaning casually against the counter. “Do you think you can live up to the hype?”

I smiled back sweetly, but narrowed my eyes at her challenge. “I’m sure I can, and then some.”

“I hope so.” She turned to Nathan. “I need to speak to you. Alone.”

The last word was added like a bullet aimed at both Max and me. I folded my arms, some evil little urge to antagonize her compelling me to stay.

Max threw his arm around my shoulder. “Fine. We know when we’re not wanted. Well, Miss—”

“Doctor,” Nathan snapped.

I put on my best flirty smile, making sure he saw and understood why I’d done it before I turned to Max. “Call me Carrie.”

He gave me a nod, as if to say “good play.” “Well, Miss Doctor-Call-Me-Carrie, I have a fantastic room over at the Hampton Inn on Twenty-eighth Street, complete with a minibar. What do you say we get slightly buzzed on very small bottles of schnapps and paint Mallsville red?”

Despite his ridiculous come-on, it was hard not to like Max. I laughed and shook my head. “Actually, I’m kind of tired, after last night. I think I’ll go upstairs to bed.”

I said a brief, polite goodbye to Rachel and Max and headed up the stairs.

The night air was cool, but the day must have been warm. The snow had nearly melted. For once in the last few hectic days, I didn’t feel as if I had to rush anywhere, or dread anything. In fact, I was actually looking forward to tying up the bathroom with a nice long bubble bath.

When I got to the door, I realized I didn’t have any keys to get into the apartment. That’s when the hair stood up on my neck, and I desperately wanted to get inside.

I didn’t know what had spooked me, but every instinct in my body screamed run. I wasn’t going to argue. I’d nearly gained the top of the stairs when something caught my hair and tugged me backward. I opened my mouth to scream, and a hand stifled the sound.