She rose and walked to the bottom of the steps. “Okay, I’ll play with you. But don’t throw hard.”

He shook his head in bewilderment. “Where did all these kids come from?”

“School’s finally out. I told you they’d show up.”

“But … how many are here?”

“The three O’Brian boys, and Cody has a baby sister. Two families have one teenage girl each.”

He sank down on the step.

She held her amusement in check as she sat next to him. “You’ll probably meet them all this afternoon. Tea in the gazebo will be a nice way to kick off a new week.”

He didn’t say anything, just gazed out at the Common.

She considered it a tribute to her maturity that only a small bubble of laughter escaped. “Sorry your playmate ran away.”

He stubbed the heel of his sneaker in the grass. “I made a fool out of myself, didn’t I?”

Her heart melted, and she rested her cheek against his shoulder. “Yes, but the world could use more fools like you. You’re a very nice man.”

He smiled down at her. She smiled back. And that’s when it hit her.

This wasn’t a crush at all. She’d fallen in love with him.

She was so horrified, she jerked away.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing!” She started to chatter to cover up her dismay. “There’s another family. More children. Checking in today with … some kids. The Smiths. They didn’t say how many—how many kids. Amy talked to them.”

In love with Kevin Tucker! Please, not that! Hadn’t she learned anything? She knew from her childhood how impossible it was to make someone love her, yet she’d once again fallen into that old, destructive pattern. What about all her dreams and hopes? What about her Great Love Story?

She felt like burying her head in her hands and crying. She wanted love, but he only wanted sex. He stirred beside her. She was glad of the distraction, and she followed the direction of his gaze across the Common. The O’Brian boys were chasing each other while they waited for Cody to change into his swim trunks. Two girls who looked as though they were about fourteen came walking up from the beach carrying a boom box. Kevin took in the kids, the boom box, the old trees, the sherbet-colored cottages.

“I can’t believe this is the same place.”

“It’s not,” she managed. “Things change.” She cleared her throat and tried to block out her turmoil. “The woman you hired. Is she starting tomorrow?”

“She told me I had to fire Amy first.”