On Tuesday morning as she dozed in bed, her sleep was disturbed by the buzzer from the lobby. Roo hopped to attention. Molly burrowed deeper into her covers, but just when she was falling back asleep, someone began pounding on her door. She pulled a pillow over her head, but it didn’t block out the deep, familiar voice clearly audible over the sound of Roo’s yips.

“Open up! I know you’re in there!”

That awful Kevin Tucker.

She sneezed and stuck her fingers in her ears, but Roo kept barking and Kevin kept banging. Miserable dog. Reckless, scary quarterback. Everyone in the building was going to complain. Cursing, she dragged herself out of bed.

“What do you want?” Her voice sounded creaky from lack of use.

“I want you to open the door.”

“Why?”

“Because I need to talk to you.”

“I don’t want to talk.” She grabbed a tissue and blew her nose.

“Tough. Unless you’d like everyone in this building to know your private business, I suggest you open up.”

Reluctantly, she flipped the lock. As she opened the door, she wished she were armed.

Kevin stood on the other side, dazzling and perfect with his healthy body, gleaming blond hair, and blazing green eyes. Her head pounded. She wanted to hide behind dark glasses.

He pushed his way past her snarling poodle and shut the door. “You look like hell.”

She stumbled over to the couch. “Roo, be quiet.”

The dog gave Molly an offended sniff as she lay down.

“Have you seen a doctor?”

“I don’t need a doctor. My cold is almost gone.”

“How about a shrink?” He walked over to the windows and began opening them.

“Stop that.” It was bad enough that she had to endure his arrogance and the threatening glare of his good looks. She didn’t have to tolerate fresh air, too. “Will you go away?”

As he gazed around at her condo, she noticed the dirty dishes littering the kitchen counter, the bathrobe hanging over the end of the couch, and the dusty tabletops. He was an uninvited guest, and she didn’t care.

“You blew off the appointment with the attorney yesterday.”

“What appointment?” She shoved a hand into her ratty hair, then winced as it caught on a snarl. Half an hour ago she’d stumbled into the bathroom to brush her teeth, but she couldn’t remember taking a shower. And her shabby gray Northwestern nightshirt smelled like poodle.

“The annulment?” He glanced toward the pile of unopened mail spilling out of the white Crate & Barrel shopping bag next to the door and said sarcastically, “I guess you didn’t get the letter.”

“I guess. You’d better leave. I might still be contagious.”

“I’ll take my chances.” He wandered over to the windows and gazed down at the parking lot. “Nice view.”

She closed her eyes to sneak in a nap.