“We need to understand the details about each other if this is going to work. Otherwise, no one is going to believe we’re legitimate.”

“Why not?” Sam countered, and placed a soft kiss on the inside of her palm.

Julia tugged on her hand but he didn’t let go. “You don’t need to do that now,” she whispered, her voice no more than a breath in the quiet. “There’s no one watching.”

One side of his mouth quirked. “It’s a good thing, too, because what I want to do to you is best kept in private.”

Her mouth formed a round “oh” and he lifted a finger to trace the soft flesh of her lips.

“We shouldn’t …”

“I know,” he repeated. “But I can’t think of anything I want more.”

“Me, too.” She sat up and brought both of her hands to the side of his face, cupping his jaw. “This isn’t going to get complicated, right? It’s all part of the show, the time spent together, pretending like we’re in love. It ends when we both get what we want.”

He agreed in theory, but at the moment all Sam wanted was her. He didn’t want this night to end quite yet, even if her sleeping son was going to keep the evening G-rated. So he answered, “That’s the plan.”

She nodded, then licked her lips, and he suppressed a groan. “Then it won’t matter if I do this …” She brought her mouth to his …

Her Accidental Engagement
Michelle Major

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Michelle Major grew up in Ohio, but dreamed of living in the mountains. Soon after graduating with a degree in journalism, she pointed her car west and settled in Colorado. Her life and house are filled with one great husband, two beautiful kids, a few furry pets and several well-behaved reptiles. She’s grateful to have found her passion writing stories with happy endings. Michelle loves to hear from her readers at www.michellemajor.com.

To Mom and Dad: for your love,

support and the years of off-key harmonies

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Excerpt

Chapter One

Julia Morgan lit the final match, determined to destroy the letter clenched in her fingers. She was well aware of the mistakes she’d made in her life, but seeing them typed on fancy letterhead was more than she could take at the moment. She drew the flickering flame toward the paper but another gust of damp wind blew it out.

The mountains surrounding her hometown of Brevia, North Carolina, were notoriously wet in late winter. Even though it hadn’t rained for several days, moisture clung to the frigid March air this afternoon, producing a cold she felt right to her bones.

With a frustrated groan, she crumpled the letter into a tiny ball. Add the inability to burn a single piece of paper to her colossal list of failures. Sinking to her knees on the soggy ground, she dropped the used matchstick into a trash bag with all the others.

She ignored the wail of a siren from the highway above her. She’d pulled off the road minutes earlier and climbed down the steep embankment, needing a moment to stop the panic welling inside her.

For a few seconds she focused her attention on the canopy of pine trees below the ridge where she stood, her heartbeat settling to a normal rhythm.

Since she’d returned to her hometown almost two years ago, this love of the forest had surprised her. She’d never been a nature girl, her gypsy existence taking her from one big city to another. Thanks to her beautiful son, Julia was now rooted in Brevia, and the dense woods that enveloped the town gave her the sense of peace she hadn’t known she’d missed for years.

The makeshift fire hadn’t been much of a plan, but flying by the seat of her pants was nothing new for Julia. With a deep breath, she smoothed the wrinkled letter against the grass. She’d read it compulsively over the past week until the urge to destroy it had overtaken her. She knew the words by heart but needed the satisfaction of watching them go up in flames.

Unfit mother. Seeking custody. Better options.

Tears pricked the backs of her eyes. Burning the letter wouldn’t change the potential it had to ruin her life. She’d tried to dismiss the contents as lies and conjecture. In a corner of her heart, she worried they were true and she wouldn’t be able to defend herself against them.

Suddenly she was hauled to her feet. “Are you hurt? What happened?” A pair of large hands ran along her bare arms, then down her waist toward...

Whoa, there. “Back off, Andy Griffith,” Julia sputtered as parts of her body she thought were in permanent hibernation sprang to life.

As if realizing how tightly he held her, Sam Callahan, Brevia’s police chief, pushed away. He stalked several yards up the hill toward the road, then turned and came at her again. Muscles bunched under the shoulders of his police uniform.

She had to work hard to ignore the quick pull of awareness that pulsed through her. Darn good thing Julia had sworn off men. Even better that big, strong alpha men were so not her type.

Julia gave herself a mental headshake. “What do you want, Sam? I’m sort of busy here.”

She could have sworn his eye twitched under his aviator sunglasses. He jabbed one arm toward the top of the hill. “What I want is to know what the hell you’re doing off the side of the road. Again.”

Right. She’d forgotten that the last time Sam had found her, she’d been eight months pregnant and had wrapped her ancient Honda around a tree trunk. He’d taken her to the hospital where her son, Charlie, had been born.

That day a year and a half ago had been the start of a new life for her. One she’d protect at any cost.

Sam had been new to Brevia and the role of police chief then. He’d also been a whole lot nicer. At least, to Julia. He’d made the rounds of the single ladies in town, but ever since Charlie’s birth Sam had avoided her as though he thought he might be the first man in history to catch a pregnancy. Which was fine, especially given some of the details she’d heard about his history with women.

“Julia.”

At the sound of her name, she focused on his words.

“There are skid marks where your car pulled off.”

“I was in a hurry,” she said and swiped at her still-moist cheeks.

His hands bunched at his sides as he eyed her bag. “Do I smell smoke?”

“I lit a match. Lots of them.” Her chin hitched. “Wanna call Smokey Bear for backup?”

He muttered something under his breath at the same time a semi roared by on the road above.

“I didn’t quite catch that.”

Sam removed his sunglasses and tucked them into the front pocket of his shirt. He was almost too good-looking, his blond hair short but a little messy, as if he needed a trim. The effect softened his classically handsome features and a square jaw that fell just short of comic-book chiseled. His gaze slammed into hers, and Julia knew if ice could turn molten, it would be the exact color of Sam’s blue eyes.

“You were on your knees,” he said slowly.

Julia swallowed. “I lost a contact.”

“You don’t wear contacts.”

“How do you...? Never mind.” She bent to retrieve the bag of worthless matches.

His finger brushed the back of her arm. “What are you doing out here, Jules?”

Something about the sound of her name soft as a whisper broke through her defenses. She straightened and waved the letter at him. “I have a meeting in town and needed some fresh air to collect my thoughts.”

“At the salon?”

She shook her head. “No. Hair dye doesn’t require much mental fortitude. I have a real meeting, with an attorney.”

He didn’t ask for details but continued to watch her.

“It’s about Charlie,” she offered after a minute. “About my custody.” To add to her humiliation, she choked on the last word.

“You’re his mother. Of course you have custody.”

“I know.” She lifted the letter. “But Jeff and his parents think—”

“Who’s Jeff?”

“My ex-boyfriend.” She sighed. “Charlie’s father.”

Sam’s eyes narrowed. “The one who’s never set eyes on him?”

“He’s a college professor and travels the world doing research. His dad runs an investment firm in Columbus, Ohio, and his mom is a retired cardiologist. They’re rich, powerful and very intellectual. The whole family is off-the-charts smart. I guess they have...concerns. For Charlie’s future and my ability to provide the right environment. Jeff wants a new custody arrangement.”

“Have Jeff’s parents met Charlie?”

“No. They called a couple of times after he was born. They didn’t approve of me when I was with Jeff, and since he didn’t want anything to do with the baby...” She paused then added, “I let my mom deal with them.”

That made him smile. “In my opinion, Vera is also off-the-charts smart.”

Julia ignored the shiver in her legs at his slow grin. Her mother, Vera Morgan, was a pit bull. But also keenly intelligent. Everyone in her family was smart. Everyone but her.

“Jeff’s mother is here with their family attorney to meet me. To make sure everything’s okay—that Charlie is in good hands.”

“Of course he’s in good hands.” Sam’s voice gentled as he repeated, “You’re his mother.”

“I’ve done a lot of stupid things in my life, made a lot of mistakes. Jeff knows the sordid details and I’m sure his parents do, too.” Emotion clogged her throat.

Sam was not the man she wanted to have see her like this. She made a show of checking her watch. “What I could use is some damage control for my reputation. White picket fence, doting husband, pillar of the community stuff. It’s a little late for me to join the Junior League.” She shook her head. “Anyway, thanks for your concern today, but as you can see, I’m peachy keen.”

“You shouldn’t talk to anyone until you get an attorney of your own.”

“Frank Davis said he would help me, but I hope it won’t come to that. I’m sure the Johnsons want what’s best for Charlie. I should at least hear them out. That boy deserves everything this world has to offer.” She gave a humorless laugh and started back toward the road. “What he’s got is me.”

As she moved past Sam, his hand reached out, but she jerked away. If he touched her right now she’d be a goner, and she needed to keep it together. For Charlie.

“You’re more than enough,” he called after her.

“From your lips to God’s ears, Chief,” she whispered and climbed up to her car.

* * *

“Who are you and what have you done with my father?”

Sam shifted in his chair at Carl’s, Brevia’s most popular restaurant, still reeling from his unbelievable afternoon. From the bizarre encounter with Julia he’d been called to a domestic disturbance that ended up being a chicken loose in Bobby Royall’s kitchen. It had made him almost thirty minutes late to dinner with his dad. Now he wished the bird hadn’t been so easy to catch.

Joe Callahan adjusted his Patriots baseball cap and chuckled. “It’s me, son. Only better.”

Said who?

His father had been a police officer in Boston for almost forty years, most of which had been spent working homicide. Joe Callahan had dedicated his life to his career, and his family had suffered from the on-the-job stress and risks he took daily. Although it wasn’t intentional, Sam had modeled his own life after his father’s. Sam had put his job before everything and everyone in his life—just like Joe.

Recently, though, Joe had begun conducting programs for police departments on emotional awareness. Sam had resisted his father’s repeated attempts to help him “get in touch” with his feelings. But now Joe was here and impossible to ignore.

“The boys down at the precinct loved my seminar. At least four of ’em were in tears by the end. I got thank-you notes from a half-dozen wives.”

“That’s great, Dad.” Sam took a long drink of iced tea, wishing he wasn’t on duty. A cold one would be mighty helpful tonight. “I don’t see what that has to do with me or your unexpected visit to Brevia.”

His father pulled a flyer out of the briefcase at his feet and pushed it across the table. “While I’m down here, I thought we could organize a workshop.”

Sam glanced at the pamphlet. His stomach gave a hearty gurgle. Law with Love, Presented by Retired Police Captain Joseph Callahan. A picture of Joe hugging a group of uniformed officers filled the front page. Sam couldn’t remember ever being hugged by his craggy, hard-nosed father. Holy mother of...

“I don’t know. It’s only me and one deputy on the force.”

Joe tapped the sheet of paper. “It’s for firefighters and paramedics, too. We could bring in neighboring towns—make it a regional event. Plus civil servants, city council. You’re looking at a long-term reappointment, right? This could make quite an impression as far as your potential.”

At the mention of his possible future in Brevia, Sam lost the battle with his temper. “My potential as what? I’m the chief of police, not the hug-it-out type.”

His father’s sharp intake of breath made Sam regret his outburst. “Sorry. You know what a small town this is and—”

Joe held up a hand. “Don’t apologize.” He removed his bifocals and dabbed at his eyes with a napkin.

“You aren’t going to cry,” Sam muttered, disbelieving. “You don’t cry.”

“Yes. I am going to cry. To take a moment and feel my pain.”

Great. This was the second time today he’d brought someone to tears.

After a loud nose blow, Joe’s watery gaze met his. “I feel my pain, and I feel yours.”

“I’m not in pain.” Sam let his eyes drift shut. “Other than a raging headache.”

Joe ignored him and continued, “I did this to you, Sammy.”

Sammy? His father hadn’t called him Sammy since—

“When your mother died my whole world collapsed. I didn’t think I could live without her. I didn’t want to. It broke me a little more every day to see you and your brother that sad. I did the only thing I could to survive. I shut off my heart, and I made you do the same. I was wrong. I’m here to make it right again.”

Sam saw customers from the surrounding tables begin to stare. “It’s okay. Let’s go outside for a minute.”

Joe followed Sam’s gaze and shook his head. “I’m not embarrassed to show my feelings. Not anymore.” He took another breath, this one steadier. “Ever since the incident with my ole ticker.” He thumped his sweatshirt. “They say facing death can make you reevaluate your whole life.”

“It was indigestion, Dad. Not a real heart attack. Remember?”

“Doesn’t matter. The change to my heart was real. The effect on my life was real.” He readjusted his glasses. “I want the same change for you. I want you to be happy.”

“I’m fine.” Sam gulped a mouthful of ice and crunched. “Happy as a clam.”

“Are you seeing anyone?”

Alarm bells went off in Sam’s head. “I...sure...am actually. She’s great.” He looked away from his father’s expectant face, unable to lie to him directly. He glanced around the crowded restaurant and his gaze landed on Julia at a booth in the back. He hadn’t noticed her when he’d first walked in, but now he couldn’t pull his eyes away.

This must be the meeting with her ex-boyfriend’s family she’d told him about. The faces of the two women seated across from her were blocked, but Julia’s cheeks flamed pink. Her palm smacked the table as if she was about to lose control.

Easy there, sweetheart, he counseled silently.

As if she’d heard him, her eyes met his and held for several moments. His pulse hammered against his throat. Then she squared her shoulders and folded her hands in her lap.

He turned back to his father. “You’d like her. She’s a real spitfire.”

Joe smiled. “Like your mother.”

Sam forced himself not to look at Julia again. “I was ten when she died. I don’t remember that much.”

“This one’s different than your other girls?”

Sam caught the waitress’s attention and signaled for the check.

“Because I think you need a new perspective. After what happened with...”

“I don’t want to rehash my relationship history.”

Joe reached across the table and clasped Sam’s hand in his. “I know you want to find love and settle down.”

Sam heard a loud cough behind him and found the young waitress staring. Her look could only be described as predatory. Fantastic. Sam had dated some when he’d first come to town but had kept to himself recently, finding it easier and less complicated to be alone. The way gossip went viral in Brevia, he’d have a fresh line of eligible women in front of his office by morning.

“I told you,” Sam said, loud enough for the waitress to hear. “I’ve got a girlfriend. We’re very happy.”

The waitress dropped the check on the table with a humph and stalked away.

“It’s serious?” Joe asked.

Sam’s gaze wandered to Julia again. “Very,” he muttered as she jabbed a finger across the table. This time his mental warning to not lose control didn’t reach her. Her voice grew so loud that people at surrounding tables turned.

“I want to meet her,” his dad said, rubbing his palms together, oblivious to the commotion behind him. “Why don’t you give her a call and see if she can meet us for dessert? If she’s so wonderful, I can help make sure you don’t blow it.”

At the moment, Sam wasn’t worried about screwing up anything himself or producing a nonexistent girlfriend for his dad to fawn over. Instead he felt the need to avert someone else’s disaster. “I’ll be right back.”

Joe grabbed his arm as he started past. “Don’t be sore, Sammy. I was joking. You’re a great catch.”

Sam shrugged out of his father’s grasp. “I need a minute. Stay here.”

He darted around a passing waiter as he made his way to Julia, who now stood in front of the booth.

“You have no idea what I’m capable of,” she shouted. All eyes on this side of the restaurant were glued to her.

Just as he reached her, Julia picked up a glass of water from the table. Sam leaned in and wrapped his fingers around hers before she could hurl it at anyone.

“Hey there, sugar,” he said as he pulled her tense body tight to his side. “I didn’t realize your meeting was at Carl’s tonight. You doing okay?”

“Let go of me,” she said on a hiss of breath. “This is none of your concern.”

“Well, I am concerned,” he whispered then plastered on a wide smile. “I haven’t met your new friends yet.”

She squirmed against him. “They aren’t my—”

“Howdy, folks,” Sam interrupted, turning his attention to the two strangers staring at him. “I’m Sam Callahan. A...uh...friend of Julia’s.”

The woman in the corner practically screamed “old money,” from her sophisticated haircut to her tailored suit. A thick strand of pearls hung around her neck and a massive diamond sparkled on her left hand. The way her gaze narrowed, she must be Charlie’s paternal grandmother. Next to her was a younger woman, tiny and bookish. Her big owl eyes blinked from behind retro glasses. Faint streaks of color stole up her neck from the collar of her starched oxford shirt as she watched the two of them.

“Friend?” The older woman scoffed. “Latest conquest, no doubt.” She nudged the woman beside her. “Are you taking notes on this? She’s now flaunting her boy toy in front of us.”

Boy toy? Sam’s smile vanished and he worked to keep his voice pleasant. “Excuse me, ma’am, you have the wrong idea—”

She continued as if he hadn’t spoken. “Can you imagine what my grandson’s been subjected to when his mother is obviously a tramp? When the judge hears—”

Sam held up a hand. “Wait just one minute, lady. If you think you can waltz in here—”

Julia’s fingernails dug into his arm. “I don’t need your help. Walk away.”

He glanced down at her and saw embarrassment shimmering along with anger in her expression. And fear. At the mention of the word judge, he’d felt some of the fight go out of her. He wished he hadn’t interrupted, that he’d let her handle her own problems, the way she’d wanted to in the first place. But a part of Sam needed to be the hero just so he could feel something. It was what he was used to, one of the few things he could count on. That part of him couldn’t walk away.

He released Julia and leveled his best law-enforcement stare at the grandmother. As he expected, she shrank back and darted a nervous glance at her companion. “I’m Sam Callahan, Brevia’s police chief.” Hands on hips, he held her gaze. “To be clear, I am no one’s boy toy and would appreciate if you’d conduct yourself in a more civilized manner in my town. We don’t take kindly to strangers spreading malicious rumors about our own. Do I make myself clear?”

Several beats passed before the studious-looking woman cleared her throat. “Mr. Callahan—”

Sam squared his shoulders. “You can call me Chief.”

The attorney swallowed. “Chief Callahan, I’m Lexi Preston. I represent the interests of Charlie Morgan’s father, Jeff Johnson, and grandparents, Dennis and Maria Johnson. My father is the Johnsons’ family attorney and he asked me—”

“Get to the point.”

“Yes, well...” Lexi mumbled as she shuffled papers around the table. “I was simply explaining to Ms. Morgan the facts of her case, or lack thereof, when she became hostile and confrontational. My client is not to blame for this unfortunate disturbance. We have statements from a number of Ms. Morgan’s former acquaintances as to her character, so Dr. Johnson’s assertion, while ill-advised, is not without foundation.”

He heard Julia suck in a breath but kept his attention on the two women. “I don’t care what your so-called statements allege. You’re not going to drag Julia’s name through the mud.”

Preston collected the rest of the papers. “Why is Ms. Morgan’s reputation your business? Is she under investigation by local law enforcement?”

“This can’t get any worse,” Julia whispered so low only he could here. “Go away, Sam. Now.”

From the corner of his eye, Sam saw his father standing a few feet away, watching him intently. Sam was a good cop and he played things by the book, having learned the hard way not to bite off more than he could chew.

But some lessons didn’t stick.

He peeled Julia’s hand from its death grip around his upper arm and laced her fingers with his. “It’s my business, Counselor, because I’m not going to let you or anyone hurt the woman I intend to marry.”

Chapter Two

Julia thought things couldn’t get worse.

Until they did.

She glanced around the restaurant, as dumbfounded as the people who stared at her from the surrounding tables. She recognized a lot of them; Carl’s was a popular spot for Brevia locals.

Yanking Sam away from the table a few steps, she smiled up into his face, well aware of their audience. It took all her willpower to resist the urge to slap him silly. “Have you lost your mind?” she said, keeping her voice low.

The corners of his mouth were tight as he returned her smile. “Apparently.”

“Fix this. You have to fix this.”

“That’s what I’m trying to do.” He smoothed a stray hair from her cheek. “Trust me.”

No way. Julia didn’t trust men. She had a long line of heartbreak in her past. Mountains of collateral damage that made her sure she was the only person she could trust to take care of her and Charlie. “Don’t touch me,” she whispered through gritted teeth.

His hand dropped from her face. “I’m going to help you. But you can’t fight me. Not here.”

She glanced over his shoulder at the attorney and Charlie’s grandmother. For a fraction of a second, worry marred Maria Johnson’s perfect features. Julia didn’t understand the break in the ice queen’s armor, but it must have had something to do with Sam.

“Fine.” She reached forward and clasped both of his rock-solid arms, as if she could make him understand the gravity of her situation through a simple squeeze. “You better make it count. Charlie’s future is on the line.”

He searched her gaze for a long moment, then bent onto one knee. He took her fingers in his, tugging softly when she would have pulled away.

“I didn’t mean...”

“Julia Morgan,” he said, and his deep, clear voice rang out in the restaurant. “We’ve kept this quiet—no easy task in Brevia—but it’s long past time to make things official.” He cleared his throat, adjusting the collar of his starched uniform shirt. “Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

Julia blinked back sudden tears. A marriage proposal was what she’d wanted, once upon a time. She’d wanted Jeff to see they could build a real life together. Foolishly sure he was the one, she’d been reckless and selfish. Then the universe had blessed her with a beautiful son. She was working day and night to make a good life for Charlie. Now that she wanted to do the right thing, she risked losing him.

Not for the first time, she wondered if he’d be better off with the Johnsons and the privileged life filled with opportunities they could provide.

She squeezed her eyes shut to clear her thoughts. She was Charlie’s mother, no matter what, and wouldn’t ever stop fighting for him.

Sam ran his finger along the inside of her wrist. “Are you going to answer the question? My leg is cramping.”

“Oh, no. Sorry.”

“No?” he asked over the collective gasp.

“I mean yes. Get up, you big oaf.” Heat flooded her face and her stomach churned. What was she doing? She’d learned not to rely on a man for anything and now she was putting her entire future in Sam’s hands. Impulsive as ever, she repeated, “Yes. My answer is yes.”

He stood, rubbing one knee. “Cool it on the name-calling. We’re in love, remember.”

“You betcha, honey-bunny.”

That produced a genuine grin from him, and she was again caught off guard by her body’s reaction as tiny butterflies did a fast samba across her belly. Oblivious to his effect on her, Sam turned to the booth.

Before he could speak, an older man wrapped them both in a tight hug. “This is amazing.”

Amazing? Not quite.

Sam caught her gaze, his eyes dark and unreadable. “I forgot to tell you earlier. My dad came to town today. Meet Joe Callahan, your future father-in-law.”

Uh-oh.

Joe cupped her face between his large hands. “You’re just what he needed. I can already tell.” Tears shimmered in eyes the same color as Sam’s, only sweeter and looking at her with such kindness a lump formed in Julia’s throat. “You remind me of my Lorraine, rest her soul.”

“Okay, Dad.” Sam tugged her out of Joe’s embrace. She took a step back but Sam pulled her against his side.

Joe turned to the booth. “I’ll buy a round to celebrate. Any friends of...”

“Julia,” Sam supplied with a sigh.

“Any friends of my future daughter-in-law are friends of mine.”

“We’re not friends,” Lexi Preston ground out. “As I said earlier, I represent her son’s biological father and his parents. They’re interested in exploring a more viable custody arrangement. The Johnsons want what’s best for the child. They can give him opportunities—”

“They want to take my baby,” Julia mumbled. Sam’s arm tightened around her waist.

If Joe was surprised to hear she had a child, he didn’t let on. His posture went rigid. “That’s ridiculous. She’s the boy’s mother.”

“Dad, this isn’t the time or place—” Sam began.

Joe wagged a finger at Lexi Preston and Maria Johnson. “Now listen here. I don’t know what all this nonsense is about, but I can tell you my son will take care of that child and Julia. He’s the law around here, for heaven’s sake.” He leaned closer and Lexi’s nervous swallow mimicked Julia’s. Joe Callahan might look like a teddy bear but he had a backbone of steel. “You’ll have to come through both of us if you try to hurt her. We protect our own.”

“I’ve had quite enough of this town for tonight.” Maria pushed at the attorney, who stood quickly. “I don’t care who you’ve got in your backwater little corner of the world, we’re going to—”

Lexi put a hand on Maria’s shoulder to silence her. “The less said tonight, the better. We have a court date next week.” She gave Julia a curt nod. “Ms. Morgan, we’ll see you then.”

“Take care of the check, Lexi.” Maria Johnson barked the order at her attorney before stalking out of the restaurant.

“Does that mean she’s leaving Brevia?” Julia asked.

“For now. I’ll stay for the duration of the process. The Johnsons will fly back and forth.” Lexi leaned toward Julia. “I don’t want to get your hopes up, but a stable home environment could change the situation.” She clapped a hand over her mouth as if she’d said too much, then nodded to the group and scurried away.

Julia reached forward to hug Joe. “Thank you, Mr. Callahan. For what you said.”

“I meant it. Sam isn’t going to let anything happen to you.”

Sam.

Julia turned, but focused her attention on the badge pinned to Sam’s beige shirt, unable to make eye contact with him. Instead she looked out at the tables surrounding them. “Sorry for the commotion. Go back to dinner, and we’ll get out of your way.”

“Wait a minute.” Sam’s voice cut through the quiet.

Julia held her breath.

“As most of you heard tonight, Julia and I have something to celebrate.” He grabbed her hand and drew her back to him. Her fingers spread across his broad chest of their own accord. “We need to make this believable for the gossip mill,” he whispered against her ear.

A round of applause rang out in the restaurant followed by several clinks on glasses. “Kiss. Kiss. Kiss,” came the call from the bar.

Julia froze as Sam gazed down at her, his expression heated. “Better give them what they want.”

“It’s totally unbelievable and I had garlic for dinner,” she muttered, squirming in his arms.

“I’ll take my chances,” he answered with a laugh.

“Have it your way.” Cheeks burning, she raised her head and pressed her mouth to his, a chaste peck fit for the balcony at Buckingham Palace. When she would have ended the kiss, Sam caught hold of her neck and dipped her low. She let out a startled gasp and he slid his tongue against the seam of her lips. Ever so gently he molded his mouth to hers.

A fire sparked low in her belly as she breathed in the scent of him, warm and woodsy and completely male. Lost in her reaction, her arms wound around his neck and her fingers played in the short hair along his collar. She heard his sharp intake of breath and suddenly he righted them both to a chorus of catcalls and stomping feet.

“That’s what I’m talking about,” someone yelled.

“Okay, folks.” Sam’s gaze swept across the restaurant and he smiled broadly. “Show’s over. I’m going to see my lovely bride-to-be home.”

Julia pressed her fingers to her lips and looked at Sam. The smile didn’t reach his eyes.

When she turned, Joe watched her. “You’re a breath of fresh air if I ever saw one,” he said and gave her trembling hand a squeeze.

She led the group into the night but not before she noticed several members of the ladies’ auxiliary huddled in the corner. They’d have a field day with this one. The salon would be buzzing with the news by morning. Her chest tightened as she felt Sam behind her, frustration pouring off him like a late-winter rainstorm. Maybe he’d already come to regret his stupid proposal.

This entire situation was his fault. She’d told him she didn’t need a hero, and that was the truth.

Still, his announcement had rattled Maria Johnson and her attorney. She couldn’t figure out how a fake engagement would benefit Sam, but he wasn’t her problem.

Charlie was Julia’s only priority. She’d do anything for her son.

Right now she needed time to think, to figure out how to make this bizarre predicament work in her favor. “It’s been a long day, boys,” she said quickly. “Joe, it was nice to meet you. How long will you be—”

“We need to talk,” Sam interrupted, gripping her arm when she tried to break away.

“I thought I’d be around for a while. Give my boy some lessons in tapping into his feelings, finding his passion and all that.” Joe gave Sam a hearty thump on the back. “After that little display, I think he may have wised up on his own. You’re good for him, Julia. Real good.”

Sam’s hold on her loosened. He studied his father. “You mean one kiss convinced you I can do without a dose of your emotional mumbo jumbo?”

Julia swatted his arm. “That’s your father. Show some respect.”

Sam shot her a withering look. “I’ll remember that the next time your mom’s around.”

Joe laughed and wrapped them in another hug. “Not just any kiss. It’s different when you kiss the one. Trust me, I know. I bet they could see the sparks flying between the two of you clear down to the coast.”

Looking into Joe’s trusting face, she couldn’t let Sam’s father pin his hopes on her. She had to tell him the truth.

“Mr. Callahan, I don’t—”

“You’re right, Dad,” Sam agreed. “It’s different with Julia. I’m different, and I don’t want you to worry about me anymore.” He pinched the tip of Julia’s nose, a little harder than necessary if you asked her.

“Ouch.”

“Such a delicate flower.” He laughed and dropped a quick kiss on her forehead. “What would I do without you?”

“Troll for women over in Charlotte?” she offered.

“See why I need her by my side?”

Joe nodded. “I do.”

Sam turned to Julia and rubbed his warm hands down her arms. “Where are you parked?”

Julia pointed to the blue Jetta a few spaces down from where they stood, her mind still reeling.

“Perfect. I’m going to walk Dad back to the hotel and we’ll talk tomorrow.”

She didn’t like the look in his eye. “I’m kind of busy at the salon tomorrow.”

“Never too busy for your one true love.”

Julia stifled the urge to gag. “I guess not.”

“Get going, then, sugar.” He pinched her bottom, making her yelp. She rounded on him but, at the calculating gleam in his eye, turned back toward her car. Sam and his dad watched until she’d pulled out.

Despite this peculiar evening, his announcement had served its purpose. Lexi Preston had said having Sam in the picture might change things. That could be the understatement of the year, but if it kept Charlie safe, Julia would make it work.

No matter what.

* * *

Sam took a fortifying drink of coffee and watched as another woman walked through the door of The Best Little Hairhouse. He knew Julia had worked at the salon since her return to Brevia two years ago, but that wasn’t why he avoided this place like the plague. It was too girlie for him. The bottles of hair product and little rows of nail polish on the shelves gave him the heebie-jeebies.

The one time he’d ventured into the Hairhouse, after the owner had reported a man lurking in the back alley, he’d felt like a prize steer come up for auction.

He adjusted the brim of his hat, buttoned his jacket against the late-morning rain and started across the street. He’d put the visit off until almost lunchtime, irritated with himself at how much he wanted to see Julia again. Part of him wanted to blame her for making him crazy, but another piece, the part he tried to ignore, wanted to get close enough to her to smell the scent of sunshine on her hair.

He scrubbed a hand across his face. Sunshine on her hair? What the hell was that about? Women didn’t smell like sunshine. She worked at a salon and probably had a ton of gunk in her hair at any given moment. Although the way the strands had felt soft on his fingers when he’d bent to kiss her last night told another story.

One he wasn’t interested in reading. Or so he told himself.

Sam opened the front door and heard a blood-curdling scream from behind the wall at the reception desk. He jerked to attention. He might not spend a lot of time in beauty salons but could guarantee that sound wasn’t typical.

“I’m going to choke the life out of her,” a woman yelled, “as soon as my nails dry.”

Nope. Something wasn’t right.

He glanced at the empty reception desk then stepped through the oversized doorway that led to the main room.

A pack of women huddled around one of the chairs, Julia in the center of the mix.

“Is there a problem here, ladies?”

Seven pairs of eyes, ranging from angry to horrified, turned to him.

“Sam, thank the Lord you’re here.”

“You would not believe what happened.”

“Congrats on your engagement, Chief.”

The last comment produced silence from the group. He met Julia’s exasperated gaze. “Not a good time,” she mouthed and turned back to the center of the cluster, only to be pushed aside by a woman with a black smock draped around her considerable girth. Sam tried not to gape at her head, where the neat curls framing her face glowed an iridescent pink.

“There will be time for celebrating later. I want that woman arrested,” Ida Garvey announced. Sam was used to Ida issuing dictatorial commands. She was the wealthiest woman in town, thanks to a generous inheritance from her late husband. Other than the clown hair, she looked like a picture-perfect grandma, albeit one with a sharp tongue and a belief that she ruled the world.

For an instant, he thought she was pointing at Julia. Then he noticed the young woman hunched in the corner, furiously wiping tears from her cheeks.

“Ida, don’t be a drama queen.” Julia shook her head. “No one is being arrested. Accidents happen. We’ll fix it, but—”

“She turned my hair pink!” With a screech, Ida vaulted from the chair and grabbed a curling iron from a stand. “I’m going to kill her!” Ida lunged toward the cowering woman, but Julia stepped into her path. The curling iron dropped, the barrel landing on Julia’s arm before clattering to the floor.

Julia bit out an oath and Ida screamed again. “Look what you made me do,” she bellowed at the now-sobbing stylist. “I burned her.”

Sam strode forward with a new appreciation for the simplicity of breaking up a drunken bar brawl. Ida looked into his face then staggered back, one hand fluttering to her chest. “Are you gonna arrest me, Chief?”

“Sit down, Mrs. Garvey.” He waved at the group of women. “All of you, back off. Now.”

Ida plopped back into the chair as the group fell silent again.

Julia winced as he took her arm in his hands. A crimson mark slashed across her wrist, the skin already raised and angry. “Where’s a faucet?”

“I’m fine,” she said through gritted teeth. “Happens all the time.”

“I sure as hell hope not.”

“Not exactly like this. I can use the sink in back.” She tugged her arm but he didn’t let go.

“Don’t anyone move,” he ordered the women. “That means you, Ida.”

“I don’t need your help,” Julia ground out as he followed her to the back of the salon.

“You aren’t leaving me alone with that crowd.”

“Not so brave now.” Julia fumbled with the tap.

He nudged her out of the way. “I’ll do it. Nice ring. I have good taste.”

“I had it from... Well, it doesn’t matter.” Her cheeks flamed as she glanced at the diamond sparkling on her left hand. “I thought I should wear something until we had a chance to figure things out. Fewer questions that way. You know how nosy people are, especially in the salon.”

They needed to talk, but Sam couldn’t get beyond Julia being hurt, even by a curling iron. “Tell me what happened.”

“Crystal, the one in the corner, is our newest stylist. Ida came in without an appointment and she was the only one available. When she went to mix the color, Ida started barking orders. Crystal got so nervous, she mixed it wrong. Instead of a fluffy white cotton ball, Mrs. Garvey’s head is now glowing neon pink.”

Sam hid a smile as he drew her arm under the faucet and adjusted the temperature. She closed her eyes and sighed as cold water washed over the burn. He drew small circles on her palm, amazed at the softness of her skin under the pad of his thumb.

After a moment he asked, “Do you want to press charges?”

Her eyes flew open, and then she smiled at his expression. “Assault with a deadly styling tool? No, thanks.”

Her smile softened the angles of her face, made her beauty less ethereal and more earthy. God help him, he loved earthy.

She must have read something in his eyes because she yanked her hand away and flipped off the water. “I need to get out there before Ida goes after Crystal again.”

“Did you hire Crystal?”

“About three weeks ago. She came over from Memphis right out of school to stay with her aunt and needs a break...” She paused, her eyes narrowing. “You think I’m an idiot for hiring a girl with so little experience.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“Everyone thinks Val’s a fool to leave me in charge. They’re waiting for me to mess up.” She wrapped her arms around her waist then flinched when the burn touched her sweater. “And here I am.”

Sam knew Val Dupree, the Hairhouse’s longtime owner, was planning to retire, and Julia was working to secure a loan to buy the business. She was acting as the salon’s manager while Val spent the winter in Florida. “No one expects you to mess up.”

“You’ve been in town long enough to know what people think of me.”

The words held no malice, but she said them with a quiet conviction. Sam wanted to take her in his arms to soothe her worry and at the same time shake some sense into her. “Was it a mistake to hire Crystal?”

“No.” She looked at him as though she expected an argument. When he offered none she continued, “She’s good. Or she will be. I know it.”

“Then we’d better make sure Ida Garvey doesn’t attack your future star again.”

“Right.” She led him back into the main salon, where Ida still pinned Crystal to the wall with her angry stare. Everyone else’s attention was fixed on Julia and Sam.

Julia glanced over her shoulder. “It’s been twenty questions about our relationship all morning.”

He nodded. “Let’s take on one disaster at a time.”

She squared her shoulders and approached Mrs. Garvey, no trace of self-doubt evident. “Ida, I’m sorry.” She bent in front of the chair and took the older woman’s hands in hers. “I’m going to clear my schedule for the afternoon and make your hair better than before. You’ll get three months’ worth of free services for your trouble.”

Mrs. Garvey patted her pink hair. “That would help.”

“Lizzy?” Julia called. A young woman peeked around the doorway from the front of the salon. “Would you reschedule the rest of my clients? Everyone else, back to work.”

“I’m sorry,” Crystal said from the corner, taking a step toward Julia.

Ida shifted in the chair. “Don’t you come near me.”

Sam moved forward but Julia simply patted Ida’s fleshy arm. “Take the rest of the day off, Crystal. I’ll see you back here in the morning.”

“Day off?” Ida screeched. “You’re going to fire her, aren’t you? Val would have fired her on the spot!”

Color rose in Julia’s cheeks but she held her ground. “No, Mrs. Garvey. Crystal made a mistake.”

“She’s a menace. I knew she was doing it wrong from the start.”

“She made a mistake,” Julia repeated. “In part because you didn’t let her do her job.” She looked at Crystal. “Go on, hon. We’ll talk in the morning.”

“I have half a mind to call Val Dupree this minute and tell her how you’re going to run her business into the ground.”

“I’d watch what you say right now, Mrs. Garvey.” Sam pointed to her hair. “Julia may leave you pink if you’re not careful.”

“She wouldn’t dare.” But Ida shut her mouth, chewing furiously on her bottom lip.

“Get comfortable,” Julia told her. “We’ll be here for a while.”

She turned to Sam. “I think your work here is done, Chief.”

He leveled a steely look at her. “We’re not finished.”

“Unless you want to pull up a chair next to Ida we are. The longer that color sits on her hair, the harder time I’ll have getting it out.”

“You don’t play fair.”

Her eyes glinted. “I never have.”

Chapter Three

Julia rubbed her nose against Charlie’s dimpled neck and was rewarded by a soft belly laugh. “Who’s my best boy?” she asked and kissed the top of his head.

“Charlie,” he answered in his sweet toddler voice.

“Thanks for keeping him today, Lainey.” Julia’s younger sister and their mother, Vera, took turns watching Charlie on the days when his normal babysitter was unavailable. “Things were crazy today at work.”

She couldn’t imagine balancing everything without her family’s help. Two years ago, Julia’s relationship with Lainey had been almost nonexistent. Thanks in large part to Charlie, she now felt a sisterly bond she hadn’t realized was missing from her life.

“Crazy, how?” Lainey asked from where she stirred a pot of soup at the stove.

“Ida Garvey ended up with hair so pink it looked like cotton candy.”

Lainey’s mouth dropped open.

“She freaked out, as you can imagine.” Charlie scrambled off her lap to play with a toy fire truck on the kitchen floor. “It took the whole afternoon to make it better.”

“I thought you meant crazy like telling people about your secret boyfriend and his public proposal.” Lainey turned and pointed a wooden spoon at Julia as if it were a weapon. “I can’t believe I didn’t even know you two were dating.”

Julia groaned at the accusation in her sister’s tone and the hurt that shadowed her green eyes. When she’d gone along with Sam’s fake proposal last night, Julia hadn’t thought about the repercussions of people believing them. Thinking things through wasn’t her strong suit.

She didn’t talk about her years away from Brevia with Lainey or their mother. They had some inkling of her penchant for dating losers and changing cities at the end of each bad relationship. When the going got tough, it had always seemed easier to move on than stick it out.

From the outside, Julia knew she appeared to have it together. She was quick with a sarcastic retort that made people believe life’s little setbacks didn’t affect her. She’d painted herself as the free spirit who wouldn’t be tied to anyone or any place.

But her devil-may-care mask hid a deeply rooted insecurity that, if someone really got to know her, she wouldn’t measure up. Because of her learning disabilities and in so many other ways.

Her struggles to read and process numbers at the most basic level had defined who she was for years. The shame she felt, as a result, was part of the very fiber of her being. She’d been labeled stupid and lazy, and despite what anyone told her to the contrary, she couldn’t shake the belief that it was true.

Maybe that was why she picked men who were obviously bad bets. Maybe that was why she’d been a mean girl in high school—to keep people at arm’s length so she wouldn’t have a chance of being rejected.

She wondered for a moment how it would feel to confide the entire complicated situation to Lainey. For one person to truly understand her problem. She ached to lean in for support as fear weighed on her heart. But as much as they’d worked to repair their fractured relationship, Julia still couldn’t tell her sister how scared she was of failing at what meant the most to her in life: being a mother to Charlie.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for half the town to find out at Carl’s.” No one in her family even knew about Jeff’s interest in a new custody arrangement.

She stood, trying to come up with a plausible reason she wouldn’t have shared big boyfriend news. “My track record with guys is common knowledge, and I didn’t want Sam to have people beating down his door to warn him away from me.”

Lainey’s gaze turned sympathetic. “Oh, Jules. When Ethan and I first got back together I didn’t want anyone to know, either. I felt like the town would hold my past mistakes against me and you were back and... Never mind now. I’m going to forgive you because it’s so wonderful.” She threw her arms around Julia. “Everyone loves Sam, so...” Lainey’s voice trailed off.

Julia’s stomach turned with frustration. “So, what? By default people are suddenly going to open their arms to me?”

Lainey shrugged. “It can’t hurt. Do you have a date?”

“For what?”

Lainey pushed away. “The wedding, silly. You’ll get married in Brevia, right?”

Julia blinked. “I suppose so. We’re taking the planning slowly. I want a long engagement. It’ll be better for Charlie.”

“Sure.” Lainey frowned but went back to the stove.

“Just enjoying each other and all that,” Julia added quickly, guilt building with every lie she told. “So in love. You know.”

“I want to be involved in the planning.”

“Of course. We can have a girls’ day out to look for dresses and stuff.” With each detail, the difficulty of deceiving her family became more apparent.

She reminded herself that it was only for a short time, and she was protecting everyone from the stress of the custody fight. “I should go. Thanks to the commotion today, I’m late on the product order I should have sent. If Charlie goes down early enough, I’ll be able to get it in tomorrow morning. A night full of numbers, lucky me.”

“Do you want some help?”

Julia tensed. “I can handle it. I’m not a total idiot, despite rumors to the contrary.” She saw hurt flash again in her sister’s gaze and regretted her defensive tone.

She did most of the paperwork for the salon when Charlie went to bed to minimize her hours away from him. She spent many late nights pouring over the accounts and payroll information, terrified she’d make a mistake or miss an important detail. She was determined no one would ever see how unqualified she was to run her own business.

“No one thinks you’re an idiot,” Lainey said quietly. “You’re doing an amazing job with the salon, but I know how things get when you’re tired. I’m offering another set of eyes if you need them.”

“I’m sorry I snapped.” Julia rubbed two fingers against each temple, trying to ward off an impending headache. “I’ll take it slow. It’s routine paperwork, not splitting the atom.”

“Could you delegate some of this to the receptionist or one of the part-time girls? Why does it all have to fall on you? If you’d only tell them—”

“They can’t know. No one can. What if Val found out? The deal isn’t final. She could change her mind about selling to me.”

“She wouldn’t do that,” Lainey argued.

“Someone could take advantage, mix things up without me understanding until it’s too late.” Julia gathered Charlie’s sippy cup and extra snacks into the diaper bag.

Lainey shook her head, frustration evident as she fisted her hands at her sides. “Learning disabilities don’t make you stupid, Julia. When are you going to realize that? Your brain processes information differently. It has nothing to do with your IQ, and you have the best intuition of anyone I know. No one could take advantage of you—”

“Have you seen my list of ex-boyfriends?”

“—without you letting them,” Lainey finished.

“Point taken.” Even as much as Julia had wanted her relationship with Jeff to work out, she should have known it was doomed. He’d been the opposite of most guys she’d dated, and she should have known someone so academic and cultured wouldn’t truly want her. They’d gone to museums and gallery openings, his interest in her giving her hope that someone would finally see her for more than a pretty face.

She’d craved his approval and made the mistake of sharing her secret with him. None of the men before him had known about the severe learning disabilities that had plagued her since grade school. She’d managed for years to keep her LD hidden from almost everyone.

Only her family and certain trusted teachers had known the struggles she’d faced in learning to read and process both words and numbers. She wasn’t sure any of them understood how deep her problems were. The embarrassment and frustrations she’d felt as a kid had prevented her from letting teachers, interventionists or even her parents truly help her.

It had been easier to play the part of being too cool for school or, as she got older, not wanting to be tied down to a real job or responsibilities. Only for Charlie was she finally willing to put her best effort forward, constantly worried it wouldn’t be enough.

“Are you still working with the literacy specialist?”

“Every week. It’s a slow process, though. Between my visual and auditory learning deficiencies, I feel like a lost cause. Sometimes I wonder if it’s even worth it.”

“It’s worth it,” Lainey said as she lifted Charlie from the floor and gave him a hug before depositing him into Julia’s arms. “LD is complex and I’m proud of you for everything you’ve accomplished despite it. I’m here if you need me. Ethan and Mom can take Charlie, so—”

“Mom’s back?” Julia swallowed. She’d assumed her sister hadn’t heard about the engagement. But their mother had her finger on the pulse of every snippet of gossip from Brevia to the state line. “She wasn’t scheduled back until next week.” Long enough for Julia to get a handle on her mess of a life.

“She flew in this morning. I can help contain her, you know. You’ll need reinforcements for damage control on that front.”

Julia stopped in her tracks. Even though she’d worried about her mother finding out, hearing Lainey say it made her knees quiver the tiniest bit. “Mom knows? I thought she just got back.”

“She knows,” Lainey answered with an eye roll. “I think she’s waiting for you to call and explain yourself.”

Another layer of dread curled in the pit of Julia’s stomach. Her mother would support her. Vera was a big part of Charlie’s life and would fight tooth and nail to protect him. But she understood Julia’s limitations better than anyone. Julia didn’t want to know if her mom had any doubts about her ability to give Charlie a good life on her own.

Now was the time to come clean, but with Charlie in her arms, she couldn’t bring herself to voice her fears. It might make them too real.

“I’ll call her. She’ll understand. I’ll make her understand.”

Lainey only smiled. “Good luck.”

Julia needed a lot more than luck.

* * *

She tried to ignore the persistent knocking at her apartment door later that night. She hadn’t called her mother and silently debated whether Vera would make the twenty-minute drive to Julia’s apartment to rake her over the coals in person.

But Charlie had just fallen asleep after six verses of “The Wheels on the Bus,” and Julia wasn’t going to risk the noise waking him, so she opened the door, prepared for the mother–daughter smackdown of the century.

Sam stood in the hallway watching her.

Even better.

“Long day, Chief. I’ll call you tomorrow.” She tried to close the door but he shoved his foot into the opening. Blast those steel-toed boots.

He held up a white cardboard box and a six-pack of beer. “It’s been a long day for both of us. We eat first and then dig ourselves out of this mess.”

She sniffed the air. “Pepperoni?”

“With extra cheese.”

She took a step back and he eased around her into the tiny apartment. It actually didn’t feel so small with just her and Charlie in it. Somehow, Sam not only filled the room but used more than his fair share of the oxygen in it. Julia drew a shaky breath and led the way to the small dining area.

“Sorry,” she apologized automatically as she picked macaroni noodles from the maple tabletop. “Charlie’s been practicing his QB skills at mealtime.”

“Nothing wrong with starting early. Where’s the little guy?”

“Asleep. Finally.”

Sam put the box on the table and handed her a beer as he cocked his head. “Is that classical music?”

“Beethoven.”

“Sounds different than I remember. More animated.”

She picked up a remote and pointed it at the television on the other side of the room. “It’s a Junior Genius DVD.”

“Come again?”

“A program designed to increase a young child’s brain activity.” She clicked off the television. “They have research to show that it works.”

His brows rose. “I still hear music.”

She felt color creep into her cheeks. “I play a Mozart disc as he falls asleep.” She walked past him to the kitchen and pulled two plates from a cabinet.

“Are you a classical-music fan?”

She spun around and stalked back to the table. “Why? Do you think classical is too highbrow for someone like me? Would it make more sense if I was a Toby Keith groupie?”

He took a step back and studied her. “First off, don’t hate on Toby Keith. Secondly, it was a question.” He waved one hand in the direction of the bookcases that flanked the television. “You have more classical CDs on your shelves than I’ve seen in my entire life. It’s a logical assumption.”

“Sorry.” She sighed. “I like some composers but it’s mainly for Charlie. I figure he needs all the help he can get, living with me. You may have heard I’m not the sharpest knife in the drawer.”

“Is that so?”

“It’s a well-known fact in town. My mom will tell you I have ‘street smarts.’” She met his gaze with a wry smile. “I’m sure any number of my former friends would be happy to tell you how I skated through school by charming teachers or bullying other students into helping me.” She broke off as Sam watched her, worrying that she’d somehow given him a clue into her defective inner self. She plastered on a saucy smile and stretched up her arms in an exaggerated pose. “At that point my life’s ambition was to be a supermodel.”

“Personally, I wanted to be Eddie Van Halen.” He shrugged. “Were you really a bully?”

“I like to remember it as a benevolent dictatorship. I had my reasons, but have discovered that the kids I ordered around back in the day have become adults who are more than happy to see the golden girl taken down a few pegs.” She opened the pizza box and pulled out a slice, embarrassed at her silly adolescent dream. “I was the ring leader and the ‘pretty one’ in Brevia, but couldn’t cut it in the big leagues.”

“You started over. There’s nothing wrong with that. People do it all the time.”

“Right. I went to beauty school, dated a string of losers, partied too much and tried to live below my potential.” She tipped her beer in a mock toast. “And that’s pretty low.”

“Somebody did a number on you, sweetheart. Because the way you handled that mess at the salon today took some clever negotiation skills. Not the work of a fool.”

“We’ll see what Val thinks once Ida spins it.” She slid a piece of pizza onto his plate. “Sit down and eat. Unless the pizza was a ruse to get in the door so you could rip my head off without the neighbors hearing. Might be easier than going through with your grand proposal.”

His knee brushed against her bare leg as he folded himself into the chair across from her. It occurred to Julia that she was wearing only boxer shorts and a faded Red Hot Chili Peppers T-shirt with no bra. Bad choice for tonight.

“Such violent thoughts,” he said, sprinkling a packet of cheese flakes on his pizza.

She sat back and crossed her arms over her chest. As soon as she’d realized she was braless, her nipples had sprung to attention as if to yell “over here, look at us.” Not something she wanted Sam to notice in a million years.

“Why did you do it? This crazy situation is your fault.”

He frowned. “You weren’t exactly convincing as the levelheaded, responsible parent. You were about to dive across the table and take out the grandma.”

“She deserved it.” Julia popped out of her chair and grabbed a fleece sweatshirt from a hook near the hallway, trying not to let her belly show as she pulled it over her head. “But I didn’t need to be rescued. Especially not by Three Strikes Sam.” She sat back in her chair and picked up the pizza. “We’re quite a pair. Do you really think anyone is going to believe you’re engaged, given your reputation?”

“What reputation, and who is Three Strikes Sam?”

She finished her bite. “You don’t know? Brevia is a small town. But we’ve got more than our share of single ladies. Apparently the long line of women you’ve dated since you arrived has banded together. The story is that you don’t go on more than three dates with one woman. You’ve got your own fan club here in town. The ladies blog, tweet and keep track of you on Facebook. They call you Three Strikes Sam.”

Sam felt as though he’d been kneed in the family jewels. Never mind the social-media insanity, what shocked him more was that Julia acted as if she knew the details of his dating history. That possibility was fright-night scary.

“You’re making it up.”

“I’m not that creative. You can log on to my computer and see for yourself. I only found out a couple of weeks ago, when Jean Hawkins was in the salon.”

Sam swallowed hard. Jean was the dispatcher for the county sheriff’s office. They’d had a couple of casual dinners last month but had agreed not to take it further. Or so he’d thought.

“She got a blowout and a bang trim. A ‘wash that man right out of her hair’ afternoon.” Julia wrinkled her pert nose. “You know how it is—stylists are like therapists for some people. Get a woman in the chair and she has to spill her secrets.”

“And she told you about this fan club?”

Julia nodded and took a drink of beer. “Three seems to be the magic number for you. You’re a serial get-to-know-you dater.”

Sam pushed away from the table and paced to the end of the narrow living room. “That’s ridiculous.” He ran a hand through his hair. “There’s no arbitrary limit on the number of dates I’ll go on with one woman.”

“A dozen ladies claim there is,” she countered. “They say you’ve more than made the rounds.”

“I haven’t dated a dozen ladies in Brevia. Besides, why would anyone gossip about dating me?”

“You’ve been in Brevia long enough to know how it works.” She laughed, but he found no humor in the situation. Sure, he’d been on dates with a few different women. When he’d first come to town, it had sort of happened that way. He’d always been a gentleman. If things led to the bedroom he didn’t complain, but he also didn’t push it. No one had grumbled at the time.

He wasn’t a serial dater. The way she said it made him sound like a scumbag. So what if he was a little gun-shy? Walking in on your fiancée with her legs wrapped around another guy would do that to a man. It had been almost three years now since he’d had his heart crushed, and he wasn’t itching to repeat that particular form of hell. “You’re telling me I’m a joke with these women because I’m not in a relationship?” His voice started to rise. “In case they haven’t noticed, I have a serious job. One that’s more important to me than my damned social life.”

“It’s not like that,” she said quickly, reaching out to place her cool fingers on his arm. A light touch that was oddly comforting. “No one is laughing at you. It’s more like a challenge. Scary as it may sound, you have a town full of women who are determined to see you settle down. According to my sources, you’re quite the catch.”

He dropped back into the chair. “I came to Brevia because I wanted a fresh start.”

“As Mick Jagger would say, ‘you can’t always get what you want.’”

“You think this fake engagement is what I need?”

“It was your idea to start. Plus, it’s quieted the gossips, and your dad seemed to approve.”

He nodded and took a long drink of beer. “My father loved you.”

“Who can blame him?” she asked with a hair toss.

Sam smiled despite himself. “He wants to help me tap into my emotions.”

She studied him as she took another bite. “Is that so bad?”

“I don’t need to be more emotional.”

“Your fans beg to differ.”

“Don’t remind me,” he muttered.

A tiny cry came from the corner of the table and Julia adjusted a baby monitor. “I’m going to check on him.” She padded down the hall, leaving Sam alone with his thoughts. Something he didn’t need right now.

He preferred his emotions tightly bottled. It wasn’t as if he didn’t have feelings. Hell, he’d felt awful after calling off his engagement. He would have made a decent husband: loyal, faithful...

Maybe those were better attributes in a family pet, but he managed okay.

In Sam’s opinion, there was no use wearing his heart on his sleeve. The scraps of memory he had from the months after his mother died were awful, his dad too often passed out drunk on the couch. Neighbors shuttling Sam and his brother to school and a steady diet of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. When Joe finally got a handle on his emotions, it had saved their family.

Sam would never risk caring for someone like that. Feeling too much, connecting to the feelings he’d locked up tight, might spiral him back into that uncontrolled chaos.

He looked around the apartment, taking in more details with Julia out of the room. The dining area opened directly onto the living room, which was filled with comfortable, oversized furniture covered in a creamy fabric. Several fuzzy blankets fell over the arm of one chair. A wicker box overflowed with various toys, most of which looked far more complex than he remembered from childhood.

In addition to the classical CDs, framed pictures of Charlie with Julia, Vera, Lainey and Ethan sat on the bookshelves. Sam had also noticed an impressive collection of books—several classics by Hemingway, Dickens, even Ayn Rand. For someone who clearly didn’t see her own intelligence, Julia had sophisticated taste in reading material.

The baby monitor crackled, drawing his attention. He heard Julia’s voice through the static. “Did you have a dream, Charlie-boy?” she cooed. “Can Mommy sing you back to sleep?”

Charlie gave another sleepy cry as an answer and a moment later Sam heard a familiar James Taylor song in a soft soprano.

He smiled as he listened to Julia sing. Classical for Charlie, Sweet Baby James for his mother.

Sam felt a thread of unfamiliar connection fill his heart. At the same time there was a release of pressure he hadn’t realized he’d held. In the quiet of the moment, listening to her sweet and slightly off-key voice, the day’s stress slipped away. He took a deep breath as his shoulders relaxed.

“I love you, sweetie,” he heard her whisper, her tone so full of tenderness it made his heart ache all the more.

He understood in an instant how much it meant for Julia to keep her son. Knew that she’d do anything to keep Charlie safe.

Suddenly Sam wanted that for her more than he cared about his own future. But he was a man who’d made it through life taking care of himself, protecting number one at all costs. No matter how he felt about one spirited single mother, he couldn’t afford to change that now.

Hearing footsteps, he quickly stood to clear the dishes from the table.

“I think he’s back down,” she said as she came into the kitchen.

Sam rounded on her, needing to get to the crux of the matter before he completely lost control. “You’re right,” he told her. “This deal was my idea and I’ll play the part of doting fiancé because it helps us both.”

“Doting may be pushing it,” she said, fumbling with the pizza box, clearly wary of his change in mood. “We don’t need to go overboard.”

He propped one hip on the counter. “We need to make it believable.” He kept his tone all business. “Whatever it takes.”

“Fine. We’ll make people believe we’re totally in love. I’m in. Whatever it takes to convince Jeff to drop the custody suit.”

“Will he?”

“He still hasn’t even seen Charlie. I get the impression his parents are pushing for the new custody deal. The attorney is really here to figure out if they have a viable case or not before they go public. Jeff didn’t want kids in the first place. He’d even talked about getting the big snip. They probably think Charlie is their only shot at a grandchild, someone to mold and shape in their likeness.”

“I don’t think that’s how kids work.”

She shook her head. “I don’t think they care. If we can convince Lexi that Charlie has a happy, stable home and that he’s better off here than with Jeff and his family, that’s the report she’ll give to them. It will be enough. It has to. Once I get the custody agreement—”

“You’ll dump my sorry butt,” Sam supplied.

“Or you can break it off with me.” She rinsed a plate and put it into the dishwasher. “People will expect it. You’re up for reappointment soon. It should earn extra points with some of the council members. Everyone around here knows I’m a bad bet.”

“I thought you and Ethan had been the town’s golden couple back in the day.”

“He was the golden boy,” she corrected. “I was the eye candy on his arm. But I messed that up. My first in a series of epic fails in the relationship department.”

“Does it bother you that he’s with Lainey?” Sam asked, not willing to admit how much her answer meant to him.

She smiled. “They’re perfect together in a way he and I never were. She completes him and all that.”

“Do you think there’s someone out there who’d complete you?”

“Absolutely.” She nodded. “At this moment, he’s drooling in the crib at the end of the hall.”

He took a step closer to her and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “We’re going to make sure he stays there.”

Her lips parted as she looked up at him. Instinctively he eased toward her.

She blinked and raised her hands to his chest, almost pushing him away but not quite. “We have to establish some ground rules,” she said, sounding as breathless as he felt.

“I’m the law around these parts, ma’am,” he said in his best Southern drawl. “I make the rules.”

“Nice try.” She laughed and a thrill ran through him. “First off, no touching or kissing of any kind.”

It was his turn to throw back his head and laugh. “We’re supposed to be in love. You think people will believe you could keep your hands off me?”

She smacked his chest lightly. “I’m surprised your ego made it through the front door. Okay, if the situation calls for it you can kiss me. A little.” Her eyes narrowed. “But no tongue.”

He tried to keep a straight face. “Where’s the fun in that?”

“My best offer,” she whispered.

He traced her lips with the tip of one finger and felt himself grow heavy when they parted again. “I think we’d better practice to see if I’ll be able to manage it.”

He leaned in, but instead of claiming her mouth he tilted his head to reach the smooth column of her neck. He trailed delicate kisses up to her ear and was rewarded with a soft moan. Pushing her hair back, he cradled her face between his palms.

Her breath tingled against his skin and she looked at him, desire and self-control warring in the depths of her eyes. He wanted to keep this arrangement business but couldn’t stop his overwhelming need. As out of control as a runaway train, he captured her lips with his.

Chapter Four

It should be illegal for a kiss to feel so good. The thought registered in Julia’s dizzy brain. Followed quickly by her body’s silent demand for more...more...more. Her arms wound around Sam’s neck and she pressed into him, the heat from his body stoking a fire deep within her. His mouth melded to hers as he drew his hands up underneath her shirt.

A man hadn’t kissed her like this in so long. As though he meant it, his mouth a promise of so much more.

A familiar voice cut through her lust-filled haze. “So, the rumors are true. Doesn’t seem right your mother should be the last to know.”

Sam’s eyes flew open as he stepped away from her. Julia let out a soft groan.

“Ever think of knocking?” she asked, pressing her hands over her eyes.

“No” was her mother’s succinct answer.

“Nice to see you, Mrs. Morgan.” Although Sam’s voice sounded a little shaky, Julia had to admire his courage in holding her mother’s gaze.

Almost unwillingly, Julia turned and met her mom’s steely glare. “I’m sorry, Mom. We wanted to keep things quiet a bit longer.”

Vera Morgan was a tiny blonde dynamo of a woman. Her hair pulled back into a neat bun, she retained the beauty of her youth mixed with the maturity of decades spent overseeing her life and everyone in it. She crossed her arms over her chest. “Until you could announce your engagement in the middle of a crowded restaurant?”

Julia cringed. “Not the exact plan.”

“I don’t understand what this is about. It sounds like one of your typical impetuous decisions. Your father and I raised you to be more careful with how you act. I thought you’d have learned to be more responsible about the choices you make. Have you thought of Charlie? What’s best for him?”

“He’s all I think about and of course I want what’s best for him. You have no idea...” Julia wanted to lay it all on the line for her mother—Jeff’s family, the attorney, her fear of losing Charlie. She paused and glanced at Sam. He nodded slightly as if to encourage her.

How could she admit her years of bad choices could jeopardize Charlie’s future? She knew her mother thought she was irresponsible, fickle and flighty. For most of her life, Julia had been all of those things and worse.

Her mother waited for an answer while the toe of one shoe tapped out a disapproving rhythm. Julia could measure the milestone moments of her life by her mother’s slow toe tap. She swore sometimes she could hear it in her sleep.

“I don’t expect you to understand, but this is good for Charlie. For both of us.”

Vera’s gaze slanted between Julia and Sam. “Having the hots for a guy isn’t the same as love. From what I just witnessed, you two have chemistry, but marriage is a lot more than physical attraction.”

Julia felt a blush rise to her cheeks. “I’m not a teenager anymore,” she mumbled. “I get that.”

“I worry about you rushing into something.” Vera paused and pinned Sam with a look before continuing. “Especially with a man who has a reputation around town. I don’t want you to be hurt.”

“I know what I’m doing. Trust me. For once trust that I’m making the right decision.” She hated that her voice cracked. She’d made some stupid choices in her life. So what? Lots of people did and they lived through it. Did she have to be raked over the coals for every indiscretion?

Sam’s hand pressed into the small of her back, surprisingly comforting. “Mrs. Morgan,” he began, his voice strong and confident. Julia wished she felt either right now. “Your daughter is the most amazing woman I’ve ever met.”

Julia glanced over her shoulder, for a moment wondering if he was talking about her sister.

The corner of his mouth turned up as he looked at her. “You are amazing. You’re honest and brave and willing to fight for what you want.”

Charlie’s sweet face flashed in Julia’s mind, and she gave a slight nod.

“You’re a lot stronger and smarter than you give yourself credit for.” His gaze switched to Vera. “Than most people give her credit for. But that’s going to change. I want people to see the woman I do. Maybe we shouldn’t have hidden our relationship, but it wasn’t anyone’s business. To hell with my reputation and Julia’s, too.”

“I hear a couple town-council members are making a big deal about your single status as they’re starting to review your contract. They think only a family man can impart the kind of values and leadership Brevia needs.”

“Another reason we were quiet. I don’t want to use Julia and Charlie to get reappointed. The job I’ve done as police chief should be enough.”

He sounded so convincing, Julia almost believed him. At the very least, his conviction gave her the courage to stand up for herself a little more. “Sam’s right. We’re not looking for anyone’s approval. This is about us.”

“Have you set a date yet?” Vera asked, her tone hard again.

“We’re working on that.”

Sam cleared his throat. “I’m going to head home.” He dropped a quick kiss on Julia’s cheek. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

“Coward,” she whispered.

“Sticks and stones,” he said softly before turning to Vera.

“Mrs. Morgan, I’m sorry you found out this way. I hope you know I have Julia and Charlie’s best interests at heart.”

Her mother’s eyes narrowed.

“That’s my cue.” Sam scooted around Vera and let himself out the front door.

“I only want what’s best for you.” Vera stepped forward. “Your father and I didn’t do enough to help you when you were younger. I won’t make that mistake again.” She wrapped one arm around Julia’s waist. “I don’t understand how this happened and I don’t trust Sam Callahan. But I know Charlie is your number one priority. That’s what counts.”

Julia didn’t want her mother to feel guilty. As a child, she’d tried to hide the extent of her problems from her parents, as well as everyone else. They weren’t to blame. She let out a slow breath. “I’m doing this for Charlie.”

“You love him?”

“He’s my entire life.”

“I meant, do you love Sam? Enough to marry him.”

“Sam is a wonderful man,” Julia answered quickly. “I’d be a fool not to want to marry him.” Not exactly a declaration of deep and abiding love but it was as much as she could offer tonight. “I’m sorry you had to come over.”

Her mother watched her for several moments before releasing her hold. “You’re my daughter. I’ll do anything to protect you. You know that, right?”

Julia nodded. Once again, she had the urge to share the whole sordid mess with her mother. She swallowed back her emotions. “It’s late. I’ll bring Charlie by in the morning before I drop him at the sitter’s.”

Vera patted her cheek. “Get some sleep. You look like you could use it. You can’t keep up this pace. You’re no spring chicken.”

“Thanks for the reminder.” That was the reason Julia wanted to handle this on her own. Vera couldn’t help but judge her. It was in her mother’s nature to point out all the ways Julia needed improvement. She’d have a field day with the custody situation. Julia had enough trouble without adding her mother’s opinion into the mix.

She closed and locked the door behind her mother then sagged against it. She’d done a lot of reckless things in her life but wondered if this time she’d gone off the deep end.

The baby monitor made a noise. Charlie gave a short cry before silence descended once more. Her gaze caught on a framed photo on one end table, taken minutes after his birth. She’d known as soon as the nurse had placed him in her arms that Charlie was the best part of her. She’d vowed that day to make something of her life, to become worthy of the gift she’d been given. While she had a difficult time tamping down her self-doubt, she never questioned how far she would go to protect her son. She’d do whatever it took to keep him safe, even this ridiculous charade with Sam. If it helped her custody case in the least, Julia would become the most devoted fiancée Brevia had ever seen.

* * *

That commitment was put to the test the next morning when a posse of angry women descended on the salon. Two to be exact, but it felt like a mob.

She’d swung by her mother’s after breakfast then dropped Charlie with Mavis Donnelly, the older woman who watched him and one other toddler in her home. She’d gotten into town by eight-thirty, thanks to Charlie’s propensity to wake with the sun. She wanted time to look over the monthly billing spreadsheets before anyone else arrived.

No one outside her immediate family knew about her condition, and she intended to keep it that way, afraid of being taken advantage of or thought too stupid to handle her own business. She put in the extra time she needed to get each financial piece right. Sometimes she studied the numbers until she felt almost physically ill.

When the knocking started, she straightened from her desk in the back, assuming it was one of the stylists who’d forgotten her key. Instead the front door swung open to reveal two pairs of angry eyes glaring at her.

“How’d you do it?” Annabeth Sullivan asked, pushing past her into the salon without an invitation. Annabeth had been in the same high-school class as Julia, a girl Julia would have referred to as a “band geek” back in the day. She hadn’t been kind, and Annabeth, who now managed the bank reviewing Julia’s loan application, hadn’t let her forget it. Annabeth’s younger sister, Diane, followed her inside.

“Morning to you, ladies.”

“He never goes on more than three dates.” Annabeth held up three plump fingers. “Never.”

“Can I see the ring?” Diane asked, her tone gentler.

Reluctantly, Julia held out her hand. “It’s perfect,” Diane gushed.

“Kind of small,” Annabeth said, peering at it from the corner of one eye. “I figured you’d go for the gaudy flash.”

Julia felt her temper flare. “You don’t know me, then.”

Annabeth took a step closer. “I know you, Julia Morgan. I know you had your minions stuff my locker with Twinkies the first day of freshman year. And made my life hell every day after that. I spent four years trying to stay off your radar and still you’d hunt me down.”

The truth of the accusation made Julia cringe. “I’m sorry. I tried to make amends when I came back. I was awful and I’m truly sorry. I offered you free services for a year to try to repay a tiny portion of my debt.”

“A year?” Diane turned to her sister. “You never told me that.”

“Be quiet, Diane. That doesn’t matter now. What I want to know is how you cast your evil spell over Sam Callahan.”

“I’m not a witch. No spells, no magic.” She paused then added, “We fell in love. Simple enough. Is there something else you need?” She took a step toward the front door but Annabeth held up a hand.

“Nothing is simple with you. Sam is a good man. He went on three dates with Diane.”

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