An hour later, Samantha sat at her kitchen table while Marina inspected her hair. She talked about a two-step process that included bleaching and dying or something of that nature. All Samantha cared about was blending in.

“I appreciate you making a house call.”

Marina gave her a weak smile. “I could use the distraction.” She lifted her arms, making her shirt rise up. The bruises on her stomach had faded to a pale yellow.

“There are places you can go for help.”

At first, Samantha thought Marina would ignore her comment, but in fact, she considered her answer. “This is not what you think.”

“My imagination is pretty active and often accurate. My father abused my mother. We escaped but looked over our shoulders for years. How sad is it that the day he died was the day our lives began?”

Marina unpacked a bag of supplies and covered Samantha’s shoulders with a navy blue cape. Why did women insist on protecting their abusers? It was obvious Marina had suffered some kind of trauma. “Are you running from something? Someone?”

“Are you?” she countered. “There are many kinds of abuse. They all hurt the same.”

Samantha considered her words. Bruises healed, but the words stayed inside and beat you up repeatedly. Abuse was abuse no matter what form it came in.

Cool liquid gushed from a bottle onto her hair. “Why do you stay?”

“Why did you?”

She hated it when people answered questions with questions. “It took time to get a plan together.”

“Ditto.” That was the end of the conversation. Marina worked in silence as Samantha thought about her own life. Coming to Aspen Cove was the beginning, but not the end.

Two hours later, she looked at herself in the mirror. Samantha White was back.

Marina had breathed new life into her tired persona. She couldn’t wait to show off her true self. Would Dalton like her hair now that it was brown, or was it the edginess of the blue that attracted him?

“You have no idea what you did for me today.” Samantha handed her several hundred dollars.

“That’s too much.” She tried to pass back everything but a hundred.

Samantha closed her hand over the hand of the woman who had given her a fresh start. “Put it to work in your plan.”

Marina looked down at the pile of twenties. When her head lifted, tears filled her eyes. “You have no idea what this means.”

Samantha pulled her in for a hug. “You’d be surprised.”

As soon as the hairdresser left, Samantha found herself back in front of the mirror, staring at her reflection. How had things gotten so out of hand that she’d let another person define who she was?

Her thoughts went to Marina. Desperation made people do crazy things. Samantha didn’t know why smart women stayed in bad situations. Society would say they were dumb, but when the options came down to living or dying, the choice got easier. When your choice is between dying by starvation or dying at the hand of an asshole, the choice was less clear because the outcome remained the same.

In many ways, Samantha had already experienced death. The beatings her mom took were the death of her childhood. Signing a long-term contract was the death of her choices. Now Samantha White was back and ready to live again.

She applied blush, mascara, and lip gloss before getting dressed for the bonfire. An internal debate warred inside her on whether she should wear nice jeans or worn jeans. It was funny how worn jeans cost twice as much for less fabric. A good shredding cost big bucks these days. She paired the torn jeans with a white T-shirt and hoodie. The weather had stayed in the mid-sixties all day and only now dipped down to the fifties. With a fire pit and a hot man, Samantha was certain she’d stay plenty warm.

Dalton said it was a date, but did he mean a date-date or a come-hang-out-with-me date?

Deanna’s words echoed in her head. “You can’t keep him.” Maybe not, but she could enjoy him for a while, couldn’t she? At least she could enjoy his kisses. That was probably the smartest plan. Don’t let it get past a hug or a kiss or two … or ten. He was an excellent kisser, and Samantha found no reason to waste those talents.

She heard voices and music coming from the lake side of her property. Her stomach grumbled, and she hoped they would serve food. All she’d eaten was the breakfast Dalton had cooked. It was enough to feed an army, but not enough to last her all day.

She grabbed a piece of bread and walked outside. Several people milled about the property two doors down. She leaned against the deck rail and watched as Katie talked and laughed with a tiny redhead.

A tall man came up behind Katie and kissed her on the cheek. She’d recognize him anywhere. Bowie Bishop always commanded attention. When he stepped around his wife, he handed her a baby.

Katie never mentioned a child, but then again they had shared little beyond baked goods and hair stories. The way she cooed over the infant twisted Samantha’s stomach into knots. It was obvious the child was adored, and the parents were in love. Had her mother ever had a single moment of such bliss? Would she?

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw movement. A big lumbering bear of a man hopped off his deck and headed her way. She could smell his cologne before he arrived. It was a mix of clean linen and citrus.

“You ready?” He took the steps up to her deck two at a time. In front of her, he stood still and stared. “Wow.” He ran his fingers through the hair that floated over her shoulder. “Done with that phase of your life?”

Phase was right. “Yep, this is the real me. Still want that date?”

He pulled his lower lip between his teeth. It was the sexiest thing she’d seen in a long time. There would definitely be more kisses.

“You’re beautiful.”

She’d been told that a lot, but not by anyone that mattered, and somehow, Dalton mattered. Was it because she’d had a twelve-week crush on him as a kid? Or was it because he still didn’t know who she was and he liked her anyway?

“I am?” she asked sweetly. “I wasn’t sure you’d like it.”

He pulled her back from the rail and pressed her against the wall in the dark corner of her deck. “This is how much I like it.” Hidden in the shadows, he kissed her senseless. How his kisses could suck the air from her lungs and weaken her knees was a mystery. No kiss she could remember had ever been so powerful. It was like she found her next breath in his lungs. She never wanted to break the kiss.

He stood back and licked his lips. “Grape?”

She nodded. Cheap lip gloss was her guilty pleasure. Deanna bought it in bulk from Walmart. “I have watermelon, too.”

She felt like a teenager, not a twenty-nine-year-old woman.

“I’d love to taste that as well.”

“It can be arranged.” He looked over his shoulder at the group growing around the bonfire. “Are you ready to meet the gang?”

Am I? Indigo screamed, “No,” but Samantha stood tall and said, “Yes. I can’t wait to meet everyone.” A knot of fear tugged at her insides. Had Katie told anyone who she was? That was the problem with fame. It was hard to tell who were true friends. Hard to know who was trustworthy. Hard to get close to people.

Dalton ran his tongue across her lower lip. “I think I got it all. I’m ready to test the watermelon.”

She pushed at his chest. “You ate all my gloss.” She pulled the tube from her back pocket and applied a new coat.

“I knew you’d have me covered.” He dipped down for another quick kiss before he folded his hand around hers and led her to his friends.

Katie was the first to rush over. She adjusted her hold on her baby and gave Samantha a side hug. “You came. Dalton said he invited you.”

Dalton let his fingers run languidly across her lower back. The touch sent a kinetic energy zipping through her. She felt truly alive. “I’ll be right back,” he said and disappeared into the house behind them, leaving her missing him already.

“I hope it’s okay that I’m crashing your party.”

“You’re making it better.” Katie’s eyes went to Samantha’s hair. “Marina has some skills.” She walked around Samantha, checking out the color from all angles. “It looks so natural.”

“She did a good job. It’s exactly how I remember my hair used to be.” Samantha couldn’t stop twirling a lock around her finger. It felt so soft and thick and … like her.

“Did she say much to you while she was at your house?” Katie looked down at her bundled up baby and smiled.

“No, she was friendly but reserved.”

Katie’s smile turned upside down. “I looked at her wish.”

“It’s none of my business, but is it grantable?”

She shook her head. “Not really. It was cryptic. All it said was she needed a plan B. Did you get the impression that she was in trouble?”

“The bruises on her face were my first clue, but she has to help herself before anyone else can help her.” Samantha knew that from experience.

She looked down at the baby sleeping in Katie’s arms.

“You want to hold her?”

As strange as it might be, Samantha had never held a baby in her life. They appeared so tiny and frail and complicated. “No, that’s okay.”

Katie had already shifted the baby forward, leaving her no choice but to offer up the cradle of her arms. “She won’t break. Her name is Sahara. She’s my little miracle.”

Samantha held the baby with stiff arms. Although differently shaped, she wasn’t much heavier than Deanna’s poodle—but Sahara was so much cuter. “How old is she?”

“About three months.”

“She’s beautiful.” Samantha lifted the bundled baby and smelled the scent everyone talked about. Babies had a smell all their own that was pure heaven. “You say she’s a miracle?”

“Long story, but I’ll give you the short version.” Katie told her tale about two women, one heart, the perfect man, passionate love, and faith.

“Holy shit. I can’t even write stuff that good.”

“You did.” She looked around as if to make sure no one was in earshot. “Your song ‘Empty Box’ is one of my favorites.”

Dalton approached carrying a glass of wine and a beer. “Which one would you like?”

Samantha gave Katie the baby back and took the wine from Dalton. “I’ll stick with what I know. Besides, wine has fewer calories.”

Dalton quirked a brow and switched drinks with her, handing her the beer. “You need the calories. Did you eat anything else today?”

Katie looked at them with curiosity and smiled. “Got a protector already. Dalton’s a keeper.”

With little thought, Samantha blurted, “Oh, I can’t keep him. I won’t be here that long.”

If frowns could darken the moment, Samantha stood in pitch black. Katie shrugged and nodded toward the redhead walking toward them. “That’s what Sage said, and it’s been a year.”

“I hear we have a new resident.” Sage walked over to Samantha and offered her a handshake.

“Yes, I’m Samantha White.”

Sage laughed a full belly laugh. “We’ve got a White,” she looked at Dalton, “and a Black.” She stood next to Katie and wrapped her arm around her shoulder. It was obvious they were friends. Samantha hoped that someday she could stay somewhere long enough to make lasting connections. “Looks like we have to be the gray in-between.”

Katie shook her head. “No way, gray isn’t my color.”

Samantha watched Sage for any hint of recognition. There wasn’t any. If she knew who Samantha was, she was good at hiding the knowledge.

“Doc is on the deck, grilling burgers,” Sage said.

Katie looked over her shoulder. “Last time he was the grill master, I found out I was pregnant. Who’s next?” She looked at Sage and Samantha who had stepped back several feet.

“I know what causes that,” Sage said. “I’m protected from that particular problem.” They all turned toward Samantha.

“Don’t look at me. There are certain activities that one has to take part in to … you know. I haven’t taken part in quite some time.” The heat of a blush raced across her cheeks. She’d just told several strangers she’d been celibate.

Katie and Sage looked surprised. Dalton looked pleased. “Let’s feed you.” He rested his hand on the small of her back and walked her up the steps to where an old guy manned the grill. The man from the diner.

“Doc, this is our newest resident, Samantha White.”

Doc looked her up and down and shook his head. He plated her up a hot dog and a burger, then reached inside a bag of chips and dumped a super-sized serving on her plate. “Eat up, young lady. You’re too thin.”

Samantha gasped and looked at Dalton. “Have you been talking to him?”

Doc laughed. “You think she’s thin too?” Doc gave her another look. “I’d guess a hundred pounds fully clothed.”

Feeling the need to defend her physique, she said, “One hundred and four, bare-assed naked.”

Doc forked another dog and slapped it on her plate. “Eat up, young lady. From the look on Dalton’s face, you’re going to need it.”

“Oh my God.” She marched away with two hot dogs, a hamburger, and a mountain of chips. She took a seat on the ground a few feet away from the frozen lake.

Before she knew it, two dogs bounded forward. She held her plate of food in the air while the canines tried to lick her to death.

“Otis. Bishop. Down, boys.” Dalton shooed the dogs away. The chocolate lab chased after the three-legged retriever.

“I wanted to be the one to kiss you before dinner.” Dalton sank to the ground beside her.

She tried to mimic the stern tone of his voice. “Dalton. Down, boy.”

He looked at her plate, piled a mile high. “How about we share that?”

“What? Are you afraid my knotty-pine ass will get too big if I eat it all?”

“Your ass is perfect. Let’s forget I said you were skinny. I’d like to take it back.” He took the plate of food and set it next to her. He pushed the beer bottle into the soft ground beside her where he also put the glass of wine. “Let’s start over.”

“Okay.” She smiled. “Hi, I’m Samantha White, and I heard you are a perfect kisser.”

He held her hands. “Hello, Samantha White, I’m Dalton Black, and I think you’re perfect all around.” He leaned in and brushed his lips over hers. “I know you’re not staying, but maybe while you’re here we can be friends.” He gave her a heart-stopping smile.

“Does that friendship include kisses?”

“We can negotiate as we go.”

They sat together in front of the lake, which quickly became her favorite place. They ate and laughed and talked. All the Bishop couples joined them. There was Sage and Cannon, Ben and Maisey, and Katie and Bowie. Then Doc joined, followed by Otis, who was happy to gobble up leftovers until Bishop took over.

She’d escaped to Aspen Cove to rest, or so she thought, but maybe she’d come here to think. Being surrounded by people who cared about each other was plenty to provoke her musings.

At the end of the evening, Dalton walked her back to her place. He hadn’t kissed her once since that brief touch earlier. He’d been the perfect gentleman. She wondered if her intent to leave was the reason he kept his distance.

“How are those supplies holding up?”

“You want to talk about food?”

“No, I wanted to tell you I’m heading to Copper Creek to pick up a few things tomorrow. Do you want to come with me?”

Everything about Dalton screamed “sexy”—from the way he licked a drop of wine from his lips to the way he watched her eat her hot dog. He said, “Come with me” like it was an offer of more than a ride into town.

“Mr. Black, are you asking me out on a second date?” His boyish smile belied the hulking man in front of her.

“I think I might be. That leaves us one away from our third. You know what they say about third dates …”

She knew exactly what they said. Third dates were the put-out-or-get-out date. “Are you really a third-date-rule man?”

“There are rules?” He kissed her cheek. “I was going to say on the third date, I’d show you my skills.” He waited a moment, knowing full well what that implied. “My culinary skills, that is. I’ll cook for you.” He turned and walked away.

He was long gone, but she stared at where he had stood. Dalton Black knew she was leaving and planned to woo her anyway.