A few days passed. Carter stayed in my thoughts. Mostly because he kept showing up at the coffee shop every morning. I tried to avoid him, but it was impossible to ignore his lion eyes. They followed me around as I worked. I found myself gravitating to his table just to hear his rumbling voice. With great effort, I managed to be civil, not too friendly but aloof. This crazy crush of mine had to end. Anything more than friendship with Carter was destined to end in disaster.

Who was I kidding? I didn’t want a man at all. Harold had destroyed my self-confidence and my heart in one fell swoop. He’d been kind, generous, and adoring right up until the moment he’d become cold, cruel, and heartless. In the beginning, everything had been perfect. Although his work had forced him to commute between Laurel Falls and Chicago, we’d found a way to spend time together. Eventually, we’d moved into an apartment. One day, I’d come home to find his demeanor changed and my bags packed. He didn’t love me anymore. We were over.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” I called out to Lyle when the last customer had left the building. “Be sure to lock the back door, okay?”

“Yeah, got it.” He nodded and waved from behind the counter.

I grabbed my purse and headed down the street with an errand list clutched in my fist. Since Dad rarely left the house, the bulk of the shopping fell to me. Twice a week, between running the coffee shop and taking online business courses, I found time to hit the groceries and drug stores. I scanned the list of items scrawled in my father’s small, tight handwriting. Shaving cream, razor blades, dental floss, and red licorice. I shook my head and smiled. The toiletries were for him, but the red licorice was for me. Even in his depression, he still thought about me.

As I came out of the drug store, a brown tweed sport jacket caught my eye. My heart leaped into my throat. I knew that coat and the dark-haired man who wore it. It was Harold, striding along the sidewalk, alone and confident. He paused in front of the cigar shop before going inside. I ducked into an alley, placing a hand on my chest, and struggled to maintain my cool. Part of me wanted to confront him. The other part knew better. I’d already tried that and had spent a night in jail for my efforts.

Once my pulse returned to normal, I donned the cheap, blond wig I’d purchased online and an oversized pair of black sunglasses. Things I kept in my bag to use whenever the opportunity presented itself. I drew in a deep breath. This was either crazy or brave. I had no idea which. All I knew was that I couldn’t afford to get caught again.

When Harold exited the store, I tailed him, taking care to stay at a reasonable distance. At the end of the block, he met a tall, thin woman with shiny hair and a long nose. I hid behind a Dumpster and peered around the side. They hugged then shared a lingering kiss. This was the girl who’d stolen my place. I wrinkled my nose in distaste then sucked in a horrified breath. Zipper, my sweet terrier mutt, danced at the woman’s feet on the end of a rhinestone studded leash. I blinked back tears of happiness and dismay. At least the little guy was okay. Did he miss me? It took all my self-control to keep from snatching the dog and running away with him.

“What’re you doing?” A familiar male voice rumbled in my left ear.

My heartbeat thundered. I placed a hand on my chest, breathing through the fright. “Nothing.”

Carter’s golden eyes roved over the wig, staring through the dark lenses of the sunglasses, amusement obvious in the lines around his mouth. I tried to push past him, mortified beyond belief, but he blocked my path with an outstretched arm. “Oh, you’re definitely up to something. Care to let me in on the fun?”

“Go away.” I tried to shoo him into the street, but he didn’t budge. “You’re going to ruin everything.” In the meantime, Harold and his floozy began to walk in the opposite direction. I shoved Carter aside, eager to keep my dog in sight. How could I stay anonymous with a long-haired tattooed sex god at my side? Every female pair of eyes—and a few male—turned to watch him.

“Ruin what?” he asked, falling into step beside me.

The couple stopped at the crosswalk to the park. I ducked into the gap between two buildings, tugging Carter into the narrow space with me. His laughter echoed against the brick walls.

“Is this some kind of game? Because I like it.”

“Hush.” I tried hard to ignore the press of his hard chest against my shoulders, the firm lines of his muscles, the bite of his belt buckle into my back.

He peered over my shoulder, following my gaze. When Harold stepped into the street, I bolted after them, careful to keep my distance. Carter kept pace beside me, his long legs matching the stride of my shorter ones.

“You’re following them, aren’t you?” His bright eyes scoured my face. “Why, you little stalker you.” The mirth in his voice ruffled my self-restraint.

I punched him in the shoulder. “Shut up. Seriously.”

Harold and his fiancée passed through the park gate. The girl unhooked the leash from Zipper’s collar. He gave a joyful yip and ran in circles around their feet. Tears burned my eyes. He’d been my dog for the past ten years. Mine. I’d nursed him from a bottle as a puppy, prayed for him when he’d been hit by a car, and let him sleep beneath the covers of my bed every night until Harold had stolen him.

Seeing my distress, Carter sobered. “Who are they?”

“The guy is my ex. The girl is his fiancée.” I stared across the park, watching Zipper harass the pigeons while Harold held his fiancée’s hand. It was like watching an alternate universe. That should have been my life. I should have been sitting in the park with my fiancé and my dog instead of slaving away behind a counter, pouring coffee, and tending to my middle-aged father. I lifted my chin, determined to maintain my dignity. “We had a—a—difficult breakup.”

“Oh, I get it.” He shoved his hands into his pockets. A whisper of wind lifted the leaves overhead, swirling the sweet scent of honeysuckle around us.

“No. You don’t.” How could I explain this complicated mess to someone like him? He’d never understand. Hell, I didn’t understand. Harold took his fiancée’s hand, whistled to Zipper, and they disappeared through the gate on the opposite side of the park. I dropped my head into my hands.

“Sure I do. He dumped you. Now, you’re obsessed and you want him back.” His eyes narrowed. “You’re not planning to knock him off, are you?”

“No.” I sank onto the nearest bench and pulled off the wig. Carter sat beside me, stretching his long legs out in front of him, resting his arms across the bench behind us. His bicep brushed the nape of my neck, sending a thrill down my spine.

“I hate to point out the obvious, but stalking the guy isn’t going to work.” I shifted away from his arm, but the heat of his body shimmered down my side. Even when we weren’t touching, I could still feel him. “You know that, right?”

I didn’t answer, taking a few minutes to formulate a response. When Mom had died, there hadn’t been time to think about anything but holding my family together. Dad had fallen into a funk and had never recovered. Bronte had a new and successful career, and now a boyfriend. I’d taken over the coffee shop and had put every ounce of effort into keeping it alive, because there wasn’t anyone else to do it. Harold hadn’t understood the importance of my family. He’d resented the time I spent at work, my father’s illness, Bronte’s special needs. How could I love a man who’d left me when I needed him the most?

“It’s complicated.” To avoid Carter’s scrutiny, I concentrated on the hem of my shirt, toying with the fabric. He probably thought I was crazy, and maybe I was.

The hard length of his thigh bumped against my leg, alighting my nerve endings. “I’ve got plenty of time.”