“How did he find us?” I growled at Ty.

“Calm down, Harry,” he murmured, but I could tell he was bothered as well. I heard him scratching his head.

“Don’t tell me to calm down,” I snapped. “A drug dealer showed up at a home I’ve owned for a matter of hours, not weeks, not months, not years. Laney was here. What if she had been here alone?” My heart froze as I imagined the worst-case scenarios playing out in my head. “He has been to my house in L.A. He seems to know all about me. He threatened me and I don’t even know his goddam name.” I paced angrily in the kitchen. From there, I could see much of the house.

Laney waved as she wandered by, a robe around her body, and a towel slung over her shoulder. She offered a slight smile and it comforted me more than I would’ve ever imagined.

“If something happened to her, I’d never forgive myself, or Drew, and maybe even you,” I grumbled.

Ty sighed heavily. “I get it. I’ve been wracking my brain, trying to figure out how this happened. Obviously, it’s my fault.” He swallowed hard. “He tricked me.”

“How’s that?” I asked blandly.

“He was spouting off about how he had no place to go. And I reminded him he was going to live with you. Then he complained that you had no place to go either.” He growled low in his throat. “So, I pulled up the house on the listing. I showed him the pictures you’d sent me. He obviously managed to get the address from there.”

I rubbed my face. “You let an addict outsmart you.”

Laney threw her towel over the back of the lounge chair closest to the hot tub. I held my breath as the robe slid down her arms. She stood with her back to me and I couldn’t take my eyes off her. She seemed perfectly proportioned. The way her black bikini bottoms hugged her hips made me want to go to her, touch her.

“I suppose I did,” Ty mumbled.

“You suppose you did what?” Everything had fallen out of my head as I stared at Laney. Her long hair was collected at the nape of her neck in a ponytail holder. I wanted to take it out and run my hands through her hair.

Ty huffed. “I let Drew outsmart me, okay? I get it. I’ll be better. I didn’t think.”

I shook my head. “Right. So, what’s the plan?”

“He’ll need to be picked up tomorrow. They’re letting him go after rounds, unless he makes another attempt at a daring escape. Then he’ll be off to rehab.” Ty blew out a breath.

Leaning heavily on the cool stone counter, I stared longingly at the beauty waiting for me in the hot tub. “Is it wrong of me to wish he’d fuck this up? I don’t know if I’m ready for this.”

Laney ducked under the water, then came up with her head back, the water rolling down her face and neck. She opened her lids, facing me, and when our eyes connected, the air was knocked from my lungs. I had to cough a few times to catch my breath.

“No one is ever ready for this,” he reminded me.

“One time. He screws up one time, and he’s out of options.” I wandered through the kitchen as we spoke and then rushed straight to my bedroom to change. No way was I making Laney wait any longer than she already had.

“I understand. We’ll make him go to rehab even if he refuses.” Ty made one last attempt at ending the conversation on a pleasant note. “Go get to know her. I think Kate was right. You two would be perfect together.”

Somehow, it felt like having his blessing. Finally, we seemed to be on the same page. A smile played at the corners of my mouth. “Thanks, man.” Then I ended our call.

Minutes later, I had made my way out to the patio. Laney leaned back with her head on the edge of the hot tub, feet kicked out, relaxing. Despite my haste to join her, I’d stopped in the kitchen to grab a fresh bottle of wine, two glasses, and the tray of chocolate-covered strawberries the caterers had prepared.

“Mind if I join you?” I squatted beside her and set everything on the pavers.

“Please do.” She smiled up at me in a way that made me forget everything but her.

“How do you do it?” I questioned as I kicked off my flops and settled in beside her.

Laney frowned. “Do what?”

“I don’t know. Compartmentalize. I’m exhausted. The dealer was the last straw.” I sighed as I sank shoulder deep into the water.

“Oh that.” Her head tilted. “Wait. Last straw? Last chance? Like…Drew’s going to rehab?”

“Nah. I just mean it was the fork in my day. I’m done.” I shrugged.

“You said one chance,” she reminded me.

I nodded. “I know what I said. Apparently, this doesn’t count.”

“When does it start counting?” Laney moved to swim up between my outstretched legs and laid her hands on my thighs. “When is enough, enough?” She pressed her chest against mine. Then she slid up my body until she straddled my lap. “When do you say when?”

My eyes widened. I couldn’t even think with her that wet and close, with her settled on my growing erection. I didn’t know any man that could. “I…I…”

“You do have to think about yourself once in a while. It’s not just about what’s best for Drew, but what’s good for you too.” She leaned close and murmured in my ear, “Alcoholics and addicts are tough on all relationships…family, friends…”

“Would-be girlfriends?” I swallowed hard. I had no idea where that came from, but I refused to take it back. Inside, I realized I meant it.

“Is that the question?” Laney gazed up at me through her thick, long lashes. “Yes, it’s hard on girlfriends.”

“No, I meant, did you want to be my girlfriend?” I sank under the water in shame, unwilling to face the rejection. Why would someone like Laney ever consider any form of commitment with me?

Laney lifted my head above water. She was laughing as she nodded her head. “I’ll be your girlfriend.”

“Even though you barely know me?” My brows shot up.

“Let’s take the time to get to know each other.” She shrugged.

I blew out a breath. “We’ve got plenty of time.”

Laney giggled. “Actually, I was hoping for tonight. I want to know more about you.”

I reached over to dry my hands on my towel, then grabbed the bottle. “This conversation is going to need wine. I can feel it.”

With a laugh, Laney nodded. “I couldn’t agree more, but for some reason, talking to you isn’t even a little scary.” She picked up a strawberry and took a bite.

“I know. I’m mostly joking about the wine, but I do have a tendency to be rather awkward. I’m not Ty.” I frowned as I struggled with the corkscrew.

“Well, there’s nothing wrong with that. I’m just glad you aren’t Drew.” Laney sighed. “But I was serious about putting your foot down.”

After managing to remove the cork, I poured the wine and chose my words carefully. “Don’t worry. He only gets one chance,” I began.

“Oh, I know. And then he broke out of the hospital, and everyone said that didn’t count because he didn’t know.” Her brow arched.

“Right,” I agreed as I passed her a glass.

“Then he ordered drugs from California. The guy showed up here.” She pursed her lips and I could hear an edge to her voice.

“Yeah. I know, but he’s still in the hospital.” I played with the stem on the strawberry, but I couldn’t bring myself to eat it yet.

“Of course, because he can’t screw up in the hospital? Stop it. You all keep making excuses for him. It only emboldens him.” She blew out a breath and took a sip of the wine. “You know why I’m here?”

My chin jutted out. “Because of my rugged good looks and charm?” I pasted on a fake exaggerated smile.

She laughed, but it was entirely hollow. “Or because I’m detached enough from the situation that I can’t be corrupted like you two.”

My head hung for a moment and I tried to pass it off as looking introspectively into my glass of wine. I swirled the glass, hoping she’d think I was doing the sommelier thing I’d seen done countless times. Now, I didn’t know the difference between oaky fruity and fishy peppery, so I left it to the professionals, but this did make for a nice distraction.

“Listen, addicts and alcoholics can ruin lives, and not just their own. Take me, for example, consider the life I gave up.” She shook her head, but it was impossible to ignore the tears threatening to spill out of her eyes. “It’s too late for me. I’ll never have my dream.” She sniffled and swiped at her eyes.

I reached out and laid a hand on her forearm. “No, it’s not.”

She nodded. “You know better. It really is.”

“Being a star matters that much to you?” My brow furrowed and fear welled up in my chest.

“No. I want to be happy. Singing, dancing, acting…that was my happy, my escape. I could be someone else, anyone else for a little while.” She smiled, but it never reached her eyes.

“Oh.” I didn’t know what else to say.

“It’s okay. I don’t need to be anyone else anymore. I’m happy with who I am, mostly.” Laney closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. “I just need to figure out what to do next because being an accountant, even a forensic one, isn’t coming close to my idea of a fulfilling life. And nothing is scarier than moving backwards.”