IT’D BEEN A long time coming, but it was finally time to fix the damn stoop.

I’d been trying to keep my mind off my run-in with Reid earlier in the week, and that meant finally doing a bit of work around the house and landscaping in the evenings. I had a full day planned, having already painted the shutters a refreshed hunter green, and after I got the porch step back in non-crumbling order, the door was next.

The sun blazed overhead, the weekend already off to a sweltering start at ten in the morning, and I had to wipe the sweat off my brow with my forearm as I worked. With a trowel, I carefully filled in the cracks of the brick step with mortar—and tried not to think about the polite way Reid had asked my name and made small talk, like I was a stranger. It was the way he used to look at me, but back then it hadn’t caused a roll of nausea the way it did now.

Stop thinking about him for one fucking second, I thought, as I smoothed out the filled cracks. I should’ve brought out a radio.

“Hello, Oliver.”

I jerked around at the woman’s voice behind me, and when I saw who it was, I couldn’t mask my surprise. “Mrs. Valentine?” I looked over her shoulder, half expecting to see Reid getting out of that SUV that I hadn’t heard pull up in my driveway. That’s what’s you get for being so lost in your thoughts about her son.

“It’s just me,” she said, and it sounded like an apology. “I was hoping I could speak with you.”

“Oh. Yeah, sure. Let me just clean this up.” I swept off the excess mortar from around the brick and then packed up my toolbox and moved it to the side, out of view.

“I don’t mean to interrupt—” she started.

“No, you’re fine. I was finishing up anyway,” I said, wiping my hands on my jeans. Mrs. Valentine looked picture perfect in a cream-colored skirt and pink blouse, and of course the day I had company I’d be dressed in the paint-splattered jeans I wore when I worked around the house. At least I’d managed a shirt today.

I headed up the stairs, sidestepping the one I’d been working on, and she did the same. Stepping inside the cool, air-conditioned house, I gestured for her to come inside.

She held her purse in front of her and smiled politely as she entered. “I should’ve called before intruding on you like this.”

“It’s no problem,” I said, shutting the door behind her and leading her down the hall. “Can I get you something to drink?”

“No, thank you. I won’t take up too much of your time. I just wanted to—” She came to a stop as the hallway opened up into the living and kitchen area, and her eyes landed on the piano in the corner of the room. “Oh,” she said with a smile. “No wonder you and Reid got along. I didn’t realize you played.”

I rocked back on my heels. “I don’t.”

She whirled around to face me, a question forming on her lips, but when I straightened my shoulders and met her gaze head-on, I could see the instant the light bulb went off. Her hand came up to finger the gold cross necklace she wore as she looked away. “May I sit down?”

“Please.” I gestured for her to sit anywhere. “Are you sure you don’t want anything to drink?”

“No, I’m fine. Thank you.”

As she perched on the edge of the couch, I went into the kitchen to towel off and wash my hands. Then I poured a big glass of water and sat down in the recliner, giving her a wide berth.

What had she come here for? I didn’t even realize she knew where I lived.

“I found your address in the phone book,” she said, answering my silent question as she placed her purse beside her and smoothed her skirt down. “I had no idea we were neighbors. Have you been here long?”

“A few years.”

She nodded and looked around. “It’s lovely.”

“Thanks. Workin’ on a few repairs, but”—I spread my hands—“it’s home.”

She smoothed her skirt again, and it occurred to me then that she was nervous, and that, in turn, made me nervous. Was she here because something was wrong with Reid? I couldn’t imagine why else she’d track me down, and as I sat there waiting, my knee began to bob up and down. But still, she remained silent.

“I’m guessing you didn’t come over to talk about my house,” I said, hoping to prompt a response.

“No, I didn’t.” She went to smooth her skirt again, caught herself, and then clasped her hands together instead. “I’m sorry. I’m not sure where to start.”

“Has Reid suffered another setback?”

Her eyes shot up to mine. “No. Well…physically he’s fine.”

“Physically?”

“Yes,” she said. Fingering her necklace, she closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, they glistened with tears. “Oliver, I came here today because I’m worried about my son.”

That sent my adrenaline pumping. “Why? What’s happened?”

“I don’t know. He tells me he’s fine, but I don’t… I don’t think he is. He’s just so different. Angry.”

“Angry? Reid?” I hadn’t caught a glimpse of that when I’d seen him on Monday.

“Yes. And the doctors say it’s normal. The moodiness, the change in behavior, but it’s been months now. He snaps at me, at his father, at the doctors. I’m at a loss for what to do. How to help him.”

I finished off my water and set the glass on the coffee table. “Pardon me saying this, but your son has been through hell the last few months. I’d be pretty upset too, especially if my memory had been toyed with the way his has. I’d venture to say he probably doesn’t know what’s real, what’s not, or if his brain really is okay.”

“I know that. It’s just…he remembers everything from before the accident, so for all intents and purposes, everything should be back to normal for him. Easier to understand. He should be fine.”

“But he’s not.”

“No, he’s not. I thought maybe it would help to have friends around, but a few have been over, guys that he used to be close with when he lived here before, but he won’t have anything to do with them. I thought maybe Natasha, but…” She shook her head. “It’s like he’s lost interest in the things and the people he used to love. And I don’t…” She choked on a sob and reached inside her purse for a packet of tissues. “I’m sorry,” she said, pulling one out to dab her eyes. “I just don’t know how to help him.”

My heart squeezed at her pain, as well as what Reid and the rest of his family had to be feeling. God. The thought of Reid suffering in any way was gut-wrenching. I sat forward with my elbows on my knees, wanting to say something, wishing I had words that could help make her feel better. Help him to heal. But I was on the outside looking in, and I feared nothing I said or did could make a difference.

I was no one in his world. And that truth was devastating.

“He’s moved back into his apartment. I think he sits in there and…well, I don’t know what he does, to be honest. I’m afraid it’s nothing good.” She wiped the corner of her eye again. “When he’s been over, his sister just runs out of the room, which I know doesn’t help things. My boy is so lost.”

Huh. It was strange; I thought he’d be back to the Reid I’d known—easygoing, even with the trauma he’d been through. Inquisitive. Forward. Not at all the withdrawn version his mom described.

“If he’s trying to find ways to cope, whether it’s anger or isolation…he’s scared,” I said. “It’s probably not the best time for him to be on his own, but if he’s pushing others away…” I was at a loss, and more than anything, I wanted to drive over to his apartment and somehow fix him.

“He’s been through so much, and I know he wants to put all this behind him. We all do. But I’m afraid I’m down to desperate measures—”

“And I’m your last resort?” I finished.

Her dark eyes, so much like Reid’s, widened. “I didn’t mean it like that—”

“I know you didn’t,” I said, waving her off. “But tell me what I can do to help Reid.” I’ll do anything.

“I think… I think he could use a friend.”

“A friend,” I repeated. I stared at her for a long moment, wondering if that was all she thought we’d been. Hell, if he needed a friend, he could’ve chosen any of the ones she’d brought over, but he hadn’t, had he?

She shook her head. “I’m sorry. What I meant to say was…I think he needs you.”

“Me?” I blinked, sure I’d heard her wrong.

“Yes. You.”

As her words washed over me, I couldn’t help but think that this was some kind of alternate universe. After telling me she thought he should recover without me, now Reid’s mom was over here asking me for help? Saying she thought Reid needed me? Even so, the quickest flash of hope went through me at the possibility of spending time with him again. But then I remembered our recent run-in, and I shut that down before it spiraled out of control.

“Look, I don’t see how I could help. He doesn’t have a clue who I am,” I said.

“No, but maybe you could get to know him again.”

Isn’t that what he asked me to do? Help him remember?

“Are you sure that’s what you and Mr. Valentine want?”

“We want what’s best for our son.”

“And you somehow think that’s me?” I sighed and dropped my head into my hands. “I thought he’d be better off without me,” I said quietly.

“He’s not. I don’t believe for a moment that that’s true. At first we thought it would be better that he only be around things familiar so he could heal without any confusion. But he’s not. Not healing, that is,” she said, her voice wavering, close to tears. “I’ve never seen Reid happier than he was in the weeks following his accident. And I would’ve thought he’d be scared or angry then. Certainly he would’ve had every right to be. The only thing I can think of for the change in him is you.”

My eyes blurred as she scooted to the edge of the couch then and put her hand over mine.

“Please, Oliver. If Reid means anything to you at all, help me get my son back.”

I blinked, and hot tears trailed down my face as I wondered if I could be the one to help him at all. Not only that, but would I allow myself a repeat of the inevitable heartbreak that would come from getting close to Reid again? That question was one I could answer without hesitation—yes. There wasn’t anything I wouldn’t do for his happiness, even if that price came at the sacrifice of my own. But I told myself it was no sacrifice at all to know the man I cared about more than any in this world would be okay.

Once again, I thought of the note Reid had written before his surgery, and the way he’d told me not to give up on him. Christ, I hadn’t even tried, had I? I’d let his family do what they thought best and sacrificed my feelings, but what if that had been the wrong decision?

There was no question in my mind what I wanted to do, but putting myself in Reid’s path outside of Joe’s would be tricky. I couldn’t do anything that would scare him off, not if I wanted to build his trust again.

“I’ll do it,” I said, wiping my face with my sleeve. “But I’ll need some help to figure out how best to break the ice with him.”

“Actually”—Mrs. Valentine’s gaze drifted to the piano—“I think I have an idea…”