Phase two, step one: bolt out of the house first thing in the morning so she didn't have to deal with Evan. No need to let him know he was the target of a brilliant mission.

Excuses to stay out of the house: get her life back in order, just in case her magnificent strategy failed and she needed to find a way to support herself. After all, she couldn't exactly accept Evan's money for tuition, and she wasn't going to keep living there if it didn't work out...

Cheery thought.

Not.

Clear mind.

Start over.

Okay, let's see. Rephrase...

Excuses to stay out of the house: get her life back so when Evan finally came begging on his knees for her to love him forever, she would be able to say yes and have it be purely out of love because she was financially secure with a place to live.

Ah. Much better.

Phase two, step two: go to the clinic to get her job back.

With Buddy's apologies still ringing in Alice's ears, it had taken only ten minutes to sort out the details, and Alice had even had the decency to apologize. And she'd even promised to avoid putting Buddy and Josie on the same shifts.

Josie was definitely going to milk the guilt thing. She deserved it! Fired after years of faithful service...total injustice.

Phase two, step three: visit the financial aid office to try to get student loans. She'd been determined to minimize the amount of debt she went into, which is why she'd waited to enroll until she had a decent savings...but obviously Buddy had nixed that little plan.

Evil Dorsett Monster.

No more waiting.

She was almost fifty and running out of time.

Well, maybe not quite fifty. But closer to fifty than zero and the clock was still ticking.

She'd just have to accumulate loads of debt and pay it off until she was old and withering at a hundred and thirty-seven years of age. But, hey. She had a goal and was committed.

Josie shifted, next in line for one of the financial wizards who would determine her future.

"Next."

Josie scooted across the worn carpet and launched herself into the chair, startling the very serious looking young woman. Oops. Better to appear calm. "Hi, I need some student loans."

"Right. Have you filled out the forms?"

Josie handed them across the desk.

The woman named Estelle Evans, according to her name plate, whistled softly. "Are you planning to take this much out each year?"

"Yes."

"Do you realize how big your loans are going to be?"

"I'll handle it. I have no problem saving money. I had ninety thousand dollars but I was robbed. Here's the police report." And she was off and running on her soapbox, wooing Estelle Evans into loaning her the world.

Was she brilliant or what?

If she was an Amazon, they'd make her queen of the tribe. Or master warrior. Or commander in chief, or whatever it was they had.

* * *

Three hours later, Josie flopped down on her faded orange couch and tried to make the world disappear. Having Zeus and Max using her back as a wrestling mat did nothing to enable her to drift into a hypnotic trance where she could pretend she was a fairy princess with all the money she needed, men falling at her feet, and a magic wand to zap them all into oblivion.

"Are you sick?" Evan's voice intruded upon her failed fantasy.

"No." She didn't lift her head.

"Injured?" She heard his feet hit the floor and knew he was walking toward her.

Now, why did her stomach still do those little flip flops of excitement just at the thought of his nearness? Couldn't she get over him? Apparently, the answer to that fine question was an emphatic "No."

"Josie? What's wrong?"

"I need to earn a couple hundred grand in the next four weeks, and I just can't think of a way to do it that won't land me in prison." She opened one eye, for a good view of his knee. "Any suggestions?"

"Hmm." He sat down next to her and the couch sank under his weight, tipping her toward him.

She dug her fingers around the pillow and hung on. Rolling up against Evan might be nice if it didn't remind her that she couldn't have him. As it was, it felt like she was trying to keep herself from tumbling off a cliff and could hold on with only her little finger. And she'd never bragged about having strong fingers.

"Didn't see you this morning." He played with the animals, and she felt his forearm brush against her.

Jerk. It was like he was teasing her on purpose. "I was avoiding you. Was out the door while you were still lazing around in bed." Oh, brilliant, Josie. Why don't you just tell the enemy all your plans? No need for spies or double agents.

"Why'd you want to avoid me?"

"Because..." She could be flippant, or she could tell him she didn't want to see him when she knew she couldn't have him. But that sounded rather like a pathetic stalker, and she was neither pathetic nor a stalker. She was merely a goddess with feelings. Which she was working on eradicating from her soul. Besides, the real reason was that it was all part of her strategic plan. So what if she'd hit a minor kink when the student loan woman had told her she'd missed the deadline?

Bah.

"Were you worried I'd be mad about Buddy?"

Oh, that. She forgot about that. Yeah, probably, but there was no need to admit that. Besides, part of her plan involved not letting Evan forget how desperately he yearned for her. Deep breath, Josie. Be strong. "Because I figured it would distress you to have to look at me, want me so much, yet know that you had to save me for your brother." Ah, much better answer. Got the innuendo in there so he had to think about her, while still managing to make herself sound like the strong one.

She was good. So good.

"Is that so?"

Was the jerk actually chuckling? As if it was funny that his heart was broken because he couldn't have her?

Laughter hides pain.

She had no idea where she'd heard that, but it sounded good and it was a useful contribution to her ongoing distortions of reality.

Poor Evan. So torn up by not being able to have her. "Did you talk to Buddy last night after I left?" Might as well stroke her ego by asking for details on the brilliantly successful reunion.

The laughter faded. "No."

"No? Are you kidding?" She rolled onto her back so she could face him, careful to rotate beneath the animals so they didn't end up on the floor. "You've been trying to find him for years and I put you two together and you don't even talk?"

Evan shrugged and stroked Max's head. "Didn't know what to say."

"How about 'Hi?' How about 'I missed you?' What about all the things you've been wanting to say to him? The guilt?"

"Didn't feel like saying them."

"Why not?" Didn't he realize his reconciliation with Buddy was all part of her master plan? There was no way he'd get over his guilt if he didn't reconcile with Buddy.

"Because I was worried about you."

She groaned. "Me? That's why I left. So you could have some alone time with each other."

Evan looked at her finally, and she was shocked to see heaviness in his eyes. "I think you should move out."

No! This wasn't how it was supposed to be working! "Why?"

"Because yesterday, I missed a chance to talk to my brother because I was worried about you. I can't think straight with you around. I need to get grounded again. Focus."

"Focus on what?"

"Family."

She wondered idly what would happen if she started screaming like a madwoman, ran around in circles, vaulting over furniture while she waved a voodoo doll of Evan over a flame. "The entire point of last night was your family. Without me, you never would have even seen Buddy. I'm helping, not hurting."

"Last night, when Buddy put his arm around you, I didn't like it."

Whoa. Struck by lightning. "Really?" As if she should be surprised. Hadn't she been telling herself that all along?

"Yes." But he sounded really annoyed. "For the first time in my entire life, I wanted to put myself and my wants in front of my obligations to my family."

Oh... "Not good, huh?"

He roughed up Max, shifting on the couch so his hip was against Josie's. So close, yet so out of reach. "After basically being abandoned by our parents, can you imagine what it would do to Buddy if everyone he was related to put him second? It would be the final blow."

Damned if the man didn't have a valid point. Jerk. This was not part of her master plan.

He nodded at Max. "I'm going to try again with Buddy." He looked at Josie. "But I can't do it as long as you're here. I want you."

He wants me! Glory be! She considered jumping to her feet and wiggling her hips and chanting a victory song while waving her hands over her head, but decided Evan might not appreciate it. He didn't exactly seem to be in a party mood.

"But Buddy also wants you."

Ah, yes. The stickler.

"And as long as you're around, I'm torn. A part of me wants to toss Buddy over the bridge and keep you for myself."

Who said men weren't romantic? She'd have swooned if she was standing. Not that she was the swooning type. Poetic license.

"And that's horribly wrong."

Really? Oh, yes. Murder was illegal last time she checked. How unfortunate. But...that was assuming Buddy actually died after Evan threw him off the bridge. Maybe it was a small bridge. Or maybe he'd land on a raft and float to China to start a new life.

"So, I have to pick."

Nope, she didn't want to hear it. Time to start babbling incoherently so he never finished his thought. "I understand your obligation to Buddy."

"You do?"

Now, why did he look so surprised? Did he really think she was so blinded by love that it was impossible for her to have a selfless thought? She'd take offense to that if she wasn't distracted by all the other emotions running around her body at the moment. "It's admirable you want to keep your family together. Family is really important. And, I also admire your devotion to your little brother. Not that he's so little, but..."

Evan nodded, scratching Max and watching her intently.

"You do realize that even if you and I never talk again and I get sprayed by a skunk so no man will ever come near me, I'll still never be with Buddy."

"I'm beginning to sense you mean that."

Ah, what a perceptive man. "But it doesn't make a difference, right? Because you won't hurt him?"

He shrugged. "He's my only family."

"If you married me, then I'd be your family too." Now what was her mouth doing, going off and making comments like that? Scandalous show of disobedience and disregard for the standards of propriety established by her mind. Shocking.

And from the ghostly pale of Evan's face, it appeared he was equally astounded by such audacity.

"Sorry. I don't have full control over my mouth."

"If you were to become a part of my family, I'd never hurt you." He voiced the words with so much force and empathy she felt her heart swell up. His emotions were so deep, so powerful, so pure. To be loved by him...

She cleared her throat. "Um...well..."

Evan shook his head and stood up, as if he had been startled by the force of his words. And perhaps he was. Maybe he'd spent so long working so hard for Buddy that he'd never stopped to think about his own emotions. "Well...I guess..."

Or maybe it was her delusional tendencies rearing their ugly heads again. Unfortunately, when one relied that much on fantasies to get through the difficult parts of life, it was sometimes difficult to distinguish between reality and fiction.

If it was good, it was probably fiction.

"I know you're strapped for cash...so..." Evan looked uncomfortable. "You can stay as long as you need to."

She needed to stay for the next four years until she was through vet school. But she didn't think that was what Evan meant.

"No, really," he said. "I won't let you move out until you prove to me you have a place to live."

He was doing it, she realized. Taking care of her the way he wanted to take care of Buddy. It was a part of his soul, an essence of his being. Even though having her around was torturing him, he wouldn't turn his back on her.

He loved her.

Suddenly, she knew it without hesitation. And it wasn't a delusion or fantasy.

It was the truth.

Giddiness bubbled through her, warming her to her toes and filling her soul. Not that he'd ever acknowledge it, let alone act on it, but it was there.

And that was enough for her.

* * *

No, it wasn't.

Evan loved her.

She loved Evan.

That should mean they were together. Except for the Buddy triangle. Garr.

She peered across the examining table at Monica, who was drawing blood from a very spunky Labrador. "So, we need to keep going on our plan. Skip ahead to phase three, which requires making me repulsive to Buddy."

"How? You didn't get your loans, Buddy and Evan won't reconcile. We're already zero-for-two." Monica crooned softly to the dog, trying to keep him calm without encouraging too much wiggling. "Can't you keep him still?"

"Sorry." Josie tightened her grip on the squirmy creature. "You've been dumped by a lot of guys. How do you make them not like you?"

Monica eyed Josie. "Nice question."

"Oh. Well, I've been dumped lots too. We're always trying to figure out how to keep a guy. How do we manage such a success rate of being dumped?"

"Speak for yourself. I've been with the same guy for two months now."

"So...let's go interview him. Ask him why he dumps girls. Surely, it can't be that hard to be dumped." Josie had a sudden inspiration. "Do you know any obstetricians with fake boobs and no sense of humanity? I wonder if Tom's new wife has a twin sister... I'm sure she'd have the same miserable taste and fall madly in love with Buddy. And Buddy would love a chick with big, fake boobs, don't you think? And then maybe Tom and Buddy would have to spend holidays together, if they were married to sisters...and then Buddy would steal from Tom and it would be a perfect match, don't you think?"

Monica eyed Josie. "You losing your mind?"

"Never had it to begin with. So? What do you think?"

Monica raised an eyebrow in obvious skepticism. "You think everything will be perfect if you can get Buddy to dump you?"

"Well, it would certainly increase the odds of a happy ending, don't you think?"

Monica finished her task and released the dog, getting a bunch of slobbery doggie kisses. "I think your fantasy world is mixing with reality again. I'm not so sure there'll be a happy ending when it comes to the Dorsett brothers and you."

"Bah. You're a pessimist with no sense of adventure. Bring Eddie by the house tonight and we'll interview him. And there must be some books on how to get dumped. I can't be the first one with this problem."

"No, but you may be the first to actually research the issue."

"Knowledge is power." Josie lifted the dog off the table. "Come by tonight at seven. I'll order pizza and we'll pick Eddie's brain. Sound good?"

"What are you going to tell Evan?"

"Ohh..." Forgot about that little wrinkle. "You think he'll get suspicious if he overhears us brainstorming on ways to get dumped?"

"It's possible. His brain does seem to function."

"Yeah..." Josie rubbed her chin. "Guess it'll have to be your place. Seven?"

"You're still supplying the pizza?"

"Yep."

"Fine, then. Though I don't know how I keep getting roped into your schemes."

"Because you know deep down inside, that someday you'll be needing this same information, and you'll be so much better off because we've already done all the research. Long term benefit for both of us."

"Or the fast track toward insanity."

"I'm already there. This will just add a nice balance."