The sound of dishes clanging accompanies me as I pad, barefoot, through the trailer toward the kitchen.

Normally, I use this time to make a list of things I have to do during the day, but today my mind refuses to think about anything other than Ronan.

We didn’t say much as he drove me home, but simply held hands and enjoyed each other’s presence. It had been … nice. It was also nice when he walked me right up the front steps to the door and kissed me good night, or rather good morning.

I miss him.

I step into the kitchen and find my mom unloading the dishwasher, which is surprising since I don’t think she’s ever done that.

“Morning.” I walk to the cupboard and grab a glass.

My mom looks at the microwave clock. “Morning? That’s a bold statement, given that it’s quarter past eleven.”

“I had a late night.” I fill the glass with orange juice and prop a hip against the counter.

“I noticed.” My mother shoots an irritated glare over her shoulder as she removes the utensil tray from the dishwasher. “The next time you decide not to come home until four in the morning, you could at least be considerate enough to make sure headlights don’t shine directly into my room.”

I wince. I’d be put out if it had been me. If I hadn’t been so wrapped up in what was happening between me and Ronan, I might have noticed the angle of his lights.

“Sorry about that.” I sip my juice. “Is Sally up yet?”

“Yes. She’s out playing with those damn birds you bought her. Chickens, messy little bastards.” My mom finishes putting the flatware away. She returns the utensil tray to the dishwasher and slams the appliance’s door closed.

I grimace. “You need to be careful. We don’t have enough money to fix that.”

My mom crosses her arms over her chest and glowers at me. “Sally was full of all sorts of interesting stories when you dumped her at home last night.”

The orange juice turns sour in my belly. I should have known this was going to happen. “She said that you let a man, one that I don’t know, take my daughter to that stupid horse place the two of you like so much.”

“I didn’t have much choice. My car broke down and rather than stay home and let me use your car, you took off. Ronan offered us a lift.”

My mom’s nostrils flare. “Are you saying it’s my fault that the two of you were cavorting all over the state with a strange man?”

“No, Mom, I’m not.” Keeping my voice calm and even isn’t easy. “And he’s not a stranger. Ronan works for Northwest. He’s my copilot.”

“Hmphf,” my mom snorts. “Some copilot. Sally told me how you spent the whole afternoon with him, hugging and all lovey dovey. And as soon as you dumped her at home, you took off with him until the middle of the night.”

“Mom, I’m an adult,” I remind her. “That means that if I want to stay out all night with a guy, I can do so.”

“That’s the kind of attitude that got me here. Do you know how different my life would have been if I’d not gone carousing with your father?”

Realization hits me like a bolt of lightning out of the blue. The force of the blow nearly causes my knees to buckle.

My mom’s been saying the same thing to me for as long as I can remember. When she found out she was pregnant with Sally, she married my dad, but she’d never been happy. That because of the choices she’d made while she was dating him, her entire life had been ruined.

Until now, I’d always assumed that they were just words. But they’re not. I’ve let those very words dictate my entire adult life.

I’ve never liked my mom much. I swore I wouldn’t turn out like her. Not allowing myself to get close to anyone, especially men, seemed like the best way to prevent that from happening.

Yet, in doing so, I realize the exact opposite thing has happened. I’ve actually become very much like my mom. I was alone. I was stuck working for a company I loathe. Worst of all, I’m becoming just as bitter and jaded as she is.

If something doesn’t change, how much longer before I look in the mirror and see my mother’s reflection superimposed on my own?

Maybe, just maybe, Ronan is my chance to break the cycle.

I should call him. If he doesn’t have anything going on, maybe he’ll be up for getting together today. We could do something fun with Sally for a few hours, and then enjoy some one-on-one time together. The idea of the kind of things we can do once we’re alone sends a sharp shiver of pleasure bolting through my lower belly.

My cell phone, tucked into my back pocket, buzzes, startling me. I jerk it out and glance at the screen.

It’s Ronan.

The corners of my mouth lift in a small, involuntary smile, and my heart skips a small beat. I’m not sure I’m in love with this guy, but whatever it is that I am is fun.

I hit the answer button. “Good morning.”

“Good morning to you too.” The tone of Ronan’s voice makes me think he’s smiling.

Grumbling under her breath, my mom stomps across the kitchen and hauls a package of hamburger out of the fridge.

“I just got a call from Northwest,” Ronan says. “They need us to fly to Helena and back.”

“Ugh.” The word slips out of my mouth before I can stop it. “That’s not what I wanted to do today.”

“I know what you wanted to do,” I hear my mom hiss as she carries the hamburger to the stove. I glare at her while she sets a skillet on the stove top and starts making a hamburger patty.

“I can think of a few things I’d rather be doing as well.” The sensual warmth in Ronan’s voice assures me that he’s been thinking along the same lines that I’ve been. “But I did get them to agree to pay a small bonus since this is so last minute and during our down time.”

My mom tosses the hamburger patty onto the skillet. The meat hisses when it connects with the pan.

“When are we supposed to take off?” My stomach does a funny little jump as I watch my mom dig a spatula out of a drawer.

“In about forty minutes.”

“Forty minutes,” I half yell. “Are you insane? That’s not enough time for me to get there and do a pre-flight check.” Even by Northwest’s standards, this is cutting things ridiculously close.

Another thought occurs to me. I spin and look out the window at the front yard. Mom’s van is parked in its usual spot, but my Buick is nowhere to be seen. “My car is still in the parking lot next to the airport. I have no way of getting there.” With my luck, Northwest will use this as an excuse to dock my pay.

“I know,” Ronan say calmly. “I’m already at the airport. I’ll take care of the pre-flight check so that we can take off as soon as you get here. I talked to one of the baggage boys who was clocking out and paid him to take my truck and drive out and pick you up. He should be getting there in about ten minutes.”

Which gives me just enough time to get dressed and brush my teeth, but not enough time to shower. Oh well. If Ronan likes me as much as he claims to, he probably won’t mind that I’m a little smelly.

“Okay, that should work. I’ll see you in a few minutes.”

I disconnect the call and turn around just as my mom slides the spatula under her burger patty and flips the raw side down. A cloud of raw meat-scented steam billows up from the pan, enveloping me.

This time, my stomach doesn’t jump. It pitches a full-on temper tantrum.

I slap a hand over my mouth as thick bile pushes its way up my throat and rush for the bathroom.