His eyes widened when she reached him and threw her arms around his neck, hugging him hard.
After a shocked moment, he slowly lifted his arms and hugged her back. As he did, the weird tightness in his throat got even worse.
He didn’t like to be touched. He should be pushing Jupiter away. But he didn’t want to. Not even a little bit.
He was almost disappointed when she stepped back, wrinkling her nose at his sweatshirt. “You got blood on you,” she said in her scratchy little voice.
“I know,” Logan grunted. “I was fighting.”
She rolled her eyes in disgust. She was nine, a year younger than him. But she was really small for her age, the top of her head not even reaching his shoulder.
He smiled a little, stuffing his hands in his jeans pockets. “So…you’re leaving?”
She nodded.
Logan glanced across the yard at the man and woman. They were watching him and Jupiter with soft smiles. They were attractive and their clothes looked neat and clean, though not expensive.
“Are they nice?” Logan asked.
“Very nice,” Jupiter asserted.
“That’s good,” Logan said gruffly. “I wouldn’t want ’em to be mean to you or anything.”
“Me neither.”
“They got any other kids?”
Jupiter shook her head.
“So you won’t have to share a room with anyone.” Logan smiled. “You’re lucky.”
“I know.” Jupiter hesitated like she wanted to say more but couldn’t find the right words. He felt the same way.
Finally she mumbled, “Well…bye, Lunkhead.”
He swallowed hard at the nickname. “See ya, Jupiter.”
She turned to Mr. T and stuck her hand out. “Goodbye.”
“Goodbye, Meadow.” He smiled warmly as he shook her hand. “If you’re ever in the neighborhood, stop by and say hello.”
She nodded and smiled shyly, then looked at Logan one more time before turning and walking away.
Logan had the strongest urge to run after her. Which was stupid. He didn’t even like her all that much. She was just a silly little girl.
So why did he feel sad about her leaving?
He watched her climb into the backseat of the black car. She immediately turned around and looked out the rear window, staring at Logan.
He stared back.
After the longest moment, she lifted her hand in a small wave.
Logan swallowed again and waved back. Then he stood watching as the car pulled away from the curb and drove off down the street, taking Jupiter out of his life.
Mr. T clapped him gently on the shoulder. “You know, a lot of girls go crazy over hockey players.”
Logan looked up at him. “They do?”
“Oh, yeah. Most definitely.” He gave Logan a conspiratorial smile. “Become a big hockey star and maybe Meadow will find you again someday.”
Chapter One
MEADOW
* * *
Present Day
March 21
Las Vegas, Nevada
* * *
“Denver?” harris ryan repeated, brow furrowed in disbelief. “You have a job interview in Denver?”
Meadow made a wry face at him. “You make it sound like Denver is on another planet.”
“It’s not here,” he grumbled, “so it might as well be in outer space.”
Meadow laughed as she selected a roll from the bread basket. She and her adoptive father were having dinner at their favorite restaurant, a comfy spot tucked away from the bright lights and glitzy casinos of the Strip. It was their Monday night ritual, a chance for them to enjoy a quiet meal together before they got caught up in their busy lives.
Her father was frowning. “I didn’t even know you were looking for jobs out of state.”
She sighed. “I didn’t want to, but I didn’t really have much of a choice. The pickings are slim in Nevada, and social work is a competitive field.”
Six months ago, she’d been working as a caseworker for Child Protective Services. It was her dream job, the reason she’d busted her hump in school and graduated early with a master’s degree in social work. She’d loved the important work she was doing, loved the children she met and helped.
And then came the state budget cuts. And just like that, she was out of a job.
Since then she’d been temping and volunteering while looking for new employment. After three months of getting nowhere, she’d broadened her search to the rest of the country. Three more nerve-wracking months passed before she’d finally heard back from a company called Gamenetic. They had an opening for a corporate social responsibility manager. She’d applied for the position because it sounded exciting and challenging, and she would still be able to help children in need.
After conducting a phone interview last week, the company had called that morning to invite her for a second interview.
Since receiving the phone call, she’d been feeling excited, nervous, giddy and anxious. But now as she sat staring at her father’s disappointed face, she was swamped by another emotion: guilt.
“I’m gonna miss our weekly dinners if you move to Denver,” he said gruffly. “Coming here won’t be the same without you.”
Her throat tightened. “I know. I’ll miss our dinners, too.”
She’d lost her parents at the age of six and spent the next three years bouncing between foster homes before Harris and Lacey Ryan adopted her. Just when she was starting to feel like part of a real family again, Lacey had been diagnosed with a rare type of brain cancer. Two years later she was gone.
Her death devastated her husband and Meadow, who became convinced that she was cursed. Losing her biological parents had been traumatic enough. Losing a second mother had been almost more than she could bear. The only thing that had kept her from retreating into her protective shell was her father. Grief had bonded them together more tightly than ever. They’d leaned on each other, mourned together, and gave each other the strength to keep living.
Meadow totally understood why the prospect of her leaving saddened her father. It saddened her, too. But she was running out of options, and she didn’t want to be a financial burden to him. She needed to stand on her own two feet.
“Denver,” Harris repeated with a shake of his head.
“You have a sister in Denver,” Meadow reminded him.
His eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Did she put you up to this?”
“Not exactly.” For months Aunt Rosalie had been urging Meadow to join her in Denver, insisting that she needed to go someplace completely new and get a fresh start. The universe must have been listening, because the only company she’d heard from was located in Denver.
Her father sipped his water, set his glass down and began studying his menu even though he knew it by heart and always ordered the same thing.
“Your aunt isn’t the only one in Denver,” he said without looking up. “Logan Brassard’s there, too.”
Just hearing the name made Meadow’s stomach flutter with emotions she didn’t want to analyze too closely.
Her father lifted his eyes from the menu to search her face quietly. “Did he cross your mind when you applied for the job in Denver?”
She swallowed the thick knot rising in her throat.
Before she could answer her father, they were joined by a tall, attractive woman with an impossibly fit body dressed in high-end casual wear.
“Hello, darlings.” She flashed a thin smile at Meadow and bent to kiss Harris before sliding into the empty chair at the table. And just like that, their party of two was no more.
“Sorry I’m late. Class ran over.” Wendi with an i—as she introduced herself to people—was a divorced yoga instructor. She’d met Harris at the gym after one of her classes. They went out for smoothies, hit it off and began dating. They’d been together for a year—the longest year of Meadow’s life. Which was saying a lot considering her troubled childhood.
When her fathe
r’s phone rang, he excused himself to take the call. As a park ranger, he worked long hours and was always on standby for emergencies.
Shortly after he left the table, the waitress appeared. Wendi ordered for herself and Harris, then looked expectantly at Meadow.
She’d skipped lunch, so she was starving. “I’ll have the lasagna.”
Wendi clicked her tongue in disapproval. “Lasagna is so fattening. Why don’t you try something lighter like the salmon piccata? It’s healthier for you.”
Meadow’s face heated as the waitress gave her a sympathetic better-you-than-me look.
“I’m sure the salmon piccata is delicious,” she managed to say evenly. “But I’d rather have lasagna.” She closed her menu and smiled at the waitress. “I’ll also have a big slice of that white truffle garlic bread.”
“Sure thing.” The waitress winked in solidarity before collecting their menus and retreating to the kitchen.
Wendi was seething with displeasure. “You should really try to cut down on bread and pasta. They have way too many calories, and you have to be extra careful because you’re short.” She patted Meadow’s hand. “Short people carry weight the worst.”
Meadow picked up her glass of water and took a long, calming sip. She was five-two, petite like her biological mother. She’d been a scrawny kid, so skinny and malnourished that she’d always looked much younger than her age. She didn’t start gaining weight until she was in her late teens. She’d filled out pretty well, curves replacing her bony frame.
Lately she’d been stress eating, so she’d put on a few extra pounds that Wendi had obviously noticed. The woman’s critical eye didn’t miss a thing.
Meadow almost breathed a sigh of relief when her father returned to the table and sat down.
“Sorry about that,” he apologized.
“Is everything okay?” Wendi was all saccharine smiles now. She never bared her claws when Harris was around. She knew better.
“Everything’s fine.” Harris glanced around the restaurant. “Did the waitress ever show up? She’s slower than our regular waitress.”
“She showed up. I ordered your usual.” Wendi unfolded her napkin and placed it on her lap. “So what were you and Meadow discussing so intently when I arrived?”
Harris frowned, looking disgruntled. “Meadow was telling me about her job interview.”
“You have a job interview?” Wendi said excitedly to Meadow. “That’s wonderful! When is it?”
“This Friday,” Meadow answered. “It’s actually my second interview. The first one was on the phone.”
“They’re flying her out to Denver,” Harris grumbled.
“Denver?” Wendi looked delighted. “How exciting for you, Meadow!”
She smiled. “Thank you.”
“What’s the name of the company?” Wendi asked.
“Gamenetic. It’s a mobile gaming company.”
“How interesting. What’s the job title?”
“Corporate social responsibility manager. It’s a brand new position.”
“Corporate social responsibility manager?” Harris looked skeptical. “What would you be doing?”
“Well, my primary responsibility would be to develop programs to help local youth and improve the community.”
“Sounds right up your alley,” Wendi gushed.
Harris nodded, albeit grudgingly.
“And you can stay with your aunt Rosalie. How perfect!” Wendi rejoiced, practically bouncing in her chair. She couldn’t be more obvious about wanting Meadow gone.
Harris was silently toying with his fork, moving it back and forth on the table. Meadow watched him for several moments.
“What’s on your mind?” she asked quietly.
He met her gaze and shook his head. “You became a social worker because you wanted to help abused children and make a difference in their lives. Working for a corporation isn’t the same as working for Family Services. Who’s to say you’ll find the new job rewarding enough? Who’s to say you won’t miss your casework?”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Harris,” Wendi chided. “She’d still be working for Family Services if she hadn’t gotten laid off. That wasn’t her fault. But everything happens for a reason. The job at Gamenetic sounds perfect for her. And she’ll still be helping children—just in a different capacity.”
“I know.” He smiled forlornly at Meadow. “Don’t mind your old man. I was just hoping you’d be able to find a local job so you wouldn’t have to leave home.”
She felt a fresh stab of guilt. “It’s just an interview, Dad. I haven’t gotten the job yet. They might totally hate me.”
He guffawed. “They won’t hate you. Who could ever hate you?”
Your girlfriend, she thought wryly.
He reached across the table and gently covered her hand with his. “I don’t want to clip your wings, sweetheart. Whatever you do, wherever life takes you, I’ll always be here for you.”
Aunt rosalie picked her up from the airport on Thursday morning. She was driving the beige Lexus she’d bought with part of her generous divorce settlement.
When Meadow emerged from the terminal, her aunt hopped out of the car, rushed around the front and threw her arms around her with a joyous squeal. “It’s so good to see you!”
“You, too.” Meadow grinned, hugging her back. “Thanks for picking me up.”
“No thanks necessary! I’m so glad you’re here!” Rosalie released her and stroked her cheek, beaming with affection. Like her older brother, she had fair skin, sandy hair and hazel eyes.
“I didn’t think Harris would let you get on the plane,” she teased.
Meadow sighed. “Neither did I.”
Rosalie laughed and grabbed her carry-on bag, stowing it in the trunk while Meadow climbed into the plush leather passenger seat.
Rosalie slid behind the wheel and shot her a sardonic grin. “I’m sure Wendi will be happy to have Harris all to herself this weekend.”
“I know.” Meadow smiled a grim little smile. “Even though I haven’t gotten the job yet, she’s probably already packing up my things.”
“Wouldn’t surprise me.” Rosalie snickered, fastening her seat belt. “She thinks you’re the reason Harris hasn’t proposed yet. She figures if you’re out of the way, she’ll have his undivided attention, which will eventually lead to marriage.” Rosalie rolled her eyes. There was no love lost between her and Wendi with an i.
Meadow sighed. “She doesn’t have to like me. As long as she makes Dad happy, that’s all that matters.”
Rosalie snorted. “How big of you.”
As they left the airport and headed down the highway, Meadow stared out the window at the soaring Rocky Mountains in the far distance. It was her first trip to Denver and she couldn’t wait to see more.
“I’m so sorry I couldn’t get off from work tonight and tomorrow.” Rosalie was an evening news anchor at a local television station.
“That’s okay,” Meadow assured her. “I know it was short notice.”
“Did you get in touch with your soror who lives here? What’s her name again?”
“Bianca. And, yes, we spoke yesterday. She’s taking me to dinner tomorrow night.”
“That’s good. She’s the one you met at a sorority convention last year, right?”
“Right,” Meadow said warmly. “She was really nice—we hit it off right away. Since then we’ve kept in touch off and on.”
Rosalie smiled, switching lanes. “Just remember not to make any plans on Saturday. I have a fun girls’ outing planned for us.”
Meadow grinned wryly. “Nothing that’s gonna land us on YouTube, I hope?”
Rosalie laughed. “And what if it did? Would that be so terrible?”
“Um, need I remind you that you’re a well-respected news anchor and the mother of a five-year-old—”
“Who’s spending spring break with his daddy in San Diego. If we end up drunk and disorderly on YouTube, I doubt Cameron will see it.”
Meadow grinned, glancing behind her at the empty booster seat. “I really wish you had him this weekend. I miss my Bear.”
“I know. He misses you, too.” Rosalie’s eyes twinkled. “When you get this job and move to Denver, you and Cam can spend as much time together as you want.”
Meadow sighed. “If I get the job. And that’s a very big if.”
“You will. Think positive.” Her aunt switched lanes. “Have you eaten breakfast?”
“Yeah.”
“Good. Let’s go have a drink.”
Meadow raised an eyebrow. “At nine-thirty in the morning?”
“It’s never too early for a drink.” Rosalie grinned, shaking her head at Meadow. “You need to loosen up and let your hair down, baby girl. Seriously. You’re twenty-four going on eighty. When was the last time you threw caution to the wind and did something reckless? Hell, when was the last time you got laid?”
The second question brought heat to Meadow’s face. She’d been in a sex drought for so long, she could feel tumbleweed blowing across her lady parts.
Rosalie gave her a knowing grin. “That long, huh?”
Meadow pushed her black cat-eyed glasses up her nose and mumbled, “I don’t wanna talk about it.”
Rosalie laughed sympathetically. She’d always felt more like a big sister to Meadow than an aunt. It was Rosalie who introduced her to tampons and showed her how to use them. It was Rosalie who took her to buy her first real bra because she was too embarrassed to tell her father that she’d outgrown her training bra. It was Rosalie who took her to concerts and spent the night rocking out beside her. And it was Rosalie who whisked her off to Cancun for spring break when her dad wouldn’t let her go to Daytona Beach with her friends. It was a wild and crazy trip, one she would never forget.
Unlike other memories that eluded her, she thought, absently rubbing the scar hidden under her hairline. She couldn’t remember where or how she’d gotten it. There were huge gaps in her memory, like missing pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. According to the therapist who’d treated her as a child, her parents’ deaths had been so traumatic that she’d suppressed parts of her past to protect herself. The explanation made sense. But those missing fragments of memory haunted her to this day.
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