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being kind to her for Gracie’s sake. She’d thought his feelings toward her were genuine. “I see,” she said in a low voice as she looked down at the hardwood floor. “I didn’t realize.”
    Dean took her chin in his palm and tugged until she was looking into his gaze once more. “Look, Wade does like you. Hell, everyone thinks you’re terrific. I’m the only paranoid one in this outfit. Okay?”
    She nodded. “The thing you need to remember is that I know how Gracie grew up. We’ve talked about her dad. His alcoholism and neglect. She had it rough. I don’t want to add to Gracie’s pain, Dean. I only want to get to know her. To be a part of her life. Is that so bad?”
    He was quiet for several seconds, but finally he released her and stated, “I can live with that.”
    Catherine couldn’t believe her own ears. “So you trust me?” She held her breath, afraid of his answer.
    He shoved his hands in his front pockets. “Let’s just say I’m willing to play nice and leave it at that, shall we?”
    It was more than she’d had when she’d come over here, but it still hurt to think he didn’t trust her. It shouldn’t bother her so much, but instead of letting her disappointment show, she nodded. “Works for me.”
    “Now, since you didn’t get to finish your lunch, how about we skip right to dessert.”
    The fact that he wasn’t shoving her out the door sent a little thrill through her bloodstream. “Dessert?”
    He bobbed his eyebrows. “Mom made chocolate cake. You in?”
    Catherine forgot everything else at the mention of chocolate. It was her one guilty pleasure in life. “Oh, I’m definitely in.”

6
    D ean was having a very hard time keeping a straight face. He really didn’t want to offend Catherine now that they’d reached some sort of understanding, but it was downright comical the way she dug into her dessert. It was as if she’d never had cake before. Each bite got special attention. He was beginning to get a little jealous of her devotion to the damn thing. He could leave and she wouldn’t even notice. “You really like cake, huh?”
    The fork stopped midway between the plate and her mouth. She glanced across the table at him. “Am I making a spectacle of myself?”
    He winked and pushed his plate away, content to watch her. “Not really.”
    She gently placed the fork back on the plate. “You’re lying. I am making a spectacle of myself.” She closed her eyes tight and muttered, “Oh wow, now I’m embarrassed.”
    “Don’t be,” he whispered, pissed at himself for saying anything. She’d let down her guard for a minute and he’d blown it. “I appreciate a woman with a healthy appetite. Hell, you should see Deanna go to town.”
    She rolled her eyes. “Your sister is tall and thin and as pretty as a model. I don’t believe for one second that she puts cake away like it’s her last day on earth.”
    Dean placed his elbows on the table and leaned closer. “Didn’t you notice when she ate Wade’s chicken parmesan last night?”
    She frowned. “No, I guess I didn’t. I was on sensory overload, I think. Meeting and getting to know everyone, it was a lot to take in. I don’t know if you know this, but the Harrison bunch can be pretty overwhelming to a girl who grew up as an only child.”
    “Finish your cake and I’ll tell you a secret about Deanna.”
    She looked down at her plate and shrugged. “Heck, who am I kidding? I’m not about to let good chocolate go to waste.”
    As she picked up the fork, Dean said, “Good, because I don’t really have any secrets to tell.”
    As Dean watched her, he became all too aware of how close they were—a few feet of oak was all that separated them. With her preoccupied, Dean let himself look her over. He’d already noticed the way her hair spilled down her back, the softness beckoning him to reach out and smooth his palm down the length. The sweater she wore today was tight. The V-neck hinted at a delicious amount of