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He was either crushed or manipulating the situation. Maggie wasn’t sure.
    “Buddy, Ben has a family too, he needs to get home.”
    Her heart did a minor jilt when he didn’t correct her. In her experience a man will let you know if he is available. Either way she was not having a handsome rugged dinner guest and it was best to let the notion go.
    “It was a pleasure meeting both of you. I hope to see you soon,”
    Eli followed Ben to the garage door and watched as Maggie closed it behind him. His behavior reminded her that her son was growing up without a father figure; and that was her choice. Eli would never hear from his father again, would he? And she’d hold on to that secret until she died.
     

     
    CHAPTER SIX
     
    Maggie woke at 1:50 am, rubbing her neck. The fire was at a dull roar. She closed the flute and trailed off to bed. She had a glass or two of wine and perused through her favorite online catalog once Eli fell asleep. He had talked about Ben for nearly an hour once he left.
    Maggie felt a twinge of guilt yet again for being a single mom, but she wasn’t about to date someone just to please her son. There’s no way she was ready— not even if Mr. Hall was available. Her stubbornness had become quite the defense. It served her well too.
    She shut off the lights and peered into Eli’s room. The bright glow of his globe was still spinning; even she enjoyed the universe display as it moved along the ceiling. He wanted her to keep it on all night as a reward for finally moving into his own bedroom.
    As she shut the door, she thought of Ben. It was a strange but comfortable feeling to have a man in their home. A man she found attractive, in a rugged sort of way. But what was attraction, other than a group of hormones and chemicals that led to stupid decisions?
    What she needed, if she even needed man, was someone who was docile and trustworthy. Not someone who worked in Denver and did God knows what while he was gone. It was too easy these days to pop pills, have affairs, hide your true self. No, she was better off with Vala. Then Claire’s voice wandered through her mind. You can’t hide forever Maggie. One day you have to find a father for Eli.
    As soon as she pushed away the thought, Ben popped up in her mind again. She felt the smile grace her face and blushed even though no one was looking.
    Klaus was on the phone when Maggie arrived. The office looked even messier than when she left it on Friday. She fished through the mail, sorting bills, checks, advertisements and requests. Next she checked the fax machine. Klaus didn’t seem to care about finances; which is why he needed Maggie. He also hated email, so she spent a good half hour per day printing out incoming messages before sending a reply.
    Business was booming, especially with all the fuss about handguns and personal protection. Maybe it was time for her to ask for a raise; it couldn’t hurt. He was a good boss. He never complained and he didn’t ask questions, unless it pertained to the canine industry. Even in the beginning, he only secured enough information about her history to pair her up with the right dog. Whether or not he understood her fear, she did not know. To him it was just like any other sale.
    Perhaps, the less he knew the better. As far as Maggie was concerned, she felt more comfortable here than at any woman’s shelter she’d stayed in along the way.
    Klaus hung up the phone and marked the wall calendar. “The Aurora K9 unit will be coming next month,” he said, void of any emotion.
    “That’s great. They’ve been up in the air for weeks now.”
    “Well, it’s official. And I even raised my price, since they gave me such trouble.”
    Klaus had begun a new program for narcotics dogs. One of his DEA clients back East was scheduled for training three days this week. She had to hand it to him, Klaus did not travel, everyone came to him. He was one of the best. They didn’t advertise in Robb Report and high-end