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her mouth before she could stop them.
    He threw back his head and laughed. “Samantha Gordon, you really know how to build a guy up. You could charge for this.”
    “Don’t worry, I’ll think of something.”
    “Good” He gave her a long look, then turned the ignition. “Would you like to go anywhere else, or should I take you home?”
    She checked her watch “I could watch you shop all day long, but unfortunately I’m committed to a birthday party this afternoon. My nephew and a dozen other little monsters.”
    They drove back over the Lion’s Gate Bridge and past the green oasis of Stanley Park. Far too soon they were parked in front of her apartment building.
    She undid her seatbelt and turned toward him. “Thanks,” she said. “I enjoyed that.”
    He undid his seatbelt but did not get out. He hooked an arm over the back of his seat, his fingers dangling dangerously close to her hair. “Is it over?” he asked, his voice low and intimate. He picked up a lock of her hair and rubbed it between his thumb and forefinger. “I don’t want to let you go, Samantha.”
    “Me too,” she said, her voice little more than a whisper. “Will I see you on Monday at the coffee shop?”
    He gave her a look that told her he knew she’d purposely misunderstood what he’d said.
    “I’ll be there,” he said without much enthusiasm. He got out, came around and opened her door. They walked up to the apartment entrance in silence. A couple came out and he grabbed the door, holding it open for her. “Thanks again. Looks like I’ll be ready for the wedding next weekend.”
    “Our old schoolmates won’t recognize you,” she said.
    He forced a grin. “That’s what I’m counting on.” He let go of the door. “See you on Monday, Samantha.”
    * * *
    Had he scared her off? Freddie drove through the maze of West End traffic. There was a spark between them, he was sure of that, but he didn’t want her while she was involved with someone else. Loaded down with his purchases, he punched the button for the penthouse. He let himself in, put everything away and walked to the plate glass windows overlooking one of the most spectacular city views in the world.
    But he didn’t see the North Shore mountains. He saw Samantha as a high school student. She’d been vertically challenged then and she still was. He liked the fact that she was short; it made him feel protective toward her, as well as all the other emotions that surfaced every time he saw her.
    Back in school he’d been all arms and legs, uncoordinated and shy. Learning to snowboard had been difficult, but he’d eventually mastered it, and everything else soon followed. He smiled to himself, recalling the day he’d recognised that his arms and legs were doing what he wanted. But by then he’d withdrawn into a world of his own; asking out the sweetest girl in school was something he’d never even consider.
    After graduation, it had taken him several years to get over his crush on Samantha and start dating. In spite of his lack of clothing sense, girls were plentiful. Plentiful, perhaps, but none had that impossibly curly hair, or those green eyes that flashed glints of gold when the light hit them just right.
    And then he’d moved downtown, spotted her at the coffee shop, and his heart was lost all over again. He didn’t mind losing his heart, but he didn’t think he could stand to lose Samantha again. He had the rest of the weekend to plan his next move.
    * * *
    Freddie and Lauren were sitting together when Samantha arrived at the coffee shop on Monday morning. He nodded toward the pick-up counter as she came through the door; she skirted the line-up and thanked the barista for the latté.
    “You told me he looked good, but I had no idea.” As usual, Lauren didn’t mince her words. She looked admiringly at Freddie. “I can’t believe it’s the same guy.”
    Freddie held Samantha’s chair and Lauren’s eyes widened as she watched them together.
    “He does