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all his shopping for the girls. They’d had a minor crisis this morning, and he’d promised Allie he’d take care of it today.
    “What are we looking for?” Michelle asked as she followed him into the store. He seemed to know exactly where he was going.
    “Wednesday panties.”
    She looked to see if he was pulling her leg. “Pardon me?” she asked, trying to keep the laughter out of her voice when she saw he was serious.
    “Allie couldn’t find any Wednesday panties this morning. I don’t know what happened to them, but they weren’t in her drawer or in the laundry. I had a hell of a time getting her to go to school.”
    She could see the girls’ department straight ahead.
    “Uh, Jacob? What are Wednesday panties?”
    “They’re underwear with Wednesday written on them. There’s a pair for every day of the week. Allie’s obsessive about wearing the right pair on the right day.”
    “Oh.” If anyone had ever told Michelle that she would be following Jacob Ryan into the girls’ department to buy underwear, she’d have laughed them out of the city. “So how’d you get her to go to school?”
    “Convinced her that if she wore both Tuesday and Thursday they’d average out to Wednesday.”
    Michelle burst out laughing and Jacob sent her an understanding grin. “I know. It’s not the smartest thing I’ve ever come up with, but it was the best I could do on short notice.”
    He stopped in front of a rack of packages of pastel-colored underwear. Michelle watched as Jacob chose two packages of size-seven panties and four size-six ones. He obviously didn’t realize that each package had an entire week’s worth. Michelle smiled.
    “Jacob? That’s forty-two pairs of underwear,” she said, trying to be gentle about educating him.
    He just nodded as he moved through the department carrying all six packages. “I only go through each crisis once if I can help it. I’m going to put an extra day per person away in my underwear drawer.”
    Michelle wasn’t sure which touched her the most, the ease with which he moved among the racks of miniature feminine apparel or the competent way he handled being a single father to three little girls. She did know that she envied him more than she’d have thought possible.
    “Look at these.” Jacob stopped by a rack of child-size Lakers jerseys. “They’re great! The girls’ll love them. Help me find two six-X’s and a seven,” he said, riffling through the shirts on the rack.
    Michelle helped him find the sizes he needed and then followed along as he searched for three pairs of jeans to match. She was seeing a whole new side to Jacob Ryan. A side she liked far too much.
    He took his choices to the register and handed over his credit card. “How are you today, Mr. Ryan?” the middle-aged clerk asked.
    “Just fine, Joan, and you? Did you enjoy your trip to Florida?”
    The clerk kept up her end of the conversation as she completed the transaction, but Michelle couldn’t help but notice the glances she kept sending her. The glances weren’t surprising. After all, she was used to speculation about Jacob and her. What shocked her was how disappointed she felt that there was absolutely nothing for the clerk to speculate about. Michelle had no business wishing she and Jacob were an item, and buying clothes for their children.
    “You know, Jacob, if you end up with all this when you’re just going after a single pair of underwear, I’d hate to see what happens when you shop for school clothes,” Michelle said as they headed to his vehicle.
    Unlocking Michelle’s door before storing his package in the back of the Explorer, Jacob said, “A way to a woman’s heart is through the clothes department.” At least he hoped the new clothes would help.
    “Where’d you ever hear something like that?” Michelle asked, grinning at him as he climbed behind the wheel.
    “God knows Ellen sure bought enough of them. And I can remember my half sister’s pleasure every time