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Steven. “How dare you? For the past week you’ve been barging into my life, using those children to get to me. I don’t know what you’re after, but I wish you’d tell me and then back off.”
    The more she fumed, the broader Steven’s grin grew. “What’s wrong with you?” she demanded. “Why are you laughing at me?”
    â€œI’m not laughing,” he said, swallowing a chuckle. “It’s just that it’s been so long since I’ve seen you this furious.”
    â€œWell, if you’re perverse enough to think I’m terrific when I’m angry, you’re in for the treat of your lifetime because I am boiling mad, Steven Drake.”
    She began pacing up and down the sidewalk, drawing amused glances. Her blond hair, drawn up in a ponytail, bounced indignantly. She stopped in front of him finally and put her hands on her hips. She glared straight into his eyes. “You are an insufferable, arrogant, rude man, and I’ve had just about all I intend to take from you.”
    â€œThat’s better,” he praised. “Go for it.”
    She waved a hand in his face. “This is not some game.”
    â€œCloser to therapy, I’d say.”
    â€œYou traipse back into town, get some ridiculous notion into your head about wanting me back...” The amused glint in his eyes suddenly registered, and his comment sank in. “What do you mean this is closer to therapy?”
    â€œI told you the other day you needed to do all the yelling you didn’t get to do eleven years ago. It’s time you got your feelings all out in the open so we can deal with them.”
    His deliberately calm understanding was almost more than she could take. She began pacing again. “Who made you an expert in psychology? I don’t want to deal with what happened eleven years ago. I want to talk about what’s going on right now. I want to talk about the way you’re trying to manipulate me. I won’t have it, do you hear me? I won’t have you acting all sweet and attentive with my nieces just to get to me. They’re little kids. They won’t understand when you stop showing up.”
    â€œAny more than you did?” His voice was very quiet.
    She halted in midstep and turned slowly back to face him. His expression was unreadable, but his message had been crystal clear.
    â€œOkay,” she said at last. “You’re right. I didn’t understand. I still don’t, but can’t you see I don’t care anymore? Right now all I’m concerned about is the way you’re using those girls.”
    â€œWho says I’m playing up to those kids to get to you? I happen to like children. They always say exactly what’s on their mind, unlike some adults I could mention.” He stared at her pointedly before adding, “Besides, Megan asked me to look in on them.”
    Lara couldn’t have been more stunned if he’d slapped her. “Megan?”
    â€œI ran into her before she and Tommy left town. She suggested I drop in and check on them. She didn’t like the idea of the three of you being all alone over there and since I am the closest neighbor, she asked if I’d mind. Of course, I said I wouldn’t. She didn’t want me to mention it to you.”
    What on earth had Megan been thinking of? Lara wondered, then groaned inwardly. That was an easy one. Romantic that she was, Megan had been plotting, hoping that something exactly like this would happen. Lara had never told her the whole story behind her hatred of Steven. Apparently she’d read something into Lara’s hostile attitude toward their neighbor and guessed that it hid some other passion.
    â€œWe are hardly alone at the farm,” she snapped. “Logan is there every day, and we have a whole crew around. So, if that’s the only thing that’s brought you by, you can consider your duty discharged.” Somehow the