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hand into his pocket and pulled out his keys. “Now, give me your car keys.”
    Ally’s tentative smile faded. “What?”
    He looked at her as if she’d gone nuts. “I’m taking your truck to Vic’s shop.”
    â€œSays who?”
    â€œRob said it needed fixing, so seeing as I’m on duty and not using my truck this week, I thought we’d swap until yours was repaired.”
    â€œNo.”
    He paused. “You’re getting it done somewhere else?”
    â€œI haven’t even called the guy yet!”
    â€œSo, what’s the problem?”
    â€œThe problem is that it’s nothing to do with either of you what I do with my truck.”
    â€œYou have to get it fixed, right?”
    Ally gritted her teeth. “I know that, but I am not accepting help from you, or Rob, for anything.”
    â€œWhy not?”
    â€œBecause everyone would assume I was taking over my mother’s position as the town slut.”
    Jackson put his keys back into his pocket. “How about I get you the parts, and I help you fix it right here?”
    â€œHow about you go home?”
    He held her gaze, and she looked desperately for some sense of what he was feeling and found nothing. Had he always been so guarded?
    He shoved a hand through his short black hair. “Ally, just accept my help, won’t you? I’ll come around after dark if it makes you feel better.”
    Ally slumped back against the cupboard. Why was he being so nice? It made her feel like a bitch all over again. “I can’t afford to have the truck fixed at a shop, and I won’t let you or anyone else pay for it. Do you understand?”
    â€œI hear you loud and clear.” Jackson put his sunglasses back on and headed for the door. “Have a good morning, Ally. I’ll see you around.”
    When he shut the door, Ally closed her eyes tight. She didn’t want his charity. She wanted—she needed —to fix things for herself. How hard could it be to replace a light? She’d get a book from the library and take it from there. If she could just get a job to help her through the worst of this financial mess, she’d be able to pay for anything she damn well wanted.
    She picked up her coffee mug and washed it out in the sink. Jackson had accepted her apology and seemed disinclined to discuss the past with her at all. She wasn’t sure if that was a good or a bad thing. Behind his calm façade, she’d sensed something different in him, something far harder and darker than he wanted the world to see.
    The alarm on her cheap plastic watch beeped and Ally opened the fridge. She didn’t feel like eating, but she had to. That bit of wisdom was one of the hard-earned lessons from rehab about having a healthy body to go with a happy, healthy mind. She made herself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, with “wholesome” brown bread, and opened the free local paper she’d picked up at the store the previous night.
    Of course, there was nothing in the jobs section that a washed-up supermodel could do. Ally finished her sandwich and then put her head down on the table. Sometimes it felt as if she’d just climbed one mountain to be faced with another. She forced herself to be positive. She wasn’t in debt anymore, and she didn’t want to go back there. So she’d wait until she got a job and would fix the truck then. The walk into town would be good for her too.
    With a groan, she got up and stretched out her tired muscles. Next up was stripping the ancient linoleum from the floor and checking the state of the wood beneath. With a deep breath, Ally reached for her gloves. It was time to search out the vermin that probably lurked under the linoleum. She’d spent years around vermin of the human kind, so a few bugs really shouldn’t bother her.
    Â 
    â€œAlly wouldn’t give me the keys to her truck.” Jackson came into Rob’s office