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from Derek.” She sighed. “I told him not to buy me a new handbag, and he did it anyway.”
    “Technically, he didn’t buy a purse. It looks like he bought an arsenal of accessories.” Jared continued to juggle the packages in his arm.
    “Can you set them down on the chair?” Her jaw ticked. “I’ll drop them off at the Slap Shot onmy way home.”
    “He’s not there. I got a text from him saying he was going out of town and would be back in a few days. He said he’d be able to meet with you at the Slap Shot on Tuesday.”
    How convenient. The nerve of him leaving town and robbing her of her self-righteous march to his bar to return the gifts. Maybe he was chasing after Phoebe to apologize and figured he’d smooth thingsover with her too.
    “He’s not getting away with this,” she fumed.
    Jared shook his head. “What a jerk for trying to replace something that got ruined. I remember you tried to choke Trina at Thanksgiving for stepping on your fancy, high-heeled shoe.”
    “They were Louboutin’s. She’s lucky I didn’t cut her with the carving knife. You need to brush up on women’s fashion. Besides, Autumnlooks pretty sharp all the time.”
    “Or is this about something else?”
    “There’s nothing else. I’ve been involved in two fights since meeting him. I just want to design his bar and be done with him.”
    “So you do have designs on him.”
    “Ha ha.”
    “I’m just saying.” Jared started walking away. “As you just stated, you’ve been involved in two fights since you met the man. Youtwo keep getting drawn together.”

 
     
     
    CHAPTER THREE
     
    Derek stood on the deck next to the grill and watched his older brother Alex bounce on the trampoline with his niece Chloe and nephew Noah. The clear, blue skies and peaceful surroundings were just what he needed after the week he’d had. He liked visiting Portland. It had a rare combination of progressive big city with a small-townfeel. Alex fell in love with the city and his late wife Rachel when he’d attended college there and decided to remain there when he’d completed his medical residency.
    It was a lovely spring day, and he was happy that Alex was agreeable to grilling. It had been almost six months since he’d seen them, but it felt like years. His niece and nephew had grown so much since the last time he’d visited,and a few other things had changed. The energy in the house was lighter as they continued to grieve the loss of Rachel, but time played a healing role. These days Alex devoted all his efforts to his patients and children.
    “Uncle Derek! Come join us!” Chloe yelled as she tried to do a flip.
    “I have to watch the grill,” he shouted back. It was his brilliant idea to get the trampolinewhen Chloe said she was interested in gymnastics. He thought it would be great practice, but he didn’t want to puke his guts out jumping around on that thing.
    “Don’t tell me the big, bad hockey player is scared of a little trampoline.” Alex hopped off and bounded up the deck steps.
    “I’m feeling a little run-down after my plane ride. Maybe later.”
    “You give them these toys justto torment me, don’t you? Someday I hope you are cursed with eleven kids who never want to sleep.”
    “Ouch. You say the most awful things to me. You didn’t tell me I couldn’t buy them a toy when I took them shopping.” Derek sipped his beer with one hand and flipped a burger with the spatula in the other. “And you’re only three years older than me. Hardly old man territory.”
    “I didn’tthink I had to tell you that a trampoline was out of the question.” He snatched the spatula out of Derek’s hand and began flipping the burgers.
    “You know I’m a sucker for the kids. Just be grateful you didn’t come home to a lama in your backyard.” Derek took a seat at the table. “And did you just steal the spatula from a chef?”
    “Playing around in your bar kitchen doesn’t make you achef. But here, make yourself