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happened?”
    Brian was pressing on his palm. “I got it loose, but I cut my hand.”
    Amber quickly moved to him. Took his hand into hers. There was a decent amount of blood. “Let’s go into the kitchen.”
    Brian nodded and followed her.
    Amber pulled out a chair. “Sit down. I’m just going to get a few things from the bathroom.”
    She gathered up bandages, a washcloth, antibiotic cream and went back into the kitchen. She wet the washcloth at the sink. Took Brian’s hand and wiped the blood off, examining the wound.
    “I don’t think you need stitches. I have butterfly bandages, and I think that’ll take care of it.”
    She opened the antibiotic cream and started to bandage the wound.
    When she was finished, she met Brian’s eyes.
    He’d been studying her. He grinned. “You’re good at this.”
    Amber smiled a quick smile. “I studied nursing in college.”
    Brian’s brow raised. “Nursing?”
    Amber nodded. She gathered the pieces from the bandage wrappers and threw them in the garbage.
    “You trained as a nurse and you work in business?”
    Amber tensed. She bit her lip. “I had a job as a nurse for a couple of years after college. It didn’t work out. Then the job in your office came along.”
    She glanced at Brian. Saw the question in his eyes.
    Amber turned away and fiddled with the cap of the cream.
    She inhaled a breath and turned back to him. Pointed toward the backyard. “Should we see how Katie’s doing?”
    Brian blinked. A second later he nodded and rose from the chair. “Yes. Thanks for fixing this up.”
    She, Brian and Katie stood in the entryway later that night.
    Katie threw her arms around Amber’s waist. “Thank you for the dollhouse.”
    Amber squeezed Katie and smiled. “My pleasure.”
    Brian’s brow raised. “See you tomorrow night?”
    Amber nodded.
    He leaned in to give her a kiss before he took the dollhouse from Katie and carried it outside.
    Amber waved as they pulled out of the driveway. She slowly walked back inside. Sighed as she turned the deadbolt.
    It had been an emotional day. But Brian and Katie had made it bearable. More than bearable.
    ***
    The following Monday, Mr. Sumner handed Amber a business card. “The new software code we’re working on……..this is our potential customer. He’s overseas, but he speaks English. I want you to take the lead on contacting him.”
    Amber drew in a breath. “Me?”
    Mr. Sumner nodded.
    “But I’ve never done anything like that before.”
    “You’re professional. You communicate well. It’ll be fine.”
    Amber pressed her lips together and nodded. If he felt she was ready for the responsibility, she wasn’t going to try to talk him out of it. She’d just have to do her best and prove him right.
    ***
    Amber and Brian saw each other several times over the next two weeks. They alternated between going to restaurants and Amber visiting Brian’s house.
    Amber met Mrs. Quinn. The house Mrs. Quinn owned was several blocks from Amber’s house. And, although Mrs. Quinn’s daughter was ten years older, she and Amber had attended the same schools.
    Amber and Brian had just tucked Katie into bed on a Wednesday night. They walked out of her room, down the stairs.
    “I was scheduled to be at a conference in a couple of weeks, but Mrs. Quinn is going to be visiting her daughter then,” Brian told her as they went into the kitchen. “I’m going to send Jim instead.”
    “Do you want me to stay with Katie?”
    Brian blinked. “Really?”
    Amber nodded. “I’d love to. But I’m not sure how early I can get out of work while you’re gone.”
    “There’s an aftercare program at her school. She stays there whenever Mrs. Quinn is in Colorado.”
    Brian drew Amber to him and kissed her tenderly. “Thank you. Katie will be so excited.”

CHAPTER 13
     
    “How’s everything going there?”
    It was two weeks later, and Brian was on his trip, calling from Arizona.
    Amber stood watching Katie, who was seated at the