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so much.” Mickie wrapped her arms around his waist in a quick hug, then headed to the card table until Lexi called her back for her brownie.
    When Lexi handed him a plate filled with ice cream and a large brownie square, Derek didn’t have the heart to refuse.
    “You made Mickie’s night.” Rachel took the plate of dessert that her friend pushed into her hands, then slipped past Derek to take a seat at the dining-room table.
    “It seemed to mean a lot to her.” Derek commandeered the seat next to her, placing his plate on the table.
    “Until tonight I had no idea Mickie was so interested in sports,” Rachel mused, picking up her fork.
    “It takes time to get to know someone.” Derek couldn’t help thinking of Niki and how long it had taken before he’d seen her true colors. “Perhaps she’s just nowfeeling comfortable enough to share more about herself with you.”
    Rachel forked off a piece of brownie. “Perhaps.”
    “I didn’t know you had a bloodhound,” he said, wanting the conversation to continue. “I grew up with one. We called him Gus.”
    “Cute name,” Rachel said.
    Derek wasn’t sure about the name being “cute,” but it had fit the dog.
    “A lot of people think it’s crazy for me to have an animal that big when I live in a condo,” she continued. “But once I saw him, I couldn’t imagine getting a different breed.”
    “I can’t wait to meet him.” Okay, so they were talking about a dog. At least they were talking.
    “He’ll be excited to see you,” Rachel said.
    Will you be excited to see me? Instead of asking, Derek took a bite of brownie and reminded himself that Saturday wasn’t about him and Rachel; it was about Mickie. He needed to keep that in mind before he did something he’d regret.
    Something like forgetting he was supposed to be girlfriend-free for the next six months.
     
    “I’m ready to go.” Mickie twirled around in Rachel’s small living room, while Fred sat in the doorway watching her.
    Rachel smiled. Addie loved to twirl and had shown Mickie how it was done when they’d been at Mary Karen’s house.
    “Honey, it’s only eleven.” Rachel glanced down at her watch just to be sure. “Eleven-oh-six to be exact. Ittakes less than ten minutes to get there. Besides, I still have some picking up to do.”
    Although Rachel normally kept her apartment spic and span, this week she and Mickie had done more socializing than cleaning.
    “I understand.” Mickie stopped twirling long enough to kiss the top of Fred’s head. “You don’t want Mr. Rossi to think you live in a pigsty.”
    Rachel chuckled. “Do you even know what a pigsty is?”
    “A messy house,” Mickie said promptly. “That’s what the social workers always called my aunt and uncle’s home. But their place was a zillion times worse.”
    “Thanks.” Rachel scooped up a newspaper she’d left on the sofa. “I guess.”
    She couldn’t believe Derek was coming over for lunch. If Mickie hadn’t arranged the lesson, Rachel doubted she’d have seen him again.
    Her lips quirked up in a wry smile. Of course, given her luck, their paths would have crossed again.
    “Do you like Mr. Rossi?” Mickie called out, mid-twirl.
    Rachel paused, dust cloth in hand. “He seems like a good guy. Why do you ask?”
    “When we were at the sports facility, you were nice to him.” Mickie stopped twirling. “But not at Mrs. Vaughn’s home.”
    Rachel pulled her brows together. Surely that wasn’t true. She’d been embarrassed by her behavior in the bedroom, but that whole incident had been her fault, not his.
    “You acted like you hated him,” Mickie continued. “I could tell it made him feel bad.”
    Rachel’s heart dropped. “You think so?”
    Mickie nodded with such decisiveness that Rachel’s heart dropped even lower. “Maybe if you’re extra nice to him today he’ll know you don’t hate him.”
    “That’s a good idea.”
    The child smiled and once again began to twirl.

Chapter Five
    D