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she said. But she didn’t. Not really. Not anymore. But Lord help her, she wanted to know. Was that the real reason she’d wanted him back? To see if there was anything there between them? Anything worth salvaging? Was she just as selfish as ever, despite her years of helping others? She didn’t want to even consider the possibility. But Mattie had considered it. Mattie had made no secret of wondering if Hayley had ulterior motives in going after Sam.
    He shot her a skeptical look. A look that said nobody knew what he was. Not even him. “I’m going to takeinventory,” he said. “And see what we’ve got here. You can go now. And take that ogre in the front office with you.”
    â€œYou call Mattie an ogre? What about that woman in your front office? I thought she was going to have me for lunch if I tried to invade your inner sanctum.”
    â€œMarion? She’s been with me for two years. Superefficient. Knows what I need before I ask. Wouldn’t hurt a flea. You’re too sensitive, Hayley. Now go home and do whatever it is you do for your guests.”
    She gave a little sigh of relief. He wasn’t leaving. At least not yet. “In the afternoon I put out the sherry and cheese and crackers. I give them tips about where to eat and what to do. In the morning it’s breakfast. Scones, hot cereal, fresh fruit, muffins. And more tips.”
    â€œI could use some of those tips. And the muffins. I’m impressed. You couldn’t boil water when I knew you.”
    â€œI’ve changed.” She ran a hand through her blond hair, suddenly exhausted from trying to act cheerful and normal when she felt anything but. Trying to make him glad he’d come, when he was so obviously not. He wasn’t the only one worried about how this scheme would turn out. “So have you,” she murmured under her breath.
    She crossed the room quickly, anxious to get out of there, to put some space between them, but before she could leave he grabbed her arm and pulled her roughly toward him until there were only inches between them. His eyes were so dark and so hard they looked like black obsidian. And there was a faint scar at the corner of his eyebrow. A souvenir of that last night in town. Of the stitches Grandpa put there that saved his eye.
    Sam smelled like the wind off the ocean and the leather of his expensive car and again she was scared to death. This time she wasn’t scared he’d leave, she was scaredhe’d stay. Because she didn’t know how she was going to work and live under the same roof with him without falling in love all over again.
    â€œThis isn’t going to work, Hayley,” he said through clenched teeth. Which echoed her sentiments exactly.
    She met his gaze, trying to play dumb, play innocent. “What isn’t?”
    â€œWorking together, staying at your house. Do you know how many times I pressed my face against that ten-foot-tall wrought-iron front gate of yours? How many times I wanted to be part of your world?”
    â€œYou were part of my world,” she whispered. “The most important part.”
    He held her at arm’s length and observed her with cold, unforgiving eyes. “No,” he said. “Not when it counted.”
    Her heart thumped, she felt tears collecting and threatening to spill over. Unable to speak, she jerked out of his grasp, skirted around him and walked past Mattie to the front door, her mind spinning, wondering if she’d really done the right thing after all by persuading him to come. Yes, his presence was needed, yes he might even save lives, but what about her? Who was going to save her? Mattie looked up from her ancient Royal typewriter.
    â€œYou were right,” the nurse hissed. “He has changed.”
    â€œSee? I told you,” Hayley said, forcing a smile.
    â€œHe’s even more arrogant than ever, if you ask me,” she said with a glance over her