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sitting in the crook of her arm. “I know it’s hard living here with Nana. She gets crabby, and she doesn’t always know what you’re talking about, and she’s really cheap with your allowance, and sometimes she makes the most disgusting vegetables, right?”
    Tuck smiled knowingly.
    â€œSo, let’s make a deal. From now on, I’ll give you your allowance. And anytime you feel mad at your mom, or if Nana doesn’t understand what you’re saying, you come talk to me, all right?”
    â€œMom says Nana is a psycho.”
    Katie sighed. “Sometimes, when grownups are upset, they say mean things.” Her voice was calm, but inwardly she was fuming. How dare Mina say that when their mother had made a career out of bailing her out time and time again? What an ungrateful—Katie stopped herself. Her sister had taken the step to go into rehab. She was trying to turn her life around. That’s what Katie needed to focus on.
    She gave Tuck a quick kiss on the top of the head. “So, you’ll come to me when things are bugging you? Deal?”
    Tuck stuck out his hand for Katie to shake. “Deal.”
    â€œGood man.”
    â€œAunt Katie?” Tuck asked again as he clambered off her bed and headed toward the hall.
    â€œYes?”
    He paused in the doorway. “If I was grown up,” he mumbled quickly, “I’d want to be your boyfriend because you’re so nice.” With that he disappeared back to his own room.
    Katie turned out the light and slid back down beneath the covers.
    Well, at least someone wanted to be her boyfriend.

CHAPTER 03
    Someone wa s staring at him. Hard. Paul could feel steady waves of pulsating energy being beamed his way. He made himself look. Standing not two inches away from the bed was a little boy with a pinched face and a surly expression.
    â€œShoot!” Paul grabbed the silk sheets, scrambling to cover his naked torso. He hated silk sheets. Slick, shiny—it was like sleeping on vaseline. “Uh . . . hi?”
    The child scowled. “Are you Mom’s new boyfriend?”
    â€œUh . . .”
    â€œWhat happened to Gustav?”
    Panicking, Paul reached over to the other side of the bed to shake Liz awake. She murmured something unintelligible before turning away from him, taking all the covers with her.
    â€œShit!” Paul grabbed back some covers to cover his nakedness. “Sorry,” he said to the boy, who looked unfazed. Paul shook Liz harder. “Rise and shine. C’mon.”
    Moaning, Liz rolled onto her back, but her eyes remained resolutely shut. Clearly she was not a morning person.
    â€œWe’ve got company, dear ,” Paul hissed in her ear. Beneath the covers he gave her a sharp poke in ribs.
    â€œOuch!” Liz yelped, eyes springing open. Turning to Paul, she smiled like the cat who’d eaten the canary, sighing deeply, contentedly. It seemed to take her a few seconds before she realized her son was standing by the bed.
    â€œGary.” There was displeasure in Liz’s voice as she stifled a small yawn. “What are you doing here, sweetie?”
    â€œI’m hungry,” he whined.
    â€œWell, go tell Laurie to fix you some cereal. Could you also be a doll and tell Laurie to make Mumma some nice, strong coffee?” She blew him an air kiss. “Oh, and close the door on your way out, will you, honey? Thanks.”
    Gary glared at Paul resentfully before stomping out of the bedroom, slamming the door behind him.
    â€œGary can be melodramatic sometimes,” Liz murmured as she gave a big stretch.
    â€œJesus, Liz! Why didn’t you tell me you had a kid?”
    â€œI thought you knew.”
    â€œHow the hell would I know?”
    â€œEveryone knows.” She nuzzled against him. “Everyone knows I’m a poor, single woman back in Didsbury after my horrible, painful divorce.”
    â€œI can see the experience really scarred