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understanding. "You’re right. You’re absolutely right. This is a tiny shop...
    much too small to be a general interest bookstore. You can’t compete with Barnes & Noble
    when you’ve only got four bookshelves. The only way a place this size could be effective is to
    specialize in something."
    Taylor touched her nose with the tip of her finger. "Bingo."
    "And you suggested this to Jeff?"
    "More than once."
    "Apparently, he didn't agree."
    "I told you. Organized idiot."
    "He must have been getting kil ed by the big chain stores."
    "Yup. Barnes & Noble is just a ten minute drive from here."
    Melanie shook her head. At least she had something to tell Uncle Phil. He'd given his daughter
    and son-in-law a business with potential. They just hadn't known what to do with it. Too bad.
    It really was an enchanting little place.
    WHEN TAYLOR AND Melanie pulled into the driveway at Taylor's house, there was a
    distinguished-looking man watering the flowers out front with a gentle spray from the hose.
    He was very handsome, with a thick head of salt-and-pepper hair and familiar, smiling, dark
    eyes. Melanie guessed him to be around fifty, although his athletic build suggested he might
    be a bit younger. He was dressed in a smart pair of khaki shorts and a forest green polo shirt,
    a brown braided belt cinching the shorts around his waist. He smiled and waved as they
    coasted past him to a stop.
    "Come on," Taylor said to Melanie as she exited the car. "I want you to meet the gardener."
    Ben Rhodes shook hands firmly with Melanie, holding on a split second longer than necessary,
    something not lost on Taylor.
    And we're off, she thought.
    "It's a pleasure to meet you, Melanie. I hope you're enjoying your stay so far."
    "Your daughter's been a fantastic tour guide. This is a beautiful place you have. Sam's very
    lucky to have found the carriage house. It's wonderful."
    Taylor was used to losing attention to her father. After all, he was a handsome, charming guy,
    and, although they never actively competed against each other, it wasn't unusual for Ben to
    ease a woman's intentness from his daughter to himself. They had never really discussed her
    preference for women, but Taylor was sure that there were times when he intentionally
    sought out a woman she had been interested in or whose company she happened to be enjoying
    at the time. It was a little game he seemed to find amusing.
    Most of the time, Taylor let it slide, gracefully excusing herself.
    This time was different. She wasn't sure why. It just was. Losing Melanie's attention to him
    irked her, and rather than say or do something stupid, she made a quick and quiet exit.
    Neither Melanie nor Ben seemed to notice, which annoyed her even more.
    In the kitchen, she got some orange juice out of the refrigerator and poured herself a glass,
    trying not to hear the soft, lilting laughter as Ben Rhodes put his wit and charm to work on
    their guest and Melanie ate it up.
    She chided herself for acting like a jealous teenager. After all, she had no claim on Melanie.
    So what if she was attracted to Ben? Lots of women were. Lots. He was a good-looking,
    successful, single guy. Why wouldn't Melanie want to be with him?
    In the year and a half since Anna Rhodes had been kil ed, Ben had dated a number of women.
    At first, Taylor had been angry, which was to be expected really. Once she'd gotten past the
    feeling that he was cheating on her mother, she'd decided it was good for him to date. She
    didn't want him to be alone for the rest of his life. Plus, she was getting antsy living at home
    and was anxious to find her own place again. She'd begun to rethink her approval; however,
    when the front of the house had become a revolving door, and Ben had seemed to date a
    different woman every month. Finally, Taylor had snapped, and the two of them had had it out
    in the middle of the living room. To an outsider, it would have looked like a strange game of
    role reversal, with the child scolding the