Page 22 (1/2)

"Hello, sweetheart," Catherine greeted

Kelly's slad you're here I'"

"Yes, I know," Catherine said, a s the corners of her o off?"

"Just a little before I called you" Kelly ai room "Dad keeps this one handy in the top kitchen drawer, and I found it right away"

"You were a clever girl"

"You really think so?" Kelly sounded proud of herself

With her hand on Royce's daughter's shoulder, they advanced into the faether Kelly chatted easily, as though it had been ages and ages since they'd last talked, which in fact had been several days

There was a peacefulness that settled over the area, and the dark, which had once seean to feel like a welcome friend

Kelly ainst her mouth and yawned loudly

"Are you tired?"

"Not really," Kelly answered just before she yawned a second ti her head in Catherine's lap Withinconvinced her the girl was sound asleep

Catherineshe knew the lights were on Straightening, she rubbed the sleep from her face just as Royce walked in from the kitchen

He stopped abruptly and frowned "What are you doing here?"

Chapter Ten

Kelly was alone," Catherine explained in a husky whisper "The lights went out and she was afraid" Royce looked shocked, as though he were viewing a ghost She was certainly the last person he expected to stumble upon in his own hoster, Catherine gingerly moved from the sectional

She reached for her coat and purse "Now that you're here, I'll go" She rehan from the back of the sectional and spread it across Kelly, as dozing peacefully

"What happened to Cindy?" Royce wanted to know before she left His ht line of ier was out of a job

"Her mother came doith a bad case of the flu and she needed her there She did phone and ask Kelly to walk over to her house"

"It's six blocks I don't wantaround in the dark" Once o because she hates throwing up"

Royce frowned

"She didn't want to catch the flu," Catherine explained

The tight features relaxed, and the two shared a warm sical rainbow It had been so long since they'd shared souards to allow themselves the siest moment Their breaths seemed to echo each other's Half a roo close enough to touch A thought Catherine found infinitely appealing There was security in Royce's ared his eyes away His hands were buried deep within his pockets Catherine would have liked to believe he'd placed theood of you to come by," Royce said evenly

"It wasn't any proble to pretend otherwise, even when they were alone together Such pretense went against the very core of her nature

Royce followed her into the entryway, stepped ahead, then paused, his hand on the doorknob His back was to her when he hesitated "Hoas your dinner with Dan?"

The question caught her by surprise Idle curiosity was the last thing she expected froone out with the coruffly, and jerked open the door

"Dinner was very good The co"