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Isabelle winced "I keep forgetting he’s not into co her a wink "Besides, they’re good for hiher, he’d be shoe leather"

"He seeives me any trouble I think he’s afraid I’ll send hiathered up what little was left of the sliced turkey and e "He doesn’t know you very well, then"

"And you do? After fourteen years and a few letters?"

It was more than a few letters It was little bits and pieces of her life she’d chosen to share with him, and that was of more value than she’d ever know She’d reh about hiood about writing back

What was he going to write? He couldn’t talk about his job beyond the surface stuff, like promotions, and there really wasn’t a whole lot else in his life Eventually, he got tired of thinking up stuff to say and stopped writing Even so, Isabelle kept writing to hih about you to know that you’d never throw a kid out for screwing up a little I also know that any woman who cares about whether or not a kid has ho to care about whether or not he has a warht You can’t fool me You’re still as soft as ever"

And not just her heart He could still feel the slippery weight of her hair gliding over his hand, the silky sertips He wanted more A lot ht like that went through his head, like he was invading on forbidden territory She wasn’t so to hook up with hiive her ht now He had plans A new job waiting for him in Denver He had a schedule to keep that would hopefully lead him to a woman like Isabelle in a few years, but not yet He wasn’t ready yet

He had to be sure he’d burned every shred of his father out of his makeup before he committed himself to a woman Until then, he’d never take the chance that he’d abandon a fa less would be unforgivable

Isabelle cleared the dishes from the table "Do you think I’m too soft on him? I ure That’s so I can never be for him"

The insecurity in her voice made Grant want to kick hi off dishes in the sink and pulled her around by the arood thing Dale doesn’t need anyone to teach hi care of that without any help, and probably already has in his case" He knew he shouldn’t be touching her so much, but he couldn’t seem to help it He slid his hand down her ar her a little squeeze "What he needs is to know he’s safe, that he has a home where he’ll always be welco all of that, so give yourself some credit He’s lucky to have you"

Isabelle’s eyes went shiny, and she blinked several times to clear them "Don’t you dare make me cry, Grant Kent You’re here to help, not ave her a wink, hat he really wanted to do was see if her mouth was as soft as the rest of her "Fine No sap here I’ out the trash?"

She stared at hie look that he couldn’t decipher but said, "It goes in a bin around back"

Grant took care of the chore, but when he caer in the kitchen He heard her voice float in fro with that of anotherto her, and when she spoke, her tone was tight with anger "I won’t do it"

"You have to," said the et his son back You’re not safe with Dale in the house"

"If you didn’t think I’d be safe, then why did you bring Dale to ht now I’nored the fact that he was not invited into their conversation and stepped into the living roo to be sick Grant went to her side so she’d knoas here for her And to let theroo there and demanded, "Who the hell are you?"

The man had short, dark hair and wore a well-fitted suit He was average height with a slightly stocky build that told Grant he had some muscle under his jacket

He frowned and tilted his head up at Grant as if he recognized him "Grant Kent?" he asked "Is that you?"

Grant tried to place him but couldn’t

"Grant, this is Keith Elders," said Isabelle

She’d recovered soht treh her slim frame

"Do you remember him?" asked Isabelle

The man’s name struck a chord in Grant’s head, but he couldn’t quite place him

"I lived with Lavine, too," said Keith "I was a few years younger than you at the tinizenot to think about the short time he’d lived with Lavine Unfortunately, he remembered the face of every one of the children he’d put out on the streets the night he killed his foster father Two of those faces could havebefore him, but Grant didn’t knohich one it was "Sorry, ," said Keith as he extended his hand in greeting "It’s really great to see you again Isabelle didn’t tellfor a visit"

Grant shook theIt was kind of a last- on," said Isabelle "He’s going to talk to the police tomorrow"