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"Magic hands is the only answer you’ll ever get out of me So, can you still say you’ve seen that trick before?"

I just shook ure out what all he had to have done to pull that off

"Those are sohts

I shrugged "The boys naht they did a pretty good job They’re funny kids"

I turnedthe kitchen with a sot close She was a tall, slender woman, with cornflower blue eyes and reddish blonde hair She was forty-eight, but I didn’t think she looked it, her pale skin showing just the faintest signs of aging Her features were attractive, her figure trim, and she was always dressed impeccably

"I’m so sorry, Danika," she told me "I didn’t realize this was a friend of yours I feel so rude, storht he was another of Jerry’s…projects" She swept her hand in the air, as though to wave the idea away

I didn’t think I’d felt so shitty about etic curve of her lips

"But anyway," she turned to Tristan, holding out her hand "I’m Bev"

Tristan didn’t hesitate to s her hand "Tristan"

Bev looked at me "Jerry tells me youof it?" she asked, s Bev’s suessed she was a lawyer by that suilty as hell "Nothing to tell He’s just a buddy He’ll only be staying for a week, I swear"

She waved that off "Don’t worry about it Stay as long as you like, Tristan Any friend of Danika’s is a friend of uys ether," I answered, shooting Tristan a glance

"What class?" she asked, as persistent as you’d expect froy," I threw out

"English," Tristan said at the same time

I shot hi rinned at Bev, totally unfazed "Both We had two classes together, actually Danika was nice enough to share her notes with me"

Bev shot me a fond look "She isto ain, noto get Danika to go out to a club with ht," Tristan told Bev

I blinked at hi

"She sees is what a twenty-one year old should be doing for fun I think she needs to get out more Will you help me convince her?"

Bev looked at"You know, Danika, I can’t remember the last time you went out Tristan has a point You’re twenty-one You should be having more fun"

If looks could kill, Tristan would have dropped dead on the spot He’d et my Bev on his side in under a minute I couldn’t quite believe it

He just smiled back at o out tonight There’s this new club at the Cavendish casino It’s great You’ll love it"

I glared at him for a solid minute before I spoke "You just want me to drive your sorry ass You probably don’t even have a car"

I felt a little silly as both Tristan and Bev began to laugh

"You two seeasped "How have I never heard a word about Tristan before this, Danika?"

I shook my head, but Tristan spoke before I could He put his hand over his heart, giving s, Danika Don’t you ever talk aboutthis little charade, but I sure wasn’t "Nope," I said curtly

"Oh, Danika, you have to go out I insist Go have a good tiht"

I gris to do"

"Like what?" Tristan asked

"Well, for one, I need to walk the dogs"

"Okay Let’s go do that now I’ll co that I was acting like a ten-year old "Fine, but you have to walk Coffeecup"

He shrugged "Sounds great"

"And I have to clean the pool," I told him

"Oh, don’t worry about it," Bev said

"I’ll help," Tristan said, being strangely persistent

"And I have to finish the laundry"

Tristan shrugged "We’ll get started after the cookies are done"

"You don’t have to do that today, Danika," Bev tried again "I can get to the laundry ht off"

"We’ll knock those chores off in an hour, and she’ll still have plenty of tiet ready," Tristan said

The oven timer started to beep, and he went to check on his cookies Bev and I just watched hi a word, as he put on oven mitts and slid the cookie sheet out of the oven It was a strange and riveting sight; a rippedcookies This man was socookies for a longsmile "A perfect batch You two have to try these"