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He was as good as his word Which she had learned Ryan alas He pulled up in front of her house at three o’clock

She stepped out onto the veranda when she saw a sports car followed by a red truck she recognized pull to the curb Ryan stepped out of the car and waved She strolled down the path toward him A man almost as tall as Ryan climbed out of the truck

“Phoebe, this is Mike He ca to help me move the chest in”

“Hi, Mike, thanks for going out of your way to do this”

“Nice to iven me a hand a few times”

She looked at Ryan but he gave no explanation Knowing hione out of his way more than once to help people, yet he had no one special in his life It was as if he was all about deeds but not about beco emotionally involved Did he feel the same way about her?

“Let’s get these in Phoebe and I have a wedding to attend,” he said to Mike

The twothe chest and rocker in the truck bed They carried the chest into the house

“Shohere you want it,” Ryan said to her She followed them down the hall and into the baby’s room

She had theainst the wall opposite the bed “Perfect”

Ryan grinned “I’ll get the rocker”

“Thank you for your help,” Phoebe told Ryan’s friend as he followed Ryan out the door

He waved an arm “No problem, mate”

She waited there for Ryan to return

Doing a back-and-forth h the doorway “Where do you want it?”

“Next to the bed, I think”

He placed it where she’d suggested

She gave the top of the chair a nudge and watched it rock

“Aren’t you going to try it?”

“Yes, I a her hands on the ends of the ar back and forth a couple of times, she looked up at him and said in a reverent tone, “It’s wonderful Just wonderful”

“I’lad you like it”

“I do” She continued to rock and rub the arms with her hands

“I hate to et a ”

“I know All I need to do is slip on ” She pushed out of the chair with obvious reluctance

“My suit is in the car Mind if I change in the other bedroom?”

“Make yourself at home,” Phoebe said, as she walked out of the room She stopped and faced him “Ryan, it’s really nice to have you around You have been a good friend the last feeeks I really needed one”

A lump came to Ryan’s throat he couldn’t clear His heart thumped in his chest All he could do was look at her Before he could speak she was gone With those feords froh he did when he delivered a baby That the world could be a good and kind place Her happiness was starting to matter too much

What had he gotten himself into? As hard as he’d worked to keep their relationship centered on helping her get ready for the baby, he’d still grown to care for the fascinating and fabulous woman that was the mother If he wasn’t careful he could become far too involved with Phoebe Start to care too much Did he have that in him?

He’d dressed and aiting in the living roo her shoes She wore a modest sleeveless pale blue dress that had pleats in front Her hair was down but she had pulled one side of it away fro clasp She was beautiful in her simplicity

“I hate to ask this but could you help ure out how to do it around this baby and it’s just not working”

Ryan sive it a try”

She sat on the sofa and Ryan went down on one knee

“You look like Prince Char, dressed in your suit”