The Troublemaker Next Door

Epilogue




A month later, standing outside the back door to Mike’s kitchen, Maddie glared at her hottie by the grill. Flynn had been driving her nuts lately and seemed to revel in pissing her off. He claimed seeing her angry aroused him, but she thought he was just getting her back because she’d given him such a hard time at the start of their relationship.

Almost five months together and they still had hot sex all the time. They laughed and played. She looked forward to the end of her work day to spend time with him and their interlocking families. His clan had fully embraced her and her roommates. They spent time together, all of them, and the warmth of acceptance had yet to fade.

“Hey, Red, stop dreaming and grab the plate for the burgers.” Brody treated her like an extension of Flynn, but without all the cursing and roughhousing, thank God. They truly acted like brothers in every sense of the word.

She grabbed the plate off a nearby table and shivered at the wind that whipped through the open door, wishing she’d brought more than her fleece jacket. As they neared Halloween, the weather had become downright nippy.

“I’ll give it to Flynn.” Vanessa took the plate and sneered at Maddie’s jacket. “Do you need me to dress you, too? I got you a great rental rate on the house you now barely live in, I still take care of your books, and I landed you a hot boyfriend.”

Flynn must have overheard, because he turned around and saluted Vanessa by lifting a bottle in her direction. Brody muttered under his breath as he took the plate and darted back to Flynn’s side.

Once he’d gone, Maddie said, “You didn’t land me anything. If I remember right, you thought he was a user.”

“Not so. I just think good-looking men can be a little too sure of themselves sometimes. Helps to take them down a peg or two.” She lowered her voice. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but something’s going on between Abby and Brody. She won’t talk to me about it yet, but I’m wearing her down.”

Maddie was ashamed she hadn’t noticed. Ever since she and Flynn had opened up to each other, her entire world seemed right. She didn’t flinch when he talked about love or marriage anymore, and she fantasized about kids and a life with him all the time—except when working. There she’d become more than good at compartmentalizing.

Cam took that moment to nudge Vanessa and Maddie into the house, like herding sheep.

“Watch it, you jerk,” Vanessa snapped then flushed when Cam pointedly looked at the small boy by his side.

Colin gaped. “Oh man. She called you a jerk.”

“Now, Colin.” Cam shot Vanessa a smug look. “You know we’re not supposed to say bad words in the house.”

Vanessa wasn’t having it. “I was standing outside, spongebrain.”

“Spongebrain!” Colin laughed and raced past his grandmother in the kitchen, no doubt to share this newest insult with the family.

No longer amused, Cam turned his back on Vanessa, who deliberately left the door open when she exited the house. “She’s letting all the heat out,” Cam complained and shut the door again before turning to frown at Maddie too. Through the window, she saw Vanessa stick her tongue out at the back of his head.

She grinned at Cam. “You sure the heat’s out? Because you look pretty hot under the collar.”

“You’re not that funny.” He nodded at his mother, working in the kitchen, then left Maddie when his father called to him from the living room.

Next to Beth, Abby stood eating a carrot and tapping her foot to some rock music playing softly in the background.


Maddie shook her head. “Aren’t you supposed to be helping?”

Abby grinned and swallowed a mouthful of food. “I’m the taste tester. Try Beth’s killer dip. I told her it’s fine, but she keeps wanting to add more dill.”

Beth chuckled. “I need more than your opinion. You like everything I cook.”

“But isn’t it flattering? I think I’ve gained an extra ten pounds from your dinners alone.”

Beth preened. “Well, it is nice to know I’m appreciated. Some people,” she raised her voice and glared in the direction of the living room, “don’t know how good they have it.”

Maddie exchanged a glance with Abby but took her friend’s headshake to heart and let it pass.

Beth smiled, and Maddie saw Flynn in the expression. Though the woman had to be in her mid- to late fifties, she had the energy and looks of a woman a decade younger. The McCauleys had good genes.

Flynn would make such pretty babies.

She frowned, wishing she could stop thinking about procreating for more than two seconds at a time.

“Everything okay, Maddie?” Beth frowned.

She smiled. “Fine. I was just wondering how to—”

“Grandma!” Colin’s shrill voice sounded from outside the kitchen. “I need you.” Somehow he stretched the word need into four syllables.

Beth wiped her hands on a towel and rolled her eyes. “Boy is just like his father. Needy and not shy about telling you.”

They snickered at the description of big tough Mike, who walked through the kitchen looking annoyed.

“Colin’s that way,” Maddie pointed. When they were alone, she turned to Abby, “So Abby, what’s this about you and Brody?”

Abby’s eyes widened. “What?”

The squeak gave her away. Before Maddie could press for details, the back door opened and Brody came in. Abby froze. Brody stopped in his tracks. The look Brody gave her best friend made Maddie blush for her.

Then a freight train bore down on both of them.

Abby bumped into her to avoid a monstrous canine barking up a storm. Flynn raced by them, swearing as he tried to catch the thing. Brody joined him after a moment, but he tripped over Abby’s shoe and knocked her into Maddie. The three of them went sprawling to the floor in an ugly, painful heap.

“Ow. How is it I’m on the bottom of this?” Maddie winced and tried to scoot out from under Abby and Brody, who felt like he weighed more than her car.

“How do you think I feel?” Abby’s muffled words mixed with Brody’s laughter. “I’m the lean turkey in this sandwich.”

“Lean turkey?” He laughed harder and moved off them. Then he picked Abby up as if she weighed nothing.

Maddie scooted back to brace herself against the cabinets. She heard barking and several male shouts as the others struggled to grab the dog.

“Okay, thanks. You can let go of me now.” Abby stopped speaking when she looked into Brody’s face.

Maddie wouldn’t have believed it if she hadn’t seen it. The suave, joking Brody Singer looked dumbstruck as he stared at Abby. His gaze traced her friend’s features with something more than mere attraction.

Then he dropped her like a hot coal and joined the others trying to capture the dog.

“Wow.” Maddie would have teased her when Cujo returned, sliding over the tile with muddied paws.

The dog looked like he ate people for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. As large as a wolfhound but with a mishmash of other breed traits, at best he could be called a mutt. At worst, a nightmare. And he headed straight for her.

She screamed. He stopped. The crowd behind him froze.

“Maddie, don’t move,” Flynn said quietly.

“Oh hell. This is my fault.” Brody ran a hand through his hair. “It’s okay, he’s friendly. I swear.”

The dog took a few steps closer and proved it by licking her face with a long, wet tongue.

“Ew. Get him off me.” Maddie tried to push him back, but the dog took her touching him as a sign of affection and tried to crawl into her lap.

Nice, except he stunk to high heaven and wasn’t a lap dog.

A few laughs and then everyone was talking and pointing and moving around at the same time.

Brody tugged the dog off her, bringing attention to the fact the thing had a collar.

“Is he yours, Uncle Brody? You have a dog? Really?” Colin jumped up and down. “Can I pet him? Can I ride him? Do you feed him squirrels?”

Where did the kid get his information?

Flynn helped her to her feet. He leaned close to kiss her then backed away. “You smell like dog.”

“Thank Brody.” She glared at the man doing his best to make nice with everyone while keeping the dog from slobbering on him.

Flynn steered her toward the door. “Come on, honey, let’s go clean you up.” Flynn said to his mother, “We’ll be back. Maddie’s going to grab some clean clothes.”

Vanessa appeared at the back door, standing safely outside. She opened the door wide for them. “Oh, and she needs you to help her?”

“Hey, where were you when I was being attacked?” Maddie asked her.

“You weren’t attacked,” Brody corrected in a loud voice. “Mutt’s friendly.”

“Mutt?” Abby eyed him and the dog like a disease. “That’s your dog’s name?”

“Come on, let’s get out of here.” Flynn pulled her with him out the back door and past Vanessa, who watched them go with amusement.

Back at her house, Maddie hurried upstairs to change. She stripped out of her shirt and dirtied pants, then hustled to the bathroom to wipe off her face and neck, where a mess of dog spit had dried. So gross.

“I’ll be right down, Flynn,” she called as she walked down the hall to the bedroom. Only to stop and stare as he waited for her with a huge smile.

“Shut the door and turn around.”

Conditioned to that look in his eye, she melted. Her body readied for him in an instant.

“Bend over the dresser, baby. Watch me f*ck you.”

That he wore all his clothes while she had on only her panties and bra made it naughty—hotter—and then he slipped his hand down her ass and nudged her thong aside.

He unzipped his pants and she felt him there, behind her. The rough denim scraped against her ass as his cock found her wet entrance.

“That’s it.” He slid inside her, thick and tight. “F*ck. I love this. You’re so good, baby.” He rocked into her, gripping her hips as he increased his pace. “I was hearing you laugh. Watching you with my family. And I wanted you. Wanted to be inside you right then.”

He drove harder inside her while she took it. In this position, he had such deep penetration.

“Flynn. You feel so good.”

“Touch yourself. Get off before I do, which won’t be long.”

She put her hand down her panties and stroked her *, knowing Flynn loved when she touched herself while he f*cked her.

“You’re wet, aren’t you? That * hard, baby?”

His raspy voice made her moan. “Yeah. Hard for you.”

“That’s it. Oh f*ck. Come on, Maddie. Come. I can’t last much longer.”

She plucked her nub and imagined them at the club again, where one of his friends might catch them in the act. The shock and arousal would be too much for the voyeur to bear, and he’d be helpless as he watched while they finished.

“Yes, oh yes.” She gritted her teeth and came around him, right before he swore and emptied into her.


He rotated and pushed, filling her until he shivered. Then he withdrew and buttoned himself up.

“You were thinking about the club, right?” He grinned, into her fantasy. He’d been the first to suggest it, that she liked the thought of being caught. Not actually having people see them have sex, but the possibility of it really aroused her.

“Maybe.” She took the towel he handed her, amused he’d prepared for their little tryst. “We need to get back before they know what we did.”

After she cleaned herself, he took the towel from her and tossed it to the ground, then hugged her back against him and kissed her neck. “I don’t care about them knowing.”

“It’s embarrassing.”

“It’s hot as hell. You’re so sexy, and you’re mine. I like knowing they might want you, but they can’t have you.”

She blinked. “They wouldn’t want me.”

“Why not? You’re a beautiful woman. But my brothers would never make a move. Like I said, when we fall, we fall hard. You’re it for me. And only me,” he growled.

“I can barely handle you as it is,” she teased and stepped out of his arms to dress. Once more garbed in jeans and a sweater, she faced him. “Have I told you lately that I love you?”

The soft love in his eyes brought her to tears. How had she ever thought to throw this away?

“You can never tell me too many times.”

She wanted to confess what else she’d been thinking about. To see what he thought. “Flynn, I know we haven’t been together all that long. And we talked about marriage and maybe babies in the future.” She swallowed, nervous yet spurred by the hope on his face. “I don’t have any more refills for my pills. Just one more month and I need to go back in for a checkup.”

“Yeah?” The gritty tone made her smile. She could almost feel him willing her to say what came next.

“So I was wondering. Do you want me to stop taking them? I know it’s soon, but I can’t stop thinking about babies for some reason.”

He pulled her to him and kissed her. “I’m in. Forever. And I can’t wait to have kids with you. But you have to be sure. That you’d even ask me now… Maddie, we’re going to take this slow. How about we get married first? Six months, a year. Then we’ll try. We’re still young. We don’t have to rush this.”

Part relieved and a little frustrated he’d rejected her offer, she wanted to argue. But the relief was too powerful to deny. “You’re right,” she heard herself say.

“I know. I’m always right. See, that’s what you need to learn before you’ll be perfect. You’re close, but not quite there. You just need to learn and believe that last bit. Say it with me. Flynn is always right.”

She punched him in the gut, pleased when he whooshed out a breath. “Jerk.”

“But you love me.” He grinned.

She grinned back. “But I love you.”

“Maddie, when we have kids, there won’t be any doubt in your mind. Don’t do it for me, but for us.”

“I know. I just have so much love right now. I’m too emotional.”

“You’re just right.” He straightened and grabbed her hand. “Now I have a present for you. How would you like to pull a fast one on the family?”

***

Abby didn’t like the way Brody kept looking at her. He must have somehow found out she wrote for a living and had read one of her books. She just knew it.

Flynn and Maddie returned holding hands. The sparkle in her friend’s eyes told Abby in no uncertain terms what she and Flynn had been doing.

Lucky girl.

She wondered wistfully what it must be like to have someone accept you, flaws and all. With Flynn, Maddie could be herself. Slightly neurotic, obsessively organized, beautiful and confident enough—at least in her looks—to know it. Abby could do neurotic, and she had her office as neat as a pin, but confident in any way? Hell no.

Every other day she expected a rejection from one publisher or another. Her agent had so far stuck with her and seemed keen on making them both money. But Abby knew she was only as good as her last book. The minute her sales dropped, she could find herself ass-out of an agent, an editor, and the royalties she needed if she wanted to eat.

Though come to think of it, missing a meal or two couldn’t hurt.

So pleased for her best friend, she also couldn’t help feeling a tiny bit envious. Abby lived out her fantasies through her books and characters, but reminders of her solitude ate at her every time she stepped away from her computer.

“Hey, you okay?”

The others sat in the living room yelling at the television. She’d thought herself safely apart in the hallway, looking for Colin. How had Brody found her unless he’d been looking for her?

She cleared her throat. “Fine. Just looking for Colin.”

He arched a brow. “Really? ’Cause he’s sitting on Pop’s lap.”

Pop and Bitsy—what he called James and Beth McCauley, the people who’d raised him. She still wanted the full scoop on Brody Singer, but she couldn’t ask outright because then Maddie would think she was interested in him. And she wasn’t. Not really.

A woman would have to be a lesbian not to desire Brody. Yet even Robin had commented on how handsome and sexy he might be to a poor straight girl. Like Abby.

That dark blond hair—which she’d never liked, but on him looked right—those light brown eyes that reminded her of honey when he grew angry. And that body. She sighed. For someone who had issues with sweets and how they fell directly to her thighs, she shouldn’t have set her sights so high. But Abby had always been a sucker for trim, lean men. Brody had surpassed lean thirty pounds of muscle ago.

“Abby?”

She blinked and saw her stare centered on Brody’s chest. She sure hoped he hadn’t noticed… She blushed when she met his gaze, annoyed at the smirk he wore. “What?”

“Like what you see, honey?”

She snorted. “Honey? Please. I’m about as sweet as vinegar, and you know it.”

He leaned close, and she made the mistake of breathing him in. Her nipples stiffened, and she praised the weather for being cold enough to make a sweater necessary, hiding her reaction.

“I bet you’re sweet all over.” His eyes flashed with heat. “I’d be more than happy to indulge my sweet tooth. Any time you say the word.”

She burst into laughter. “Sweet tooth? Does that line ever work on anyone?”

He seemed annoyed but grinned too quickly to think he’d meant anything serious by the comment. “You’d be surprised.”

She snorted. “Probably not. Your type seems to go for the empty-headed bimbo.”

“Really? So I have a shot then?” The hopeful look on his face made her laugh.

“Good one. I’ll give you that.”

She could have sworn he said, “I’m hoping you’ll give me a lot more,” before Flynn dragged her away.

“Yeah?”

“Quit picking on Brody. You placed my money, right?”

She patted his arm. “I did. This means our sprinkler system is a done deal when the weather heats up in the spring, right? That is, after the wedding.”

He winked. All that McCauley charm bottled up for her best friend. Damn.

Flynn stepped away from Abby and motioned for Maddie to join him. Abby took a subtle step back and started when large hands pulled her into a hard frame.


Brody stood behind her and wouldn’t let her go. He whispered into her ear, “What did Flynn say to you just now?”

She barely controlled a shiver while her body flushed with heat. Annoyed by her reaction to him, she stepped on his foot. When he grunted and let her go, she took refuge next to Colin, who’d moved to be near his Uncle Brody.

“Good move, Abby.” Colin let her rest a hand on his shoulder. A big deal considering the kid never stood still.

“If I could have everyone’s attention.” Flynn said it again, louder, and the room quieted.

Abby noted the nods between Flynn’s brothers. A glance at Brody showed a smug smile.

Beth and James sat next to each other on the couch. Beth looked so happy, Abby almost felt bad for what was about to happen. Except she knew Flynn’s mom had bet on today as well.

Flynn took Maddie’s hand in his and held it up for everyone to see. “Maddie is the love of my life. She knows it, and it’s time everyone knew it.”

A bunch of “hear hears” and “It’s about times” scattered through the room. Vanessa joined in, looking satisfied. Probably taking credit for putting the pair together.

“I wanted to do this with friends and family to witness. It’s been almost five months, the best five of my life.” Flynn put on a burst of emotion that seemed fake to Abby, but everyone else seemed to buy it.

“Not enough tears,” Colin whispered.

“I know,” she whispered back. “Shush.” Figured the little con man would see through him.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Brody’s gaze narrow on her.

“And so, with all of you here to witness this special occasion, I’m just going to ask her.” Flynn bent down on one knee, his hand still holding Maddie’s. Despite knowing what was coming, Abby couldn’t help thinking how romantic the scene looked.

For some reason, her gaze met Brody’s. She couldn’t read his expression and quickly turned back to Flynn and Maddie.

“Madison Gardner,” Flynn boomed. “Will you do me the great honor”—he took something from his pocket—“the incredibly important role, of becoming my…”

Everyone stopped breathing.

“Girlfriend?” He opened his palm and on it sat two dazzling emerald earrings. “Will you, my sweet, wear these earbobs as a token of my extreme affection?”

The earbobs line had been Abby’s touch. She’d been reading a historical romance the other week and was stuck on how much she liked the word.

Beth looked heartbroken. The others mumbled unflattering comments while she, Flynn, and Maddie laughed.

“Pay up, suckers.” Abby collected money from everyone who’d bet Flynn would pop the question today. They’d been placing wagers for a month. Abby had mentioned it to Maddie, who’d told Flynn. In an effort to win some money, Flynn had planted some hints he might ask her at the family barbecue.

“Hey, does this seem rigged to anyone else?” Brody frowned as he dug in his wallet.

“Rigged is such an ugly word.” Maddie put on her earrings and smiled. “They’re beautiful, Flynn. I love them.”

“And I love you.” He kissed her.

Beth finally stopped frowning and smiled. “You’ll have such pretty babies.”

Colin gagged and pretended to have a seizure on the floor.

“Maybe a girl this time,” Beth said with a frown at him.

Mike nodded. “Yeah, a girl or two… to kiss cousin Colin!” He jumped on his son and tickled him until Colin cried uncle, to which three men answered, “Yes?”

Abby laughed and gave Maddie a hug, stunned when Vanessa willingly did the same.

“What?” the blond asked. “I can’t show some love?”

Abby waited.

Vanessa lowered her voice and admitted, “Well, Maddie cut me in on the take. I made twenty bucks off Cameron and James, enough for a few lattes next week. Nicely done, ladies.”

Abby grinned. “And this is where I’d type The End.”

***

Brody watched Abby with her friends. The sexy little liar. He shook his head.

Flynn went out back and returned scowling. “Hey, Brody. Go get that thing you call a dog before he breaks the leash and attacks the grill. And just so you know, it’s not the dog I’m afraid for. It’s the steak.”

“Dick,” he mumbled under his breath. “Yeah, yeah. I’m coming, Mr. Romance. Earbobs? Extreme affection? What the hell, man?”

He met Abby’s gaze as he passed, and his pulse jumped the way it always did around her. Nope. Not The End, Abby Dunn. This is just the beginning.





Here’s a sneak peek at book 2 in the McCauley Brothers series,


How to Handle a Heartbreaker

They stared at each other, like dueling gunslingers waiting to see who would draw first. She’d be damned if she’d blink before he did. Despite his sheer size, drool-worthy body, and oh-my-God sex appeal, Abigail Dunn refused to budge on this issue. Her roommates might think she was one big pushover, but she knew better. It was time he did too.

After several tense moments in silence, Brody Singer rolled his eyes, then pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed in defeat. “Okay. Jesus. You’re such a hard-ass. It’s not his fault, you know.”

“No. It’s yours.” She crossed her arms over her chest, doing her best not to turn pink when his gaze immediately followed the movement. And stayed there. After a moment, she cleared her throat. “My eyes are up here, Brody.” She pointed to her face.

He slowly lifted his gaze to her face but didn’t stop leering. Instead, the charming idiot wiggled his brows. “Beautiful. So…big. And so…brown.”

She wore a brown sweater today, so she couldn’t be sure if he referred to her breasts or her eyes. By the expression on his face, she was betting on the former. Anyone else talking to her like that would have received a kick in the teeth. But from Brody, she felt simultaneously irked and turned on. So not good.

“You know, you’re really very good looking.”

He looked puzzled that she’d compliment him, but as he started to smile, she added, “Too bad you ruin it the moment you open your mouth.”

He had the gall to laugh. “And the guys think you’re shy.”

Now she flushed. Dear Lord, did Mike and the others talk about her? Her neighbor, Mike McCauley, was the oldest of the four McCauley brothers, of which Brody had been unofficially adopted at a young age. She’d been dying to get the scoop on the whys and hows of his life, but asking would make it seem as if she wanted to know. And heaven help her if her roommates started on the sparks flaring between her and Brody again. Her head hurt just thinking about it.

Realizing he continued to stare in a way that made her all too aware of her now tingly girlie parts, she blurted, “I am shy.”

“Not with me you’re not.” And that pleased him for some stupid reason, because his grin grew wider.

Abby planted her hands on her hips and counted to ten in her head. In a calmer voice, she explained, “I don’t have time for this. I have to make my deadline by Halloween—in five more days. Get that mongrel out of our yard or else.”

“You won’t call the pound.” He didn’t seem to be taking her threat seriously.

Abby turned and stared out the back door of her kitchen, not surprised to see dog slobber and a furry face against the door pane. The smashed nose and tongue occasionally gave way to a gaping mouth of sharp teeth as Cujo tried to get more oxygen into his freakishly large body. “Pound? I was thinking National Guard. That thing is nearly as tall as I am.”


“But you’re short.”

“Petite.”

“Not with that rack,” he muttered.

“What?”

“Nothing.” He swallowed hard but to his credit kept his gaze above her neckline this time. “Look, I’m sorry. He likes you, Abby. Mutt just wanted to give you a token of his affection.”

“You mean the bone he buried in our backyard last week? That token?” She fumed, remembering the broken flower pots and her mauled garden beds. “I don’t know why I bother. This isn’t even my house. You want to piss off Beth and James, feel free. But when we move out, I’m getting my rent deposit back. If not from them, from you.”

He frowned. “You’re leaving? You guys just moved in eight months ago.”

She hadn’t realized he knew that. But considering their many connections, it shouldn’t have surprised her. “You’re spending too much time with Flynn and Maddie.” Maddie, her roommate and best friend, had found a real treasure in Flynn McCauley. Great for Maddie, not so great for Abby.

Flynn and Brody were best friends and business partners. Mike was her neighbor. And Abby, Maddie, and Vanessa—her other roommate—had been pseudo-adopted by the entire McCauley clan. Which meant seeing Brody on a regular basis. She could handle his aggravating attempts at charm, but her libido was making it really hard to remember all the reasons why she should give this man a wide berth.

Like now, when he wouldn’t stop staring at her.

“Cut it out.”

“What?”

Did he just step closer? She backed up and found herself against the door. Behind her, that mammoth of a dog whined.

“See? We like you, Abby.” Brody smiled, his amber eyes bright, like his golden hair, shining through the gloom of yet another bleak Seattle day.

She held up a hand and met his chest, doing her utmost to ignore the firm muscle under her palm. “Stay.” To her bemusement, he did. She did her best not to laugh hysterically at the comparison of man to dog. “I think I made myself clear. Your dog needs to stay at your place. He keeps getting out of Mike’s yard, and he’s already torn up my garden.”

“Garden?” Brody looked over her head through the door window. “You mean that dirt in a box? Anything out there was already dead, honey.”

“It was dormant and would have been perfect for springtime next year, honey, but Fenris out there already dug up my bulbs.”

“Hmm. Fenris.”

“Yeah, Fenris. Loki’s son? A demon dog who ends the world?”

He seemed to consider the name. “Catchy, but no. Doesn’t fit him. Guess we’ll stick with Mutt for now.”

She gritted her teeth. “I don’t care what you name your dog. Just get him out. Of. My. Yard!”

She stormed past him in a whirl of anger, frustrated lust, and hopelessness that she’d be able to concentrate on writing her story now that Mr. Wrong had shown his pretty face to distract her again. Bad enough she saw him in her dreams or when he tagged along with Flynn. But now he invaded her working hours.

“Oh. You stupid muse.” The damn thing needed to get laid. Then maybe it would stop painting her hero with Brody’s face and smile. Riiight. It’s your muse that’s been celibate for a year. Not you, oh she of the wide ass, freakish desires, and air of desperation… Kevin’s words were never far from her mind, and at that moment, she hated him and Brody equally. Kevin had been a jerk, but Brody made her wish for things she’d never have. She paused in the hallway at the doorway to her office.

The front door opened, and Maddie entered with Flynn on her heels. “Hey, Abby, what—”

Abby pointed at Flynn. “This is your fault. Take care of that…” she thumbed at the noise behind her “…or I will.” She seethed as she closed herself in her study—what she used to think of as her sanctuary—and did her best to ignore Brody’s low voice and the happy barking no doubt forecasting a mess in the kitchen.

At the thought that Vanessa would soon be returning, Abby smiled with evil glee. The blond dictator would take care of it. She’d take care of everything. “Now if only she could type…”





Acknowledgments




Thanks to Leah for giving me a shot. Sorry to see you go. And to my editor, Cat C., for consistently helping me make this a better story. You rock!