“I’ve had my share of cracks, but so far nothing fatal.”

“I appreciate the concern, but you don’t have to worry. I’m not in love with him.”

“Good. Because loving Josh would be a hard road for anyone.”

“ARE YOU TRYING TO get me drunk?” Charity asked when the server left the table.

Josh leaned back in his chair. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, please. You’re the one who warned me about the margaritas here.” She angled toward him. “Alcohol is not required to have your way with me.”

“I know. It’s one of your best qualities.”

They were having dinner at Margaritaville. The place wasn’t too busy on a Sunday night, so they’d gotten a booth in the back. Somewhere they wouldn’t be disturbed.

The soft light added a golden glow to Charity’s brown hair. She wore it loose and a little curly—a sexy look he enjoyed. Her mouth curved into a smile and there was a look of complete satisfaction in her eyes. He liked knowing he’d been the one to do the satisfying.

“How was your afternoon?” she asked. “You rode through town?”

“Uh-huh. I got a lot of support from the locals.”

“They know about the race. They want you to do well.”

At this point he just wanted to get through it without humiliating himself further. Why couldn’t he have something normal wrong with him? A bad back. A disease of some kind. Something that could be fixed with a pill or rest and an ice pack.

“How was Pia?” he asked.

“Good. We had fun.” She shook her head. “She knows we’re, um, that we’ve…” She cleared her throat. “You know.”

“That we’re seeing each other?” He wasn’t sure what was so hard about saying that.

She looked slightly relieved. “That. I wasn’t sure about… So that’s what we’re doing?”

“Isn’t it?”

She shifted on the seat. “I didn’t know. You’re not like anyone I’ve ever gone out with. You’re famous.”

“Oh, please.”

“Your ex-wife is a big star.”

“She’s a b-list star at best.”

“But beautiful and famous. I’m a regular person.”

He reached across the table and took her hand. “The whole famous thing is highly overrated, and you are definitely beautiful.”

She rolled her eyes.

“You don’t believe me?” he asked.

“No, but thanks for the compliment.”

“I’m not that guy you see on the poster. Not anymore. Even if I got it all back, I wouldn’t want to be him.”

She didn’t look as if she believed him. “There had to be things about that life you enjoyed.”

“Sure, but been there, done that.” He squeezed her fingers. “I like you, Charity. I want to keep seeing you.”

“I want that, too.”

“Then we have a plan.” He pretended worry. “It includes sex, right?”

She smiled. “If you’re lucky.”

“I’m always lucky. Didn’t they tell you?”

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

“THIS IS BERNICE JACKSON,” Robert said at the next city council meeting.

The tall, pretty redhead grimaced as she stood. “Bernie, please. Bad enough to be an accountant, but an accountant named Bernice? I don’t think so.”

Charity smiled. Gladys leaned toward her.

“Figures,” the older woman muttered. “How many forensic accountants out there in the world are men? I’d say most of them. But do we hire a good-looking guy? Of course not.”

“If you think that then you shouldn’t care that there isn’t another man moving to town,” Charity said, doing her best not to smile. “However temporarily.”

“You’re pretty smart,” Gladys conceded.

“Thank you.”

Bernie pulled out a folder and opened it. “According to my preliminary investigation, cross-referencing the information the state sent, there are multiple checks missing.” She looked up. “The total we’re talking about is close to one and a half million dollars.”

Charity sat up straighter. “That much?” she breathed.

Marsha paled. “How did this happen? How can there be that much missing?”

“I’m going to find that out,” Bernie promised. “I have some paperwork to discuss first. You’ll want to look over my non-disclosure agreement. It says that I won’t talk about this case unless subpoenaed. My goal is to protect my clients. I suggest you have the city attorney look at it before anyone signs it.”

Charity watched Marsha nod, as if she approved of what Bernie was saying. Charity found herself liking the attractive accountant, even as Gladys scowled at her for not being a man.

When the meeting broke up, Charity lingered to check the schedule for the room. She had a few meetings coming up and preferred to use this conference room for her presentations. When she had confirmed the times were open, she turned and was surprised to see Robert waiting for her.

“Bernie seems great,” she said. “Very efficient.”

“She has a good reputation. She’ll find out what’s going on.” He frowned. “The sooner the better for me.”

There was something in his tone. She moved toward him. “You don’t think people are assuming it’s you, do you?”

“I’m the treasurer. I have access to all the money coming in. My office processes the checks. If not me, then one of my staff. I don’t like how it looks. I would never do anything like that, but not everyone will believe that.”

“The important people will,” she told him.

Robert shrugged, then looked at her. “It’s Josh, isn’t it?”

The unexpected question made her stiffen. She hoped she wasn’t blushing.

“I saw the two of you at dinner,” he continued. “You looked…cozy.”

“We’re, ah, friends,” she began.

“I’m not surprised. Him being who he is. The rest of us don’t really stand a chance.”

There was something about the way he spoke, as if her falling for Josh was inevitable.

“It’s not because he’s famous,” she said sharply. “Josh is a really nice guy. He cares about people. He’s a lot more than his reputation.”

Robert’s mouth twisted. “Sure. Keep telling yourself that.”

“It’s true.”

“Right. I still think you’re great, Charity. When he dumps you, if you want, we can try again.”

He walked out of the room. She stared after him, her mouth hanging open.

She didn’t know which of Robert’s assumptions stunned her more. The belief that Josh would dump her—not an “if” statement, but a when. Or the assumption that the only reason she wasn’t going out with Robert was because she’d been blinded by Josh’s brilliance.

She’d already made her decision about Robert before she got involved with Josh. She’d done her best to prefer Robert.

“Pinhead,” she muttered. “Stupid, egocentric pinhead.”

Funny how Josh had all the flash, but Robert turned out to be the man lacking in substance.

Yet as she left the conference room, she found herself wondering if she was blinded by Josh. She was her mother’s daughter, after all, and Sandra had always been interested in handsome, superficial men.

Charity told herself she knew what she was doing. That Josh was more than he seemed. Still, it would be up to her to make sure she really was falling for the man rather than the persona.

“WE HAVEN’T SEEN YOU here in a long time,” Bella said as she combed Josh’s hair.

“Uh huh,” he said, ignoring the not-so-subtle complaint inherent in her words.

“Your last haircut was terrible.”

He smiled. “You say that every time.”

Bella, a middle-aged woman with beautiful eyes and a will of iron, glared at him in the mirror. “I suppose she says the same thing when you go to her.”

“I’m not going to discuss that with you.”

Bella snorted. “You know I’m better.”

“Are those new earrings?” he asked. “They’re pretty.”

She fingered the gold hoops at her ears. “You’re trying to distract me.”

“Yes, and you’re going to pretend I’ve succeeded.”

Her mouth twitched, as if she were trying not to smile.

Bella Gionni and her sister Julia were the two best hair stylists in town. Unfortunately, they’d been involved in a running feud for the past twenty-five years. They had competing shops on opposite sides of town. To pick one over the other was to get involved in the fight. The problem was no one but the sisters knew the cause of the argument.

The surest way to keep the peace, and the one Josh had chosen, was to alternate his business. Each of them complained about his time with the other.

Not going to either of them would be easier, he knew, but that wasn’t an option. He owed the sisters. While he’d had most of his college paid for by scholarships, there hadn’t been quite enough to cover everything. The town had come through with funding for both him and Ethan. He happened to know that Marsha had contributed the most, but the second-largest donors had been the Gionni sisters.

“I heard you’re dating Charity,” Bella said as she began to cut his hair.

He winced. “I’m not going to talk about that.”

“Of course you are. She’s nice. I heard she’s thinking of getting highlights.” She smiled. “They’re for you, I think. I know when a woman wants to look pretty for a man.” She winked.

He shifted uncomfortably in the padded chair. “Charity and I are, um, dating.”

“More than dating, eh? I hear things, Joshua. What the ladies say.”

He so didn’t want to be having this conversation with a woman nearly old enough to be his mother. “There’s a lot of talk. Most of it is just that.”

“Maybe, maybe not.” Bella continued cutting. “It’s been a long time since you went on a date.”

“A couple of years,” he admitted.

“Then it’s time to get back on the horse.”

Just the visual that Josh needed.

PIA WALKED INTO CHARITY’S office and flopped down on a seat. “Have a minute?” she asked.

“Sure.” Charity studied her friend’s sad expression. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s Crystal. The last round of chemo didn’t do anything. They’ve run out of treatment options.” Pia sucked in a breath and seemed to fight tears. “She’s deciding if she wants to stay home or go into a facility. Hospice care,” she added. “She said the doctor gave her two months. Maybe three.”

Charity swallowed. “I’m sorry. How awful.” She didn’t know Crystal very well, but felt badly for all she’d gone through.

“It’s been horrible. We’d really hoped that last round of chemo would do something. Anything. She’s gotten so weak. I don’t think she can be at home by herself. And she says she likes the idea of a hospice. She says they’re actually really nice places.”

“Is it in town?” Charity asked.

“Uh-huh. I’ll get to go see her and stuff, but I don’t want her to die.” Pia wiped the tears off her cheek. “I hate this. There’s nothing I can do to make a difference. I’m taking her cat, which is the only thing I can think of to do.”

“People worry about their pets. Taking her cat will be a big help.”

“I’m not really a pet person,” Pia admitted. “I don’t know anything about cats. Crystal says he’s quiet and clean. I guess I’ll get a book or something. It’s just so unfair.”

Charity nodded. There didn’t seem to be any words.

“She’s already lost her husband,” Pia continued. “All she ever wanted was to get married and be a mom. Now that’s never going to happen. And I know she’s worried about those embryos. There’s no way she’s going to donate them to research, but they can’t stay frozen forever. Can you imagine being in her position—dying, and having to decide the fate of children you’ll never have?”

“No,” Charity said truthfully. It was an impossible decision. One no woman should ever have to make. “Does she have any family? A sister or cousin who might want the embryos?”

“No. It’s just her.” Pia looked at her. “Sorry. You were probably having a good day before I showed up.”

“I’m happy to listen.”

“Thanks.” She drew in a deep breath. “I’d better get back to work. I’m going to see Crystal tonight so I can get to know her cat a little better.”

“You’ll be a good pet mom,” Charity told her. “You’ll care and that’s what matters.”

“I hope so.” She stood. “Thanks again for letting me vent.”

“Anytime. I mean that.”

Pia nodded and left.

Charity stared after her. Crystal’s situation did seem bitterly unfair. The dilemma of the embryos was potentially heartbreaking. To have to lose everything like that.

She thought about her own life, about the second chance she’d been given to be a part of a family. It was more than a lucky break—it was a gift.

She rose and walked down the hall to Marsha’s office. Her grandmother sat at her desk. She smiled when she saw Charity.