“Ms. Keyes? Nicole? Are you all right?”

Nicole started to say she was fine, then realized she couldn’t speak because she was crying. Crying because a stupid stray dog got knocked up?

“I’m okay,” she managed. “Ignore me.”

Dr. Walters looked uncomfortable as he handed her a box of tissues. She took a couple and wiped her eyes, then tried to smile.

“It’s fine,” she repeated. “I’m having a meltdown that has nothing to do with you or Sheila. Go on. You were saying she’s due in a few weeks.”

“Ah, that’s right. You’ll want to be careful about what she eats. She’s probably behind with her shots, but we’ll wait until after the puppies are born.”

“Great. Perfect. She can have a bath, though, right?” Because as cute as Sheila was, she smelled.

“Sure. We can do that here. You can leave her and pick her up later.”

He seemed eager for Nicole to leave. Not that she could blame him. She gave him a watery smile, promised to read the material he sent home on doggie deliveries and left her cell number with the receptionist.

She drove to Wyatt’s house and knocked on the front door. When Claire answered, Nicole started to cry again.

“What’s wrong?” her sister asked, pulling her inside. “What happened?”

“N-nothing,” Nicole said as she sank onto the sofa. “It’s so stupid. Sheila is pregnant.”

Claire sat next to her and rubbed her arm. “Who’s Sheila?”

“A dog. I took her to the vet and she’s pregnant.” More tears fell. “Everyone’s pregnant but me. I want a family. I’ve always wanted a family. Not with Drew, but with someone good. But that’s not going to happen and now the stupid dog is pregnant. Plus the vet was really young and I think I made him uncomfortable by crying in his office.”

“He’ll get over it. When did you get a dog?”

“Yesterday. I cried when he told me about Sheila.”

“Which will make him understand women are complex creatures. It’s a lesson he has to learn eventually. Better early than late.”

Nicole laughed and cried, which wasn’t easy. Then she hiccupped.

“How did everything get so messed up?” she asked, knowing she sounded pitiful.

“It’s not messed up.”

“It’s not the way I wanted it to be. Some of that is good. I’m glad you’re here and with Wyatt, but what about what happened with Jesse? It’s a disaster.”

“So make it better.”

Nicole shook her head. “She hasn’t even apologized.”

“Do you need to hear the words?”

“Wouldn’t you?”

Claire sighed. “Probably.”

“I’m upset.”

“Don’t be. You’ll meet someone. Someone great.”

Nicole realized that she’d yet to share her happy, albeit fake, good news.

“I’m dating someone,” she said. “Someone really great. You don’t have to feel sorry for me.”

“I don’t feel sorry for you.” Claire looked confused. “You’re dating?”

“It’s possible. Men find me attractive.”

“I know they do. I didn’t know you were ready to start looking for someone. I think it’s great.”

Nicole still felt teary and upset and now defensive. “He’s amazing. Handsome and funny, with a killer body. He teaches high school football and he used to play professionally. His name is Eric Hawkins. Hawk.”

“You’re dating?” Claire repeated. “And you didn’t tell me?”

“I’ve been busy. I’ve gotten involved with the football team. I went to a couple of games and I bring dessert when they look at game films and Hawk and I have been going out.” Nicole felt a little guilty for not saying anything to Claire before this. “I was going to tell you.”

“When?”

“Soon.”

Ironically, she’d started the relationship with Hawk in an effort to prove to the world she was doing just fine. Hard for the world to know if she didn’t tell it.

“So you like him?” Claire asked.

“Uh-huh.” Nicole was telling the truth. She did like Hawk. He was a good guy. She liked him best in bed, but she wasn’t going to share that.

“I’m really happy for you.”

“You don’t sound happy,” Nicole said.

“I’m just surprised. I thought we were getting close. That you would share this with me.”

Nicole winced. “I didn’t mean to leave you out or anything.”

“I know. It’s not a problem.”

Claire spoke too quickly, which meant it was a problem.

Just what Nicole needed-another screwed-up relationship.

“I’m really sorry. Please don’t be mad at me.”

“I’m not. I swear.”

“I’m not sure I believe you.”

“You should. We’ll go out,” Claire said. “The four of us.”

“Hawk’s a little pressed for time, what with this being football season, but I’ll talk to him.” Was dinner with her family part of their deal? Did it matter? She didn’t want to mess up her relationship with her sister.

“I’m looking forward to meeting him,” Claire said.

“You and Wyatt will really like him.”

Nicole wasn’t pretending about that. She was sure Hawk would get along great with them. Too bad nothing about their time together was real. It was just a game and when the season was up, it would all be over.

“WHAT DO YOU THINK?” Brittany asked as she held out a spoon. She was cooking chicken and noodles, which was actually pretty good.

Nicole nodded as she swallowed. “You’re getting the hang of this.”

“Cooking? It’s fun, but I don’t have to do it every day. I talked to my dad and said I would cook once a week if he let me stay out a half hour later.”

“Interesting negotiation. What did he say?”

She scrunched up her face. “He laughed for a really long time, then said my cooking wasn’t that good, but it was a nice try.”

Nicole bit back a smile. “Not buying it, huh?”

“No, and that really bugs me. I thought it was a great deal.” She stirred the mixture again. “You wouldn’t mind us having some wine with dinner, would you? It’s not like we’ll be driving.”

Nicole didn’t even blink. “I would mind, very much. You’re not even eighteen. The drinking age is twenty-one.”

“Sometimes you’re really parental.”

“Sometimes you’re really a brat.”

Brittany grinned. “I know, but I had to try. It’s like an honor thing.”

“Is that what we’re calling it?”

Nicole left the teenagers and went upstairs. She could hear the rumble of their voices, then a very long silence. The chicken and noodles had been good, but not that good.

“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” she asked Sheila, who had followed her into her bedroom and was now curled up on the bed. When Sheila didn’t answer, Nicole grabbed her phone.

“How closely am I supposed to watch them?” she asked Hawk when he answered.

“Where are you?”

“In my bedroom. They’re eating downstairs but it got really quiet.”

“For how long?”

“Fifteen minutes.”

“I’ll be right over.”

He arrived thirty minutes later, carrying bags of Mexican takeout. Brittany glared at her father.

“This is my private dinner.”

“Uh-huh. We’ll be in the kitchen.”

“I do not need a chaperone.”

Hawk only made kissy noises then retreated to the kitchen where Nicole had set the small table by the window. She opened two beers.

“Nervous about what they might get up to?” she asked.

“A little. I remember being Raoul’s age. I know about getting in trouble.” He passed her a plate. “You got a dog.”

“Sheila. She’s Raoul’s dog.”

“She’s spending a lot of time with you.”

It was true. Sheila seemed to follow her all over the house. “She knows I buy the groceries and she respects that.”

“I like dogs. I grew up with them. Serena never liked them, so we didn’t have one.”

“Sheila’s going to have puppies. Help yourself.”

“I like big dogs.”

“We don’t know the daddy. They could be huge.”

He eyed Sheila. “I hope not, for her sake.”

Nicole did her best to keep her attention on the dog, when what she really wanted to look at was Hawk.

He was casually dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, but that didn’t lessen his appeal. As always, he filled out his clothes and made them look good. He moved with the easy grace of an athlete, and watching him made her remember moving against him, having him move against her.

“How are things going with Raoul?” he asked. “Living with a teenager?”

“Good. He’s making it easy. He’s quiet, tidy, inhales my food. He works hard. He’s had a tough time and he’s making it. I respect that. I wish my sister had been more like him.”

“The piano player?”

“No, my baby sister. Jesse. She’s nothing like Raoul. I can’t figure out if she was born a screwup or if it just happened.”

“How old is she?”

“Twenty-two. She barely got through high school. She partied a lot, then discovered boys. I was constantly terrified she would show up pregnant. I tried lectures, bribes, tough love, forgiveness. Nothing worked. She’s going to inherit half the bakery when she turns twenty-five, which is going to be a nightmare for both of us. She’s not interested in the business, so I’m already saving to buy her out.”

She paused and grabbed a chip. “We should change the subject.”

“Why?”

“Jesse’s not very fun, in life or conversation.”

“Sounds like she’s troubled.”

In more ways than he knew.

“Where does she live now?” he asked.

“She’s got a place in the university district. She’s never held a job, except at the bakery and that doesn’t count. If she hadn’t been family, she would have been fired several times over. The thing is, I can’t figure out where I went wrong or what to do about fixing things.”

“Some problems can’t be fixed.”

She didn’t want to believe that, even though she knew it might be true.

She toyed with the idea of telling him about Drew and Jesse, then decided she couldn’t stand the humiliation. “She’s my sister. I practically raised her. I guess I’m afraid I did a bad job.”