McIver's Mission. Brenda Harlen

had, but “That’s not the point.”

      She smiled.

      “He was hanging all over you.”

      “Not that it’s any of your business,” Arden told him. “But we were having a professional discussion over coffee.”

      Her explanation failed to appease him. A professional discussion. “Since when do you represent criminal defendants?”

      “I do a lot of work with young offenders,” she told him.

      “Oh.” He’d forgotten that. Still, he didn’t like the way Blake had been looking at her. Not that he could blame the man for finding Arden attractive, but he sensed it was something more than that. He had no grounds for his suspicions, though, so he kept them to himself.

      “Any more questions?” Arden asked.

      “Not right now.”

      “Good.” She stood up. “I have to get back to the office.”

      But Shaun was reluctant to let her go. “I haven’t forgotten about your bookshelves,” he told her. “I just haven’t had a chance to get the wood.”

      “I’m not in a hurry.”

      “Oh. Okay. I’ll call you, then, when I’m ready to get started.”

      “Sure,” she agreed. Then, “I’ll see you at Colin and Nikki’s tomorrow?”

      He nodded, already looking forward to it.

      It was amazing, Arden thought as she stepped out of the path of an oncoming child, how vocal a group of six-year-olds could be. And it wasn’t a particularly large group, either. She tried to count the heads as they rushed past, but they changed direction in midstream, circled around and disappeared up the stairs again.

      “How many kids are here?” she asked Nikki.

      “Six,” her cousin answered. “Including Carly.”

      “I never would have thought that six kids could make so much noise.”

      Nikki shrugged. “You get used to it.”

      “How long is this party supposed to last?”

      “Until three o’clock.”

      Arden glanced at her watch. It was a little past one. The party had started at noon, with hot dogs and potato chips for lunch. Then Carly had opened her presents, and now the kids were playing some kind of game that apparently required running around the house at full speed and full volume. Arden concentrated on helping Nikki pick up the scattered remnants of wrapping paper and ribbon, refusing to think about the fact that Shaun had yet to make an appearance.

      “How’s your new associate working out?” Nikki asked.

      “Good. It took her a while to get her bearings, but she’s settling in well.”

      “So what’s bothering you?”

      “Nothing.”

      Nikki sent her a pointed look; Arden sighed.

      “I’m not sure.”

      “Must be a man,” Nikki said, smiling.

      “No. Well, sort of.”

      “He’s sort of a man?”

      Arden laughed. He was definitely a man. “He sort of bothers me.”

      “It’s about time.”

      “What do you mean?”

      “You always close yourself off from people, never letting anyone get too close. If he bothers you, it means he’s getting to you.”

      Arden frowned. It frustrated her to realize that she still carried the emotional scars from a man who’d been gone from her life for so long, and that her inherent distrust was so apparent. “Do you think I’m cold?”

      “No,” Nikki responded immediately. “You’re the warmest, most giving and caring person I know, but you don’t often let other people see it.”

      Arden stuffed a wad of wrapping paper into the bag in Nikki’s hand.

      “Does he see it?” Nikki asked.

      “He thinks he does.”

      Nikki grinned. “I like him already.”

      “You would,” Arden muttered.