Starlight On Willow Lake. Сьюзен Виггс

favored him with a brilliant smile. “You’re a lifesaver. I was just telling Faith that.”

      “She saw my lifesaving skills in action,” he said. “Rusty, to say the least.”

      Regina slipped her arm through his. “I’d never call you rusty.” Groomed to the last inch of her shadow, she made Faith feel shabby and unkempt by comparison.

      Normally, Faith wasn’t one to compare. Her best friend, Kim, was ridiculously beautiful, the kind of woman whose style seemed effortless, but Faith never felt self-conscious around Kim. This was different. Maybe it was because Regina moved in on Mason as if she owned him.

      * * *

      Mason stuffed the paperwork from the hospital into his briefcase. Getting a blood and bodily fluid evaluation had been a first for him, but it had gone fine. The accident victim, a guy named Richard Sanders, had given his consent to be tested, as well, and there were no issues, thank goodness. For safety’s sake, they would go back in six months to be retested.

      Regina had made it clear that she wasn’t happy about the idea of heading down to the city without him, but he kept thinking about his conversation with Faith the night before. She had seemed so surprised by his need to make a quick exit. He didn’t have anything urgent on his agenda, so he figured he could stick around a bit longer.

      Almost right away, he felt like a fifth wheel. The household ran smoothly, and now that Faith was on board, he wasn’t needed at all. Still, it seemed like a good idea to make sure the new caregiver was everything they’d hoped for.

      It was a beautiful morning, and out on the patio facing the lake, Faith and his mother were getting started on their day. He could hear their voices drifting through the sliding screen door. He didn’t want to hover, but he was curious about how they were getting on together.

      “According to this schedule, you’re to spend two to four hours a day working out,” said Faith.