Hometown Fireman. Lissa Manley

yeah,” Jan replied. “But rumor has it Carson’s been ring shopping.”

      Drew smiled, glad Phoebe was happy and on the path to love after suffering such a devastating loss.

      “You might be right,” Mom said. “But I haven’t heard anything definitive yet.” A pause. “Is Drew in?”

      “Yup. He’s been working on paperwork all morning,” Jan replied. “Go on back.”

      Drew set his mouse aside and swiveled his chair toward the entrance to his office, waiting. This ought to be interesting.

      Sure enough, Mom appeared at the open door. “Good morning,” she trilled. She was dressed in a stylish pair of jeans and a camel-colored raincoat. Her hair was windblown, which was typical for anyone who went outside in Moonlight Cove.

      “Hey, Mom.” His eyes snagged on the manila envelope in her hand. “What brings you here?”

      “Bank paperwork,” she said, holding up the envelope. “Your dad needs to sign.”

      “He’s not here right now,” Drew said. “He’s showing a house.” He eyed the envelope but didn’t reach for it or offer to hand it off to Dad. Maybe if they saw each other in person, they’d talk, and maybe that would lead to their working things out. It was a long shot, but Drew would never give up hope that his parents would eventually make up.

      Mom held the envelope out. “Would you please give this to him, then?”

      Drew stared at her but still didn’t take the envelope.

      She sighed and dropped her hand. “What’s the problem?”

      He stood, his hands on his hips. “I’m not going to act as your intermediary with Dad. If you need to give him something, you’ll have to give it to him yourself.”

      Pursing her lips, she stared at him. “Is this really the way you want to play this?”

      “Excuse me, but you and Dad are the ones playing things this way. Phoebe and I are just stuck in the middle.” Drew ground his molars together. “You two are adults. You need to find a way to deal with your differences without expecting Phoebe and me to tiptoe around, delivering messages.” He nodded toward the envelope in her hand. “Or whatever.”

      Her eyes drifted sideways.

      “And don’t even think about asking Jan to give that to Dad.”

      Mom frowned. “Well, aren’t you full of vinegar today.”

      He rubbed his forehead. “I didn’t sleep very well last night.” For some reason, every time he’d closed his eyes to go to sleep, a vision of Ally standing there, watching her home burn, rose in his mind. He’d tossed and turned all night, haunted by the desolate expression on her face, by the thought of her all alone, with nowhere to go. Essentially homeless. And he couldn’t deny that he was still intrigued by her and her story.

      Mom sat in the chair across from his desk. “No doubt you were awake all night dreaming up ways to get your dad and me to talk.”

      “No, actually, I was thinking about Ally’s situation.”

      Mom’s eyebrows disappeared into her hairline. “Really?”

      He held up his hands. “I feel bad for her. She suffered a terrible blow yesterday, and I’m concerned, that’s all.”

      “Well, I’m glad to hear that,” Mom said.

      “Why?”

      “Because Ally is meeting Chief McCoy at her house in fifteen minutes, and I think you should go with her.”

      “I’m buried here,” he said quickly, gesturing to the piles of paperwork on his desk and then at his computer. “Maybe you could go.” Someone should. But preferably not him. Getting any more involved with the lovely and intriguing Miss York would be a mistake.

      “Oh, no, I can’t,” Mom said, standing as she looked at her watch. “I’ve got a doctor’s appointment I can’t miss.”

      He studied her, his matchmaking radar going haywire. “Mom, what are you doing?”

      She straightened the collar of her coat and gave him a curious look. “What do you mean?”

      “Are you trying to get Ally and me...together?” Mom had made no secret of her desire to see him married with children. He wouldn’t put matchmaking beyond her.

      “Should I be?” she asked, her voice echoing with a speculative tone that put his teeth on edge.

      He sighed. “No, Mom. But you do seem to be trying to get us to spend time together this morning.” After an under-the-breath snort, he added, “Before long you’ll be talking engagement party.”

      She blinked. “Where did that come from?”

      “C’mon. You’re a romantic. You’ve said so yourself.” Although lately it seemed as if every shred of that romantic had gone poof. “You can’t tell me you haven’t thought about me getting married.”

      A hopeful light grew in her eyes. “Would that be so bad? Don’t you want to fall in love?”

      “No way.” He’d done the love thing, and it had ended horribly. For him at least. “Love turning out well is nothing but a myth.”

      Mom pursed her lips and shook her head. “Honestly, Drew, sometimes I don’t know where this cynical side of you comes from.”

      “I can’t believe you have to ask that.”

      “Well, I know Natalie hurt you, but that was back in college.”

      “Yeah, it was a long time ago.” But he had loved her with everything in him. And he’d thought she’d loved him back since she’d been wearing his engagement ring for a month and they’d been close to setting a date.

      Until she’d left him for an Italian exchange student and moved to Rome the very day she’d unceremoniously dumped Drew and given his ring back. She’d broken his heart, and it had never healed. At least not fully. His whole being had seemed to freeze that snowy day in January, and it was still numb. Oh, sure, he dated some. But he kept it casual. Getting his heart involved was out of the question.

      “So you’re not over her?” Mom asked, her brow crinkling.

      “I’m not still in love with her,” he replied carefully, truthfully. “But what she did changed me inside.” He expelled a sharp breath, then segued into another subject by saying, “What about you and Dad?”

      Mom froze. “What about us?”

      Maybe she didn’t know how much their rift had affected Drew. He’d give her the benefit of the doubt and set her straight at the same time. “I thought you and Dad had the perfect relationship, and look how that worked out. You two are living under separate roofs and you’re not even speaking.” It was the awful truth and had him twisted in so many knots he had to say something. “It just confirms that even the strongest love has problems.”

      Her eyes flashed, and she opened her mouth to respond. But then she just as quickly clamped it shut. “I’m not discussing that.”

      Of course not. No wonder she was clueless about his feelings. Everything was off-limits these days.

      She belatedly lifted her chin, undoubtedly to strengthen her stance, and then went on. “Ally needs help, that’s all.” Mom fiddled with the buttons on her coat. “Do I really have to make that clear? Honestly, where’s your compassion?”

      Chastised, he could only give her a blank look. There was the guilt thing she wielded so well, cutting him down to size with one swipe. Maybe he deserved it. Honestly, right now, he didn’t know which way was up with his parents.

      Tut-tutting, Mom moved toward his office door, looking over her shoulder. “Try to stop reading so much into everything, all right?” She