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One of them, Sam, had taken her in when a particularly nastycustomer had beaten the crap out of her. He’d warned her that if she didn’t getout, she would be dead in five years. Violet wasn’t sure why, but she’d believedhim. She’d decided to make a change.

“From there I went to Pensacola. I got a job in an appliancestore, answering the phones.”

It hadn’t been much, but she’d gotten off drugs with help froma free program through a local church and had supplemented her pitiful incomewith a few customers a week. She’d learned to save, to plan and had gotten herGED.

“After a few years there, I came to the Austin area. Myapartment is in Georgetown and I really like it. There’s a sense ofcommunity.”

She’d wanted to go somewhere that no one knew her. She hadn’tsold herself in six years and had no plans to go back to the business. She savednearly a third of her salary, investing it safely. No matter what happened, shewanted to be able to take care of herself. Life had taught her to never trust aman.

“Have you always been in retail?” Cliff asked.

Violet nearly choked on the wine she’d sipped. “Pretty much,”she said. “I love the store where I work now. Jenna’s a great boss. Ourcustomers are fun.”

She shifted the conversation back to him.

* * *

By the end of the meal Violet had a greater appreciationof a really great cabernet sauvignon and of Cliff. He was funny, charming, smartand apparently crazy about her. They talked more about his job. He admitted tobeing terrified of his assistant, a stern woman who had been with the companynearly thirty years. He liked his boss, enjoyed bike riding, hadn’t dated muchin high school and had never cheated on a woman. The most interesting part wasshe sort of believed him. Even about the not cheating.

Now, with the bill argued over—she’d offered to pay—they walkedoutside in the cool, clear night. Cliff reached for her hand as they movedtoward her car in the parking lot next to the restaurant.

“I had a great time,” he said.

“Me, too.” The best part was she was telling the truth.

“Want to do this again?”

“Yes.”

They reached her car. Before she could pull her keys out of herpurse, he stepped in front of her and cupped her face in his hands.

The kiss was inevitable, she thought, bracing herself forcontact. She knew the drill, how to get through it without letting herindifference show. Because touching and being touched wasn’t the same for her asit was for other girls. It wasn’t that she didn’t like the contact, it was thatshe could barely feel it. Doing what she’d done had messed with her body. She’dgotten so used to disconnecting from what was happening that it was nearlyimpossible to experience desire.

He leaned forward and pressed his mouth to hers. The touch wastender, soft and gentle. He offered rather than took, and she found herselfrelaxing. It was nice, she thought. In time, if she was patient, there might besomething more.

“I’ll call you,” he whispered, before stepping back. “Goodnight.”

“Night.”

He was a good guy, she told herself as she drove away. Otherwomen might take that for granted, but not her. She knew the other side toowell, and had promised herself she would never go back.

Nine

Jenna arrived at her parents’ house Sundaymorning at ten-thirty, just in time to see a catering truck pulling out of thecircular driveway. She stared at the van, horrified.

She’d been so careful to keep her problem a secret, guessingthat if she told her mother how unhappy she was that Beth would blame herself.But the catering truck seemed proof that her mother had guessed her secret andeither felt sorry for her or didn’t want to trust her with an importantmeal.

She collected the cinnamon rolls she’d made—the only thing hermother would let her bring—and went inside.

“What was that?” she asked as she entered the kitchen.

Beth looked up from the quiche she was sliding into the topoven. “What was what?”

“You called a caterer?”

“I had to. I wanted to make a good impression on Serenity andTom.”

Jenna swallowed, feeling she’d just been hit in the stomach.“Mom, I’m a chef. I would have done the cooking.” Brunch food was easy. Shecould follow a recipe with the best of them.

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