LITMIR.BIZ

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fallen from the roof. Lainie blamed him for her husband’s death. Shaw accepted his part in the accident. He should have checked again. A dozen times if necessary. But he hadn’t.

      “Everything okay, boss?”

      Shaw looked at his foreman. Right now, nothing was okay. “I’ve got to leave. I might not be back today. Keep looking for a crew and check on the remodel on Corey Road. If we can get that job done, we can list it.”

      Russ nodded. “And what about the Hanson remodel?”

      Another problem to add to the pile. “I’ll have to push them back again.” Russ frowned and Shaw held up a hand to halt the comment he knew was coming. The Hansons were beyond irritated. If he didn’t find a way to soothe their ruffled feathers, it could get ugly. But that was the least of his worries now.

      Shaw climbed into his truck and cranked the engine, trying to figure out how he’d face Lainie Hollings. What did you say to the wife of the man you killed?

      The moment he stepped inside the police station, his attention was drawn to the dark-haired woman seated in the waiting area. His stopped in his tracks, his heart racing, the blood roaring through his ears. She was even lovelier than she’d been when he’d first seen her. That moment was indelibly etched in his mind. She’d come to the job site to bring her husband his lunch. They’d laughed and talked and shared little touches, and Shaw’s heart had grown envious.

      Lainie had caught him watching her, and he’d felt a jolt like an electrical charge through his system. She was the prettiest woman he’d ever seen. She’d looked away and that’s when the shame had tightened his throat. What was wrong with him? Admiring the wife of the man he was training was detestable. Shaw had gone back to work and vowed to keep his attraction in check.

      Realizing he was still standing in the doorway, Shaw squared his shoulders and stepped forward. Lainie was hunched in her seat watching two little girls as they scribbled on paper. Her dark brown hair was shorter now, falling in a sleek line to her shoulders. She glanced at him. In that moment, he noticed the sparkle was missing from her big brown eyes. Instead, he saw fear and anxiety. She looked fragile and alone. He was hit with a strong desire to pull her close and comfort her, but he didn’t have the right. All he could do was offer his help. His attraction had no place in this situation.

      * * *

      The door to the police station swooshed open again, but Lainie didn’t bother to look.

      Shaw wasn’t coming. She’d have to find help someplace else. Heavy footsteps on the floor drew her attention, and she looked up to see a tall, dark-haired man. He was dressed in faded jeans and a dark T-shirt with a company logo that hugged his torso in an interesting way. His sturdy, tan work boots thumped the floor as he strode toward them with a confident swagger. She started to look away only to realize who the man was. Shaw McKinney.

      She didn’t remember him looking like this. He was taller, more imposing than she remembered. His shoulders were wide enough to carry the world. Her inspection moved to his ruggedly handsome face. Navy blue eyes. Deep lines in his cheeks. His sharply angled jaw was softened by firm lips and a dimple in the center of his chin. A flicker of appreciation darted along her nerves, squelched instantly with humiliation. How Shaw McKinney looked had nothing to do with the kind of man he was. His actions had cost her everything.

      His eyes bored into her as he came closer, and there was a grim set to his jaw. Her hopes faded. He wasn’t any happier to see her than she was to see him. She shouldn’t have called him. Asking for his help was a betrayal of her husband’s memory. Natalie looked up at her with a sweet little smile, reminding her that she had to think of the girls first. She forced the nausea aside and raised her chin, clasping her trembling hands in her lap.

      “Lainie, are you all right?” He glanced at her then down at the girls, his forehead creasing in a deep frown.

      Stupid question. No, she wasn’t all right. She stood. “I’m fine. Thank you for coming. I’m sorry to bother you, but there was no one else to call.”

      “You did the right thing.” He motioned her to be seated.

      Shaw stared at the girls, a shadow seeming to pass behind his eyes. Was he feeling guilty? Good.

      Her conscience pricked, but she ignored it, sinking into the chair as her knees began to fail.

      Natalie had been two years old when Craig died. Chrissy not yet born. “Shaw, this is Natalie and Chrissy. Girls, this is Mr. McKinney. He—” What did she say? He’s the reason you don’t have a daddy? “Is someone we knew a long time ago.”

      Shaw sat, leaving an empty chair between them. “Tell me what happened. The officer who called said you’d been robbed.”

      She nodded. “We were leaving the restaurant and as I was getting into the car a man waved a gun at me, grabbed my purse and ran off. It all happened so fast I couldn’t even react.”

      His gaze landed briefly on both the girls and he set his jaw. “How did you know I was here?”

      Lainie set Chrissy on her lap, taking strength from the little body. “I saw your business card at the diner. It had your partner’s name on it so I wasn’t certain it was you.”

      “Partner?”

      “Yes. Someone named Gawdchalks?”

      Shaw shook his head. “Goudchaux is my first name. It’s pronounced God-shaw. My mother was Cajun French. When I started my business, I thought it sounded more professional, but all it did was confuse people so I went back to Shaw.” He met her eyes. “I’m sorry this had to happen to you.”

      She ran her hand along Chrissy’s ponytail. Tears welled behind her eyes, but she refused to let them fall in front of this man. “He took everything. My phone, my credit cards. Everything important was in my purse.” She gulped in a breath of air. The thought of replacing all her information was overwhelming. “I have to close my accounts, contact my bank, but I don’t have a phone, I don’t know the numbers.”

      A warm hand rested upon hers, helping her focus and draining away the panic that was building in her chest. She took a deep breath, then remembered whose hand was touching her. She pulled away.

      “It’s okay. We’ll get it all taken care of.” Shaw rested his arms on his thighs. “What are you doing here in Dover?”

      Lainie glanced away. It felt wrong confiding in him, telling him about her life. “I’m the new librarian. I’m supposed to start work this Thursday. We came to look for a place to live.”

      Shaw’s eyes narrowed and a deep crease folded his forehead. He glanced around the room as a group of police officers strode through talking loudly. “Do you have a place to stay?”

      “No. I was going to find a hotel after lunch.”

      Shaw touched his jaw. “The hotel has been closed for years. There are only two places here in Dover. The Dixiana Motor Lodge is nice, but they have very small rooms. I doubt the three of you would be comfortable. The Lady Banks Inn is a bed-and-breakfast, but it’s pricey and filled with antiques.”

      Lainie sighed. Visions of trying to keep two energetic little girls from breaking a house full of priceless furniture and knickknacks made her head ache.

      “Come on.” Shaw stood. “You can stay at my place until you get things sorted out.”

      “Your place?” The thought sent a jolt of anxiety along her nerves. She was not going anywhere with this man. “Absolutely not.”

      Shaw’s eyes darkened. “Then tell me what you want me to do. If it’s money you need, tell me how much.”

      Embarrassment heated her cheeks. “No. That’s not why I called you.” Taking money from this man was out of the question. Not to mention demeaning. Clearly, she hadn’t thought things through. How had this happened? Now she was committed to taking help from Shaw. She searched frantically for an alternative only to come to the realization there was no other choice.

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