LITMIR.BIZ

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Jayne thought. When would she learn to keep her mouth shut and not say so much?

      “Lonely?” he finished for her.

      “Yes,” she admitted, wishing she’d put more cookies out.

      “You lost your fiancé and your three best friends.”

      She nodded. “The only two things that haven’t changed in the last seven months are my job and my car.”

      “That’s tough.”

      “It’s been…challenging.”

      He scooted closer. “I guess it has.”

      Oh, no, she thought. He was Rich’s friend. And here she was babbling about her life and sounding really pathetic. What if Tristan told Rich?

      Her insides clenched. She couldn’t bear the thought of that happening.

      “Not that I’m unhappy with the way things turned out,” she added hastily.

      “Glad to hear it.”

      Tristan shifted position. His leg touched hers. No skin-on-skin contact was made, but warmth emanated from the spot. Worse, his jean-clad leg remained pressed against hers.

      Maybe he didn’t notice, but she sure did.

      Unfortunately she couldn’t move. The sofa-arm blocked her in one direction, Tristan in the other. She was…trapped.

      The only thing she could do was ignore it. Him. “I wonder how hard finding a roommate would be.”

      “You can’t beat this location.” As he looked around the living room, she prayed he would notice his leg was still touching her. “And you keep the place nice. Neat. It’ll all depend on the room.”

      Companionship and only paying half her current living expenses sounded like an ideal combination. Why hadn’t she thought of getting a roommate herself?

      “Oh, the room is lovely. It’s not that large, but has lots of windows.”

      “Show me,” Tristan said.

      “Sure.” Jayne jumped up, eager to get away from the intimacy of the couch. She led him past her room into the other bedroom. “This used to be Molly’s room.”

      “Great room.” He checked the closet. “Why didn’t you take this one for yourself?”

      “The two bedrooms are almost the same size, and I didn’t want to move.”

      “Across the hall?”

      “My room is decorated the way I like it.”

      He looked out one of the large windows facing the backyard garden. “Nice view.”

      His position gave her a view of his backside. His faded jeans fit well. “Very nice.”

      What was she doing? With cheeks burning, she looked away.

      “You’ll have no trouble renting this room out,” he said.

      The thought of not being alone all the time made Jayne wiggle her toes. Maybe something good would come from Tristan’s impromptu visit. “I better put together an ad.”

      Tristan turned toward her with his brows drawn together. “You’re serious about this?”

      She heard the surprise in his voice. She was a little surprised herself, but loneliness could drive a person to do some crazy things. “Yes, and it’ll give me something to do this afternoon.” Jayne winced when she realized how her words must have sounded. “I mean—”

      “Forget the ad,” Tristan interrupted. “Spending the rest of this beautiful afternoon inside would be a crime.”

      Yes, but she didn’t have anything else to do, and the last thing she wanted was his pity. She didn’t want anything to do with him.

      She raised her chin. “I happen to like staying home.”

      “That’s okay, but you should get out more.”

      Going out alone had gotten old fast. She shrugged.

      “Let’s go on a hike,” he said.

      Her heart picked up speed. “A hike?”

      “Yes.” Mischief gleamed in his eyes. “The fresh air will be good for a homebody.”

      “Why would you want to go on a hike with me?” She felt as if she’d entered an alternative universe. One where everything had flipped upside down and inside out. “You don’t like me.”

      Tristan jerked as if she’d slapped him. “I like you.”

      “No, you don’t.”

      “Yes, I do.”

      “The only reason you’re here is for Grace.”

      “Grace asked me to stop by, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to be here.”

      Jayne didn’t—couldn’t—believe him. Her assessing gaze raked over him.

      No way was he telling her the truth.

      “Have you forgotten the way you acted toward me before the breakup?” His unfriendly behavior had gotten worse each time she saw him. “It was pretty obvious to everyone—including Rich,” she added, as if that was the clincher. As if Rich’s judgment could be trusted. As if Rich could be trusted, the lying rat.

      Tristan’s dark eyes locked with hers. “Everyone, including Rich, is wrong.”

      The words hung in the air, as if suspended in a floating bubble.

       Wrong.

      Emotion tightened Jayne’s throat.

      She’d never understood why Tristan had behaved the way he had. Could she be wrong? She wanted to believe him. Which made her mistrust her own judgment even more. She wasn’t a good judge of character when it came to men. Taking a man at his word, even when he said he loved you, was a huge mistake. One she’d made with her father and with Rich. Trust had to be earned, not given.

      Tristan rocked back on his heels. “Come on. It’ll be fun.”

      Fun. When had that word become an alien concept? Maybe…

      No.

      Tristan MacGregor wasn’t some attractive stranger inviting her for a walk. He was Rich Strickland’s best friend. His best man. She’d have to be out of her mind to go anywhere with Tristan. Out of her mind or very, very lonely.

      Her own thought ricocheted through her brain.

       Loneliness could drive a person to do some crazy things.

      She swallowed a sigh.

      “What do you have to lose?” Tristan asked.

      Nothing. Jayne’s shoulders had started to sag, but she squared them instead. She’d already lost everything.

      Her fiancé, her trust, her hope, her three best friends.

      Life had become one lonely hour followed by another. She rarely left the house, and when she did she couldn’t wait to get home.

      Just like her mother.

      The unsettling realization made Jayne straighten.

      Her mother had stuck close to home after her father had left. She’d gone to work, the store, and occasionally to church. She hadn’t even wanted to go to the doctor’s office when she’d started feeling poorly, and because of that she’d ended up dying way too soon.

      Jayne didn’t want that to happen to her.

      Something had to change. She had to change. Now.

      Maybe one small step—one short hike—would start her on a new road…a path toward the

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