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When I hear the water turn on, I plop down on the couch. Sassy jumps next to me and lays her head on my lap.

“I really like her,” Annie offers. “She’s adorable and seems like a lot of fun.”

“Yeah, she is.” I grin, wishing there was a chance in hell for us but knowing that there’s not. “You two would get along great if you lived here. You’d probably be best friends.”

Annie doesn’t respond about moving, though I wonder if she’s happy there. If she’d ever consider starting over in a new place. She’s had a tough life, and I want to help change that and make it easier for her.

I see my niece walking toward her bedroom with toys in her hands, and she stops and hogs the screen. “Hey, Uncle Archer! Look what Santa brought me!”

“Is that an iPad?” I ask.

“Yes!” she squeals. “I put it on my list!”

“Santa splurged this year,” Annie admits.

Ready to play with her new toy, Sadie speaks up. “Mom, can I go play now?”

“Sure, sweetie.”

“Yay! Bye, Uncle Archer!”

Now that Sadie’s gone, I know the questions are going to start since little ears are no longer in the room.

“You bought a five-year-old an iPad?” I whisper-laugh.

“Kids are smart these days! Trust me, she can use my cell phone better than I can.”

“I can see I’ve missed a lot over the years.”

She gives me a small smile and nods. A few silent seconds pass, and Annie speaks up. “So...you two hooking up?”

“What? No.”

Doesn’t mean I haven’t thought about it more than I care to admit.

She narrows her eyes. “Why not? I could feel the sexual tension all the way in Wyoming. She’s gorgeous, and I see the way you two look at each other.”

I release a steady breath. “It’s complicated. She’s off-limits.”

“Is she wearing a chastity belt or something?”

I shake my head.

“She’s dating someone else?”

“No. Tyler’s very protective of his sister and has made it crystal clear to both of us that he doesn’t approve.”

“What? Because of your past?” she asks, confused.

“No, nothing like that. He thinks I need time to restart my life before rushing into a relationship, and Everleigh’s not the settling down type. He doesn’t want either of us to get hurt or make it complicated since we’re roommates. I’m just as protective as you, sis, so I can’t fault him for it.”

Sadness flashes in her eyes, and I know she’s thinking about that night all those years ago. After sucking in a deep breath, she speaks up. “Yeah, I can see where he’s coming from, but you’re old enough to make your own decisions. If you believe you’re ready for a relationship, then that’s all that should matter. Perhaps if you told him how you felt, he’d be fine with it and—”

Immediately, I shake my head. “No. It’s a terrible idea. He’s done way too much for me, and I don’t want there to be any bad blood between us. He trusts me, and I don’t want to give him a reason not to. I have a really good thing going, and I don’t want to mess up this opportunity to start fresh, ya know?”

“I suppose.” She doesn’t sound convinced.

I think about how much Tyler talked about Everleigh in prison. He loves her and just wants her to have the very best. Can’t say I disagree because I’m certain she could do a hell of a lot better than me.

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