Some of the heat has dissipated from his eyes and his jaw is hard. “I’m not some ass**le who’s trying to buy you off. I didn’t kiss you because I think you owe me.”

“Then why did you do it?” I ask.

“Because you were looking at me like you wished I would.”

I swallow the guilt gathering in my throat. “It’s too complicated. We’re going to be in each other’s lives. We need to set boundaries.”

“You still want Max.”

For a minute, I can only blink at him and wonder how he thinks Max has anything to do with this. I’ll accept this gift because it’s done and I know he can afford it, that he’d insist if I argued. In reality, I’d rather have him—here, in New Hope, making me his first family. I’ll accept the house because I can’t ask for more.

“I don’t want anyone.”

He flinches, and for a moment, I wonder how I learned to lie so quickly.

Three Days Before Hanna’s Accident

THE BELL at the front of the bakery dings, and I head up front to find a leggy, raven-haired beauty, her lips parted slightly as she studies my shop. A tall, blond Viking of a man follows behind her, his broad shoulders filling up the doorway. There are more dead-sexy men in this city every day.

“May I help you?” I ask, tearing my eyes off her young-Fabio companion.

“This town is unreal,” she says. “Like something out of a movie. So flipping cute.”

I can’t help but grin because most people dismiss New Hope as a dumb, little hick town. I appreciate anyone who can see it the way I do. “Thank you. I think so too. Would you like some coffee? Breakfast? The scones are especially delicious, I’m told.”

“Oh, I’d love a cup of green tea if you have it.” She flushes sweetly. As she looks at me straight on for the first time, it hits me—this isn’t just any out-of-towner. This is Vivian Payne. The actress. The mother of Nate’s child. “Does asking for green tea make me sound like Los Angel-bitch? Little bit, right?”

“Not at all.” I fill a cup with hot water with remarkably steady hands and grab a tea bag before handing them to her across the pastry case. “On the house. What brings you to New Hope?”

“I’m hoping to track down Hanna Thompson?”

That’s what I was afraid of. I force a smile. “You’re looking at her.”

“Oh! Wow. Crap. Well, no wonder.”

I arch a brow. There is no way I can dislike this woman. Sweetness and goodness roll off her in waves. Why couldn’t she just be a bitch?

“No wonder what?”

“No wonder Nathaniel’s in love with you,” she says softly.

Nope. Definitely not a bitch. “Thank you…I think.” I can’t risk having anyone overhear this conversation. I’ve worked too hard in the last few months to make sure everyone in this town thinks that Max and I are still together, and now that I know what Max has done for me… “Do you think we could talk somewhere private?”

Her eyes light up. “I would so appreciate that!”

I call to the back for Drew, and she scowls at me as she takes her place in the front. Her aversion to working with the public isn’t as bad as she likes to let on, but she still likes to make a big deal about it every time I ask her to work the front.

Her scowl falls away when she spots Fabio. “Can I get you anything?” she asks, teenage lust dripping off her words.

“Drake,” Vivian says, and I’m honestly disappointed his name isn’t Fabio. “Get yourself something. I’ll be back up shortly.”

While leading Vivian to the back of the kitchen, I do my best to act casual, as if having her here isn’t completely intimidating to me. “Have a seat,” I say when we get into my office.

“This place is just adorable,” Vivian says. Maybe from any other Hollywood starlet, that would sound condescending, but it doesn’t come across that way from Vivian. She sips her tea and looks around my office with what appears to be sincere interest. “Why would you want to leave this behind?”

I frown. “What?”

She blushes. “I don’t mean to presume, but I thought you’d be moving into Nate’s house?”

My stomach pitches. “Did he tell you that?”

She bows her head. “Listen, he’d be really upset if he knew I was here. I had to harass Jamaal just to find out anything about you. But I’m sure you understand that I have good reason to be worried.”

“Worried about what, exactly?”

“Nate doesn’t fall in love easily. I just want to make sure that you’re after him for the right reasons.”

I shift in my chair and attempt to lower my hackles, but it doesn’t matter how sweet this woman is. The assumptions behind this conversation are insulting.

She raises a hand. “I know how that sounds, and I apologize.”

“What makes you think I’m after Nate at all? Maybe he’s the one after me.” Yeah, my attempts to calm myself? Big, fat fail. But damn.

Vivian’s eyes fill with tears. “Must be nice.”

Well, crap. “Do you want to tell me what this is really about?” I ask, calmer now.

“My husband and I divorced.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

She shakes her head. “No, don’t be. It’s what everyone expects of an actress anyway, isn’t it?” She sighs. “I want my son to be raised seeing what love can be. How intense and beautiful, and how deep it can run. I didn’t have that with my ex-husband. Maybe I could have, but you can’t love someone the way they deserve when half your heart still belongs to someone else.”