Without ice cream to soothe her, she turned on the TV, hoping to find some great Tom Hanks flick to take her away. He was her father’s favorite actor and watching his movies always made her feel better.

No luck.

She stopped on an episode of I Love Lucy.

There was a knock at the door, and she was sure her soul jumped from her body. She was so startled she’d even thrown the remote across the room..

It was late. No one in their right mind should be knocking on her door.

Ed stood in the dark stairwell and waited for her to open the door. His nerves were shot, and the Jack and Coke he’d drank, before he’d decided to get in his car and apologize face to face, was now sitting heavy in his empty stomach.

Like a stalker, he’d sat outside her house and contemplated what he was going to say—and do.

Truth was, he’d chickened out. Every member of his family would have seen right through him. Everyone would have known he had feelings for this woman he just met.

He really should stick to women his own age, but at the moment, it seemed like the twenty-four year old Miss McCary was much more mature than he was.

The gnawing in his gut had only gotten worse after his brother called and cussed him out. But Christian was right. He was an ass, and he owed her an apology.

“What do you want?” Her voice came from behind the door. Obviously, at nearly eleven o’clock at night, she wasn’t stupid enough to not look through the peephole and just open the door.

“I wanted to talk to you.”

“You could have done that all night.”

Ed ran his fingers through his hair. “Darcy, just let me in please.”

She didn’t say anything, and for a few moments he just stood there wondering if she’d walked away from the door, but then he heard the chain being removed and the deadbolt unlocking.

Slowly, the door opened and there stood Darcy McCary, looking more beautiful than he’d ever seen her and as pissed as any woman he’d ever seen, too.

Her makeup was still fresh, but she’d ridded herself of the rest of the night. This was how he liked to see women—relaxed. Dressed up and done up was fun, but this was when they let themselves be seen.

Ed stepped into the small, basement apartment, and Darcy slammed the door behind him. As if she were either comfortable with having him there—or didn’t care, which was more likely—she walked to the corner of the room, picked up the remote to the TV, and then sat on couch and turned down the volume.

He stood for a moment and took in the sight of her watching Lucille Ball. She wasn’t going to make this easy on him, and he knew he didn’t deserve it.

“Listen, I just wanted to say I am sorry.”

Darcy nodded, her eyes still on the TV. “Keep going.”

That burned him. “I should have been there. That event was important for my aunt. I know my entire family was there, but I should have been there, too.”

“You were covered, right? I mean, you sent your assistant. That should count.”

“No. No.” He walked around the side of the couch and stood in front of her. “That’s not why I sent you—or invited you.” He jammed his hands into his pockets and leaned back on his heels. “I wanted to be with you and introduce you to everyone.”

“Christian did that.”

He gritted his teeth. He’d never fought his brother over a woman. This might be the first.

“Darcy, I chickened out. And I’m sorry.”

She shifted her eyes up to him, her lips pursed. “Chickened out? I’ve now met your entire family. Not one of them fearful in any way. So what would you have to chicken out about?”

“Being with you.”

She let out a grunt and stood. “I’m not much to fear, Eduardo Keller.”

She started to walk past him and he reached for her arm, pulling her back to him. Her breath gasped as she slammed into his chest. He didn’t want to scare her, and he knew he hadn’t when he saw the surprise in her eyes and heard the sigh.

“This has nothing to do with my family and everything to do with thinking that falling for my assistant might be the wrong thing to do.”

Darcy’s mouth opened as if she’d considered arguing, but she said nothing, which was worse.

Ed raised his hand to her cheek and caressed it with his thumb. She didn’t back away.

“I was trying to talk myself out of this,” he said softly as he slid his other hand down her arm until their fingers intertwined. “I have feelings for you and…”

His sentence was cut short when Darcy stood on the tips of her toes and placed a kiss against his lips.

Just as quickly, she backed up, turned for the kitchen, and disappeared.

Ed stood alone in the living room. He hadn’t expected that. A slap across the face maybe, but not a kiss. Now what?

Slowly, he made his way to the kitchen. Darcy was standing over the sink, and her shoulders bounced as if she were crying.

“Are you all right?” He stepped up behind her.

“No, you idiot.”

That was better. That was how he felt, too.

“Darcy, I didn’t mean to...”

She turned, mascara ran down her cheeks, and her nose and lips were swollen. She was absolutely adorable.

“Didn’t mean to what? Tell me that you had feelings for me? Because I have feelings for you, too. But how stupid is all of this now?” She wiped her tears, which streaked black down her cheeks. “I can’t work for you if we both have feelings. And I can’t stay in Nashville if I don’t have a job. And this is all so confusing and…” She shook her head as if she didn’t want to continue.

Ed moved in closer and took her hands in his. “I didn’t go tonight because I needed to separate myself from this. I thought that not going out with you socially would fix this thumping you cause in my chest.

Darcy sucked in a ragged breath, but her eyes had gone soft behind the tears that were drying.

He smiled. “It didn’t work. Christian called and chewed me out. My mother did the same, but in her I’m disappointed voice, not her angry one, which is worse.”

Darcy laughed.

Ed interlaced their fingers. “The consensus was they all loved you, but I knew they would. Such a mixed up lot—all brought together by chance and not birth. But they support each and every one of us. And I kind of think they support you over me now.” This time he laughed, but Darcy’s smile had subsided.