Mary turned back to the phone. “I think I’m good. Someone is here to help.”

“Thank you for calling Triple A. Feel free to call back if you need further assistance.”

Kent moved to the front of her car and unbuttoned the dress sleeves of his white shirt before rolling them up to his elbows.

“I don’t know what could have happened. The lights are automatic. Even the dome light turns off after two minutes.”

He fiddled with the cables that connected the battery to the rest of the engine. “Try turning it over.”

She slid into the driver’s seat and turned the key.

The car moaned again without turning over.

“Definitely sounds like the battery. Let me pull my car up to yours.”

Kent backed up and swung his car around to face hers and popped his hood. She stayed where she was and waited for him to connect the cables.

“It’s a good thing I was working late,” he said.

“Great timing.”

“I didn’t realize this was your building.”

“Yep, this is where I rent space to see my clients.”

“Oh.” He disappeared under her hood for a few seconds. “Try it now.”

She got back in her seat. “C’mon.”

The engine took a second to catch and then turned over. “Oh, thank goodness.”

Mary left it running and stepped out of her car. “I can’t thank you enough.”

Kent set the jumper cables on the ground and closed her hood. “No problem.”

“I really don’t know what happened for the thing to drain.”

He wiped his hands together. “I’d get that checked right away. Wouldn’t want to be stranded in a less hospitable place.”

“That’s true. I’ll take it in tomorrow. Really, Kent. Thank you.”

He stepped a little closer and leaned against her car. “You can thank me by going out with me.”

She kept her smile but found herself biting her lip. Last month she would have taken him up on the offer. “Uhm, the thing is . . . I’m kinda seeing someone.”

“Oh . . . just kinda?”

“Well, we’ve known each other for a while . . .” Why was she explaining this to a stranger? “We just started dating.”

“Sounds serious.”

She lifted her shoulders. “I don’t know. Could be.”

“And you don’t date two men at the same time.”

Mary shook her head. “Tried to in college. It didn’t work out very well.”

His chest rose and fell with a giant sigh. “Well, if something changes, you let me know.”

Thank goodness. “I will.”

He pointed in the air in her direction. “I’ll take you up on that.”

He turned back to his car, closed the hood, and put the cables back in his trunk.

“Thanks again.”

“My pleasure. Have a nice evening, Mary.”

Alone in her car, she gripped the steering wheel and felt some of the tension leave her system. Kent followed her out of the lot and waved when they turned in opposite directions at the first intersection. Then Mary took a solid breath.

Chapter Fourteen

Glen listened to Mary’s phone ring for the fourth time. He’d already left her a message on her house phone and considered calling her cell. But she’d told him she had clients into the evening and not to bother since she turned it off.

Here it was close to nine at night in California and he was starting to worry.

Since when did he worry about a woman missing his call?

He heard her message machine pick up and lifted the phone from his ear to hang up the call.

“Hello? Glen?”

“There you are.” Her voice made him smile.

“Yeah . . . God, what a day. Can I call you right back? I just ran in the door.”

“Of course.”

“Okay. Give me five minutes.” She hung up.

When she called back, he was sitting on his leather sofa in his den, his socked feet kicked up on the coffee table in front of him.

“Hey,” he said.

“Hey, yourself. You’re up late.”

“I missed my call this morning, I couldn’t have you wondering if I lost your number.”

“I would hope you’d have memorized it by now.”

He had . . . a long time ago, but he wasn’t going to tell her that. “You’re getting in late.”

“Long day at work. Then my car wouldn’t start.”

“Why? What happened?”

“Battery. But I don’t know why. I’ll take it in tomorrow and have it checked. I’m going to eat in your ear while we’re talking, hope you don’t mind. I’m starving.”

He chuckled. “Go on ahead. So was there someone in your building to give you a jump?”

“The one behind me, actually. Everyone in mine was gone for the day. I hate car problems with a fiery passion. Dakota is always telling me I need a stun gun in my purse for when things like this happen.”

On this he had to agree with Dakota. Mary would be a beautiful, blonde target if she broke down in the wrong neighborhood. “I’m guessing you don’t own a stun gun.”

“No. After Dakota shocked the heck out of Walt last year . . . I don’t know, seemed like that thing is too dangerous.”

“Why would she stick Walt with a blast of electricity?”

“It was an accident. He approached her from behind in a dark parking lot. She didn’t know it was him. She felt guilty for weeks. Didn’t stop her from laughing about it, but boy was she guilt ridden over it!”