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"I don't appreciate being manhandled,"she huffed.

"Since when?" he asked mildly ashe poured coffee into two cups and handed her one. "Spill."

She shrugged and wrapped her hands aroundthe cup, allowing the warmth to seep in.

"I was at their graves."

"Oh honey." He felt the instantguilt and circled the counter to wrap his arm around her.

"Why didn't you ask me to go withyou?" Would he have gone? He wondered. And if she had knocked onhis door, she would have known he was with Jazmine.

"I wanted to be by myself." Sheleaned into him. "It's coming up the anniversary of his death."

"Yes." Zach felt the loss keenly.The man had tried his best to be a good father under extremelydifficult circumstances. His mind drifted to the woman he had left inhis bed, and he realized that he wanted something with her. He wantedeverything with her. But he also wanted his sister's approval. Shewas his family and the second most important person in his life.Without her approval and blessings, it would make things veryuncomfortable. And he wanted to tell her. They had always told eachother everything and it did not sit well with him that he was hidingthings from her.

"Want us to go together later? Takesome flowers?" He asked softly.

She shook her head and indulged in justclinging to his solid frame for a moment. "Maybe this weekend."Lifting her head, she kissed his cheek. "Thanks."

"Of course." He held her for alittle while before letting go.

*****

"You have visitors."

She gave a distracted glance at her friendas she stood just inside the doorway. She hated paperwork and thoughtit a necessary evil. "I don't have time for visitors." Sheeyed the girl curiously. "You look different."

Jazmine felt the leap of fear. "Differenthow?"

Zuri shook her head. "Happier. Damnand blast! I just figured it out and now it's all messed up. Who arethey?"

"What?"

"You said I have visitors?"

"Jason Hadley and his grandmother."

"Really?"

Jazmine nodded.

"Oh. Where is Zach? Has he seen them?"

"He was the one who sent me to getyou."

"Does he look mad?"

Jazmine grinned at her anxious expression."He looks resigned."

"Resigned is good." Blowing out abreath, she pushed away from the desk and stretched to work the kinksout. "Any excuse to get away from this." She made asweeping gesture at the pile of invoices on her desk. Linking herhand through her friend's arm, she felt the residual sadness leaving."Heard anything from the realtor?"

"As a matter of fact. I am supposed togo and look at a place this afternoon."

"Just let me know what time."

"Okay." She tugged her hand awayand went to finish polishing the tables while Zuri went to greet hervisitors.

"Hi. This is a surprise." Hereyes gleamed with pleasure as she looked first at the boy and thenthe woman.