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“Oh, certainly… not a problem,” Kimmie said in her best business-like voice. “I can go over those details with you in just a moment. Could you please hold?”

Despite Kimberly’s attempt to cover the phone, Katherine heard her tell whoever she was with that she needed to step away and take the call. “Just another satisfied customer,” she added before asking her assistant to get some coffee and cookies for the “nice folks” while they waited.

By that time, Katherine was pacing her kitchen floor in a full-on panic. She wanted to reach through the phone and wring Kimmie’s neck.

Then after another brief pause, Kimberly’s real voice came through the receiver. “Hey, girl! Sorry, I’ve been meaning to call you. Things have beencrazyaround here. I’m at an open house right now, and I don’t know what’s going on, but you’d think we were giving these houses away for free. My sales are literally through the roof right now. Not that I’m complaining, but—”

“Kimmie!” Katherine snapped, causing the agent to go silent. “I’m happy for you. Call me later and tell me all about it. But for now, I need to know what’s going on next door.”

“Oh… well, that’s easy. Someone bought the house.”

“I can see that. What do you know about the buyers?”

“Not much…” She paused, considering her next words. “He’s a cop. Total hottie and one tough negotiator. But Mark seems to like him.”

“A cop?” Katherine repeated, half expecting to hear it was the reporter Beth Ann had talked about.

“Yep. And, like I said, total hottie.” As Kimmie laughed, Katherine’s stomach twisted and turned. “Hey, ya know—”

“Don’t even go there,” Katherine stopped her. “I get enough of that crap from Beth Ann.”

Kimmie laughed again. “Well, youaresingle.”

“Kimmie…” Katherine warned. “What else can you tell me?”

“Not much,” she sighed. “He was there most of the day yesterday, pressure washing the roof and cleaning up the backyard. I stopped by on my way through the neighborhood and couldn’t believe all the work he’d done. He said he wanted to have the place cleaned up so he could build a swing set. Isn’t that just the sweetest?”

Just then, Katherine heard Kimmie’s assistant call out to her. “Excuse me, Mrs. Kendall, does the house come with the hot tub, or are the sellers taking it with them?”

“I’ll be right there!” Kimmie chimed in response.

“Look, I gotta go,” she whispered. “If I land an offer on this one, it’ll be my biggest commission ever. Cabo, here I come!”

“Kimmie, please. You gotta give me more than that.”

“Look, girlfriend, you’re right there. Go introduce yourself. Trust me, you won’t regret it. Serious eye candy,” Kimmie laughed. “Call me later and tell me how it goes.Bye!”

Katherine’s hands shook as she returned the phone to its cradle.

Just knowing she had new neighbors, and they were bringing small children with them, was enough to make her body go numb. But going next door to introduce herself was out of the question. The mere thought of it made her stomach twist into knots.

With every step toward the door and back outside, Katherine’s feet felt like someone had swapped her gardening shoes for cement ones.

Go introduce yourself.

Kimmie said it like it was the most natural thing to do. Maybe for Kimberly Kendall, real estate agent, major extrovert, and professional blabbermouth, but not for Katherine. She didn’t have Kimmie’s ability to walk up to a complete stranger and start a conversation. And certainly not with someone referred to as a hottie.

“You can do this,” Katherine whispered as her heart raced, and a paralyzing sensation overcame her. Her body felt heavy and light at the same time. “You’re a person. They’re a person. No different than a new customer at the diner.”

Despite the pep talk, Katherine’s eyes welled up with anxious tears when she stepped back outside, and her gaze automaticallyshifted to the top of the swing set. She hoped whoever was next door doing all that work had left.

“If you start crying now, you won’t stop,” she warned, hearing her own voice crack with emotion. Instinct told her to rush back inside and hide. But she knew she couldn’t give in. This fear was something she would have to overcome.

“You’re freaking yourself out for no reason,” she added, though it didn’t help to stop several loud sobs from slipping out, and she had to press her trembling hands to her mouth to silence herself.

Afraid someone might have heard, Katherine stopped to listen. Straining to hear neighbors’ voices, children playing, lawnmowers running, or cars coming and going on the road out front, but there was nothing to indicate anyone was around. With a sigh of relief, she wiped her eyes on a faded handkerchief and stuffed it back in her pocket. She knew she was being irrational, but she couldn’t help it.

After a few calming breaths, she set out once again for the little red tool shed in the back corner of her yard. That’s when she heard a deep voice.