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“No, on second thought, I like getting in your business. I still say you should run by Alana’s before we leave and give her something to remember you by. It’s like bookmarking your favorite site on the internet.”
    Roland swung his overnight bag so that it hit her square in the tush. When she squeaked in outrage he mumbled, “I’d like to bookmark you. Only I’d fold you in half and stick you in a dictionary right between pest and pestilence. Let’s go, woman, we’ve got a long drive ahead of us.”

Chapter 3
    T he holidays were finally over and Alana couldn’t have been more relieved. Actually, it wasn’t as bad as she’d anticipated, but she was glad to see the last of the decorations disappear until next year. She stayed busy the whole time and all the activity proved to be her salvation. Between the last-minute shopping and the cooking and cleaning, she really didn’t have too many spare moments to dwell on her own pain.
    She had to help clean Alexis’s old house from top to bottom in preparation for Adrienne moving in, but that was no big deal since Alexis kept a spotless home. Her family had their big meal and gift exchange on Christmas Eve, because they were all going to cook and serve dinner at Jared’s restaurant on Christmas day. It was a tradition he’d started in Chicago; all of his restaurants were open to anyone who wanted to come in for a festive meal at no charge. It was nice to have something positive to do that would take a lot of energy and focus, so she welcomed the opportunity to help.
    There was a lot to keep her mind occupied between Christmas and New Year’s Day, and she was grateful. There were casual gatherings at her mother’s house, as well as an open house at Alexis and Jared’s. She got to spend time with David Stratton, who’d been a really close friend before they’d gone off to college in two different states.
    She even had two more houseguests to entertain, Sugar and Sweetie, the two Westies that belonged to Sherri Stratton’s little girl. When Sherri and Lucas went on their honeymoon, his parents took Sydney to Disneyworld and Alana gladly babysat the little dogs.
    Alexis had two Welsh corgis of her own, plus she and Jared took care of the elder VanBurens’ corgis while they were on their trip.
    It was a nice change for Alana to have the little terriers around the house because she loved dogs and she couldn’t have one while she’d been married due to Sam’s allergies. When she remembered this holiday she’d remember a lot of laughter, barking and eating, as well as a lot of fun.
    But she was truly glad to see the last of the old year and more than ready to charge into the new year. The only thing that was bugging her right now was the dreams she kept having, night after night.
    Alana didn’t sleep well; she hadn’t for years. She’d toss and turn for hours before drifting into a fitful sleep and when she did drop off, she would have nocturnal visits from Sam. She’d had dreams about him ever since she’d lost him and she usually woke up in tears of frustration, especially when it was one of those dreams from their past where everything was the way it used to be.
    But now the dreams were taking off into another dimension altogether. She’d wake up in tears and if she could slip back into slumber she’d be treated to what seemed like hours of intensely erotic dreams, all featuring Roland. The wicked scenes of steamy sex with him were bad enough, but in addition to the sex, there were moments of tender romance so vivid that she would wake up moaning his name.
    It was a mess, that’s what it was. During the day she was cool, collected and in control, but her nights were leaving her disoriented, disheveled and totally distraught. Or as close to distraught as she cared to come to in this lifetime. It would have made sense for her to confide in someone, but Alana didn’t even consider it. It was too embarrassing, too raw and too strange for her to verbalize.