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flower people brought in a few customers. No serious buyers, though. We’ll do better next month when we showcase the fine artists. Want to come down and make yourself useful? Don’t have anybody in the store right now.”
    â€œActually…”
    His voice grew quieter at her hesitation. “Most of the crowd will have cleared out by four, Autumn. You wouldn’t run into enough humanity to scare arabbit. C’mon, from your new place, it’ll take you all of five minutes.”
    â€œAll right. Around four. I do have a couple of things I want framed.”

Chapter Three
    â€œC an’t make it, Laureen,” Brent said into the phone the following Wednesday. “Have a lunch date tomorrow with a client. It’ll take up most of the afternoon.”
    â€œOh, very well,” Laureen murmured. Yet she wasn’t any too happy about his putting her off again.
    Laureen had been a friend of Felice’s and, though he appreciated her help after his wife’s death, Laureen had grown far too possessive over the past six months. He had no intention of taking the friendship into anything closer. Lately, he’d taken steps to loosen her clutch. He’d dodged dates with her for weeks.
    â€œWell, at least call the Saxons, will you? They’re new to the Midwest and looking for an architect-builder to build a new house out in Johnson County. I told them you’re the best.”
    â€œLaureen, you know I’d gladly let John handlethem,” he mentioned the top designer on his team, “but I’m personally tied up for a couple of months.”
    â€œThey don’t want John, Brent. They want you.”
    â€œBut my specialty isn’t in personal residences, anymore, Laureen. I’ve—”
    â€œThese people have money, Brent, and they can work in your favor when you want backing for some of your projects.”
    â€œNot the kind of projects I want to do out in Johnson County,” he muttered. But he let Laureen run on with her list of why he should take on the new clients she’d found for him. The fact of his work overload mattered little to Laureen. Her philosophy was to take care of the influential and wealthy first; everyone else could be relegated to a back burner. Or someone of lesser importance.
    â€œDo me this favor, Brent,” she begged, using her cajoling tone, low and breathy. “I’ll see to it you won’t lose anything.”
    Well, he supposed John could take on another appointment or two for the firm while he met with the Saxons. The extra money he’d make if he took this on would cover some of the expenses for the old church they were refitting. He did need to find an office assistant without delay, though. Work had taken an upswing.
    â€œAll right.” He moved things around on his desk, restacking papers with notes of things he’d rather be doing. “But not tomorrow. It’ll have to be on Friday.”
    Brent hung up the phone after setting a time with Laureen, and leaned back in his chair, stretching his arms high above his head. He’d worked late for thefirst time in weeks—since his offices had moved to the new location, in fact—trying to wrap up several loose ends. Now hunger gnawed at his middle.
    He rose and moved to stand at the front window. Dusk lay the shadows deep over the quiet street. Without the bustling business day, it seemed almost deserted, and he wondered about the fabled residents. Did Autumn really have neighbors at night or was she alone in that building? Alone on the street at night. He hadn’t thought about it too closely before now.
    Even as he wondered, a light switched on in her building. Third floor. The working couple of whom the Realtor had boasted, he assumed.
    He let out a deep breath, not realizing he’d held it. He didn’t like the idea of Autumn living so much alone. She seemed altogether too vulnerable for his peace of mind.
    Wondering where