The Memory of You (Sanctuary Sound #1)(50)

“I don’t even want to go on vacation with him. He’s not fun.”

“He could be intimidated by you.” Steffi hoped Emmy’s attitude would improve if she felt a sense of power. Steffi’s usually did.

“Not hardly!” Emmy rolled her eyes and put the grapes back in the refrigerator.

“Well, was the beach nice?” Steffi had been raised not to be a Negative Nellie, and it had served her well. Emmy needed a lesson in shifting her perception. “Tell me at least one good thing about your trip.”

“I could see the ocean from my bedroom, but you had to go down a million steps to get to the beach. There were tons of rocks there, so I couldn’t build sandcastles. And we didn’t go sailing . . .”

Steffi raised a hand to stop the fire-hydrant gush of complaints. “Hang on. How about you think harder about some of the good things. Did you catch a fish? Meet a new friend? Read a good book? Shop with your mom?”

“I got this new dress.” She lifted the hem of her Black Watch plaid jumper.

“It’s very nice for fall.” Steffi noticed Emmy’s black tights and ankle boots. She looked like a shrunken Teen Vogue cover girl. More put together than Steffi on most days.

“It’s okay.” Emmy shrugged. “So can we use the nail gun now?”

“Is your homework done?”

“Uh-huh.” Emmy nodded, smiling for the first time in fifteen minutes.

“Okay, then. Go change and meet me outside.”



Ryan passed Steffi’s van, which she’d parked in front of his mom’s house, before he pulled into the driveway. He hadn’t seen her since Saturday night, but the way his heart just lurched made him wary. His caseload, divorce, and daughter were more than he could handle at the moment. Renewed feelings for Steffi Lockwood—not ideal. Not now, anyway.

He slammed his door shut and heard Emmy yell, “Cool!”

“Be careful and steady,” came Steffi’s reply.

When he rounded the corner of the house, he saw his daughter at Steffi’s side holding a nail gun in both hands. He could tell by the way she was using her body to support her elbows that the gun was too heavy for her to keep steady.

Steffi helped position it along the window trim, then lent her body as support behind Emmy to absorb any kickback. When Emmy pulled the trigger, a pop resounded.

“I got a report about more child labor law violations.” Ryan approached them, smiling. Seeing Emmy happy after last night’s melodrama came as a relief. “I suppose you’re expecting me to represent you?”

“Can’t beat the price,” Steffi joked.

He narrowed his eyes but grinned. Val disdained his career and had constantly pressured him to go into private practice, where he could charge huge sums to wealthy clients looking to buy their freedom. But Steffi had never cared much about wealth. She’d liked simple things and people, and valued hard work and results. No one on the girls’ varsity team had trained harder.

“Look, Dad. We’re trimming out windows.” Emmy repositioned the gun a few inches to the right of the last nail. “Here?”

Steffi nodded and braced her again. Pop!

“I’m impressed, princess.” Ryan kissed her head. “You know more about remodeling than I do at this point.”

“That’s not hard.” She shrugged.

“Hey! I can change a light bulb,” he teased. “But you’re right. There’s not much I can teach you about this kind of work.”

Emmy patted his arm. “Don’t worry. You can teach me about sailing.”

“Deal.” He high-fived her.

“Can we go this weekend?”

He set his briefcase down because he might be standing there for a while longer. “If the weather’s good, sure.”

“And Miss Lockwood can still come?” Her gaze darted from Steffi back to him.

“If she’s free on Sunday.” A rush of heat moved up his body as he smiled at Steffi and pretended to be perfectly comfortable. Pretended that he hadn’t replayed those seconds before she’d gotten out of his car Saturday night and wondered what she might have done if he’d touched her jaw or kissed her.

“Wouldn’t miss it.” Steffi winked at Emmy and then turned a dazzling smile on him, making his heart leap around his chest like a drunken frog.

That dimpled smile had always turned him to putty, which made it easy for her to manipulate him into doing or being whatever she needed. Now she seemed happy enough to be his friend, though. He’d forgiven her, which was all she’d asked for.

Could he be content with that? Friendship filled the space between love and hate in lots of cases, but in theirs? When it came to Steffi, his feelings seemed too strong to idle in neutral. Right now he couldn’t be sure, and maybe he never would.

“Emmy, can you take my briefcase inside for me? I need to talk to Steffi alone for a second.”

His daughter heaved a sigh one might expect if she’d been asked to clean a clogged toilet. “Fine.”

She traded the nail gun for his briefcase and strode off, swinging the worn leather case with both hands. Stuffed with case files, its weight also threw her a bit off-balance.

“I got inside the Weber house today,” Steffi said, rocking on her heels, eyes bright and wide. She looked damn cute when excited.