Chapter One

      ‘‘You bought me what?’’ Beth Davis asked as she stared at the couple sitting across from her in her living room. A thunderstorm filled the late-afternoon sky.

      Maybe she’d been hit by lightning and hadn’t noticed. That would explain why she thought Mike had said what he had. She shook her head, trying to clear her obviously confused hearing. He couldn’t have said that. Something was very wrong.

      ‘‘It’s not so awful,’’ her friend Cindy told her. ‘‘Really. I didn’t know he’d done it, but now that I think about it, it’s kinda sweet.’’

      Beth tried to laugh, but the sound that came out was more of a moan. ‘‘Sweet. Of course. I’m sure that’s what he meant.’’ She turned her attention to Mike, Cindy’s husband. ‘‘What did you mean?’’

      Mike grinned. The handsome bodyguard turned security agent wasn’t the least bit upset by her reaction. If Beth had to put money on something, she would bet that he was actually amused.

      ‘‘I thought I was doing you a favor. You’ve been talking about it for a long time. Cindy’s mentioned it several times. So I figured I would help things along.’’

      Beth rose to her feet and crossed to the floor-to-ceiling windows that lined the wall of her family room. Outside, a storm raged, but its wildness couldn’t compare to the panic growing inside of her. ‘‘You’ve always hated me. I see that now. Was it something I did?’’

      ‘‘Beth, don’t,’’ Cindy said. ‘‘If it’s really going to be this horrible for you, you don’t have to do it.’’

      ‘‘Actually, she does,’’ Mike told her. ‘‘Hey, it’s for char^ity.’’

      Beth spun around and faced her two friends. She read the concern, along with a healthy dose of amusement in their expressions. She told herself they were trying to be helpful. They cared about her. She wouldn’t have made it through the past eighteen months if it hadn’t been for them. ‘‘But why did you have to buy me a man?’’ she asked.

      ‘‘I didn’t buy you a whole man. Just one night with him. A date. You’ll have fun,’’ Mike promised.

      Beth made that moaning noise again. She sank into the nearest wing chair. ‘‘This is impossible.’’

      ‘‘No, it’s not.’’ Mike’s voice was firm. ‘‘It’s dinner at a fancy restaurant. He picks you up, you talk for a while, eat some nice food, come home. No big deal. I’ve met Todd Graham a couple of times and he seems like an okay kind of guy. Not as flashy as the newspapers say.’’

      The slender thread of composure that had been holding her together snapped. Beth stared at Cindy, who was suddenly shifting uncomfortably on the sofa. ‘‘Todd Graham?’’ she asked.

      Cindy nodded. ‘‘I’ve heard that he’s—’’

      ‘‘Todd Graham?’’ Beth repeated, cutting her off. ‘‘The Todd Graham. Local millionaire, charter member of the bimbo-of-the-month club?’’ She turned to Mike and glared at him. ‘‘You bought me a date with Todd Graham?’’

      Mike looked confused. ‘‘Is that bad?’’

      ‘‘Not when compared with dating a serial killer.’’

      ‘‘I don’t understand,’’ he said. ‘‘Why does this make it worse?’’

      ‘‘I’m thirty-eight years old,’’ Beth said.

      Mike leaned toward his wife. ‘‘Is that significant? Is this a female thing and am I missing the point?’’

      Beth sprang to her feet. ‘‘I’m a thirty-eight-year-old mother of two. I have breasts and hips.’’

      Mike flinched. ‘‘At the risk of being yelled at, most of the time guys actually appreciate women having those things.’’

      ‘‘Not when they’re this old. Todd Graham doesn’t want a woman, he wants a twenty-year-old fashion model, with a skinny body and no stretch marks. I can’t believe you did this, Mike.’’ She pointed at Cindy. ‘‘I can’t believe