CHAPTER ONE

      NIKKI plunged her hands into the hot, soapy water for the last time and pulled the plug out of the drain. “There, that’s the last of the dishes.” She picked up a baby bottle which had tipped over and set it upside down to drain on one of the towels which lined the small counter.

      From the dining nook just outside the galley kitchen, Laura called, “Washing three days’ worth of my dirty dishes wins you the friendship service medal, you know.”

      Nikki dried her hands, rolled down the sleeves of her silky blouse, and buttoned her cuffs. “Is that all I did?” She kept her voice light. “From the size of the pile, I expected it had taken a week to build up.”

      “For the average family of four, perhaps. But when you have two kids this size, dirty stuff collects in a hurry.”

      Nikki paused in the doorway. Laura was sitting with her back to the kitchen, facing a pair of high chairs. In each chair was a dark-haired child, not quite a year old, each armed with a small, soft-tipped spoon and a plastic bowl. The thick, gooey, grayish, slimy-looking substance which had once been in the bowls was now spread liberally over the high-chair trays as well as the two cherubic faces, and a few lumps had landed on the plastic mat which covered the floor.

      All things considered, Nikki thought, I got the best end of the deal by doing the dishes.

      Laura’s babies were adorable, no question about it. But fond as Nikki was of Zack and Anna, she didn’t regret that her life had taken a different channel from Laura’s. At least, not very often.

      “What is that stuff they’re eating, really?” Nikki asked.

      “Rice cereal mixed with mashed pears.”

      Nikki wrinkled her nose. “It looks like library paste that’s been left out to mildew.”

      “Shh. They’re very sensitive to other people’s reactions to food. I mashed up some squash for them to try the other night. Stephen took one look at it and made gagging noises—and the twins spit out every bite after that.”

      “You’re certain it was because of their dad? I mean, honestly, Laura—squash? They’re only eleven months old. Not liking squash seems to be part of the deal.”

      “It’s an excellent source of Vitamin A,” Laura said firmly.

      “I’m sure it is.” Nikki nodded toward the twins. Zack had cereal in his left eyebrow. Anna’s chin was covered with half-dried paste. “Are they actually getting any of that stuff inside where it counts?”

      “Well, Anna’s better at it than Zack is,” Laura admitted. “But Zack’s more determined to do it himself, so I have to sneak in an extra bite when he’s not paying attention.” She dipped a spoon into one of the bowls and inserted it into the boy twin’s mouth while he was inspecting a lump of cereal that had stuck to his smallest finger. He swallowed absent-mindedly and opened his mouth again.

      “Want me to help?”

      Laura smiled. “You don’t really mean that. If you got cereal all over that suit right before you go meet an important client, I’d feel awful. You’ve already done enough for one day, anyway, clearing up my dishes. Having a broken dishwasher and two babies does make life a little difficult.”

      Nikki pulled up a chair. “I know finances have been a bit tight lately for you and Stephen,” she said gently. “But it will have to be fixed before you can list the house for sale.”

      Laura nodded. “Seth’s going to tear it apart when he has time and see if he can