Free Home at Rose Cottage by Sherryl Woods

all on yourown. The staff at the nursery couldn’t wait to report to Pam and me.”
    “Melanie doesn’t have anything to do with my personal life,” Mike insisted, figuring he would eventually burn in hell for the lie. “She’s a client. Sort of.”
    “How does someone get to be a ‘sort-of’ client?” Jeff taunted. “Especially since you told me last week you weren’t taking on any new jobs for a while.”
    “I’m helping her get the garden fixed up at her grandmother’s place.”
    Jeff regarded him with amusement. “And I imagine she’s ‘sort of’ paying you for your help. Am I right? What’s the going rate for that kind of help? Dinner? A roll in the hay?”
    Mike scowled at him. “It’s not like that, dammit.”
    Jeff held up his hands. “Hey, okay. Don’t get all worked up. I was just teasing.”
    “Yeah. That’s the kind of teasing that can ruin someone’s reputation. Knock it off.”
    Jeff’s gaze narrowed. “Do you really have a thing for this woman?”
    “No, absolutely not!” Mike responded fiercely.
    Jeff studied him intently, then burst out laughing. “Oh, pal, you are in one helluva state of denial.”
    Mike glared at him. It was probably true, but his friend didn’t need to be quite so gleeful about it. Mike stood up slowly, deliberately took his time over the last swallow of cool water from the bottle, then tossed it in a nearby trash bin. Only then did he meet Jeff’s gaze.
    “You don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said quietly.
    Jeff laughed. “Sure, I do. I said exactly the same thing about Pam till about fifteen minutes before the wedding ceremony. Denial’s second nature to us, pal. Women knowit, too. They just ignore our protests, and the next thing you know, bam, wedded bliss.”
    “Not gonna happen,” Mike insisted. He’d been there, done that and lived to rue the day. Except for Jessie, he reminded himself quickly. She was worth all the rest.
    She was also the reason why he’d never let things with Melanie go anywhere. Period.
    He didn’t waste his breath saying any of that to Jeff. Why spoil his gloating? Jeff clearly didn’t believe any of his denials, anyway. Hell, after the impact that sweet, innocent little kiss had had on his system, Mike wasn’t sure he believed them himself. Besides, perhaps the rumor of his interest in Melanie would finally get Pam off his case about going out with every available woman she ran across. Maybe that trip to the nursery hadn’t been as innocent as he’d believed it to be. Maybe he’d subconsciously known that it would stir up talk, the kind of talk that could save him from all that unwanted matchmaking.
    Jeff gave him a knowing look. “You’re thinking this will get Pam to stop meddling, aren’t you?”
    “It crossed my mind,” Mike admitted.
    “Ha! This kind of rumor is all the motivation she needs to kick her campaign into high gear. You’re matrimonial toast, buddy. Accept it now and save yourself a lot of aggravation.”
    Mike bit back a groan. “Can’t you control your wife?”
    Jeff gave him a sympathetic look. “You really don’t know the first thing about women, do you?”
    “No question about that,” Mike agreed. “No question at all.”

5
    O n Monday night the skies opened up, and the April showers began in earnest. They continued straight through the day on Tuesday and again on Wednesday. Dull gray clouds dumped sheets and sheets of endless, cold rain, turning the yard into a mud bath.
    Melanie sat in the dreary kitchen, sipping a cup of tea, eating a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie that was burned on the edges, and regretting that she’d ever agreed to come to Rose Cottage. She was bored. She was lonely. Worst of all, she was daydreaming about yet another man she couldn’t have.
    There was little question in her mind that, despite his single status, Mike wasn’t available. He’d clearly dedicated himself to raising his daughter and maybe to nursing whatever resentments