Hooked

gear. They were fated to go through life at different speeds. When she’d told him that, he had nodded grimly, accepting her logic, and left the restaurant. He hadn’t so much as called her again.
    She’d told herself it was for the best, and three weeks later, she was driving across the country with her car full and her heart empty, vowing to get back on the horse again. She’d find someone with more ambition, more savvy…someone more like her.
    But in the four years she’d lived in Atlanta, she had yet to find anyone who could make it past a third date with her. And there was always Silk and Steele demanding her energy and passion; always another deal to make, another clothing line to capture, another opportunity to realize.
    When she dragged her suitcase from the taxi up the walk to her house, the great white front door swung open and three squealing children burst out to engulf her. Before she could disengage, out shot a huge furry beast that pounced and sent her flailing onto her butt in a bed of newly planted impatiens.
    “Argh—Mickey—get off me— bad dog! ” She tried to fight him off, but his enthusiasm won out, and in the end she submitted to a thorough licking from the golden retriever. Her little niece and two nephews giggled and joined the beast, climbing on and hugging her. “Oh, my gosh—you guys are worse than he is! What have you done to my poor beast, teaching him all kinds of bad behavior….” For payback she tickled every rib in sight and sent the three wriggling away, squealing in delighted terror.
    When she could finally brace herself upright and take a breath, her younger sister was hanging on to a porch column, laughing.
    “We brought him over for you,” Beth told her. “I swear, we gave your beast all the petting and affection you ordered—he just never seems to get enough.” She came down the two steps from the portico to help pull Steph up and brush her off.
    Beth bit her lower lip at the green and pink and orange stains that remained on Steph’s jeans and shirt. “Sorry about that. The kids just couldn’t wait for you to get home.”
    “Them and me both,” Steph said, waving everybody back inside. When she’d opened her suitcase in the entry hall and delivered the T-shirts she’d brought for the kids, she turned to give Beth a heavy hug that revealed a bit too much about the state of her spirits just then.
    “Are you okay?” Her sister held her at arm’s length and searched her face. “You look exhausted.”
    “Yeah, well, I am. Too many late nights and early mornings in New York, and then that cross-country flight and the drive—it took me three hours to get to Greer’s.” She stumbled into the great room, kicked off her boots and collapsed on the big, pillow-lined leather sofa.
    “So how was the wedding?” Beth followed, dragged an elegant woven silk throw over Steph and then pulled up an ottoman to sit beside her. “Details, I want details.”
    “It was so beautiful. She did get the Vera Wang, after all, and the setting—under the spring green of the trees—was fabulous.”
    “And?” Beth frowned, sensing something unsettling underlying Steph’s mood. “What else?”
    “Terrie tried to fix me up,” Steph said, with a cross-eyed look that spoke volumes.
    “She didn’t!” Beth clapped her hands. “With who? Details!”
    “Muskrat Bob. Worst hairpiece west of the Rockies. Which, considering the competition in southern California, is saying something.” As Beth started to laugh, Steph chuckled. “But actually, he turned out to be a pretty nice guy. At least we were able to carry on a conversation.”
    “So, are you going to see him?” her sister asked, eyes bright.
    “Phoenix-Atlanta. Not into geographically challenged relationships.”
    “Which is your way of saying no chemistry .” Beth gave her a narrow look that came close to the truth-serum-stare their mother had perfected.
    “Chemistry doesn’t enter into it these days.” Steph looked away.
    “Bullhockey.” The stare deepened. “I bet if old Fisherman Finn walked in, you’d light up like a Christmas tree. You guys had postgraduate chemistry goin’ on. Chemistry 847 or something—whoa. What’s the matter?”
    She must have looked like she’d seen a ghost, because Beth’s eyes flew wide and she put a hand on Steph’s forehead.
    “I’m fine, really.” Steph dragged her hand away and gave it a squeeze. “I just need a shower, some food and some sleep. In that