Other than a strand of hair, there was no proof she existed. Dante had decided someone had played a cruel joke. His brother hadn't won the most popular guest award at the hotel.

Room service left food at the door. Maids were only allowed to clean his room once a week. Then there was the altercation in the bar. No, he'd become known as the crazy guy in Room 302. From the amount of whiskey he ordered, the employees probably had a pretty good idea of his state of mind. Anyone could have easily planted the evidence just to drive him nuts. And if that was the case, too bad the culprit wasn't around to see his success.

"How long do you intend to play detective?"

"Until I find out why I was targeted."

"Targeted?" He pinched the bridge of his nose. "I thought we'd been over this. Nothing was stolen, so why do you think it was some kind of conspiracy?"

Owen slammed his laptop shut. Dash came to attention and nudged Owen's knee. "I've said from the beginning something wasn't right. I feel it in my gut. I won't stop until I find out why it happened."

"Even professionals know they can't solve every investigation. That's why they have cold cases. Maybe if you stepped away from it for a while—you might see something you're missing."

"I wish you'd back me on this," Owen said.

Dante leaned forward and rested his arms on his thighs. The last thing he wanted to do was add to his problems. "I do, but have you considered someone in the hotel might have played a prank?"

"So we're back to the whole thing being my imagination? Let's say you're right. What are the chances I'd hallucinate a woman who happened to have the same color hair as those planted on my pillow? A trillion to one?"

Dante should have known better than to bring it up. What did it matter if Owen spent every free minute chasing ghosts? "You're right. I shouldn't have said anything. Your nightmares are better. You're getting out more. The anger episodes are less. I suppose improvements in those areas are a good tradeoff for an obsession for some girl you don't know."

"Getting out more hasn't been a choice. You need me, and I want to help because you've been here for me. So, where are we headed? You said to check on another boutique hotel Bea started, but you didn't say where."

"Change of plans. We're headed home. I need a few days to recoup." That wasn't a total lie. He needed a break. It'd been almost three weeks since Bea's death, and he'd been traveling non-stop. When the board received the news of his inheritance, they'd not been the happiest campers. But he'd sat in on enough meetings before her death, for them to know he wasn't some money grabbing hustler out to take his wife for everything she was worth. No, he was serious about maintaining her company's success, and since he now owned controlling interest, there wasn't much anyone could do but accept him.

"I have a couple of local projects I want to discuss. If you're up to it, maybe put you in charge."

Owen turned to face him. "To do what?"

"Everything from the ground up. Secure the land. Work with an architect concerning the design. Getting vendors in place. All of it. Sound like something you'd be interested in?"

"Possibly. What are we talking about? Retail businesses?"

"I want to revamp the city park. Enlarge it. Maybe add a big gazebo. More play equipment. Additional picnic areas. Since Bea built it, I want to change the name to—Bea Park. I also want to build a new library. And a movie theater. You'll need to find locations for those."

He raised his eyebrows. "Scout and bring the information back to you?"

"No. Your deals. Your decisions. Naturally, I'll be interested in what you decide, but you'll have final say."

Owen cocked his head and grinned. "Basically, this is your sneaky way of giving me a job."

"Who me? Sneaky? No. But it does come with a salary." Dante would let Owen think he had things figured out, but he was nowhere close. The real reason for returning to Parkers Prairie was Silbie. Dante received word she'd be there for the next couple of weeks. The perfect opportunity for the couple to see each other, and he would make sure that happened.

"Who knows? Once the theater is finished, we might get Parkers Prairie's claim to fame to show up for the grand opening. I bet Silbie would love to do it. By then, she'll have a house here. Might even be living here."

Owen responding sigh sounded strangled. "You're never going to give up, or you?"

"What? Promoting Parkers Prairie? Hell, no. Bea loved this town. And, unless you've forgotten, half our big fat family lives here. If we can convince Micah and his family to relocate, we'll have the whole clan."

Owen's face pinched. "You're serious, aren't you?"

"Honestly, I hadn't given it much thought until I said it, but yeah. I'm calling Micah tonight with a proposal after I talk with Mattison. He'd be the perfect law partner. Who better to handle Bea's holdings than her best friend and our brother? Besides, small-town life would be great for Kai."

"I disagree. We were city kids and we turned out just fine." He nodded, absentmindedly, then - "You ignored my question about Silbie."

"Oh, that. Tell you what. If you start dating again—I'll drop it."

Dante spent the next few days meeting with Parkers Prairie's business owners to assure them the arrangement they had with Bea wouldn't change. He also shared a business lunch with Mattison to present his proposal for Micah to join his practice. Mattison was open to the idea. After a short phone conversation, he faxed an offer to his brother. Fingers crossed, he'd accept and move to Parkers Prairie. Nothing would make Dad happier than to have all of his adopted kids nearby.

While Dante'd been taking care of business, he'd sent Owen to scout locations for the new library and theater. He'd also arranged for him to be added to the agenda for the next city council meeting. For the first time in months, Dante saw excitement in Owen. As an added bonus, the new responsibility kept him from obsessing about his 'conspiracy theory.' Now the only thing left on his 'to-do list' was to figure out how to get Silbie and Owen together.

Dante turned down the corner of the newspaper and peered over the edge. "What have you got planned for this afternoon?"

"I'm meeting with the city planner to discuss the park renovation at one."

"In the park?"

"Yeah. I already know we'll have to buy a couple of houses in order to increase the area. I checked them out yesterday. They're pretty rundown. Shouldn't set you back too much."

"I'm not looking for a bargain. Make sure the offer is enough to get them into another house—better than what they're giving up."

Owen sipped his coffee, then chuckled. "I keep forgetting you're loaded now and money isn't a factor."

"It's what Bea would do. Since it's her money, I feel obligated to always consider that."

"She changed you."

Dante pushed away from the table, strolled to counter, and refilled his mug. "When you're around someone like her, you can't help but change. Have you given any thought to the library or theater?"

"There aren't any existing buildings we can renovate for the library so I'm looking at land for it and the cinema complex."

"So, now it's a complex?"

"I'm thinking four screens. A burger place next door and maybe a coffee shop. Small places with limited seating. Figure we'll draw customers from surrounding areas. The bar downtown seems to do okay."

"Zari is responsible for its success. I think the place was about to go under until she started singing there."

"You think I should cut back to a couple of screens and nothing else?"

There was no way in hell Dante would squash Owen's plans. Not when he was finally excited about something. This is what he needed. To focus on the future instead of dwelling on the past. "No. I think it's a great idea. Like I said—your baby. Whatever you decide, I'm behind you all the way."

Owen arrived at the park early. Figured he'd need the time to steady himself. It was here he'd realized he was in love with Silbie. Even though he'd planned to brush her off that day because a relationship with a girl years younger was ridiculous. Especially an eighteen-year-old. A teenager for God's sake.

But she had other plans. He closed his eyes and let the memory wash over him.

He'd found her sitting on a bench beneath an oak tree. Sunlight filtered through the bare limbs stroking her flawless skin like a whispered sonnet. God, she was beautiful. He lost his breath, then forced air into his lungs but only managed to half fill them. This would be harder than he thought. No need to waste time with small talk. Get right to it. Hi, Silbie. Bye, Silbie.

She stood and stepped closer, stretching her arms out for a hug.

He backed away. "Look, I've been thinking."

"About what?"

"You. Us. What I said yesterday."

She walked back to the bench, sat, and patted the spot next to her. "You said a lot of things. So, what exactly?"

He took her hand in his. Not because he thought it would make things easier for her, but because he might die if he didn't touch her.

"I live in Dallas." Stupid beginning. What happened to his memorized speech?

She looked up at him, her eyes glittering with apparent anticipation. No need to prolong it. "This is wrong, and we shouldn't see each other. Too much of an age difference. I live in Dallas. You live here. You've got your whole life ahead of you. College. Career. You should be thinking about going to prom or homecoming. Not wasting your time with a guy who'll be gone in a few weeks."

There. He'd gotten it all out. Every logical reason why this wouldn't work, and she couldn't challenge any of them because he was right. Oh, but, what if she cried? What would he do then? He'd not considered that until now.

She removed her hand and patted the top of his like a doting grandmother, then pinned him with her gaze. "Are you done?"

"Uh—yeah."

"Okay. So now I get my say. First things first. You don't have a girlfriend, right? Or a boyfriend?"

"No. If I did, I would have never..."

She held up her hand to stop him. "Good. Wanted to be sure I'm not wasting my time, but even if I was, it's mine to waste. And, I'm pretty damn hard to impress because of the male role models I've had in my life. My dad, and as much as I want my brother to stay out of my business, he's about the best man I know. So, I measure every guy against him, and this little speech of yours tells me a lot."

He started to speak, but she waved him off.

"I'm not finished. I am thinking about homecoming. I've already had two offers. Neither rocked my boat. But I have no problem going without a date. I'm not putting my life on hold for you. I know the age difference is a consideration, but you like me, and I like you. We owe it to ourselves to see where this goes. Once we know each other better, we may decide to go our separate ways. Then we at least won't have any regrets. Right?"

Owen's brain spun. Who was this person?

She put her finger in the air. "Unless—"

"Unless, what?"

"You've decided you don't like me and this is your way of letting me down easy. You know, listing all the reasons we shouldn't be together to mask the real reason."

"Oh, I like you all right. Too much."

She shook her head. "No such thing."

"Who the hell are you?" There was that lip biting thing again, and his heart tripped. Her nose crinkled in the cutest way he'd ever seen.

"I'm the girl of your dreams. You just don't know it yet."

"Mr. Filgard?"

Owen snapped from his trance. "Oh, sorry. I must have been daydreaming. Mrs. Donskell, I presume?"

"Yes. Nice to meet you."

Owen clasped her hand. "Likewise."

Mrs. Donskell unrolled a paper and spread it across the picnic table.

Owen drew a deep breath and focused on the plat.

"I'll go over all of this with you, and then you can have this copy," Mrs. Donskell said.

When the meeting ended, and the city planner drove away, Owen turned his attention to Dash. Since it was a school day, the park was almost empty except for an older couple sharing a fast food lunch and three young children on the merry-go-round.

Owen slipped a ball from his pocket and threw it toward the backside of the park. Dash took off after it and scampered back to Owen and dropped it at his feet.

The biggest surprise of the day was the text Silbie received from Dante.

Owen will be in the city park at one.

As she read it for the umpteenth time, her heart hammered. How much more perfect could that be? To confront him in the place she'd convinced him they might have a future. She couldn't help but smile. He'd tried so hard to resist that day. Offered reasonable excuses. He just hadn't realized how determined she'd been.

She'd loved him from the moment she saw him but tried to talk herself out of the notion. Love at first sight? Impossible. She'd not even dated that much. That was the disadvantage of growing up in a small town. Limited choices and knowing all the kids since birth kind of made them more like relatives.

But there was no denying it. She loved Owen Filgard and, in her heart, she knew that would never change. All that soul-mate-love-of-your-life wasn't bullshit after all.

On the drive to the park, she tried to put a plan in place, but her nerves got the best of her. How could she think straight knowing she was finally going to talk to him—as herself and not some French movie character.

"You okay?" Jeb asked.

He was her favorite security guy. The one who could escape a dedicated paparazzo better than Houdini did straitjackets. As if Jeb's size wasn't enough to discourage any camera creep. His six-foot-six frame supported two-hundred-twenty-five pounds of solid muscle. Svelte, compared to the extra seventy-five he carried during his NFL days. He parked the car.

She took a moment to calm her racing heart. Owen was playing catch with his dog. What was his name? Digger? No. Dash. That was it. Owen was so focused on the game, he didn't notice her approach—until she spoke.

"Hello, Owen."

mmmmmmmm whatcha saaaaaay

record scratch

reunited and it feels so good

TEASER: He shook his head. "No. You can't be."

Wonder what that's about.