Wade paused on the other side of the counter and blatantly eavesdropped.“Sell the paper?” Ima said, shocked. “Is this true, William?”“Don’t you think it’s past time for a new voice in this town? It’s time I retired, if I can find the right buyer,” Gray said. “I promised my wife when we married that one day we’d live in paradise. As much as I love this town, paradise it’s not. She’s got her heart set on Hawaii.”Wade had to assume that Bill Gray had a good financial planner for him to be able to retire in Hawaii. There wasn’t a great deal of profit, if any, in small-town weekly newspapers these days.“What a fine man you are, William,” Ima said, “to keep such a promise to your wife. Just do this town a favor and try not to sell the paper to some big conglomerate who’ll manage it from New York, or someplace like that. We need a paper that’s purely local.”“I’ve been worried about that very thing,” Gray said.“Order up!” Dixie called as she slapped the bell signaling an order was ready

“Why not?” Wade said.“What about the tongue? Would they want Tippy’s tongue?”Wade smiled at Tate’s sudden enthusiasm. “I don’t know. It would depend on whether or not another dog needed a new one, I guess. Would all that be all right with you guys?”“Sure,” Tate said.“It’s the same as organ donation in people, right?”“You know about that?” Wade asked. “About people donating their organs when they die?”“Sure,” Ben said.Dixie ran her fingers through Ben’s hair. “Where did you learn about organ transplants, honey?”“I dunno.” Ben shrugged and flopped his hands out. “School. We talked about it a lot last year when the teacher’s daddy had a kidney transplant up in Dallas.”“How about you?” Dixie asked Tate. “Did you talk about this at school, too?”“Sure,” he said with a shrug. “But that was about people. We didn’t talk about dogs.”“Okay, wise guy,” Dixie said to Wade with a smile. “Now you have to turn it around.”“I’ve got it,” he told her. “Would it surprise you boys to know that

“I went to the track and ran.”“Oh, well, it was none of my business, anyway. I shouldn’t have just dropped in on you this way. Shouldn’t have presumed—”“Dixie.” His voice was softer than the air around her. His fingers touching her cheek sent a shiver of heat racing down her spine. “You can presume anything you want about me. Or you can just ask. Or drop by and sit on my stoop whenever you want.”She couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe. She stepped back far enough that his hand dropped away from her face. All she could think to say was, “Okay.”“Come on in.” He pushed the door open and motioned her inside. “It’s not much, but it’s home.”She knew she should turn around and go home, but she found herself stepping through the door and into his apartment. “Not much” was an understatement. From what she could see, there were only two rooms, and they were small. There was a water stain on the ceiling. The furniture must have come with the place; she couldn’t imagine Wade purchasing the worn

“I’m going to make him an offer.” “You? A small-town newspaper?”“Don’t scoff at small-town newspapers. The entire Harrison Corporation and our personal family fortune began when my great-great- grandfather started a small-town weekly in Montana. I want to take the Tribute Banner and see what I can do with it. I want to edit it myself, manage it myself, the whole works. My father and sisters are going to be pea green with envy. My mother is going think I’m out of my mind, and then she’s going to quietly have a stroke.”“Maybe you should talk it over with your family before you commit yourself to it.”“And maybe I shouldn’t. This is something I want to do. I want to prove to myself that I can. I want to contribute something to this town. I want to live here, with you and our children—Ben and Tate and any others we might have—and Pops.”“Have you talked to Bill Gray yet?” she asked.“No. Tomorrow morning. I can transfer some funds to the bank here.” “I’m sure they’ll be glad to see you

“Kidding.”“No.” She shook her head.He swore. “You followed me across half a damn country?”It was difficult, considering lust still fogged her brain, but she managed a shrug. “You wouldn’t return my calls.”“So you followed me?” She shrugged again.“Did it ever occur to you that I didn’t return your calls because I didn’t want to talk to you?”She couldn’t do this, Shannon thought. She couldn’t push or cajole him into an interview when she was still so off balance from this unreasonably fierce attraction that still gripped her.“Look,” she said, struggling to keep her voice even. “I know this is a bad time. I’ve caught you by surprise at your job.” She took a step backward. “I’ll be in touch later to set up a time that’s more convenient for you.”And she fled. For the first time in her life, she fled from a man, from an interview subject. From herself.Nick stood in the hall and watched her go. He could have stopped her. Part of him wanted to. But the smart part ruled. He turned awa