The Single Life. Liz Wood

Not the other way round.”

      “We already tried that. Now it’s my turn. Oh, and Mom, what’s this about a haircut?”

      “Alice and I decided to try something new,” Lauren began only to realize what her daughter was up to. “But Chrissie—”

      “Helen says it looks nice.”

      “Chrissie—”

      “Oh, come on, Mom. She needs a place to stay, you need some money.”

      “I don’t need strangers in the house.”

      “She’s not a stranger. She’s almost family.”

      “Not family, Chrissie. She’s a friend.”

      “A very dear friend. Practically a sister. Surely you can adopt her for a while? After Jeff and me, it shouldn’t be that big a deal.”

      Actually, it was a big deal. It was hard enough for Lauren to take care of herself. How could she take on Helen as well? But Lauren let it go. At least it was for a good cause. The rent money would buy her a little more time with the house.

      Anton knocked on the door and entered without waiting. Clare joined him at the table and pulled the file he had placed there toward her. She tapped her fingers against it, but didn’t open it. Instead she forced herself to look straight into his mesmerizing deep blue eyes.

      “Anton,” she said, stretching as tall as she could, trying to be as imposing as her five feet seven inch height would allow. “About what happened the other night… I just… I just wanted to say thank-you. For getting me a cab, I mean.”