“Fine,” she said, heading for the coffeepot.

 When Maddie was a baby, Jock spent time with her more often at June’s house than anywhere. When he wanted to take her to his parents’ house, he talked to June rather than Riley because June was more accommodating. When Maddie was in grade school, he pushed his presence more forcefully, but still cautiously. He insisted on being notified of school activities, from parent-teacher conferences to carnivals. He couldn’t make them all, but he wanted to at least be told. “I’d rather not ask the teacher, Riley.” Riley most often asked her mother to let Jock know.

 Then there was that time when Maddie was ten that Jock suggested to Riley that they revisit the idea of joining forces. “I think we should get together, just you and me, maybe leading up to a date,” he said. “Let’s get to know each other again, see if we can remember what it was that brought us together in the first place.”

 “You’ve completely lost your mind, right?” she said.

 “Not at all. I know you don’t like it but I consider you and Maddie my family. Since there’s no getting around it, we could explore it.”

 She was appalled. “I wouldn’t even consider it,” she said. “And why would you? You’ve dated a lot since Maddie was born. I don’t consider you my family! Get someone else to take a chance on you.”

 “I hardly ever date,” he said. “You really don’t know anything about me.”

 “I think I probably know enough,” she said. “Aren’t you the guy who talked me out of my clothes and then dumped me?”

 “You have a real blind spot when it comes to me, don’t you, Riley? I apologized a hundred times for being a stupid eighteen-year-old when that happened but I really cared about you. I just got scared off. Mostly by you!”

 “And what makes you think I’d be willing to take that kind of risk again?”

 “Maybe because I’m not eighteen anymore and we have a daughter together?”

 “Even more reason I should be cautious!”

 And of course their conversation had deteriorated from there. They often did. She’d push his buttons, she’d get pissed off all over again and before they knew it they were sniping at each other.

 So Jock married someone else, a young woman with two sons. The ink was barely dry on the marriage license when he was back on his own and the woman was back with her ex. And Riley felt vindicated—Jock was not capable of a committed relationship.

 Starting in junior high, Jock began to communicate directly with Maddie and Riley would run into him at everything from car washes to softball games. And now she never knew when she’d run into him at her mother’s house.

 On Saturday Riley had worked for a couple of hours and Maddie had girlfriends over for the night, so she was trapped at home. On Sunday afternoon Maddie and June were going through the recipes and planning their Christmas baking. Riley was there by four o’clock to share a family dinner of Thanksgiving leftovers with them. All but Adam, who had begged off because he was busy. He’d told his mother he was running errands and getting his schoolwork done since he’d been out with a friend Saturday night. “Oh?” Riley had asked. “What friend?”

 “He said I don’t know her,” June said.

 It was hardly noteworthy. Adam was known to date, though circumspectly. As a rule, he didn’t introduce a woman he was dating to the rest of the family until it had been weeks or months, proving they stood the test of time.

 Riley met Monday with some excitement, some trepidation. Emma was starting work. She’d begin her training with Makenna Rice at 7:00 a.m. and Riley thought Makenna might scare the life out of Emma. Riley had made a secret pledge—no arguing or fighting. It was one thing to clear the air upon their first meeting—they had been alone in the office. But from now on they were only employer and employee and they’d be professional and courteous or Emma would have to go. “It’s my company,” Riley kept reminding herself.

 Riley was at the office at six-thirty and, unsurprisingly, Makenna had beat her there. She already had her training manuals and supplies scattered around the boardroom.

 “Well, good morning,” Riley said. “Getting an early start, I see.”

 “I don’t want us to be late for our first job. That would set a bad example.”

 Riley laughed. “Can I get you a coffee?”

 “I’m all set, thanks. I didn’t start the pot in the kitchen, knowing you’d be bringing your Starbucks. I guess I’d better put on the coffee, huh? Ms. Shay might need a cup.”

 “I’ll do it while you set up here,” Riley said.

 Makenna was an interesting character, one of Riley’s first employees. She was tiny but strong. She had spiked orange hair and dark brows, plenty of piercings on her ears and a couple of eyebrow piercings, a few colorful tattoos that had expanded over the years. The only one that showed while she wore her work uniform was a serpent that wiggled up the back of her neck. She reminded Riley of a biker chick but she was a straight arrow. She was a single mom like so many of Riley’s employees—one fourteen-year-old son who towered above her already. And she was a strict mom. As far as Riley knew, Curtis didn’t give her any trouble. Hell, Riley was afraid to give her trouble.

 All the doors between the offices and conference room were standing open, the front door unlocked, the coffee brewing, and at six-fifty Emma arrived, ten minutes early. Good. She carried a tote that presumably had her drinks and lunch for the day, her uniform was new and pristine and she looked far too good to be cleaning houses. But that was the look Riley wanted her employees to have because that was how her clients wanted the hired help to look.

 “Good morning,” Riley said.