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her demands for a divorce and ending with the knowledge that ten years ago… that would have been enough to get her back in his bed. The only thing that had prevented it this time had been TJ himself.
    Where was the man who, ten years ago, would have chased her down for walking away while he was still talking and made her sorry in the most exquisite and pleasurable way possible?
    Unlike Chris, who often would agree with her just to prevent an argument, TJ never backed down from her. Ever. That was what was bothering her the most if she cared to admit it.
    Trevor James Simons was just as sexy as he’d been the day he walked in to the bar that first time, hadn’t aged a bit nor changed physically in any way, but he was different somehow. For whatever reason that troubled her because she didn’t like it.
    In her heart of hearts… she wanted that self-assured man who could make her behave. Vindication would have been for him to look older than her or to have gained fifty pounds or more. Having lost his spirit wasn’t something she would have wished upon him. She wasn’t that big of a bitch.
    Pounding coming from her front door snapped her out of all the heavy thoughts. She quickly finished dressing and ran to the front of the house to find Chuck Reynolds outside on her doorstep.
    He looked concerned and her first thought was that perhaps his wife, Meredith, had gone into labor early but then wondered why that would bring him to her house.
    “Hey, Chuck, come on in,” she invited upon opening the door.
    “Sorry to bother you so early but I don’t know who else to ask,” Chuck said, stepping inside.
    “No problem… everything okay?” she asked, closing the door behind him. “Can I get you some coffee or iced tea maybe?”
    “No, I’m good. I just need a favor… a big one,” Chuck replied, sitting down on her couch.
    Sitting down in the recliner chair next to the couch, she said, “Sure… if I can.”
    “There’s a former foster girl who graduated in May and was released out of the system. Family services helped her get a job and an apartment but the store she was working at let her go a few weeks ago and she hasn’t been able to find another job since then. I guess last week while we were in Tennessee she was evicted from her apartment. I’d like to help her but I’ve got no spots available,” Chuck sighed.
    “So you want me to let her crash here until she can find something?” Sherri asked.
    “That would be so great, Sherri, but that’s just part of the favor. I did say it was a big favor, didn’t I?” Chuck replied with a half-smile. “Any chance you can give her a job too? Just for a while? I’m trying to find another property in the area and some more options other than the shop for those kids who need a job but it’s been a little harder than I would have thought.”
    “She’s only eighteen I would guess… so the most she could do is work in the kitchen… cooking, dishes and cleanup after closing. I can’t pay much over minimum wage until I can move Dawn behind the bar,” she said reluctantly.
    “Something is better than nothing… believe me,” Chuck replied with a shake of his head. “One last favor?”
    Chuck reminded Sherri of a kid who’d broken out a window playing ball and now had to make amends for his actions. As much as he and Meredith put into their charity, for him to be shy about asking for help from anyone in their small community, was comical to her.
    “You’re pushing it but ask anyway,” she laughed.
    “Can you pick her up from Tommy and Dana’s around three this afternoon?” Chuck asked. “They just got back last night and she’s helping Dana and the girls get unpacked from their trip for a little spending money.”
    “You don’t ask for much, do you?” she teased. “I’ll pick her up and talk to her about the job. It’s awful convenient that I’ll be picking her up on my way to the bar… your timing couldn’t have been better.” Then seeing