“That’s what you’ve hired me for, to be with Jacey. It’ll be fine.”

“Thanks. If she says anything—I mean, I expect she’ll be a bit of a brat.”

“Remember you asked for a teen expert. I’ve handled recalcitrant teenagers before. Relax, Declan. She’s being a teenager. They really do better with boundaries and adults running the show. Start as you mean to go on.”

He nodded and sat back in his seat.

Savannah smiled at her seat companion and turned to gaze out the window. She had her own problems. Like not getting to sleep last night for thinking about the trip with Declan Murdock. She’d been so in love with him years ago. She thought she’d put all romantic notions behind her when he left. But he was even more interesting now that she’d seen more of the world, spent time among dynamic men who moved in the highest circles. He had a special appeal, and it wasn’t all based on the past.

Declan could hire a raft of people to watch his daughter. But he’d chosen her. Not for old times’ sake, but because she’d come so highly recommended. And he did need help with his daughter if he so rarely saw her. Savannah was here to do a job, not to dream about her temporary employer.

Savannah brought out a novel she’d picked up in Boston, not having had a moment to read it after she’d landed in New York—was it only a couple of days earlier? Reading would while away the flight.

As they prepared to land several hours later, Savannah looked over to see Jacey peering out the window as the plane banked over San Francisco. The city gleamed in the sunshine. The buildings of downtown were predominantly white. The water of the San Francisco Bay were deep blue. It was a gorgeous day. Savannah hoped that the teenager would let herself experience some emotion at visiting one of the world’s most exciting and beautiful cities.

When they reached the hotel near Union Square, Savannah was pleased with the ease at which Jacey accepted the room assignments. They went into the room they’d share. Two double beds left plenty of room for a dresser and television. The sitting room of the suite also had a large-screen television and two sofas, several easy chairs and a wet bar.

They had a small view of Union Square and when they opened the old-fashioned window, they could hear the famous cable cars clanging as they reached the turntable near Market Street.

Jacey plopped on her bed and leaned back, staring at the ceiling.

“It’s only midafternoon. Want to go out?” Savannah asked. The advantage of traveling west was arriving in time to do things.

“Is Dad going?”

“He said he wants to go to the store right away. We could go with him. Or wait until tomorrow to go shopping for our hiking stuff. I know a couple of places where we could find some trendy clothes. Maiden Lane has some fabulous shops.”

Jacey sat up. “Whatever.”

Savannah resisted rolling her eyes. She wished that word had never been invented. However, she was sure Jacey and teens everywhere would find another equally annoying if that were the case.

Shopping proved more fun than Savannah had expected. In the first shop, Savannah pulled out a lollipop-pink sundress. “My sister’s favorite color is pink,” Savannah said. “I wouldn’t be caught dead in this.”

“If you were dead, you wouldn’t know what you were wearing,” Jacey said.

Savannah laughed. So maybe the kid could be fun to be around. “Good point. What’s your favorite color—and don’t say black.”

“What if that’s my favorite color?”

“It’s no one’s favorite color. Lots of people wear it, but not because it’s a favorite color. Purple’s my favorite, but I don’t wear a lot of it.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t want to look like a plum?” Savannah suggested.

Jacey actually giggled. “I’d like to see you in purple.”

“Okay, find something. I’m not buying, but I’ll try it on.”

Jacey searched through dresses, finally finding a deep purple one.

“Okay, wait here.” Hoping she could trust the teen not to dart away as soon as her back was turned, Savannah went to the changing room. Stepping out a couple of minutes later she was relieved to see Jacey still looking at dresses.

Turning to see Savannah, Jacey began to laugh. “You do look like a tall, thin plum.”

“You try it on and see what you look like, Miss Smarty-Pants. You’d look like a plum, too,” Savannah retorted, delighted to finally hear a laugh from the girl.

“Purple’s not my favorite color.”

“What is, then?”

“Blue.”

“Powder, navy, aqua?”

“Powder.”

Savannah pulled out a light blue dress. “So try it on. Maybe you’ll look like a robin’s egg.”

Jacey rolled her eyes but followed Savannah back to the dressing rooms. While Savannah changed back into the outfit she’d worn on the plane she could hear clothing shuffle in the changing stall next to hers. She was surprised to see how pretty Jacey looked when she stepped out in the blue dress. The makeup was still garish, the hair too dark, but she looked more like a pretty young girl.

“Nice,” Savannah said casually. “Want to try on another dress? We don’t have to buy anything. It’s fun to play dress-up. You should’ve seen me and my sister when we first moved to New York. We’d spend all Saturday afternoon shopping at high-end stores, just trying on clothes.”

They’d done it to find out what looked good and what didn’t, making notes on what styles best suited each of them. It made a big difference in the way two country girls were able finally to fit in.

Over the next hour Jacey tried on several different outfits, but she never returned the blue one to the rack.

As it grew closer to the time to meet Declan for dinner, Savannah wondered if she dare buy the blue dress for Jacey.

“Ready to go?” she asked.

“I guess. This has been fun. I think I could be a model.”

“Sure, once you learn the tricks of the trade.”

“Like?”

“How to walk, pivot, fix your hair and makeup.” She was taking a chance very early in their tenuous relationship, but Savannah only had three weeks with Jacey, if that. Anything she could do for Declan would be worth the risk. “Maybe we could get a makeover at one of the department stores on Union Square. I bet their makeup selection is huge.”

“Ummm.” Jacey didn’t exactly jump at the chance, but Savannah was relieved not to have her turn it down completely.

“I like the blue dress,” Jacey said casually.

“I do, too. Shall we buy it?” She held her breath.

“Whatever.”

Savannah laughed. “Deal.”

They reached their hotel room before Declan returned.

“Time for a shower and shampoo before dinner,” Savannah said when Jacey dropped the bag from the store on her bed. “Want to go first?”

“I guess. You could use Dad’s bathroom since he isn’t here,” she suggested. “Then I can take as long a shower as I want.”

She was once again trying to reach her mother by phone. Savannah didn’t know if Margo had ever called her daughter over the weekend. If not, Jacey must be getting annoyed at being ignored.

“Okay, that’ll work,” she said. Judging how much longer until the dinner time Declan had suggested, she figured she’d have time to be in and out before he returned.

Savannah walked through Declan’s bedroom to his bath a few moments later. She kept her gaze averted from the bed, ignoring the few things of his on the dresser. But stepping into the bathroom brought back even more memories. His scent permeated the air. She saw his razor on the bath counter, his aftershave in a bottle beside it. For a moment she was immobile, remembering.

Shaking off the past, she stepped into the shower and soon felt the soothing beat of the hot water. Focus on your job, she admonished herself. Jacey had been cordial most of the afternoon—actually, almost friendly toward the end. Trying on clothes was fun no matter what kind of attitude she was trying to maintain.