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careful,” Maria said glibly. “Besides, I haven’t agreed to anything yet. But I am thinking about meeting him.”
    “When? Where?”
    “Haven’t decided yet.”
    “Promise me it will be during daytime and that you’ll meet someplace besides your apartment or office. A public location in a different part of town.”
    “Of course.”
    “And bring a—”
    “Can I please finish telling you about him before you knit my straitjacket?”
    “Sorry,” Julia said. “I’m listening.”
    “He said we knew each other in high school and that he asked me out.”
    “Who didn’t?”
    “Julia!” Maria shot daggers in her sister’s direction.
    “OK, I’ll stop. But you do still hold the record for prom invitations at Littleton High.”
    Maria’s glower morphed into a self-congratulatory smile. “Anyway, he has business in Littleton and wants to connect while in town.”
    “What kind of business?”
    “Didn’t say. But any man who has managed to keep a business going in these times must have his act together, right?”
    Julia thought of her husband Troy. Difficult times had forced him out of Washington back to Denver to try salvaging his own business. He had been working day and night to keep things afloat.
    “I guess he gets points for that,” she said. “Would I have known him?”
    “I think he signed the note with an online handle rather than his actual name. I checked the class annual. It wasn’t in there. The closest I found were Mansfield and Manchester.”
    “Hip Manchester?” Julia asked with a laugh. “I remember him. What a goof!”
    “I think that was our exit.” Maria pointed to a passing Colfax Avenue sign.
    “I’m taking Speer,” Julia said. “It’s a bit early for lunch so I thought we could stop by Troy’s office to say hi. He could use the interruption. Do you mind?”
    “Not at all. As long as you promise he won’t call me Lady Maria. It makes me feel old.”
    “I told you. I outlawed the chivalrous lingo.”
    “Good.”
    They took the next exit onto Speer Boulevard, five minutes away from Troy’s office, where Julia intended to grace her gallant gentleman with a much-needed kiss.

Chapter Eight
    “Floor?” asked a thirtysomething gentleman, appreciating Maria’s skirt and heels. His tailored suit and silk tie made the perfect package for a visible confidence.
    “Ten, please,” Julia replied.
    “Me too,” he said, tossing a wink toward the younger sister.
    “Are you here to see Troy?” Julia asked.
    “Yes, ma’am. Troy Simmons of TS Enterprises. You?”
    “I’m Julia, Troy’s wife.” It felt good to say it when standing beside Maria. Her kid sister still turned heads like few other women. But Julia had managed something even less common, a committed relationship.
    “Nice meeting you.” A slight nod in Julia’s direction finally acknowledged her presence. “Robert Wilkie.”
    “Hi, Robert. This is my sister.”
    Maria offered her hand to formalize the handoff from married to available woman. “Maria Davidson. A pleasure.”
    Julia marveled once again at the subtle movements and voice inflections that made her sister irresistible to the opposite sex. In less time than it took an elevator to climb ten floors she had turned a complete stranger into a promising romantic prospect.
    “What time is your meeting?” Julia asked as the doors slid apart.
    The man glanced at his watch. “Eleven thirty. I’m a bit early.”
    Maria’s eyes met Julia’s. Both seemed to imagine the same scheme.
    “Listen,” Julia began. “I need to pop into my husband’s office for a quick conversation. Do you mind keeping my sister company in the lobby for a few minutes? I won’t be long.”
    Robert smiled at Maria, releasing Julia to approach a vacant assistant’s desk in front of her husband’s closed office door. She paused before entering at the sound of muffled conversation within. After a few moments she discerned a solitary, agitated voice.
    “I understand you took a