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cousin’s cooperation, or the deal is dead in the water. Or at least close enough to justify calling in the coroner.” The fact that her boss and Eric had been talking took her aback. She’d been under the impression she was on her own during the preliminary negotiations. Her stomach knotted at the idea that she might be judged and found wanting as a negotiator.
    She explained about Simon’s preoccupation with his current project. “Even his housekeeper warned me that trying to pin Simon down in one place long enough to hear the presentation is going to be difficult.”
    â€œI don’t care if you have to camp out on his doorstep until you get him to listen to you. We need that man’s cooperation for this deal to go through. If you don’t think you can get it, maybe I’ll have to come up there and take over the negotiations.”
    The knots in her stomach drew tighter until she felt in desperate need for an antacid tablet. “I can handle it, Daniel.”
    â€œProve it.”
    The words echoed through her mind that night, making it hard to go to sleep.
    In one way or another, she’d been trying to prove herself her entire life and somehow she’d always ended up falling short of the mark.
    She was determined that this time would be different.

Chapter 4
    S he bolted upright in bed, her heart beating erratically. She’d had the dream again, the one where she got fired and where, driving home to her condo, she started shrinking until she wasn’t even tall enough to touch the gas pedal. She usually didn’t wake up until the car started veering wildly toward the edge of the coastal highway, coming awake just as the car started going over the cliff.
    Ring .
    She turned toward the sound, still disoriented by her dream and the brutal return to reality.
    Ring .
    It was the phone.
    It had woken her, stopping the nightmare right after she started getting smaller.
    She fumbled for the receiver in the darkness of her room.
    â€œHello?”
    â€œGood morning, Amanda.”
    â€œSimon?” Was it morning? She blearily tried to focus on the clock beside her bed. Twelve minutes after five A.M. “Do you have any idea what time it is?”
    â€œIt’s still dark, so not yet six.”
    â€œI was asleep.”
    â€œI’m sorry I woke you.” He paused. “Would you like me to call back later?”
    Remembering how easily he lost track of his surroundings and her, she jumped in with a very hasty, “No.”
    â€œJacob said you wanted me to call.”
    â€œThat’s right. You didn’t listen to my presentation. You said you would,” she reminded him. “I believe it was something you promised your sister-in-law?”
    â€œI promised Eric because Elaine was getting teary eyed. Pregnant women are emotional.”
    â€œI wouldn’t know.”
    Lance hadn’t wanted children right away and neither had she. She didn’t regret that, not since it would have meant putting any child they’d had through the upheaval of divorce. Still, sometimes when she saw mothers with little babies, she felt like she was missing something pretty important in her life.
    â€œJacob also said I upset you when I disappeared into my lab.” He sounded almost apologetic.
    â€œYou forgot about me.”
    â€œI didn’t mean to.”
    â€œDon’t worry about it. I’m used to it.” Why had she said that? She was still too rummy from sleep to control her tongue.
    The tendency that first her family, and then her ex-husband, had had to dismiss her as of little importance, was not something she wanted to share with Simon.
    â€œYou’re used to being forgotten?”
    â€œNever mind.” She scooted into a sitting position, dragging the covers with her to maintain their cocoon of warmth. “I’m not quite awake. I don’t know what I’m saying. Are you calling to reschedule our