Lia had gotten home and watched Huck settle back on the sofa as if none of it had happened. With a sigh, she walked out the side door and got her mail then returned, throwing it on the counter without looking at it. It would be bills.

She had to be at the hospital at six the next morning, so it was going to be a short night.

She stripped as she walked towards the bathroom, it was time for a shower and then she would make herself something to eat. Peanut butter and jelly and a cold glass of milk were calling her name for some reason. She took her time in the shower, letting the heat relax her muscles and using her favorite shower gel as a pick me up. She had learned over the last year that it was all about the little things in life.

Her ex-fiancé had wined her and dined her, taking her to expensive dinners, and on trips abroad, there was nothing he didn't do first class, and she had enjoyed it at first, but then she had grown tired of having to keep up with everyone. It had felt as if she had had a second job. There would never have been a night in, sitting on the couch eating peanut butter and jelly and watching a movie she had seen a hundred times because she could watch it without thinking.

Dressed in her baggy pajama bottoms and roomy t-shirt, another thing she never wore with her ex, she had just taken the first bite of her sandwich when there was a knock at her door. With a muffled curse at the jelly that dripped onto her shirt, she stomped across the kitchen peeking through the curtain on the door.

It was him, the nasty neighbor. She looked at him through the window, taking another bite of her sandwich as she debated if she wanted to open the door or not. When she reached for the milk on the counter and took a sip, he banged on the door with his fist.

Rolling her eyes, she set the sandwich and milk down and then unlocked her door. "What!"

His eyes narrowed at her tone as he held up a broken desk lamp. It was stainless steel with a glass shade that was barely attached.

"Bummer," Lia said as she reached for her sandwich.

"Yes, it is, and your dog did it!" he growled.

"You wanna take him as payment?" she offered. "Hey Huck, it's for you!"

There was a loud groan from the couch behind her and Huck rolled off in his usual fashion with a thump. Lia looked over her shoulder and sighed.

"Is he dead?" the man asked, looking at Huck's still form over Lia's shoulder.

"Nah, he'll be over in a minute." She reached for the lamp, taking it from his hand. "I'll try to find another one, or would you rather have money and pick yourself out a new one?" She threw it in the trash behind her. "Although if that's your taste, you're better off letting me pick it out."

She took a long drink of her milk as Huck finally decided to join them. He walked up to the man and sniffed his hand, lifting it with his head, forcing the man to pet him.

"There is nothing wrong with my taste, that was a gift," he insisted.

"Now you have a viable reason for getting rid of it." She nodded. "Is there anything else?" She took another bite of her sandwich, unaware as another blob of jelly landed on her chest.

He saw it though, and his eyes followed the blob as it rolled down her breast and landed on the floor, watching as Huck quickly ate it.

"Is that your dinner?" he asked, his voice full of scorn.

"Yes, we can't all be so lucky and have food delivered to us by beautiful women." She shrugged, popping the last bite into her mouth.

"You'd like your food to be delivered to you by a beautiful woman?"

Lia grinned as she realized how it had sounded. "Sure, why not," she agreed.

"You like beautiful women?"

"Well, that all depends on the woman, and I don't think I like them as much as you do," she shook her head with a laugh.

"You're an odd woman," he frowned.

"No, I'm just a really tired one," she insisted, picking up her milk. Huck leaned on her leg, looking at her adoringly.

He was about to say something when a voice behind him called his name.

Ben turned around and smiled at the woman. "Trinity, this is my nosy neighbor..."

"Lia Haven," she introduced.

"Ms. Haven, this is my sister Trinity Langford, and I'm Ben Emerson." Lia snorted at the thought that his manners were suddenly present in front of his sister, and his eyebrow raised at the sound.

"Hello Lia, I can call you Lia? It's nice to meet you." Trinity held out her hand behind her brother, and Lia was forced to step forward into his space and take it. She could smell him again, and she felt his taught chest as her shoulder brushed it.

"It's nice to meet you, Trinity," Lia said.

"I saw you were wearing scrubs earlier, do you work at the hospital?" she asked, looking at the jelly stain on Lia's shirt.

"Yes, I'm a nurse in the E.R.," she said as she reached for a towel and dabbed at it, suddenly self-conscious.

"Lia was just telling me how she thought you were beautiful and how she appreciated beautiful women." Ben turned his attention back towards Lia. "Don't get your hopes up Lia, my sister is already married, to a man."

"My condolences," Lia said, straight-faced. "But for the record, I'm not a lesbian, I just appreciate beauty, and I will add that she definitely got all the looks and manners, and you must have gotten all the bad crap that was left over." She threw her towel on the counter and gave them both a brilliant smile.

"Trinity." She leaned forward and shook her hand again, a little devil making her brush as much of her body as she could against Ben's, forgetting she wasn't wearing a bra as her chest brushed his arm. "It was a pleasure to meet you." Then she backed up, her face flaming at her body's reaction. She should have thought that through a little better. "Mr. Emerson."

Huck gave a little bark, the grin back on his face as if he found the entire interaction funny.

"If you'll excuse me, I have to feed the dog," she said as she closed the door on Ben's frowning face.

"Thank goodness tomorrow is another day!" she said softly to Huck who barked in response then trotted over to his bowl, demanding that she make good her promise.

*******

"Oh, I like her!" Trinity laughed as she stepped away from her brother, who looked a little flustered. "You do too, don't you?"

"No!" he stomped back towards the house. "She irritates me beyond belief."

"Sure, but that's a good thing. I bet the sex would be amazing," Trinity thought aloud.

"There is so much wrong with that statement we won't even discuss it. You're my sister, eww gross."

Trinity rolled her eyes. "When did you become such a prude, and I only mention it because I'm worried about you. It's been three years since Illianna's death, and there hasn't been anyone, has there?"

"No, I'm not about to put myself through all of that again."

"I'm not saying you have to fall in love and get married, but a little action on the side never hurt anyone. Who knows it might even prove beneficial to your writing career." Trinity stopped on the porch and looked back over her shoulder. "Lord knows it would help the rumors."

Ben paused, his hand on the doorknob as he looked back over at his sister. It must have been worse than he thought if she made a comment like that.

"Have they been that bad?" he asked softly.

Trinity looked back at him with tears in her eyes. "Yes, they have. Did you know I had to change jobs? I promised I wouldn't say anything, but its hard. I might have to change jobs again soon."

"Why?" Ben asked walking over to her.

"Because I handle your account and it moves with me. People recognize the name and are upset that I'm managing a murderer's money. My last company knew you were my brother and were concerned about how your accounts would look on their books." She shrugged. "It took the new company time to catch on, but now I've grown your account to be large enough that they don't want to lose it, they just don't want it advertised. They don't know I'm your sister and I'm ashamed that they don't." She wiped a tear as Ben gathered her close in a hug.

"How will my getting a girl help you? I don't understand?"

Trinity shook her head and laughed a little. "That's because you're clueless. Maybe you really did get all the leftover crap."

"Maybe I did," he agreed. "So, fill me in."

"If another girl could like you, love you, then maybe others would think you're not guilty. If you could get one to marry you, that would be even better. Especially if you adored her and she adored you in public. It would help dull the sharp edge of the rumor." She pushed away from Ben and looked up at him. "I know you're not guilty, I never thought you were, but something wasn't right in your marriage. Everyone could see it, but you've always stayed faithful it Illianna even after her death, and I'm sure it's something she doesn't deserve."

"None of it matters now, but I hear you Trinity, and I'll give it some thought, alright?"

Trinity nodded. "I'm going now, I promised Chris I would be home by eight." She started down the steps.

"Trinity."

She stopped to look at him. "Since we're being honest, we all know that something's not right in your marriage either." Ben watched her look over her shoulder as if seeking escape. "You don't have to talk about it, but if you ever want to, I'm here."

Trinity nodded and gave a sad smile. "I love you, Ben."

"I love you, big sis," he returned.

"You make me sound fat when you say that." She laughed as she started for her car.

"I have it on good authority that you're beautiful, remember," he called.

She waved as she got in her car, and he watched as she drove away.

Turning he reached out to open his door, but it was locked. Letting out a few oaths he walked around the house, trying every window and door. None of them would open. He put his arm up on a porch post and rested his head against it with another few choice words. Damn it; now he would have to talk to peaches and vanilla again.

He didn't know what made him more upset, that fact that he had to admit to locking himself out of the house, or that he was looking forward to having a reason to talk to her again. He knew that her sharp tongue would rip him to shreds when she found out what had happened and that it would make him angry once again, but a part of him was looking forward to the confrontation.

Sighing, he stood and started the journey back towards her door. Maybe if he thought about how sorry he had felt for her it would curb his feelings, she had been so tried, and peanut butter and jelly was no meal for someone at the end of a long working day. It had caused him concern.

He cursed himself, that was not where he wanted is thoughts, he did not feel concern for her, that was dangerous territory. So were thoughts about how she had felt as she had brushed up against him to shake his sister's hand. He swore she had done it on purpose, but then she had blushed.

Taking a deep breath, he knocked on her door.