"Ladies," he repeated.

"You don't know everything," Sandy said, her voice strained. "There are humane ways to get rid of mice. I don't want to see it killed any more than you do, but it and its friends cannot live here with us."

"The mouse has friends?" Nichole asked.

Kyle raised his right hand to his face, stuck his thumb and index finger in his mouth, then blew hard. The piercing whistle silenced them instantly.

"Now that I have your attention," he said, "will everyone please take one step back and let go of me?"

Sandy stared up at him for a moment, blushed, then quickly moved away, brushing her hands against her shorts. "Sorry," she mumbled, obviously flustered. "I guess we overreacted to the mouse."

He wanted to tell her that she didn't need to apologize. He'd liked her pressing up against him. It did him good to know she wasn't as completely in charge as she wanted the world to think. It also evened the score a little. She'd been tying him up in knots since the first time his brother Jordan had brought her home sixteen years ago.

Something about her had set his adolescent heart on fire and he'd never forgotten her. Still, this wasn't the time or place to review old memories.

Kyle glanced around the empty foyer, then at the small mouse that had returned to its nest in the corner by the stairs. "I want to look over the rest of the house before you get to work," he said.

Sandy bristled. Her spine stiffened and her hands curled into fists. "I've already had the house inspected," she said, staring at him. "The man told me the building was in excellent condition and that the only problem I should expect would be cleaning up after a lengthy vacancy."

Kyle tried to remember if she'd always had this much trouble accepting help. He couldn't say for sure. Maybe it was something she'd learned while she was gone. "Did he say anything about mice?" he asked.