His gaze drifted back down to the contact sheets. He’d lost touch with Mallory five years ago, right after his life had taken such a dramatic turn due to his dad’s unexpected death. Hadn’t seen her since.

Well, he’d seen her again now. And damn, he’d liked everything he’d seen. And everything he’d seen had dredged up those memories he’d tried so hard to bury. But unfortunately those memories had haunted him constantly this past week.

He’d been stunned to learn she wasn’t married. During their brief chat last week, he’d made a comment about the photos being for her husband and she’d told him they were for her boyfriend-that her engagement had ended before the wedding had taken place.

Pulling his gaze away from the photos, he looked at his watch. Just past noon. Would she come into the studio today to pick up her proofs? He’d called her this morning-shaking his head as he recalled how his heart had pounded. An answering machine had clicked on after the third ring and a recorded voice had asked that he leave a message. After saying that her proofs were ready, he’d hung up, feeling ridiculously let down that he hadn’t had a chance to talk to her.

His thoughts were interrupted when the front door opened. Adam’s heart jumped only to settle back into place when Nick Daly walked into the studio. Friends since high school, Nick was the brother Adam had never had-yet in all those years, he’d never seen Nick look more bleary-eyed or rumpled.

“How is it possible for a guy to look so exhausted and so happy at the same time?” Adam asked with a grin.

“If you expect me to answer any complicated questions, you’ve lost your mind.”