"You said that your mother was trying to get him taken away from his father. He'll be okay if they do that." She suddenly looked at Eve. "Why? Is something wrong? Did that lawyer toss him out and--"

"No, Mom says they're becoming buddies. Nothing's wrong." Not with Mike, but she was beginning to think something was wrong with Jane. "It's hard being far away from friends, and I know you like Mike. I've always found loneliness sometimes sort of ambushes you."

"Not me."

Try another road. "I'm surprised you're not with Monty. I'm sure he needs you."

A silence. "He doesn't need me. Sarah said I was helping, but he needs only her. He barely knows I'm there."

Ah, there was the pain. "I'm sure he does."

Jane shook her head. "He's her dog. He belongs to her." She didn't look at Eve. "I wanted him to belong to me. I thought if I loved him enough, he'd love me more than Sarah." She added defiantly, "I wanted to take him away from Sarah."

"I see."

"Aren't you going to tell me how bad that is?"

"No."

"It was bad. I . . . like Sarah. But I love Monty. I wanted him to belong to me." Her hands balled into fists. "I wanted something to belong to me."

"He does belong to you. He just belongs to Sarah more. It's natural. She was first in his life."

"Like Bonnie was first in yours?"

Shock rippled through her. "I thought we were talking about Monty. How did we get to Bonnie?"

"She belonged to you. That's why you're helping me, isn't it? It's for Bonnie, not me."

"Bonnie's dead, Jane."

"But she still belongs to you. She's still first." She took a bite of her sandwich. "Not that I care. Why should I care? It's nothing to me. I just thought it was funny."

My God, her eyes were glistening with tears. "Jane."

"I don't care. I really don't care."

"Well, I do." She slid across the couch and pulled Jane into her arms. "I'm helping you because you're a very special person and that's the only reason."

Jane's body was ramrod stiff in her arms. "And you like me?"

"Yes." Christ, she'd almost forgotten how small and dear a child's body felt. "I like you very much."

"I . . . like you too." Jane slowly relaxed against her. "It's okay. I know I can't be first, but maybe we can be friends. You don't belong to anyone like Monty does. I'd like to--" She stopped.

"Maybe we can," Eve said. Jane was breaking her heart. So defensive, so resistant, and yet so in need. "I don't see why not, do you?"

"No." Jane lay still against her for a moment, and then she pushed her away. "Okay. That's settled." She stood up and hurried to the door. "I'm going to get Monty some food and then I'm going to bed." The moment of softness was clearly over. Now Jane was eager to escape a situation that must have made her uneasy.

Well, wasn't Eve equally uneasy? The past few minutes had been as awkward for her as for Jane. They were quite a pair, she thought ruefully. "I thought you said Monty didn't need you."

"Well, he needs to eat. Sarah would have to leave him to get food, and that would make him sad." She added just before leaving the room, "He can't help it if he doesn't love me best."

Adjustments and compromises and acceptance. Jane's life had never been anything else, and she was afraid to ask for anything more, Eve thought as she rose to her feet. But there had been a breakthrough tonight. She was beginning to admit that she did need someone, and Eve had been chosen to fill the void.

Eve smiled in amusement as she started up the steps. Jane wasn't the only one who had to make compromises. Eve was playing second fiddle to a golden retriever.

It wasn't until she was in bed and had turned out the light that the significance of what had happened hit home.

Dom had gotten what he wanted.

Jane had crept beneath Eve's defenses and was becoming important to her.

Calm down. It's fine. Jane had not become Bonnie to Eve. What Eve felt for Jane was entirely different; Jane was more like a friend than a daughter.

But that might be close enough for Dom to make his move.

The thought sent a bolt of panic through her. It wasn't too late. She could push Jane away. She could pretend they'd never shared those moments in the office.

The hell she could. She could never hurt Jane that way.

Dom didn't know anything had changed. She could keep it from him. She'd just be careful to be distant with Jane whenever they were out of the house.

She could keep the truth from Dom.

"HI." JOE CAME into the kitchen and dropped down into a chair. "I could use some coffee."

"It's made. On the counter." Eve lifted her own cup to her lips. "You didn't come home last night."

"How do you know?" He got up and poured himself a cup. "Are you checking up on me? Good."

"I just knocked on your bedroom door and looked in when you didn't answer. You could have called."

"I hoped you were asleep." He grinned. "We sound like an old married couple."

"Why didn't you come back last night?"

"I went with Charlie to his hotel and had a few drinks." He made a face. "Well, more than a few."