“I can’t wait.” She gave him her flight number and time of arrival.

“See you in baggage claim. And in the meantime, I love you.”

Candy paused in the open doorway to scan Jay’s living room. “The usual suspects.”

Raley, looking over her shoulder, took in the riotous scene. “I don’t recognize half the people here.”

“That’s what I meant,” she shouted back at him. “It’s one of Jay’s typical free-for-alls.”

His apartment was jam-packed with people, all trying to talk above the loud music, creating a cacophony of laughter, chatter, and Bon Jovi. Having delivered Candy as promised, Raley was tempted to make an about-face and leave. But it was too late. Jay had spotted them. Holding aloft his margarita glass, he threaded his way through the crowd until he reached them. He kissed Candy on the cheek.

“You look sensational!”

“Thanks. It’s new.” She held out the skirt of the halter dress and executed a curtsy. “I treated myself. I may not be able to pay the rent this month, but what the hell. Does the full skirt make my butt look big?”

Dutifully he and Jay chorused, “No.”

“Liars. But thanks.”

Soon after she’d passed the bar exam, a job for an ADA had come open in the district attorney’s office. Candy had applied for it and had hung on with bulldog tenacity until she was hired. At first, she was little more than a gofer, but it hadn’t taken her long to distinguish herself. She was ambitious and self-confident, and didn’t take any crap from her male counterparts. She didn’t acknowledge a glass ceiling for women in the judicial system-except to say that she planned to shatter the goddamn thing.

She wasn’t a natural beauty, but when she took the time and trouble, as she obviously had tonight, she could be moderately attractive.

“Hey, buddy, I’m glad you’re here.” Jay reached past Candy to shake Raley’s hand, then threw one arm around his shoulders and gave him a hug, thumping him on the back. Raley, who was several inches taller than Jay, awkwardly leaned into the hug.

But he found himself moved by Jay’s demonstration of affection and, remembering the reason for the party, said thickly, “No, I’m glad you’re here.”

They released each other quickly but maintained eye contact and fond smiles.

Candy regarded them suspiciously. “You two aren’t going to swap spit, I hope.”

They laughed. Jay said, “When Hell freezes over,” then motioned with his head. “Bar’s this way.”

It took them ten minutes to navigate the living room. As soon as he’d thrust a plastic cup of beer at Raley, and seen to it that Candy had a margarita, Jay deserted them to welcome arriving guests, and to meet the tagalongs they’d brought with them.

Candy spotted another lawyer from the DA’s office across the room. He was standing with his back against the wall, looking like he was facing a firing squad. “He’s married,” she told Raley, “but I understand he and the missus are separated. I don’t see her, do you?” Obviously it was a rhetorical question because Candy didn’t wait for an answer. “He’s kinda cute, in a nerdy sort of way, don’t you think?”

“Oh yeah.” Much more nerdy than cute, in Raley’s opinion, which he wisely kept to himself. “I’ll bet you’re smarter than him.”

Not hearing his sarcasm, or disregarding it, she said, “Oh, no question of that.” She turned to him and peeled back her lips. “Do I have anything in my teeth?”

He inspected them and shook his head. “You’re good to go.”

“See ya.”

She headed off in the general direction of the lost-looking prosecutor. Poor bastard, Raley thought, mentally chuckling. He was in for a night of it.

Feeling adrift, Raley stepped out onto the patio, where the noise level was a trifle less earsplitting. The concrete pad was bordered on three sides by narrow strips of grass and enclosed with a privacy fence. Tonight the gate was open. Jay’s guests were free to spill out onto the common area of the apartment complex. None of the other residents seemed to mind the party racket. Raley was sure Jay had extended a blanket invitation as a preemptive strike against complaints.

And who was a neighbor to call to complain about noise? The cops? Any police department employee who wasn’t on duty tonight was here swilling beer and margaritas, noshing on chips and salsa, cheese cubes, and onion dip.

Raley looked through the open gate, planning his escape. He’d already told Candy he would leave well before she was ready to go, and she’d agreed to find her own way home. If he left through the gate, he could circle around to where he’d parked his car without having to go back through the apartment, avoiding an argument with Jay, who would urge him to stay.

He finished his beer and tossed the empty cup into a trash can, then started for the gate.

“Hi.”

He turned to make certain the greeting was intended for him. It was. But he’d never seen the young woman smiling up at him. “Your name’s Raley?”

“That’s right.”

Her smile widened. “Raley Gannon. I asked.” She pointed with her thumb over her shoulder, indicating that she’d asked his name of someone in the crowd.

“Oh.”

It wasn’t a brilliant comeback, but it was all he could think of to say. She was a stunner, from the tousled mass of blond hair to her red toenails. In between were a pair of high-heeled sandals, a white miniskirt, and a red tank top with FCUK spelled out in rhinestones. She was carrying a frozen margarita in each hand.

“You looked thirsty.” She handed one of the drinks to Raley. He took it, but she noticed him looking at the glittering letters stretched across her breasts. She laughed. “It stands for French Connection UK. Like England? It’s a line of clothing.”

“Oh, right.”

“Eye-catching though, huh?”

“Yeah.”

“Makes you do a double take. At least it did you.” And she gave a little shimmy that caused all four letters to jiggle. Her breasts turned seismic.

Feeling guilty for staring, he looked into the margarita. “I was about to leave.”

Her evident disappointment was flattering. “You were? How come?”

“I, uh, I have some work to do.”

“On Saturday night?”

“Yeah, I-”

“I don’t hear any fire trucks.”

He gave a quick tilt of his head. “You know I’m a fireman? What gave me away?”

Shyly she ducked her head, peering up at him through her eyelashes. “I asked that, too. I wanted to have an icebreaker. You know, something to talk to you about? I wasn’t surprised to learn you were a fireman. I thought you must be something, you know, manly like that. With your build and all. But a fireman. Wow.”

He took a sip of his margarita. It was cold and delicious, a perfect combination of sweetness and bite. “A fireman is all I ever wanted to be.”

“So do lots of little boys. But you actually grew up to become one.” She licked salt from the rim of her glass and smiled at him.

He smiled back.

“Is it fun riding in the truck?”

“Well, if we’re going to a fire or an emergency-”

“Oh, I know it’s dangerous and all. But still, it’s gotta be a kick.”

Self-consciously, he grinned. “Yeah, it can be a kick.”

Someone jostled her from behind and she fell against him. “Oopsy-daisy.” Her breast-the one with the F and the C-mashed against his arm as she regained her balance. “Sorry.”

“It’s okay.”

“Did I cause you to spill your drink?”

“Just a little.” He sucked drops of melting margarita off his hand and took another drink. Then another.

“The house is impossible,” she said, “but it’s getting crowded out here, too.”

“Yeah, it is.”

Without his making a conscious decision to relocate, Raley fell into step behind her as she made her way through the gate and out onto the expanse of lawn that connected the units of the complex. In the center of the compound was a swimming pool with a hot tub that would hold twenty, a clubhouse for residents’ use, twin tennis courts with basketball hoops at each end, and several gathering places, some enclosed with lattice walls, others open-air for sunning on chaise lounges.